Has Anyone Seen My Missing Rhinoceros?

I know what you’re thinking… “How do you lose a rhinoceros?” I mean, they’re not exactly inconspicuous, and it’s not as though they’re a set of car keys. Truer statements were never made about rhinos, but in this instance, I am of course referring to the little brewery that is tucked away in the rolling hills of Northern Virginia… called Lost Rhino Brewing Company.

I had the pleasure of visiting this brewery this past week as part of my American Craft Beer Week festivities, and I was impressed. Not because of the sheer grandeur of the place, but rather by how a brewery so simple and off the grid could literally knock my socks off with their beer quality, pleasant atmosphere, and overall enjoyable operation. I’m still trying to find my socks.

The brewery is one of the very new craft breweries in the DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia region, having only opened their doors in May of 2011. The owners and head brewers were both former employees of Old Dominion Brewing Company in Ashburn, VA, until Dominion moved their operation out to Delaware as part of an Anheuser Busch power and money grab in 2008. In fact, the owners purchased their equipment from Dominion when they closed down the Ashburn brewery.

The facade... looks more like a dentist's office.

Lost Rhino is located in a commercial/business/industrial park-style building in Ashburn, just north of Dulles International Airport. If you didn't know it was there, you would never find it, as there are no signs visible from any nearby roads. The only indicator that I was even in the right place was when I spotted their grain silo on the back of the building. Very low key and off the grid.

Upon entering their brewery (and finding myself in their brewpub/tasting room), the first thing I noticed were picnic tables lined up in front of what appeared to be a kitchen. It reminded me of an ice-cream stand more than a restaurant or in this case, tasting room. Right next to the kitchen was an over-sized bar where people were gathering around and placing drink orders, and a set of large community tables right next to that. A lady then approached me and told me that we were to sit wherever we wanted, and that all food and drink orders were to be placed at the bar. Very laid back.

Inside the tasting room.

The menu was also very minimal, fitting the theme of this establishment almost perfectly. There were only six appetizers, four entree options, three kids items, two non-beer drink options, and two desert options. That was it. To be fair, the food I ended up ordering (jerk chicken wrap with chips) was excellent, but the minimalist menu was a touch surprising.

The beer, on the other hand, was the exact opposite of minimalist, almost as if to say “We’re a brewery! You come here for the beer.” They had their three staples of course (New River Pale Ale, Face Plant IPA, and Rhino Chasers Pacific Pils) along with roughly 15 or so rarities and seasonals… quite a lot to choose from. They also served the beer in the correct glassware, something that still to this day is not always the case. The Vienna lager was served in a dimple glass, the Belgian tripel in a tulip glass, and so on. Also available, if you’re like me and want to try them all (and still be able to drive home afterwards) are 4oz taster glasses (the flight minimum is six). You can also order their beer in pint or half-pint quantities.

Inside the brewery, with co-owners and brewers Matt Haggerman and Favio Garcia.

In addition to food and beer, the bar also serves as the point of sale for merch. Lost Rhino offers several different options for t-shirts, stickers, glassware, growler fills, purchased beer, hats, etc. Obviously, you can’t drink the purchased beer or growler beer on site, but it’s a great way to take the beer home with you.

The atmosphere in the brewery is extremely family friendly, so much so that they have bins full of toys tucked under the stage (where the bands play at night) for the kids to play with. The staff is very friendly, and at least during the day, the patrons are all pretty well behaved. There are also tours available (for kids too) during the day so you can get a closer behind-the-scenes look at their operation.

Now on to the brews.

Delicious double IPA

I started out with an Ice Breaker Imperial/Double IPA. This was really impressive – intensely balanced malts to forceful hop backbone. Definitely would drink again – recommend to all.

The next brew was an American Barleywine called 2200 lbs. of Sin. This one was a monster, very dark and very sweet, as a barleywine should be. The sheer weight and maltiness of this beer should not be taken lightly and are not for the faint of heart.

Next was a Belgian Brown Ale called Holy Brew Brown. Delightful and refreshing. Darker and more robust than a typical Belgian, but with all of the crispness and tart yeast notes that you would expect. Recommend to all.

That was followed by a Saison called Pretty In Pink: Awareness Ferments Hope. This was a breast cancer awareness inspired collaboration project between Lost Rhino, Vintage 50 (Leesburg, VA), Hardywood Park (Richmond, VA), and Bluejacket (Washington, DC). The beer was brewed over hibiscus and pomegranates, which imparted a pinkish hue and a sweeter flavor profile than a typical saison. Very refreshing, and a treat for all Belgian beer lovers.

Next on my trip around the Lost Rhino galaxy was their Stout, aptly called Woody Stout. Let me just quote the Rhino gang on this one: “Roasted malts and herbal hops provide an aroma of coffee and spicy chocolate that blends with caramel, and vanilla notes that are products of the aging in the Bourbon soaked oak barrels.” Everything you want; nothing you don’t. I don’t have to tell you that I was fan. This beer also comes with an interesting aside –

Great beer.

So there I was, standing before the bar at the Lost Rhino brewery, rattling off the list of beers I wanted, when I was told that they had just floated the last of the Woody Stout, and I would not be able to have any today. I was bummed, but as there were so many other wonderful beers to try, I quickly got over it. Twenty minutes later, as I was enjoying the rest of my beers, the lady from the bar came over to me with a glass of Woody Stout, and told me that they just found some in the back, and that I was going to get to have some after all… no charge. The day (and the beer) was mine, and Lost Rhino gets further kudos for their efforts. Taking care of customers folks.

After that, I began to examine my next brew – a Sour IPA called Birth of Ace. This beer is an American-style IPA that is fermented with brettanomyces bruxellenis, to give it a sour complexion. Balanced sour and hoppy bitter notes create a very palatable refreshing beer drinking experience. Delicious.

Okay, okay… I’ll tell you. Brettanomyces bruxellensis is a yeast native to the Senne valley near Brussels, Belgium. It plays a key role in the spontaneous fermentation of typical Belgian beer styles such as Lambic, Flanders red ales, Gueuze, and Kriek. It competes with brewer's yeast, as well as other microorganisms, in fermenting the wort, and gives the beer a distinctive and slightly sour, earthy character. In fact, if you've ever had a beer that was sour, chances are it was fermented with Brett.

The final beer in my Lost Rhino safari was their Vienna Lager, called Mudhound. It was a perfect Vienna lager, the kind that makes you sit back and say, “Wow! This is what a lager is supposed to taste like.” (he said while starring at a Budweiser sign)

Very nice.

My overall opinion of Lost Rhino is a good one, and I highly recommend that you take a trip out to Loudoun County, Virginia to give these guys your business. I do so without any bias or compensation from the brewers themselves (though I am certainly willing to listen if anyone from Lost Rhino is reading this and wants to talk). Visit their website for more information.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers! #ACBW