Tag Archives: Memphis Taproom

Geeking Out at Memphis Taproom

10 Mar


Weyerbacher Fireside
Originally uploaded by J T. Ramsay

I met Keith Fitzgerald at Memphis Taproom last night to talk about blogs, apps, and all the other fun geek stuff our wives tell us “sounds fun” as we walk out the door.

Our wonderful conversation was aided and abetted by some delicious beer as the No Repeat Beer Week rolls on! I started the night with a smoky Weyerbacher Fireside (pictured) before delving into a bunch of beefy IPAs. Here’s last night’s list:

I took it easy since it was a school night, but I can assure you I had no difficulty getting up this morning for a quick three-mile run.

Our conversation ended with an interesting discussion about how RSS is the blood coursing through the veins of the Internet, yet we still find ourselves joining every known social media platform that comes down the pike. Isn’t RSS supposed to make our lives really simple?

Speaking of which, we also chatted about Pitchfork’s headscratcher of a redesign. It reminded me of Paper Thin Walls after it was redesigned and made ready for a social network that never took off. Ouch. I told Keith that Pitchfork should’ve looked to ESPN.com’s redesign and focused on their video production. Why they’re still married to the concept of a music webzine escapes me.

Keith also shared his pet project with me: a running app for the 3G iPhone that should blow MapMyRun and its ilk out of the water. I’m considering buying a new iPhone just to beta test it against my Garmin watch. It sounds great for beginners and advanced runners alike. There’s a great opportunity for an iPhone app like this to meet the needs of Garmin customers who’re still waiting for Garmin to roll out their Mac features.

It was a great night for geeking out on beer and the Internet. I’m looking forward to working with Keith on tweaking and adding features to Kensington Blues over the next few weeks. To that end, can anyone recommend a clean, free, 2-column WordPress theme?

No Repeat Beer Week @ Memphis Taproom

7 Mar

Lest people start to think that this blog is going to focus exclusively on the issues facing the music industry, I’m writing today about another one of my passions: craft beer! In the past year or so I’ve gotten very serious about the beer I drink, thanks in no small part to Brendan, Leigh and everyone at my amazing local bar, Memphis Taproom. We Philadelphians are also fortunate to have Lew Bryson and Joe Sixpack, two of the country’s best beer critics, right in our own backyard! So while I’m not going to attend any of the official Philly Beer Week events, but I’m making the most of Memphis Taproom’s No Repeat Beer Week…and then stumbling home happy.

Last night Helen and I were joined by our friends — and new neighbors! — Rick and Grace for a nice dinner, which ultimately evolved into the girls going home and us boys geeking out to some new beers. I can’t think of a better way to welcome them to the neighborhood!

What did I drink? Jess was kind enough to loan me a pen and I used one of their handy beer menus as a checklist. I tried one of each of the following:

What did I like? I’m partial to everything Elysian does. I enjoyed their Bifrost Winter Ale immensely and look forward to trying more of their stuff. My local distributor’s even stocking it now! The Loki Lager had an amazing finish that demands your attention.

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a sucker for an IPA, even though I’m trying to break the habit of defaulting to these sometimes overpowering beers. What can I say? I’m a total hops-head!

Dogfish Head makes some of the most nuanced beers I’ve ever tasted, and the Red and White was no exception. They’re always working on another level in my opinion.

My surprising favorite? The Ipswich Original Ale. I know! I’m shocked, too! Lew Bryson says it’s going to be a big year for session beers, and if they’re as satisfying as this one, who could deny him?

Let’s just say it was an amazing way to celebrate Philly Beer Week in my ‘hood! Be sure to stop by and sample some of the great stuff they’re tapping this week at Memphis and Cumberland!

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