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INTERCOURSE (PORTER) AMONG ‘BEST’
Intercourse Brewing Company’s Blue Ball Porter was named one of “The 25 Best Beers in America” in Maxim magazine’s February issue. Though Intercourse is based near Philadelphia, it’s brewed by the Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre.
Intercourse Brewing Company, owned by Nicole Courides, was founded in June 2008. Courides told Dish the company originally wanted to open the brewery in the Pennsylvania town it’s named after, “but we later found Intercourse was, and is still, a ‘dry town.’” So the company decided to go in a more “cost-effective” route and use a contract brewery.
“We were in search of an established brewery that would be willing to work closely with us, as well as be receptive to our ideas,” Courides said. “We met with the faces behind The Lion, and they were nearly just as excited as we were to begin our first batch.”
And now two years later, drinkers are getting excited, too.
“To be mentioned in Maxim — and to be considered one of the 25 Best New Beers — is incredible,” Courides said. “To be honest, I don’t believe it has truly set in with us quite yet. … This ‘break’ has proven to be a great accomplishment — but one that will only fuel the fire to keep us working just as hard, if not harder, in the future.”
And Intercourse is ready for that future, whatever it may hold.
“Whether it’s an experience, an opportunity, another mediocre ‘Intercourse’ joke that we have not yet heard, or a wealth of knowledge about the industry, our audience or a life’s lesson in general, we’re hungry for it,” said Courides.
The Maxim reviewer “wanted to smother it on pancakes at breakfast, but we’ll probably skip all that and just pull a bottle out from the nightstand drawer and gulp it down on the way to the shower.”
That sounds like a good way to start the day to me!
SIX-COURSE GOODNESS
The River Grille (670 N. River St., Plains Twp.) will have a Wine Night Sunday, Jan. 31 beginning at 4 p.m. The evening will feature a 6-course meal that will be paired with a complementary wine.
The first course, a shrimp bisque, will be accompanied by Sparkling Cristalino Spanish Cava. A pear-and-bleu-cheese strudel with port wine syrup is the second course and will be paired with Monteseran Garnacha from Spain. A seafood crepe filled with crab, shrimp and asparagus will be topped with a sherry lobster cream sauce and paired with Batasiolo Moscato D’Asti from Italy. The fourth course will be a palate-cleansing strawberry mint sorbet followed by braised lamb shank over mashed potatoes in a lamb au jus fifth course, which is accompanied by Blind Dog Cuvee Paso Robles, California. The meal will end with chocolate lava cake paired with McManis Petite Sirah from Italy.
Cost is $49.95 per person plus tax and tip. Reserve your spot by calling 570.208.1282 or visiting www.rivergrillenepa.com.
HOW LONG UNTIL MAY?
Much to my excitement, NEPAwinecountry.com has announced its 2010 festival schedule. The Web site is a comprehensive directory of NEPA wineries. Though the first festival is still four months away, I’m already excited, because after attending one in the fall, I know firsthand how good these local wine fests are.
Wine Under the Bridge will take place Saturday, May 22 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in downtown Nicholson with the Tunkhannock Viaduct, aka Nicholson Bridge, as a backdrop. The Back Mountain Wine Festival follows on June 19 at Pikes Creek Raceway Park in Hunlock Creek.
For the complete festival schedule or ticket prices, visit the Web site or call 570.836.7222.
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