Newtown Brewfest will feature more than 40 breweries, brewpubs and beer importers.
Related Story: House of Brews
By: Jillian Kalonick
Responsible beer drinkers know to supplement their pints with an equal amount of water to avoid dehydration, but they might not give too much thought about the importance of the H20 that goes into their beer.
Since beer is made up mostly of water, its quality is a major consideration in the brewing process, says Patrick Jones, the brewmaster at Triumph Brewing Co. in New Hope, Pa. Though the Triumph in Princeton and the New Hope location both brew on-site (as will Triumph in the Old City section of Philadelphia, slated to open January 2007), relatively soft water comes out of the tap in Princeton, and in New Hope it’s treated well water. It’s hard water, which is good for brewing dark beers such as stouts, but to make lighter beers, like pale ales, the water must be treated using a reverse osmosis machine. A blend of treated and untreated water is used for each formula, with varying proportions depending on beer type.
Triumph’s locally made brews most likely the Amber Ale, German Pilsner and Oktoberfest will be on tap as part of Newtown Brewfest, which will be held at the Stocking Works in Newtown, Pa., Oct. 21.
More than 40 breweries, brewpubs and beer importers will be offering 2-ounce tastings, which attendees will sample from mugs featuring the logo of local eatery and beer stop Isaac Newton’s, the event’s sponsor. In addition to microbrews from behemoths such as Anheuser-Busch and Sam Adams, local breweries such as Yards of Philadelphia, Victory Brewing of Downingtown, Pa., the Lion Brewery of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., River Horse of Lambertville, Legacy Brewing Company of Reading, Pa., and the Pennsylvania favorite, Yuengling, will be at the Brewfest.
"There was a huge interest once we started inviting breweries," says Lisa Schonewolf, who is co-chairing the event (along with Harry Betz of Newtown Bicycle & Fitness) and is owner of the interior design and home furnishings store The Nest in Newtown. "There’s not another event like this in Bucks County, and it’s a great market."
Beer and spirits writer Lew Bryson, who lives just south of Newtown, will conduct beer tasting seminars throughout the event. "What’s That I’m Tasting?" will help attendees identify the flavors and differences in the wide variety of beers offered at the festival. In between seminars, bluesman Richard Ray Farrell and his trio and guitarist Larry Tamanini will provide live music.
Since not everyone enjoys drinking beer, there also will be soda and water vendors, along with Starbucks, says Ms. Schonewolf. To encourage responsible drinking, designated driver tickets will be available for $10, and nonalcoholic beers will be offered.
Likely on tap at the Triumph booth will be its Amber Ale, which is brewed in a Pacific Northwest style, with lots of Cascade hops. The Oktoberfest beer is akin to the "malty, high gravity beer" which German brewers consumed in a two-week celebration in autumn. Triumph of New Hope’s German-style Pilsner won a bronze medal at 2005’s Great American Beer Festival, where Mr. Jones also earned a silver for Triumph’s Dunkel and a gold for its Honey Wheat. He will soon be at the helm of the brewing operations at Triumph’s Old City location, where he’ll be experimenting with new brews made with wild yeasts and bacteria.
Those who find something they like at the Triumph booth can get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how it’s made during the brewery’s tours, held on Saturdays. Mr. Jones, who has an unending enthusiasm for the brewing process (though he describes his job as "80 percent cleaning") guides visitors through all the steps it takes to turn water, barley, hops and yeast into a variety of golden and chocolate-colored brews.
Newtown Brewfest will be held at the Stocking Works, 301 S. State St., Newtown, Pa., Oct. 21, 2-6 p.m. Tickets cost $30, $25 advance, $10 designated driver. Money raised will benefit the nonprofit Newtown Main Streets. On the Web: www.newtownbrewfest.com