Beerneuring Freezing Saddles Side Bet is Back!

[sjclaeys]

Do you like to bike? Do you like beer? If so, this side bet is for you. The rules are simple:

1. Ride your bike to a brewery or brewpub. I estimate that there are over 50 breweries or brewpubs that can be reached by bike from DC, over 10 of them are in DC.
2. Acquire a beer brewed at that location.
3. Take a picture of the beer.
4. Taste the beer.
5. Post on this thread the picture of the beer, the location, and a comment about the beer. It can be anything from “tastes mostly like beer” to “the hop aroma contained grapefruit pith and apricot that was matched by a good malt backbone, which added a hint of graham cracker”.
6. Whomever posts entries from the most number of breweries or brewpubs by the end of Freezing Saddles wins!
7. The winner will receive a bottle of beer that reflects the nature of the competition. If only a few participate and the winner had 3 entries, then you will get a good bottle but nothing super special. If the competition is heated and the winner has 30 entries, then I will do my best to get something special.

A few further clarifications:

1. BE SAFE! No riding while under the influence. If you rode your bike to the brewery but find that you need to get a ride or take Metro home, the entry still counts.
2. You can go to more than one brewery on a ride, but see above.
3. The beer must be made at that location. Having a 3 Stars at the local bar does not count. Nothing at the Capital City in DC counts because it is all made in Shirlington.
4. Some brewpubs have more than one location. A trip to each location counts.
5. Keep in mind that this competition is to visit the most number of breweries and brewpubs. Once you visit and have a beer at a brewery or brewpub, then you cannot post another entry for that brewery or brewpub, even if you go back later and try a different beer.
6. It is not required, but try to go on at least one brewery tour. Fun, educational and you usually get to sample beer.

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Let me know if you have any questions and HAVE FUN!

Topic

[jwetzel]

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First stop, Birdsong Brewing. I got a stout called Mexicali. 5.8% ABV and 35 IBU. It was a stout, chocolate notes.

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Next stop, Legion Brewing. Here I got System of a Brown, a hoppy brown ale at 5.5% ABV and 51 IBU. It was yummy, and the area they had overlooking the brew making equipment was nice.

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Third stop had some cx practice thrown in to get to. Google maps took me through a street that is closed for construction of a light rail station, but with a bike sized gap in the fence it seemed OK to continue. It was mostly OK, though I think the second set of tracks I crossed was live.

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Beer at NoDa Brewing Company! This was a Belgian, and tasty, but consumed in haste because the cx detour took me a lot longer than expected and my drinking companions were well ahead of me.

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After a break for dinner, (TACOS!), we went to Free Range Brewing. Here I had “We Knead Each Other”, a collaboration with Duke’s Bread, a long time local bakery. They used a 100 year old sourdough starter to make this tart IPA at 5% ABV. It was AWESOME. I got a crowler to go. Seriously made me happy.

Last stop was at Heist Brewing Company. I had their Ka’ Kau’, 10.2% ABV Imperial Mayan Stout. “Brewed with Cinnamon, vanilla beans, cocoa nbs, pasilla, and ancho peppers.” It was as dark, mysterious, and delightful as our server. The second one I got might have been one too many, but I wasn’t driving home!

[lordofthemark]

@jwetzel 152999 wrote:

Here I had “We Knead Each Other”, a collaboration with Duke’s Bread, a long time local bakery. They used a 100 year old sourdough starter to make this tart IPA at 5% ABV.

No, just no. *waits for beernerds to tell me this is what they did in Belgium in 1450, or something*

[sjclaeys]

@lordofthemark 153001 wrote:

No, just no. *waits for beernerds to tell me this is what they did in Belgium in 1450, or something*

Are you saying that a sourdough starter can’t be kept going that long?

[lordofthemark]

@sjclaeys 153015 wrote:

Are you saying that a sourdough starter can’t be kept going that long?

I’m saying my gut reaction is that it’s typical craft beer gimmickiness, taken a bit too far.

Now a bit of googling suggests using sour dough bread as a beer starter is something home brewers do. And why should I be surprised that a craft brewer adopts a home brewer technique?

But doing a collaboration with a particular local (is it artisinal?) baker? Using historic starter. And the name goes beyond the usual bad pun.

So on second thought, yeah, it’s gimmicky.

And no, if you ask me why I find that gimmicky, bUT am okay with adding coffee from a local roaster, I can’t say. But give me time.

[sjclaeys]

There is a lot of experimentation with using different types of yeasts, bacteria, etc. to ferment beer and potentially create new tasty flavors. Using sourdough yeasts is one that has been tried often.

[Judd]

@sjclaeys 153033 wrote:

There is a lot of experimentation with using different types of yeasts, bacteria, etc. to ferment beer and potentially create new tasty flavors. Using sourdough yeasts is one that has been tried often.

And sometimes with just throwing some beard hair in: http://www.beerpulse.com/2012/06/rogue-ales-to-create-beer-using-yeast-from-brewmasters-beard-follicles/

[kwarkentien]

An oldie but a goodie but since it’s my first post in this year’s challenge, it counts : Port City Porter. Nice full-bodied porter. A great after ride drink.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[reji]

Jan 1 at Cap City Shirlington. I had 65 more miles to ride so I chose the Bull Run ESB which has a low ABV. I found it rather unremarkable but easy to drink. Lacked the bitter finish I like in an ESB.

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[reji]

Jan 4 at Mad Fox. I had the Molotov Hoptail, a DIPA. Light hops shadowed by the malt finish. Easy to drink without the strong boozy notes of a DIPA.
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[reji]

Jan 16 at New District. I had the Last Dance, an oatmeal stout, and the Ginger Siason. The Last Dance was medium bodied and slightly sweet and had a malty backbone. Didn’t love it until it warmed up a little. Then I got the full flavors of chicory, vanilla and chocolate. The Ginger Saison was surprisingly light with a floral aroma and light ginger on the finish. It’s a fun, easy to drink beer with a low ABV that tasted really good.

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[reji]

Jan 21 at Adroit Theory. First of 4 stops for the day and I had 2 small pours. This was my favorite brewery of the day and I’ll definitely be back.

EBK (Ghost 423), a DIPA. Orange is prominent on the palate. Smooth with a hint of lingering black pepper on the finish. Way too easy to drink for 8.5%ABV.
Death of Cthulhu (Ghost 507), a Russian imperial stout. Once it warmed up, got wonderfully complex flavors of raisin and coffee and had a nice chicory finish.

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[reji]

Jan 21 at Corcoran Brewing. 2nd of 4 stops for the day and I had sampler of 5.

Hallowed Be Thy Ale, an old ale. Hmm, I didn’t write any notes on this one but I recall not liking it. A bit unbalanced and too sour for me.
Mosby’s Raiders, a DIPA. Had white pepper, coriander and heather on the palate. Mildly bitter finish.
Raider’s Ghost, a DIPA brewed with ghost peppes Had a little heat on the finish but I was disappointed the ghost peppers didn’t add much flavor.
Oatlands, an oatmeal stout brewed with ginger. I didn’t think it worked, I didn’t get any ginger notes.
FU Cancer, a Milk Stout brewed in support of the owner who is fighting cancer. My favorite of the 5, it was balanced with a creamy texture and coffee and chicory notes. Nice acidic backbone.

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[reji]

Jan 21 at Jack’s Run Brewing, 3rd stop of the day. I tried 2 of the 4 in the picture.

Jack’s MAGIC, an IPA. Unassuming, but easy to drink. Grapefruit was the only flavor I got. Perhaps my taste buds are numb now.
Mornin’ Joe, an oatmeal stout. Simple, balanced, and slightly sweet.

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[reji]

Jan 21, 4th and final beer stop of the day at Belly Love where we finally got some food too! Just one beer, the Shut the Fook Up, to linger over with lunch. I don’t typically gravitate towards Pale Ales, but I chose a low ABV since I still had 45 miles to get home. The Mac ‘n Cheese was divine. The beer, just unremarkable. I plan to go back and try some of their other beers that tempted me.

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[Steve O]

Capital City Shirlington at the well attended Third Thursday happy hour.
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Chateau Biscuit. I thought this was an excellent brown ale. Not at all heavy, easy to drink and with nice overall flavor.
Extra points for ordering the same beer as sjclaeys.

[Author]

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