TWIB – Talking, Studying, Mailing and Drinking

This Week in Beer (TWIB) is a feature where I’ll highlight some craft beers I had during this past week mixed with some related (and unrelated) thoughts. Yes, it’s a play on the name of the show This Week in Baseball which I grew up on and loved.

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted a TWIB but that doesn’t mean craft beer has been quiet. Here are some recent happenings to me, my blog and the beer world.

I’m a Glass Half Full Kinda Guy

I finally got to sit down for a few pints at Glass Half Full Taproom in Ashburn, Virginia. It is a small bar inside the new Alamo Drafthouse movie theater. No movie ticket is required to enter and the bar is well worth going to even if you aren’t planning on seeing a movie. It has about 15-20 barstools and ten or so tables surrounded by a rugged wood decor.  The staff is highly knowledgeable about their beer. They have 32 taps of which most rotate regularly.

TWIB – Hello Raleigh, It’s Wedding Season!

This Week in Beer (TWIB) is a feature where I’ll highlight some craft beers I had during this past week mixed with some related (and unrelated) thoughts. Yes, it’s a play on the name of the show This Week in Baseball which I grew up on and loved.

This Week in Beer was all about trying new beer in new places.

It’s wedding season!

Leesburg Brewing Company

I checked out Leesburg Brewing Company on Friday for lunch. It’s in a great location in downtown Leesburg, Virginia which is quickly becoming a craft beer Mecca with MacDowell Brew Kitchen, Fireworks Pizza, Doner Bistro, the future Crooked Run Brewing, and more all within close walking distance.

Leesburg Brewing Company has been open for two weeks. Unfortunately they aren’t serving their own beer yet. They are still getting the proper state licenses. The owner said they hope to be serving in the next three or so months. They will be specializing in ales with something like 40 different ale recipes they brew offsite. However in the meantime they still carry five craft beers on tap. I had DC Brau’s Penn Quarter Porter for the first time with my WOW! Burger made with chorizo. The beer was just as good as the burger — I highly recommend them both.

Hey give Leesburg Brewing Company a follow if you’re on Twitter!

North Carolina Brewery Trifecta

Big Boss Brewing

I was lucky enough to go to my cousin’s wedding in Raleigh, North Carolina this weekend. It was a beautiful ceremony for a beautiful couple. What made the night even better was that they served two Big Boss Brewing beers. I’ve never even heard of them, a brewery in Raleigh.

Angry Angel KÖLSCH-STYLE ALE

This beer was a perfect beer for a summer day. It’s almost a session beer at 4.75% ABV and is very light tasting. I’d buy this if I came across it where I am in Virginia.

High Roller American-Style IPA

This one wasn’t as good as the Angry Angel. But I’m also not a hophead. The couple hopheads I talked to at the wedding seemed to like this one a lot. It’s not for me however.

TWIB – Homebrews, Hefeweizens and Time Travel

This Week in Beer (TWIB) is a feature where I’ll highlight some craft beers I had during this past week mixed with some related (and unrelated) thoughts. Yes, it’s a play on the name of the show This Week in Baseball which I grew up on and loved.

This week in beer was a homebrew and entertainment filled one. Had a friend’s homebrew, tried my newest homebrew for the first time and went to the ballpark.

Boeser Brau’s American Pilsner Homebrew

Even though I’m a homebrewer (yes, a new homebrewer but regardless) I haven’t had many other people’s homebrews outside of my own. He put mine to shame! I absolutely loved everything about this beer. From the golden, yellow color to the crisp Pilsner taste, keep up the great work, Scott!

21st Amendment Bitter American

There’s a new movie theater by me called the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema where they serve you dinner, beer, popcorn, etc. at your seat (pretty cool, right?). So my wife and I went to check it out on Friday and saw Gatsby. We got their carnivore pizza which I’ll rate a 9 out of 10, their chips with queso dip which I’ll give a 6 out of 10 and their popcorn — usual awesome theater popcorn. I also ordered a 21st Amendment Bitter American. I’ve had this before and it’s one of my go-to beers. It’s light, flavorful, low in alcohol at 4.4% and has some badass artwork like all the 21st Amendment cans. The theater itself serves many local beers — Starr Hill, Lost Rhino, Williamsburg Alewerks, DC Brau and more. It also has a bar inside called Glass Half Full Taproom. We poked out heads in and it looks cozy. Full bar with beer reasonably priced.

One more thing! This is in the new One Loudoun development and it looks like a Bar Louie going in soon. I’ve been to the one downtown and I can’t wait for one to be here.

April Dirty Thirty Day 9 – DC Brau and Union Craft Brewing Yonder Cities

Yesterday was a whirlwind where I unexpected ended up at Mad Fox Brewing Company for a semi-private tour with the owner and the G.R.I.S.T. homebrewing club. Needless to say, getting this review up was not at the top of list of things to do after being out of the house for almost 20 hours. My previous review schedule is now going to shift but it was well worth it. So yesterday’s April Dirty Thirty review was on…

DC Brau and Union Craft Brewing Yonder Cities

DC Brau and Union Craft Brewing Yonder Cities Farmhouse IPA

Critical Information:

• 6.7% ABV
• Limited Release

My Experience:

– POUR

It was poured off tap at Rustico into a tulip glass. It has an opaque yellow color with limited carbonation and a white foam head.

– SMELL

It gave off an aroma of bananas, cloves and spices mixed with an explosion of hops.

– TASTE

In a word, wonderful. It was hoppy but not over-powerful. It has a rich, spice kick to it. The bananas eventually work their way in. It has a good, light weight to it. The flavors stick around and you don’t want them to go away.

– FOOD PAIRING

So far each beer I’ve had in this project I’ve drank alone with no pairing — either in the afternoon before dinner or late in the evening well past dinner. Last night I didn’t want to starve so I ordered a basket of thick cut fries with truffled Parmesan. Not a bad combo. I was going to take a picture but when I thought about it I realized most of the basket was gone and you would have just seen an empty, metal tin.

– OVERALL THOUGHTS

Yonder Cities is dangerous. It’s dangerous because I could easily down quite a few of them and at 6.7% ABV this is not a session beer. Being off tap probably helps but I still really enjoyed this beer.

Score: 8/10

Congratulations for being a part of the April Dirty Thirty project. Keep the tweets and comments coming, you’re doing fantastic! Remember to use #AprilDirty30. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this beer, what you had tonight, what you’ve tried recently, anything.

One new beer a night for a month. Review it. Share it. Expand your beer knowledge.