On Thursday night, Philadelphians were treated to a respite from the heat and rain in the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art (PhilaMOCA) with a sneak peak at the future of beer and music in Philadelphia. Mellody Brewing debuted its first event in their Super Secret Beer Concert Series, featuring a selection of beer from Mellody as well as fellow nanobrewer St. Benjamin Brewing Co., set to the live musical styling of local favorite TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb.
Event-goers were treated to a passionate performance by TJ Kong as well as all the beer they could drink from the two future nanobreweries for an admission price of only $10. Mellody and St. Benjamin pleased the crowd by offering free pours of seven different beers across a range of styles and tastes. St. Benjamin, who plans to open a brewing facility in the Fishtown/Kensington area around November, started with their Troubleshooter Pale Ale alongside a crisp and refreshing Wit or Witout Belgian Wit, which they plan to make one of their flagship brews. Wit or Witout, besides paying homage to our City of Brotherly Love’s affair with the cheesesteak, tasted of orange with a refreshing lightness. Following those were a Chocolate Brown ale and the Brandywine Barleywine, a crowd favorite that had a subtle grape flavor and a not-so-subtle 12% ABV.
Mellody Brewing cooled the crowd by providing I Am Your Patersbier, a crisp, light Belgian ale. Mellody also brought along their original recipe, the Smellody Pale Ale, which is an English Pale Ale that is rich amber in color with a fruity, hoppy and earthy flavor. Mellody Brewing stole the show from the fantastic lightning storm outside and the raucous band inside with a firkin of Ryeghteous Brown, a delightful rye with notes of roasted nuts and a slight hint of chocolate combined with a perfect balance of hops. Truly a keeper, this a beer we will all want to enjoy again and again, no matter the reason or the season.
The event itself, borne from Mellody’s desire to serve his beer at a live music event, was clearly enjoyed by everyone in attendance. TJ Kong’s set, which went on for about an hour during the four hour event, had the crowd of 60 people dancing and swaying the entire time. Fueled by beer and good vibes, it was clear that everyone inside PhilaMOCA was thoroughly entertained the entire night.
If you missed the festivities this time around, worry not: as the name implies, Mellody intends to hold a series of these events. “We want this to become a well-known event, like a pop-up restaurant or a hidden supper club,” says brewer Sean Mellody. “It has to be a ‘secret’ since we can’t sell the beer, but in the future we hope to feature other nano- and home-brewers.” TJ Kong wants in on the action as well, encouraging to the crowd to stay tuned for more SSBCS shows for which they’ll be happy to perform.
You can catch TJ Kong before the next SSBCS at the end of Philly Beer Week during the Dock Street Music Festival celebration from 2-6pm this Sunday. Be sure to follow Mellody Brewing and St. Benjamin Brewing on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to speed on future SSBCS events—as long as you can keep a secret.
