Beer Gallimaufry: Sixtel Love/So 'Boam/Rustico/Flying Dog Musings

St. Jeroboam's Day started clear and warm. 2 OS Brewers made their way to Devines to purchase a sixtel of Yuengling Lager--great for a summer day--and the Brooklyn Pilsner, which started with the characteristic bite ("Oh crap," I remarked to a fellow brewer, "I hope this s**t doesn't end up tasting like Pilsner Urquell") but got better as the keg progressed.

(Yes, we had two lagers, but sometimes you just feel like a lager. And while I'm on the subject, if you can, head over to The Reef at 18th and Columbia NW and grab a cold pint of the North Coast Scrimshaw--perfect after a hard day at the office. The Scrimshaw has the most expressive flavor profile for any pilsner I've ever encountered: blueberries, malt, oats, cream, and more--the kind of thing you'd expect from an expertly brewed IPA or a delicate pale. Really, it's the kind of pilsner that makes you want a pilsner. And I don't mean Czechvar or Bud Light.)

I wasn't a huge sixtel fan before Jeroboam's Day, but consider me a convert. Light enough to carry, able to hold plenty of beer, it's the perfect addition to a backyard BBQ or company picnic. Devines at 14th and Irving has sixtels of the Yuengling and the Brooklyn Pilsner (not in the same class as the aforementioned Scrimshaw, but a formidable domestic pils nonetheless), as well as selections from Oskar Blues, Avery, and other worthy brewhouses.

Ogden Brewers' Day Trip to Rustico

If you haven't gotten to Rustico, you haven't lived. Two OS Brewers and Ray-Ray, another Ogden inhabitant, beer lover, and Mets fan (we forgive you, buddy) made the drive to Alexandria the other day. Our original plan was to attend a dinner hosted by Adam Avery, but instead of the ordering the tickets immediately, the brewers took a detour and scored some PHOnomenal Viet cuisine at Pho14 (Park @14th, NW. Your faithful blogger recommends the #16, a savory medley of steaming broth, paper-thin beef, fluffy noodles, crunchy bean sprouts, and all the accouterments: onion, mint, lime, hoisin, and that staple of SE Asian cuisine, sriracha. Grab a regular--plenty large enough--for only 8 bucks. Seriously. Go now.) Our hunger sated, we PHOned (get it?) Rustico for tix, only to find we'd just missed the last of 'em. Sigh.

Instead of giving up, we made the most of the night by driving down anyway. The dining room was closed to us because of the dinner, but the bar, with its' limited menu, was open. Business was brisk for a weeknight. We grabbed three chairs and dove in.

I'm doing this brew bar a disservice by not giving it a full review. While Sampson snacked happily on deviled eggs (devilishly good), Ray-Ray and I went for the house special: the pizza. I had the standard margherita, Ray-Ray the sausage. Both came piping hot. Ray-Ray reported the sausage to be sweet and smoky. On my pie, the mozzarella was creamily sublime, melted clear into the sauce, which was not too garlicky and peppered with welcome chunks of fresh tomato. The crust was crispy, appropriately garnished with basil. Pairing the 'za with a 't Smisje Plus to moderate the lacticity of the cheese with some punchy hop had this reviewer in Brew Heaven and begging for more (although, with a $13 price tag, this incredible quaff doesn't come cheap.) Other highlights on tap: Southern Tier's Cuvee 2, a dark, complex, malty puzzle with teasing hints of poultry (sounds worse than it tastes) and anise; the Wild Devil, a version of Victory's famous IPA brewed with Brettanomyces; and another 't Smisje beer, the Dubbel, which does its style proud with lovely notes of candied malt, caramel and chocolate. In short: visit Rustico NOW.

Abbreviated Final Review: ****

A 'Boam for Home

HH reported on Friday that the jeroboam of Augustijn Blonde/Pilsner mix would be popped on Sunday. Sure enough, at around 5PM, EST, the cork came out. Sixteen glasses later, partygoers marveled at the smooth finish, apple-y and peachy notes, and light complexion. I don't know if you can find this elusive beer in the usual Belgian 11.2oz size, but if so, you should snap some up while you can. (If size matters, you can always spring for the 'Boam like we did. Go to Devinos at U and 18th and talk to Bill.)

Abbreviated Final Review: ***1/2

Flying Dog Miscellany

Full disclosure: I'm not a huge FD fan. I think their Gonzo Porter is good. I think their Old Scratch Amber is decent. I think their IPA is hit-or-miss, and I think their Double is too big. As for the rest of their lineup? Don't get me started.

FD had two tastings in the area over the weekend in honor of SAVOR. (which yours truly missed out on because of work. Gah.) People seem to like this s**t. A lot. A tasting at The Reef brought out a huge crowd; same for a similar event at the Brickskeller. I have to believe alot of the FD love is because the brewery is just up the road in Frederick. But here's my problem: if Washingtonians want to rally around a local brewer with potential and pizazz, why not Clipper City? Their work is better, top-to-bottom. And you can really taste the difference. Really. Do the experiment: drive up 270 to Fred and visit FD by morning, then zip on over to Balto in the afternoon for a tour of the Clip City facilities. If you STILL think FD is better than CC, argue your case. I'll hear you out, but it had better be a damn good argument.

One good thing about FD: apparently they have a huge hedge of hops growing outside their brewery during the summer. Are our little guys jealous? I doubt it. They're doing just fine.

What the OS Brewers will be watching this week:
Man V. Wild feat. Will Ferrell
Any and all O's and Brewers games
Supernews on Current
Anything you can think of that we missed

Stay sexy, D.C.

--HH

Restaurant Review: Black Squirrel

(Photo courtesy of DCist)

A weekend evening out in Adams Morgan is usually a tedious affair. Cheap liquor, an abundance of Bros, too many people who think it's okay to wear sunglasses at night, and a stifling police presence create shitstorm conditions. Best to hunker down somewhere safe, nurse a few drinks, and try not to make eye contact--or, if you've been around D.C. long enough, to find a new spot altogether.

It's become almost cliche to shit-talk AMo, but it's so easy, I figure I might as well hate along with everyone else. The Strip is a godawful place to be on a Friday or Saturday night. Unfortunately, when else are government employees/lobbyists/politicos/hill grunts/lawyers/etc going to hit the bars? D.C. is a decidedly staid city, and the people who work shitty/frustrating/stressful jobs get only two nights (or sometimes just one) a week to let loose. And where does all that stress/cash funnel into? You guessed it. It's probably a combination of the density of watering holes, proximity to downtown, and access to public transportation that makes a weekend trip to AMo so desirable to these people. In any case, they won't find me drinking with them.

But hold on; if the Strip is so bad on the weekends, what about the rest of the week? Glad you asked. There are a number of decent joints on 18th street that are worth a visit. During the week, many of these places offer deals and specials meant to entice the very same people who have seen the place on a Friday or Saturday and probably do not wish to return.

The Black Squirrel is just such a bar.

Heights Hops recommends Tuesday night for a trip to the Squirrel. Two reasons why:

1. Scotty works on Tuesday nights. Give Scotty your business. Dude knows his beer and can pour one perfectly. (Side note: a couple of the Ogden Street Brewers went to Paradiso in Georgetown about a month ago and were treated to a shameful sight: the bartender had no idea how to pour a bottle-fermented beer, and a perfectly delicious Westmalle Double was ruined with yeast sediment. Let that be a lesson to you: don't go to Paradiso on a Tuesday night, and always leave a centimeter at the bottom of a bottle-fermented beer. Ugh.)

2. App special. Like I said, the Squirrel is overrun with Bros on a typical weekend night. In order to do some REAL business, they keep people coming during the week with half-priced appetizers.

The Black Squirrel is one of those AMo bars that is easy to miss; it's tucked into your standard four-story row house, next to Amsterdam Falafel. The place used to be a Red Sox bar called Muttly's, and though the Boston paraphernalia is gone, the walls are tastefully lined with framed SI covers and other subtle homages to sport. Sleek HD televisions bookend the bar. There are a dozen tables and a couple of cozy booths, and the wood bar is long enough to seat fifteen comfortably. The lighting is restrained; bathrooms are clean. It is, in short, a perfectly tidy little place.

Oh, and that food. I don't know how chef Gene Sohn does it (probably his experience at Saveur and Marcel), but I doubt much else along 18th street (Reef and Orleans might take umbrage with this) comes close. This reviewer suggests pairing the plump, crispy calamari, accompanied by a tangy red pepper aioli, with the sweet grilled cheese-and-bacon sandwich and the hearty tomato soup. Or indulge in a crock of the mac-n-cheese with bechamel. Other favorites--full price entrees, but worth every penny: Hereford Filet with herb butter, Free-range buttermilk fried chicken, and the House bratwurst, which--coming from a Wisconsin kid--ain't half bad.

But what good would the food be without beer? The Squirrel has the standard dozen or so taps. Nothing on tap tends to stand out (you'll find all the usual suspects, random light lagers/Guinness etc, though the Squirrel does have it's own White beer. Not bad.) The real treat are the bottles: about fifty in all, divided helpfully into domestic and imported, and further classified by style. You'll find the full range of Unibroue beers (OSB favorites from Canada), along with familiar names like Ommegang, Stone, and Rogue stateside, and Chimay, Baltica, and Weihenstephan from overseas. Nothing on the list could be considered rare or eclectic, and the Squirrel tends to oversell certain styles while neglecting others (too many lagers, lacking in more compelling niche styles like Saisons, Barleywines and the like). But the collection as a whole serves as an efficient and worthy crossection of reputable domestic microbrews and foreign standards.

Finally, if you're not into beer, then you shouldn't be reading this blog. But, on the off-chance somebody like that stumbles across this review and needs another reason for visiting the Squirrel, there's always the absinthe (several different bottles) and the "Lambicane," a drink the owners advertise as being the strongest on the strip. A nice idea in theory, but I'm not sure overworked hill people need another incentive to get f***ed up in AMo on a Friday night.

Overall: A great place to kick back and enjoy a decent brew with some excellent food. Bring a friend or a date.

Final Rating: ***1/2