The Brewer’s Association has released the breweries selected to attend SAVOR for 2012. Congratulations go out to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery for being selected to attend SAVOR this coming June in Washington, DC! Richmond, you should be very proud to have Hardywood represent us at the premier food and craft beer event in our nation’s capital. Other Virginia breweries selected to attend include Devils Backbone (Supporting Brewery), Capitol City Brewing, and Port City Brewing. View the full list of breweries here and read up on my experience at last year’s SAVOR here. Once again, congrats Hardywood on the well deserved selection! I hope to be joining you up there this year!
Empress Tastes Dark Beers for January
In their last Tuesday Tasting of the month, The Empress will take diners on a tour of five dark beers and exciting food pairings. Aaron Hoskin’s first pairing gives me something I’ve been waiting to see in Richmond for a long time, DUCK FAT FRIES!
MENU
- Southern Tier Iniquity Black Ale (Black IPA) with Duck fat french fries with duck gravy and fresh cheese curds
- Left Hand Brewing Fade to Black, Vol 3 (Chili Porter) with House made spicy pork sausage on bun, pickled rainbow chard relish, tomato mostarda, and fresh dill.
- Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout with Fried chicken oyster with pecan waffle and powdered bourbon-maple butter.
- Aventinus Eisbock with Braised Wild Boar-BQ, apple-anise BBQ sauce, “Baked bean” cassoulet, sweet fennel slaw, and shallot- banana hush puppies.
- Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout with Sweetened foie gras mousse filled donut hole, Nutella drizzle, and smoked sea salt.
Unlike most of their tastings this one is not gluten-free and there will not be gluten-free options available. However, there will be vegetarian options available for the tasting. The tasting is $25 and starts at 7pm sharp and reservations are strongly recommended. See more over at the Facebook event here.
The Empress
2043 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 592-4000
Whole Foods Short Pump Had Hopslam
Update: Well, that was quick! As of 10:30am, Whole Foods Short Pump was SOLD OUT of Hopslam! In what must be a record, they sold 16 cases in 90 minutes. To those of you that got some, congrats! To those that didn’t, better luck next time or find someone who did and see if they’ll share.
Debated as the king of all hoppy beers, Bell’s Hopslam is now available at Whole Foods Short Pump. Even though blurry, you can tell by the picture that they have a lot of it. However, there’s no telling how long it will last. So if you want some, you better stop your squinting and go get some.
Stay up to date with beer at Whole Foods Short Pump on their Facebook page here.
Year’s of the DRAG-AN at Mekong
This just came to my attention for tonight. Mekong celebrates the year of the dragon the only way they know how — the tapping of dragon themed beers. What’s more, if you loved any of Hardywood’s milk stouts (and I know you did), you need to be there to get the first taste of Hardywood’s Bourbon Barrel Milk Stout cleverly named Enter the Dragon! But wait there’s more! Tonight will be the first time Gulden Draak 9000 Quad is available in Richmond. Here’s current list of beers with more sure to be tapped.
Dragon’s Milk 2008
Gulden Draak
Gulden Draak 9000 Quad
Hardywood Park Bourbon Barrel Milkstout aka Enter the Dragon
Head over to the Facebook event to see more.
One More Reason to Attend RVANews Beer Dinner
The RVANews Beer Dinner is this coming Sunday at The Roosevelt. If you haven’t gotten your tickets, you better hurry cause time is running out fast. Once again here’s the menu.
MENU
Welcome Beer: Kostritzer Schwarzbier
Ettaler Helles
Roasted NC trout w/ smoked trout, apple, fennel, and celery salad, herbed creme fraiche
Uerige Classic
Local sausage and braised pork cheek, champange braised sauerkraut, grainy mustard potato puree
Porticus Leipziger Doppel Porter
Short rib sauerbraten, braised cabbage puree, caraway spaetzle
Alvinne Podge (Belgian Barley Wine)
Gingerbread panna cotta, toasted walnuts, red wine pear compote
If those tasty morsels were not enough to convince you, here’s another reason for you to attend. I WILL BE THERE! Personally, I think it could be the best reason of all. So go ahead and get your tickets here.
Secco Has Beer for Breakfast
This Sunday Secco Wine Bar is doing something a little out of the ordinary for them. Breakfast! Celebrating the arrival of a sixtel keg of Founders Breakfast Stout, they will be getting up a couple hours early to provide four a la carte breakfast selections.
Beer Breakfast Menu (available Sunday, January 15, 10AM – 2PM)
Malted Cocoa French Toast w/ Vanilla Butter, Maple Syrup, House-made Bacon and Fingerling Hash
Heuvos Rancheros: Cranberry Beans w/ Soft Egg, Tomatillo Pico de Gallo, Mexican Crema and Fresh Corn Tortilla
Spiced Apple Coffee Cake w/ House-made Cherry – Walnut Granola and Cardamom Yogurt
Oyster and Pork Sausage Gravy over Butter Biscuits w/ Poached Oysters and a Poached Egg
Everything sounds quite delicious especially that French toast. I wonder if we can get them to use some of the stout in the batter. Sounds like a foodgasm in the making. Bell’s Expedition will be on deck for when the 41 pints of Founder’s is gone. Get more information here.
Secco Wine Bar
2933 West Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23221-3515
(804) 353-0670
Happy 10th Capital Ale House!
It’s hard to believe it has been 10 short years since Capital Ale House first opened their doors in downtown Richmond. In those 10 years, Capital has extended its reach by adding locations in Midlothian, Innsbrook, and as well as distant Fredericksburg.
Never ones to think small, Cap Ale has big plans on the agenda. We’re talking year long big. First, how do you feel about a special beer? How about 12 of them? Well, that’s what they’ve done. Capital Ale House has contracted with 12 breweries for special anniversary beers to be tapped each month.
The first brewery to contribute a beer to this celebration will be Starr Hill Brewing with their “Doppelbock, an extra-strong dark lager with a massive caramel aroma and a gentle toasty bittersweet finish”. Before you groan and ask why Starr Hill, consider that Starr Hill for a long time had their own music hall in Charlottesville. I will openly admit that I have not been the biggest fan of Starr Hill’s beers, but a recent visit to the brewery has me changing my mind. After receiving a six pack of dopplebock for Christmas, I said I needed to try more of the style. So I guess I will be starting with their Doppelbock and hope you will give Starr Hill a second try. I think you will be surprised.
The tapping will begin at 6pm at the Downtown location. Read more at the Facebook event page.
Oh and that’s not all! Apparently, there will be a second special beer from Starr Hill tonight as well. According to this tweet from the brewery, their All Access Wee Heavy will also be on tap.
All Access Wee Heavy on tap @CapitalAleHouse Downtown this FRIDAY on.fb.me/wEUXcl @TasteTheLocal #RVA #rvabeer
— Starr Hill Brewery (@StarrHill) January 9, 2012
So what else done Capital Ale have planned for this milestone year. Wait and see!
Remember it all starts at 6pm!
623 E Main St.
Richmond, VA 23219-2405
Capital Ale Starts Year with Dogfish Heads and Randalls
Welcome dear readers to 2012. I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday season. It took me a bit longer to recover from all the drinking celebrating than I thought it would. I thought I’d have another week before any cool beer events would show up in the calendar. Capital Ale House has proven me wrong with events exclusively at their Downtown and Innsbrook locations.
Downtown Dogfish Head Tapping
The Dogfish Head Tapping event started New Years Day and continues until Saturday, Jan 7th. Namaste, Theobroma, Midas Touch, and My Antonia were tapped in the last two days. There’s a good chance you may still be able to get some of these today. Here’s what you can expect for the rest of the week. Tappings will start at 4pm Tues – Fri and 7pm Sat
Tuesday January 3rd
Palo Santo Marron
Chicory Stout
Wednesday January 4th
Chateau Jiahu
Sah-Tea
Thursday January 5th
Black & Blue
Immort
Friday January 6th
Burton Baton
120 Minute
Saturday January 7th
Miles Davis Bitch’s Brew
Hellhound
Fort
Innsbrook Single Randall Nights
Starting 5pm this and every other Friday in January, the Innsbrook location will be running a much beloved IPA through a randall of hops as an experimentation in taste. Hopheads this is an event for you. Go out and experience it for yourself and make sure to give your feedback. Capital Ale has carefully selected the hops paired with each beer and wants you to judge on how well they work. Servers or bartenders will have comment sheets so you can tell them what you think.
January 6th: Bear Republic Racer 5 run through Chinook hops
January 13th: Founders Centennial run through Columbus hops
January 20th: Stone IPA run through Fuggle hops
January 27th: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA run through Nugget hops
If anyone had a resolution of cutting down on beer, I predict you will be breaking it this week. I’m sure there is a lot of other stuff you can resolve to change.
Simplest Christmas Gift
Sometimes the simplest Christmas gifts are the best. Further proof that I have some of the best friends ever, I received this six pack along with matching glasses. How cool is that?! Thank you, Andrew Cothern and Kevin Clay!
Alright, I’m going back to my break. Merry Christmas everyone!
Last Minute Gift Ideas for Your Beer Geek
Here it is the day before Christmas Eve and you have yet to find that perfect gift for the beer geek in your life. Don’t worry I have a few suggestions from around town.
Hardywood Schwag
I don’t think anyone would disagree that Hardywood is the hottest thing to hit the Richmond beer scene in quite awhile. There is virtually no way you could get it wrong by choosing something they have to offer in their tasting room. If you want them to love you forever, get them the ever sexy black stainless insulated growler. Designed by Hydroflask, this growler boasts the claims of being able to keep beer carbonated for up to a week and cold for 24 hours.
These cedar coasters caught my attention at Hardywood’s last party. This would be a perfect gift for someone who has every beer glass in the world.
Hardywood’s tasting room is open 2-5pm Dec. 23rd. Take a look other gift options offered by Hardywood.
St Bernadus Giftset
Without a doubt, St Bernadus’ Abt 12 is one of my favorite Belgian beers that I have ever had. If I don’t get this for Christmas, I may have to go get it for myself. I have only seen this one at Ellwood Thompson and Wine & Beer Westpark but you can also check Once Upon A Vine South as well.
Spices
This is strictly for your homebrewer. Penzeys Spices in Carytown has a great collection of spices that any intrepid homebrewer would love to get their hands on. A few spices that come to mind are coriander, cardamom, crystallized ginger, star anise, cinnamon and a variety of peppercorns. The sky is limit here.
Beer Marinades
Does your beer geek love to cook? I just saw these marinades at Whole Foods Short Pump just the other day. The stout marinade uses Heavy Seas Peg Leg.
Gift Cards
They may be cliche but it is a fact that they are an all around great option when the person you are buying for does not have a predictable palate. I recommend starting at least $25. This will allow them to get a variety of beers from Once Upon a Vine South or Wine & Beer Westpark. If you are buying for a homebrewer, look for certificates from either The Weekend Brewer or Original Gravity.
I am going to take some time off to enjoy Christmas and New Years. I hope everyone out there has a wonderful holiday season. I will be back fresh in the new year.
Cheers!
Richmond Beermeister 