On Saturday, November 14th Johnny Brenda’s is hosting a Wet Hop Rodeo, a roundup of wet-hopped beers from around the area and around the country.

Beer is typically made with hops that are dried to preserve the ingredient and make it suitable to ship and store. But some oils and tastes are lost in the process. A wet-hopped beer is made with fresh, not dried hops and tends to be especially fragrant and hoppy.

Typically these wet-hopped beers have come from Northwestern brewers near hops fields. But as Eastern brewers and farmers have experimented with growing  their own hops, wet-hopped beers have made their way east.

Philadelphia Brewing Company’s Harvest from the Hood is truly from the neighborhood with hops harvested at Kensington’s Greensgrow Farm.

• Victory Harvest Pils
• Victory Harvest Ale
• Weyerbacher Harvest Ale
• Philadelphia Brewing Company Harvest from the Hood
• Manayunk Brewing Hop Harvest
• Port Brewing High Tide
• Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale
• Rogue Wet Hop Ale
• Iron Hill Wet Hopped Ale firkin

Wet Hop Rodeo: A Round-Up of Local and National Wet-Hopped Beer [Johnny Brenda's]

Oysters have long been thought of as aprodisciacs and Philadelphia Weekly has a list of spots where you can get in the mood for just a buck.

• Union Trust
• Pub & Kitchen
• Oyster House
• Coquette Bistro
• Devon Seafood Grill
• Johnny Brenda’s

Buck-A-Shucks [Philadelphia Weekly]

Whiskey doughnuts and the Phillies? That’s what Johnny Brenda’s is enticing us with this Sunday.

JBs Downstairs Bar Presents – PHILLIES BRUNCH: Phillies vs. Marlins

GAMETIME IS AT 1:35pm. We’re gonna set up that big TV we had up for last years playoffs / championship games. That way you can drink Bloody Marys and eat brunch while nursing your hangover without having to clean up dishes or anything!

Sunday 8/9 – JBs Downstairs Bar Presents – PHILLIES BRUNCH: Phillies vs. Marlins [Johnny Brenda's]

The Bite wonders if your holiday barbecue can rival some of these dishes around town.

• Kobe Beef hot dogs at Varga Bar
• Dry-aged burger at Barclay Prime
• Grilled octopus at Johnny Brenda’s
• Corn on the cob at Cantina Dos Segundos
• Apple pie from Jones

Holiday barbecue to rival your own [Metro Philadelphia]

Esquire named Kanella one of the best breakfast spots in America back in February. Last weekend Kanella actually added brunch to their hours. Living on the Vedge was there on the hummus paved road to satisfaction. [Living on the Vedge]

Finding Philly comes up with a list of South Philadelphia brunch spots to try when the wait at Sabrina’s and Sam’s Morning Glory are just too long.

1. Royal Tavern and Cochon
2. Carmen’s Country Kitchen
3. Los Taquitos de Puebla
4. Teri’s

[Finding Philly]

Fries with that Shake reminds us that it has been way too long since we had the whiskey donuts and the grits at Johnny Brenda’s. [fwts.net]

Mediterranean small plates are what’s on the menu at Old City’s new Bocca. [Meal Ticket]

Gulph Mills’ Savona is closed for renovations. They’re aiming to reopen by Mother’s Day. [The Insider]

Michael Solomonov’s Zahav and Michael Schulson’s Izakaya were both named to Travel + Leisure magazine’s 50 Best New US Restaurants. [Travel + Leisure]

Johnny Brenda’s comes in at number two in Gourmet’s Eight Great Rock Venues with Great Food. [Gourmet via Phoodie]

Bon Appetit slots Marigold Kitchen in at number three in their list of Top 10 Brunch Spots. [Bon Appetit]

Yuengling (5th largest), Dogfish Head (33) and Victory (46) are all among the top 50 breweries in the US by sales volume in 2008. [Brewers Association]

Rick Nichols recounts the story of Fishtown and the shad that gave the area it’s name.

It was 28 years ago that Lambertville threw a Shad Fest to mark the turnabout. And this year on the same date, April 25, in Penn Treaty Park off Delaware Avenue, Fishtown is getting into the act with a Shad Fest of its own.

Last week a big banner featuring the silvery fish went up outside Johnny Brenda’s, one of Fishtown’s new wave of gastropubs. Chef-owner Paul Kimport, who also heads the local business association, was getting a griller-smoker rig fabricated. And designing a shad sandwich with fish (probably from off North Carolina), Groff’s double-smoked bacon, and garlicky spring ramps, and roe with Amish brown butter, lemon, capers, and toast points.

A fish town once more [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Fishtown Shad Fest [Official Site]

Philly Beer Week has announced they’ve broken the 500 600 events mark but Joe Sixpack’s math has the number north of 700. [Beer Radar]

Standard Tap co-owner Paul Kimport is back in the kitchen, this time at sister restaurant, Johnny Brenda’s. He’ll be focusing the menu and including more snacks and small plates. [Philadelphia Magazine]

Sauté has opened on Front Street and the opening emails we’ve gotten sound promising. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Another Tiffin alum is branching out on his own. Rakesh Ramola has opened IndeBlue, an Indian BYOB in Collingswood. [The Insider]

Happy Rooster adding a bar with 12 stools plus flat-screen TVs to its back room. [Meal Ticket]

Taquet in Wayne is going to be under new ownership and tutelage. The new chef, Francis Layrle has experience as the chef at the French embassy in DC. [The Insider]

There’s “real barbecue” on the Main Line now with the opening of Jimmy’s BBQ in Malvern. [Main Line Restaurant Guide]

American Pub at Centre Square is looking to open beneath the Clothespin sculpture at 15th and Market. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Foodaphilia finds that Cafe de Laos is a  Thai/Laotian spot worth coming back to. [Foodaphilia]

Get your protein and your carbs in one forkful of the Morning Buzz French Toast at Black N Brew. [Blogalicious]

A semester studying in London will spoil you for Indian food. Philly Food & Drink finds that Tiffin can help with those cravings. [Philly Food & Drink]

Veggicurious checks out the “romantic yet boisterous” La Locanda Del Ghiottone. [Veggicuious]

Brog tries out the Estrella Damm Inedit beer and the Valentine’s tasting menu at Amada. [Brog]

Smoked ham, cheddar and dill makes for a fine quiche at Johnny Brenda’s. [Beer Lass]

Foodzings is on a eating and blogging tear. Recently she was at Cafe Apamate where she enjoyed a delicious brunch without an hour wait. [Foodzings]

Foodaphilia has the round up on last Saturday’s Northern Liberties’ Rib-Off. [Foodaphilia]

The Beer Lass’ heart skips a beat as she reads Pork Roll Hot Dog off the menu board at the Khyber. [Beer Lass]

Foodzings dines outdoors at Johnny Brenda’s and enjoys the hummus and pork sliders. But hey waitress, put some clothes on. [Foodzings]

MenuPages posts a scathing diatribe from an employee at Maoz and what it’s like dealing witht the “mouth breathers that pass through the doors.” [MenuPages]

Mac & Cheese checks out the fuss at Phileo Yogurt. [Mac & Cheese]