Ymm, Beer

[devildeac]

Ha!

But if you don't believe me, here is a pic of the pub...

Attachment 12638

It's pretty magical in the summer around dinner time.

Holy cow, what a location/view!

[devildeac]

Can't drink all round if you don't start on the 1st tee . . . . .

That sounds suspiciously familiar...

[devildeac]

Hmm, starting to see a pattern here.

You might get some friendly "push back" from a homebrewer's husband about a "hoppy amber," especially with that style possibly on-deck in his fermenter.

Might cause some Ford-Chevy controversy, but I learned to drive a manual transmission when I was 20 years old in a car that looked *something* like this:

280px-1965_Ford_Mustang_2D_Hardtop_Front.jpg

No beer involved.

[devildeac]

I'm not going to skirt this difficult question. As y'all know, I'm a fanboy of New Anthem, believe Foothills may have the best portfolio of "dark beers" around, think SoPines has come a long, long way and makes some really great beer, and am a YUGE proponent of Hardywood. But, if I could have beer from only a single brewery for the rest of my life, that brewery would be . . . . . <drum roll>









Haw River Farmhouse Ales.

They make *so* many varieties of such interesting stuff and, with maybe one exception (an IPA that didn't bowl me over), they execute it superbly.

A bit of a surprising choice and certainly not arguable. I agree, they've brewed quite a variety of wonderful products since they've been open and the only one I recall that didn't please my palate was Saxy Machismo, but I know you and RJ199 would "beg to differ."

[devildeac]

This is tough.

Favorite overall (maybe) Burial. Beer wise, they nail EVERY style on the head. From lagers to stouts to all sorts of IPAs (NEIPA/West Coast) I have never had anything less than Cat 3 - maybe one or two very high Cat 2s. Really cool atmosphere at the brewery too with some solid food options.

For IPAs - New Anthem. Total fangirl. I haven't had anything less than Cat 3 in the style, but haven't had many of their non-IPA styles.

Favorite in Winston-Salem - Wise Man. Like Burial, they nail every style, but just a step below in quality. Everything is strong Cat 2 or Cat 3 level.

<3 NC Beer!

Another great list.

[devildeac]

I'd bet even a so-so beer would be enjoyable there. Confirms my inclusion of Wasatch Devastator \ Utah for the "virtual vacation" VP.

Oooh, had that one on draft on a ski trip a decade or more ago with our son. Delicious beer.

[devildeac]

I mean, he'd be down with it. But wouldn't a "hoppy amber" just be a pale ale? Possibly with a little more malt complexity?

At first, no, but, when you added "malt complexity," I'd certainly agree.

[devildeac]

Good call, both as to the beer and the location. Of course, a Polygamy Porter or three might have been better. I mean, why have just one?

I believe another of their marketing slogans from a couple decades ago was, "Take one home to the wives."

[devildeac]

You're not fooling anybody Dr. dd. We know you are a fine physician who has worked his can off over the years. My husband was asked when he would retire
and he answered, "I didn't know doctors have that option. I thought we all just dropped dead in the exam room."

He's a regular laff riot.

Doctors don't retire, they just lose...











...patients.

(I'll show myself out.)

[devildeac]

Question to the group:

When your queue/inventory has a mix of (a) beers that you have never tried but look/sound interesting, and (b) ones you have tried and know you really like, do you tend to favor one category over the other in choosing what to drink next? I find I trend toward “untried but intriguing” over “tried and true.” But maybe I’m weird that way.

Just curious.

Alternating nights is usually my strategy with a new beer one night and the next night will be "it sure has been a while since I poured a Backwoods Bastard or CBS."

[devildeac]

Definitely depends on my mood, what kind of day I've had. Sometimes I just want something comfortable. Sometimes I'm feeling more adventurous. Percentage-wise, I'd say I'm about 30% tried and true versus 70% untried and intriguing versus 20% whatever my hand hits first when I reach in the fridge.

Wait, is that the RJ199 higher math answer?

[devildeac]

In most things in life, I have a difficult time passing over something tried and true in favor or something I have heard good things about. I strive to expand my experiences, but I have to actively work at it.

Ok, thinking I remember your general beer preferences, Green Man IPA vs a (hypothetical) new Burial IPA released last week.

The correct answer, of course, is allowed to be #1, #2, both or neither.

[devildeac]

That'll do it for a while. At least until after the game.

[devildeac]

Another fanboy/girl alert:

e10096944cc85c972b7d9f3f734f41d4_640x640.jpg

[Nrrrrvous]

My second Stout in as many weeks.

Proustian Moment from Bingo Beer

Our Imperial Stout aged in Woodford Reserve (Mmm) Bourbon Barrels - 11.5%

A delicious stout that definitely hid it's 11.5%. No alcohol, no bitterness. All ymmm, beer.

[Tripping William]

Part of the reason I asked the earlier question about "new and intriguing" versus "tried and true" is because I was really, really debating between cracking open another can of NA The Vapors or trying this one. I went with "new." Part of Incendiary's Shift series, this NEIPA comes with Enigma hops, grains listed as "Golden Promise, Pilsner, Wheat, and Oats," and a "Proprietary Tri Blend" yeast. Bright yellow pour with some haziness. Decent sized white head. Really very smooth and rounded for an NEIPA. Some citrus, but more "malty" than most in this style. I'd guess IBUs in the 45 range, maybe a bit higher. 8.1% ABV. This is a really good beer; definitely worth tracking down. Wish I had more than this single.

[richardjackson199]

Obviously my favorite brewery is Hardywood, with Veil second and Ardent third, although the honey ginger and bba honey ginger (when they have it) might be my go to everyday beer.

Hardywood and Veil rely on food trucks, but have indoor and outdoor space - Hardywood is definitely bigger, plus they have two locations, downtown/scott's addition and west end/west creek. Ardent just started a food shop - outdoor only option, that has been quite good. Small, reservations required, but good salad and sandwiches.

Hardywood west creek has outdoor fire pits, nice seating indoors and out, usually has weekend entertainment pre-covid, this winter they put up a large outdoor tent for covid. They are remodeling/rebuilding downtown, I need to go back and check on their progress.

Mouth watering - I'd definitely love to meet up with y'all at Hardywood and Ardent on my next Richmond muling vacay

[richardjackson199]

OK, here's a stab at the favorite list (ask me tomorrow and it will be different)

For beer alone -

Veil - for their beer and their "non-beer"
Three Notch'd - everything from there has been great for a couple years now
Lickinghole Creek - reminds me I need to place another order soon


For Ambiance?

Legend - Nothing like sitting on the deck watching the sunset and all the lights of the city come on with a Tripel in hand, splitting a Cuban sandwich, listening to a favorite Jazz trio. (Django Tango being one of my personal faves!)

Answer - Monday night is (well, used to be) funk night. Great Beer, Great Food and Great Music is definitely the trifecta. Mekong Express - the group of guys who used to get together there, put an album out.

Bacova Beer - Nestled in my tiny little home town of Hot Springs, VA. The beer is meh, but they're really trying hard. And I can't walk in without meeting some old girlfriend from high school or someone whose grass I used to mow, or something along those lines. It's like something out of some bad movie.

Zion Brewpub - A good pint, some good Schnitzel, surrounded by the beauty that is Zion National Park. And the homemade German Soft Pretzels are to die for.

Yes to all!

I really need to drink more Three Notch'd.

As for other future Va hangouts -

The Legend of Zion is the Answer.

[richardjackson199]

You sir, are a genius. I love this.

Agreed

[richardjackson199]

I'm not going to skirt this difficult question. As y'all know, I'm a fanboy of New Anthem, believe Foothills may have the best portfolio of "dark beers" around, think SoPines has come a long, long way and makes some really great beer, and am a YUGE proponent of Hardywood. But, if I could have beer from only a single brewery for the rest of my life, that brewery would be . . . . . <drum roll>


Haw River Farmhouse Ales.

They make *so* many varieties of such interesting stuff and, with maybe one exception (an IPA that didn't bowl me over), they execute it superbly.

That's why this is fun. I never would have predicted Haw River would be your answer. I would have thought they would be #41. It's good they're in the space between Foothills and SoPines. Glad we don't have to choose just one. Living in a state and next to a state with such great beer to crush is... so damn lucky.

There's almost too much.

Bartender please