#VABreweryChallenge: Norfolk - O'Connor Brewing Co. (#23) & Smartmouth Brewing Co (#24)

While returning from the Outre Banks, we decided to spend the night in Norfolk, with the Virginia Zoo in one mind; the #VABreweryChallenge in the other. The Zoo is rather impression, primarily from it's botanical gardens, as our the two breweries we visited afterwards. Both are in located in the same proximity in the Ghent and Chelsea neighborhoods which made travel between the two very easy with theCompass Winery Brewery Distillery Locator. O'Connor Brewing Co. is the larger and older of the two; with owner/brewer Kevin O'Connor learning the brewing and wholesale side of the trade at St. George Brewing Company and Specialty Beverage. I've been a long time fan of their El Guapo Agave India Pale Ale as I've been able to aquire a bottle here and there. Just enough agave to make it interesting. For a summer ale, the Green Can is a solid light bodied ale; as is the Norfolk Canyon Pale Ale - the medium hops provide a mellow finish. For a stronger beer and a bit of history try the Great Dismal Black IPA - I remember riding on the outskirts along Route 17 long ago. 

Smartmouth Brewing Co opened two years after O'Connor in 2012 in the Chelsea neighborhood. The brewery hits a range of styles from German to Belgium to American and the first I saw was a low 2.5 % abv Berliner Weisse. Tart and refreshing. On the other side of the spectrum was the Hive Mind Barrel-Aged Honey Saison. Aged in used Chardonnay barrels, the beer has a creamy texture, with a slight sweet spot balanced by some spice. Quite nice. For the less adventurist, the Safety Dance Pilsner is slightly hoppy and refreshing and the hops head will like the Bandwagon 4.0 IPA single hopped with El Dorado. They joined the bandwagon. Well played Smartmouth. Cheers.

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.