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Solace Brewing Company


deangold

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Solace Brewing is a production brewery in Loudon County, way out! It's just off 50.

We basically always had a tap for Solace. Given we tapped sixtels, we ran through a lot of brew and they were really high quality. I had to take my car intot he dealer to get a recall fixed and somehow I thought I was fairly close by. So after a very long drive, I found the modern, industrial meets wood tap room fronting a small brewery. 

The very pleasant beertender gave me the list and told me about a tasting flight of 6. I told her that I had lucy Juicy and Hops out Suns out at home, just give me your choice of 6. She asked me a few questions to narrow down the best choices. % of the 6 beers were really super and the 6th, which I asked her to include, just didn't fit my mood rather than I didn't like it. The best was the Kevik, which is a Norweigan farmhouse brre. Never having been in a Norwegian farmhouse, I can't say but it was delicious. They Brew a very nice hazy IPA and strong IPA as well. The wit was great even if not my favorite style. The Blue Duck was hugely grapefruity. The ancho chocolate chile stout seemed bland but it was the 6th beer. The flight was $15. 

The taproom is large, very high ceilings with a long bar and a few high top tables. Noisy. They hae a few pinball machines and video games. No food is offered but they have a rotating set of food trucks which park right outside the front door. But the truck was not ready to serve food at 5pm, but looked like they would be ready momentarily. The food trucks are listed on their website.

There are a lot of breweries that get a lot more press. But y take on the DC and close in VA breweries is they do a few thins really well but they have some just OK brews and some clunkers. Hellbender and Port City are my favorites. But honestly, Solace blows them away.

They are partnering with the Hilton Brothers to reopen the Mad Fox space. It iwll be great to have their taps available closer in. I wish them well. 

You can get some of their beers at some Trader Joe's at very good prices. There were several styles at Bailey's Crossroads.

 

 

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Having had Solace beers from other locations in the past, I was excited to try their taproom last weekend.  Now when I roll into a brewery at 4:30 on a Saturday, I expect it to be busy and to wait in line for a beer.  That being said, the line last weekend was back to the door, and we waiting 30+ minutes for a beer meant that our visit was one and done.  I do wish I'd been able to try more of their beers because I agree with Dean, I think they have an excellent product.  I believe this location has been open for several years now, and the amount of money they must lose in an average weekend because they either can't or haven't added additional tap capacity must be staggering.  I'd gladly return on a weekday afternoon though.

Solace isn't alone with this issue in Loudoun.  Bear Chase has notoriously long lines during the weekends.  Meanwhile, Vanish, which is fairly new, has added significant capacity to keep up with their growing crowds.  I don't think their beer matches Solace on any level, but it matters less if you can't get the beer in your glass.

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