DC/MD/NoVA Beer Updates (2017)

I'm planning a quick stop for cans Sunday, I think the 2 per variant limit will help spread the love. I'm not planning to line up early so I guess we'll see how it plays out...

 

I've always gotten there for the Friday IPA and DIPA releases a few minutes before opening and never had an issue. I agree that small limits should help spread it around but haven't seen an announcement of how many cases of each were made. Parking around there is going to be the worst part though.

 

Vanilla Rye was not pouring. They were offering raffle tickets for the chance to buy a bottle. Pretty misleading on GI's part.

 

They did offer very small VR bottle pours at room temperature at 6pm (approximately an ounce per person), then a raffle to win a chance to buy a bottle for $75. My brother was lucky and got to buy a bottle, so he was happy, but if you didn't win, it was just one ounce of VR, plus regal, regular and other GI beers.

 

DDH Turning Road at Bluejacket is great. Huge mosaic bomb.

 

Damn, I must have left just before that. Oh well, I've had VR several times and always concluded I liked regular BCBS better. And one ounce per person is pretty weak.

 

Overall I was disappointed with this event. I got there around 4:30 and tried Regal. I overheard the GI rep say they brought a case of VR and would be doing small pours and raffling the chance to buy a bottle at 6:30. Didn't make sense to wait 2 hours for that.

 

Agreed. When they came for Migration Week two years ago, they showed up with Prop, BCBCS, VR, and multiple vintages of BCBS. I guess that set my expectations too high.

 

Incredibly lame wow. The website was completely lacking in pretty much all those details. Also $75 coming directly from the brewery? Even lamer

 

Event was very meh, I waited for the VR pours. They gave everyone about 1 oz of warm VR. The raffle "winners" got the chance to buy VR for 70 bucks. I'm glad I didnt win...

 

Has anyone seen SN Oktoberfest Cans in NoVA?

Looking for other fresh but relatively cheap can options (for Lockn this weekend) if people have thoughts. I just went into HT in pentgon City expecting to find this, but the only had bottles buried under summer fest bottles.

 

Always funny to me that arguably the best seasonals (oktober/fall) follow some of the worst in these summer beers people try to pump out.

 

Whoa shots fired if you're calling out SN Summerfest, love that beer.

 

Not at all. I haven't tried it and tend to give them the benefit of the doubt on most beers. Simply thinking of the overly lemony sweet messes that a lot of breweries churn out. Just make a tasty pale or pils.

 

Just kidding w/ you (although I do love Summerfest).

 

Saw the two new 3 Stars DIPAs at Calvert Woodley today. Are they any good?

 

Technicolor is very good. Jabberwocky is just okay.

 

Magruders still had some Tilquin Quetsche left, as well as Fantome Saison, and the JK and Live Oak collab.

 

Ayinger Oktoberfest at Trader Joe's on 14th, though in 330ml 4-packs for $14 (seems steep!)

 

Wanted to give a shout out to a new super-nano brewery in Maryland called Steinhardt's. They seem to be sending some kegs down to Meridian Pint, Roast House and a few other establishemts around central Maryland. Had the barrel aged wild/sour ale called Framboise (Rasberry Flanders Red), and thought it was extremely well made for the style. I bought a 22oz bottle for $12 at the Braddock Inn (the unofficial taproom) which certain isnt Avery or Cascade pricing so it should move quickly. Deflinetily worth keeping an eye on this brewery. He may be making the best wild ales/sours in the area (some of the Brewer's Alley small batch wilds are pretty spot on / awesome as well). I put the first reviews of their beers on BA (of course hundreds are now on Untappd though).