If you’ve been following our adventures for the past few days, you may have noticed something interesting about this conference. On Day 1, we drove to Delaware and drank beer. On Day 2, we drank beer in Delaware and then drove home and drank beer in Virginia. There hasn’t been a “conference” yet … no sessions! That all changed on Day Three. It was time to get some learnin’. (If you want to don’t want to read about the day, skip below and see our pictures from Day Three.)

First speaker out of the blocks was Julia Herz, Craft Beer Program Director for the Brewers Association. This one is a fireball. Tons of energy, she shared a lot of facts and figures about the continued growth of craft beer versus mass-produced; and also the dominance ber has over wine and spirits in the American marketplace. Next up was a panel discussion on diversity in the brewery world. .Julie Verratti (Founder, Denizens Brewing), Bev Armstrong (Founder, Brazo Fuerte Artisinal Beer), and Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham (Diversity Ambassador for the Brewers Association) discussed the evolution of increased diversity in the brewing industry. The quick takeaway … don’t ask a person of color or a female brewer what it’s like to be a minority in the beer world. Ask them the same questions you’d ask any brewer.

For lunch, we had two food truck choices. Pro tip … Dave’s Dogs was the way to go, especially if your order the Old Bay tater tots. Yes!!

The afternoon was off with THE keynote of the event: Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head. He speaks with great passion about his company, why they’ve always been a little different and have stuck to their ways in the face of criticism. He’s an incredible evangelist for his brand (something I would like to do better as well.) We finished his session with a Facebook live Q&A – really interesting media.

The learnin’ portion of the day was capped off with an expo … there were about 10 exhibitors placed around the room, and many of them brought beer for us to enjoy. Let the revelry commence! (Side note – if you see a trivia contest poop up during the sessions, run over and answer as quickly as possible. I did and scored two bombers of Rogue Dead n Dead.) Thank you to Rogue, Terrapin, Devil’s Backbone, Dogfish Head, and others for a great afternoon!

And finally … the evening reception. Yet another bus ride took us to Vanish Brewery, or more like a farm with a brewery hidden in it. You can see in the pictures below, it was a beautiful setting, and they had representatives from 19 local breweries serving one of their beers. (One group brought two, so 20 total beers.) Stickers, hats, glasses, bottle openers … the SWAG is seemingly endless here. Below the slideshow, I’ll list the 19 breweries and the beers they were pouring. And that’s a wrap on Day Three!

CLICK the picture below to see more photos from the day …

The beer from the evening (along with the score I gave it on Untappd):

• Adroit Theory Antithesis D.R.A.N.K. Hawaiian Punch Gose (3 out of 5). This stuff was so odd. Smelled, looked and tasted like straight Hawaiian Punch. There was legitimate debate between on us whether it was beer or just Hawaiian Punch. It’s the pink beer in the pictures.
• Barnhouse Quarter Horse Porter (3.5)
• Bear Chase Mr. Pink Tart Cherry Ale (4.25). It wasn’t tart … really nicely balanced.
• Belly Love 50 Shades of Gold Belgian Strong Pale. (3.75)
• Beltway 1776 Rye-aged Stout. (4.5). Powerful and tremendous.
• Bike TrAle Yellow Jersey Pilz (3)
• Black Hoof Island Pond Hefeweizen (2.5)
• Crooked Run Katana Double-IPA with cherries and vanilla (4.25)
• Dirt Farm Som’ Peach seasonal. (3). I was very hesitant, as I don’t like peach beers. But this was surprisingly pleasant.
• House 6 El Bombero Kolsch. (4)
• Lost Rhino Dawn Patrol session IPA. (3.75)
• Old 690 Gnarly Boar Pale. (2.25)
• Old Ox Funky Face Hibiscus Gose. (1.75)
• Phase 2 Thank You, Babe Cream Ale (4.25). Add a smashed basil leaf to it. Seriously.
• Quattro Goomba’s Resistance is Fruitile – Mango Passionfruit Wheat Ale. (4)
• Rocket Frog Angry Angry Alice Double IPA (2.75)
• Solace Partly Cloudy NE-style IPA (3.5)
• Twinpanzee Brewing:
• Galaxy of the Apes IPA (3)
• Galaxy of the Chimps IPA (2.75)
• Vanish Andre Brut IPA. (3.75). Very interesting and quite refreshing. As the name implies, it had a champagne quality to it.

And so this trip started with a bang.

My flight to DC left at 7am. But with a bump into first class, I had to start off with a Sweetwater 420, right? (No judgment!)

Russ landed a little after I did and we made our way to the hotel. With a few hours to kill and a LOT of breweries in the area, we picked one that also served lunch and made our way there. Lost Rhino Brewing was a great choice. The ‘Spicy Mike’ sandwich is a really nice option, if you happen to be in the area. I mean, I had to get that, right? We both ordered flights, and I’d say that the beers were mostly good, one not as much, and we had one clear winner. The vibe in there is very cool (beautiful chalkboard menu). Russ and I would both tell you that the Pumpernickel Honker was the best one of the bunch.

Back to the hotel to get ready for the bus ride to Delaware. We met Lars, who would be our best bud for the rest of the day. Lars is with Dogfish Head and was our bus entertainment/trivia guy for the ride. We loaded up with about 15 other bloggers and headed down the road. We stopped at the brand new Guinness location in Maryland (massive, beautiful facility) to pick up the rest of the bloggers. We got a few minutes in the gift shop and then started down the road to Delaware.

It’s kida hard to put it into words. I’ve been a big fan of DFH for a long time, so it was going to hard for them to live up to my expectations. Hint: they exceeded them. From climbing to the top of the Steampunk Treehouse, starting with a cheese and Flesh & Blood pairing, grabbing a flight of some stuff you can’t find elsewhere, the exhaustive tour of the facility, dinner in the tasting room. It was a-mazing! But wait, there’s more! We finished the evening sipping 120 Minute IPA brewed in 2008 while having a fireside chat with Sam Calagione, DFH founder, and his wife. Just an unbelievable end to a pretty tremendous day. If you like beer, and specifically DFH beer, this is a must visit.

Going to try something a little different today. We have so many pictures from the day, I’m throwing them into a Flickr album to make it easier for you to live vicariously through the bloggers!

And I get to stay here …

You will have the opportunity to try 10 beers in 50 minutes. In each round, a brewery representative will have five minutes to pour his or her beer, describe the beer, and answer questions before moving on to the next table. It is a fast, fun, and crazy beer tasting experience that helps writers practice their tasting and reviewing skills and helps breweries distill their message.

I have lots of friends who share my love affair with beer.  We meet; we discuss; we share – and then rinse and repeat. Sometimes we recommend certain beers we’ve tried; sometimes it’s a new cool restaurant or bar.  In this instance, I owe this brewery option to LKS.  She told me it was a must when visiting Asheville.  As always – she was spot on.

When we found Burial Beer Company, it almost snuck up on us.  You almost have to know exactly where to look and what you’re looking for. Burial is in a very understated building and it’s kinda on a side street – not really on the main drag.  But that fits their personality perfectly.  They’re so laid back and casual – it was maybe the coolest atmosphere we saw on the entire trip. More on that later.

The beer was awesome.  It took a second to get someone’s attention at the bar to order a beer … only because there were a dozen people ordering at the same time.  It wasn’t overcrowded – just had some thirsty folks there, like me. There were so many choices I wanted to try, but I only had time for two.  I guess that means a return trip is in my future! Hacksaw Dark Lager – wow. It’s a Dunkel-style beer, amber/dark in color, but still light.  Great flavors going on in that one.  Highly recommend!  But then there’s the Reaper – a Tripel.  You know how much I love a good Tripel, and this one didn’t disappoint.  They use local honey, that adds a very subtle extra sweetness to the thick yummy elixir. Nice and thick with deep, sweet flavors.  This is a very good representation of a Tripel.  (By the way, if you need to do some drooling, go to the Burial Beer list online … they have so many flavors and so many options (obviously not all at the same time.) But these folks KNOW their beer.  They make very high quality beers and cover a very wide variety of styles.  It’s the ultimate beer lovers place, partially because …

That laid back atmosphere bleeds over to the clientele.  We walked outside next to the building and discovered that it was a local hang out. Young couples were there with their kids (and I mean young

kids – babies); dogs were playing.  And there was a cornhole set waiting for us to play.  And by ‘next to the building’, I mean that it was a tiny little gravel and dirt area right next to the building.  It was almost like a vacant lot where people were hanging out.  It was such a relaxed and inviting feel.  If anyone cares – I think I won the cornhole matchup.  And yeah – I bought the mason jar glass.

Next week, the 4.5th in the 4.5 part series.  It’ll make sense when you read it – I promise.

We continue on our saga of Asheville breweries with our third installment in the four-and-a-half part series. We’ve already seen Wicked Weed and Wedge.  This week we move on to Green Man.

The first step is admitting a problem.  I don’t know what the rest of the steps are, but I’ve always heard that first one.  In this instance, my problem is collecting beer-aphernalia wherever I go.  T-shirts, hats, glasses … I feel like I’m failing if I don’t collect something.  Now, to be fair, I didn’t go crazy overboard in Asheville, but I couldn’t not get something from Green Man.  First, the logo was cool, and second, the beer was stellar and I wanted to remember it.  I mean – tell me this logo doesn’t have awesomeness attached to it … For the record, I went with the shirt to the right.  This picture is on their website, and I am VERY disappointed that the trophy-flagon did not come with the purchase.

Now … on to the beer.  Green Man offered one of my favorite beer choices ever.  No, not Belgian, or Abbey, or pale ale … it’s the concept of the flight.  We have already discussed my love affair with the mix-a-six-pack concept, and this is obviously the drink-IN version of that take-home idea.   For my four choices, I went with Porter, Harvester, Forester and the IPA. And that’s the order I’d rank them in.  The Porter was so very smooth and drinkable, had we stayed longer I would have ordered a full pour.  It’s rich without being thick and has some chocolate going on in there.  Overall very smooth and enjoyable, if you like the darker stuff.  Harvester is a Marzen-style beer (think Oktoberfest-esque beers.)  Crisp and light, this one had a lot more amber color to it than most Marzens I’ve had.  Quite good. Forester is a stout and is better when the weather turns colder.  (And it was warm while we were there.)  Again, it had some chocolatey goodness, but I didn’t think the flavors balanced out as well as the Porter. I had to try the IPA, even though they don’t usually work for me. It was an IPA – on the bitter side if you ask me.  If you’re into IPAs, you’ll probably love it, but that just ain’t me!

And I still love the shirt. Tune back in next week for the 4th brewery tour.  I hope you’re enjoying the vicarious trip to Asheville!

PS – I’m getting political now.  Asheville has a thriving and vibrant beer scene, partially because of a great legal environment there. Their laws regarding breweries allow for many things we don’t have in Georgia.  There is currently a bill in the Georgia Senate that will get us closer to that same environment.  SB63.  Call your Senator.  Call Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle.  Let’s get this thing on the floor and get it voted through!

We hope you enjoyed our first trip to Asheville last week with a tour through Wicked Weed.  While on the same trip, two of us ventured over to the Asheville River Arts District. Yes, we looked at the art.  No, we didn’t buy anything.  But while there we found a brewery no on the normal tourist stops.  This was the local hangout, and it was PACKED on a Friday night!  It was hard to find somewhere to stand and there were lines to get the beer.  It was so very worth it …

Wedge Brewing Company sits in the middle of the arts district, right next to the railroad.  Gravel/dirt parking lot, very small indoor seating area, very vibrant scene, very good beer.  For a relatively small retail side of the building, there is a robust selection of beers, ranging from the mild all the way to the off-the-charts bitter. Baskets of roasted peanuts and a rotation of food trucks complement the eclectic scene.

On the standard regular, good ole beer side, I highly recommend the Julian Price Pilsner. Simply a Golem Belgian Strong Golden which was outstanding.  Thicker than you might usually expect from something with so light a color.  It could be too sweet for some people, but it even has a little bit of spice to it.  It’s something you have to keep working on to really pinpoint what’s going on in the glass.  Some of us may even need a second one to decide!
very nice, crisp pilsner.  From that, I took the huge leap over to the

Insider tip: there is a window just to the left of the entrance where you can usually go and order their Iron Rail IPA (probably their most popular) and a second choice.  While we were there, it was the 3rd Rail Imperial IPA Barley Wine (this is the aforementioned off-the-charts bitter selection.  Wow.)

FYI – those who know me are aware of the fact that I’m not big on IPAs typically, but this Iron Rail was quite good.  Less bitter than some others I’ve had and really quite drinkable.  Maybe it was better because I got it from that super-secret side door and felt like a local pro.  Who knows?  Anywho, when you’re in Asheville, go and check out the local arts scene, and plan some time to sample some of the finest local concoctions – served in pint glasses.

Next wek is the 3rd installment … been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.

I’m back … again …

This time, I hope to stay.  I’m starting a 4-week series reporting on some of the breweries we visited on a recent trip to Asheville, NC.  Ahhh, Asheville.  If you drink beer and have not yet been to Asheville, go.  Not tomorrow, not next week.  NOW.  Get in the car right now and go.  North Carolina has done a great job in creating an atmosphere where craft beer can thrive … and boy, has it.

We visited several breweries while there, and we really didn’t want to go to the larger national brands.  Oskar Blues, Sierra Nevada and several others have made this corner of North Carolina home recently.  But we chose those places a little more off the beaten path.  Score.

First in our series of posts is a beautiful place called Wicked Weed. They have a fantastic outdoor seating area, complete with fireplaces and very comfy seating. Wicked Weed has so many great choices, and with lots of unique flavor combinations that totally work … raspberries with ancho chilies in the Boom Boom Belgian Porter; fig, banana and coriander in the Abbey Dubbel; blackberries and dried dates aged in Cabernet barrels for the Oblivion Sour Red.

We had the Boom Boom Belgian Porter – I was afraid it could be too spicy for more delicate tastes. I was wrong – you could taste a little flavor from the chilies, but nothing overpowering.  And the Abbey Dubbel.  I’m just disappointed  I didn’t have my growler handy for a refill of this one (rookie mistake.)  I’m a sucker for Dubbels and this one was stellar.  The flavors seem to change from one sip to the next.  The banana aroma and flavor is different, but in a good way.  I can’t explain this one with words – you’ve just got to go.  And be adventurous.

Up next week … part 2 in the Asheville series and a very different atmosphere.

Sorry I’ve been away for a week.  I’m sure you have been anxiously awaiting the next installment of the blog.  Wait no longer …

So, Leigh and I took off for four days to New York, to experience the fun, the overwhelming crowds, the window-shopping, the great food, and maybe a few minutes to reconnect with just each other – no kiddies around!  However, while there, I felt it was best to do some market research for the burgeoning blog and report back to you on the experiences in the Big Apple.  Here are three highlights:

A fraternity brother recommended a very cool restaurant in midtown called Toloache. We didn’t know what

to expect walking in and were really there for an appetizer and a drink – nothing more.  This is a taqueria with fun, eclectic choices on the menu.  Being adventurous, I felt compelled to order the Michelada.  If you’re not familiar with it (and I certainly wasn’t) a Michelada is a beer poured over ice and hot sauce in a glass.  There is some lime to compliment it as well.  The rim of the glass was covered in a spicy-salt mixture.  It kinda looked like a Bloody Mary, but the taste is nearly impossible to explain.  The beer in mine was Dox Equis Amber.  The taste was equal parts a tomato-juice like flavor, with hints of lime and beer, all while experiencing a bit of heat and some fizz from the beer.  I’m not going to say that I didn’t like it, but I will say that I’m glad I finished it and will likely not order one again.

The next day, while walking back to the hotel after covering 1,193 blocks of midtown Manhattan, we trudged along E 36th Street and came across the Ginger Man.  I have frequented an establishment of the same name in Austin, TX before, but didn’t know they had a satellite campus in NYC.  A quick plead to the wife gained me entry into beer heaven.  So many choices, and so many high-end and exotic choices.  For the first round, I ordered a Kwak, which is apparently not the preferred drink at Aflac, much to my chagrin.

 The Kwak is an Abbey-style beer from Belgium and was tremendous!  It’s easy to get thrown off by the bizarre glass it came in, but the beer was the real winner here.  It’s not as heavy as a traditional tripel, but has some of those same great, deep flavors we all know and love.  Leigh ordered a St Louis Framboise – a thicker (although not crazy sweet & syrupy) raspberry beer.  It was good and we agreed it was a one-beer only choice.  Since I’m a glutton for punishment, my second round was a flight: four 5-ounce pours.  I chose (from L to R) The Bruery Six Geese-a-Laying, Gaffel Kolsch, Left Hand Motherlode and Captain Lawrence Ginger Man Ale.  Quick thoughts on each: I find that many beers will try

to go for a crazy or themed name as a way to hide an inferior beer.  Not the case with Six Geese – it was a nice dark, winter-ish roasted flavor.  The Gaffel Kolsch was smooth, just like Kolsch should be, but with a slight hint of citrus.  Left Hand Motherlode was a great respite from the darker stuff, a nice light golden ale.  The Ginger Man “in-house” beer was really good.  It’s a Belgian-style beer with some ginger added (Get it?  Ginger?)  VERY pleased with my four-beer flight!

For brunch on Sunday, we again heeded advice from friends and went to Joseph Leonard in the Village.  Since it was 10:30 in the morning, my eyes were drawn to the bloody Mary section of the menu, especially the one that included the words, “beer chaser.”  It comes with the drink!  I absolutely had to have it. The Bloody Mary was good, not great and the beer (Reissdorf Kolsch from Cologne, Germany) was exactly what you might expect from a Kolsch: simple and smooth.  Quite good.

So there it is, some highlights from the trip to NYC.  Have you tried any of the above?  What are your favorite winter-themed beers?