By Timothy Long
Last month I wrote about the joy of visiting the Eastern Shore. I mentioned how great it is to live in this area with a plethora of fun places for day trips. So, it was only fitting for this month’s article that I travel west to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. After all, that is our motto, “From the Bay to the Blue Ridge.”
This trip fell into our lap. My wife and I were invited to a weekend party at Bear Chase Brewery. It was my buddy Evan’s birthday. His wife, Trish, had planned a weekend celebration there. Leigh and I made the cut and landed on the guest list. And man, am I glad we did.
Bear Chase is located in Bluemont, VA, just west of Leesburg. It took us about an hour to get there. You’re so far west that you can throw a rock into West Virginia. You’re not on the top of the mountain, but you’re close. To say that the view is spectacular would be an understatement. This place is truly God’s country. On a good day, you can see Tyson Corner. Although, I don’t know why you’d want to. (Sorry, that’s an Old Towner joke.)
Trish had rented the Manor House for all of us. It’s a big, gorgeous house right next to the brewery. It’s spacious and elegant with huge rooms and a great deck that offers the same great view as the brewery. Leigh and I were both blown away by its beauty as we entered. Evan immediately greeted us.
“Do you want a beer?” He knows me well.
“Of course I do.”
Once we stowed our gear in the room. I headed downstairs with Evan to the rec room. This was not only a great party room with an indoor pool, but it was equipped with a built-in tap with two handles. Evan had bought two kegs from Bear Chase for the weekend. Could this place get any better?
“You’ve got to try the Kolsch.” Again, he knows me well.
He handed me a beer. I wafted the beer, and then a taste. I paused, then took another taste. I had to look around. Am I in Germany? This beer tastes like I’m in Germany. Bear Chases’s Kolsch has won gold medals, and I can taste why. This beer hits every note. It’s light-bodied, crisp, and slightly dry, with subtle fruit and herb notes. It’s perfect.
I was reminded of a scene in the musical Annie when she first arrives at Daddy Warbucks’ mansion. Once she realizes that she is there as a guest, not a worker, she sings a fun song titled “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here!” I was standing in what was essentially a mansion drinking an amazing beer. I didn’t break into a song and dance. I’m not going to do that to my friends. But don’t think for a moment that I wasn’t tempted.
The next day was spent next door at the brewery. The tasting room is gigantic with tons of tables and several big screen televisions. I’m guessing it holds over 500 people. A wonderful acoustic guitar duo was playing. Huge windows open toward the unbelievable mountain view. Below us sprawls a fantastic green hill side covered with Adirondack chairs. There are several other beer stations on the middle and bottom of the hill side. One cannot help but stare and take in the beauty of the landscape.
I had set up a beer tasting. I met with Hunter, one of Bear Chase’s bartenders. Hunter is one of those fun brewery bartenders that you always seem to find. He’s been there six years, is very knowledgeable of beers, and obviously he loves his job. He starts me off with their Kolsch. I told him that I had already tasted it but was happy to try it again.
As Hunter and I progress through the beer list, I am amazed. I didn’t taste a single dud. I don’t care how much I like a brewery; there’s always a dud. A beer that you taste and say, “Eh, it’s OK.” But not here. Even the styles I don’t tend to favor, Sours and Hazy IPAs, were brewed to perfection. A few of the beers that I felt really stood out were:
- Vienna Lager: Light and not overly malty. It was crisp and clean with a medium body.
- Honey Badger Amber Ale: I love the name. They added the honey after brewing, yet it wasn’t overly sweet. It had the typical hoppy character and hint of malt.
- Mexicali Blues Dark Mexican Lager: Smooth with coffee, caramel, and chocolate notes with a clean finish.
- Evenin’ Sunset Hazy IPA: The hops are present. But accompanied by citrus and fruit flavors with a hint of honey sweetness.
It’s a shame that I can’t review all of them. As I stated, there’s not a bad beer in the bunch. I got to meet Bear Chase’s Head Brewer, Ken Wilson. We toured the brewery as we chatted. He spoke of his love for crisp beers. This love was evident in the beers I tasted. I’m a crisp beer lover myself. I shook his hand, thanked him, and congratulated him on a job well done.
Do yourself a favor and plan a fun weekend or afternoon at Bear Chase Brewery. The food is good, plus they also offer wine and slushie drinks. The afternoon and evening acoustic entertainment greatly adds to what is already a fabulous atmosphere. It’s way more than just a brewery. It’s a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the company of good friends. We will definitely return soon. The Kolsch itself is worth the drive.
Tim’s Whiskey and Cigar Recommendations
Michter’s US 1 Small Batch Bourbon
Michter’s always puts out good whiskey. I was dining with my wife in Old Town at Oak Steakhouse, one of our favorite places. I was perusing their bourbon list when the bartender recommended Michter’s US 1 Small Batch. I’m really glad that he did. This bourbon is very inviting on the nose with vanilla, strawberry shortcake, and brown sugar. The palate is delightful with caramel corn, vanilla, oak, and a bit of tobacco. It finishes light, dry, and a bit earthy with lingering tobacco and brown sugar. The bourbon was made to complement the fantastic steak I had just consumed.
CAO Flathead 660 Cigar
This smoke starts off a little sweet, but you mainly get coffee, cocoa, and leather up front. As you get into it, the flavors become earthy, with coffee and leather tastes emerging. The sweetness tapers off toward the end as espresso, dark coffee, and leather notes take over. To say that this cigar is delightful would be an understatement. CAO does a great job with the Flathead series. But I have to admit that this one is my favorite of their cigars. Cheers!!
This cigar, and many other fine cigars, are available at John Crouch Tobacconist at 215 King St. in Old Town Alexandria. Mention this article and get 10% off the purchase of this month’s recommended cigar.
About the Author: Timothy Long is an educator, writer, consultant, and experienced restaurant operator. Email: tlong@belmarinnovations.com. Instagram and Twitter: @wvutimmy. Blog: What is that fly doing in my soup? http://whatflyinmysoup.com