The Beer Road

Making their first appearances at this year’s Microfestivus will be a couple of newer local breweries, and both are bringing with them a good overall representation of the beers they produce.  Big Lick Brewing Company opened in late September of last year and since then has rolled through what seems like a few dozen well crafted ales and lagers at its downtown Roanoke location.  At Microfestivus, head brewer Bryan Summerson plans on bringing his easy drinking Status Quo Cream Ale, his ‘session’ IPA Time The Avenger, and his knock it out of the park Imperial IPA Peace, Love, and Hoppiness.  Any of these three are worth the stop by their tent on Saturday.  If you haven’t made it down to their place, I recommend trying all of them.

Also making what I believe is their first appearance at Microfestivus is nearby Callaway Brewing Company, which opened in late May of 2014.  The brewery will likely be bringing their Five Mile Mountain Amber Ale, their Freeborn IPA, and a relatively new White’s Wheat American Wheat Ale, which according to their Facebook page, uses wheat grown in Franklin County.

Witness The Changing of the Seasons at Microfestivus

Although my thoughts couldn’t be farther from cooler temperatures and the end of summer, I was reminded just a couple days ago that fall is approaching when I nearly ran over a stack of Southern Tier Pumking in the store with my shopping cart.  And while that mighty fall ale might not be coming this year to Microfestivus, a couple others will, so should you want a taste of the soon to be upon us season, seek out these:

Harrisonburg’s Brothers Brewing Company (formerly Three Brothers) is likely bringing their Fairgrounds Fall Ale, which uses allspice, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to impart a sense of the (coming) season.

Nothing says fall beer like an Oktoberfest style lager, and nearby Sunken City Brewing Company may bringing their own version, their Sunktoberfest, as well as their dark wheat beer Nachthexen.

Also, be on the lookout for this one:  There seems to be a chance that Pennsylvania’s Saucony Creek Brewing may be represented by their Maple Mistress Imperial Pumpkin ale, which is also made with spices and is produced with an addition of maple syrup.  It’s a bit sweet, but is a very solid beer if you don’t mind a sweeter fall/seasonal beer.

***Please keep in mind, the nature of a festival beer “list” is always subject for changes…and don’t forget to scroll down for yesterday’s Microfestivus ’15 post!  Cheers!

~ by thebeerroad on August 4, 2015.

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