MNP Week 8: Carnivorous Ribs

There is something both satisfyingly primal and inherently right about the act of eating ribs. 

It starts with the utensils needed. Which are exactly none outside of the tools you bring to the table. The tearing of tender meat from bone. The mess of sauce on both hands and face. The lack of caring about said sauce. The inevitable, "Ahh well, I suppose I'll go get another 17 napkins," upon realizing that no, those two napkins you thought would cut it are in fact only succeeding in kind of cleaning up your left hand before being rendered utterly useless by sauce. The pile of bones scattered on your plate, proof of your carnivorous conquest.   

No other food can compete with the total experience offered by eating ribs (except, perhaps, for the turkey leg, which is undone almost every time by its inexplicable inferiority). No other food makes the eater push back his or her chair, stand on wobbly, meat-fattened legs and raise both sauce-covered hands to the skies while releasing a primal roar (wait...I'm the only one that does this? Well this is awkward).

These eating displays were on full display Monday night at Broken Compass, as Michael Cliff Cardone's Ribs (which could be given a longer and more descriptive title usually seen in this blog like "Dry-Rubbed For 36 Hours Then Dipped In Chocolate Coffee Stout Based BBQ Sauce Ribs" or "Gloriously Delicious Meat Sticks Descended From Heaven". You're right. We'll stick with just "Ribs") turned in a dominant Monday Night Potluck performance. Ribs's 43 points are the most ever recorded in MNP's two-month history, and came despite facing a stacked field of competitors. 

Nothing could stand in the way of Ribs's destructive path to victory. Two-time MNP champion Seth Cohen's Bacon Wrapped Dates And Coconut Porter Glaze and Rick Galgas's Turkey Kielbasa And Potato Perogi With Onions, Sauerkraut And Bacon (TKAPPWOSAB) managed to keep pace with Ribs for a short time, but ultimately came up short. Bacon Wrapped Dates finished second with 32 points, while TKAPPWOSAB tallied 23 for third place (it's another testament to Ribs's dominance that it easily outpaced two dishes featuring bacon, which to this point in MNP history had served as a key ingredient in the last two victorious dishes. Bacon's track record of success even inspired a dish titled "Plain-Ass Bacon," which, in case you were wondering, was a plate stacked with bacon, served plain). 

Despite being a familiar face at Broken Compass, this was Cardone's first appearance at MNP, and a successful one at that. 

Broken Compass would once again like to thank all of those who brought food for another amazing potluck.  Here are all the awesome people who brought food and the dish they brought:

Jess McNary - Creamy Cornbread

Seth Cohen - Bacon Wrapped Dates And Coconut Porter Glaze

Aaron Redner - Taquitos With Salsa Bean Dip

Stacey Todd - Bruschetta (which totally undersells it. This was gourmet bruschetta if I've ever seen it)

Ant - Arancini

Rick - Turkey Kielbasa And Potato Perogi With Onions, Sauerkraut And Bacon (TKAPPWOSAB)

Maria - Black Tuffle Popcorn

Hali and Shahara - Jalepeno Dip

Rachel and Lauren - Shrimp-Coconut Green Curry

Michael Cliff Cardone Jr. - Ribs

Rory Dushman - Plain-Ass Bacon

Monday Night Potlucks will continue next week (Dec. 15) at 6:30, with eating commencing at 7. We can't wait to see what you make next! 

(Editor's note: Broken Compass Brewing's Monday Night Potlucks are popping off every Monday night, with eating starting between 6:30 and 7. We encourage everyone to contribute a dish every now and then, but everyone in the brewery is welcome to sample the food and vote for their favorite dishes. First place wins a 64 oz growler and fill, second place a 32 oz. growler and fill and third place a free pint. See you there!)

From left to right: Mike Cliff Cardone, Seth Cohen and Rick Galgas

MNP Week 7: Beer + Bacon + Stew = Victory

Post-Thanksgiving food comas could do nothing to slow the potluck craze.

Eaters from far and wide gathered at Broken Compass on Monday for yet another phenomenal edition of Monday Night Potlucks. 

But it was Seth Cohen's Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Stout Beef Stew that stole the show, thumbing its nose at critics who claimed the general public didn't need to eat so heartily following mass Thanksgiving feasting only a few days prior. Beer Beef Stew showed nothing particularly flashy as it cruised to victory with 32 points, utilizing a series of classic, old-man post moves to simply overwhelm the competition. The presence of three different kinds of bacon - not to mention two growlers of beer - aided Beef Stew on the way to victory.

While we're here, let's talk about bacon, because this bacon thing is becoming a little unfair. It's essentially the HGH of Monday Night Potluck. Throw bacon in your dish and you're guaranteed to be a contender. Which is a method I wholeheartedly support, because let's be honest, we all know bacon is the greatest food in the world. But still, it's essentially the HGH of MNP. It's like Mcgwire, Sosa and Bonds slugging it out for the home run title. It's also what I'm having for breakfast as I write this post, because again, it's the greatest food in the world. So by all means, please continue bringing this performance-enhancing drug to MNP. There, that's settled. 

A feisty battle ensued for the final two spots on the podium. Pigs In An Electric Blanket (jalepeno cheddar smokies wrapped in, wait for it....bacon) put forth its best effort, tallying 16 points, but in the end it wasn't enough. Swedish Meatballs, made by Robby and Christi, and Scotch-A-Roos (Peanut Butter Rice Crispies), from Linsey put up 20 points to tie for third. The somewhat ambiguously titled Rhonda's Dish - Veggies, Almonds and Cheese! - snuck by with 22 points to claim second place, proving that it doesn't take a medley of unhealthy foods (and bacon) to win votes (editor's note: we are now receiving reports that Cream Cheese made its way into Rhonda's dish. We knew it was too good to be true).

The victory was Cohen's second in the last three weeks, following up on his Coconut Porter Ice Cream's dominant performance two weeks ago. 

Broken Compass would once again like to thank all of those who brought food for another amazing potluck. Here's all the awesome people who brought food and the dish they brought:

LJ, Mary, Denny - Rhonda's Dish - Veggies, Almonds, Cheese! (wait, none of those people are named Rhonda...)

Bryan, Rachel, Emmett - Pecan Pie and Ice Cream

Chantal and Bill - Pig In An Electric Blanket

Nancy R. - Coconut Stout Chocolate Bundt Cake (How did this not receive more votes? How! I demand answers from you people)

Linsey - Scotch-A-Roos

Robby and Christi - Swedish Meatballs

Jake Lidard - Banana Bread Muffins

William Wallace - Quinoa Salad (wait a minute, William Wallace? Hmmmm)

Seth Cohen - Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Stout Beef Stew

Jason Lederer - Blue Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates (undone by a limited supply)

Maria Galgas - Carrot Cake 

Gillian - Carrot Muffins (what's with all the carrots around here all of the sudden)

Rory - Orange Mush

Lindsey and Amelia - Not labeled

Nick - Not legible

You guys and girls are awesome.

Monday Night Potlucks will continue next week (Nov. 24) at 6:30, with eating commencing at 7. We can't wait to see what you make next! 

(Editor's note: Broken Compass Brewing's Monday Night Potlucks are popping off every Monday night, with eating starting between 6:30 and 7. We encourage everyone to contribute a dish every now and then, but everyone in the brewery is welcome to sample the food and vote for their favorite dishes. First place wins a 64 oz growler and fill, second place a 32 oz. growler and fill and third place a free pint. See you there!)

The MNP Week 7 Winners

Monday Night Potluck Week 4: It's a Tie!

With the falling snow creating an epic backdrop, food wars were waged once again at Broken Compass on Monday night. 

For the first time ever, Monday Night Potluck goers witnessed a tie, as Dave Johnston's Frozen Mocha Cheesecake used a late surge to catch Autumn Moses's Saffron-Spiced-Scalloped-Potatoes With Pancetta, Prosciutto And Parmesan-Reggiano (ummm, so that was a mouthful...let's just call them Super Potatoes), both finishing with 21 points apiece. Tom Hollinshead's Baked Beans With Smoked Brisket rounded out the podium, finishing a near third with 19 points. Despite laying claim to perhaps the most pure talent on the night, Hollinshead's Cherry Wood Smoked Chicken Thighs received 17 points and just missed a top three finish. With only six thighs and an abundance of empty stomachs, Chicken Thighs simply ran out of gas in the fourth quarter.

But MNP's true drama came in the battle for the top spot. Cindarella-story Super Potatoes jumped out to an early lead, surprising eaters with it's delicious, rag-to-riches presentation of one of the more basic foods on the human menu (seriously, I'm not sure I could tell you what half of those garnishes are. But I do know the word "garnishes." So shut it).

But as the night wore on, Frozen Mocha Cheesecake slowly gained traction (it should be said, "Frozen Mocha Cheesecake is one of the undersells of the century. Ladies, gentlemen, this is a cheesecake with a crust made of CRUMBLED AND CONDENSED OREO'S. It's a force of nature. It's a marvel. It's also sitting in my fridge as we speak. And.......now....... it's being shoveled into my mouth by the forkful). As dessert plates were pushed away and burps sounded, Cheesecake's final melting push closed the remaining gap for the photo finish. 

"I'm genuinely speechless," bartender D Buckets said. "And that's mostly because I ate so much that if I'm worried what will happen if I open my mouth. But oh yeah, also because I've never seen two foods dueling it out in such epic fashion."

When offered a chance at a tiebreaker (whoever can eat the most food from among the leftovers), both Johnston and Moses declined, citing "full stomachs" and "food babies" and "little desire to become Potluck champion of the world" (fine, I made that last one up). 

The tie left MNP with two champions, but everyone in attendance was a winner, with the best spread to date. 

Broken Compass would like to thank everyone who braved the snow and roads to make it out for the potluck. Congratulations to Dave, Autumn and Tom. We all appreciate your phenomenal work in the kitchen. See you all next Monday for Week Five!

(Editor's note: Broken Compass Brewing's Monday Night Potlucks are popping off every Monday night, with eating starting between 6:30 and 7. We encourage everyone to contribute a dish every now and then, but everyone in the brewery is welcome to sample the food and vote for their favorite dishes. First place wins a 64 oz growler and fill, second place a 32 oz. growler and fill and third place a free pint. See you there!)

Our winners from left to right: Autumn Moses, Tom Hollinshead and Dave Johnston

Help us celebrate Ax's birthday!

Attention friends, beer and disco lovers, it's party time! Tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 24th) we are hosting a day long celebration of the birth of our esteemed boss and co-owner, David Axelrod (pictured here at a ripe age of 18. Note the difference in hair style). Festivities will begin at A Basin during the day (in shocking news, there will be beer) before moving to the Broken Compass taproom for a DISCO party starting at 7. Tastefully exposed chest hair, absurdly flashy sequins and ludicrous mustaches are strongly encouraged, as is any and all forms of dancing. The bartender (who may or may not also be writing this post) will award a free beer to his favorite 70s disco costume of the night. So break out those open-chested shirts and come on down, we can't wait to see you all there! 

Time Lapse; The 2nd & 3rd Tanks

Here is a longer time lapse taken during the installation of our 2nd and 3rd fermenters.  Enjoy!

Time Lapse of our 1st Tank Install

We took some video during the installation of our first install.  Please enjoy the video and keep checking back for updates.  We hope you are as excited as we are to see our brand new stainless brewing equipment getting installed.

Time Lapse of the First Tank