Gravity Head opening weekend: Thanks from NABC.

Thanks to the forumites who braved the madness to sample Gravity Head 2009 on Friday and Saturday. We were up about 20% over last year's first two days, and we all appreciate the patronage during these uncertain times.

I'll have a lineupdate at my blog a bit later today: http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/

While I'm here, and because so many people have been asking, a quick Bank Street Brewhouse update: We're doing everything we can to finish the front of the house and commence some soft hours by the coming weekend (circa March 6), but this is by no means etched in stone. Every time I think it's firm, it really isn't -- just know that we have been working every day to get finished.

Thanks again.

Although I've had tasted NABC beer at local events, I'd never been to the hallowed grounds until yesterday. Making my first trip during Gravity Head seemed to be a foolproof plan. And right I was.

I traveled, in a responsible manner, with a group of 8 others. In terms of beer, I had the Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, the house NABC Solidarity Baltic Porter, and Stone XI - 11th Anniversary Ale. In terms of food, I sampled the breadsticks and pretzels with the beer cheese and dinnered on a 6" veggie pizza.

I wasn't a huge fan of the consistency of the pizza sauce (a little light and watery it seemed), but I did eat the whole pizza, so I must have liked it just fine enough. The Solidarity beer was a little sweet for my tastes (still a great beer), but the other two were excellent. The program blurb for Stone XI notes that making IPA's by utilizing darker malts may be a new(er) twist for brewers to try. I would agree wholeheartedly. Just a great beer. BTW, the 10oz pours are a perfect size.

Judging from the crowds, I'm not surprised business is up this year. We were on the Pizzeria side. It was mostly full at 5pm when I arrived, soon after featuring standing-room only crowds that were still there when we departed around 8:30.

I'm hoping to get back before GH is no more. Also can't wait for the Bank Street location. Opening just as cycling season is rolling back around. I'm envisioning a ride to-and-fro featuring lunch and 2 beers as a sure possibility.

See you with a busload of Merry Pranksters on March 10 - I hope there will be some beer left for us to drink!

I wasn't a huge fan of the consistency of the pizza sauce (a little light and watery it seemed), but I did eat the whole pizza, so I must have liked it just fine enough.

Hah, that's not necessarily the case. One time when I was there it took about an hour and a half to get our food (which is very uncommon by the way, it must have been a rough night) and I ended up drinking a few 20 oz pours of high abv beer on a completely empty stomach. For some reason whose logic escapes me to this day, I ordered anchovies in my calzone. Once it arrived, I remember taking a bite of it and exclaiming that I wasn't a huge fan of the anchovies. The next thing I know, I'm bewildered my calzone is entirely gone and I only vaguely remember eating it. Of course I wasn't driving, but I did regale my friends with a concise version of Tolkien's Quenta Silmarillion on the trip home.

I suppose the moral of the story is: alcohol does strange things to your taste buds. That's why White Castle is still in business.

As for Gravity Head itself, it was an absolute blast. The Ola Dubh 40 year was fantastically smooth, with plenty of scotch backbone. I was also blown away by the Thunderfoot, which has probably moved into my list of top 5 NABC beers.

Thanks to Roger and his staff for all the hard work they put in on arranging these festivities. I'll definitely be back before the closing ceremonies.

went out on Sat night

good crowd and better beer

Thunderfoot from the NABC...yum
and Pilgrims Dole from New Holland

nice work boys

Enjoyed the Curieux, Breakfast Stout, and Thunderfoot. Was bummed that the Saint Bon Chien didn't arrive and the The Bells Bourbon Cream Stout kicked right before we could order one. But the beauty of GH is that there's so much more on deck. Also tried the Refrigerator Pizza for the first time; I think I'll stick with the traditional crust (the Big Ten is soooo good).

Good times. Will be back very very soon.

The Bon Chien actually did arrive but was not drinkable. The brewer says we need to give it more time for keg conditioning. I think the yeast died and there'll be no more conditioning, but we'll put it back and tap again this summer. In the meantime I'll try to find a bottle so I can see what to expect. It was very sour and did not seem close to the listed abv.

The Bon Chien actually did arrive but was not drinkable. The brewer says we need to give it more time for keg conditioning. I think the yeast died and there'll be no more conditioning, but we'll put it back and tap again this summer. In the meantime I'll try to find a bottle so I can see what to expect. It was very sour and did not seem close to the listed abv.

I've got two different vintages of the Bon Chien in bottles at the store. When it is "on" it is a tremendously complex beer. Aroma very similar to Delirium Tremens, but a bit our sourness along the lines of a Rodenbach Grand Cru.

We were in Saturday night as well. Black Albert, NABC Thunderfoot (Still my favorite NABC beer), Founder's Breakfast Stout, New Holland Dragon's Milk and a BBC Knob Creek Porter. Great, friendly crowd, and the service was wonderful, especially considering how busy it was in there.

Todd, I need to find a bottle of 2007. There's good and bad sourness in beer, and I was getting the bad ... and it was almost still, with very little carbonation. That's why it still might make sense to let it sit a bit longer. Anything's possible.

Todd, I need to find a bottle of 2007. There's good and bad sourness in beer, and I was getting the bad ... and it was almost still, with very little carbonation. That's why it still might make sense to let it sit a bit longer. Anything's possible.

I'm pretty sure I've got 2007 and 2006 vintages of it.

I almost forgot this, but while waiting at the bar, someone came up and ordered a "Fat Albert" instead of the "Black Albert". In my best Bill Cosby impersonation (which I'm sure sounded better to me Saturday night than what it actually is), I belted out a "Hey Hey Hey, your beer is on the way!" He did not seem to appreciate it, but everyone else around me did.

The updated lineup is here:

http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2009/03/gravity-head-2009-lineupdate-for-monday.html

going back tonight for round 2

anyone else have the stones????

While I'm here, and because so many people have been asking, a quick Bank Street Brewhouse update: We're doing everything we can to finish the front of the house and commence some soft hours by the coming weekend (circa March 6), but this is by no means etched in stone. Every time I think it's firm, it really isn't -- just know that we have been working every day to get finished.

Thanks again.

Roger,

Will you be open this weekend?

No, unfortunately not. We cannot get the certificate of occupancy until Monday. The kitchen is done and the remainder of the public area is perhaps 90% complete. Maybe Friday the 13th?