Foggy Bottom Ale
Olde Heurich Brewing Co.

Foggy Bottom AleFoggy Bottom Ale
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From:
Olde Heurich Brewing Co.
 
District of Columbia, United States
Style:
English Pale Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
79
Avg:
3.28 | pDev: 15.24%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
18
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Apr 07, 2012
Added:
Jun 09, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
The Olde Heurich Brewing Company's flagship beer is a pale ale we call a "Celebration of Hops." Its predominantly hoppy character and lighter body give it a subtle spiciness that also earns for it a reputation as one of the more aromatic brews from the east coast.

The uninitiated will be pleasantly surprised by its smooth palate and finish, unexpected from an ale.

The first member of the Foggy Bottom Family, it quickly became a success. It is Foggy Ale that leads the Foggy Bottom Family of Beers as the best selling regional beers in the nation's capital.
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Ratings by rhoadsrage:
Photo of rhoadsrage
Reviewed by rhoadsrage from Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
(Served in a small strange)
A- Light golden color with low carbonation and a thin white head

S- Nice sweet pale or honey malt with not distinct hop aroma

T- Clean citrus gentle hope with hint of pineapple in the hops. Light pale malt but a bit sweet and a very gentle hop bitterness to finish.

M- Medium mouth feel with a bit of a fizz

D- This beer is very gentle and a bit fizzy. It really needs a bit more complexity in either hops or malt or both to give it some interest, even as a session beer.
Jun 27, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.25 by avisong from Virginia

Apr 07, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by RoryOMoore from New Jersey

Feb 27, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by ROGUE16 from Delaware

Dec 06, 2011
Photo of Jacobier10
Reviewed by Jacobier10 from New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Enjoyed several of these at Shula's Steakhouse in DC during one of the best meals I have ever had in my life.

Pours a clear gold/orange color with a nice white head but not much retention. A mild hoppiness can be detected in the nose. The taste was nothing out of this world. Reminded me a lot of an English Pale Ale the way the hops and malt were balanced. Slight hop bitterness matched by a slight nutty malt flavor. Somewhat dry mouthfeel hurts this beer a bit and it only gets worse as the beer warms. Still, drinkability is decent and I had no problem sucking down three of them at dinner.
Nov 09, 2005
Photo of ElGordo
Reviewed by ElGordo from Oregon

3.48/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a nice copper-amber hue with a half-inch, creamy head that has some staying power. Aroma of sweet malt, a touch of floral hops, and not much else. Light sweet malt dominates the palate, with a bit of the hops coming through towards the back of the mouth. A touch of honey is also detectable. Nice medium body holds flavor well. Nothing special, but very drinkable.
Aug 18, 2005
Photo of Rootdog316
Reviewed by Rootdog316 from Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer has a medium body with a crisp spice and an aromatic head. Brewed in the pale ale style, it has a light amber color and a 5% alcohol kick(volume). Both refreshing and satisfying, it has a healthy complexity for a pale ale and an enjoyable spiciness that differs from the citrusy pale ales that I'm used to. In fact, this is one of the more unique and enjoyable pale ales that I've had in a long time...
Aug 13, 2005
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

3.57/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Sampled this one on tap in Arlington, served in from a thick-glassed pint. It’s an amber colored liquid, with a thin, but lasting white head. The aroma is composed of muted floral hops with a faint bready background of caramel and dough. The smell is nothing spectacular. The taste is initially fruity, with a little malt presence. Decent hop finish, with moderate bitterness. Seemed to be lightly carbonated, and very smooth. It’s drinkable, and an acceptable session brew. It’s certainly not a standout, but it is agreeable.
Jul 02, 2005
Photo of Dithyramb
Reviewed by Dithyramb from Maryland

3.61/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
It was sunny and beautiful this weekend. After watching at least three accidents in Georgetown in little over than an hour, we left the worst drivers in the world and wandered over to the waterfront for some eats, drinks, and pretty views.

Georgetown does not appear to be a fine beer drinker’s haven. However, Foggy Bottom appeared to be on just about every tap list. I know it isn’t brewed here in DC any longer, but I wasn’t going to drive all the way down here and drink Yingaling.

Poured a beautiful, clear amber with an off white head. Nice retention and beautiful lacing from the ring of leftovers.
Roasted malts gave a candy like aroma—butterscotch and toffee—which was surprising. I had just assumed this would be hoppy, after seeing ale…
Chewy bready malts, just shy of being chalky, predominated the flavor. Very little hop presence, with only enough mixed in to keep the malts honest. Very true to the style, once I learned what it was. Just a little bit of ripened fruit was evident when it warmed up.
Light to medium bodied, finishing more sweet than dry.
Very drinkable, though it doesn’t wow! You in any category, it was easy drinkin and worth having a few.
May 09, 2005
Photo of hungryghost
Reviewed by hungryghost from District of Columbia

3.33/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours a light amber color, decent head with lacing.
Clean smell, bit of hops, nothing fancy.

Taste kinda sweet, kinda crisp. Run of the mill pale ale but actually has a little hop flavor. I usually get it if i walk to a neighborhood bar, its the best thing they got.
Drinkable for sure, but nothing to write home about.
Sorry thats about it.
Mar 10, 2005
Photo of ChrisBowers
Reviewed by ChrisBowers from Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Why oh Why do they have this EVERYWHERE in DC? Sure its better than BMC, but I feel cheated when places demand that I fork over $5 for this mediocre brew. This is somewhere between an amber and an american pale ale with a decent hop aroma. My problems begin with its sweetness. It is so darn sweet that after one I just can't stomach any more. I'm all for drinking local, but surely all the establishments that have this on tap could support Dominion instead? I do however see its appeal from a bar-owner standpoint... its a good inbetween beer for people who want to think they're drinking something better or exotic just because they're not drinking BMC.
Aug 22, 2004
Photo of garthwaite
Reviewed by garthwaite from Virginia

2.78/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Pours just slightly deeper than yellow with a thin head of quickly dissipating bubbles. Not much in the aroma...hints of malt sweetness, perhaps a bit of mild spicy hop & a little lemon. Flavor follows suit. Malt profile borders on bland & is truly unimpressive. Peppery hops are evident, but in small quantity & are not strong enough to have enough flavor to compensate for the dull malting. The mild lemon hints I picked up in the nose do add a layer to the brews complexity. Thin & almost watery in the mouth, this is a popular brew in DC, but not a favorite of mine.
Jul 23, 2004
Photo of rabidawg
Reviewed by rabidawg from Georgia

3.78/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
An amber? I don't think so. This is a pale if I've ever seen one.

Appearance: Pours a clear deep gold with a nice soft white head and good lacing. Moderate carbonation.

Smell: Nice maltiness with spicy, grassy hop aroma providing contrast.

Taste: Creamy in the mouth, with a decent malt backbone. Well-balanced, with a gentle hop bitterness in the end. This would make a great session beer, since it's got enough character to make it less than boring.
Jul 06, 2004
Photo of kmo1030
Reviewed by kmo1030 from Massachusetts

3.57/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
nice clear amber with a white head that difficult to coax out of the bottle but sticks around for a while. the head produces a good floral hop aroma. takes on a fruity peachy apricot smell as it warms. the flavor is hoppy and a bit grainy with an interesting tanginess. slight caramel flavors emerge as it warms. pretty watery body with strong carbonation. overall a pretty good and refreshing pale ale but as it's not local to me i probably won't seek it out.
Jun 21, 2004
Photo of oelergud
Reviewed by oelergud from Virginia

2.3/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Golden amber body with a short lived white head, good carbonation and little lace.
Bready and a little grassy fragrance, some sourness it seems.
Taste pretty sour, not bitter but sour and far from pleasant.
Somewhat thin and watery mouthfeel, low drinkability.

-Oelergud
Dec 05, 2003
Photo of ManekiNeko
Reviewed by ManekiNeko from Virginia

2.56/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
Served chilled in a pint glass.

Appearance: Clear, golden amber color topped with a modest offwhite head, which diminishes to a layer of bubbles within a short period of time. Little specks of lacing are left on the glass.

Smell: Light herbal hops, some sort of German aromatic hops, I'd say. Not overpowering, but enough to get your attention.

Taste: Vaguely sweet pale malt with some grassy aftertastes.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, light-bodied and bubbly. Relatively refreshing.

Drinkability: A ho-hum session beer. Not really worth getting unless there is no other choice, which doesn't happen in the DC area. Most places that have Foggy Bottom also have Dominion or SNPA, and for about the same price. Skip this one, it's not really local anyways.
Nov 19, 2003
Photo of theozag
Reviewed by theozag from Louisiana

2.33/5  rDev -29%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
The thinnest and least enjoyable of the beers I tried on a self-declared tasting adventure at a Northern Virginia club last summer. Foggy has a smooth and simple palatte that doesn't rest on the tongue so much as sit at the back of it. In fact, I was able taste the pint Foggy several hours after I left the bar. Foggy's finish is noticably dry, which is unusual for an ale (in my experience, anyway). The head is thin but creamy and does add a little to the drink. Taste is average across the rest of the ales, though somewhat bitter. It's a local brew for me (made in Washington DC) but I wouldn't go out of my way to obtain it.

- Backdated tasting: I first reviewed this beer on 19JUN03, this post is based on notes from that review. -
Oct 17, 2003
Photo of Jason
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

3.72/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Amber hued with a slight chill haze, good head retention from the hops. Big noble hop presence, bitterness is moderate but the flavour and aroma are quite noticeable. Malt seems a bit thin but is still flavourful. Finishes off with a linger oily hop flavour, some fruitiness that comes from both the hops as well as a mild alcoholic ester and a touch of sweet grain.
Jun 09, 2002
Foggy Bottom Ale from Olde Heurich Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 18 ratings