Showing posts with label Indian Pale Ale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian Pale Ale. Show all posts

Friday, December 23, 2016

#VABreweryChallenge: Port City Brewing Company (#51)

I don't visit Alexandria's Port City Brewing Company enough and in fact it's slightly embarrassing that this was my first trip to the brewery since starting the #VABreweryChallenge. But I'll blame it on the brewery itself by providing a steady and reliable distribution throughout the area. Why drive 15 miles in DC traffic when my local beer store stocks their entire lineup?  And this lineup has been particularly solid since opening day six years ago; if you want to know how a particularly beer style should taste like - this is your stop.

No wonder Port City was the GABF Small Brewery of the Year in 2015. They were one of the first to help resurrect the Belgium Wit and their Optimal Wit is spot on. Want a mocha Porter - get the Port City Porter. Their Downright® Pilsner is a non-bready and balanced Bohemian version and their Essential Pale Ale® is an everyday beer. I'm a contrarian when it comes to IPAs but if I had to drink one, the Monumental® IPA at only 57 IBU is my go to. These are the flagships brews so during my visit I turned to the Ways & Means® Session Rye IPA. I generally avoid session beers - although I prefer the low abv - because it seems most are weak beers that are dry hopped to add some character. Not so with the Ways & Means. The rye adds spicy complexity and the hops are not overwhelming. This is my All Day IPA. And safe travels vising any brewery using theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Touring DC Breweries with #theCompassApp Winery, Brewery, & Distillery Locator

Yesterday I spent a rainy Saturday testing the various features of #theCompassApp Winery, Brewery, & Distillery Locator by visiting three Washington D.C. breweries. My first stop was into the far reaches of Northeast Washington to DC Brau Brewing - the District's first production brewery since the mid-1950s.  The brewery was started by Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock from 2009 - 2011 and the pair had to assist the local gov't in drafting new legislation to allow beer consumers to taste at the brewery and fill growlers. By now they are well known for their canned portfolio - The Public™ Pale Ale, The Citizen™ Belgian Ale, and The Corruption™ IPA. Today #theCompass navigated me to the back of the shopping center where a eased into the last parking spot. After entering the brewery and receiving my 4 free drink coupons, I discovered why the lack of parking - the brewery was packed. Visitors were tasting in the front room, the side area, and even in the packaging area - tasting and listening to music piped through large speakers. I quickly grabbed a sample of their Exaltation Holiday Ale and joined a brewery tour - learning about their history, process, production levels, and murals coating the brewery's interior. What a cool place to spend an afternoon - particularly when getting one of the last pours of their Pauncy Stout™.  I had to share the good news via our social media channels using #theCompass' share functionality - allowing me to seemliness check on via Foursquare and share on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.






From DC Brau,  the application navigated me easily a few miles to Chocolate City Beer, a much smaller establishment but equally hospitable. This brewery was started by Jay Irizarry and Ben Matz and is located close to Catholic University. In fact, the building once hosted the stone making equipment that created the The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States and North America). Now most Catholics like a good beer and Chocolate City offers a few from their every day lineup of Cornerstone Copper Ale, Big Chair IPA, and Cerveza Nacionale (black lager). My favorites were The Big Chair - named for the District's own monument in Anacostia - that delivers a smooth refreshing finish for an IPA and the Mister Mayer Second Term Imperial Stout. This latter is named after former mayor Marian Berry and is fermented with Marion Berries (a blackberry developed by the USDA ARS breeding program in cooperation with Oregon State University). The is a really nice beer - chocolate notes mingle with a sour ale-ish finish - and don't worry if a few berries make it into your pour. That's by intent.



Unfortunately I couldn't visit longer being on a tight schedule and thus parked the car at work and used a cab for my last stop: Bluejacket Brewery. And a cab or Metro is highly recommended for this stop; there's a lot to sample - talking about over 20 beers on tap - all produced in house. And they are good; Beer Director Greg Engert and Brewmaster Megan Parisi must work long hours keeping the brewery supplied because once again - this brewery was packed - two to three deep at the bar and all tables filled. And this was four in the afternoon - evenings must be even crazier. But don't let the lines prevent a visit - the beer and breadth of their portfolio is worth it. Want a pale ale or pilsner, no problem; English bitter, Imperial IPA, Porter, Stout, Hefeweizen, Biere de Garde, Kolsch, Dunkelweizen, Barleywine - all on the menu. My favorite was the Mexican Radio, a chocolate stout laced with spicy peppers and believe me it's like sinking your teeth into a gourmet chocolate bar of the same nature. I can't wait for baseball season, with the brewery two blocks from Nationals Stadium - good baseball and beer -> what's not to like.

Cheers to the DC brew scene. Next on the agenda - 3 Stars Brewing Company, Atlas Brew Works, and Right Proper Brewing Company.

Monday, April 22, 2013

What is the best First Communion Beer?

What is the best First Communion Beer? That's the question I posed to myself while exploring Norm's Beer & Wine for beer for Matthew's First Communion after party. Since Lebanese food was dominating the menu, the obvious choice was Almaza Pilsner Beer - Lebanan's best selling beer. Assisted by brewers in Pilsen, the brewery created a Czech styled recipe with a local twist - incorporating maize that gives the beer a smooth and sweet profile. This creates an appealing beer when several types of beer drinkers are present - and a much better option than the mass produced junk.

For the more serious beer drinkers I turned to the Saints, St. George Brewing Company from Hampton Virginia and the esteemed Belgium brewery St. Bernardus. Norm's had just received a shipment of the Abt 12, the top tier in the St. Bernardus brand, high in alcohol 10.5% and full bodied - but extremely smooth. Tons of fruit flavor exude from the nose through the tail. I chose the St. George English IPA knowing I would have a few hop heads in attendance - although at 50 IBU it was mild for many.  The profile is sweet with a balanced somewhat hoppy finish. I was ready to leave, but then noticed the Highland Brewing Company St. Theresa Pale Ale. being very fond of the Asheville, NC - I plucked a six-pack without thinking. For a pale ale, this has the aroma of an IPA, plenty of citrus that transitions to sweet male, and then finishes again with a citrus profile. A very nice ale.

So that was our day - plenty of good beer for a First Communion theme. Cheers.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Bell's Hopslam Ale - Is It Worth the Hype and Price?

This past Friday, we drank for the first time, several glasses of Bell's Brewery's seasonal cult-classic Hopslam Ale. Most of my associates were very familiar with the beer and the restaurant, Fireworks Pizza, ran out that evening. A nearby music venue, Galaxy Hut, also exhausted their supply in one night. What makes this double-IPA so special? Well, it starts with "six different hop varietals added to the brew kettle & culminating with a massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops". Now, you would think this massive dose of hops would result in an overly bitter concoction, but no, it is balanced by sweet malt and a dose of honey. The beer's aroma is the most powerful we've experienced, and the flavor profile complex and spicy - reminiscent of of a Belgium Ale. Truly a great tasting beer; but worth the $20-$25 price per six-pack. Well considering that same evening we spent $7 for average tasting beers at the 9:30 Club; at $4 a beer - its a bargain. Yea, there is still some sticker shock when purchasing a case, but this isn't the type of beer to guzzle in an evening - its one to savior throughout the year - hopefully our case will last that long.