Tuppers' Hop Pocket Ale - It's Here!

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

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

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

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

Edgy as always, Flying Dog Brewery is preparing for their 20th Anniversary in 2010 with the release of the equally edgy Raging 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

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

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

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

The Beer Holster