Introduce Yourself To Local Brewery Chaos Mountain Tonight!

Craft curious folks in Roanoke are well aware that the weekend often brings the chance to try new beer, as restaurants known for their craft beer selection kick off the end of the week with new draft offerings. This weekend takes it a step further, as we are officially introduced to one of the area’s new breweries at Cork & Crust’s Friday Night Hops event tonight, Chaos Mountain Brewing Company. Initial tastes of the brewery’s beers have been very positive, and as a friend of mine pointed out recently, their Belgian Dark Strong Ale “Agents of Chaos” just might be one of the best Belgian style craft beers brewed in the state, and should be available at the event, as well as several of the brewery’s other beers. Six beers should be available in all, including, for those of you who can appreciate something tasty and fun, Chaos Mountain’s ode to upcoming Cinco de Mayo: perhaps the first lime tinged craft lager I’ve personally ever tasted. (Yes, you heard me right. And it’s good.) Others will include the dark, chocolate stout Cocoborealis, the Belgian Blonde Cheeky Monkey, Squatch Scottish Ale, and Mad Hopper IPA. The event starts at 6pm, so come out and support one of the Roanoke area’s own!

Other weekend events are on tap, literally and figuratively as well:

Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers is getting up and running as well, and according to their Facebook page, will be also open from 4 to 9 tonight. This gives the adventurous Roanoke craft beer fan the chance to take in the beers from two new entries to the Roanoke craft beer market, as the Soaring Ridge location is blocks away from the Cork & Crust event tonight. As many may know, Sean Osborne of Soaring Ridge was formerly the brewmaster for Big Daddy Brewing Company here in Roanoke.

Downtown Roanoke’s Blue 5 restaurant added New Belgium’s well loved La Folie on draft in the last day or so. If you’re still unsure of sour type beers, but are curious, this is not one to miss as you continue to dip your toes into those waters. This highly rated (high 90’s on beeradvocate and ratebeer websites) oak aged sour brown is a marriage of a delicious, slightly woodsy, slightly sweet, vinous taste with an easy to drink characteristic that is not easy to find. Far from a “beginner’s sour”, but easy to appreciate, this might just advance one’s fondness of sours to the next level. Other beers are likely to show up at Blue 5 as we approach the weekend as well.

On Saturday, the Earth Day celebration in the Grandin Village area means that Local Roots is debuting their beer garden directly in front of the restaurant. Beer specials will be available throughout the 10am to 4pm event time.

Their are plenty of chances to take in great beer this weekend in and around Roanoke, so come out and support the scene, as well as new Roanoke breweries as well! Cheers!