Oh Snap! JGT Invitational Combines with City vs. City Smackdown!

So we kick off the 2nd annual JGT Summer Invitational tonight at O’Neals and City Tap House. You know how the scoring works…but there are a couple of major wrinkles this time.

The Top 15 teams after 8 weeks will earn an invite. However, there will be a 9th week for a few “wild card teams” to do so. More on that later. Any team that scores 16 or more points in the following 8 weeks will have an opportunity at the $100 bonus drawing. There will once again be opportunities provided though both wins, physical challenges at various quizzos, and facebook challenges to earn points.

Each of the following 8 weeks will have a different theme. We start this week with Food and Drink. The other 7 themes will be (in no particular order. Working on guest hosts for some rounds now. Will let you know once I get calendar lined up):

  1. Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll
  2. Denver Rules (we’ll play by the rules the Geeks Who Drink play by in Denver).
  3. I Heart the 2000s Week
  4. Sports and Entertainment
  5. The Humanities
  6. Pictures, Mysteries, and Music
  7. Ladies Week

In addition, you’ll be able to score points by playing Koob and Kristy’s quizzes on Pop Culture. The Main Event will go down on Sunday, August 7th at National Mechanics (3rd between Market and Chestnut). But this will be more than just an event for local pride and glory; you’ll also be representing the city of Philadelphia, as we will be going City vs. City with Denver, Albuquerque, and Nashville. Our Top 10 scores will be averaged against their top 10 scores, with the winner gaining the bragging rights and the rights to name the Trophy. That’s right, there will be a trophy handed out to the winning city, and the winning city gets to name that trophy. The trophy will retain that name in perpetuity. So if you don’t want to be playing in the future for the Eddie George Cup or the Dog the Bounty Hunter Cup or some other such foolishness, be ready to bring your A-game. There are a couple of other cities that we’re currently discussing this with, so don’t be surprised to see a few more towns enter the mix as we move forward.

I REALLY WANT THE BEST TEAMS TO PLAY (Jams, Lambda, I’m looking at you). The winning city not only gets the glory, but they will get to name the Local Legend Cup. Don’t do it for yourselves. Don’t do it for me. Do it for your city. City vs. City Smackdown: It’s on.

Fayette Crew Mafia Almost Perfect at Wire Quizzo

The Fayette Crew Mafia won The Wire quiz at POPE on Sunday night in what can only be described as a sheiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit show. It was a packed house, standing room only, and it was filled with people who are freaks about The Wire. I mean, I thought I knew the show, but these people really knew the show. The Fayette Crew Mafia got 39 out of 40 correct, plus all 4 bonuses, for an all time high score of 124. The only one they missed, they described who I was looking for but couldn’t think of the guys name (and it was a question about Baltimore, only partially about The Wire). The Dickensian Aspect of Cheese Faced Bitches and Some Shameful S*** tied for 2nd with a 109. The rest of the scores are posted after the jump. If there is enough demand I will rehost the same quiz later this week (maybe Friday?). Let me know if you want to play. I know a lot of people tried to play but it was just too packed.

Continue reading “Fayette Crew Mafia Almost Perfect at Wire Quizzo” →

Coolest Photo You’ll See All Day


Doesn’t this look like a Tim Burton movie set? It’s actually Schmidt’s Brewery. I posted a 1970s Schmidt’s ad on the Phillysportshistory site that’s pretty cool and started doing some research on Schmidt’s. What you’re seeing above is the entrance to their brewery, where the Piazza at Schmidt’s now stands. Here’s some info, courtesy of the awesome Philaplaces website (you’ll also find some more great photos there):

Poised on the boundary between Northern Liberties and Kensington, this sprawling 15-acre site was home to Schmidt’s, Philadelphia’s largest and most famous brewery, established in 1860. Schmidt’s was the last survivor of Philadelphia’s brewing industry, closing down in 1987 after over 125 years and leaving Philadelphia without a brewery for the first time in 300 years. Schmidt’s Beer — and its tenacity — was a point of pride for all Philadelphians. The Schmidt’s closure signaled once and for all the end of Philadelphia’s industrial era.

Wire, Sci-Fi Quizzes Tonight


This Wire quiz has taken on a life of its own, as it seems to have created more buzz than any other quiz I’ve ever done. I’ve given the details out earlier, but here’s the Cliff Notes of what you need to know: Event starts at the POPE at 7. I would suggest you get there by then. It’s going to fill up early. I’m working on it now, and I think it’s gonna be a good one. But definitely get there early. We’ll get started around 8:30 or so.

If Sci-Fi is your thing, a good night for that as well, as Mike Minion is hosting a Sci-Fi quiz tonight at the Ugly American. Questions on classics as well as the hilariously bad. He’ll also have a set of the first 3 Alien movies to give away. That starts at Ugly American at 8 p.m.

The 2nd Annual Summer Invitational

Hard to believe, but it’s time for the 2nd annual JGT Summer Invitational. It starts next week. I’m still working on venue and band, but this one is gonna be the greatest Invitational yet. I’m gonna have celebrity hosts the next few weeks, as well as a little stand up comedy between rounds at the Bards.

There’s also going to be a bit of a wrinkle. Each week will be a new theme. There will be a Sports and Entertainment Week, a I Heart the 90s Week, a Denver Pub Quiz Rules Week, a Science and Technology Week, and so on. We start next week with out Food and Drink quiz. In honor of Beer Week, all questions will be food and drink related.

I’m also going to be hosting some special quizzes throughout the summer, in addition to Mike’s special quizzes at Ugly American and Koob and Kristy’s special quizzes at Drinkers, which will also count towards points. And only the top 15 qualify. Gonna be quizzes in just about every category imaginable this summer, and it all starts Sunday, with me hosting the Wire quiz at POPE and Mike hosting the Science Fiction quiz at Ugly American. Both start at 8 p.m. I’ll have more info about the Invitational itself on Monday.

All new physical challenges, all new quizzes, and a lot of surprises. As my kind of douchey college roommate once said, “F*** the bulls***. Let’s do dis!”

Quick Note on the Wire Quiz

Ok, so there’s been some confusion about the Wire quiz at POPE. Here’s the deal: It will be SUNDAY. The North Coast kegs will be tapped at 7 p.m., so that’s when they event officially begins. I won’t be hosting quizzo right off the bat though. There’s gonna be some time for people to come in and get settled and grab a beer. We are expecting a huge crowd, and I suspect it will be packed pretty quickly. If you want to play on Sunday, I suggest you get there at 7 p.m. Seriously, this is going to be a sold out gig, so don’t come wandering in at 8 p.m. and think you’re gonna get seated. It could happen, but I’ll be shocked if it does. We will probably start the quiz around 8:30 or so. I know some places say 9, but if we’re packed by 8 there’s not need to wait another hour. My point is simple: be there no later than 7 p.m. Otherwise, you probably won’t get a seat. And then you’ll be like “Sheeeeeeeeeeeit.”

The good news is that the demand for this is so high we’ll probably do another one in the next couple of months.

Beerlass’s Guide to Beer Week

Beer Week has gotten so huge and so insane that it’s become almost impossible to figure out which things you want to do. Beerlass to the rescue. Philadelphia’s Beerlass (who some of you old schoolers remember as the Lovely Ginger) knows everything there is to know about local beer and Beer Wek, and was kind enough to let us know what some of the coolest events are this year. Here are her top recommendations (Except for nights when there is quizzo to be played. Then you know where you need to be. Food and Drink quizzo all next week.)

Saturday June 4th
Kite and Key 2 pm
Throwdown in Franklintown- watch local beer peeps (myself included) duke it out with over-sized boxing gloves.

Block Party at Varga Bar- Local Heroes at Philadelphia Bar and Restaurant

If you are one for cask-conditioned beers -King Pin starts at 3 pm at Standard Tap meanwhile Sister bar has “A firkin Riot” wit the coolest firkin apparatus the city has ever seen.

Or if you wanna ride a wave- Prohibition Tap Room has surf rock and beers from the rad west coast brewery Lagunitas featured.

Sunday June 5th

It’s bike race day- avoid it or embrace it. Kite and Key will be celebrating the annual championship race with Stone Brewing Co and tricycle races.

At night you know where you need to be if you’re a fan of The Wire, I mean Johnny Goodtimes. He will be hosting a special “The Wire” quiz while the bar sipps on beers from North Coast- one of my favorite breweries.

If you’re one of those quizzo players that has some money to burn. Good Dog is hosting an 8 course dinner with 8 different Iron Hill beers from 8 different brewers. It will be a special night of eating and drinking. If you’re looking for a nice civilized start to your day- You can join me at Kennett in Queen Village for a beer brunch 1-3.

Monday June 6th
If it’s not already sold out- 12 pm-Punk Rock and Finger Sandwiches with Dogfish Head at Nodding Head promises to be one of the week’s highlights. DFH’s Sam Calagione will be there prior to his visit to Resurrection Ale house at 3 for a Mustache contest where a Victrola will provide the soundtrack.

At night- Late night with Joe Gunn kicks off. There are no words to describe the hilarity that this hour provides. You are guaranteed to see people drink too much whiskey during beer week, see an eating contest, and of course a live musical guest. Kick off at 11 pm.

Friday June 10th
From 6 till 9 Brooklyn brewery will be at Fergies with a rare firkin of Irish Stout and a bunch of cheese and beer pairing will take place.

Also at 6 pm- since I know you all like a little competition. It’s the 4th annual firkin off between Sly Fox and South Hampton. This is a serious drinking competition. Last year a 9 gallon firkin was drained in 8 minutes. Pick a team and help a brewery out;)

Saturday, June 11th
Enjoy sour beers? Nodding Head is hosting Phreddie and the Four Phunks. Brewmaster Gordon Grubb has been stockpiling some of his reserved barrel-aged beers. Sour is the new hop. 3 pm.

Wanna a little physical fitness in your beer week? A few bars in Fairmount our hosting the 2nd annual “Beermuda Triangle” run from Bishops collar, to Kite and Key , to St. Stephens Green drinking craft cans of Oskar Blues and Sly Fox all the while. Set up a team. The team that drinks the most cans wins. Oh and there’s a prize for the first to the finish line too 2 pm.

Sunday, June 12th
For all the vinyl collectors out there- Prohibition Tap Room is hosting “kegs eggs and BYOV” (Bring Your own vinyl) brunch) from 12 till?

And Philly survives yet another beer week. The week ends with a karaoke bash called the TTUD (That totally unnecessary drink) at Fergies upstairs with a lot of brewery folk. Fergie LOVES karaoke. This has become beer week tradition. It’s one of the most memorable events of the week.