Saturday, September 28, 2013

A Late-September Omnibus Blog Post

Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the
stranded witch or wizard. My name is Stan Shunpike and I will be
your conductor this evening.
There are entirely too many things to catch you all up on if I dedicate an individual post to each, so I’m launching the first ever “Inspirations From Inside of a Mash Tun Omnibus Post.” There are many ways to look at this, and being that I am a visual person, I like to picture the Knight Bus from Harry Potter. This omnibus moves quickly, the muggles will never see it, and it’s going to be a bump-y ride. Take ‘er away Ernie. (Blogger’s Note: That’s two HP references in as many weeks… what is going on?)

Also, by way of facilitation, I will frame this omnibus as a question and answer style of exchange.

Do any home brewing lately?

Yes, though it wasn't my home. I was recently invited to help launch a new home brewing venture in Centreville, VA called Donaubles Brewing Co. The home brewer long intended to start brewing beer, and decided the stars were finally aligned, though a watchful hand of a seasoned veteran never hurts. We brewed-up a 5 gallon batch of Irish Red Ale, which is currently resting comfortably in primary fermentation.

This may or may not have actually happened.
A few things to note: This was a partial-mash brew, and being that I've been in an all-grain frame of mind as long as I have, I struggled to recall much of the partial-mash process without consulting the directions. I also hadn't brewed from a kit in while, so it was a re-learning experience for me. Also, if you are setting out to home brew yourself, you ABSOLUTELY MUST acquire a turkey fryer or similar type of single burner propane fueled cooking surface to boil your wort. We had a pot of 2.5 gallons of water on his kitchen cook-top and it sat there for 45 minutes, and only reached 170 degrees. Once we finished steeping the grains, we moved the boil kettle over to his turkey fryer, and within minutes… boiling.

Do brewing kits go bad?

Probably not. Obviously, it will depend on the kit, and how the ingredients are packaged, but for most kits, the yeast is powder, so it won’t go bad, and the hops and extract are vacuum sealed, so they won’t go bad. The only real wild card is the grain. Grain bought in a kit is pre-cracked so all you have to do is add to the water and let it sit. Like so many food items, fresh-cracked equals maximum flavor (think black pepper or coffee beans). But also like most food items, just because it isn't fresh-cracked doesn't mean it will taste bad – it just means it won’t have as much flavor. Same principle applies to your brewing kit grains – they may be a little stale, but for the purposes of home-brewing (especially out of a kit), the difference in the finished product will be negligible.

Ever try Mr. Beer?

People, please. DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE!!!
I have never made beer using a Mr. Beer system, and I do not own one. I have, however, tried the finished product. It’s not good. I tried some Mr. Beer that was made by someone who pays a meticulous amount of attention to process and following instructions, so I know that this beer was made the way it was supposed to be made… to the letter. The finished product was barely palatable. It was very tart and thin, with practically no body at all. It felt like drinking a liquor drink as opposed to a beer. But not a good liquor drink - a very flat, thin, unsatisfying liquor drink. I maintain that Mr. Beer is to brewing what the Easy-Bake Oven is to baking. Now I have proof.

Any new breweries to rant and/or rave about in the local area?

It is an exciting time to be living in the Northern Virginia area if you’re a beer fan, as there is a lot of growth (not just Donaubles Brewing Co in Centreville). Earlier this year, Bad Wolf Brewing Co opened their doors in Manassass, and the reviews are strong. Bad Wolf has a fairly newish business model, where they brew small batches, serve until the kegs are floated, and then move on to the next style. There is a lot of turnover, so chances are, there will be something new and different every time you go. Their place is small too, and coupled with the small batch/quick turnaround of the beer, it creates a very intimate brewery experience.

Sometime in the next few weeks (we hope), a new brewery is coming to Lorton, VA called The Forge Brew Works. I don’t know a whole lot about them yet, as they aren't open yet, but it looks as though their operation will be small too. They tried to launch in late August, but are somewhere stuck in the big-government-bureaucracy of Fairfax County. However, the last report was favorable, and they are predicting that they might open this coming weekend.

How are the pumpkin beers?

I love pumpkin beers, but it is getting hard to find the ones I've never had before. That doesn't mean that my local craft beer doesn't have lots to choose from, but rather that it has the same ones to choose from, and I've already had them. Yesterday, I went to my local Total Wine, and I noticed that the pumpkin beers available on their singles shelf were all in bomber form, and I wanted to build my own six pack. I also noticed that many of the six packs of pumpkin beers were missing one or two, as though I wasn't the first person who wanted to mix and match pumpkin beers. In the end, I did what the Romans had been doing and built my six pack out of other six packs that I’m not sure were intended for that purpose, but Total Wine got their money and I got my beer, so I suppose all’s well that ends well. Still, would it kill the distributors to bring in greater selection? The answer is yes, it would kill them, but the problems with the distribution chain is a topic that demands its own post, and cannot be sufficiently deconstructed within a paragraph of an omnibus post.

So wonderful. Want to drink them all!

This is starting to feel like I’m the head coach of a football team conducting a press conference.

Any random epicness you’d like to write about?

A fellow beer quester came up with an idea the other day which I think has legs. He has proposed that we drink a new beer every day for 365 days in a row. This is similar to the “Big Year” concept if you’re a birder. I think the idea is solid, but I warned him that it will be hard to find 365 new brews given the fact that, according to my Untappd profile, I have 585 uniques and I fear I am on the verge of exhausting the local market. Though, I could always reset myself and drink 365 different beers in a row. Either way, the idea has legs.

A Big Year is a tough thing to accomplish

What do you have to do differently on defense if you want to make the playoffs?

Playoffs? Don’t talk about… playoffs? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game. Another game.

Any shameless plugs?

First of all, all of my plugs are shameful, as a rule. If you aren't already on the Craft Beer Drinkers Alliance train, you should check out their Facebook page and see what all the fuss it about. These guys are local Northern Virginians, but they are servicing a national audience at this point. It’s growing a lot faster than this blog, and there’s a lot of helpful knowledge to be shared. Check them out.

Also, follow me on twitter @SousBrewer to stay up-to-date on all the beer drinking shenanigans in real time. 

Well, I think that wraps up this first ever omnibus blog post. It could have been worse, right? At least nobody got thrown under the omnibus.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Ein Prosit



Oktoberfest starts today! Perhaps the highest of the beer drinking high holidays is once again kicking off in Munich, and the entire world it seems will be joining them in the fun. My Facebook wall and Twitter feed are blowing up with announcements of scheduled Oktoberfest events in my local area, mostly held by awesome local breweries. It’s safe to say that the German tradition has firmly cemented itself into American culture.

Live from Falls Church, VA
But Oktoberfest isn't just a three week long drunken party – it’s also a style of beer! One that I’m sure you've seen ample selections of in the past month on your local grocer’s and specialty beer store shelves. Oktoberfest, or Märzen as it’s more accurately called, is a darker, more robust, lager that is traditionally brewed in March and left to age until September. I could go into more detail on this, but I already have, so there’s no reason to do it again. If you want to know about Märzen, click here. If you want to learn about Oktoberfest the festival, click here.

“So if you’re not going to discuss the festival, or the beer itself, than what, pray tell, is the topic of this blog post?” I’m sure I took the words right out of your mouth. Today friends, I am going to give you suggestions - recommendations if you will - both in beer to drink and local events to check out. It’s all about spreading the knowledge, so that all can enjoy their beer drinking lives as completely as I do. Don’t say thank you. It’s implied.


So first, let’s discuss local Oktoberfest events coming up in the DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia area. I apologize in advance if I miss a few here and there. Please reach out to me via Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments of this post if you think of some I missed. Let’s do this.

The scene from inside one of the beer tents at Weis'n... makes you want to get on a plane
District Oktoberfest
September 21-22, 2013. New this year! Head to Washington DC’s Chinatown bars RFD, Penn Social, Rocket Bar, Iron Horse, Fado, Bar Louie, Capitol City Brewing Company and Redline for beer specials and entertainment. Admission: $37-70. A portion of the proceeds will go to the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation and Dreams for Kids DC. 

Biergarten Haus Oktoberfest 
September 21, 2013. 1355 H St NE Washington, DC. The Bavarian pub offers their regular 12 drafts and 11 additional Oktoberfest drafts, food and live music.

September 28 from Noon to 6PM – Mad Fox Brewing Company in Falls Church, VA. Don't miss our 2nd annual outdoor event putting a Mad Fox twist on the traditional Oktoberfest by showcasing some of the region's top IPA's including the tapping of our Oktoberfest Lager, plus delicious grilled items and live music from The Justin Trawick Group (1-5pm).

Das Best Oktoberfest 
September 27-28, 2013. National Harbor, MD. The outdoor festival will include over 100 unique beers, German wines and schnapps, German foods and other festival goodies, Oompah bands, live music, contests and much more. Admission: $39-45, Children ages 12 and under are free. 

Bar Dupont’s Oktoberfest
September 28–October 6, 2013. Dupont Circle Hotel, 1500 New Hampshire Ave. Washington DC. The popular Dupont Circle bar will transform its outdoor patio into a Biergarten serving German favorites like Paulaner Hefeweizen, Oktoberfest, Pilsner and Spaten as well as German specialties from the grill like soft pretzels, sausages and mustards, and traditional garnishes. Live German bands Liab Und Schneid, The Polka Brothers and Continentals of Washington, DC will play on select days. Daily beginning at 12:00 p.m.

Frederick Oktoberfest
September 28-29, 2013, Saturday: 11 – 10 p.m., Sunday 11 – 6 p.m. Frederick Fairgrounds, East Patrick St., Frederick, Maryland. Huge Oktoberfest with live music, kid's games, German foods, Biergarten and family fun. Admission: $5 in advance, $10 at the gate. Children ages 2 and under are free. 

Fort Belvoir Oktoberfest
October 3-6, 2013. Located off of Rt. 1 in Fairfax County, Virginia, The annual festival, open to the general public, includes authentic German food and beer, carnival rides, live entertainment, kids activities and more.

Germantown Oktoberfest
October 5, 2013, 9:45 a.m.-5 p.m. New Location this year, Clarksburg, Maryland. The festival includes live music, kid's games, German foods, Biergarten and family fun. 

Oktoberfest at Capitol City Brewing Company
October 5, 2013, 12-7 p.m. Shirlington Village, Arlington, Virginia. Sample more than 60 beers and a variety of foods, while enjoying lively German entertainment. Admission: $25. Shirlington library will host kid’s events. 


Oktoberfest Reston
October 11-13, 2013. Reston Town Center, 11900 Market Street, Reston, Virginia. Sample the best in fall brews and traditional Oktoberfest fare provided by some of Reston's finest eateries. Live entertainment. 

How can a person be in two places at once?
Literally, there is no shortage of opportunities for fun in the local area. If only I had Hermione Granger’s time turner so that I could be in more than one place at once. Seriously, if you see her, tell her I’m looking for her.

Now let’s look at Oktoberfest Märzen lagers that I strongly recommend you go get. I’m going to divide these into two sub-categories, because I love to apply order to a complex system. The first subset of Oktoberfest Märzens is called ACTUALLY GERMAN. These beers are brewed and imported from the mother land and are actually served and enjoyed by the locals in Bavaria during Oktoberfest. These are Hacker-Pschorr, Lowenbrau, Spaten, Hofbrauhaus, Augustiner, Paulaner, and Weihenstephaner. All delicious. Can’t go wrong.

The other subset of Märzenbiers that I will recommend to you is called AMERICAN CRAFT. These are Oktoberfest brews that are created with love here in the states, using the same methods and ingredients as the Germans use. These options are just as good as the authentic ones, and in some cases are better, but for the sake of distinction, we’ll separate them. Some of the best American Craft Oktoberfest beers are Victory Brewing Company’s Festbier and Zeltbier, Heavy Seas Beer’s Prosit! And Märzen,  Harpoon Brewery’s Octoberfest (spelled wrong), Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest, Old Dominion Brewing Company’s Octoberfest (spelled wrong), Abita Brewing Company’s Fall Fest, DuClaw Brewing Company’s Mad Bishop Oktoberfest, Port City Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest, Flying Dog Brewery’s Dogtoberfest Märzen, and Lancaster Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it is a good start.

Look how lovely

So hopefully I've armed you with the necessary ammunition to go festing. I apologize to those of you who aren't local to the DC Metro Area, Maryland, and Virginia, as most of this post was locally focused, however, I bet you can find a complete list of events in your local area by Googling it. Also, if my recommended brews aren't sold in a store near you, go to your local specialty beer store and proceed directly to where they keep the seasonal brews. I’m certain you’ll find a healthy selection to choose from.

And remember to shout “Oans, zwoa, drei, Gsuffa!” before downing your brew. If you pronounce it right, people will think you’re from Bavaria. If you pronounce it wrong, they’ll just assume you’re a crazy person, or perhaps that you have had too many. Either way, you’ll be the toast of the party.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Prost!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

On Pumpkins

Jack-o-glasses

Okay. You twisted my arm. I’m finally going to start acknowledging the pumpkin ales for the 2013 harvest season. The truth of it is, in spite of my steadfast hard line anti-pumpkin ale stance, I actually love them. I love everything about pumpkin ales. The roasted barley balanced by sweet pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices… and yes, the names and labels too. I am sold. My problem isn't with the beer, but rather that they start selling it on August first when the weather outside clearly indicates that it is summer and not fall. But this morning, it is a crisp 60 degrees outside, the leaves are turning, and it’s mid-September, so clearly, the summer season is on the way out and the appropriate time to enjoy pumpkin ales has arrived. Not to mention, I caved weeks ago. Let’s hit it.

Really delicious stuff.
Last year, around this time, I went into a more historical dissection of pumpkin ales. I also dropped some science while identifying the distinguishing characteristics between different types of pumpkin ales. It’s a must read, so here is a link.

This year, I’m going to focus on my faves. I've already confessed to you that I am to a good pumpkin ale as Superman is to kryptonite. So what specific makes and models of kryptonite do it for me? I’m glad you asked. In no particular order, my favorite pumpkin ales are…

1) Southern Tier Brewing Company’s Pumking – The Pumking is one of the best pumpkin ales I've ever had. It is usually found in bomber form and has an ABV of 8.6%, though that alcohol is well hidden and not overwhelming. What makes Pumking so great is the vanilla and biscuit flavors and aromas that are present in addition to pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg, making the beer taste like liquid pumpkin pie. Delicious. Not to mention that the beer pours orange, which is an added bonus. Love this beer – highly recommend it.

2) Starr Hill Brewing Company’s Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter – Hopefully you live in an area of the country that Starr Hill distributes to, because this one is a treat. Dark, roasty porter ale and sweet, spicy pumpkin ale in the same glass. The beer pours a very dark brown, but is surprisingly sweet and spicy from the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. There is also a hint of chocolate in it as well. The ABV is 5.2%, and the beer is quite enjoyable. You definitely want to go grab one of these.

The original.
3) Buffalo Bill’s Brewery’s Pumpkin Ale – Not only is this one as close to a perfect representation of the style, meaning you have to try it to truly appreciate pumpkin ales, but it is also the first one brewed during the modern era, so it’s historically and culturally significant as well. What sets it apart is, unlike most pumpkin ales that taste more like the spices that are added to augment the pumpkin, this one tastes more like a fresh pumpkin that just came out of the oven, and has subtle hints of nutmeg thrown in. Quite delicious!

4) Rogue Ales’ Rogue Farms Pumpkin Patch Ale – Another pumpkin ale that tastes more like a fresh pumpkin and less like the adjunct spices that were added to it, Rogue’s Pumpkin Patch is very refreshing and very enjoyable. They are most commonly found in bomber form, and may even be found in a bright orange colored bottle that is impossible to miss on the shelves. It also has a nice mix of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and even some black pepper.

5) Dogfish Head Craft Brewery’s Punkin Ale – This pumpkin ale is also one of the OGs of pumpkin ales, and is a wonderful interpretation of the style. In fact, legend has it that this is the first beer that Sam Calgione brewed way back at Dogfish Head’s inception. It’s also come to be associated with an annual event in Delaware called Punkin Chunkin, where local combatants build medieval siege weapons like catapults and trebuchets, and then compete to launch a pumpkin the furthest distance. And then they drink DFH Punkin Ale. Good times. But beyond all that, the beer is really delicious, and tastes of pumpkins, cloves, allspice and brown sugar.

Big orange bottles.
6) New Holland Brewing Company’s Ichabod Ale – It’s hard to put my finger on why I like this one so much, but sufficed to say, I really like this one. The smell and taste are sweet, but not overly sweet, and the beer pours darker than usual. If you’re looking for a very consistent and delicious pumpkin ale, this is a good one to go with.

7) Weyerbacher Brewing Company’s Imperial Pumpkin Ale – The final recommendation today is actually the very first pumpkin ale that I ever had. Needless to say, I started out with a very high bar. Weyerbacher’s Imperial Pumpkin, like the name suggests, is a heavy hitter, coming in at 8.00% ABV and a very full body. It is sweeter than normal, but not in an overly pumpkin-spiced way, but rather from the amount of malt that was fermented to drive the ABV up. This beer is delicious, but should not be taken lightly.

The pumpkin season is upon us, and the shelves are littered with choices, so if you’re looking for pumpkin ales, you’ll have no trouble finding them. My recommendations only represent my own preferences, and while I stand behind all of these, I also recommend you try the others that are available at your local beer store. What I like to do, now that I am fully involved in the pumpkin season, is try to drink as many different pumpkins as I can until they disappear and are replaced by the Christmas ales and winter warmers. I've started out slow this year, but there’s still a month and some change left in this season to get my pumpkin on.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

#EpicBeerWeekend on the #BrewRidgeTrail Review (Part 6)

Crozet, Virginia
Last time, in the mash tun…

… I dazzled and amazed you all with the story of the brewery on the slopes of the Blue Ridge – Blue Mountain Brewery. I recalled the panoramic views, delicious food, and sensational brews, and painted a picture of one of the most relaxing and peaceful scenes in the beer world (perhaps even in the entire world). Seeing that this is the final chapter of the #EpicBeerWeekend quest, and seeing how there have been five stops so far in the adventure, you owe it to yourself as a committed reader to go back and read the first five installments (if you haven’t already) so that you feel connected, and can look at this adventure from 50,000 feet and truly appreciate it – and gain inspiration to set out on a similar journey of your own. Here’s a helpful link to episode 1, just to make it easier on you.

And, now the exciting conclusion of the #EpicBeerWeekend on the #BrewRidgeTrail…

On the final day of the expedition, we left the beautiful picturesque scenery behind (sort of) and traveled to an old railroad town outside of Charlottesville called Crozet, Virginia, which happens to be the home of one of the larger production breweries in the mid-Atlantic region – Starr Hill Brewery.

It's a factory
Unlike the scenic brewpubs along VA-151 or the converted old factory brewpub in downtown Charlottesville that we had visited so far, Starr Hill was a common looking warehouse style production facility. The exterior is stark white with no real markings on it save for the star on one of the facades. In fact, if you didn't know what it looked like beforehand, it would be very easy to drive right passed it. There were no whistles and there were no bells.

We parked in the stone lot next to the railroad tracks and traversed up the ramp to what we assumed was the entrance (other patrons with growlers in hand entering through that door helped to give it away). As we entered the building, we passed through a room where we were surrounded by pallets of empty bottles and kegs, only to be met on the other side by a lady who was checking IDs and accepting payment for tastings and tours. Five bucks got you a flight of six plus a tour… not too bad of a deal.

After being carded, we entered the “tap room,” which was a large area of the same room where the beer is made. When you drink at the Starr Hill tap room, you’re surrounded by machines. They dressed it up a little bit, with beer signs, merch, Christmas lights, and a large flat screen TV for watching sports, but the truth is, you’re sitting in a beer production factory, among the machines. I’m not sure if the tasting room is open during brewing hours, but I imagine if it was, it would be awfully loud in there.


Keeping it simple never fails.

Another cool aspect of the Starr Hill tasting room is that it is 100% manned by volunteers who love beer. The guy working when we were there had a day job, but hung out at the brewery on weekends because he enjoys it (I’m sure he gets lots of beer too). Very cool people who love to tell stories. Very laid back.

Cool volunteers serving up cool brews in the tasting room.
The beer was very good, as anyone who has ever had Starr Hill beers will tell you. The six on the flight were the Starr Pils, which is so much better on draught than it is in a bottle, the Monticello Reserve Ale, which is based on an old Thomas Jefferson recipe, the Smoke Out rauchbier, which is possibly the best rauchbier on this side of the Atlantic, the Grateful Pale Ale, which is a sessionable pale ale that is really delicious, the Northern Lights IPA, which is one of my own personal faves, and the Dark Starr Stout, which is one of the best dry Irish stouts on this side of the Atlantic. The cool volunteer dude who was working also slipped a Double Platinum Double IPA into my flight because we got to talking about IPAs and we was a really cool volunteer dude. I hope I didn't get him in trouble just now. In addition to the samples, I had a pint of the Whiter Shade of Pale White IPA, which is a delicious witbier/IPA blend/hybrid brew. In fact, it was so good, I filled up my growler with it and picked up a few bombers to take home and share with others.

The tour was informative, though the guy who gave it may have also been a volunteer, and if so, it showed. He may be very knowledgeable about the brewing process, but it didn't come off that way. I suppose that’s the downfall of knowing how these things work. I promise I’m not judging. I enjoy walking around and seeing commercial brewing operations, and getting ideas.


Where the magic happens.

So after all was said and done, we bought some glassware, took a few stickers, and left Starr Hill and Crozet, Virginia, having had a very enjoyable, educational, and beer-focused afternoon. This also drew to a close our extended weekend along the Brew Ridge Trail, and we began the 3 hour or so drive back to the urban sprawl. I know I say it all the time, but you really should check these guys out. It’s one thing to live vicariously through this illustrious blog, and by following these adventures on the twittering machine (@SousBrewer), but getting out and seeing these places, and drinking this beer yourselves is where the money is.

This concludes the #EpicBeerWeekend on the #BrewRidgeTrail series of blog posts. We started this voyage together back in July, and six posts later, we've reached the end. I feel that this exercise in expository blogging was fulfilling – hopefully you did too – but we’ll get back to topically relevant posts for a while, starting next time. Until then…

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness (and the Brew Ridge Trail)… Cheers!