4 replies to this topic

[TedE]

DC Beer Week is already halfway over, but there are some good events still on tap for the remaining days:

http://dcbeer.com/dcbw2012/

In my experience there are lots of marketing gimmicks and "tap takeovers" from established micros that don't offer anything new or rare, but there are a few here and there that seem worthwhile especially on the local front. I'd go to pretty much anything at ChurchKey since they seem to get the rarities and have a real interest in showcasing them. Note the DC Brau event on Friday and a couple of preview brews for their own upcoming brewpub near Nats Park (Bluejacket).

[JPW]

Nothing beats the beer cruise. A lot of stand out saisons were served, including a lovely one from Three Stars. Ommegang had a couple of wickedly good one off brews including a great porter.

[DanielK]

Here are my tasting notes from the beer cruise. Highly recommended. Note: no rankings within each category.


Excellent:
3 Stars Saison
Chocolate City Copper Ale
Blue Jacket Saison
Victory Headwaters Pale
Troegs Perpetual IPA
Ommegang Biere de Mars
Ommegang Art of Darkness
Founders Reds Rye PA

Very Good:
Mad Fox Kolsch
Oliver Brewery Iron Man Pale Ale
Oliver Brewery Cherry Blossom Ale
Uinta Wyld Extra Pale
Belhaven Stout
New Belgium Sour Brown
Flying Dog Chinook and El Dorado Imperial IPAs
Ommegang Zuur
Ommegang XV Anniversary Trappist Dark Brown Ale

Good:
Chocolate City ESB
Mad Fox Molotov Hoptail
District Chophouse Pale Lager
21st American Bitter America
North Coast Brother Thelonius
Rhino Marzen
Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale

Fair:
3 Stars Porter
District Chophouse Saison
Flying Fish IPA
Flying Fish Summer Ale

Poor:
Blue Jacket Washington OC
21st American Back in Black
Victory Festbier
DC Brau Porter

[TedE]

Here are my tasting notes from the beer cruise. Highly recommended. Note: no rankings within each category.

Excellent:
Chocolate City Copper Ale

Poor:
DC Brau Porter

Ha! Interesting. I probably would have swapped those around. Was the DC Brau porter their "regular" porter or one of the myriad riffs on that recipe? I've had the normal one and some of the cask-aged offerings and thought they were all excellent. Chocolate City Copper Ale on the other hand? Meh. But copper/red ales don't do it for me.

[DanielK]

Ha! Interesting. I probably would have swapped those around. Was the DC Brau porter their "regular" porter or one of the myriad riffs on that recipe? I've had the normal one and some of the cask-aged offerings and thought they were all excellent. Chocolate City Copper Ale on the other hand? Meh. But copper/red ales don't do it for me.

My ratings are based on styles, and personal taste of course, and not straight up comparisons. I like Copper Ales, and I thought the Chocolate City one was excellent. Porter isn't my favorite style, but the DC Brau porter was so sweet it was completely unbalanced and literally sent me to the food bar for a roll to clear my palate. Awful.