Christmases Cold and Warm

It's an old joke that if you don't like the weather in Virginia, wait a few minutes and it will change. It's also true that the weather on a any calendar day can be wildly different from year to year. This is especially true in the winter. (In the summer, you can just expect it to be hot. Period.) White Christmases are rare here, but last year, we were treated to one of those uncommon events. 

Over Christmas 2020 we experienced snow and very cold weather. That didn't stop me from enjoying the Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition shown below. The full experience is recounted in this post. 

Christmas 2021 was at the complete opposite end of the weather spectrum. The day was sunny, and by the afternoon the temperature hit 71°. That meant smoking on the deck without the need for supplemental heating or winter clothing.

On this most recent Christmas afternoon I chose the new Undercrown 10 Lonsdsale with which to celebrate the day. The Undercrown Maduro is a favorite, and the new Undercrown 10 is a special release to mark the 10th anniversary of the cigar. The Starr Hill Snow Blind Dopplebock is a perennial favorite.

The difference in smoking experiences between the two years was remarkable when it comes to the weather. However, the pleasure of a good cigar is universal no matter the temperature.

Two Warm Days, and Cigars

After several weeks of cold weather and seemingly endless winter precipitation, we were treated to a couple days of warmer weather this week. Of course, I took advantage of that tease of spring to sit outside on the deck.

On the first day of the brief warming trend, I rushed outside right after dinner with a bottle of Elijah Craig bourbon and a CAO Pilón to go along with the libation. The sun would soon be setting and I did resort to turning on the heater at my feet. Nonetheless the hour long smoke and sips of bourbon provided a good digestive. The cigar's creamy cocoa and nutty notes were a good match for the vanilla and oak in the mild-mannered bourbon.

The next day proved to be even warmer, creeping up over 60° for a short time. I was even able to finally get the thick layer of ice off the sidewalk to the front porch. To my delight all my Zoom meetings for the day ended by mid-afternoon. My thoughtful wife prepared our dinner early so there'd be more time afterwards to enjoy the outside before the sun set and temperature ultimately dropped.

The selection for this evening was Liga Undercrown Maduro paired with Starr Hill Little Red Roostarr Stout. The Undercrown is a favorite stick, and I've enjoyed many of them in the Robusto vitola. This time I opted for the larger Toro. The familiar espresso, cocoa sweetness, and dark fruit flavors were present, although I felt they were less pronounced than in the smaller stick. The sweet chocolate and vanilla of the stout paired well.

By the time the two hour smoke ended, the sun had set. I resorted to adding a sweatshirt, but never needed the heater. I must say, it's been a while since I enjoyed the deck without supplemental heat. The spring preview was short-lived, but was a welcome reminder that warmer weather is just a few weeks away.

Snow, Sun, a Cigar, and a Beer

The predicted Sunday winter storm was, fortunately, a bust. It snowed quite heavily for a few hours in the morning, but then the sun came out, the temperature approached 40° and the woods soon sounded like a summer rainfall as the snow melted from the trees. It was still cool, but there was little wind in the air. I took advantage of the sun to enjoy some deck time.

The beer selection was Starr Hill 2 Tone Vanilla Porter. This beer pours nearly black in color with a thin mocha head. The aroma is sweet vanilla and caramel. Sipping gives flavors of espresso, cocoa, and a very mild vanilla sweetness. The mouthfeel is light with a lingering hint of bitterness.

Not knowing how long I had before the sun went behind the clouds, I grabbed a moderately small stick. The Southern Draw Quickdraw Pennsylvania Broadleaf is a small 5" x 46 Corona Gorda but it still gave a 75 minute smoke — lasting much longer than the 12 ounces of beer.

The Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper hides a Nicaraguan binder, and Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. The predominate flavors are cocoa and coffee, with a touch spice. The cigar's flavor melded well with that of the porter. 

The initial weather prognostications indicating the day would be spent indoors were thankfully inaccurate, allowing for a surprisingly pleasant and restful Sunday afternoon.

Starr Hill Snow Blind - A Winter Favorite

One of the few things I look forward to with the advent of cold weather are the winter releases of some of my favorite seasonal beers. Starr Hill Snow Blind Doppelbock is one such delight. Snow Blind was first released in 2013, and I've not missed a winter without picking up at least a couple of six packs.

Snow Blind pours a deep brown color and sports a thin, short lived, beige head. Sunlight peaking through the glass gives the beverage a reddish tint. A rich caramel aroma with a hint of dark fruit greats the nose. The flavor is a bend of toasted malt, caramel and a touch of sweetness. There's a lingering malty sweetness that sticks to the palate for a pleasing finish. A moderate 7.7% ABV makes the flavorful beer easily drinkable.

My first glass of Snow Blind this season was paired with a Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2020. I've enjoyed several of the 2020 edition of this annual release. This one was the 5 x 52 Robusto which gives about a 45 minute smoke, easily time for a second pint. The full bodied smoke features sweet, earthy notes and a moderate amount of pepper and spice. It made for a flavorful pairing.

Though that was the last Las Calaveras in my humidor, there will definitely be more glasses of Starr Hill Snow Blind poured this winter.

Starr Hill Snow Blind

Another beer from the Starr Hill Winter Tour variety pack, Snow Blind Doppelbock is one my favorite winter seasonal beers.

The beer is a deep brown color with a thin beige head. Sunlight peaking through give the beverage a reddish tint. A rich caramel aroma with a hint of dark fruit greats the nose. The flavor is a bend of toasted malt, caramel and a touch of sweetness. A moderate 7.7% ABV makes the flavorful beer easily drinkable.

The Winter Tour variety pack also includes Little Red RooStarr Coffee Cream Stout, 2 Tone Vanilla Porter, and Northern Lights IPA. It's rare that I find a variety pack that doesn't include air least one "stepchild" beer. This Starr Hill sampler contains all winners in my book, and this 12-pack won't linger long in the fridge.

Starr Hill Little Red RooStarr Coffee Cream Stout

This is one of the beers in the Starr Hill Winter Tour variety pack that we picked up on a whim last week. Little Red RooStarr Coffee Cream Stout is a beer that I thought I had enjoyed previously, but checking my UnTappd list, it appears this is a new beer to me. I was not to be disappointed.

The beer pours a deep, dark brown color with a beige head. The aroma brings faint notes of coffee and sweet caramel malt. The flavor profile leans more towards chocolate, mild roasted malt, and a touch of sweetness. There's a hint of coffee detected but it is mild. The finish leaves a bit of sweet creaminess on the palate.

I decided to enjoy the beer with a CAO Brazilia Gol! cigar for an afternoon treat. The medium bodied cigar presents flavors of cocoa and espresso. The rich thick smoke had a creamy texture and smooth finish. Like the beer, this cigar was also one I had not tried previously. I paired them in a whim and was very pleased with the resulting flavor combination.

I enjoyed the Little Red RooStarr Coffee Cream Stout very much. Often I find mild stouts to be too cloyingly sweet. Starr Hill crafted a tasty balance in the flavor profile. This is one I'd have again. And fortunately there are a couple more in the fridge.

Brewery Road Trip

After an exhausting day on the range, we spent Saturday evening and next morning rehydrating before heading off on a brewery road trip on Sunday. We employed our favorite college student to act as chauffer for the day

Our first stop was Devils Backbone on Route 151 in Nelson County. I almost didn’t recognize the place; there’s been a lot of expansion on the property since our last visit three years ago. We were quickly seated and got our beer orders in. Colleen and Checkered Flag chose their favorite style Hefeweizen, Trail Angel Weiss and Apricot Weiss respectively. I opted for one of my old favorite styles, Altbier, and chose Devil’s Secret. This German-style beer is a collaboration between Devils Backbone and Apocalypse Ale Works. I enjoyed the rich, dark, Dopplebock-like flavor very much.

While walking between the car and the restaurant entrance we were treated to the aroma of the meat being smoked. There was no doubt I was going to partake in the house-smoked barbecue. My pulled pork sandwich was rich in spice and smoke, and went perfectly with my beer.

Finishing my food and first beer, I decided to stick with the German theme, and enjoyed a pint of Meadow Bier, a delicious German-style Pilsner. Then it was time to move on to our next stop so we had the driver bring the car around. (Actually, we walked to the car, but we did enjoy more than a few chauffeur jokes at my son’s expense.)

Soon we found ourselves at Bold Rock Cidery. Unlike our last visit the weather was not conducive to sitting on the large outdoor deck area taking in the scenery. We opted to enjoy the comfortable indoor lounge area, while watching various Olympic activities on several TV screens. We ended up sitting and enjoying ourselves for longer than intended. I was sipping on an IPA, or India Pressed Apple, a cider dry hopped with five hops for a tasty blend of tart apple cider and sweet, citrus notes. I found it quite enjoyable. Checkered Flag drank a Vat #1 while Colleen sipped a Prime Lime, a refreshing drink made with their Premium Dry cider and lime juice and served over ice.

Continuing on our way, we made an unplanned stop at Blue Toad Cidery. Blue Toad is a New York-based cidery that opened in Virginia last year. The tasting room had only two other visitors when we arrived and took our seats at the bar. We looked over the one cider menu we were handed to decide what we wanted to try out, receiving no information or suggestions from the lady behind the bar. A few other folks come in while we sat the bar, and still it seemed the atmosphere was less than welcoming. I remarked that it was almost as if we were interrupting the bartender’s alone time; either she didn't want to be there, didn't want us there, or both.

We ended up ordering pints of three cider varieties; Back Cherry, APA Triple Hopped, and PommeGranny Batch 1. Since this was an spur-of-the-moment stop, we discussed skipping the next brewery on our agenda, Starr Hill in Charlottesville, and head straight to South Street Brewery for dinner. However, after a few minutes of sitting at the Blue Toad bar, we opted to leave our drinks and the unwelcoming atmosphere and try to make it to Starr Hill after all.

On the way to Starr Hill Brewery, we came upon an accident just as the emergency equipment was arriving, and were directed to turn around as the road was now closed. After a slight detour and GPS rerouting we arrived at the brewery shortly before last call. I had time to enjoy a pint of Reviver Red IPA. I’d seen this seasonal in my local grocery store, but had just never gotten around to trying it. I was not disappointed and I think I may see if it's still in the store. Pints of The Love Wheat and The Hook were also ordered by the rest of our party.

Starr Hill is one of my favorite Virginia breweries, but oddly enough, I had never visited previously. I would have liked to been able to stay a while longer, and try out a few more of the offerings. I will try to find time for another visit in the near future.

Finally, to my son’s delight, we made it to our last stop for the day, South Street Brewery. All of us were quite hungry as it had been a long day since lunch at Devils Backbone. South Street’s varied menu was just the ticket. But first things first, we had to decide on a beverage. I opted to try the Tongue Dropper, an odd but enticing sounding "Sour Double IPA".  Our server warned it was more Sour Ale than IPA, but upon sipping my impression was that of a citrusy Double IPA that had a mildly tart tang at the end. I found it a worthy sipper, and a good "I've had enough" beer at the end of the day. I paired my beer with a plate of hearty Mac n' Cheese with sausage. Colleen and Checkered Flag indulged their wheat beer passion with El Jefe's Hefeweizen.

It was a long, but enjoyable day. Our previous trips along the "Brew Ridge Trail" have been in the fall, and the roads and breweries were always very crowded. This mid-summer trip was less so. We never had to wait for service, nor search for parking places. While the scenery isn't as colorful as it is in the fall, the area is still beautiful, and the food and beer well worth the drive.

Starr Hill The Hook

This summer seasonal from Starr Hill Brewery is part of trend of the "session IPA." Part of me thinks "hoppy Pale Ale" when I red the term, but I still enjoy the full-flavors that most of these lower ABV beers offer. I first tried The Hook Grapefruit Session IPA a few weeks ago on draft and enjoyed it, so I brought a six pack home when I was shopping for a beer to wash down some steamed shrimp this weekend.

The beer pours a very attractive copper color with a moderate white head. The aroma is citrusy with some faint caramel mat. Grapefruit zest is the prominent flavor, with a bit of pine, along with caramel and bready malts in the background. The Hook is very light bodied and finishes clean. While the grapefruit zest of the beer was dominated by the extra spicy shrimp we paired it with, it still served well to cleanse the palate. A second pint after dinner, it's only 4.9%ABV, proved quite quaffable.

First Beer of the Blizzard

Is fitting...

Let's do this.

Starr Hill Mango Genius

After an afternoon of stacking firewood and other yard chores, we decided to hit Capital Ale House for an early dinner on Sunday. (Or was it a late lunch?) While deciding on our beer selections, our server suggested a "mango habanero IPA from Starr Hill." I was intrigued but not convinced, so she offered a taster. After that I was convinced.

Some quick Google-fu at the bar helped me learn that the beer was called Mango Genius and was a collaborative effort with Brothers Brewing. The beer pours a bright golden color with a white head. The aroma is citrusy and fruit-like. Sipping the beer, the flavor is what I can best describe as tropical citrus "juiceness." The habanero makes its presence known at the end. A subtle warmth slowly comes into play in the finish. It never burns, but teases in the back of the throat.

This was an excellent suggestion and beer I'd definitely order again. In fact I did, to go along with a very spicy Mexicali salad. The salad, with copious raw jalapeños, went well with the "cooling" citrus fruit of the IPA. 

And that beer in the foreground? That's Colleen's glass of Heavy Seas Red Sky at Morning. This is a version of the brewery's delightful Red Sky at Night aged in Chardonnay barrels. Two excellent beers from two of our favorite breweries, with a Redskins win on the bar TVs, made for a enjoyable afternoon.

A "Soulful" Evening of Beer

I went out for a quick dinner last night, heading over to Park Lane Tavern. When I arrived I learned they were having a "Steal the Glass" night featuring Green Flash Soul Style IPA. The glass with the premium price point was a simple logo shaker pint, so I wasn't really interested in the glass, but opted to try the beer nonetheless.

Green Flash Soul Style pours a clear and bright copper color with a thin, short-lived head. The aroma is sweet fruit and somewhat resinous. The initial flavor is bitter citrus and pine, with a touch of sweetness showing up as well. The finish is slightly bitter with some lingering resin coating in the mouth. Green Flash beers are typically bold and brusk on the palate. Soul Style while tasty, might be a let down for Green Flash fans used to beers like Road Warrior and Green Bullet.

My glass emptied, but still some food on my plate, I recalled the tasty Starr Hill Soul Shine I enjoyed recently at Park Lane. I opted to continue the evening's "soul" theme with a glass of that cask conditioned beer. At first the flavor seemed somewhat muted, after the more intense Soul Style. Of course, my tastebuds soon adapted and I enjoyed the smooth cask beer while finishing my meal.

Starr Hill Soul Shine

We headed out Thanksgiving Eve for a quick meal at Park Lane Tavern. The beer menu at Park Lane is fairly static, but it's the rotating tap list that typically gets my interest. This evening the cask selection was Starr Hill Soul Shine, a Belgian-Style Pale Ale. I find that with this style, it's hit or miss if the beer tends towards "Belgian" or "Pale Ale." Though either end of that spectrum is fine with me.

The beer was served in 20 ounce snifters, and sported a thick creamy head. Copious bubbles were still rising to the top as the glasses were set before us, and we thought at first it was a nitro pour. Reaching for the glass I could tell that it was coming out at a good temperature as well.

The aroma was that of citrus, with some earthy Belgian yeast. There was also a hint of peppery spice. The flavor brought forth more of the Belgian yeast spiciness, but the citrus notes certainly came forward as well. A bit of sweet biscuity malt rounded out the flavor profile. The finish was clean with very little aftertaste.

A prominent feature of the beer was the creamy mouthfeel. Despite this being a Summer seasonal from Starr Hill, it was my first time drinking the beer. I don't know how much of the creaminess was from the cask serving or if the beer has a naturally smooth mouthfeel. It certainly merits further research. In any event, we enjoyed Soul Shine quite a bit, and the cask serving seemed especially well-done. I expect it'll show up again, as Starr Hill beers seem to make the rotating cask list frequently at Park Lane.

Three Kinds of Fun

I've been having a craving for mussels recently, and for several weeks have been teased by the Capital Ale House Facebook postings about "all you can eat" mussels on Thursdays. Alas, my schedule didn't allow me to take advantage of that special, until this week. When "Checkered Flag" and I hit Capital Ale House for dinner this week, my menu selection was predetermined.

In addition to the two regular mussel selections, Garlic and Herb, and Smoked Gouda and Bacon, the chef had created a spicy version, with a sauce prepared with Orkney Skull Splitter Scotch Ale, Duck Rabbit Stout, and copious red pepper flakes. I started out with a large bowl of these spicy mussels and enjoyed them immensely. The dark sauce was smoky and sweet at the same time. (And I brought home plenty of it down the front of my shirt too.) Despite the robust sauce, the flavor of the mussels still came through. It wasn't long before had good burn going in my mouth from the red pepper.

Fortunately I had a good beer to cool my palate. Not only is August Virginia Craft Beer Month, Thursday was also being promoted as National IPA Day. (What's next, craft beer Hallmark cards?) Keeping with the theme, I ordered a Missile IPA from Champion Brewing in Charlottesville, VA.

I don't recall having tried any Champion Brewing beers, so it was also good to try out another Virginia brewery. Missile IPA is a bright orange color with a thin white head. The aroma is full of citrus goodness. The flavorful hops leaned towards the bitter, with grapefruit rind and pine leading the way. The bitterness was balance by a sweet caramel malt. I rather enjoyed this one.

In keeping with the Virginia beer theme, "Checkered Flag" stuck with his favorite style and ordered a Starr Hill The Love Hefeweizen.

Eventually, both my bowl of mussels and my glass of beer were empty. But, it's "all you can eat" so I opted this time for the Smoked Gouda and Bacon Mussels. These were covered in a thick, smoky cheese sauce with lots of bacon thrown in. I enjoyed this version too, but the heavy cheese sauce did mask the mussel flavor a bit too much for my tastes. I ordered another Virginia beer, Starr Hill Grateful Pale Ale to accompany this batch of mussels. I was sorely tempted to call for a bowl of the Garlic and Herb version as well, but decided to save that for another day

Mussels ✔
Virginia Craft Beer ✔
IPA ✔

Yea, it was a fun evening.

More Starr Hill Glasses

We headed over to Park Lane Tavern earlier this week for an unplanned, on a whim, dinner out. When we arrived, I saw a sign that they were sponsoring a Steal the Glass night. We quickly learned that the featured brewery was Starr Hill from Crozet, Virginian. Well, this was a nice surprise.

It turned out they had not one, but two, Starr Hill beers available; Double Platinum IPA and The Love Hefeweizen. As an added bonus, the IPA was the rotating cask selection. Our server quoted us the price of the beer, both with and without the glass to "steal," and we opted to pay the extra to get the promotional glassware. In what should be no surprise, I opted for the cask IPA. Colleen and Checkered Flag selected the Hefeweizen.

The Double Platinum IPA came out at just the right temperature and sporting a creamy, full head. The aroma is pine and floral hops. A herbal and pine hop profile combined with a sweet, caramel malt base make this an easy-drinking IPA. There's a pleasing "sharpness" to the taste, but it does not overwhelm. The Love is a light-bodied Hefeweizen. I didn't drink any this round, but have reviewed it previously.

More logo glassware is not something we really need more of in the house, but it's fun to have around. I claimed a Starr Hill monic pint glass at Park Lane last year and I use that frequently. I'm enough of a beer-nerd that I often try to use a matching brewery glass, if I have one. There are even a few "free" glasses I've picked up that have become favorites. Now we just need a little more cabinet space.

Beers of Winter - Starr Hill Snow Blind

Stopping by the local beverage emporrium on my way home from work last Wednesday, I had it in my mind to pick up (only) a couple of seasonal beers with which to celebrate over the Thanksgiving holiday. My plan was to let the store displays guide my decision. I would pick just two beers and not give in to temptation and walk out with extra impulse purchases. I headed to the "holiday" beer corner and immediately spied a stack of Sierra Nevada Celebration. My first pick was decided, now to look for something in the maltier range. I noticed that the store employees were clustered around someone doing a tasting so I wandered over. There was a young lady pouring beers from Starr Hill Brewery. She had the Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter and Snow Blind Dobblebock available to sample. After a sip from the tiny medicine cup offered, I had my second choice in hand.

Snow Blind is a new Winter seasonal from Starr Hill. According to the brewery's website it was released on November 15. The bottle is stamped with a bottling date of November 3, freshness is another reason to drink locally brewed beer.

The beer pours a deep, caramel brown, with a reddish tint that shows as the light comes through the glass. The beige head is thin and short-lived. The aroma of the beer is mild with sweet malt, with dark fruit and a hint of licorice. The flavor is earthy, caramel, lightly sweet and toasted, with a touch of spiciness. The finish is dry, clean, and little aftertaste is left behind. At 7.4% ABV there is only faint alcohol flavor noticeable. I enjoyed my post-range trip glass of Starr Hill Snow Blind very much. I think this will be one we keep on hand over the Winter.

Oh, and I did succumb to just one impulse purchase during my shopping trip. I grabbed a bottle of Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale from Sierra Nevada. But that's a story for another post.

A Better Black Friday

Try as I might, there's just no way I can wrap my head around the desire that some people have to rush out and shop for "Black Friday" deals. After spending a day giving thanks for the stuff we have, why is there a need to rush out and buy more stuff? Instead, we opted for more pleasant sights and sounds on this day after Thanksgiving.

Not the least of the day's pleasures was the much anticipated leftover turkey sandwich. There's just something about turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, and mayo on toasted white bread that's hard to beat. We even had some debate around the table over which was better; the original meal or the leftovers.

After lunch, we decided to take a chance on getting out for some shooting fun. I figured the ranges would be crowded, but maybe we'd time it right and get in. As suspected, all the pistol and rifle bays were jammed packed, but no one was using the shotgun field. Fortunately, I had loaded up the shotgun paraphernalia, just in case, so we spent a short time bustin' clays. Unfortunately, we couldn't get on the pistol range.

After that short visit to the range, there was little left to do except relax and enjoy a good malted beverage. I opted for a Starr Hill Snow Blind to finish off the afternoon. This new Winter seasonal was just the thing to prepare for another welcome Black Friday activity; the afternoon nap.

With the right choices, Back Friday really can be a day of fun and relaxation.

It's IPA Day

August 1 is "officially" designated as IPA Day.

Founded in 2011, IPA Day is a universal movement created to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers and brewers worldwide, using social media as the common arena for connecting the conversation.  

IPA Day is not the brainchild of a corporate marketing machine, nor is it meant to serve any particular beer brand. IPA Day is opportunity for all breweries, bloggers, businesses and consumers to connect and share their love of craft beer. It is an opportunity for the entire craft beer culture to combine forces and advocate craft beer through increased education and global awareness 

Okay, I'll play along. The IPA, or India Pale Ale, is indeed one my favorite styles of beer. I typically gravitate to the house IPA first when I visit a new brewpub. It's a fair bet that the style has probably been reviewed on these Musings more than any other.

So, far be it from me to stand in the way of a "universal movement." After an afternoon at the range, I was ready for a good beer anyway. After looking through the beer fridge for something suitable, I opted for a Starr Hill Northern Lights IPA, one of my favorite Virginia beers. After all, not only is August 1st IPA Day, it also marks the start of Virginia Craft Beer Month.

Look through the #IPAday hashtag on Twitter to see how craft beer fans are marking the day.

An Afternoon of Beer & Food

On Saturday, we hosted the Beer and Food Tasting Event we had donated to our school's fundraising auction. Even though we've now put on this event for six years, the days leading up to it are filled with both anxiety and excited anticipation. Choosing just eight beers from the hundreds available is tough enough, but planning the accompanying food menu is a challenge too. The hardest part isn't picking what we're going to serve, it's narrowing it down! Even though planning, and beer shopping, starts weeks in advance, changes happen right up to the day of the event. But the work and stress all pays off when folks arrive and the fun begins.

Table ready for people, food and beer

We had eight people in for the tasting. Over the course of 4 hours we enjoyed eight different beers accompanied by eight different plates of food. I picked beers that showed the wide range of flavors available in craft beer, and purposefully selected beers that are easily found in the area. Colleen did an excellent job with the food. After deciding the type of food we wanted with each beer, she searched for recipes. One of the things that makes this exciting, is that she also uses this as an opportunity to try new recipes, so most of the recipes we've not had before. The menu pairings are based on our prior experiences with beer and food. With few exceptions, we don't repeat things we done previously. If I do say so myself, this menu was one of the best we've put together. All the combinations worked very well, and a few of the pairings were especially notable.

Vienna Lager

Devils Backbone Brewery, Roseland, Virginia

Vienna Lager (4.9% ABV)

Paired with Artichoke Dip and Tortilla Chips

Schwartz Bier

Devils Backbone Brewery, Roseland, Virginia

Schwartzbier  (4.9% ABV)

Paired with Antipasto Platter

Port City Optimal Wit 

Port City Brewing, Alexandria, Virginia

Belgian White Ale (5.0% ABV)

Paired with Peaches and Cream French Toast Casserole

Festina Pêche

Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware

Berliner Weissbier (4.5% ABV)

Paired with Goat Cheese and Salmon Bites

Grateful Pale Ale

Star Hill Brewery, Crozet, Virginia

American Pale Ale (4.7% ABV)

Paired with Pork BBQ and Cornbread

Hercules Double IPA

Great Divide Brewing Company, Denver, Colorado

American Double/Imperial IPA (10% ABV)

Paired with Salty-Sweet Bacon Panini

Morning Glory Espresso Stout 

Old Dominion Brewing Company, Dover, Delaware

American Double / Imperial Stout (9.0% ABV)

Paired with Chocolate Lava Cake

Horn Dog Barley Wine

Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Maryland

Barley Wine Style Ale (10.2% ABV)

Paired with Blue Cheese, Sugared Walnuts and Pears

The two opening beers were chosen with a specific purpose in mind. Both beers are lagers, from the same brewery, both are equal in alcohol content, but the beers could hardly be more different. I wanted to address the false adage that dark beers are "heavy" and/or high in alcohol. Devils Backbone Schwartzbier is light bodied and very flavorful beer. One guest even commented before I made my pitch how she was expecting the beer to be heavy, and that she didn't usually like dark beer.

The Dogfish Head Fêstina Peche with Goat Cheese and Salmon Bites was a very popular serving. We'd never tried this combo, and in fact it's been a couple years since I drank this beer, but my memory of it was spot on. The sour, fruity beer stood up well to the strong flavors of the goat cheese and smoked salmon.

We served another grilled sandwich, this time a hearty, Salty-sweet Bacon Panini, with Great Divide Hercules Double IPA. I selected Hercules specifically for the shocking, strong flavor of the beer. One participant took a sip and immediately let out a "eeww"exclamation, so it worked. We all had a good laugh. The flavor of the beer held up well to the strong brie and bacon fillings.

The wrap up course of Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine with Blue Cheese, Sugared Walnuts and Asian Brown-skinned Pears was a fitting, and surprisingly refreshing pairing. I selected a barley wine style ale specifically as a digestif. By this point in the feast everyone is quite full. Even though the beer is high in alcohol, it's a refreshing sipper especially in combination with the sugar-coated walnuts and fresh, juicy pears.

At the end of the afternoon even the more experienced craft beer drinkers in the crowd had a new appreciation and awareness of the variety available. And the one person who noted she really wasn't a beer drinker at the start, concluded that she actually does like it. It's just a matter of finding the right beer!

As good as the beers were, I have to admit that it's the tasty foods prepared by Colleen which make the event special. It's not just the beers that folks talk about, the tasty delights that Colleen prepares always impress. As one participant noted, "I liked the beer, but it was even better when I had the food with it." And that's why we do it.

All done but the cleanup

Starr Hill Grateful Pale Ale

I've been looking forward to trying out this new summer seasonal from Starr Hill. Since Park Lane Tavern was featuring the beer in their "Steal the Glass" promotion this week, I decided that would be the perfect place to try the beer, and I'd pick up a new Starr Hill glass on top on it.

Grateful Pale Ale pours a clear pale golden color with a thin head. The aroma is full of citrus and grassy hops with a hint of an earthy background. The flavor is also a mix of tangy citrus and piney hops. There's a mild caramel malt base, with a bit of a toasted aspect providing a mild, bitter finish. The overall flavor is fresh and clean. The beer checks in at just 4.7% ABV, adding to the ease of enjoyment.

This new beer from Starr Hill was introduced as part of the brewery's summer variety pack, which also includes Northern Lights India Pale Ale, Starr Pils Lager and The Love. According to the Starr Hill web site, Grateful Pale Ale will also be available in six-packs starting in May. This is a seasonal offering which will be available only through July.

I don't bother writing about a beer unless I enjoy it, but Starr Hill Grateful Pale Ale goes beyond that qualification. I really like this beer! It's got plenty of hop goodness, but is not overwhelming. The beer is light bodied, low in ABV, and quite refreshing. It's got all the makings of a great summer refresher. I suspect this will be a "go to" beer this summer.

The Late Night Crypt(ical)

Earlier this week, I was deciding on a beer to enjoy as we sat up late one night (or was it early morning?) visiting with a friend. I saw the Starr Hill Cryptical Imperial Stout in the fridge — there's a fitting nighttime libation! I had first had this beer on cask a few weeks ago, and was looking forward to trying the bottled version that came as part of the brewery's Jambeeree! mix pack.

As dark as night, but not scary

The beer was as dark and as rich as I recall. I enjoyed the dark roasted and bitter chocolate flavors. It did seem to me that the citrus hops that come out at the end were more intense than I recall from the cask version we had previously. The hop flavor lingered for some time in the finish. The mouthfeel was smooth and with low carbonation. Plenty of sticky lacing was left behind on the glass.

I savored my dark nightcap slowly, enjoying the full flavor, in a not-too-heavy beer. Soon it was time for bed and sweet, not scary, dreams.