Notable Releases - DC/NOVA/MD

I had Elementary Penguin last night...I certainly hope Home is better than that

 

I was lucky to get a can of DC Brua Solar Abyss from a friend, enjoyed it last night...and all I have to say is wow, what a beer.

 

Again, not arguing their selection. Still not a bottle shop. Massive corporation, massive buying power, and they have all this from selling food. I've obviously made a trip and again agree that P St is better than most when it comes to service in a grocery store. I doubt they got much more than 25 cases of 4beans, which a bottle shop or two may have.

 

No one cares about supporting the local businesses/economy. I'm the crazy one I know.

 

With everyday beers you can find in many places, sure. If it is a beer you are lucky to have the opportunity to purchase at all, then that is a personal decision. For me, it is an easy one.

 

Saw Hardywood post something about a Watermelon Gose?! ISO.

Will this see distro?

 

They are just as much a part of the local economy as anyone else. The employees and customers at the store are all locals; do you really care that the profits, the only non-local element, are going to a businessman in Texas instead of a businessman in Potomac, Great Falls, or McLean?

 

Dominion & Arrowine sell food in their shops. Does that not make them a bottle shop anymore?

 

Well this thread went off the rails. Can we please keep this to beer releases. Feel free to private message each other to keep the debate going.

 

I don't have any inside info, but none of the Hardywood gose's have seen distro.

 

Was at the brewery this past weekend. An easy drive from DC but make sure you have someone to drive you home. The Truth or Consequence was very good.

I had two of their wild ales and IMO they are sort of hit or miss, with the Wonders of Nature being at the top of those I tried.

 

Ocelot has a long way to go with their sours imo. They're not bad, but they're not on the level of their best IPAs. I think there's only so much they can do with kettle souring, they're going to need some brett + barrel to take it to the next level.

 

They hit floors in offices. If they hit shelves someone would buy the whole case, brag to their friends, and trade them away.

 

Magruder's got Solar Abyss

 

From talking to the owners at Ocelot it sounds like it may be a bit before they do brett + wild fermentation because of the worry of contamination. The kettle sours won't get as sour, but drinkable for sure. Definitely excited to see them start doing a barrel aged beer. I'm curious to see at what point they feel the need to stop doing one offs and start reproducing some of their greatest hits.

 

Really looking forward to helldorado. Sounds like it should be here soon

Edit: is solar abyss on shelves anywhere still?

 

My guess would be no, but I'd imagine some bars still have it if that interests you.

 

Yeah but how many new breweries even attempt at brewing a sour within their first 4 months of being open, let alone producing a half decent one? I thought Wonders of Nature was very solid, on par with Lost Rhino's offerings. That bodes well for what they should be able to do with more time under their belts.

 

I'm just giving an honest assessment of where I think their sours are right now. I don't think they're anywhere close to what Lost Rhino is making, that's kind of crazy. Lost Rhino sours have been in barrels for 2-3 years and have loads of nuance and complexity. Ocelot's kettle sours are very basic and pretty uninteresting. They aren't bad for a new brewery's first attempt though, and I think they will get there, but they have a ways to go.

 

Churchkey still has it on their bottle list (Solar Abyss)