I am a girl who loves herself some beer. Craft beer, not shit Anheuser-Busch/Coors/Miller beer. Call me a beer snob, I'm ok with that.
My love for beer began when I lived in Austin, TX and it has grown steadily through the years. Now I brew my own beer, which has been a successful adventure, about 70% of the time. (I won't share the story of the Hefeweizen that tasted like bathroom cleaner)
Below are 3 domestic breweries and beers I love. We'll start with 3 and come back to this topic. Regularly.
Try them out and tell me what you think! And if you have favorites of your own, share, I love to try new beers.
Located in Crozet, VA (close to the University of Virginia) Starr Hill began brewing in 1999 and distributes through much of the south and east coast, check out "Where to Buy".
My brother, cousin and I visited Starr Hill's tasting room recently and tried many of the beers on tap. It was the holidays, sometimes beer is a necessity.
They have a great tasting space, to the left of their bottling space-
You pay $5 to sample 6 different beers, with a very generous pour.
Our favorites were:
My choice: Monticello Reserve Ale- an unfiltered American-style wheat beer made with wheat and corn. East Kent Goldings hops. Light and smooth with a sweet finish from the corn.
Cousin choice: Festie- Amber lager. Very malty- their "tribute to the great German lager"
Hallertau hops.
Brother choice (and my second choice): Dark Starr Stout- Dry Irish Stout. This is thick and smooth and delicious. It's won more awards than any other Dry Irish stout in the country. Delicious. Perle hops.
Other favorites that weren't on tap that day are The Love (German Hefeweizen), The Gift (Seasonal Bock), and Jomo (Lager). I am not a lager fan typically, but this is so delicious.
I know, not a tiny craft brewery. Instead a nod to Austin for teaching me about beer. Is this the most amazing beer you will ever have? No. But it's good and cheapish and worthy of a mention.
On a hot summer day there is literally nothing as fantastic as drinking an ice cold Shiner. This could be something I heard repeatedly while living in Austin and has therefore been drilled into my head, but I think it's true.
Shiner Brewery lives in the beautiful Hill Country between San Antonio and Houston in a tiny town named..... Shiner! Shiner, Texas.
Shiner has been brewing beer for over 100 years and distributes to 40 out of 50 states (sorry Northeast), but most Shiner beers you can only get in Texas.
We all know about their largest export: Shiner Bock.
But here are a few lesser known brews that are worthy of a try-
Shiner Black Lager - Initially added to the Shiner family as the 97th Anniversary brew. The darkest beer they brew, but still a light, very session-able beer. Smooth, clean but with complex malty flavors and a hint of coffee. One of my favorite Shiners. Czech Saaz and Styrians Hops.
FM 966 Farmhouse Ale - Straw-colored beer. It smells farm-y, like hay and wheat and barns. It has a hint of spice and fruit. It's taste is more complex than Shiner typically produces, which is lovely. Golding, Sterling and Meridian hops.
Located in Mendocino County, California, Anderson Valley has been brewing beer since 1987.
If I'm at a bar (I should say when, not if) and I see Anderson Valley on the menu, I will always try it. They don't distribute in every state yet, so check here to find some close to you.
Not only are their beers fantastic, they are an incredibly environmentally-conscious company. They have solar panels installed on the property which provides 40% of the company's electricity needs; they recycle everything from glass to their spent grains which go to local farmers; and their beer bottles are made of up to 65% of overall recycled content.
I haven't yet gotten the chance to visit the brewery, but from beers I've tried along the way, here are some favorites.
Winter Solstice: One of my favorite beers to drink. A seasonal ale. Dark Amber color, spicy/malty smell and taste, and the alcohol content is about 7%, but you wouldn't know it. Which can be interpreted as either awesome or dangerous. Love this beer.
Hop Ottin' IPA: Deliiicccciiioooouusssss. Citrusy- but more grapefruit than orange. Coppery color. Fantastic American IPA.
Boont Amber - I tried this last night for the first time. Piney, caramel taste, medium-bodied and easy. Session worthy. On draft at the restaurant, which is always nice.
Those are our three breweries today. Next week: three more!
Happy Beer Drinking!
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