Monthly Archives: June 2013

Off to Philly. Here Are Your Beer-signments

NHC 2013 PhillySo I’m busy getting ready to head up to Philadelphia for the National Homebrewers Conference.  Before I head out, I have a few assignments for you to check out for the rest of the week.  Really only time for brush strokes, so here we go.

All Week

RVA Burger Week — $5 Burgers!

Tuesday June 25th

Flying Dog Steal the Glass at Capital Ale House Innsbrook

Featured Beers
Kujo Imperial Coffee Stout
Raging Bitch Belgian IPA
Galaxy Single Hop Imperial IPA
St. Eadman Belgian Dark Strong
Big Black Wit

Wednesday June 26th

Allagash Tap Invasion at Mekong

A lot of great stuff on tap for this takeover at Mekong:

Midnight Brett – wine barrel aged dark with Brett
Golden Brett – golden with Brett
FV 13 – wild sour aged in Foudre oak tank
Confluence – American Wild
Yakuza – Triple with Sorachi Ace
Victor Ale ’12 – Strong Pale with White grapes
Victoria Ale ’12 – Strong Pale with red grapes
Interlude ’12 – wine barrel aged Farmhouse
James Bean – Bourbon Barrel Triple w/cold pressed local coffee
Odessey ’13 – oak aged dark wheat
Bourbon Black – Bourbon Barrel Belgian Stout
Curieux – aged Bourbon Triple

Strangeways Curiosities Compendium Week 2 — 4pm

I. GEORGIA PEACH NECTAR ALBINO MONKEY WHITE ALE: Peaches and peach puree are cured together to produce an amazing nose of well, peach of course, harboring a natural sweet flavor.

II. EMPEROR’S CHOCOLATE ELIXIR WOODBOOGER BELGIAN BROWN ALE: Dark Chocolate Lovers Rejoice!

III. BERRY MERITAGE WALLONIAN DAWN HONEY SAISON: Note the black and red currants for fruitiness and tang, the hibiscus for tartness, rose hip chips for smoothness and raisins for a natural sweetness.

Friday June 28th

Strangeways Secret Batch 4 Release at Capital Ale House – 5pm

Richmond’s own STRANGEWAYS BREWING will be kicking off their fourth secret brew on Friday June the 28th, and first tastes will be available only at Capital Ale House locations in the RVA area (Midlothian, Innsbrook and Downtown). Each locale will be featuring the entire Strangeways line-up. Come out and steal your very own Strangeways 16oz stemmed Belgian beer goblet, and for the first time ever at Capital Ale House, steal 32oz Strangeways mini-growlers, which the brewery affectionately calls Grunts. All available in limited quantities so plan to get there early!

I’m also hearing there will be special Curiosity Pins at each location.

Saturday June 29th

 

The Arts and Culture Xpo — 10am

Formerly, Cultsha Xpo, this expo supports local organizations by giving you free “bucks” to donate in exchange for cool stuff.  Last year, I won free entry to all Gallery 5 events. 

Best of the Wurst — Legend Brewing — Noon

Richmond.com & King of Pops Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunt that ends with Hardywood after-party at 3pm.

Starr Hill Brew Ridge Trail Collaboration Tapping at Capital Ale House Today

Starr Hill logoFrom Taste the Local:

Thirsty Thursday in effect at all three Capital Ale House locations. They will be tapping the only kegs in RVA of this year’s Brew Ridge Trail collaboration beer. Mark Thompson will be at the Midlo location at 7pm. Booyah!

This year’s BRT, brewed at Starr Hill, is an 8.8% abv, 85 IBU DIPA packed with Apollo, Simcoe, Columbus, & Motueka hops in the kettle and then dry hopped with Centennial, Mosaic, Simcoe, & Falconer’s Flight. Holy Hops, Batman!

Head over to the Facebook event for more information.

Bluegrass & Blue Mountain Takeover at The Camel Tonight

Blue Mountain logo1As if choosing your beer destination for the night was not already tough, The Camel will have their own event tonight Wednesday June 19th as they feature Blue Mountain for a tap takeover. 

Here’s what they will have on tap:

Full Nelson
Lager
Summer Haze
Dark Hollow
Coffee Chocolate Dark Hollow

Enjoy bluegrass music from Charlottesville’s Love Canon starting at 8pm.

Compendium of Curiosities at Strangeways Tonight

Strangeways Brewing gets a little bit more peculiar with their new Compendium of Curiosities series starting tonight Wednesday June 19th at 4pm

Here are the details straight from the monkey’s mouth:

Step Right Up Ladies and Gents, Strangeways Brewing’s Tasting Room Introduces:
A COMPENDIUM OF CURIOSITIES

EACH WEDNESDAY (starting tomorrow June the 19th) we plan on tapping special selections of NEW draft beers. These drafts are in small quantities, and will be available at the brewery tasting room only (while supplies last). Tappings will occur at 4:00 pm. We apologize, but no growler fills on CURIOSITIES Beers.

… This Week, CURIOSITIES Come in Threes:

I. BERRY MERITAGE WALLONIAN DAWN HONEY SAISON: Note the black and red currants for fruitiness and tang, the hibiscus for tartness, rose hip chips for smoothness and raisins for a natural sweetness

II. MALLORCA MELON ALBINO MONKEY WHITE ALE: A delicious blend of Spanish cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, hibiscus, and Seville orange for a sweet and tangy infusion

III. CARAMEL DREAM WOODBOOGER BELGIAN BROWN ALE: Caramel and Madagascar vanilla to give a sweet note to this earthy blend

Check out the Facebook event for more information and updates here.

The Bruery Is The Answer At Mekong Tonight

The Bruery logo2The Bruery, out of Orange County, CA, is by far one of my most favorite breweries around.  My favorite brew from them has to be Autumn Maple; I mean yams and maple syrup in a beer, come on!  Side note: check out all of these recipes using their beers!

Naturally, I’m ecstatic to try the selection Mekong has chosen for a mini tap takeover tonight Wednesday June 19th featuring six of their beers plus a special Andall.  Many of these beers are competely new to me so that is an absolute bonus. 

Here are the beers they will be tapping at 5pm starting off with The Bruery’s fifth anniversary beer, Bois:

Bois – 5th Anniversary beer – 15.5% Olde Ale
White Oak – Wheatwine aged in Bourbon Barrel
Hottenroth – 3.1% Berliner Weisse
Rugbrod – Danish Rye
Trade Winds – Tripel with Thai Basil
Humulus Lager – Hoppy Lager or IPA with Lager yeast
Hottenroth Andall with fresh peaches

Tonight Strangeways Releases Beer #3: Wallonian Dawn Honey Saison

Strangeways WDH saisonToday, Friday June 14th, Strangeways Brewing is releasing Secret Batch #3 on the Richmond beer scene.

Wallonian Dawn Honey Saison

There’s just one catch. This beer will not be available at the brewery tasting room until Saturday.  So go out any of these awesome locations for your first taste:

Mekong
Ellwood Thompson
Saison
Secco Wine Bar
Rappahannock
Gallery 5
Joe’s Inn (Shield’s Ave)
Pho Saigon
Savory Grain
The Camel

Menu Is In For Boulevard Beer Dinner at Fat Dragon Tuesday

Fat Dragon Boulevard Beer Dinner 061813Naturally, Boulevard Brewing’s first beer dinner in Richmond would be on Boulevard.  It’s happening at Fat Dragon next Tuesday June 18th at 6:30pm. Cost for the dinner is $50/person excluding tax and tip.  Take a look at the menu below and call (804) 354-9888 to reserve your spot. 

MENU

Reception and Snack
Unfiltered Wheat | 4.4 ABV |
Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer is a lively, refreshing ale with a natural citrusy flavor and distinctive cloudy appearance.
Steamed Edamame – Tossed with zesty black bean sauce and fresh herbs and sea salt

1st Course
80 Acre Hoppy Wheat | 5.5 ABV |
With roots in two of today’s most popular brewing styles, 80-Acre is a match made in heaven; delightfully distinctive ale with the aroma of an IPA and the refreshing taste of a wheat beer.
Cilantro Lime Chicken – Tossed with fresh veggies, garlic and a secret blend of spices in a tangy citrus sauce

2nd Course
Tank 7 Saison | 8.5 ABV |
Beginning with a big surge of fruity aromatics and grapefruit-hoppy notes, the flavor of this complex, straw-colored ale tapers off to a peppery, dry finish.
Fusion Roasted Pork Bao – delicately roasted pork, mozzarella and basil bao hand made by Chef Zhao

3rd Course
Double-Wide DIPA | 8.5 ABV |
Liberally hopped with toffee and caramel notes balancing out the lingering bitterness. Appreciate the complex blending of hop aromas, ranging from minty to citrusy, with subtle hints of pine.
Duck Fried Rice – House Tea Smoked Duck served with egg crepe

4th Course
The 6th Glass Belgian Dark Strong Ale | 10.5 ABV |
This quadrupel ale is a deep and mysterious libation, dark auburn and full-bodied, its sweetness deceptive.
Chocolate Pate with Pistachio Brittle – Hand crafted by Chef Kevin LaCivita of The Blue Goat Gastropub

Fat Dragon
1200 N Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 354-9888

Rusty Beaver Brewery Opening in Ruther Glen This Friday

Rusty Beaver Brewery Opening 061413Just a short ways past Kings Dominion, Rusty Beaver Brewery, Virginia’s newest nano brewery, will open their doors to the public Friday June 14th at 6pm.

According to their website, it appears they have four main brews to start:

Buck Tooth “Big Bite” IPA – ABV 6.5%
Roy’s Big Bad Brown Ale “Triple B” – ABV 5.7%
The Quake Stout – ABV 8.9%
SMASHed Bastard – ABV 5.2% – Single malt & single hop beer
Zen – ABV 7.5% — Stout and Bastard mixed black and tan style

It’s unclear right now if all of these will be available at the opening but it does sound like a promising lineup.

Give them a follow on Facebook and Twitter to catch their updates.

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