The Beer Road

Hot on the heels of their “Crime and Punishment” (pepper infused, barrel aged) releases, there has been a fair amount of Stone Brewing activity in the area over the last week.  On Wednesday, Jack Brown’s held a tap takeover, and last night, 622 North in Blacksburg, according to their Facebook page, was pouring a 2011 edition of their Belgo Anise Russian Imperial Stout.  Tomorrow night, Blue 5 will top off the week with a Stone Brewing event of their own, a steal the pint night, although details so far on what beers will be available have been few so far.  It’s Stone Brewing however, owners of some of the finest yet widely distributed IPAs in the land, and makers of the incredible Enjoy By series, Stone Russian Imperial Stout line, Old Guardian, Ruination, RuinTen, etc, so the name alone is enough to generate plenty of due curiosity – and chances are good, a great turnout as well.  (Admit it, even when you heard what “Dayman” was, you thought you had finally found a big time miss from the California based brewery.  Then you tasted it, and realized you were wrong.)  The Blue 5 event should truly get rolling around 7pm, and with any luck, Stone brewing VA/MD/DC rep Melanie Knepp (Twitter: StoneBrewMelani), who has been making the rounds at the other Stone events this week, I would think just might be on hand as well.

Over at Local Roots, the holidays themselves are showing up on tap as Troeg’s seasonal Mad Elf and Blue Mountain’s Lights Out should be making an appearance over the weekend.  For many, Mad Elf is on the minds of many as soon as the fall begins to shift into winter.  It’s a noticeably sweet, strong, yet tasty kick in the pants ale which largely benefits from its addition of cherries and honey, which dominate the taste and aroma along with a bit of powdery, yeasty flavor as well.  Good for bracing against the cold, or after the tree is up and lit.  Come down to Local Roots this weekend and taste it on draft.

The forecast doesn’t get crazy until sometime Sunday, so instead of heading out to the grocery store as if the end of the world is coming, head out for great beers this weekend to brace against the oncoming cold!  Cheers, all!

~ by thebeerroad on December 6, 2013.

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