The 2013 Philly Beer Geek Semi-Finals Competition roars in on Tuesday evening, May 14^th at Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant’s 2^nd floor River Club with a cast of characters as different as the Cheers bar of famous sitcom fame.  All of the Philly Beer Geek competitors are highly competent players, vying for one of six spots in the Finals at The Field House on June 6^th, during Philly Beer Week.

Competitors have seized their opportunity by either being identified by their sponsor as a highly competent Beer Geek, or by proving themselves in a field of competition by winning a Preliminary Round at one of the sponsoring brewpubs or restaurants in Philadelphia or the outlying suburbs.

The 2013 Philly Beer Geek Semi Finalists and their sponsors are:

Greg Piotrowski – Blue Dog Tavern in Chalfont, PA

Guy Jurvich – Brauhaus Schmitz in Philadelphia

Dan Obermeier – City Tap House in University City, Philadelphia

Greg Bishop – Devil’s Den in Philly

Michael Soo – Dock Street Brewery in Cedar Park, West Philadelphia

Amy Nichols – Doobies Bar, Philly, & Doylestown Brewing, Doylestown

Trevor Fitzgerald – Garrett Hill Ale House in Bryn Mawr

Michael Lawrence – Grey Lodge Pub in Mayfair, Philadelphia

Andrew Pope – Iron Abbey Gastro Pub in Horsham, PA

Chris Smith – Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Maple Shade, NJ

Mike Seamen – Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant in Manayunk, Philadelphia

David Wood – Old Eagle Tavern in Philadelphia

Jesse Andreozzi – Philly Beer Scene Magazine in Philadelphia

Paul Staudt – Prism Brewing in North Wales

David Politz – Rock Bottom Brewery in King of Prussia

Dan Brett – Round Guys Brewing in Lansdale

Jess Streeter – Sly Fox Brewing in Phoenixville

Colin Presby – Standard Tap of Philadelphia

Aimee Richard – Time Restaurant & Whiskey Bar in Philadelphia

The competition, focused on knowledge and passion, promises to roll along through rounds of Trivia Checkers – in which the contestants themselves will be the board pieces – beer tasting, free form questions from celebrity judges, and a final opportunity to make each one memorable.

An illustrious panel of Celebrity Judges will observe and challenge the contestants, before being sequestered to choose the final six.  These six will gain the opportunity to take home a package including:

• A GRAND PRIZE of more than $3,000 in gift certificates and beer‐centric prizes
• AN ENGRAVED PLAQUE proclaiming the winner Philly Beer Geek 2013
• HONOR of creating the collaborative 2014 PHILLY BEER GEEK BEER
• PRESTIGE & HONOUR of being PHILLY BEER GEEK 2013
• OFFICIAL T‐SHIRT commemorating PHILLY BEER GEEK 2013
• HONOR of being on the ILLUSTRIOUS PANEL OF BEER GEEK JUDGES 2014
• AN ENGRAVED PLAQUE proclaiming the winner’s sponsor as Home of the Philly Beer Geek 2013

The 2013 Philly Beer Geek Championship promises to strengthen the position that Philadelphia has taken as the U.S. leader in beer sophistication.  Judges are Amicus Curiae and are not compensated for their service as Philly Beer Geek Judges. These individuals have made a significant mark in the industry and are honored as the most dedicated people in the business of beer.

The 2013 Illustrious Panel of Philly Beer Geek Semi-Finals Judges are:

Joe Bair, Solar Homebrewer and Owner of Princeton Homebrew, Trenton, New Jersey

Alchemist/owner of Princeton Homebrew who adds a whole new meaning to the term “mad scientist.”  Formerly in the Molecular Biology Department of Princeton University, Joe Bair creates the “greenest beer on the face of the planet.”

Doug Hager, Co‐owner of Brauhaus Schmitz and Wursthaus Schmitz, Philadelphia, PA

In 2009, Doug Hager competed in Philly Beer Geek as Finalist Mad King Dougwig.  Currently, he is co‐owner, with wife Kellyof Brauhaus Schmitz on South Street, listed as one of the city’s best restaurants in Philadelphia Magazine.  Brauhaus Schmitz showcases foods by Chef Jeremy Nolan, a 2013 Rising Star,  Hager is also owner of Wursthaus Schmitz in the Reading Terminal Market.

Doug Marchakitus, Head Brewer of Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant and Lead Collaborator

of the Official Beer of the Philly Beer Geek Competition since 2012, Philadelphia, PA

Doug Marchakitus is Head Brewer of Manayunk Brewing Company.  Formerly a homebrewing geologist from Virginia Tech, he fell into the competent hands of Larry Horowitz at Iron Hill Brewery in North Wales who got him hooked on the artisanal aspects of brewing.  With Horowitz, Marchakitus won a Silver Medal at the Great American Beer Festival 2008 for Abbey Dubbel.

Steve Mashington, Prestigious Philly Beer Geek 2012 & Manager at Growlers Bar, Kitchen & Living Room, Philadelphia, PA

Smashington, as he is affectionately called, has been at home in the beer world, from Stewarts to Triumph in Old City Philadelphia to Yards, primarily in Sales and Marketing.  He is the current Manager of Growlers Bar, Kitchen and Living Room in the Bella Vista region of Philadelphia.

Tara Nurin, Freelance Journalist & Epikur Writer of the Year, Camden, NJ

Tara Nurin was named Epikur Writer of the Year, and is an award‐winning freelance journalist, specializing in craft beer and sustainable food and drink.  She is a former TV news reporter, Ale Street News columnist, and Cicerone Certified Beer Server.  As a leader in the women’s beer movement, she is founder of Beer for Babes and is the official historian for the Pink Boots Society.

Keith Wallace, President & Founder of The Wine School of Philadelphia, Author, and Publisher, Epikur Magazine, Philadelphia, PA

As the President and Founder of The Wine School of Philadelphia, Keith Wallace authored Corked & Forked: FourSeasons of Eats and Drinks, ©2011, by Running Press.  He is Publisher of Epikur Magazine, and has served as both a beer and wine judge throughout the country.

Who would have thought that drinking beer could be a profitable venture? Apparently, this is not a crazy idea to Philadelphia’s brightest and best. Just ask those who have reached the Semi-Final level in the annual 2013 Philly Beer Geek Competition.

One is a filmmaker, two hold doctorates, several are homebrewers, and at least one holds Cicerone Certification. Some teach, others write. One trained a 3-legged goat against-all-odds and won … twice. Together, they concur that beer holds high stakes in the city of Brotherly Suds.

Tuesday evening, May 14, 2013, nineteen of the city’s most well-versed beer aficionados will duke-it-out at the 2013 Philly Beer Geek Semi-Finals Competition. Before a panel of six celebrity judges, they will demonstrate their knowledge and passion in fun-filled rivalry – each with the goal of winning one of six spots in the Finals, opening their opportunity to capture a prize package worth over $3,000.

And that’s not all. The 2013 Philly Beer Geek Champion earns the right to collaborate with Doug Marchakitus, Head Brewer at Manayunk Brewery, in designing the 2014 Official Philly Beer Geek Beer. The chief geek will also sit on the illustrious panel of Philly Beer Geek Judges in the 2014 competition.

According to Steve Mashington, 2012 Philly Beer Geek Champion, Philadelphia has finally earned its title as Best Beer Drinking City in America. “Nowhere else will you find such a large metropolitan area where beer is as celebrated, revered and enjoyed as it is by the people of the Greater Delaware Valley,” he says.

Carolyn Smagalski and Jason Harris, founders of the Philly Beer Geek competition, agree. The Philly Beer Geek Championship, now in its 6th year, seeks to identify and reward the individual with the greatest knowledge and passion for Philadelphia beer.

“Through the support of our great beer community, it carries on, year after year,” says Smagalski. “Our sponsors, competitors, judges, the beer press – and Philadelphia media – all contribute to what has grown into a fertile “Philly beer geek atmosphere.” We want the term “Philly Beer Geek” to become synonymous with excellence, no matter where we are in the country – like Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Philly Cheese Steaks, or Philly Soft Pretzels.”

This year’s competitors demonstrate the foothold beer has taken in Philadelphia. “Our Semi-Finalists are sponsored from every region of the city and suburbs,” says Smagalski. “Center City, Northern Liberties, West Philly, South Philly, Olde City, Mayfair, and Rittenhouse Square,” she continues. “That’s not all. Bars or breweries in Phoenixville, King of Prussia, Chalfont, Hatboro, Lansdale, North Wales, Doylestown, and even Maple Shade, New Jersey have also become sponsors.”

The six Semi-Finals Celebrity Judges include:
• Steve Mashington, 2012 Philly Beer Geek Champion
• Doug Marchakitus, Head Brewer at Manayunk Brewing Company
• Joe Bair, Solar Homebrewer and Owner of Princeton Homebrew of Trenton, NJ
• Keith Wallace, President and Founder of The Wine School of Philadelphia, Author of Corked and Forked, and Publisher, Epikur Magazine
• Doug Hager, Co-owner of Brauhaus Schmitz and Wursthaus Schmitz
• Tara Nurin, Freelance Journalist & Epikur Writer of the Year, Camden, NJ

The annual Philly Beer Geek Competition began in 2007 as part of Philly Beer Week, a 10-day celebration of “Philadelphia, the Best Beer Drinking City in America.”

Carolyn Smagalski and Steve Hawk, Philly Beer Geek 2010, will emcee the adrenaline-filled Semi-finals at Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant, 4120 Main Street, Manayunk on May 14, 2013 at 8:00 pm.

For additional info, interviews, or photos contact Carolyn Smagalski at 215.767.9671 / email: carolsmagalski@comcast.net or Jason Harris at 215.855.0100 / email: jason@phillybeergeek.com or Steve Hawk at shawkenator@gmail.com.

Philly Beer Geek is a three-part competition – Contestants must win a Preliminary Round or be hand-selected to represent a sponsoring bar, brewpub or restaurant – then move on to the Semi-Finals on May 14th, 2013. Judges will select six Semi-Finalists to compete for the Grand Prize in the Final Competition on Thursday, June 6, 2013 during Philly Beer Week.

On April 27, 2013, Doug Marchakitus, Head Brewer at Manayunk Brewing Company, presented a surprise pre-Philly Beer Geek release of Grodzinski , designed as the special collaboration beer  with Steve Mashington, Philly Beer Geek 2012.  Grodzinski shines like gleaming flaxen straw, with a lean eggshell-white head.  Its body is light and crisp, with an underlying body of wild smoke.  Based on a historic German beer style that experienced brief extinction, Grodzinski has been resurrected in recent years by dedicated Beer Geek brewers both in the United States and Germany.

Manayunk Brewing Company is the “Official Brewer for Philly Beer Geek.” 

“My beer philosophy has been shaped over the past 13 years,” said Steve Mashington, 2012 Philly Beer Geek Champion.  “Working in and around beer, while traveling the world, has opened my eyes to so many different avenues,” he continued.  “The cultures that are created around beer in different parts of the world and the value system that is placed on it is incredibly unique.”

It is just such a connection to world cultures that inspired Mashington in designing the Philly Beer Geek Commemorative Beer for 2013 with Doug Marchakitus, Head Brewer at Manayunk Brewery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

While working at Yards in 2009, “Smashington” (Steve’s Philly Beer Geek moniker) was involved with a collaborative Philly Beer Week beer in which Yards and Iron Hill Brewery revived Grodzinski, a beer style that was nearly extinct.  Steve had first seen reference to this style in Michael Jackson’s Beer Companion while reading up about various smoked beers.

“I approached Justin Sproul from Iron Hill Newark about doing a collaboration with this style of beer and he was all for it,” Smashington said. “Randy Mosher had some information on it from one of his home brew books.” Mosher commented that, to his knowledge, it had never been commercially produced in the U.S. The Iron Hill/Yards collaboration was the first reincarnation of the style in America. “We actually had to have Percy St. smoke some wheat malt for us,” Mashington said.

Grodzinski, from the town of Grodzisk in the province of Wielkopolski in western Poland, had been popular in the 15^th century.  The town was also known as Grätz (when the region was part of western Prussia, due to constantly moving borders).  In Grätz, this same beer style was known as Grätzer.

Documented in 1470 by Polish priest Jan Dlugosz, an indigenous style called Grodzinski (Grodzisz) was crafted using wheat malts that were smoked over oak.  The only other ingredients mentioned were hops and water.  Yeast was an unknown at the time, and beer was naturally fermented through the perception that God was bestowing his blessings upon the beer.

The style’s popularity peaked in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  By the mid 1990s, the desire for this smoky session beer had all but disappeared, receiving a final blow when Lech Brewery bought the only commercial brewery still producing Grodzinski.  Lech made the decision to cease production of the style soon afterward.

Marchakitus liked the background behind the beer.  “The idea was so intriguing that I had to brew it,” he said.  As a lover of smoked beers, Marchakitus had already designed a rauchbier and a smoked porter for the Manayunk portfolio of beers, but this was something new.  At only 3.8% ABV, it was sessionable.  The smoking over oak set it apart from other beers that typically used beechwood, peat, juniper or alder wood.  This imparts a very light smokiness, not typical of the Rauchbiers of Germany.

The style is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S.  In fact, Weyermann now produces this smoked-wheat malt for enthusiasts of revivalist beers.

Mashington and Marchakitus are excited about their new Philly Beer Geek Beer, which is happily bubbling away in the fermenter.  Although the new baby doesn’t have a name yet, “it will be available for the semi-finals,” promises Marchakitus.

Is Philly ready for such a “geeky” beer?  “The one thing that consistently comes back to me is how the beer culture in Philadelphia is simply unrivaled anywhere else in the world. I’m not saying there are no other great beer towns, but the vibrant, rich culture that Philadelphia enjoys is unparalleled. Nowhere else will you find such a large metropolitan area where beer is as celebrated, revered and enjoyed as it is by the people of the Greater Delaware Valley,” said Steve Mashington.  This 2012 Philly Beer Geek seems certain the Philly fans are, indeed, ready.

I heard a crazy story the other day, and it reminded me of Philly Beer Geek.  It was about making the commitment to go after your dreams, those dreams of winning the prestigious title as the 2013 Philly Beer Geek.

The story goes like this:

There are all sorts of people who say they want something, but how much do they want it?

• A guy wakes in the middle of the night and says, ‘I want a soda.’  He gets up, goes to the window, pulls open the shades, and sees it snowing outside.   He puts on his robe, goes downstairs, and settles for a glass of water.
• Another guy wakes in the middle of the night and says, ‘I want a soda.’  He gets up, goes to the window, pulls open the shades, and sees it snowing outside.   He puts on warm clothes and boots, goes out to his car and clears it off.  He tries to start his car, but the battery is dead.  He walks to the corner store, and finds it closed.  He walks back home, and settles for a glass of orange juice.
• Another guy wakes in the middle of the night and says, ‘I want a soda.’  He gets up, goes to the window, pulls open the shades, and sees it snowing outside.   He puts on warm clothes and boots, goes out to his car and clears it off.  He tries to start his car, but the battery is dead.  He walks to the corner store, and finds it closed.  He walks another block and finds that store closed, too, but it has a vending machine.  The vending machine is empty.

  But he doesn’t give up.  ‘I WANT a soda,’ he thinks to himself … and he wants it BAAAD!  He sees a light in the haze, and walks another half mile, but that store is closed, too.  But he keeps on trying, and walking, and trying, and walking, trudging through the snow.  Finally, he finds an open store!  The owner is so delighted to see a stranger come in from the cold that he insists on giving him a soda.  They begin talking, and the guy explains, “I just decided:  I HAD TO HAVE a soda, and I wasn’t giving up.”

  Inspired by his story, the owner also gives him VIP passes to the local Film Festival and he adds an extra bonus … a case of his favorite craft beer. Then he drives him home.

Our guy feels like he was born to win!

And THAT’S what true Philly Beer Geeks do. They NEVER give up. Some get it on their first try, but others win through sheer commitment and determination.

PHILLY BEER GEEK 2013.  Will it be you?  Show your passion!

The purpose of the Annual Philly Beer Geek Championship is to pay tribute to Philadelphia beer and to those who craft, celebrate, or consume it with enthusiasm and pride. To this end, our illustrious panel of judges will select and reward, as Philly Beer Geek 2013, the individual who exhibits the greatest universal knowledge and passion for Philadelphia Beer.

How to Sponsor a Qualifying Round

• Win a Preliminary Round at a Sponsoring Bar, Brewpub, or Restaurant
  See Event Calendar for places, times, and dates. Check back often for additions and changes.
• Win one of 6 spots at the Philly Beer Geek Semi-Finals 2013 Competition
• Win the Philly Beer Geek 2013 Finals Championship
• Enjoy the GLORY!
• Preliminary Rounds are now being held. See Event Calendar for places, times, and dates. Check back often for additions and changes.

Confetti fell from the ceiling, the room started swirling,and pink elephants blasted through the walls the moment Steve Mashington was pronounced Philly Beer Geek 2012.  This may sound like an exaggeration to you … and it is … but the rush felt by the 2012 beer master felt no less spectacular than winning an Academy Award. Now that life has calmed a bit for “Smashington,” (his official Beer Geek name) we asked him to share his thoughts about the competition itself.  Read carefully, future Philly Beer Geeks.  Smashington’s words of wisdom may be the cutting edge you need for  future success as you prepare your chariot for the Coliseum of Beer.

Q. What does it feel like to win the prestigious title as Philly Beer Geek 2012?

Smashington:  “It’s a pretty amazing feeling.  There were a lot of great competitors, so to come out on top is a truly great achievement.  The euphoria lasts several days, but the enjoyment lasts a year.”

Q. How did you feel that night?

Smashington:  “Shocked, inspired and grateful.  I was pretty confident after the final round, but unbelievably nervous.”

Q.  Tell me about your Philly Beer Phila-sophy.

Smashington:  “My beer philosophy has been shaped over the past 13 years – working in and around beer, while traveling the world, has opened my eyes to so many different avenues.  The cultures that are created around beer in different parts of the world and the value system that is placed on it is incredibly unique.  But the one thing that consistently comes back to me is how the beer culture in Philadelphia is simply unrivaled anywhere else in the world.  I’m not saying there are no other great beer towns, but the vibrant, rich culture that Philadelphia enjoys is unparalleled.  Nowhere else will you find such a large metropolitan area where beer is as celebrated, revered and enjoyed as it is by the people of the Greater Delaware Valley.”

Q.  What about your Philly Beer Geek Moniker?

Read more at:  http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art176960.asp

The Philly Beer Geek 2012 Competition turned out to be the biggest “payday” for a single beer consumer in all of Philly Beer Week.  True to his beer moniker, Smashington Steve Mashington crushed the opposition, walking away with winnings worth over $3,500 in beer-centric prizes and proving his dynamic passion for Philadelphia beer.   His sponsor, Jeff Lavin of Hulmeville Inn in Hulmeville PA, received a plaque announcing his bar as Home of the Philly Beer Geek 2012.

In the “Finals Round” of the 2012 Philly Beer Geek Competition, held June 7^th at the River Club on the upper level of Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant in Philadelphia, six finalists battled for the gold in a heated tug-of-war to seize the crown as Philly Beer Geek.  An illustrious grand jury of six celebrity Beer Judges, dressed in black robes, glitter top-hats and Mardi Gras beads, did their best to intimidate the contestants, goading them good-naturedly for bribes, while squeezing them mercilessly with tough questions.    

Steve Mashington’s raucous fans roared with approval as the jubilant champion leaped into the air with the announcement of his victory as 2012 Philly Beer Geek.  He seemed on fire – smiling like the Cheshire cat through his red-beard and crazy stage-wig.  He held nothing back.  Without hesitation, Smashington urged his fellow finalists to share in his bounty, demanding that they pick their favorite items from his rich treasures.  His generosity was stunning, the epitome of Philly beer scene synergy.    

In addition to Mashington, the competing Finalists included Michael Soo, sponsored by Dock Street Beer in Philadelphia; Colin Presby, sponsored by Canal Street Pub of Reading and Standard Tap of Philly; Andrew Pope, sponsored by Iron Abbey in Horsham PA; Christian Mosebach, sponsored by American Sardine Bar in South Philadelphia; and Jesse Andreozzi, sponsored by Philly Beer Scene Magazine.

After passing through a grueling set of queries involving beer history, brewing, and regional beer, the competition mounted into segments that were akin to a doctoral thesis.  Not quite, but who thought beer could be so brainy?

The contestants had the chance to turn the tables on the judges during the Stump the Chumps segment.  Mashington coaxed Saccharomyces carlsbergensis from the judges in a question about yeast, but trumped them with the details of Emil Christian Hansen’s role in lager yeast cultivation … and made it seem like fun.

At one point, Mike Soo spoke with pride about his sponsor, going so far as to impose the image of Dock Street Owner Rosemarie Certo on the cover of TIME magazine, calling her “the Marie Curie of Philadelphia Beer.”

For additional info, interviews, or photos contact Carolyn Smagalski at 215.767.9671 or by email: Carolyn Smagalski or Steve Hawk at shawkenator@gmail.com.

Philly Beer Geek is a three-part competition.  Contestants must be selected by a sponsor or win a Preliminary Qualifying Round held at a sponsoring bar, brewpub or restaurant; then move on to the Semi-Finals, and ultimately, to the Finals where an illustrious panel of celebrity judges evaluate and crown the Philly Beer Geek in this annual championship.

The annual Philly Beer Geek Competition began in 2007 as an anchor event of Philly Beer Week, a ten-day celebration of “Philadelphia, the Best Beer Drinking City in America.”  Co-founders Carolyn Smagalski, the Beer Fox of BellaOnline, and Jason Harris, Owner of Keystone Homebrew Supply in Montgomeryville and Bethlehem PA, launched the competition to reward “the individual who exhibits the greatest universal knowledge and passion for Philadelphia Beer.”

Our friends at Weyerbacher are fast at it with preparations for Philly Beer Geek.  It looks like they are amassing the knowledge of every book on the subject.  Beer Geeks seem to be spreading across the entire city and into the suburbs.  It’s like magic, and everyone has dreams.  Dare to dream!  Be a Philly Beer Geek! 

Watch the video!