Summer Fun at Port City Brewing Company
By Timothy Long
August marks the fourth anniversary of this column. It gives me quite a feeling of accomplishment. The column has done well. Even if I do say so myself. I decided to go back and read my first article in this series “Give Me Hops, But Don’t Give Me Bitter Death.” The article deals with a trip to Pittsburgh, which, by the way, has a great craft beer scene. I wrote about how the craft beer industry was moving away from the idea that a bitter beer was a better beer. I discussed the use of hops and how hops were associated with bitterness. If I may quote myself from that first article:
Even the mere mention of hops makes many beer drinkers think of only one word, bitter. Over-hopped beer can be very bitter. It also raises the specter of beer elitism. We envision brew pub bars packed with man-bun-wearing millennials sipping from a flight of five small glasses in front of them while they are taking notes, discussing aromas, and comparing flavors.
The trend away from bitterness has continued. Mercifully, so too man buns. And craft brewers now create a variety of great beers with complex delightful flavors using hops.
I was pondering what to write about this month, when I received an email from Ryan Pederson, the General Manager at Port City Brewing Company. It seems that Port City was releasing some new beers, and Ryan was inviting me to come in for a tasting. The timing was great. Just as I was wondering about a subject, I got an invitation from one of my favorite breweries. A brewery which also just happens to be a ten-minute drive from my home. The beer gods had spoken. I was destined to write about Port City. Now if only the golf gods would speak to me. Oh well, one set of gods at a time, I guess.
As I entered the brewery, I knew which beer I was having first. They had just released it, the Port City German Pilsner. Anyone who reads this article knows of my love for German beer. People can ramble on about the greatness of Belgian beers all they want. German beers are, in my humble opinion, the best. Don’t get me wrong, there are many great Belgian beers. But a lot of them are fruity, which is not to my liking.
I headed to the bar and ordered the German pilsner. As usual, it’s brewed perfectly. They serve it “Keller Style” which means unfiltered and naturally carbonated. It’s clean on the palate with light floral and sweet malt flavors. The noble hops give it the crisp finish of a classic pilsner. What a wonderful beer.
Ryan met me at one of the high tops in the tasting room. And immediately asked which beer I was drinking.
“The German Pilsner.” I said with a smile. “I look forward to this every year.” “It is a great beer.” He replied.
After a few cordial words, we got into talking beer, which is something we both love to do. Ryan starts off by telling me about a couple of Hazy IPAs they are releasing. I was a bit shocked. Hazy IPAs are not the current trend, pilsners and lagers are. Ryan agreed. But he then informed me that they still sell very well. The Port City Hazy IPA was their second-best seller last year. It’s a harder IPA with very juicy flavors of mango, peach and tangerine. It’s a good beer and quite refreshing on a summer day.
Ryan brings me a taste of the two new hazy IPAs. The Essential Haze IPA has just been released. It has the same grain bill as Port City Hazy, but a different hop bill. It’s citrusy. But much softer and very delightful on the palate. It was a tad hard to believe it was an IPA.
Ryan then offers me their other big IPA release, The Hopsurgence Double IPA. I was prepared to pucker up after tasting it, but that didn’t happen. It had no big hop bite at all. And it’s a double IPA! Wow. It was also pleasantly citrusy and bold, yet very soft on the palate. I immediately fell in love. This beer is fantastic.
There are some other notable releases they have coming up. On August 8th they are releasing Derecho, a California Common style beer that is very similar to a steam beer. Their Schwarzbier is being released on August 22nd. It’s a German Black lager with note s of coffee and toasted malt. It’s dark like a stout, but tastes light and malty like a lager. I look forward to it every year. And starting in September, they plan on releasing a different coffee porter each month through the month of March. They’ll use different coffee with each batch.
But the big date is August 16th. That’s when Port City hosts their 2nd Annual Port to Port Beer Festival. This is a true craft beer festival featuring not only Port City’s great beers, but beers from a plethora of other craft brewers. Some of my favorite breweries will be there, including Stone, DC Brau, The Veil, Right Proper, Denizens, and Sonoma Beer Cellars. There’ll be music featuring DJ Sprinkles and great food as well. Port City always has La Tingaria on site with their authentic tacos.
Port City has been one of Alexandria’s greatest breweries since Bill and Karen Butcher founded it in 2011. Many of their beers are award winners. (Plus, they won the Great American Beer Festival Small Brewery of the Year Award in 2015.) These events are always fun, and their beer is fantastic. If you have a chance, go to the festival. It’ll be great. If you can’t go, be sure to swing by the brewery sometime and try a few of their wonderful beers. Ryan and his crew will take great care of you. It’s always been one of my favorite places. And always will be. Cheers!!
Tim’s Whiskey and Cigar Recommendations
Widow Jane 10-Year-Old Bourbon
This is one of my favorite summer bourbons, and it’s from New York. This bourbon is perfect to sip on the rocks on a warm summer evening. On the nose you get corn, oak, some vanilla, and a hint of apple. It is sweet on the palate with corn and vanilla up front. Some pepper spice hits you about halfway through the taste. It all blends nicely. It finishes sweetly with a beautiful blend of oak and pepper. It’s 91 Proof, runs about $75 per bottle, and is well worth the price.
Monte Cristo Platinum Series Toro
Monte Cristo is one of my go-to brands. Their cigars are always easy to light and have an excellent draw. This Platinum Series Toro does not disappoint and is a medium-bodied delight. It starts off with earth and hickory flavors. After a few puffs, hints of citrus and sweet fruit come through. It finishes light with mostly hickory. It’s a great walking-the dog cigar.
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