Voodoo Maple Doughnut (Rogue Brewing)

    Big bright pink bottle, the words voodoo, and the promise of maple bacon? I have heard of this beer before but never put my eyes or hands on one until a few weeks ago. Now that I have tried it I am assuming that it has been hard to find because people only bring enough in for us curious drunkards. Rogue delivered on everything promised, and yes we asked for it. This beer is not a gentle blend of maple and bacon. I would describe it as a layered shot of syrup and liquid smoke, and you will taste the maple for a day or so after. First and last time I will try bacon maple ale, but I have heard there is a peanut butter ale coming.

    So where does this beer fit into the scheme of things? Well somewhere in a back room of a small brewery, a man gets tired of limits and puts a bottle of syrup in a pilot (small, usually 5 gallons or so) batch of beer. It is then sampled around the tasting room for judging. Sometimes these beers make it into bottles for the masses as a extreme beer, extreme in that it doesn't fall into any category. There is a pistachio IPA from a local brewery that is definitely extreme. Green eyed lady is a 10.5 percent IPA, with very little bite. The oils in the nut kill the acidity in the ale, the opposite of what an IPA should be. Ghost Face Killa from twisted pine, is an ale brewed with ghost peppers. It is an extremely spicy beer only sold in 12oz bottles that gets on section at the wine shop. This category is comforting that there really is or will be something for everyone. With a brewer like rogue pushing the envelope only confirms that craft beer cannot be stopped. www.rogue.com

Scotchtown Barrel Aged (Center of the Universe)

  Barrel aged beer has gone from being a secret beer nerd behind the counter, limited release occasional treat to a more regular occurrence. Bourbon distilleries use charred oak barrels to turn, basically moonshine into what we buy at the ABC store. As the potent alcohol sits in the oak, it pulls out color and hints of flavor. Once the bourbon is bottled the barrel is trash, only used once. That is until your local craft brewery comes by and offers to haul them away, or your hippie daughter turns them into rain water collection devices. Those oak barrels are capable of having the same affect on flavor for beer that it does on the whiskey, plus a little extra. This extra is what people commonly refer to as the boozy-ness of said beer. The pure alcohol flavor will drown out the subtle flavors, which can be rather disappointing. For this very reason, I try to buy two of a limited barrel release, one for now and one for later.

    I went to Center of the Universe the friday they released this beer. I was there at 4 when they opened. I intended to have a glass and buy a bottle to save for later. I took my first sip and was blown away. The best of the barrel was present, and the earlier released Scotchtown had a lot fuller body. One of the owners came out and remarked "We tested it regularly, so it didn't go to far. If we wanted a beer that taste like bourbon we would have just bought bourbon." They only made 15 barrels or 30 kegs of this beer, and it was going to sell fast. I started to panic about when I could drink this again? ? ? I'm sure this will be in regular rotation. COTU has already moved on to their next release, Monkey's Uncle a Belgian Triple with lemon grass. Keep up with all the news at COTUbrewing.com. 

Best By 2/15/13 (Stone Brewing Company)

    Well the past few weeks the beer scene has been flooded with limited, short run IPA's from all over the US. This was the first one on the scene that everyone went searching for. I realize that some of you don't fully realize what I mean by this hunt. When these beers hit the market it's like a frenzy, you here about it all over the Internet. If you are not attentive these beers pass you by, with little exposure. I will be sure to get a quick post out the next time something goes so viral. He'll, try to get your hands on a barrel aged Bigfoot barley wine from Sierra Nevada right now! Most stores only got one case or 12 bottles. This beer came out last Wednesday, and only two total wines in NOVA have received this beer so far. The stores in Richmond sold out in 5 hours or so. 

    The frenzy over IPA's is some what understandable. This style of beer is best had fresh, as Stone pointed out by telling consumers to drink thus beer by a certain date.  The hop is a fresh herb that spoils as it is exposed to fermenting liquid. This is the last time I will say this, drink fresh IPA's!

    This beer from Stone comes in at about an 8 compared to the other offerings this month. I prefer the floral or piney flavor that this beer provides. The Troeg's nugget nectar provides the clean flavor and slap in the face that I look for out of this style. Get into the hunt! This beer should come back around for Stone. Keep tabs at www.stonebrewing.com and enjoy fresh!

Queen City Brewing (Staunton Va.)

    This year is the 10th anniversary of the fabled Dutch camping trip, which is a Friday to Monday event outside of Staunton Va. We had visited the site a month or so earlier and I attempted to find the breweries in the town of Staunton, I couldn't help myself. It turns out that Red Beard (not open yet) is going to be in the downtown area and Queen City Brewing is just off 250 on the way to the camp site.
    I have started a new position at work which almost forced me to cut the trip short this year. The idea of leaving Friday after work was going to be a painful decision. I got off work around noon and spent a couple of ours getting some last minute things in the truck and getting ready to set off. The moment I got on 295 to start my journey it starting snowing. No problem, dutch was used to snow, then it really started coming down and sticking to the road. I have already spent 5 hours behind the wheel today for work and now this was going to stop me, NO! I pushed on and cruised into the parking lot of Queen City right at 4 o'clock.

    It was no wonder I missed this brewery. We were looking on the wrong side of the street, and it was not anything like the other places I have been to. It was very small and tucked away in a hollowed out 7-11. They didn't have the massive stainless tanks, or anywhere to sit inside. Queen City acts as a place for home brewers more than beer enthusiasts. Two gentlemen who were waiting for them to open happened to be brewing beer there at the moment. The variety of beer available was far and wide. They offered pick your own 6 packs, single 22oz bottles, and 11 different beers for growler fills. Did I mention how inexpensive their beers are? I bought what is the picture about for less than $17.00! Most breweries charge 7-8 bucks for the growler bottle alone, QCB $3.50. The "limited edition" Barleywine came in at under 5 dollars, this caliber beer at a wine shop would be twice that much. 

    I guess most home brewers with big ambitions of developing into a larger scale operation would dream of places like Hardywood, or Smartmouth as a template for their brewery. Queen City is a place for the home brewing community in a local with limited resources. I would be excited to hang out at this place simply for the fact that these guys have nothing to lose and are really on the front line of innovation.