Harry's Alehouse Wing & Beer Pairing

Harry's Alehouse held a Wing & Craft Beer Pairing event this week, featuring beers from Flying Dog Brewery. Having attended several previous beer dinners at Harry's, we were excited for the next adventure. We were not disappointed.

Harry's Chef James put together four tasty wing dishes to go along with four beers. This event was run a little differently than previous dinners, in that all the beers and food were served together and we enjoyed them at our own pace. A printed handout was provided that explained the choices behind the pairings. All four of the beers from Flying Dog were ones that I've had before so I was familiar with them already. I was looking forward to Chef's take on the food pairings.

The first pairing was "Elote Wings" served with Numero Uno Summer Cerveza. The chargrilled wings were tossed in a thick chili-lime cotija cheese sauce. The toasted grain and lime zest flavors of the beer were enhanced by the matching flavors of the cheese and lime sauce coating the wings.

Next up was the popular Dead Rise OLD BAY Summer Ale served with "Bay-B-Que Wings" which were deep fried then tossed in OLD BAY BBQ sauce. The wing coating was moderately spicy with a hint of sweetness. The OLD BAY flavored beer maintained the red pepper spiciness providing a seamless flavor experience.

One of my favorite Flying Dog beers, Bloodline Blood Orange IPA was paired up with "Orange Mango Habanero Jerk Wings." Jerk-spiced and citrus-marinated grilled wings were finished with a Orange Habanero glaze. It should come as no surprise I enjoyed this combination very much. The wings were spicy with a lingering heat that was moderated but not abated by the bitter citrus hops in the beer. I was about to declare this the winning pair, until the surprise contender seen in the final offering.

Barrel Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter finished the evening served with "Smoked Salt and Coffee Crusted Wings." The Coffee-brined and Coffee-herb-rubbed baked wings had a Smoked Salt and Maple glaze. The beer by itself provided rich coffee, chocolate and bourbon notes. When paired with the roasted coffee and salt encrusted wings, the combination was amazing. Despite my preference for hoppy beer and spicy food, this combination the winner of the night in my opinion.

This was a sold out and crowded event, and the staff worked hard to get everyone served and provide water, additional beers, and plenty of napkins throughout the evening. All the diners appeared to enjoy themselves very much. It was easy to work through all the food and beer at one's own leisure. The pairings all worked quite well. The standard wings offered at Harry's Alehouse are one of my favorite dishes there, but any of this evening's offerings would make an excellent addition to the menu. 

A dozen wings and the four tasters of beers, not to mention my "pre-game" pint of Center of the Universe Chameleon Orange IPA, make for a very satiating meal. Nonetheless, when one is enjoying an evening of feasting, it's tough to call it quits. We decided to cap off the evening with tasty, and cooling, milkshakes on our way home. It was a fitting cap to an enjoyable night out.

A Saturday Feast

Last Saturday we hosted a feast for nine folks in our home for an afternoon of beer and food. This was the fruit of a donation to the annual fund raising event for our son's former elementary and middle school. Even though he's well into his college years, Colleen and I were asked to once again donate the popular event.

The lucky bidders were treated to eight courses, featuring interesting beers paired with delectable foods prepared by Colleen. The menu was as follows...

Optimal Wit

Port City Brewing, Alexandria, Virginia

Paired with Pancake Bake with Cinnamon Streusel

Kölsch 151

Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, Virginia

Paired with Artichoke Dip and Tortilla Chips

Grateful Pale Ale

Star Hill Brewery, Crozet, Virginia

Paired with Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Sneak Attack

21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, California

Paired with Olivada and Mozzarella on French Bread Crostini

Get Bent Mountain IPA

Parkway Brewing, Salem, Virginia

India Pale Ale (7.2% ABV)

Paired with Salty-Sweet Bacon Panini

Woodbooger

Strangeways Brewing Company, Richmond & Fredericksburg, Virginia

Belgian-Style Brown Ale (6% ABV)

Paired with Parmesan Potatoes and Flank Steak

Curieux

Allagash Brewery, Portland, Maine

Oak Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Triple (11% ABV)

Paired with Blue Cheese, Sugared Walnuts and Pears

on Mixed Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Blue Mountain Dark Hollow

Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, Virginia

Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout (10% ABV)

Paired with Brownies and Ice Cream

To go along with the copious food and drink, the afternoon featured interesting, and often raucous conversation. The beers where new to the majority of the participants. I also think we've created a few new craft beer fans. All of the pairings worked well and served to illustrate the versatility of beer.

While preparing for the event, Colleen and I often thought "Why are we doing this?" But in the end, it was a lot of fun. And "it's for the children."

The ending reward for a hardworking chef.

Harry's Alehouse Bourbon Barrel Beer Dinner

We capped off last weekend with an enjoyable event at Harry's Alehouse. The "Bourbon Barrel Beer Dinner" promised interesting beers and good food. As we were seated our server let us know that the first course would start in about 20 minutes, and he then tempted us with a couple additional barrel-aged beers that weren't to be featured in the pairings. Naturally, we couldn't resist ordering both the Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout and the Goose Island Bourbon County 2017 offerings.

Checking in at 11.7% ABV, Founders CBS has been brewed only three times since its introduction in 2011. Brewed with chocolate and coffee, the beer is aged in bourbon barrels that previously held maple syrup. An annual release, the Goose Island Stout is also aged in bourbon barrels, and boasts a big 14.1% ABV. Both beers are much hyped and sought after by craft beer aficionados. We enjoyed both, but picked the Founders CBS as the better, and worth seeking out again in the future.

Those palate primers finished, it was time to for the main event to begin. The first course featured Baked Brie en Croute with Tangerine Honey Marmalade. The beer pairing was Alltech Brewing Kentucky Rickhouse Series No. 6 Tangerine Cream. Alltech is a combination brewery and distillery located along Kentucky's Bourbon Trail. The beer was a bright golden color with a creamy citrus aroma, and a moderate 5.5% ABV. The flavor was that of a classic creamsicle, if it was made with a hint of bourbon. This was certainly an unusual, but tasty beer. The flavors of the brie and marmalade was similar and compatible.

Next up was a French Country Salad made with Heirloom Tomatoes, Herbed Goat Cheese, Toasted Walnuts and a Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette. The featured beer for this course was Allagash Curieux. Curieux is a Belgian Triple, 11% ABV,  that has been aged bourbon barrels for seven weeks. Besides the expected bourbon notes, there are hints of coconut and vanilla in both the aroma and flavor. The salad was especially flavorful, and made even more enjoyable by the paired beer.

It was about this time in the event, that we started discussing how this was not a "sampling" dinner. We were being served full courses meals and respectable servings of the beers. It was going to be a long evening!

The main course featured Blue Mountain Barrel House Chocolate & Coffee Aged Dark Hollow. This was paired with a Coffee Crusted Prime Cut Porterhouse with Grilled Asparagus, Duchess Potatoes and Dark Hollow Demi-Glace. Dark Hollow is one of my all-time favorite Imperial Stouts, and this version was extra rich in roasted coffee and chocolate, with hints of vanilla and oak. As much as we enjoyed this spectacular 10% ABV beer, the star of the course was the steak. 

The "coffee crust" added an extra kick to the flavors. The steak was huge, tender and cooked to perfection. We saw several attendees asking for "to go" boxes. Not us. This was a feast to be enjoyed in the moment. Thankfully the service, which up until now had been almost too quick between courses, slowed to allow us to linger over this course.

Eventually it was time for dessert. This was a classic French Apple Raisin Pie with a Cream Cheese Topping. In a break from the beers served previously, the pie was served with a cider. Moonlight Meadery Them Little Apples is a created from fresh cider, blended with honey and sugar at the meadery and allowed to ferment in Rye Whiskey barrels.

The honey sweetness comes through in the flavor of the cider, though I didn't detect the affects of the barrel aging. The pairing didn't come off as well as the others, but that could be simply my preferences for less sweet beverages. That said, I had no trouble finishing any of it.

The dinner complete, Colleen and I decided to linger over coffee and continue our fun date night. Before we left home for the dinner, we had discussed how neither of us felt particularly motivated to go out for the evening. However, in the end, we were delighted to have struck with our plans. It was a most enjoyable finish to the weekend.

This was the third "beer dinner" we've attended at Harry's Alehouse, and I think the best and most extravagant. The service all evening was attentive and friendly. Harry's events are reasonably priced, a lot of fun, and there is no skimping on the servings of food or beer. We're definitely looking forward to the next event.

Strangeway's Debut and Steal the Glass Event

Earlier this week, Capital Ale House in Fredericksburg hosted a Strangeways Brewing "Steal the Glass" event. As reported recently, Strangeways recently entered into an agreement to begin local distribution of their beers. Tuesday's event marked the first Fredericksburg appearance of the beers outside of the brewery. Colleen and I decided to stop in and enjoy a few good beers and some tasty food.

Four Strangeways beers were being poured this evening; Überlin Berliner Weisse, Helles Frozen Over, Tirami’Zu Brew Rum Barrel Aged Porter and Home for the Holidays Spiced Cranberry Sour.

I've been enjoying some sour beer styles of late, so I chose the Home for the Holidays Spiced Cranberry Sour. The attractive red beer has a refreshing tart fruit flavor with a hint of spice. The low 4.2% ABV was welcome as I emptied my glass quite quickly.

Colleen started with Tirami’Zu Brew Barrel Aged Porter. I stole only a brief sip, not wanting to disturb my soured tastebuds, but I think I'll check that one out at the brewery soon. It was full of creamy dark chocolate aroma and flavor.

We've enjoyed several visits to the nearby Strangeways Fredericksburg location, where they keep around 40 unique beers on tap, so having just four options from which to choose made for an easier than usual decision process. For our next round, to accompany our meal, we simply ordered "the other two."

This time I sipped the Helles Frozen Lager and Colleen claimed the Überlin Berliner Weisse. The Helles had a nice crisp, grassy bitterness. A lighter bodied beer than I typically drink, it went well with my French Dip Steak and Havarti sandwich.

While we were enjoying our dinner I noticed that Capital Ale House owner Chris Holder and Neil Burton, the Strangeways Brewery owner, were also in attendance to help celebrate the new distribution status. I hadn't seen either of them for some time so took the chance say hello and enjoy a quick chat about beer in Fredericksburg.

Besides two more glasses to add to our glassware collection, we obtained a bunch of Strangeways swag as well. We enjoyed a pleasant event talking, eating, and drinking. I'm can now look forward to seeing even more Strangeways beer variety at my favorite local establishments.

Harry's Wing & Beer Dinner

Last Wednesday evening Harry's Alehouse held a Wing & Beer Pairing. This was the first beer dinner event we've been able to get to at Harry's and it sounded like one we'd very much enjoy; four chicken wing selections paired with four beers.

We arrived late for the start of the dinner, and the diners were close to finishing the second course. (We misunderstood the starting time.) Both the manager and the owner stopped what they were doing and got use seated and made sure the kitchen prepared the missed pairings for us, and we were caught up in no time. We very much appreciated the extra effort and attention.

The first course featured Thai Sticky Wings paired with Allagash White. The three wings were moderately spicy but the Witbier cut right through that and refreshed the pallet. True to the description, the wings were oozing with a very messy and sticky sauce. Fortunately Harry's provided plenty of napkins and wet wipes too!

Next up was Memphis Hot Wings and Triple Crossing Paranoid Aledroid. This time the wings featured a classic dry rub. I'm a fan of the dry rub barbecue and Triple Crossing Pale Wheat Ale is a beer I've enjoyed several times at Harry's as well. I liked this combo very much.

The heat was turned up for the third course of Korean Hot Wings served with Perennial Artisan Keith's Korner. The Wings were smothered in a thick, deep red, and hot, sauce that created a bit of perspiration on the top of my head. Pickled radishes were served on the side. The IPA could not quite overcome the intense flavor of the wings, and its flavor was somewhat lost. Although the pairing didn't work as well as the others, the wing flavoring was very well done.

The final beer of the evening, Founders Nitro Rubaeus, was paired with Peanut Butter and Jelly Wings. Admittedly, I had my doubts about this one. The wings had a strawberry glaze and were accompanied with a peanut butter dipping sauce. The wings were flavorful, but my least favorite of the evening. The beer, to my surprise and delight was very good. I haven't been a big fan of fruit beers but the raspberry flavored beer made for a refreshingly fruity dessert finish.

Harry's Wing and Beer event made for an enjoyable evening. I found it to be a nice twist from the usual "beer dinner." The pairings were well done, and both the wing and beer selections were tasty.

Although the twelve Wings and all the beer was more than satisfying, we were enjoying ourselves so much that we decided to linger for another beer and more food. Since I missed getting the full flavor the Perennial Artisan Keith's Korner IPA, I opted for a glass of that one with my "second" dinner.

We're looking forward to enjoying more events such as this at Harry's Alehouse.

St. Patrick's Festival To Honor Jeff Fitzpatrick

The annual St. Patrick's Day parade and festival at Adventure Brewing South (formerly Blue & Gray Brewing) has been renamed to honor the late Jeff Fitzpatrick. The Free Lance-Star reports...

Adventure Brewing Co. is raising a pint to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in memory of the late Jeff Fitzpatrick, the area’s first local brewer.

Adventure bought Blue & Gray Brewing Co. in Spotsylvania County and are continuing his tradition of holding a St. Patrick’s Day parade. Adventure’s owners have renamed the event in his honor.

“We’re excited to host the parade this year,” said Stan Johnson, one of Adventure’s owners, in a news release. “The parade is a tradition for the families of Fredericksburg, so we’re glad to have the opportunity to continue that, and to honor Jeff’s legacy in the craft beer scene.”

This is a fitting tribute to this pioneer who brought craft beer to the Fredericksburg area. This quote from Jeff, a faithful Irish Catholic, fits his humor perfectly, and I can imagine the smile and laughter on his face when he said it. "We said ‘Kids eat free,’ and I ought to have known better than to invite a bunch of Irish Catholics to have their kids eat free."

See "Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade renamed in memory of Fredericksburg area's first brewer" for the full story.

Event: Adventure Brewing Oktoberfest

Since Adventure Brewing purchased Blue & Gray Brewing, the most frequent questions I've heard from folks revolve around the future of the popular St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest celebrations held each year at Blue & Gray. I've been told that these events will continue at the new Adventure Brewing South location, but it's still been a matter of "wait and see."

We know now that the fourteen year Oktoberfest tradition will continue. Adventure has announced plans for their first annual Oktoberfest on September 17th from 12:00 PM -8:00 PM. The event lives on, though with some changes.

The biggest change, and most exciting I think, is the addition of other local breweries to the lineup. Currently Maltese Brewing Company, Rusty Beaver Brewery, and Wild Run Brewing Company are all on the list. Ticket fees will include either a shaker pint or an Oktoberfest mug, and a token for a beer fill. There will traditional Oktoberfest foods for sale, as well as games and vendors.

More details and advance ticket sales can be found at the event website.

Spencer Devon Mug Club

Spencer Devon Brewing held a fun event this week to support the MANARC Thrift Store and Veterans Moving Forward. Proceeds from the event will help support these two organizations which provide support and assistance to veterans in the Fredericksburg area. 

One of the highlights of the evening was the launch of the Spencer Devon Mug Club. Attendees were entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of only 30 custom mugs created by D.D. Lecky at Liberty Town Pottery, and membership in the limited mug club. Those lucky enough to be selected made a donation to MANARC to join the club. The mug entitles the owner to 20 ounce fills for the 16 ounce price, as well as discounts on food and invitations to future special events.

Colleen and I attended the event and held our two tickets in anticipation as we enjoyed a long dinner and a couple of new Spencer Devon beers. During the drawing, the ticket Colleen held was called, and she generously gave me her winning ticket. We held our breaths for the other ticket to be drawn, but we weren't that lucky. Since we generally visit Spencer Devon together, I am sure she'll enjoy some beer from the beautiful mug as well. 

As mentioned, the brewery also had two new beers on tap that we hadn't tried before. The first, Ellerslie Harvest Ale is Spencer Devon's first fresh-hopped beer. The Chinook and Cascade hops were grown at Ellerslie Hop Farm in King George County. The low ABV ale had a pleasing bready malt base with a mild hop bitterness. The fresh hops added a bit of green "zing" to the finish. It was very easy-drinking and I enjoyed a couple of pints, including a mug full in the new "Mug Club" mug. I'll be sure to look for the Harvest Ale again.

The other new beer available that evening was Center House Association Ale. The beer was brewed for the Marine Corps' Center House Association. It's available at the brewery for a limited time, but will be brewed specially for the Officer's Mess at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I in Washington. Norway Spruce boughs were used in brewing the Mild Ale, which is based on an old recipe. The beer has notes of caramel malt with a low hop bitterness. I was unable to detect the presence of the spruce, though Colleen felt she could pick up some pine-like notes in the aroma. Like the Harvest Ale, this was also a mild, and seemingly low ABV beer.

Live music, a worthy cause, and good food and beer made for a fun evening. We were lucky to snag a couple of seats at the bar before crowd really picked up, as the brewpub was packed for the evening. I look forward to returning to Spencer Devon soon and enjoying more great beer, in the new mug of course.

Blue Mountain Beer Dinner

On Tuesday evening we enjoyed a beer and food pairing with Blue Mountain Brewery at Capital Ale House. The beers were not ones that are usually available at the restaurant, and the food dishes were specially created for the event as well.

The Menu

Hors d'ourves

Toasted smoked Gouda and vegetable brushetta

Paired with Maggie Maibock

Salad

Wedge of romaine with almonds and dates finished with carrot ginger dressing

Paired with Steel Wheels ESB

Appetizer

Beer battered avocado with lime crème fraiche

Paired with A Hopwork Orange

Entrée

Surf and turf of cilantro lime steak and cocoa coconut shrimp with Duchesse potatoes,

paired with Prizefighter IPA

Dessert

Bacon and carrot cake truffles with vanilla cream,

paired with Local Species Belgian Pale Ale

The food was all quite tasty and the pairings worked well. The toasted smoked Gouda and vegetable brushetta that started off the evening was exceptional. A bunch of us suggested to the manager that it would make a good addition the Capital Ale House menu. I know headquarters will be getting a few emails with that same suggestion. The Maggie Maibock went well with the appetizer and was a good "easy" beer to start the evening. The salad course, though simple, was surprisingly enjoyable with the ESB.

The beer battered avocado was an unexpected treat. I wasn't sure at first how if would work, but it did. The selected beer, A Hopwork Orange, raised some questions at our table. I had the beer last year, and I recall it being candy sweet with an orange flavor. The beer poured this evening was a citrusy IPA. The brewery rep also described it has having a wheat beer base, which none of us detected.

Moving on to the main course of "surf and turf" we were treated to tender, juicy steak bits and nut encrusted shrimp. The menu noted "cocoa coconut" but the crunchy coating was all peanut flavor. The Prizefighter IPA was quite similar in flavor to the beer served in the previous course.

And finally dessert! The bacon and carrot cake truffles were either a hit or a miss with the diners. I enjoyed them but I saw some who rejected them outright. Local Species is one of my favorite Blue Mountain beers and it was a fitting finish to the meal.

The speed at which the courses came out seemed to be a bit rushed and I frequently found myself gulping down the last of my beer as the next course was being placed. Colleen noted the absence of any of the brewery's dark beers, and the last three beers were quite similar. But, overall it was a very enjoyable evening. The beers were all poured in generously sized samples, so there was plenty to go along with the food. The food was well prepared and as a whole enjoyed by all and the evening finished with smiles all around. It's been a long time since the Ale House hosted one of these events, and this one was very reasonably priced. I hope CAH does more of these events in the future.

Now, I'm off to email Capital Ale House headquarters with my menu suggestion...

Stealing the Flying Dog Glass

Tuesday evening the Flying Dog RV was spotted outside Capital Ale House. The occasion was a Flying Dog "Steal the Glass" night, featuring four Flying Dog beers served in an attractive etched glass. How could we resist going in?

The four beers featured were Bloodline IPA, Hoppy American Wheat, Kujo Coffee Stout and Gonzo Imperial Porter on Nitro. All excellent beers that we've had before. I opted for the Bloodline Blood Orange IPA and Colleen selected Hoppy American Wheat.

Bloodline IPA seemed to be the most popular selection, based on comments I heard at the bar. It's a bright, citrusy IPA that's quite refreshing. I posted a full review of the beer previously. Equally enjoyable was the Hoppy American Wheat. A blend of a bitter IPA and a wheat beer, this member of the Brewhouse Rarities series is a unique take on the traditional wheat beer. More info can be found in this previous review.

Flying Dog beer peddlers Adam and Pete were there to talk about the beers. I got a chance to chat with them a bit about Flying Dog's plans for the upcoming year. Let's just say I'm looking forward to enjoying some interesting beers from the brewery in 2015.

And those cool etched logo glasses? We decided we really needed a set of four, so we enjoyed another round of our selected beers with Capital Ale's tasty, and huge, Lamb Gyro Burger. It was a fitting finish to a fun day that included a fun visit to the range.

Isley Beer & Cheese Pairing

Thursday evening Capital Ale House set out a Cheese & Beer pairing featuring Isley Brewing Company. Three Isley Beers were paired up with three cheeses; Tall, Dark and Hopsome Black IPA with Lusk Gouda, Off the Boulevard Irish Red Ale with McClure Swiss, and Choosy Mother Peanut Butter Oatmeal Porter with President Brie.

Also included with the cheeses was a couple slices of a very delicious bread with a salt and herb crust. We enjoyed the side of bread as much as the cheese and beer. The bread and cheese platter would stand on its own as an appetizer.

This event was originally advertised to feature four beer and cheese pairings, with an Isley rep in attendance to talk about their beers. We think there was a logo glass included as well that we missed getting. That said, we're quite capable left on our own and enjoyed the beers and making our own commentary.

The first pairing, the Tall, Dark and Hopsome IPA and Gouda, was quite good. I took a few sips of the beer before the cheese plate arrived and really liked the beer. The pine and citrus hops with roasted malts was a tasty combination. It's a beer I'd have again. Interestingly, adding in the Gouda, the flavor of the beer took on a slightly sweeter tone. The flavors were noticeably influenced by the cheese.

Next up was Off the Boulevard Irish Red Ale and Swiss. The Red Ale had a distinctly fruity aspect along with the biscuity malt. After sipping, Colleen and I at the same time remarked, "I taste pears." The ale had a decidedly malty cider slant, in appearance, aroma and flavor.

Finally, we came to the Choosy Mother Peanut Butter Oatmeal Porter and Brie pair. In all frankness, we didn't care for the aroma of this one. In the taste, there was some oatmeal and a hint of sweet chocolate. It was however, the peanut butter than dominated. Mixing our sips with the brie and bread, the peanut flavor was muted somewhat. Choosy Mother is a popular and highly rated beer from Isley. But this unique flavor is like smoked beers I think, you either like them or you don't. The beer grew on me as I sipped, but a full pint probably isn't in my future.

Our beer and cheese tasting completed, Colleen and I settled into a few more good beers and the Thursday special of "Endless Mussels." We took good advantage of the all you can eat aspect of the menu. It was a tasty and enjoyable, if somewhat decadent, evening.

Weihenstephan Steal the Glass Night

The beers of Weihenstephan Brewery in Germany were featured for this week's Steal the Glass event at Capital Ale House. Six different beers were on tap. Fans were able to order any of the six in a tall Weihenstephan glass, or try a flight of small tasters of all six, which also included a glass to "steal." I opted to do an exploration of all six beers.

The beers in the order I tasted, and pictured above from left to right, are Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, Weihenstephaner German Pilsner, Weihenstephaner Original Lager, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel, and Weihenstephaner Korbinian Doppelbock.

The beers are all moderately low alcohol beer. The Doppelbock checks in at 7.4%, while others range from 5.1% to 5.4%. This made enjoying the beers quite easy, and I ran through them fairly quickly as well. None of the beers were new to me. Weihenstephan's Hefeweissbier is considered by many to the original and authentic Hefeweizen. The Dunkelweizen and Dopplebock are both long-time favorites of mine. In fact, all of the beers are well made and great examples of classic German styles.

It was a great opportunity to try a range of beers from the world's oldest existing brewery. And apparently many others were looking forward to the event as well. When I first arrived at Capital Ale House for the event, there was not a single seat open at the long bar, and there were many groups waiting for tables. Fortunately a seat at the bar opened up without too long of a wait. I had a tasty dinner of a lamb gyro "burger" while tasting the beers. I enjoyed all the beers, but decided to cap off the evening with a hoppy American-style beer, which is a story for another post.

12th Annual Blue & Gray Oktoberfest

Fredericksburg's original Oktoberfest celebration is happening this Friday and Saturday at Blue & Gray Brewery. This is the twelfth year for this popular event.

The event kicks off Friday, September 19 at 5:00PM with the traditional keg-tapping ceremony at 6:30PM, with an OOOmpah band providing music until 9:00PM. The celebration picks up Saturday at noon and goes until 7:00PM. There will be stein holding contests, beer barrel bowling, and German food and music. Of course, there will be plenty of authentic Oktoberfest beer from Blue & Gray Brewing, served in a commemorative 33.8 oz maas, a 17oz 1/2 maas, and the standard 16oz pub glasses. Lee's Retreat Brewpub will also have a special menu for the weekend.

The Blue & Gray Oktoberfest is a family friendly event, with game and crafts for the kids too. 

Complete details on activities can be found here.

Thirty Years!

September 15, 1984. That's the day, thirty short years ago, that Colleen and I made our promise before God that we would spend the rest of our lives together. And it's been a wonderful and amazing thirty years. We've had our share of both joy and sadness. We've gone through times of plenty, as well as the inevitable lean periods. But whether we are experiencing immense happiness, or unimaginable sorrow, we have had each other to lean on.

I cannot imagine my life without this beautiful lady. No matter what trials life may bring, I am thankful she is by my side. When life brings joy, I am thankful that she is there to share it. I thank God every night for her presence in my life. I give thanks again every morning that He put us together, and gave us the son we have raised.

In trying to write this post, through multiple drafts, I came to realize that there is little I can say that doesn't sound cliché. It also made me think about how true and lasting love, and (real) marriage itself, has become cliché and even passé in our culture. Thats too bad. To my shame I am often better at describing a beer than expressing my undying love for my wife. I am, nonetheless, forever blessed by the commitment we began those thirty years ago.

The photos may fade, but love grows stronger with time. Happy Anniversary Colleen. I love you and look forward to the next thirty years.

 But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother; and shall cleave to his wife. And they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. --Mark 10:6-9

Hardywood Park Arrives in Fredericksburg

"Finally." That was the common refrain heard at Tuesday's Hardywood Park Brewery release party and Steal the Glass event at Capital Ale House. The Richmond brewery's beers have been available around the Richmond area, and I even saw them a couple weeks ago in DC, but alas, they've not been available in Fredericksburg. Now, the long wait is over. It was a large and enthusiastic crowd that celebrated at Capital Ale House.

Six Hardywood Park beers were being poured, either as a flight of samplers or in individual full servings. Colleen and I both ordered flights, the purchase of which included a Hardywood etched logo glass. The featured beers were Singel, Extra Special Burly Bearded Bitter, Hoperation Pink IPA, Gingerbread Stout, Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout and Sidamo Coffee Stout.

So often, there is at least one underwhelming beer in any sampler flight. That's just the nature of individual preferences. But not so this evening. I drained each glass dry. After the event, Colleen and I were discussing the Hardywood beers, and we both agreed that we enjoyed each and every one of them. The Hardywood Gingerbread Stout is a very popular and sought after beer. We enjoyed it last week at Mekong in Richmond. However, for me a couple other beers stood out even more than the Gingerbread Stout.

Of the three Stouts being served, the Sidamo Coffee Stout was my favorite. It was rich with the flavors of dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee and molasses. Slightly astringent, it left behind a lingering coffee bitterness. I look forward to finding Sidamo on my local store shelves.

My top pick for the evening though was the Hoperation Pink IPA. I was not alone in my selection of this "winner" and many folks I spoke with expressed the same sentiment. The beer is brewed with pink grapefruit zest, and dry hopped with Citra hops. The result is a juicy, fresh, citrus aroma and flavor. At just 6% ABV it was a flavorful but not "big" beer. Hoperation Pink was brewed once as a collaborative effort of several local female brewers in order to raise funds for women's health issues. It's a very well-done beer that I hope will be brewed again.

I had the opportunity to talk a bit with Hardywood co-founder Patrick Murtaugh and Brewer Rachael Cardwell. Rachael used to be a manager at Capital Ale House and I could tell she was excited to bring the kick-off event to Fredericksburg. She and Patrick shared some plans for future beers, and let us know that most of the beers could be purchased locally starting the next day, Wednesday, January 8. I'm pretty sure I'll be doing some more in-depth reviews of Harydwood Park's beers very soon.

Fredericksburg Brew Fest

The first Fredericksburg Brew Fest took place this past Saturday at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds. I picked up a couple friends early and we arrived to claim our place near the start of the line before the gates opened. Once in, we picked up our shaker pint festival glass and list of breweries. Even though the pours were officially set at two ounces, it was nice to be drinking from a proper size glass. For those who wanted more than a sample of a particular brew, tickets were available for purchasing full pours too.

Sixteen breweries were offering some 40 different beers. The admission price included 24 beer samples. In addition to the breweries, a distillery and a local winery were in attendance, as well as assorted food vendors. The first tent we stopped at was that of The Traveler Beer Company from Vermont. They were pouring their seasonal Jacko Traveler Shandy. I don't drink too many pumpkin beers, typically l I find them to be either too sweet, or too rich in pumpkin pie spices and lacking in actual pumpkin. This was not the case with the Jacko. The beer is brewed with real pumpkin and it shows in the flavor. The accompanying spices are present but subtle. Despite my pre-tasting doubts, I enjoyed the Jacko Traveler beer quite a bit. In fact, it was the only beer at the festival that I went back for seconds on. Apparently others enjoyed it as well, when I passed by the booth later in the afternoon, I noticed they were out of the beer.

Throughout the afternoon we wondered the festival enjoying the beer and conversation. Sofie and Matilda Lambicus from Goose Island, Sierra Nevada Flipside Red IPA, Widmer Marionberry Hibiscus Gose, and Highland Thunderstruck Coffee Porter were among some of the new-to-me beers I enjoyed. Of course, I would partake in many old favorites as well.

Crowds, but no waiting.

The Bowman Distillery was also pouring samples of two of their small batch whiskeys, though these samples would cost you two of your beer tickets. Master Distiller, Brian Prewitt was on hand to talk about the samples being poured. I tried both beverages of the offerings. One of these was a 7 year old bourbon that spent some time in oak barrels in which Richmond's Hardywood Brewery had aged one of their beers. The brewery - distillery collaboration produced a remarkably smooth and flavorful whiskey. Something tells me I'm going to have to finally make the time to take that distillery tour.

The festival drew a large crowd, and by late afternoon there were constant crowds at the booths, but the lines moved quickly and very little time was spent waiting for your next sample. A brief rain shower did nothing to dampen spirits or keep folks away. This first-time event for Fredericksburg was well-organized and made for a very enjoyable afternoon. I am looking forward to it becoming an annual event.

Blue & Gray Oktoberfest

Colleen was out of town this weekend catching up with friends from college, and our son was spending Saturday with friends doing airsoft. So what's a guy to do when left to his own devices? The 11th Annual Fredericksburg Oktoberfest at Blue & Gray Brewing of course!

I ended up arriving at the brewery before kickoff time, but I ran into some friends who were there to man a table for the Ancient Order of Hibernians. I laughed at the juxtaposition of the Irish having such a strong presence at the German festival. Of course, the Irish organization's table was right next to the beer wagon, which meant I was also well situated to get my much anticipated pint of Blue & Gray Baron von Steuben Oktoberfest right at the start!

Prost!

One of my favorites from the brewery, this year's batch didn't disappoint. The aroma was sweet bready malt. The flavor is exactly what I look for in a Märzen/Oktoberfest beer. The taste is rich in caramel and bready malt, with the sweetness and bitterness in just the right balance. The finish is dry and clean. Very well-done; I think I'll have another!

I spent several hours of listening to Oompah music, watching the stein holding and beer barrel bowling contests, and talking to friends. Of course there was plenty of good food too. Frankfurters, Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Sauerbraten, Bavarian Pretzels were available for purchase. I grabbed a lunch of Weisswurst and German potato salad. Later, a large warm pretzel with spicy mustard made a tasty snack.

An afternoon rain shower didn't dampen the fun. Folks moved under the tents and continued to enjoy the activities, food and drink. The events at Blue & Gray are always fun, and family-friendly. The Oktoberfest was a great way to spend an afternoon. And I think I'll try to hit the brewpub later this week for some more of the Oktoberfest before it's gone for the season.

Stone Tap Takeover

This week's Tap Takeover & Steal the Glass event at Capital Ale House featured the beer of Stone Brewing Company. A total of nine Stone beers were offered; Levitation Amber Ale, Pale Ale, Cali Belgique Belgian IPA, India Pale Ale, Sublimely Self Righteous Black Ale, Double Bastard Strong Ale, R&R Coconut IPA, W00tstout Imperial Stout, and 17th Anniversary IPA. The first six were also available as a flight of four ounce pours. While I've had both the Pale and IPA frequently, all the other beers intrigued me, so I opted to start off with the flight.

The first one I tried was the Levitation Amber Ale. This surprisingly hoppy beer was a very good red ale, the extra bit of pine and citrus hoppiness making for a very tasty brew. I commented several time wondering how I've missed this one in the past. Sessionable, at just 4.4% ABV, I think this one will be showing up in our beer fridge with some regularity. I skipped quickly through the Pale Ale and the IPA, since they were familiar. The remaining beers in the flight didn't disappoint, and I especially enjoyed the Sublimely Self Righteous and Double Bastard. However, I was quite ready for a full sized glass of *something*by this time. After tasting my samples, Colleen opted for the Cali Belgique, and our friend Checkered Flag chose a glass of Levitation.

Capital Ale House is serving some special Oktoberfest menu items this month. For my dinner I ordered a sausage platter of bratwurst with curry sauce, red cabbage, German potato salad and fried apples. German sausage and curry isn't something that I would have thought of putting together, but the spicy red sauce was an extremely tasty garnish to the sausages, and I sopped up every bit of it I could get off the plate.

Oh, and I did decide on a beer to go with my dinner, the W00tstout Imperial Stout. This 13% ABV beer is brewed with pecans, wheat, and rye, with one quarter aged in bourbon barrels. After taking a sip of this pitch black brew, the only thing I could say was, "Oh my!" It was all it was hyped up to be. Notes of brown sugar, molasses, dark fruit, and some nuttiness made for a complex beer. It was a fine sipper to wrap up the meal.

We had a very enjoyable evening of good beer, good food and fun conversation. And the Stone logo glasses we took home were pretty nice too!

Blue & Gray Oktoberfest

One of my favorite events is just a week away! The Fredericksburg Area Oktoberfest will take place Friday, September 20 (4:00 PM-10:00 PM) and Saturday, September 21, 2013 (12:00 PM-7:00 PM).

The original Fredericksburg Oktoberfest celebration, held at Blue & Gray Brewery, is now in it's 11th year. Family fun includes sing-alongs, stein holding contest, beer barrel bowling, Oompah music, ginger bread walk. And of course, the ever delicious Oktoberfest Beer from Blue & Gray Brewing. This is a family event with activities for the kids too.

Blue & Gray beer will be for sale in 12oz or 16oz mugs, or 33.8oz (maas) commemorative stein, and well as food will be available under the tent. (Hint: Sign up here to receive a discount coupon for your commemorative mug or stein.) Inside, Lee's Retreat Brewpub will be serving a special Oktoberfest menu with wider variety of authentic, delicious German fare.

I look forward to this fun event every year. I'll see you there!

Fredericksburg Brewfest

Mark your calendars! October 19 is the date of the Fredericksburg Brewfest and Homebrew Contest. The event will be held at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds.

Join us for an amazing day of music, food and craft beer! The gates open at 11AM so come early and stay late to enjoy all the day has to offer! 

We will have craft brewers from all over the region sampling some of their award winning beers. They will be pouring some of your favorites as well as a sneak peek in to what will be on tap for 2014. 

The Fredericksburg Brewfest Homebrew Cup will be awarded in late afternoon where certified beer judges will crown the best “Homebrew” entered in the competition. 

For those of you who enjoy a glass of wine or whiskey, we will also have a select number of Virginia Wineries and Distilleries sampling their award winning beverages as well. 

Live bands will be on stage throughout the day with fan favorite, TBA, taking the stage at 4PM to close out the evening. 

Bring your friends, family and join us for Fredericksburg’s premier BEER event!

See fredbrewfest.com for details and to purchase advance tickets.