Caboose Commons: Cashless, Coffee, and Craftbeer

This week I finally allocated time to visit Caboose Commons, a new craft brewery located in the Fairfax Mosiac District. This stand-alone facility with adequate parking maintains several other characteristics that differ from its older sibling, Vienna's Caboose Brewing.  First, it is cashless. Not a problem until you ask to open a tab. The brewery is strictly pay as you go - one beer at a time.  Also, flights are not an option; tasters yes, a flight no. Second, the brewery acts as a typical coffee house. On this visit, most of the visitors were occupied staring into laptops or devices, coffee cups adjacent to the screens. The wifi must be powerful for the amount of devices. Next, the facility is more spacious than the Vienna brewery - or at least it appears as such with a larger outdoor space and two levels of loft seating. And finally, the menu is larger - regarding both food and craft beverages. While still sourcing from local artisans, the restaurant provides breakfast at 7AM as well as an all-day menu and then a combined lunch and dinner selection. As for craft beverages, there's an expanded wine list and during our visit 14 craft beers available. Caboose's strength is their German and Czech styled ales and lagers -- particularly their Schwarzbier.  I tasted their relatively new Slam Dunkel and Stop Drop & Doppelbock (both stylistically accurate) before settling on the session-able Earl of Hops. This IPA is clean with loads of fresh citrus. Nicely done. And as always, theCompass Craft Beverage Finder contains information for both Caboose locations. Cheers.

W&OD Bike Trail: Reston's Bike Lane Brewing & Cafe

Writing this during another cold and soggy morning I can't wait any longer for Spring - at least it may be a warm soggy morning. But Spring also brings bicycle season particularly trips along the W&OD Trail visiting Virginia breweries using theCompass. These trips include a new stop as The Bike Lane bike shop has expanded into Bike Lane Brewing & Cafe. This facility is located at mile marker 16.5 on the WO&D Trail and by vehicles on Sunset Hills between Whiele and Hunter Mill Road. Co-owner Todd Mader is the head brewer and brews small badges beyond a row of new bicycles. I'm looking forward to the Chamois Cream Ale during rides but on this cold visit I stuck to the roasty The Love Oatmeal Stout and the clean grapefruit of the WOD A Ride IPA. Because of the its nano status expect weekly changes to the lineup. Cheers and safe travels.

Down on the Redskins? Then Detour to TCOB & Dynasty Brewing

As the Redskins implode this football season, any residual pain is overcome by two relatively new craft breweries that reside just around the corner from the 'skins' Ashburn facility. First, we recommend Drinking, Playing, and Brewing at The Craft of Brewing (TCOB Brewery ™) and #VABreweryChallenge #66. TCOB provides a craft brewing experience where visitors can drink from one of twenty self-service taps, play pool or shuffleboard, or brew beer themselves using  TCOB's 20L or 50L kettle systems. During our visit we sampled several very interesting and unique beers -- being able to pour anywhere from two to sixteen ounces each. A few standouts were the Dead Center (Nitro) Schwarzbier, Imperial Pumpkin Stout, Hopitis IPA, Chowderhead NE IPA, and the Respect My AuthoriThai Gose. The last was brewed with lime peel and Thai basil providing Pad Thai in the glass. I hope to visit again very soon with a lager recipe in hand.

A few doors down sits Dynasty Brewing (#VABreweryChallenge #67), named after the Virginia dynasty regarding four of the first five American presidents. This establishment is a partnership with one partner longtime Loudoun brewer Favio Garcia (Director of Brewery Operations).  Garcia is well known in the area from his experience with Old Dominion, Lost Rhino, and Beltway Brewery. And as expected their portfolio is rock solid starting with the DynastyFest Helles Lager. There's nothing to hide with this satisfying quaffer. The Data Center Pale Ale was well balanced as was the Random Allusions IPA. Getting into the more intriguing, they offered My Brother's Neighbor Kettle Sour Pale Ale, The True Story Milk Stout, the Holliday Farm Caramel Corn Peanut Stout, and the Maintenance Mike Milkshake IPA. Lactose does wonders in IPAs and the Holliday Farm is a delicious treat.

As always these breweries can be visited easily using theCompass Craft Beverage Finder. Sorry iPhone 11 iOS and iPhones 5S and greater users. Cheers.

#VABreweryChallenge (#64): Chubby Squirrel Brewing Co. Opens in Fairfax City

There are nine craft breweries within Fairfax County with the newest finally populating Fairfax City: Chubby Squirrel Brewing Co.. This facility is located quite close to George Mason University and owners Boyd Harrison and Josh Paine plan to accommodate the thirsts of both age appropriate students and local residents. They also offer an interesting mix of brewpub cuisine such as wings, pierogies, poutine, sliders, and fries as well as wine and cider for those inclined.   Bu craft beer is the main attraction and out of the gate Chubby Squirrel created a diverse and tasty portfolio.  On our visit the lineup consisted of Hefeweizen, WereSquirrel Black IPA,  Squirrel In the Rye, Blonde Squirrel Blonde Ale, Pumpkin Eater (Nitro) Pumpkin - Yam Beer,  Golden Squirrel (Cask) Belgian Tripel.  The blonde, rye, and tripel were our favorites, but in general all were respectful for their styles and worth a taste.  And as always theCompass Craft Beverage Finder will guide you there. Cheers.

A Quad of New #VACraftBeer For Our #VABreweryChallenge

Creative destruction resides in the NOVA craft beer market as one brewery closes several open to take its place. And we recently visited four infants in Northern Virginia.  During a previous wave of new openings Brian Reinoehl visited Bad Wolf Brewery in Manassas and felt the bug.  He and partner Michael Frizzell spent the next five years immersed in the beer industry starting with a one-barrel system and eventually selling their IT business to open Audacious Aleworks (#60). They had intended to open in the Mosiac District where Caboose Brewing will soon open their second facility but found the City of Falls Church a more cooperative environment.  They officially opened about a month ago slowly increasing their portfolio to the present 15 beers.  That means plenty of opportunities to find one you like and I did with the Westminster Bridge ESB -- feels like sitting in a British pub.  Other solid beers are the Pretentious Porter,  Kings Chance Saison, 7 Evil Exes Sour, and Conviction IPA.


Ashburn's House 6 Brewing Company (#61) was instantiated by a similar passion for craft beer this from volunteer firefighter, Rolando Rivera -- not surprisingly some years spent at Station 6.  However, Rivera took a less prolific model and opened last weekend with just four beers on tap.  And these beers are fantastic. The 4.6% El Bombero Kölsch is a light and fresh beer well suited for the cyclist venturing  off the WO&D.  The Firebreak Session IPA weighs in at a similarly low abv and packs plenty of flavor for this session beer.  The same is true for the ridiculously tolerant Off Duty English Mild (3.7%)  where the malt and caramel meld into a delicious beer. And equally so is the Smoke Eater Smoked Porter where the chocolate transitions to a rauchbier finish. Fantastic.


Our next stop, Phase 2 Brewing (#62), is a tiny brewery - a nano's nano - that pours to house brewed beers at Brew LoCo, an independent coffeehouse and homebrew shop opened in 2014 by sisters Cathy Frye and Mary Battaglia.  They normally have two or three beers surrounding their nitro coffee tap and during our visit it was the Mango Mama DIPA and Lunar Eclipse Imperial Stout.  Both weigh in at 8% and are quite interesting with the DIPA tasting like Werther's Original and the stout a nutmeg chili chocolate beer.  Quite interesting.

Our final stop, Rocket Frog Brewing Company (#63), has made a quick name around town and we visited the Sterling brewery to discover if its more than a flying frog. Twin brothers David and Richard Hartogs leveraged an affinity for Dogfish Head, a Belgium heritage, and another brother's west coast palate to create a well balanced lineup.  These dozen beers can be viewed on UnTappd and are worth a short detour off the WO&D to investigate. Start with their sours as their Warp Dive and Warp Drive w. Cherries are not over the top, just tastefully done. The Wallups Island Brown Ale and Croak at the Moon Saison are spot on regarding style but the Paper Wings Pale Ale was easily my favorite.  And for dessert finish with the Space Port Porter and he same on nitro.

And as always these breweries can be visited easily using theCompass Craft Beverage Finder. Sorry iPhone 11 iOS and iPhones 5S and greater users. Cheers.

W&OD Bike Trail: Reston to Lake Anne Brew House

If you are tired of the familiar rest stops along the W&OD Trail, then consider a quick excursion while in Reston to Lake Anne and the Lake Anne Brew House. This small village is only 5-10 minutes off the main trail by existing at Reston Blvd. Ride adjacent to the road for half a mile then jump on the Green Trail on your right. Follow the signs and this trail ends right near the brewery (Taproom hours: Thursdays 4pm – 10pm, Fridays 4pm – 11pm, Saturdays 10am – 11pm and Sundays 12pm – 5pm). The Lake Anne Skinny Dip Kolsch is a refreshing mid-ride flagship beer and there's usually a Hefeweisen, Lager or Blonde on tap as well. For something stronger, the Live-Work-Play IPA is popular as is the Brown’s Chapel Brown Ale. And for complete directions use theCompass Craft Beverage Finder. Cheers.

#VABreweryChallenge: #58 - Ono Brewing Company

Chantilly now has its second craft brewery as Ono Brewing Company joins Mustang Sally's to offer craft beer near the intersection of Route 18 and Route 50. Ono means "delicious" or "tasty" in Hawaiian which is one of many ways the winery honors owners Scott and Cyndi Hoffman's ties to the Aloha State. Another link back to Hawaii are several beer styles such as the top seller Manako Wheat Ale brewed with mangoes and the Paradise IPA infused with pineapple juice. There's also the Pau Hana Pale Ale, a solid ale balanced with Motueka, Rakau, Kazbek, Kohatu, and Saphir New Zealand hops. Finally the brwery offers the Haole White Ale infused with cherry juices. This is a refreshing summer beer, neither tart nor sour, just flavorful. Two more I enjoyed were the Hellyes Lager and Hunker Down Brown both excellent examples of their respective styles.

Ono also utilizes the Pour My Beer system allowing customers "to take control of their own beer tasting experience". This works by visitors obtaining a RFID card which they then use to pour themselves up to a pint of beer and being charged by the ounce. There are many benefits to this system. First, consumers can experiment with multiple small pours of different beers so as not to purchase a pint or sampler that they eventually dislike. It also eliminates choke points at the bar where a handful of staff are attempting to service a large crowd. Finally it gives customers freedom to create their own samples or even blend beers to develop a new style. And as always, theCompass Craft Beverage Finder will guide you to Ono Brewing and other craft beverage destinations. Cheers.

#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.

Wine, Beer, & Cider Near Great Country Farms - Bluemont Virginia

Have you ever been dragged to a pumpkin patch or fall festival?  Pretty often right?  Well check out Great Country Farms in Bluemont Virginia. You may have heard about the farm's relationship to Bluemont Vineyard and have already seen the spectacular view from that mountain top winery.  Yet there is more. A furlong down the rode lies the newly opened Dirt Farm Brewing with similar views and plenty of craft beer. They need the volume based on the crowd I joined. In downtown Bluemont, Wild Hare Cider offers unique hard ciders from apples grown throughout the Winchester area. And across Route 7, Twin Oaks Tavern Winery has a cozy setting.

Last weekend I dropped the family off at the farm and ventured straight to Wild Hare. The small tasting room was filled, but turnover moved quickly; Blu and I were at the tasting bar in short time. Yes, dogs are allowed inside. There were six ciders available for tasting and I chose a flight of 3 for $12. I started with the Hatch ($15.50), their classic dry cider that is light and clean with a slightly tart and acidic finish. The Hopscotch ($16) is a dry cider fermented with ale yeast and then dry hopped with Citra hops. You can image the aroma that greeted me. This is a very nice cider. Love the style. The final cider was the Windrush ($16), another dry cider - this time aged with wood staves. The treatment is minimalist -yes it's there but not overwhelming.  And I brought home a bottle of their Coppertail ($21.75), an heirloom cider aged in used Kentucky bourbon barrels. Looking forward to sharing this one and will update this post at that time. In the meantime, this cider house is highly recommenced.

We then drove closer to the farm and up the steep mountain road to the farm brewery -  Dirt Farm Brewing.  Parking was somewhat difficult as I had to navigate through three parking assistants but somehow was directed back to a spot next to the brewery. The grounds are spacious, which are needed, as I suspect there were close to 500 people mingling on the grounds. I parked Blu at a picnic bench close to the entrance and stood in line to grab a pint. Not flights today, just straight ordering.  I chose the Beeracrat Election Golden Ale, their lowest abv offering at 4.3%.  It was light but surprisingly flavorful with a slightly sweet tail. Refreshing in the unseasonably hot day.  My companions at the communal table were content with the Boots Off IPA - a rather low abv option at 6.5%. I lingered longer than expected because their musical playlist and mountain views were outstanding. Did I mention that an eagle soared over the valley. Yea. Great company too.

After collecting the family we headed straight out the farm exit and up to Bluemont Vineyard.  As expected, the winery was crowded but we found a table quickly and order our favorite from this facility, their Viognier The Goat ($30) and Tasters Platter. I also noticed that they now offer wine flights, three reds or whites and a five glass Farmhand flight. Great idea, don't waste time sampling, just grab the flight and enjoy the live music and view. In hindsight I should have ordered the white flight of Albarino, Petit Manseng, and Vidal Blanc. Next time. And remember, theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App can guide to all these locations. Cheers.

#VABreweryChallenge #49 - Sweetwater Tavern Centreville

We've been off the #VABreweryChallenge for too long and stopped of at local brewpub chain Sweetwater Tavern Centreville for an early Sunday dinner. There are two other Sweetwater Taverns, one in Merrifield and the other in Sterling, with the trio sharing the same beer menus. The food is quite nice and reliable across all three with the beer decent, but not exceptional. The Naked River Light is a lightly hopped Pilsner suitable as a lawnmower beer. On the other hand their Iron Horse Lager has more flavor and hop profile and more satisfying on my palate. The Great American Restaurants Pale Ale was my favorite - a solid offering. The Great American Restaurants Oktoberfest was as expected with suitable maltiness - I just don't care for the style. And finally, their Ghost Town Pumpkin Ale is not bad, spices added to the glass rim not the brew. I like that serving method. Cheers.

Visiting Winchester's Three Breweries for the #VABreweryChallenge

Winchester is a decent road trip for us so we parlayed a trip to Wilson's Wild Animal Park to visit three downtown Winchester breweries for our #VABreweryChallenge.  Our first stop was the nano-est of breweries, Alesatian Brewing Co. (#46), located above the Roma Old Town Wood Fired Pizza on the pedestrian mall. Expect a rapid change in their portfolio as they brew small batches and only sell through the tasting room and the pizzeria.  We sampled through their fours beers, as well as the delicious Old Hill Betwixt Cider. The Hop Sneeze IPA is a solid India Pale Ale and the Random Wednesday a fill bodied Belgium Blonde. And the Pizza Bier was a balanced, not overly malty Amber ale. Nicely done. Another nice feature, crowlers are available.

Winchester Brew Works (#47) sits just north of the mall - easy walking though. They are slightly larger than Alesatian with both a larger beer menu and tasting area. In fact a 40th birthday party was in full gear. I had a flight of four as well as a sip of yet another solid IPA - the Cascade Falls IPA.  The flight beers were also solid and well made with the Canoe Love Cream Ale and Summer Blonde both very flavor-able paler beers.  The Mango Wheat was very unique with the fruit overwhelming the bready character. My favorite was the Fire Road Chipotle Smoked Porter.  The spices and smoky character are subtle and integrate nicely with the chocolate flavors. Very nice.


A littler farther north of the downtown mall sits the largest of the three, Escutcheon Brewing (#48). Their production is large enough where they distribute kegs and canned produce to the DC suburbs. It seems like their minerally and nicely hopped John Riggins 4th & 1 Pilsner is widely available.  Being a lighthouse guy, I enjoyed viewing their nautical inspired tasting room and themed beer names. The Plimsoll Mark on their logo incorporates the maximum draft or safe limit to which a ship may be loaded - and in our case the maximum draft beer to consume. Thus we sampled lightly - for me the slightly tart Reluctant Splice Gose.  Another nice offering I've had previously is their Agonic Line Lager.  Your biking or  lawnmower beer. Cheers and as always theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App can guide you to these breweries.

Visiting More Loudoun County Breweries #VABreweryChallenge

Loudoun County is the largest and fastest growing craft beer region in the Commonwealth and this past weekend I used theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App to visit four. Dog Money Restaurant & Brewery (#42) opened recently in the old Vintage 50 location by brewer Dean Lake and Tim Regan. The existing 10 barrel system is used to brew a rotating lineup of 6 lagers\ales with the Loudoun Common Golden Lager spot on. The molasses fused Mo’ Porter was also quite nice with the remaining - Dog Money Red Ale, Hostile Extraction IPA, Belgian-style Tripel, and Dog Money Hefeweizen - all up to style.

Black Walnut Brewery (#43) is also located in downtown Leesburg and opened at the same time as Dog Money. owner Patrick Wilt is\was a passionate home brewer and converted a former salon to a cozy brewery.  The patio is a great spot to sip a pint and my favorite was the Black Lab IPA. This black IPA was flavorful with a balanced and smooth finish. I also tried the Yellow Lab IPA and it was a little weaker in both flavor and hop character. I look forward to revisiting when the brewery's production has settled.

Barnhouse Brewery (#44) reopened this Spring in its new barn-brewery, tightly integrated in the Loudoun Wine Trail with The Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek and Hidden Brook Winery within walking distance.  I sampled through a 4-beer flight and loved three quarters.  The Breakfast Bitter was well made, just not my thing that day. On the other hand, the Piedmont Smoked Porter was outstanding with the smoky flavors integrating with the food truck sausages. The Kittoctin Kolsh was spot on, refreshing and minerally. And finally the Barrel Aged Whiskey Shenandoah Stout, aged in used Catoctin Creek Distilling Company Roundstone Rye barrels, is fantastic. The vanilla and rye blends nicely with the stout's mellowed chocolate malt.  Barnhouse is a must visit.

As is Vanish Farmwoods Brewery (#45), a large brewery and hops farm located just north of Lucketts.  On our visit there were 14 beers on tap which makes filling their massive 12 beer flight a little easier.  And these 14 fulfilled many styles: IPAs, an India Pale Lager, a few tasty sours, a delicious Cabernet Stout, a few Belgiums, and even an Oatmeal Pale Ale. There was not one beer where I thought, "don't like that one". There's also regular live music, cornhole, and plenty of picnic tables inside and out. I hope to return during their Oktoberfest celebration the last weekend in September. Cheers.

#VABreweryChallenge - Mustang Sally Brewing Company (#41)

The Mustang Sally Brewing Company Kolsch has been getting plenty of airtime at local restaurants so when I noticed that Friday rush hour traffic was only mildly bad I Headed out to Chantilly. The brewery is located in a business\industrial complex very similar to Ocelot Brewing Company. The tasting area is spacious with corn hole playing all the time. The management are Virginia craft beer veterans with head brewer Bret Kimbrough, the former head brewer of Vintage 50, and General Manager Dave Hennessey, the former head brewer of Old Dominion Brewing Company.

There were seven beers on tap for my visit and I chose a flight of their Kolsch, American Wheat, Porter, an IPA.  And as expected the Kolsch was very good, followed in preference by the Porter - with the chocolate flavor melting through any mocha. The IPA was clean and balanced, whereas the Wheat was slightly bready with no banana flavor inducing yeast involved. I think I would have preferred a little more breadiness with this one. Overall, the Mustang Sally brews are steady, but nothing to draw me back repeatedly. And as always theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App will guide you to these breweries. Cheers.

Update (8/15/16): Just learned that Kenny Allen most recently of Old Ox is now the head brewer.

#VABreweryChallenge - Virginia Beach with Pleasure House Brewing (#39) & Commonwealth Brewing Company (#40)

While returning from the Outer Banks I stopped off at two local breweries Pleasure House Brewing (#39) & Commonwealth Brewing Company (#40). Both are located very close to each other, each on either side of the Route 13 Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and both provide a laid back neighborhood atmosphere. Pleasure House is located in a small strip plaza and features nearly a dozen beers on tap with many of these in crowlers. I stuck to a three beer sample of Shark Tears Gose, GLO Belgium Blonde Ale, and the Duck-In Saison of Apricot & Ginger. The Duck In was spicy, just not sure of that combination. The GLO is a solid blonde, refreshing with more uumph than others in that style.And the Gose, fruity and tart - and more than refreshing - a crowler made it home.

Commonwealth is a stand alone establishment located near the Chic's Beach neighborhood in the old Chesapeake Beach Volunteer Fire and Rescue station. When visiting be prepared for food trucks, corn hole, dozens of picnic tables, and good beer. They specialize in Belgiums with eight available during my visit along with more traditional IPAs, Pale Ales, and Lagers. I chose another three beer sampler: the Cheval D'Or Belgium Golden Ale, Cheval Soleil Belgium Wit, and Romhilda Belgium Blonde on Citrus. These beers spoke for themselves, nailing the styles and providing refreshing relief during several challenging games of cornhole.  The Cheval Soleil was my favorite. And as always theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App will guide you to these breweries. Cheers.

#VABreweryChallenge - Arlington with New District Brewing Company & Capitol City Brewing Company

Recently the W&OD received another brew stop along the bike trail as New District Brewing Company (#37) joined Capitol City Brewing Company (#38) at it's origin in Arlington.  The later has anchored their Shirlington corner for at least a decade. Normally when I visit Capitol City I stick to the Capitol Kolsch - clean and easy drinking after a bike ride. I've never really been satisfied with the rest of the portfolio but this visit I noticed an expanded rotating taps menu which included an Imperial Blonde, Gose, and a Porter on cask. An interesting development indeed. I obviously ordered the Gose and encountered mixed results. It started tart with a hint of saline and not much coriander but was refreshing. However as the finish lingered it seemed somewhat flawed - a dirty funkiness that didn't belong.  But with that expanded portfolio, I'll be back.

New District Brewing Company is the "first package brewery in Arlington, Virginia in one hundred years"; that's their story and they are sticking to it. The brewery is located across Four Mile Run Drive from the W&OD on Oakland Street near the .5 mile marker. One easy route is to circle back to the brewery at MM 0 taking two consecutive rights on Shirlington and 27th and then left on Nelson, and right on Oakland. Once you arrive get ready for some puppy love with the dog park across the street. As for the beers, another mixed bag. Their signature 1821 is a Saison brewed with a mystery spices from the family's village in Greece. It's big, biting, and spicy - appealing with food and at nighttime but not particularly after a 12 mile ride. The Folded Note Pilsner is hoppier than most and like The Bright Future Kolsch has a solid mineral backbone. Both were a bit refreshing but served at cask temperature - perhaps due to changing of kegs. My favorite was the South German Lager, a maltier brew is some Marzen character, but dry hopped for added aromatics. This beer provided the energy for the 12 mile return trip. Cheers and as always, theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App will guide you to any wine, beer, or distillery destination.

#VABreweryChallenge #36 - Arlington's Sehkraft Brewing

Saturday I made my second visit to Sehkraft Brewing and this time they had five of their house brewed beer. This brewery, restaurant, butcher shop, and music venue also carries an impressive list of Virginia and National beers to augment their house brews. First though, the food is unique and outstanding as Chef Jay Jenc melds Eastern Europe and Piedmont/Low Country cuisine - at very reasonable prices. On both my visits I went with the wild burger, the first bison, the second camel. And there's plenty of sausage and kielbasa straight from the butcher shop. Actually, all the meats come from the adjacent butcher shop.

As for the beer I was quite satisfied with four out of five. Their Amber Ale had a nice balance of malt to hops and not overly sweet as tends the style. It also was the best to pair with the camel burger.  The Good To Go Session IPA was both flavorful and aromatic; a low abv session without tasting watery. The Hoptastic IPA was fuller, hoppier, and not over the top. Then there's the Wicked Weiss, a fresh and mildly tart Berliner Weisse - seems like a great beer for their patio and post bike ride. (And Sehkraft isn't too far from the W&OD Trail)  The final beer was the Uber-Awesome IPL which just didn't suit me. I liked the individual aspects of the lager and IPA, but they just didn't seem to meld together and were fighting each other. Otherwise a talented lineup. Go visit soon - theCompass Winery Brewery Distillery Locator app will help. Cheers.

#VABreweryChallenge #35 - Reston's Lake Anne Brew House

 I've lived in northern Virginia for almost two decades but I never knew to visit Reston's Lake Anne Plaza until the Lake Anne Brew House opened two weeks ago. It seems like the nanobrewery and taproom have been on verge of opening for a year now, but they finally navigated the winding and waving state and local regulations to open April 16th.   Jason and Melissa Romano are the proprietors with Jason transitioning from home brewer to professional brewer and Melissa responsible for the architecture. The best drinking spot is on the patio overlooking the plaza and lake tributary. There were only three beers available on my visit because the brewery ran dry on opening weekend. My favorite was the Simon's Stout (toffee focused dry stout with mellow creamy finish). The Reston Red Ale is a nice dry hopped amber ale and thankfully not malt heavy. Finally IPA lovers will be satisfied with the Live-Work-Play IPA (citrus and clean; hop heavy) and a tribute to Reston's founder Robert E. Simon. Looking forward to visiting when their expanding portfolio comes online in the coming weeks. Cheers.

#VABreweryChallenge - Bristol Virginia

I've been attending the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion annually for the past few years and have always wondered when the Virginia craft beer movement (#VABreweryChallenge) would hit that city. Two years ago I saw signs of an awakening and it looks like there are now two breweries operating within the festival's parameter.  On Piedmont Street adjacent to the festival's Piedmont stage, Bristol Brewery (#33) operates a 10 barrel brewing system.  On this visit there were 12 beers on tap, eight standard and four seasonal. My sampler included the Piedmont Pilsner, Barefoot Blonde, Helle Raiser Lager, Double Loco IPA, and Holiday Porter. The last was a little too holiday spicy for me, but the remainder were solid beers. The pilsner, blonde, and lager were all fresh and clean with a nice balance of hops and when appropriate salty minerals. The Double IPA was smooth - not overbearing with hops. My companion preferred the Sunset IPA (clean and citrus hoppy) and that's what we chose to fill the brewery's jug-like growler. Looking forward to hanging out at the brewery's outdoor patio during BRRR performances.

In recent festivals the organizers have expanded the festival grounds to include Cumberland Square Park where Studio Brew (#34) is now located. Their motto is "Beer is an Art" and is filled with an art - photo studio theme.  The beer styles are more aggressive and experimental but I started with a basic - the Das Pils. This is a nicely made beer - one of my favorites - with balanced minerals, salt, and hops. My sampler also included the Mexican Backfire, a lager augmented with agave, but the agave is very subtle - wishing there was a little more. The King's Porter is a standard light toffee porter and the IRA Hop Bomb a clean hoppy IPA. The most aggressive beer was the Dancing Monk Barrel, a Belgium Specialty Ale aged in used bourbon barrels. The bourbon's presence is noticeable throughout from the aroma to the burn at the finish. This is easily the most bourbon infused beer I've tasted - drink last because all other beers will taste weak and dull afterwards. Cheers to Beer as Art.

More #VABreweryChallenge Along Northern I-95

Building off our previous #VABreweryChallenge post, #VABreweryChallenge - Four Breweries Along Northern I-95, here are two more breweries located off I-95 in Stafford.

Adventure Brewing Company, Stafford (#31)
Although Adventure Brewing is a relatively young brewery, owners Tim Bornholtz, John Viarella, and Stan Johnson having been brewing beer since the 1990s. In 2010 they began brewing together and formed the Stafford Brewers Club. Adventure is just the next step forward. The tasting area is a lively and comfortable environment to enjoy their four year round beers and plethora of seasonal\specialty beers. One of these is the Hop Hash IPA which is hopped using "two experimental hops from Oregon Valley and a special “hop hash” that is a gooey, resinous and super concentrated lupulin punch". Still not sure what I think of this one, but it is worth trying. I stuck with the year round lineup in my canoe sampler consisting of the Backpack Wheat, Super Power Pale Ale, Expedition IPA, and Stiletto Stout. These were all solid beers, particularly the stout. Looking forward to the next couple weeks when the Backpack Sour is released.


Wild Run Brewing Company, Stafford (#32)
This may be the most peculiar tasting room as it is located in the campsite office of Aquia Pines Camp Resort. Talking about having a captive audience; the tasting area is the entire campground. But the campers (and neighboring Suburban Extended Stay Hotel) are better off with fresh craft beer than stale Bud and Miller.  The beers are brewed by Michigan beer alum Matt King who provides a well rounded lineup. I didn't delve deeply into this selection but chose three: Harvest Ale, Souza Hefe, and Cherry Cream Ale. The last is outstanding, a slight velvety body, clean and crisp. The other two were spot on the styles; very pleasant beers. Make sure you visit one of the only campground breweries.

#VABreweryChallenge - Four Breweries Along Northern I-95

Ever been stuck in traffic on I-95 between the DC Beltway and Quantico? Of course you have. Well, here's four breweries to soak up the time waiting for traffic to subside. Plus it ticks four more off the #VABreweryChallenge.

Ornery Beer Company, Woodbridge (#27)
If you are hungry or passing Potomac Mills Mall then Ornery is your stop as they are the only brewery of the four to offer a full restaurant. I had the Kielbasa - a very good choice.  As for the beer, they offer a range of styles from a rather tasty Blonde to a deep and velvety Imperial Stout. I sampled Austrian Dreams Vienna Lager, Ornery Blonde, Dubbel Ornery Belgium Dubbel, Black Stuff Dry Irish Stout, and the Lord Vader Imperial Stout. The blonde was lightly salty and very refreshing; the Dubbel spot on the style; and the Russian Imperial Stout providing velvety layers of chocolate without being overly malty and sweet. On the other hand, I thought the Vienna Lager to be too malt forward and the Dry Irish Stout too light - almost felt light drinking air. Nevertheless, I pleasant stop.

Growling Bear Brewing Company, Woodbridge (#28)
Located just a couple miles from Ornery, this brewery has the largest portfolio of the four with twelve beers on tap.  Too many to sample in this sitting I went with the Elder Bear Ale (a fruit ale brewed with organic elderberries with a subtle fruit profile and a tannic finish);  Alt Bear German Altbier (very good with a solid dose of hops); Arrogant Bear American Pale Ale (Grapefruit profile) and the Nutter Butter Bear Porter (heavy on the chocolate, light on the Peanut Butter). I think these were my favorite sampling on this trip.


Forge Brew Works, Lorton (#29)
Heading North into Lorton, Forge is located in a industrial area just off the highway. Their signature beer is the Roggenbier, a rye ale that predated the Hefeweizen. On previous visits the spicy rye flavor was prevalent, but this recent batch is more citrusy. Still a solid, unique beer. Their Farmhouse Ale was once again solid and the Belgium Blonde less salty but more hoppy than most. The icing was the Abbey Ale, tasted like fruit cake. I'd say this was my favorite beer of the outing.


Fair Winds Brewing Company, Lorton (#30)
Just a mile away, Fair Winds had the most dynamic tasting room, full with my chatter and games being played. The beer was vibrant too. The Quayside Kolsch was very refreshing as was the Sessions in the Abyss Session IPA - lighter profile with and citrus throughout . The Following C's Pale Ale was my favorite with it's smooth hop profile. The Blackened Seas Porter was close behind with a noticeable dose of cherries and chocolate.
 



Update: Many of noticed that I left out two breweries a little further south of Woodbridge, but before Fredericksburg. Wild Run Brewing Company and Adventure Brewing Company will be covered in a future post.

Update II: The new post is available.