August has been a fantastic beer month so far, and that will continue with the Flour City Brew Fest tonight at the Rochester Public Market. I have tasted 78 distinct beers that I've never had before from Virginia and North Carolina (the Charlotte and Asheville areas mostly) from around 35 breweries, most of which are brand new to me! I attended an amazing beer fest called Whistle Belly in Williamsburg, VA that had all you could eat/drink and some of the best beer I've ever had. I was also privileged enough to tour Sierra Nevada's Mills River Brewery in North Carolina and it was a beauty.
The Beer!
I could give you a rundown on every single brew, but I think I will bring out the highlights instead from let's say 20 brews. I'll try and hit as many breweries as I can but I admit there are some true standouts and some old favorites (in no particular order).
...while in Virginia...
Parkway Brewing Co. Raven's Roost Baltic Porter - I loved this one the first time my older sister let me try it so I got another bottle later on, lots of raisin, prune, ham/smoke, milk chocolate, with a mild roastiness and a slightly sweet balance and pleasant bitterness, pours a dark brown mohagany root beer color. 7.1% ABV, more here.
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Gingerbread Stout - one of the things I loved about Whistle Belly was how all the VIP hour specialty brews were still available once general admission started. Other beer festivals I've been to pulled the good brews after GA started. This Gingerbread Stout was more of a spiced ginger than fresh hot but delicious nonetheless. 9.2% ABV, more here.
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Virginia Blackberry - a truly delicious white beer with loads of Virginia blackberries, exceptional, ripe, delicate fruity nose, clove, berries galore, medium light body, rose wine characteristics, reddish hue, floral with a hint of spiciness. 6.8% ABV, more here.
AleWerks Brewing Co. Imperial Milk Stout (on cask with white chocolate) - rich, sweet, decadent, very limited release, isn't on their website. 8% ABV, AleWerks here.
Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery Batchelor's Delight - this rum barrel-aged Belgian quad was really interesting, with a tea aroma and strong notes of peppermint and a herbaceous nose, it hides the pretty well. 12 % ABV, more here.
Alpine Beer Company Duet (cask with Amarillo hops) - so fresh, delicious pine and citrus notes and great aroma, refreshing, on cask at Whistle Belly. 7% ABV, more here.
Founders Brewing Company Rubaeus - seen this plenty of times never pulled the trigger because beer money is precious but now I know it's definitely worth purchasing, had it on nitro, luscious and smooth raspberry puree, tantalizing and delicious. 5.7% ABV, more here.
Goose Island Beer Company Bourbon County Brand Stout - finally had the opportunity to try this at Whistle Belly, got the last bit in the tap lines! an immense stout in flavor and ABV, strong, rich, dark, smooth, not overly boozy, similar to dogfish head palo santo marron but less woody? 14.2% ABV, more here.
Foothills Brewing People's Porter - actually a NC brew, delicious, smooth, balanced with herbal hops, caramel, toffee, chocolate and espresso finish, quite sessionable. 5.8% ABV. More here.
...while in North Carolina...
Birdsong Brewing Company Jalapeno Pale Ale - had this at a fish taco restaurant and it hit the spot with its spiciness and really fresh jalapeno aroma/taste, a very different brew because it doesn't have those phenolic peppery notes but it still has a lot of jalapeno. 5.5% ABV, more here.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Audition Saison - one of five beers I tried at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's tap room, and this one really stuck out with its bubble gum, tart red berry, spicy peppercorn, pear, cider and sweat clove characteristics, it poured a straw color. 5.6% ABV.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Harvest Newly Developed Hops IPA - just out of the fermentation tank two days, this was orange, tropical, pineapple, vanilla, and says it is "cedar, cocoa, coconut, oak, orange zest, vanilla" all with the typical Sierra Nevada bitterness/malt bill. I brought back a 2 pint "Crowler" can for my bro. 6.5% ABV. More here.
Wicked Weed Brewing Berry Pi'd - a fruit beer with red, tart peel, raspberry, strawberry, jam, blackberry fruits, dry, fresh and crisp. 3.14% ABV, more here.
Wicked Weed Brewing Serenity - a golden/straw colored sour ale blended after aging in wine barrels with barnyard funk nose, medium light body, it is cidery, vanilla, oak, a mild sourness and creaminess. The brett funk is restrained and unoffensive and I actually enjoyed the whole experience of this beer. 5.5% ABV, more here.
Wicked Weed Brewing Dark Age Bourbon Stout - a russian imperial stout with strong bourbon molasses nose, a full body, notes of vanilla, bourbon, smooth bitter chocolate, espresso, it's sweet rich and lasting in the mouth. 11.9% ABV.
The Unknown Brewing Company Over the Edge IPA - from Charlotte, this IPA has pineapple, green and fresh, menthol, sappy hops, watermelon, tea, kiwi, caramel malt and smells like a Sierra Nevada brew. 6.9% ABV, more here.
Founders Brewing Company Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) - both heavy hitters in one week, this one was the real treat actually, it has a huge vanilla hit, bold coffee and chocolate, warming bourbon, roasty esspresso beans kick through, extremely rich, earthy, plum, raisin, toffee, caramel, fudge, buttery creaminess, butterscotch. Decadent. 11.2% ABV. More here.
DuClaw Brewing Company Morgazm - a blonde ale from Baltimore with a nice peely grapefruit, orange juice, citrus, balanced pine/earthy hops, floral, crisp, refreshing and sessionable, and a gold color. 5% ABV. More here.
...the after party, back home...
Flying Fish Brewing Company Exit 3: Blueberry Braggot - a delicious honey braggot with tart citrus/blueberry notes, earthy, reddish amber and a medium full mouthfeel. This comes in a big bottle and a big ABV. 15% ABV. More here.
Cambridge Brewing Company Flower Child IPA - my friend brought this from MA for us to try, super fresh, pink grapefruit, apricot, smooth, gorgeous white head that sticks to the sides, orange, pine, very floral, dextrose noticeable. 6.5% ABV. More here.
AleWerks Brewing Company Rapadou Porter - nutty, creamy, it progresses nicely from sweet sugar to smoke to roasty coffee mocha to espresso w/vanilla bean, mohagany color is gorgeous while being poured, raisin/prune, a tad warming/boozy, deep brown/black color in the glass, milkiness, molasses. 9% ABV. More here.
Lonerider Brewing Company Sweet Josie - a brown ale that is loaded with milk chocolate, peanut butter, a perfect balance of noble-esque hops that leave a sweet balanced bready malt, deep brown color with a bit tan head, super smooth and sessionable. 6.1% ABV. More here.
Well, I kept it to 22. Hopefully tonight's fest will keep the trend going.
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