LJDolan

I thought last year's was the regular maibock.

On my way home from work, I stopped by to see if the Old Dominion spring seasonal was on tap, an imperial pilsener this here. It was, and I experienced beer nirvana today. I have already had my favorite new beer of 2004. Imagine Tupper's Hop Pocket Pils on steroids. I found nothing wrong with this beer. Perfect body, perfect hoppiness (and they wanted to make it hoppier), and not overly alcoholic, though it weighs in at 8.5% ABV. They will be bottling it next week. Malarkey, if you read this, the offer is still open to send you some.

Sue, I never had the pils (was not available the one time I was there), but the Anniversary Ale is a former silver medal winner in the American Pale Ale category at the GABF.

Sue, If need be I can get some and hold onto it for you. Same with the Old Dominion imperial pilsener coming out this spring.

Sue, Russ just missed Millenium. It was bottled last week.

Sue, speaking of good beer in Florida, I talked to Sam from Dogfish Head at last night's Lupilin Slam imperial IPA tasting in DC. DFH is coming to Florida. Whether or not you'll be able to get it is another story.

One correction. Wastach Brewing in Park City, Utah makes Polygamy Porter.

Definitely as part of a beer float.

Saw this in the store the other day and decided to try it, a bock beer with real chocolate as an ingredient. Basically a good but not great beer. I thought the chocolate taste was too strong. Reccomend this as no more than a dessert beer. I also those that it was way overpriced at $16/bomber sized bottle.

Rick, I had e-mailed this to Lew yesterday. He had heard it was going to happen but not when.

From the 01/06/04 Washington Post business section: Frederick Brewing, makers of Wild Goose and Blue Ridge beers, will be sold to settle about $3.1 million in debts, the company's court-appointed receiver said. Mark Dottere said he expects to conclude a sale of the Frederick Brewing building and sox-acre property inthe Wedgewood Business Park to an unidentified buyer by late January or early February. The brewing equipment would be sold separately to an operator who would then lease the plant and continue producing beer, Dottroe said. Let me also add that Frederick also brewed the Crooked River line and was the contractor for the 12 oz. bottles for Stoudt's Brewing. In 2002 FB took home a GABF gold for the Crooked River ESB and a bronze for the Wild Goose oatmeal stout. The Crooked River Yuletide Ale was one of my favorite new beers of 2002.

For me it ended up being Portland Brewing's MacTarnahan's Blackwatch Bourbon Porter.

Here is my list of my favorite beers I had for the first time in 2003. Bottle: Gold: Deus Silver: Old Dominion Baltic Porter Bronze: MacTarnahan's Blackwatch Bourbon Porter Finishing out the top 10: Three Floyd's Dreadnaught Avery 10 Victory Grand Cru Dogfish Head Punkin Ale Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA Allagash Summer Ale Stoudt's IPA Tap: Gold: Rock Bottom Arlington 4th Anniversary Ale (imperial IPA) Silver: Fordham's Wizard Wheat (weizenbock) Bronze: Gordon Biersch (DC) Schwarzbier Finishing out the top 10: GB Vienna lager GB hefeweissen Sweetwater Tavern belgian wit RB- Arlington imperial stout John Harvard's DC - imperial stout Sweetwater Tavern (Centreville branch) winter spruce beer Sierra Nevada Rauch beer

Saturday, I made the trip up to State Line Liquors in Elkton, MD mainly to but some Old Horizontal (it's having trouble making it to DC). And lo and behold - State Line had Deus. I just had to get some (pricey at almost $24 a bottle). This is a champagne like beer. It goes through a traditional fermentation and maturation in Belgium. Then is goes through a remuage and degorgement in France (can any wine people translate for me?). I am having trouble describing the taste, mainly because I have never tasted anything like it before. All I know is that it is one of the best beers I have ever had. I am friends with the owners of Breaux Vineyards in Virginia. I can hardly wait to share a bottle with them and see how they like it.

Malarkey, I just found out yesterday that Deus made it to DC. I definitely plan to seek some out this week.

Sue, How far is Daytona from Melbourne? Charlie and Jake's Bar-B-Q, right off I-95 has a pale ale that is a must have (former GABF silver). My brother likes Tapma Bay Brewing and Dunedin Brewing.

John, Mugs Ale House, one of the best beer bars in NYC is just 3-4 blocks (maybe less) from Brooklyn Brewery.

Sue, Where in Florida are you now living? I have been able to find Bigfoot in Fort Lauderdale. Also, Big Bear Brewing in Coral Springs (we have been there) took the GABF gold in 2002 for their belgian dubbel. Brewzzi's in Boca Raton won four medals in 2001 and 2002 in real beer cateories. There are also some brewpubs and microbreweries in the Tampa area my brother really likes. If not, I'd be more than willing to ship if I only had beer shipping boxes.

Sue, If worse comes to worse, you can get it shipped to you from Belmont Station in Portland. www.horsebrass.com and follow the links.

Rich, Blue and Gold shutdown about 5 years ago. Casuality of the owner's divorce Isnt Blue and Gold still in Fredricksville, VA? Blue and Grey is in Fredericksburg, VA and they are strictly a microbrewery. There used to be a brewpub in Arlington named Blue and Gold.

Bob, Right now if I want, I can get a growler of the bourbon stout at OD. But if it is bottles you are looking for, I can stop by Shenandoah brewing and get some of their bourbon wee heavy, bourbon oatmeal stout, or bourbon sahti. It will be bottles of the OD bourbpn stout if they have started bottling it next time you are here. Also by then, Leesburg Brewing on Catoctin Circle should be opened.

Have you tried Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits? I find Abita there all the time.

Rich, Blue and Gold shutdown about 5 years ago. Casuality of the owner's divorce Nearest Metro station to the DC (and burbs) brewpubs: Gordon Biersch, District Chophouse, Capital City-Downtown, John Harvard's: Metro Center and Gallery Place/Chinatown/MCI Center. All four places are with in 5 blocks of each other. Also near the MCI Center is one of the better beer bars in DC - RFD (Regional Food and Drink). Capital City-Capital Hill: Union Station Rock Bottom-Bethesda: Bethesda Rock Bottom-Arlington: Ballston Founder's: King Street Sweetwater Tavern-Merrifield: Dunn Loring Capital City-Arlington: Not within walking distance of the metro, but is a very short bus ride from the Pentagon Metro. Metro Bus 7A. Leaves on the half hour. Places you need to drive to: Sweetwater Tavern- Centreville and Sterling, Summit Station (Gaithersburg), Old Dominion (Ashburn), Franklin's (Hyattsville).

I stand corrected. I was just told by Old Dominion that it was ATF approval that was being waited for. It was posted at part of a news item on their website. Also, for anyone traveling to the DC area, there already is bottled bourbon aged beer available. Shenandoah Brewing, a BOP/small microbrewery located in Alexandria, Virginia already produces bottled bourbon aged beer for sale at the brewery - oatmeal stout, wee heavy and sahti (a Finnish style barleywine with juniper berries). They also have these three beers non-bourbon aged.

Susan and others, I stopped by Old Dominion earlier today and talked to one of the brewers. OD has received permission from the ATF to start bottling their bourbon stout and selling kegs to restaurants. For now, OD just be selling the kegs and will sometime in 2004 start bottling it.