Notable Releases - DC/NOVA/MD

I've only been there once and I couldn't believe it. Like you said, not a bad thing, but wow.

 

100% correct. All kettle sours. And of the 4 (?) they've done, only one has turned out to their approval. Think they'll absolutely get it figured out in time.

 

Which one is/was that?

 

Personally (as well as from their perspective) the cherry version of Wonders of Nature

 

I only had Embrace the Loss out of the other ones you mentioned and it wasn't close to Planets or See the Light in my mind.

 

I've had Embrace the loss twice. The first week it was tapped and on Thursday. The first time it had the juicy hop goodness. Thursday it was more bitter and dry. I think it was kegged in October. It was still good but not the same beer as when it was first tapped.

 

Seems like BBA Imperial Biscotti Break is gone at Whole Foods, P St. A couple of Java Casks left.

 

I agree, for the most part. I'm still not totally sure what makes a "NE IPA" but that's a discussion for some place else. I am fully convinced that if Ocelot canned (and I know they won't be) then the hype train for them would be speeding down the tracks. Looking forward to checking out Talking Backwards soon.

 

It was still at Calvert Woodley a few hours ago, along with a very few Christmas Mornings, Bourbon GBS, Doughnut break, Perfect Nose and a bunch of other stuff.

 

Talking Backwards was brewed on 12/21.

Should be a late January/early February release. I'll let you guys know a lot more once it's set.

 

One week old triple IPA? PFFFF, not even fresh anymore, bruh.

 

haha. I can promise it will be on tap either the same day it's kegged or the day after.

 

After getting to know a few folks at Ocelot, everything @jacewg posted is on point, the no canning thing kinda sucks, but I understand why, they can't control the beer when it leaves the brewery and if they turn it over to distribution, lord knows how long it will make it a store. The bottling of beers for brewery only stuff is awesome, wish I could go into more detail, but I think most everyone that knows about Ocelot will be very pleased with which ones get bottled to start.

I need to get some growlers filled and get those out to my friends/trading partners around the country, so they can see what Ocelot is doing from a VA and N. VA perspective.

 

So I hit up a few VA breweries yesterday - Quattro Goombas near Middleburg and Ocelot. Goombas was just ok - they had a rye IPA which was decent enough. Ocelot was very good - space was packed and I had sampled of all/most of their beers including some great imperial reds. Their IPAs really are very good. To add to the sour conversation I tried the one sour they had on tap - it was literally the worst beer I have ever had in my life - smelled like a corked wine actually - moldy damp cardboard and tasted even worse. I chatted to several people at the brewery about it and after some initial condescension, "not everyone likes sour beers, yada, yada, yada" they basically discreetly acknowledged that they didn't think it was very good either. So for me the only sour note (see what I did there) is why sell a beer that bad? Left a happy guy though with 2 growlers!

 

Why would they even have to distribute? They could just sell the cans at the brewery a la Other Half or Tree House, then they don't have to worry about distribution. Maybe demand isn't there yet so they are worried cans would sit around?

 

Canning is not a cheap proposition either. they would have to either buy the equipment, farm out the canning to another place, or rent the equipment. All are not cheap options. Not to mention the cost of cans themselves May pay off in the long run of course.

 

Oh for sure, it's definitely expensive. That's why cans at a lot of these places can be very expensive ($15-20 for a 4-pack at Other Half). I'm guessing that eventually though, if demand gets high enough, they'll seriously consider canning. I just think that they probably aren't there yet at the moment.

 

Beltway Brewing is a stone's throw from Ocelot, and they do canning. Works for Grimm, but they have the beer brewed there. Don't know if you can haul your own beer in there for canning though.

 

Anyone know of any regular GBS still around?

 

Anyone know if The Brew Shop in Courthouse Arlington is ever gonna open? They obtained that location in March 2015 and still haven't opened. That seems like a long time to get up and running.