A Delightful Sunday

Despite experiencing cold winds and even snow flurries the day before, the weather on Sunday was cool but sunny. On the way home from Mass in the morning, Colleen suggested we hit the range for a bit. She got no argument from me! We quickly changed our clothes, loaded the car and headed out. We spent a little over an hour shooting and enjoying the sunshine. There was a noticeable drop in the temperature at the covered bench area as opposed to the open bay. That just meant we reloaded our magazines quickly to get back to the sunny part of the range to shoot.

We spent about an hour shooting. It was a fun way to spend time outdoors, and I enjoyed the time with my wife. I'm typically on the range by myself and was great to have Colleen as company. We went through several hundred rounds and lots of "splatter targets" during the outing. It was a beautiful spring afternoon; the birds were singing and the Dogwoods were blooming.

When we arrived home, we were both quite hungry so the obvious thing to do was to head downtown to enjoy a late lunch and a couple of good beers. We opted for Capital Ale House since we hadn't been there for a while. We wasted little time getting our beer and food orders in after working up an appetite on the range.

I got to try out a couple new to me beers, Maine Beer Company Zoe Red Ale and Apocalypse Ale Works Hoppocalypse Imperial Red Ale. (The latter is quite a tongue twister of a name.) I enjoyed both very much, and they went well with a platter of spicy Andouille and Shrimp Pasta. Colleen ordered a very tasting looking Chicken and Waffles dish. I might have to try that next time.

Later in the day, I found myself in my favorite chair, enjoying a good book. Well, at least that was the plan. After the time spent on the range and at pub, the book lost out in favor of a nap. I really couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable day spent with Colleen partaking in some of our favorite activities.

There Are Still Virginia Beers to Discover

When I sat down at the bar at Capital Ale House Wednesday evening, I asked David the bartender for beer suggestions. I knew he could give a better rundown on what's new and good than I could get looking through the extensive, and quickly outdated, beer menu. He listed off a few new beers, but I decided to order a glass of the Green Flash Green Bullet I had enjoyed last week.

Colleen started out with a big glass of Sixth Seal Stout, from a Virginia brewery I'd never heard of, Apocalypse Ale Works in Forest, Virginia. The dark beer had a light mocha colored head and aromas of dark chocolate and coffee. The flavor was slightly sweet, with dark chocolate, espresso and a hint of citrus bitterness. I stole a sip two three many sips from her glass. It was a nice find and a flavorful beer.

After finishing my Green Bullet IPA, I was torn between two beers for my next selection. Although pumpkin beers aren't my favorites, I was tempted to have Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale. CAH was also pouring Get Bent Mountain IPA by Parkway Brewing Company of Salem, Virginia. Parkway is another Virginia brewery I've not experienced. Colleen helped me out by offering to order the Pumpkin Ale for herself. She's a team player! 

Weyerbacher Pumpkin Ale has a decent balance between the actual pumpkin flavor and pumpkin pie spice flavor. The flavor is a little bit on the boozy side as well. I enjoyed the few sips I had from Colleen's glass. It's beer worth seeking out, but not one of which I could enjoy multiples. 

The Get Bent Mountain IPA is an excellent, citrus-rich IPA. The aroma was strong in juicy and pithy citrus. The flavor was more of the same. The citrus notes are a combination of juicy citrus fruit and bitter zest. The slightly sweet malt backbone helps to keep some balance, but this is a classic citrusy IPA lover's beer. The moderate 7.2% ABV is very well hidden.

Of course, it wasn't all about the beer, we had to eat too! Since I was enjoying big, bold beers, I decided to go big and bold with my food selection, with "The German," off the burger menu. This burger is topped with sauerkraut, melted Havarti cheese, and a grilled bratwurst! The sandwich is served on a pretzel bun, with a side order of warm German potato salad and red cabbage. I've noticed a preponderance of pretzel rolls or buns on many menus lately. It seems to be a new fad, but one that I am very happy to see. I like the flavor and texture of the pretzel breads quite a bit. Oh, did I mention, there was a burger and a bratwurst?

Great food and great beer, and a great time spent with my wife. I must say we're both enjoying taking some breaks from our busy lives to enjoy a bit of time together trying out new beers.