GAP TEAM TOP 5: THE FALL BREW REVIEW

School is back in session, the air has cooled, and the first leaves are turning. Now that autumn is officially here, you can drink your favorite fall beers without feeling like you’re cheating on summer. The craft beer industry is booming and this season’s best releases chase those light, summer beers off with their full-bodied flavors, unique characteristics and warm, pumpkin spices.

From GAP’s own Blackburn Tavern, we proudly present The Fall Brew Review. We handpicked a wide variety of 11 autumn seasonal beers that included more than just the classic pumpkin ales or Oktoberfest-style lagers. We wrote tasting notes and ranked these beers on a scale of 0 to 5 to bring you our Top 5 Fall Beers. Here are the results:

1. Woodstock Inn Autumn Brew: Out of the 11 beers, Woodstock Inn’s Autumn Brew received the most 5s from the GAP Team, with an average rating of 3.95. This medium-bodied brew is chestnut in color and features apple and cinnamon flavors, with an aroma that pleasantly mixes all your favorite fall scents. Most of our tasters found this beer to be light with satisfying complexity that didn’t overwhelm.

                           Facts:

                           Style: Ale

                           ALC/VOL: 4.63%

                           Availability: Fall

2. Harpoon Octoberfest: If you read our Oktoberfest blog post, you already know that the Oktoberfest tradition started as a wedding ceremony in 1810. It was such a hit, the party became a yearly tradition.  Harpoon’s Octoberfest is a favorite around the office, with its full-bodied, complex character. When poured, it has a garnet-red color with firm, creamy head. The beer’s hue is due to the blend of Munich, chocolate, and pale malt. Swirl for a slight hop aroma. Then sip and you’ll find a mild bitterness with a soft, malty finish, which is very enjoyable.

                           Facts:

                           First brewed: 1991

                           Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest

                           ALC/VOL: 5.3%

                           Availability: 6-12 pack bottles/cans, and on draft. 

                           Widely available from August to November

3. Southern Tier Warlock: This moderately-carbonated, dark stout won over several palates with its aroma of pumpkin pie, coffee, and dark chocolate. It features a velvety and slightly sweeter finish than Pumking. It’s best served in a goblet, and its recommended pairings are spicy BBQ and smoked or roasted food. But if you prefer deserts, try it as a float with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

                           Facts:

                           First brewed: 2013

                           Style: Imperial Stout

                           ALC/VOL:  8.6%

                           Availability: Seasonal, September release, 22 oz. bottles or 1/6 keg

4. Southern Tier Pumking: Among GAP’s top-rated pumpkin beers is Pumking. Truly a complex beer with all the pumpkin pie spices you could ask for, and exactly the sweet aroma you’d expect. It’s a medium-to-light-bodied beer with a malty sweetness. If you want to kick it up a notch, serve it with a cinnamon sugar rim.

                           Facts:

                           First brewed: 2007

                           Style: Imperial Pumpkin Ale

                           ALC/VOL:  8.6%

                           Availability: Seasonal, Mid-July release, 22 oz. bottles or 1/6 keg

5. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale: A full-bodied brown ale, the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale has smooth, malty hints of pumpkin, caramel, and brown sugar. Named after “the seriously off-centered” Southern Delaware extravaganza Punkin Chunkin, Punkin Ale has been around since before Dogfish’s brewery doors opened for business. It made its debut winning first place in the 1994 Punkin Chunkin Recipe contest. And after 20 years, we think it’s still a crowd pleaser.

                           Facts:

                           First brewed: 1994

                           Style: brown ale

                           ALC/VOL:  7.0%

                           Availability: September, usually gone by Thanksgiving

We also sampled Anchor Brewing's Big Leaf Maple, Ipswich Ale's Brewery's Hop Harvest, The Bruery's Autumn Maple, Slumbrew's Attic and Eaves, Troegs' Hop Knife and Two Roads' Roadsmary’s Baby.

Next up: Winter Seasonals. Look for our next beer tasting review in December!

Look for these Top 5 Fall Brews on our BEER HALL OF FAME on Pinterest! 

Prost! 5 Things You Might Not Know About Oktoberfest

Tomorrow, the Mayor of Munich will tap the first keg of beer at Oktoberfest and the two-week-long beer festival will have officially begun! In celebration of this year’s festivities, the GAP Team decided to offer you a unique list featuring things you may not have known about the annual festival. To everyone celebrating Oktoberfest in Germany, or anyone enjoying an Oktoberfest-style lager at your local bar, we wish you a happy and safe celebration. Prost!

1. The annual event we know today actually began as a wedding ceremony. 
   
   On October 12th, 1810, Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend festivities celebrating the wedding. The final event of the festivities was a horse race held on October 17th in the presence of the Royal Family. The decision to hold this horse race every year is what ultimately led to the Oktoberfest tradition.
   
   
2. Strict requirements, known as “Reinheitsgebot”, must be met in order for the six breweries to be allowed permission to sell their beer at Oktoberfest.
   
   Strong regulations regarding the brewing of Oktoberfest beer date back to the 16th Century. The oldest and perhaps most important of these regulations is the Reinheitsgebot, or the German Beer Purity Law. Originally decreed by Duke William IV in 1516, the Reinheitsgebot states that only water, hops, and barley should be used to brew Bavarian beer.
   
   
3. Only six breweries are allowed to make and sell the beer at Oktoberfest.
   
   Augustiner, Hacker Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten are the only registered breweries allowed to distribute their products at Oktoberfest. These breweries were granted permission to distribute their product due to their following of the Reinheitsgebot. Other requirements met by these breweries include that they are all brewed within the city limits of Munich and the beers are all approximately 6% alcohol by volume.
   
   
4. Other than eating and drinking, there are various activities to take part in throughout the event.
   
   If you’ve had your fill of beer and food, you can always head over to one of the various attractions including Ferris wheels and roller coasters. If amusement park rides aren’t your cup of tea (or mug of beer), you can stop and listen to any of the live music performances being held or try your hand at crossbow shooting in the Armbrustschützen tent!
   
   
5. In 2013, 6.4 million people attended Oktoberfest. 6.7 million liters of beer were consumed.
   
   In addition to supplying attendees with beer, 114 oxen and 58 calves were also consumed. Guests spent roughly 400 million Euros during the festival, which is over roughly 517 million U.S. Dollars. To put that into perspective, that’s more money than the seven highest paid athletes in 2013 combined.

[Oktoberfest.de] [Forbes]

Plants Like Vodka, Too: A GAP Guide on Alternative Ways to Use Your Booze

Have you ever wondered what else you can do with your favorite alcoholic beverages? 
Of course drinking these brews and spirits is the ideal form of enjoyment, but there are many other uses for these wonderful liquids. Below, the GAP team has compiled our top alternative uses for beer, wine, gin, vodka, and rum. Are you brave enough to venture into this unknown territory of liquor?

BEER

1. Shampoo Hair: Boil a cup of beer in a saucepan over medium heat, until it is reduced to ¼ cup. Now that the alcohol has been removed, let it cool and mix with a cup of shampoo. Wash and rinse per usual to give your hair that hoppy shine.

2. Stain Removal: Spill a little wine on your carpet? Try some beer instead of a chemical cleaner! Pour a little beer on the stain, let it sit for a bit, and then dab with a cloth. Clean thoroughly with soap and water to get rid of the stain.

3. Spruce up Wooden Furniture: Using a soft cloth, massage flat beer into wooden furniture to restore its original color and luster.

BONUS

4. Firefighter: Put out fires…small fires.

 WINE

1. Fruit Fly Trap: Finally, a use for that half-drank glass of wine from the previous night’s soiree. Toss it in a cup, cover with some plastic wrap, and poke some holes in the top for entry. Flies will check in, but they won’t check out.

2. Clean Your Veggies: Spraying wine onto fruits and veggies can remove unwanted bacteria better than water can. Just put in a handy spray bottle for easy E. coli extermination.

3. Grease Lightning: White wine can help rid you of those grease stains in your driveway or garage. (You know, from working on your 1948 Ford De Luxe Special). Mixed with some baking soda, it can be a cleaning staple in your shop.

BONUS

4. Seeing Red: Use wine to dye your favorite white shirt pink, your brand new white rug maroon, and your friend’s annoying white Shih tzu red.

GIN

 

1. Mouthwash: If you are sick of the peppermint burn in your current mouthwash, try gargling a bit of gin in the morning. The alcohol will kill the bacteria in your mouth from last night’s cocktail party. Gin, mixed with some flavored oil, can add some flavor and kick to your morning. Just don’t swallow.

2. Arthritis Cure: Soak some golden raisins in a bowl of gin for up to a week. Eating 10 of these a day is said to rid some of the pain associated with arthritis. Although it may be an old wives’ tale, it is thought that the relief is attributed to the juniper berries’ anti-inflammatory characteristics and the sulfur dioxide in golden raisins.

3. Foot Wash: If you have any gin lying around, combine with some thyme oil for a foot odor remover. Soak for a few minutes to give your feet an herbal cleanse.

BONUS

4. Brine Time: Add gin to a jar of pickles to let everyone know you mean business.

VODKA

 

1. Poison Ivy: If you are itching to use some of that 100 proof vodka you’ve been saving, use it to get rid of that uncomfortable poison ivy. Pour the 100 proof vodka on the affected area to wash away the itchy oil.

2. Preserve Flowers: Mary Poppins® forgot to tell you that a spoon full of sugar and a few drops of vodka help the flowers stay fresh. Change daily for best results.

3. Shine Your Fixtures: To achieve that brand-new look, use a soft cloth with some vodka to polish your chrome, porcelain, and glass.

BONUS

4. Stain Remover: Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, and then blot dry.

RUM

 

1. Cooking: Rum Balls.

2. Helping with Upset Stomach: A little rum is said to help ease stomach pain & nausea.

BONUS

 3. Where Has All the Rum Gone?: If you are a pirate, and you suffer a parrot or snakebite, use rum to clean out the wound.





[NetworkX.com]

[Men's Health]

[SheKnows.com]

[Esquire]

[FoodNetwork.com]

GAP TEAM TOP 5: Last Hurrah for Summer Beer

Earlier and earlier every year, it seems that Fall seasonal beers are finding their way on to liquor store shelves and tap lists everywhere. And while we love the brews that come with the changing of the season, we hate to see the Summer offerings go so soon. 

To celebrate the Summer, since it’s still here until September 22, we decided to have a Summer beer tasting on a gorgeous Friday afternoon. From shandies to IPAs, the GAP team tried 12 different Summer beers and gave each one a score between 0 and 5. Our panel consisted of 11 GAP employees, each bringing their experienced palate and preferences to the table in our very own Blackburn Tavern. 

Here are the results:

1. Otter Creek Fresh Slice: The most enjoyed beer of the afternoon was the Otter Creek Fresh Slice, an unfiltered white IPA. It had a crisp, fresh, citrus taste, and a hazy-orange color. It had the perfect balance that appealed to both beer aficionados and non-beer-drinkers alike.

2. Narragansett Del’s Shandy and Harpoon UFO Big Squeeze: Tying for second place, both shandies seemed perfect for a day at the beach, playing games in the backyard, or any outdoor adventure.

The iconic beer from Jaws (Narragansett) teamed up with Rhode Island’s summertime frozen lemonade staple (Del’s) by combining their beer with lemon concentrate to create the perfect concoction of malty sweetness and citrus tartness. While Del’s Shandy is said to only be available this Summer, we have a feeling it will make another appearance next year, as it flew off the shelves all season.

Harpoon’s UFO Big Squeeze is a shandy of a different color. Rather than the usual lemonade and beer combination, Harpoon crafted a shandy that mixed beer with grapefruit juice. The orange coloring has a hint of pink and has sweet, grapefruit flavoring with a hint of tartness.

4. Harpoon Summer Beer: A classic seasonal offering from Harpoon, this beer is light and refreshing, which pairs fantastically with a hot, Summer day.

5. Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy: Like much of America, the GAP team took a particular liking to shandies during our beer tasting. Leinenkugel’s put shandies on the map over the past few years with their Summer Shandy, which features natural lemonade flavor and crisp wheat beer taste.

Since we enjoyed our Summer beer tasting so much, we will be bringing you the GAP Team Top Five every season! Our favorite beers will be placed in our Beer Hall of Fame and featured on our social networking pages. Stay tuned, our Fall seasonal beer tasting is right around the corner!

WBENC Conference Recap: Highlights from GAP's First Time Exhibiting!

The GAP Team had a whirlwind week at the 2014 WBENC National Conference & Business Fair in Philadelphia. As a first time exhibitor, GAP shared the floor with companies both large and small, such as Disney, UPS, Dell, Coca-Cola, Walmart, and IBM. Our booth demonstrated some of our most successful items in the field, as well as corporate gifts and incentives from our “Made in America” program. Many attendees of the event will remember our 4th of July sunglasses we handed out to prepare for the Fourth, as they were a huge hit!

GAP kicked the week off at the “WBEs Who Rock” cocktail party, where GAP’s President, Gayle Piraino, was a finalist for the “WBEs Who Rock” award. The GAP Team celebrated this honor and took in the beautiful views from the top floor of the Loews Hotel.

The following day, the Business Fair was in full gear. Eager conference-goers flooded GAP’s booth and the excitement could be felt in the air. Our team chatted with attendees and fellow exhibitors and met many new faces throughout the course of the day. The GAP Team identified many new potential business opportunities, which we are excited to start exploring!

The conference mainly focused on the importance of diversity suppliers, and how being a women-owned business can leverage our company to working with companies who are interested in partnering with minority businesses. The conference also offered many great workshops and well-known speakers, such as the Governor of Pennsylvania, joined by his wife, who lead a great speech about the importance of women-owned businesses.

GAP continued their journey in Philly by attending a party at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, sponsored by none other than long-time GAP client MillerCoors. With live music, dancing, and great company, the event was a huge success. 

Take a look at some highlights from the trip:

For additional pictures from the event, please check out our social media accounts: @gappromo on Instagram, @GAP_Promotions on Twitter, and our Facebook and LinkedIn pages.