#VABreweryChallenge: Old Bust Head Brewing Company (#13) and the Tin Cannon Brewing Co. (#14)

This Sunday we continued the #VABreweryChallenge with a visit to the Gainesville area and Old Bust Head Brewing Company and the Tin Cannon Brewing Co.. I was introduce to Old Bust Head through Jammin Java, where their Chukker Pilsner and Bust Head English Pale Ale are served. The brewery is located adjacent toVint Hill Craft Winery, thus a wine-beer pairing is mandatory; as is a visit to the nearby Cold War Museum. The brewery was founded by Ike and Julie Broaddus and Charles Kling, who converted a former military contractor’s warehouse. They planned big, adding capacity to soon reach 40,000 barrels of beer annually with implemented their plan to distribute widely in the Mid-Atlantic. Master brewer Kling received industry training at Abita Brewing Company and the Diamond Bear Brewing Company to augment his Chemical Engineering degree.  The tasting room is spacious; the beers  solid, mainly traditional styles.

• Graffiti House (7.5%) - West coast styled IPA. Powerful citrus aroma and finishes very clean.
• Bust Head English Pale Ale (5.6%) -Flavorful pale pale, decent bite at finish.
• Wildcat IPA (6.7%) - Hoppy aromas, without the painful over-hopped finish. Very nice.
• Chukker Pilsner (4.4%) - Bready,  caramel, with steely hop finish.
• Goldvein American Wheat (3.9%) -Where's the wheat? But enjoy nevertheless.
• Sumerduck Saison (5.9%) - Solid Saison, spices evident but not overwhelming.
• Gold Cup Russian Imperial Stout (10%) - Favorite beer; big, malty with chocolate tones and a little bite at the tail.
• Chinquapin Chestnut Porter (5.1%) -Subtle mocha and nuts, solid offering.

The Tin Cannon Brewing Co is a smaller and newer brewery located minutes away from the Route 29 and Route 66 interchange in Gainesville. The brewery opened in November 2014 and uses a 2 barrel system which means lots of small batches. When we arrived co-founder Aaron Ludwig noticed us admiring their setup and kid-friendly brewhouse (ping pong and cornhole games in progress), stopped work, and introduced himself. We learned that Aaron and John Hilkert were home brewers who's kids were friends so they planned joint brew sessions. Eventually the two thought of grander plans and thus, the brewery. It's smaller size and seated tasting bar gives it a more intimate feel and the staff was talkative and playful. They also produce several really cool beers: 

• Breakfast of Champions (6.5%) - Amber ale brewed with chipotle peppers and bacon. The flavor profile oscillates between the two. Very drinkable.
• Gilligan's Island Ginger (5.8%) - Pale ale infused with mild ginger spice from ginger root. A taste of Bermuda.
• Tin Cannon Double IPA (8.8%) - High IBU (84) but meshes with excess malt to blend seamlessly.
• Virginia Blonde Ale (5.0%) - Easy drinking ale with flavor.
• Vaughn's Peanut Butter Porter (7.0%) - Not at all sweet like the Sweet Baby Jesus and the PB lingers long with the finish. Also served with vanilla ice cream.
  
  

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Civil War & Wine at The Winery at Bull Run

Last week I visited northern Virginia's newest winery, The Winery at Bull Run, located adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. And this proximity to the park is what would draw history buffs as well as wine lovers to Centreville. The winery is located on the former Hillwood estate with ruins of the former mansion used as a patio. Parts of the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) were near the Hillwood estate - most notably at the Stone Bridge - also adjacent to the winery and the southern part of the Park. With that in mind, proprietor Jon Hickox exhibits Civil War relics within the winery - some collected from the property and others donated by collectors. He also placed markers throughout the property describing the mansion and what the battlefield looked like from that location. The museum and markers are reason enough to visit this infant winery.

As for the wines, their portfolio is produced using the Pearmund empire where the wines are made at either Pearmund Cellars, the Winery at La Grange, or Vint Hill Craft Winery. They are growing small amounts of Norton on the estate and source fruit from vineyards across Virginia. To their credit, the tasting sheets include the  vineyard information. (I wish more wineries would follow this example.) For reds they offer a Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Meritage, and Norton; for whites, a Chardonnay, Viognier, a merlot based Rosé, and the "Delaney" - a blend of 40% Traminette, 30% Vidal Blanc, 20% Viognier, & 10% Riesling. Plus the "Fort", a Chambourcin port-styled dessert wine. For my tastes, the wines were okay. The chardonnay was typical Pearmund - more on the oaky side; the Viognier, oddly off-dry. The Delaney blend was spot on for those grapes as was the Norton, not over-acidic and jammy.  These wines are pricey - you pay for the Pearmund winemakers and location: high 20s to $32 for the reds; $24-$27 for the whites; and $38 for the Fort. For me too expensive for everyday consumption but worth a bottle when soaking up the Civil War history.