If you're walking on Antique Row and blink when you reach 10th Street, you just might miss the little nondescript convenience store on the corner. You really don't want to do that -- Foodery boasts over 500 kinds of beer from all over the world. Seems that the store should actually be called "Drinkery," but that's neither here nor there.
Jeffery Slick, an easygoing guy who has been working at Foodery for about three years, is the beer manager of the store. "I take care of the beer selection -- ordering, tasting, selling. I've been here almost three years, so that's basically when I started my journey into beer."
While most people can only tell the good from the bad, Slick claims he can pretty much taste a beer and match its region. "I can tell a British beer from an American-style British beer, or an American-style Belgian beer to a true Belgian beer. There's something in the waters, and there's something in the sugars that are used," he said.
Amazingly, Slick can tell you about just about any bottle you pull off a shelf, and if he doesn't remember exactly how something tastes, don't worry -- he won't lie to you. "A lot of them I forget, but I know the general styles, so I'll just comment on the style more than the beer. I'm pretty honest about it, because I don't like selling beer I don't like to people. If I don't know what it is, I'm just going to admit that I haven't had it -- there are a few beers we just got in that are waiting at home for me to try."
Overwhelmed at the extensive selection of possibilities? Slick will gladly help you out, based on your answers to various questions like: What don't you like? What kind of non-alcoholic beverage do you drink (sodas, water or milk)? What was your favorite candy when you were younger? "Yeah, it's just random questions. It's to get a sense of what their palate is and what kind of tastes they like going for. If they want something sweet, if they want something dry, if they want something sour or if they want something tart ... if they'd like a maltier beer, or if they'd like a hopsier beer .... It's a starting point for somebody who's a little intimidated and doesn't know what to try." Intimidated? By 500+ kinds of beers? Admit your shortcomings and just ask. The "kid in a candy store" feeling wears off after a couple of wide-eyed hours.
More creative patrons who don't know exactly what they want will come in and pick beer purely on the look of a label. "This one woman was buying beer for her student that just turned 21. She was buying labels making up some sort of story with beer. I didn't understand it, but that's what she was trying to do, and she seemed to be having fun," said Slick.
Like any job, working at Foodery is all about the people. However, Slick acknowledges that the beer has its merits too. "These are people I work with, and these are also people I got out and drink with, so you've got a nice little family, a buddy system here. The beer's great -- it's a new adventure every night. It's fun sitting around and sharing a beer with somebody, talking and that'll move on to weird stories and innuendos. Not innuendos, but the conversation moves on to other places. So you just have fun."
Although he doesn't drink on the job, by the time the questions were over, Slick was craving a bottle. "Now you've got me thinking about beer," said Slick. "I really want one now. Shame on you!"
Foodery should be on any beer lover's radar, and it is surprising that it isn't. Take the trip downtown to visit Philadelphia's very own beer connoisseur, "also known as beer geek and/or beer snob -- but connoisseur works well too"
