In some ways, it was not unlike a typical, busy Friday night at a bar. While wait staff turned in order after order for beer from their tables, patrons both sitting and standing at the bar asked for glass after glass of brew, in between making conversation with friends and other patrons. The tap handles hardly ever went untouched. One after another were ordered, as the man behind the bar worked to keep up with demand. In between the slowly growing noise of conversation, though, you could tell much of the talk centered around the beer. Friends tasted each others’, as glasses were passed around within social groups, often followed by an obvious slow nodding of heads in approval. Looks of curiosity accompanied some of the ordering, as fingers pointed to different taps, while others truly looked as if they were pondering their next choice before ordering. Wait. Discussion about the beer? Looks of curiosity? Re-think the last time you were at a bar. Pondering? Really? Do any of these things seem typical?
Welcome to the far from typical, craft beer centered, draft beer selection at the newly relocated Local Roots Restaurant. It would seem fitting, really, for a restaurant whose aim is to feature as eco friendly, fresh, locally produced, top notch fare as possible, to feature high quality, well crafted beer as well. Ingredients for the outstanding food comes most often from farmers who one would imagine take great care in their work, as the craft brewers behind the beer would. It all seems to go hand in hand. And for those in Roanoke who are interested in, curious about, or already knee deep in the craft beer world, this beer selection is a slice of heaven – or more accurately, a sip of it to say the least.
Consider the current selection. Allagash (MA) White Witbier, Dogfish Head (DE) Punkin’ Ale, Brooklyn (NY) Pennant ’55 Ale, Ommegang (NY) Hennepin Saison, Left Hand’s (CO) Milk Stout, and Smuttynose Brewery’s (NH) Old Brown Dog. There are even more micro and craft beer selections in the restaurant’s bottled selection, some of which include Shooting Creek brews from nearby Floyd. The draft choices themselves will not be completely static. A couple of them have already changed out since the restaurant opened just a couple weeks ago. In between doing a great job of handling the crowd who had gathered around the bar to sample and enjoy the beer, restaurant management staff member Matt Kirby told me that while there is no schedule necessarily to try different beers on tap, a couple would be changing out soon as they sold through. For the craft beer curious, this only makes the quick trip down to Local Roots more interesting, because as selection changes, so does the opportunity to try something new.
Not only are the choices on tap a welcome sight for the seasoned craft beer lover, but maybe more importantly are their qualities for those just getting into better beer, and looking to wade more deeply into the craft beer waters. As a matter of fact, very early in my own craft beer appreciating days, Old Brown Dog, with its deeply delicious, malty flavors, was one of the first beers to quite simply blow my mind. For anyone caring for stouts but perhaps have only had a Guinness, milk stouts are generally slightly sweeter stouts. The Brooklyn Pennant Ale is an easily likeable, malty, slightly sweet English style Pale Ale. The others are also beers that are not necessarily overly bitter, and might not be a tough “like” for someone willing to try.
The food, of course, is absolutely delicious as well, and the restaurant is gorgeous and comfortable, as even the tables and beautiful bar are handcrafted locally. The craft beer selection on tap is first rate though, bottom line. Whatever your craft beer background is, the dedication to have beer such as this on tap comes as good news for those in the area. For the craft beer lover, it might mean tasting an old favorite you haven’t had in a while, or perhaps finding a new one, and for the beer curious, a wonderful introduction. Either way, get by Local Roots soon, it’s time to start pondering – it’s not going to be a typical beer selection by any stretch. Thank goodness.
Sitting at the bar, with vacationers and locals alike sampling the brews, I began to feel comfortable that I was away from the simple enjoyment of the beach. I noticed locals chose darker and lighter beers both, and were happy to make conversation as I moved through my four beer sampler of the Brewing Station’s Kolsch, Lemongrass Wheat Ale, Golden Ale, and IPA. All were flavorful and did not disappoint, with the Wheat Ale and IPA standing out – the former, an unfiltered, lighter bodied, effervescent brew with a slightly yeasty and noticeable lemongrass taste – the latter starts out quite pine like but moves into citrusy hop flavors quickly, balancing both on the tongue with sufficient bittering and a malt backbone which sits over in the corner trying desperately to be heard. After all the small 4 oz. sample glasses were gone, the bartender affectionately offered to get me a “big boy’s beer”, and I complied with one of the IPAs. The Lemongrass Pale Wheat Ale came home with me though.
So you’re heading out to Microfestivus today? This article is for you. Now, I will go ahead and say that if you’re one of those people who will walk up to each brewer’s table and ask “so what do you have that’s closest to Natural Light?” I’m not sure if this blog entry will be of any help. (I also doubt you’d be reading this anyhow.) But event organizers have been saying for days that this year’s Microfestivus may turn out to be record setting, and not just for attendance – hopefully, not for Roanoke August temperatures either. I’m talking about the number of beers available to taste, and at last count it was just over a hundred. Now, for someone who admittedly would rather write than do most any math at all, while having this many beers available is a good thing – really, it is – it could also pose a slight problem for those who I try to target my blog for. These folks are, as I am, the “beer curious”: the people wanting more out of their beer, wanting to taste better and well crafted beer. These are the people wanting to see what’s out there, wanting to find something new they might find just amazing; something to fuel their “beer curiosity”. But let’s get back to the math. Let’s see, the most tastings that you can purchase on a single ticket is twenty. One hundred beers. Twenty tastings. How does the beer curious make the most of their choices? Hmm.
I could go with any of the good American Pale Ales which will be at Microfestivus. A variation on the “original” Pale Ale from Great Britain, they are often also well balanced between malt sweetness and the flavors and bitterness which hops bring to the mix. Blue Mountain’s (VA) Full Nelson, Foothills Brewing’s (NC) Pilot Mtn. Pale, Terrapin’s (GA) Rye Pale Ale, and Bluegrass Brewing’s (KY) American Pale Ale are just a few.
There are so many others to consider that might be good starting points – Shooting Creek’s (VA) Red Tractor, Left Hand’s (CO) Sawtooth Ale, and Heavy Seas (MD) Summer Ale all come to mind. All are flavorful and light to medium in body. Looking for a lager among all of these ales? Weeping Radish’s (NC) black lager, Black Radish, Brooklyn’s (amber) Brooklyn Lager, and any of the available Oktoberfest beers might taste just right to you. This is also a good time to remember to cast aside all the common beer tasting myths too. All together now: Ales are not always dark, not always heavy, and many are neither. Lagers are not always light in body or color. Both styles can go either way. The Black Radish I mentioned is an excellent myth buster – definitely a lager, yet black as night.
The Beer Road 