Breaking News. And Personally, I Think Anderson Cooper Is An IPA Guy.
Updated February 1st (Last paragraph)
You’ll have to forgive the appearance of the blog tonight. Considering this weekend’s events in Roanoke craft beer wise, in another time and place, and in perhaps another medium (cable tv for TheBeerRoad one day?), you might have expected to see quickly streaming banners of information rushing across the screen, Fox or CNN style, complete with dramatic colorful graphics, screaming caps, and perhaps even gps powered maps over explaining just where to invest your attention, but alas, TheBeerRoad lacks all of this. Maybe if the writer was better at coding HTML, right?
Truth be told, none of this is needed. No need for talking heads behind a desk mentioning the same facts but in different order over and over. Because all of a sudden, there’s even more craft beer to be discussed than before that’s appeared in town, quite a bit more to be discussed. WAIT, tasted – then discussed. And all of it within a very small area.
Hmm. Looks like you got some caps out of me after all.
This weekend, Blue 5 downtown debuted their new tap system which is allowing them to put no fewer than 46, yes, forty six beers on draft. The list is pretty impressive. A few of the inaugural beers are personal India Pale Ale favorites Union Jack from Firestone Walker Brewing and Big Eye IPA from Ballast Point, and Founders Brewing’s Centennial IPA. Leaning towards something less hoppy? If you’re on the fence between something with both good malt character and hops, something a bit more balanced, North Coast’s Red Seal Ale has made a long overdue reappearance in the Star City, and Speakeasy’s Prohibition Ale is alongside as well. Looking for something crisp to remind you of warmer days? Try Germany’s Reissdorf Kolsch, or the American craft brewed Lagunitas Pilsner. Curious of the endless mystery that is Belgian style ales? There’s Allagash’s Black, a strong Belgian Dark Ale – and if I remember correctly, the first beer to sell out at Roanoke’s annual beer festival a couple years ago – and Ommegang’s Gnomegang, a Strong Pale Ale, to sip on and enjoy.
Of course, I’m leaving a bunch out, and soon, we’ll all need a scorecard to perhaps keep up with the choices at Blue 5. Certainly, this is a good problem to have. But around the corner at nearby Lucky Restaurant, the weekend just might have its most notable beer appearance.
That’s because craft beer fans across the country practically build their calendars around the annual releases of a few highly acclaimed but only annually produced brews. It’s a short list that’s good to be on, but one that causes both quite a bit of stir and occasionally some disappointment. Many of these annually produced and touted beers are created in smaller batches, and available on a limited release scale. Live too many states away from a brewery that produces one of these beers, and it’s either road trip time or you’re living vicariously through others. One that is produced and available fairly widely is Founder’s Breakfast Stout. Sure, you were able to pick it up in stores a couple months ago. But have you ever had it on tap? Because right now, and I mean right now, as in rush to go taste it, it probably won’t last long, it’s on draft at Lucky.
Yes, it’s a big craft beer weekend in Roanoke. But you didn’t need an over polished, over groomed anchor with to tell you that, did you? Just grab your closest beer curious friends, and head downtown. When that new favorite beer starts easing out of the tap, it’ll serve as your own version of a streaming banner. And then, when you taste it, I promise it’ll all be dramatic enough.
Update, February 1: For those of you who have told me that you truly enjoy having the local “On Tap” list down the right hand of the blog, trust me, I will be including Blue 5’s new 40+ beers here on the blog. I’m only taking a few days to figure out the best (and easiest) way to present it, so hang in there, and The Beer Road will continue to be the best place to see a run down of all the best beer, on tap, here in Roanoke!
The Beer Road 