Baying Hound: The Unheralded Local Brewery
Like everyone else in the DC area I’m ecstatic about all of the new local breweries. When Port City’s beers started popping up I couldn’t stop drinking them, especially the Monumental IPA. Being at Meridian Pint for the release of DC Brau’s Public was one of the coolest days of my life, and also the day I met Tonzi and asked if I could help on this blog. Seeing the excitement on Dave Coleman’s face when he released 3 Stars Syndicate at Churchkey continued to reinforce the significance of having local options. When the tweet came up that Chocolate City finally got power and was that much closer to production I couldn’t help but smile. However lost in the shuffle of all these new local breweries is one spot that beat them all to the punch.
That spot is Baying Hound.
SAVOR Beer Week Event Review: 3 Stars Debuts the Syndicate
Even though I was looking at two TVs that had the time in the corner I couldn’t help but check my cell phone to see how close it was to six. I was just so excited to try out the Syndicate, a collaboration between Evolution and of course DC’s newest brewery: 3 Stars.
Finally it started pouring…and pouring…and pouring. The amount of Syndicate that got poured led to Churchkey struggling to find enough glassware for it. This lead to each of my 4 pints being put in different types of glasses except for when Jason asked if it would be OK to use the same glass for two beers in a row.
The beer is great and absolutely perfect for summer. The Syndicate is very smooth and delicious for a saison. The peppercorns are a welcome touch but do not make it bitter in any way, they just give it a nice bit of oomph.
After my disappointment at Policy this event reminded me how amazing this week is going to be. Several great people from the DC beer community were on hand to toast the wonderful job 3 Stars and Evolution did with this beer.
I would just like to say congratulations to Dave Coleman and Mike McGarvey for starting out 3 Stars with such a great beer. They will be at many bars this week with the Syndicate and if you have time, seek it out and have a great conversation with these guys.
-JBass
SAVOR Beer Week Event Review: Kickoff at Policy
Crabs and craft beer is a brilliant idea and a great way to start SAVOR week. Unfortunately Policy did not quite deliver on this promise.
I planned on getting to Policy around 2:30 with a few friends, but my plans changed when I saw a tweet just before 2 saying that there were no more crabs available. With this information now in my head I decided to grab a light bite on the way and head over a bit later alone.
Once I arrived a few minutes after 4 I had mixed feelings. Even though the food and beer reps were gone, I was happy with the beer options. On tap I saw Port City’s Optimal Wit and Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute IPA as well as beers from DC Brau and Heavy Seas. I opted for Flying Dog’s Cask of Single Hop Simcoe, which I ended up getting the last half glass of.
This was certainly not as amazing or thought out as I had hoped the opening event for this crazy week would be. I believe the majority of upcoming events will run much smoother than this did.
-JBass
SAVOR Beer Week Event Preview: 3 Stars Launches the Syndicate
One of the most fun things about going out is feeling like a regular at a bar. Most people have a spot where they feel welcome right as they walk in and the first time I had that feeling in DC was at the Big Hunt thanks to Dave Coleman.
On my second or third visit Dave made me feel like I belonged in his own unique way. Subtle and quiet are not words I would use to describe him, but that’s what makes him such a great bartender. The man is blunt, hilarious, and he certainly knows his beer.
So why am I talking about Dave? Because at 6 P.M. he and Mike McGarvey, his partner at 3 Stars Brewery, will be debuting their first beer at Churchkey. The Syndicate is a collaboration with Evolution and is a saison spiced with black and red peppercorns.
I hope you’ll be at Churchkey with me to welcome another local brewery into the fray Monday evening.
-JBass
SAVOR Beer Week Event Preview: Kickoff at Policy
I know everyone has been waiting for this moment just as much as I have. At noon SAVOR beer week kicks off at Policy with crabs.
The beer selection will be great with local pints all being only $5. DC Brau, Port City, Flying Dog, Heavy Seas and Dogfish Head will all be available and several cask offerings will be offered for the same low price.
If the sublime beer selection is not enough to entice you, the food specials should rope you in immediately. For only $18 you get three whole crabs along with your choice of three soft shell crabs or two crab cakes. Oh and did I mention you also get unlimited sides?
I’ll be at this event for many reasons. This will be the beginning of an amazing week with quality food and of course tasty beer. Once I heard that there might be barrel aged Gonzo from Flying Dog I knew this would be the perfect way to celebrate Memorial Day.
-JBass
drboozenstein
jtonzi
Jesse
X
pyzocha
samdinning
shintern1909
The J Street Beer Review 