Musings Over a Pint

Kybecca Will Consolidate Locations

2010-02-02T21:56:00.002-05:00

As a result of Ukrop's closing kybecca has decided to consolidate the store at 4264 Plank Road with the original location at 400-402 William Street. Ukrop's was the anchor tenant that provided traffic and synergy, and their closing has made this location redundant. Our last day at the Plank Road store will be March 2, 2010.

The Plank Road kybecca was the closest place to my home to get good beer. The store's closing is disappointing, but not unexpected. With closing of Ukrop's the shopping center is without an anchor store. If recent Fredericksburg history is any indication, the old Ukrop's location will remain empty for a long time. Good beer, wine, and cheese can still be found at the downtown location, along with the kybecca wine bar.

See the entire press release here.

Tuppers' Hop Pocket Ale - It's Here!

2010-01-28T06:30:00.001-05:00

We've been following the story of the eminent return of Tuppers' Hop Pocket Ale since late 2008. Well, that long-awaited day has finally arrived. The beer officially (re)debuted at the Hard Times Cafe in Bethesda last week. Greg Kitsock writes in The Washington Post about the event.

Last Tuesday night, Bob and his wife, Ellie, senior production editor for the American Society for Microbiology, were glad-handing customers at the Hard Times Cafe in Bethesda (their home town) and handing out logo glassware for the bar staff to fill with their eponymous Tuppers' Hop Pocket Ale.

The rollout marked the beer's first appearance in more than two years. The previous batch, notes Bob, rolled off the bottling line of the Old Dominion Brewing Co. on Nov. 30, 2007. Earlier that year, the Ashburn brewery had changed hands, and the new ownership balked at brewing the Tuppers' beer because it was time-consuming and expensive.

The Tuppers developed a near cult following for their beers in this region. Fans have been waiting for 2 years to be able to drink Hop Pocket Ale once again. I had a sample at the Northern Virginia BrewFest and it was every bit as good as I remember.

The production at St. George Brewing won't match the capacity previously brewed at Old Dominion Brewing Company, so it may be hard to find for awhile, especially as fans eagerly snatch up early stock. Keep an eye on the Tuppers' news site for updates on retailers and pubs where Hop Pocket Ale is available. Hopefully, I'll be able to do a full review on The Musings soon.

Read the complete Washington Post article here.

Privatization of Virginia ABC Stores - The Next Round

2010-01-27T07:17:00.001-05:00

It was a year ago when I brought you news of Senator Mark Obenshain's (R-Harrisonburg) proposal move Virginia's ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) stores to the private sector. Senator Obenshain's bill was subsequently killed in Committee.

Well, it's a new year. Virginia has new leadership and Gov. Bob McDonnell supports the idea as part of his transportation plan. Recently Gov. McDonnell was interviewed by reason.tv. The Governor explained the reasons for his support, and also let on to his preferences in wine (Pinot Grigio and White Zinfandel) and beer (Miller Lite).

And Governor, with all due respect, let's talk about your beer preferences. You can contact me via the links to the left.

Hat tip to Alexander D. Mitchell IV at Beer in Baltimore for the pointer to the video.

Virginia Wine Experience - The Secret's Out

2010-01-26T18:59:00.004-05:00

Another Fredericksburg beer gem has been exposed. Tammy Tuck and Bruce Falconer, who cover craft beer for the Washington City Paper under the alias The Lagerheads, paid a visit to Fredericksburg recently. While here they discovered The Virginia Wine Experience. Despite the name, this shop in downtown Fredericksburg carries an unexpected selection of craft beer. The Lagerheads noted that the shop doesn't promote their beer selection very much. Virginia Wine Experience's proprietor, Edwin Wyant, does post occasional alerts to the FABTS mailing list letting local folks know of special beers he's acquired. He also hosts a beer tasting from time to time. Indeed, I have purchased beers in his store that don't show up at other local shops.

Now the Lagerheads have let the secret out. Read their review at Fredericksburg Find: The Virginia Wine Experience. They've also posted a few photos on the Lagerhead Facebook page.

Changes at Clipper City

2010-01-25T18:00:00.006-05:00

There are changes afoot at Clipper City Brewing Company in Maryland. Considering that Clipper City's Heavy Seas beers are among my favorites, I've been remiss in mentioning the changes here. There has been some misinformation floating around, but Managing Partner Hugh Sisson posted all the correct details on his blog today. The changes are focused mainly on branding, although a few beers will be going on hiatus. In part, Hugh writes:

With this in mind, we are making big changes here at Clipper City Brewing Co. Effective February 1, “Oxford Organic Ales” will go on hiatus, and “Clipper City” as a brand will cease to exist.

The current economic environment has not been kind to “organics”. We just weren’t getting the traction we need to sustain our organic portfolio. While we still believe in the category and sincerely hope to re-enter this area down the road, we need to focus our efforts in other areas.

The beers that have been heretofore marketed under the “Clipper City” name will continue to be made – after all, they are all GABF medal winners and damn good beers! But the packaging will now show a different name with “Heavy Seas” as the brand.

So what happens now? “Heavy Seas” beers will now come in three “fleets”. The former “Clipper City” products, as well as any new offerings in the 4 to 5% alcohol range, will now be sold as the “Clipper Fleet” of Heavy Seas. Our 7 to 8% products – Loose Cannon et al – will now be sold as the “Pyrate Fleet” of Heavy Seas. And our bigger, more experimental offerings (usually higher than 8%) will now be exclusively in 22 ounce bottles as the “Mutiny Fleet.”

So there you have it. This is bold move for the brewery, but one that I think makes a lot of sense. I wish them well and look forward to continuing to enjoy ~~Clipper City,~~ er, Heavy Seas beer, no matter what the labels look like.

See Hugh's entire post here.

Flying Dog Raging Bitch

2009-12-30T18:33:00.006-05:00

Edgy as always, Flying Dog Brewery is preparing for their 20th Anniversary in 2010 with the release of the equally edgy Flying Bitch Belgian IPA. I've been looking forward to trying this beer and this week it was one of the featured beers at the Capital Ale House Steal the Glass Night. Colleen and I stopped in at Capital Ale House Fredericksburg to try out the newest beer from Flying Dog.

Raging Bitch was served on draught in a Fying Dog pint glass. The beer is clear amber with a frothy off-white head. When I took the first whiff, I was struck by the citrus hop aroma. It was interesting that the more I sipped the beer, the more the clove and spice notes were noticed. The aroma is a complex blend of hoppy IPA and Belgian "funk." The flavor is a blend of citrusy and piney hops along with pepper spice notes. It's all backed up with a sweet, bready malt. The aftertaste is a pleasing, lingering bitterness with some mild astringency. This is an extremely flavorful and complex beer.

Going in, I really didn't know what to expect from a beer described with such contradictory terms as "Belgian" and "IPA." However I was not disappointed at all. The beer is a treat for both the nose and the mouth. The flavors are rich and bold. Raging Bitch checks in at 8.3% ABV. The alcohol is detectable but still well-balanced by the intense flavors. I truly enjoyed drinking this beer. A second glass was paired with a chicken tostada appetizer and the beer worked well with the spicy food.

The somewhat risque name did create some humorously awkward moments for the servers at Capital Ale House. When reciting the Flying Dog beers available for STGN, they'd often hesitate after saying "Raging..." I'm hoping these "Musings" aren't flagged for this review!

I am told that Flying Dog Raging Bitch will be available in bottles very soon. I look forward to picking some up when it shows up locally. Meanwhile, it can be found on draught where Flying Dog beers are served.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T07:00:00.006-05:00

Wishing everyone a Very Merry and Blessed Christmas. May the joy of the season follow you throughout the year.

I hope you enjoy this rendition of Do You Hear What I Hear? performed by the Bowen Beer Bottle Band.

And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
-- Luke 2:10-11

Blue & Gray Minor Dementia

2009-12-24T17:26:00.000-05:00

I finally had the chance to crack into the growler of Blue & Gray Minor Dementia Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout I picked up last week. The growler was intended for a Christmas party last Saturday, but that event was cancelled due to the east coast blizzard. Minor Dementia is the bourbon barrel aged version of the brewery's Temporary Insanity Stout. I first wrote about this beer back in February 2008.

Minor Dementia pours dark cola color but is translucent at the edges. There's a thin beige head that persists to leave some lacing behind. The aroma is that of dark chocolate and espresso. Faint hints of bourbon can be detected as well. The flavor is complex. Dark chocolate, espresso, molasses, and dark fruit notes come through. The bourbon flavor is well-balanced and makes itself present in the aftertaste. The alcohol gives a nice warm feeling in the back of the throat. A word of warning is called for here; Minor Dementia checks in at about 13% ABV. While the alcohol level is detectable, it's well-masked. Mouthfeel is creamy and "chewy."

Blue & Gray hit one out of the park with this year's Minor Dementia. How good is it? I'll share a comment from a friend, who shall remain nameless. "I have to give [brewer] Madison some props from this elixer..I enjoyed a 22 oz Bottle and Drunk Dialed him..it is that good!"

It's a good bet that Blue & Gray will sell out of Minor Dementia quickly. Get by the brewery soon if you want to experience some minor dementia for yourself.

A check of the cellar shows me that I still have a couple of bottles from the first bottling in 2008. It will be interesting to see how these "vintage" bottles have held up.

Beer Holster

2009-12-21T17:16:00.001-05:00

Just in time for Christmas, here's the gift for the beer lover who has everything.

The Beer Holster

Weathering The Storm

2009-12-18T17:11:00.004-05:00

The weather prognosticators are telling us the east coast will be hit with a major winter storm this weekend. While most folks were at the grocery store stocking up on chips, milk, and TP, I had more practical needs on my mind. My goal was to lay in a supply of good cold weather beers. The photo at the right shows the fruits of my shopping trip; Clipper City Winter Storm, Clipper City Yule Tide, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Anchor Christmas Ale, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, and New Holland Dragon's Milk.

If we're cooped up for too long, I also have the growler of Blue & Gray Minor Dementia I picked up this week as well.

What's in your storm survival kit?

❄ ❄ ❄ LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! ❄ ❄ ❄

Laptops and Beer

2009-12-18T08:54:00.002-05:00

We all know that beer and laptops don't mix. No, I'm not referring to an email sent in anger or while under the influence. Spilling your beer can irreparably damage your laptop. A laptop repair company has shared its Top 10 list of liquid spills that damage laptops. Weighing in at number 5 is beer.

#5: Beer (6% of spills). Beer drinkers can't seem to hold their liquor around their laptops, either. Beer is part water, part sugar, part brown goo. American lagers, as well as Mexican beers such as Corona or Dos Equis, are lighter than many imported brands, and may do less damage to laptops.
[Emphasis added]

Perhaps, we should just do away with complicated measures of IBUs, SRMs, ABV, etc. and simply judge beer on its electronic damage capability (EDC.)

Of course, you should keep all liquids away from your laptop. But if you are curious about the complete list, it's here.

Local Homebrewers Rock

2009-12-17T20:49:00.006-05:00

The Third Annual Virginia Beer Blitz was held Saturday, December 12 at St. George Brewery in Hampton, VA. This annual event is sponsored by The Colonial Ale Smiths & Keggers (CASK). The Virginia Beer Blitz is a BJCP/AHA Sanctioned Competition and accepts entries in all BJCP categories including Mead and Cider. I was happy to see that the Fredericksburg Brewing Insiders (FBI) made a good showing.

Fredericksburg Area Winners:
Arthur King - 3rd Place in Light Hybrid Beer for his 4th of July Blonde Ale, a Blond Ale

Aaron Zaccagnino (Zacc) - 1st Place in Scottish and Irish Ale for his Mr. McTavish, a Strong Scotch Ale
Aaron Zaccagnino (Zacc) - 3rd Place in Meads for his Holiday Delight, a Cyser

Leon Beck - 2nd Place in American Ale for his Patriot Pale, an American Pale

Chuck Arnold - 1st Place in Belgian and French Ale for his New Tools Pale Ale, a Belgian Pale Ale
Chuck Arnold - 3rd Place in Belgian and French Ale for his All Black, a Belgian Specialty

James Tweeddale - 3rd Place in Spice, Herb, Vegetable Beer for his Chili Pepper Lager, a Spice, Herb, Vegetable Beer

You can find the complete list of winners here.

As you can see, there's a lot of good beer being made right here in Fredericksburg, and not all of it in commercial breweries. Hat tip to Zacc for letting me know about the competition.

Pints For Prostates Video

2009-12-12T13:12:00.001-05:00

Rick Lyke of Pints for Prostates has posted this video from the Pints For Prostates Rare Beer Tasting held September 29 in Denver, CO. Hear some of the legends of craft brewing speak out in support of regular prostate health screenings for men.

Pints For Prostates | Denver Rare Beer Tasting 2009 from Redtail Media on Vimeo.

Note to self...

Mad Fox Brewing Update

2009-12-11T17:49:00.000-05:00

Bill Madden posted some exciting news on his Madd Brewer's Blog today. He's settled on a brewing system for the soon-to-open Mad Fox Brewing in Falls Church, VA. The brewpub is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2010 so this is an important milestone. Bill reports the system will have a 15 BBL brewhouse, and six 30 BBL fermenters. The new brewery will have an estimated minimum production of 6,240 kegs per year. That's a lot of good beer!

See Bill's post here for a complete description of the brewing system.

Minor Dementia at the Blue & Gray Brewing Co.

2009-12-11T08:31:00.003-05:00

From the Blue & Gray Brewing newsletter:

Madison the brewer opened one of the oak bourbon barrel casks today to taste and see if Temporary Insanity Imperial Stout has matured into full-blown Minor Dementia.
We found him shortly thereafter beneath fermentation tank # 2 muttering something to the effect of "too good, do not sell". That kind of mixed message required clarification. Luckily, there is a high voltage plug behind fermenter # 2 and we were quickly able to electroshock young Madison back into coherency.

Blue & Gray Minor Dementia is the barrel-aged version of the brewery's Temporary Insanity Imperial Stout. It's that time of the year when you can experience Minor Dementia yourself. The brewery will be sampling and filling growlers starting today, December 11. See their website for hours and directions.

Southwest Virginia Brewers Profiled

2009-12-10T18:30:00.005-05:00

TriCities.com has published a short article about three southwest Virginia brewers. Chris Burcher of Wolf Hills Brewing in Abingdon is featured in the article Cheers for Wine & Beer. Jim Strickland from Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill in Blacksburg, and Taylor Smack from Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton are also interviewed.

Chris Burcher calls himself a “Captain of Concoctions.” He’s a stream ecologist, with a doctorate degree, specializing in biology. And another thing: “I’ve brewed a lot of beer,” Burcher said, smiling. “Everybody who runs a homebrew likes to think about doing a brewery.”

See the complete article here.

Winter & Holiday Beer Tasting

2009-11-29T16:24:00.005-05:00

On Saturday, we finally had the opportunity to present the Craft Beer Tasting we donated last year for our school's fund raising auction. We selected "Winter & Holiday Beers" for the theme of the event. Winter is my favorite time of the year for beer so I really looked forward to doing this. The tasting was held in the home of the winning bidders, who were able to invite two additional couples to participate.

We selected nine beers for the tasting. Since we were going with a seasonal theme, each of the beers was paired with a food that one might serve at a holiday gathering. Colleen had prepared some of the foods in advance, but stayed busy in the kitchen finishing up the courses and dishing them up at the proper time during the 2 hour event. Our son acted as the server, bringing plates to the table and clearing them after each course. (Since this was to benefit his school, it was only right that he worked too.) I had the fun job of describing each beer and food pairing to the six eager participants.

Here are the beer and food pairings we presented.

Anchor Our Special Ale 2009 - This Winter Warmer was served with homemade gingerbread cake and lemon curd. Folks really enjoyed the Anchor Christmas beer. It set the mood for the evening and many of the folks continued to talk about it throughout the event.

Blue Mountain Lights Out Holiday Ale - We paired this Old Ale with olivada, mozzarella, and pita chips. The olivada is made from calamata olives, roasted pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil. I had some trepidation that the intense olivada flavor would overpower the beer, but the pairing worked quite well.

Sierra Nevada Celebration - For this course we went with a "classic" IPA and spicy Buffalo wings pairing. Afterall, wings are very popular this time of year. The citrusy IPA served as a change of pace from the preceding malt-heavy beers.

Ommegang Hennepin Saison - This is a year-round beer and not a holiday release. However turkey and cranberries is a popular holiday meal so we decided to devote a course to it. Hennepin is one of my favorite beers to pair with turkey and indeed it went over quite well.

Brooklyn Winter Ale - This Scottish Ale was served with spicy beef and provolone on toasted ciabatta. The beef was slow cooked in the Brooklyn Winter Ale with peperoncini. The mild hoppiness of the beer melded wonderfully with the meat and the slight saltiness of the ciabatta.

Tröegs Mad Elf - This winter favorite from Tröegs was paired with a cheese plate consisting of Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Danish Style Blue Cheese. I was curious how the unique flavor of Mad Elf would go over, but as it turned out most of the attendees really liked the beer. One person who claimed to not be a fan of blue cheese said he actually enjoyed the cheeses when followed by the beer.

Delirium Noël - For this course, we served blueberries & raspberries on lady fingers topped with custard. The dark fruit and sweetness of the beer complimented the fruit plate very well. Although similar in style to the previous beer selection, the two different pairings helped to illustrate the variety possible when working with beer and food pairings.

Old Dominion Winter Ale - We matched up this Baltic Porter with cheesecake with a raspberry drizzle. Typically we'd use a chocolate dessert with a dark porter or stout, however the cheesecake worked very well. One participate at first proclaimed the Winter Ale to be too sweet, but after eating the cheesecake and drinking more of the porter, he said the sweetness of the beer seemed reduced.

Samichlaus Bier - As the final course I brought out some 2007 Samichlaus. This beer is brewed on just one day a year, December 6, or St. Nicholas Day. This strong Dopplebock (14% ABV) was served with a plate of mixed nuts. I had expected some of the tasters might be put off by the strong, sherry-like flavor. However, with just one exception, folks were quite excited by the beer. While they found it very unusual, the Samichlaus was given rave reviews.

The participants all had some previous exposure to craft beer, but most of the beers were new to everyone. Everyone had a great time. All of the beer and food pairings worked quite well, if I do say so myself. There were many compliments made regarding the food. The dishes that Colleen served up were as visually appealing as they were delicious. Unfortunately we forgot to bring our camera so were unable to take photos. It was interesting to see how folks' perceptions of various food and beers changed as they enjoyed them together. It goes to show how a beer's flavor can affect the flavors picked up in the food being consumed, and vice versa.

We donated another beer and food tasting to this year's auction, which was held a couple of weeks ago. We look forward to putting that one on too. Now I have to decide on a theme for next time...

Blue & Gray Beer Dinner Next Month

2009-11-14T15:40:00.002-05:00

Capital Ale Ale Fredericksburg is holding a Blue & Gray Brewing beer dinner on Wednesday, December 2. There will be six beers paired with five dinner courses. The cost of the dinner is $50 and includes a complimentary Blue & Gray glass. You can see the planned menu here. Tickets are available at any Capital Ale House or online. Seating is limited so get your tickets early.

Last Year's Beers

2009-11-14T10:43:00.003-05:00

Winter seasonal beers have started appearing on store shelves and it's time to start drinking some of my favorite beers. But not the stock that is on the shelves now. No, I'm talking about the beers I stashed away last winter. While many winter-release beers are fine to drink right away, they are often even better with just a bit of age on them. Over the past few weeks, we've enjoyed several of these "old beers."

Not surprisingly to regular readers of these musings, one of the first beers to come out of storage was Clipper City Winter Storm. One of my all-time favorites, I've had a case stashed away since last fall. The 2009 release made it to the stores a few weeks ago. I've enjoyed quite a few from the stash already.

Tröegs Mad Elf is one that is eagerly awaited by area craft beer fans. I too look forward to its release. However, I am not a big fan of this beer when it's "fresh." Aging in the basement for a year serves to blend the flavors. I find the fresh version a bit harsh, but I'm certainly enjoying the previous season's batch.

Barleywines are great beers for holding on to. Old Dominion Millennium Ale is one we picked up last year, but saved for later. It seems a touch sweeter than I remember from last year.

In additional to barleywines, imperial stouts are perfect candidates for a bit of aging. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is a favorite around here. Indeed, there's a case from last year waiting to be enjoyed on a cool evening in front of the fireplace.

Of course, many folks store these, and other beers, for much longer than a year. I too, lay down a few bottles to keep for a longer time. But these are just a few that I look forward to enjoying after a short rest in the cellar. As the weather starts to cool, and I start hearing folks on the look out for their favorite winter seasonals, I'm ready. No trip to the store needed.

Naturally, I'll need to restock for next year!

Tuppers' Hop Pocket Ale - Finally!

2009-11-12T18:09:00.003-05:00

It's here. Well, almost. This regional favorite is now in production full time at St. George Brewing Company in Hampton, VA. We got a teaser on Tuppers' Hop Pocket Ale last Spring, but it appears the long wait to see bottles is nearing an end. The Tuppers' web site tells us when we can expect it on the shelves:

... the schedule is set and we'll be brewing a nice steady stream of beer in 2010. For the present, St. George can't brew as much as Old Dominion was producing, but it's worth remembering that OD bought tanks and expanded the brewery several times in the decade we were with them. While it will be somewhat scarcer, you'll be able to find it in 2010 if you're willing to drive a bit to get it. When we revamp this website (that's also scheduled to be up and running sometime in January), we'll include a better feature to help you find it.

Read the complete Tuppers news release here.
Thanks to Tom Cizauskas for the heads up via Twitter.

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T06:09:00.005-05:00

Wednesday, November 11 is the day we honor our veterans in the United States. While our Country is under attack from both foreign and domestic enemies, it's even more important to say thanks to those men and women who defend our freedom.

Blue & Gray Brewing is honoring vets with a free lunch today. All veterans of the armed services, including USCG, all reservists and National Guard, active duty and retired can come by the brewery between Noon and 2:00PM for lunch. It's the brewery's way of acknowledging the risks and sacrifices all veterans have made on behalf of the United States.

Happy Veterans Day, and Thank You, to all our veterans!

Denver's Rackhouse Pub

2009-11-07T11:32:00.006-05:00

Craft beer fans in the Denver, Colorado area have a new pub to enjoy. Former Flying Dog employee Chris Rippe opened Rackhouse Pub last week, and it appears to be a hit. I was fortunate to be in Denver last week and my plans included an extended stop at this new pub.

Rackhouse Pub shares space with the Stranahan Whiskey distillery. The pub decor features stacked whiskey barrels along the walls and columns. You can see the distillery operation behind the long bar. The pub features twenty tap lines, pouring 19½ Colorado beers. I say 19½ because the twentieth tap features Flying Dog beer. Flying Dog moved from Denver to Frederick, Md in 2007, although they do still maintain offices in Denver. I sampled a number of Colorada beers during my visit; Avery Old Jubilaton, Dry Dock Paragon Apricot Blonde, Twisted Pine Reily's Oak Whiskey Red, Ska Modus Hoperandi, New Belgium 1554, and Odell Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.

The beer selection at Rackhouse is well thought out and offers much variety. And it's not just craft beer fans being targeted. Even the typical factory beer fan will find a craft beer to enjoy. During my visit Chris was busy introducing factory beer drinkers to craft beer. The bartender who watched over me that evening, Lisa, was very knowledgeable about the beers, and the whiskey. I was also introduced to Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey. I've not tried much whiskey in the past, but I certainly understand why some folks enjoy it so much. This may be a subject to explore further in the future.

Rackhouse is not just about beer and whiskey, there's great food too! On Chris' recommendation, I had the "blacks." Listed as an appetizer, this is a meal in itself. Spiced sausage and mussels prepared with beer and herbs, served with a side of flat bread. The mussels were very tasty and I used the bread to sop up the broth left at the bottom of the bowl. The food menu features a wide selection of pub fare including salads, chili, burgers, and sandwiches.

If I found one negative about Rackhouse Pub it's that it requires a four-hour plane flight for me to visit. You folks in Denver aren't so encumbered. There's a new pub in town, and it's sure to be a hit. Fine, local beer and whiskey, good food, served in a friendly and comfortable setting. It's been just a week since they opened, and they're still awaiting some supplies and tweaking procedures, but already locals are finding a new "favorite pub." I will definitely be back.

Rackhouse Pub is located at 208 South Kalamath St. in Denver.
You can visit them online here.
Follow @RackhousePub on Twitter.

Battlefield Brewing Now Open

2009-10-31T12:22:00.007-04:00

Fredericksburg's first brew pub is now officially open, and serving beer made on premise. Battlefield Brewing Company is located in The Pub, a long-standing and popular stop for good pub food. To help celebrate the brewery's grand opening on Friday, my family had dinner there and tried out a couple of the new beers. The brewery is currently serving three beers; Chancellor Pale Ale, Iwo Jima Irish Red, and Wilderness Wheat.

My selection for the evening was the Chancellor Pale Ale, brewed with Centennial and Amarillo hops. The Amarillo hops balance the citrus notes with just a bit of bitterness. This creates a crisp, moderately hoppy beer. I found it quite enjoyable, and it should satisfy the hop-head, as well as less adventurous beer drinkers. Colleen ordered the Iwo Jima Irish Red. This selection has a strong malt backbone with a bitter finish. From my casual observation, Iwo Jima Irish Red looked to be the most popular beer during the evening. We did not try the Wilderness Wheat, that will be a mission for another visit.

Both of the beers we had during the evening were very well done. Head brewer Lyle Brown, along with the rest of the brewers, have done an excellent job. Lyle has said that he plans to expand the breweries offerings with seasonal beers, and also let the brewers create special one-off beers in the future. That is something to look forward to. Coming up in a few weeks, Belleau Wood, a Belgian-style ale, will be available as well.

The Pub is a popular eatery, known for it's good pub grub. I am especially found of the burgers, and the fish & chips there. Now that good craft beer is being brewed onsite, it gets even better. Right now the only drawback is the smokiness of The Pub. With the new restaurant ban on smoking coming into play next month, that situation should improve.

Meanwhile, despite the smoke, I expect I'll be a frequent patron of Battlefield Brewing at The Pub. It is now the closest pub to my home, and the only one serving fresh-brewed beer.

For those keeping count, Fredericksburg now boasts TWO craft breweries. Blue & Gray Brewing also has plans to add a pub in the future.

A few pictures from Battlefield Brewing Company are here.

NOVA Brew Fest

2009-10-27T17:46:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday, I piled the family into the car and we headed up to Bull Run Park in Centreville to attend the 3rd Annual Northern Virginia BrewFest. It was a beautiful day for a drive, and a beer festival. Once we arrived, we saw the evidence that the previous day's weather had not been as appealing. The grounds were covered by ankle-deep mud from the rains the day before. Fortunately, we had been forewarned via the NOVA Brew Fest Twitter feed to wear boots. Still, walking was treacherous at times. However, that didn't stop the beer from flowing.

We stayed just a couple of hours, but we had time to try out a number of beers. I'll mention a few of our favorites. From the Vintage 50 tent, the Oatmeal Stout was quite nice with dark roasted flavors and some sweetness. Capitol City Brewing Fuel was a noteworthy selection. It had a nice espresso flavor to it, along with some bitter chocolate. Also at the Capital City booth, we tried the Organic Trippel which was very nice as well. Colleen was torn between Fuel and Organic Trippel as her favorites of the fest, so maybe there's a trip up to Capitol City in my future!

Moving on to Clipper City, I was pleased to see they had the latest in the Mutiny Fleet series, The Great Pumpkin, an Imperial Pumpkin Ale. I hadn't had the opportunity to try this one previously. Now, typically pumpkin beers I can enjoy only in limited quantities, and grow tired of the flavor rather quickly. However, I did enjoy the Clipper City Great Pumpkin quite a bit. Maybe there's still time to find a bottle or two of this limited release.

I also had a glass of Founders Centennial IPA. Colleen and I are both fans of citrusy IPAs and this one didn't disappoint. Colleen pegged the flavor as being more of an "orange citrus," rather than the typical grapefruit flavor. Another new beer tried this afternoon was Duck Rabbit Wee Heavy. The sweet, caramel, toffee flavors finished off with a bit of hop bitterness made this a good closing beer for our visit.

Despite the muddy grounds, many folks were enjoying the festival on Sunday. Everyone seemed to take the mud in stride. After all, what's a bit of mud when there are good beers to be had? I especially enjoyed the day as it had been awhile since Colleen was able to accompany me to a beer fest. This was my son's first beer festival, and although he's got a few more years before he can enjoy them properly, he got to see what the excitement was all about. Soon we were headed off to find dinner, as I had bribed my son with the promise of dinner at Round Robin. The large burger topped with cheese, bacon, and a fried egg was a fitting feast to cap off the day.

Tom Cizauskas has posted his write up and pictures from the festival at his blog "Yours For Good Fermentables".
Local beer maven Chuck Triplett also has posted pictures here.

The next Northern Virginia Brewfest is scheduled for June 26-27, 2010 in Leesburg, VA

Battlefield Brewing Opening Set

2009-10-24T10:13:00.004-04:00

Fredericksburg's first brewpub will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, October 30, at 5:00PM. Battlefield Brewing Company is part of The Pub, located at 4187 Plank Rd in Fredericksburg. A 3BBL brewhouse was installed in July and we've been anxiously awaiting news of beer being poured. The Pub already has a reputation for good pub food, and the addition of fresh-brewed beer is very exciting.

Head brewer Lyle Brown writes that the brewery will be tapping three beers on Friday. Chancellor Pale Ale, is an American-style Pale Ale with Centennial and Amarillo hops. Wilderness Wheat is an American-style Wheat beer brewed with Hallertau hops and a touch of Munich for sweetness . Iwo Jima Irish Red, is an Irish-style Red Ale brewed with East Kent Goldings hops. Specialty and seasonal beers are also planned for the future.

I'll see you at The Pub on Friday!