The Beer Thread

in case this is relevant to anyone: WF foggy bottom is about to put BCBS and Abraxas on tap.  abraxas ~$35/growler, bcbs probably more.

i was hoping to get a growler of Boulevard's Simcoe Wet Hopped Harvest Ale, but the keg kicked while i was in line.  didn't have time to wait for the new stuff to come on, and they dind't have anything else i wanted a growler of (Old Tom was close, but not sure i need 64 oz of that) so i grabbed a very fresh sixer of The Truth.  haven't had that in a while.

they're giving it away!

Somehow I managed to find a laser tag place less than one mile from Ocelot this weekend
So, I got to fit in little daddy-daughter time and hit a brewpub I've been itching to go to
Didn't realize it was going to cost me close to $10 in tolls to get there
Changed the route on the way back and it only added 15 mins

Great venue but not the most kid friendly place, but they were at least 5 kids there around 1pm

the Hope IPA (hops for hope) was soo good I decided to get a growler to take with me home

I also enjoyed the Hourglass body (on nitro) and Capsized
Fuquette was an interesting colab (W the Answer) DIPA.  good, not great.
Wish I didn't drive …as I was bummed I didn't try the Painless or Powers of Observation

wasn't that impressed with Foggy rather Groggy or Roller-coaster
they were good, but would have rather tried the darker offerings

sidehatch wrote:
Somehow I managed to find a laser tag place less than one mile from Ocelot this weekend
So, I got to fit in little daddy-daughter time and hit a brewpub I've been itching to go to
Didn't realize it was going to cost me close to $10 in tolls to get there
Changed the route on the way back and it only added 15 mins

Great venue but not the most kid friendly place, but they were at least 5 kids there around 1pm

the Hope IPA (hops for hope) was soo good I decided to get a growler to take with me home

I also enjoyed the Hourglass body (on nitro) and Capsized
Fuquette was an interesting colab (W the Answer) DIPA.  good, not great.
Wish I didn't drive …as I was bummed I didn't try the Painless or Powers of Observation

wasn't that impressed with Foggy rather Groggy or Roller-coaster
they were good, but would have rather tried the darker offerings

Really? My daughter actually loves Ocelot and hates Aslin. "Ocelot has more space, and sells Doritos."

My question is, how is the laser tag place? Worth the money?

Space wrote:

Really? My daughter actually loves Ocelot and hates Aslin. "Ocelot has more space, and sells Doritos."

My question is, how is the laser tag place? Worth the money?

well compared to aslin this place is Disney world
but that's a low bar.  Way more space and nice deck when temps are good
Things that make it kid friendly….lots of room, food, outdoor space and games
Wardecca is in the lead for most kid friendly DMV brewery


Laser tag…well if you get there by 10-11:30am on weekends…kids games are $5
single kid or adult rest of the time is $10 a game (3 game pass for $20 is the deal)
they did have this feature called Laser frenzy which is very mission impossible where you have to avoid hitting the lasers…but of course it was broken :( and was one of the main reasons we went ($3 per game for that)

I have only been to a few LaserTag places, but this had two levels and a pretty big area I though it was good
but pretty standard
I've yet to do it where we go with 20 people and really play against each other

What annoys me the most is the have barley any real video games and mostly those games with the arm to pick a prize and basicly spend $10 to get a 25 cent rubber ducky

got a 10oz of the BCBS at Whole Foods Pst

it was good, but a little 'hot' with alcohol
would love to know what it tastes like aged for a year or two

sidehatch wrote:

Space wrote:

Really? My daughter actually loves Ocelot and hates Aslin. "Ocelot has more space, and sells Doritos."

My question is, how is the laser tag place? Worth the money?

well compared to aslin this place is Disney world
but that's a low bar.  Way more space and nice deck when temps are good
Things that make it kid friendly….lots of room, food, outdoor space and games
Wardecca is in the lead for most kid friendly DMV brewery


Laser tag…well if you get there by 10-11:30am on weekends…kids games are $5
single kid or adult rest of the time is $10 a game (3 game pass for $20 is the deal)
they did have this feature called Laser frenzy which is very mission impossible where you have to avoid hitting the lasers…but of course it was broken :( and was one of the main reasons we went ($3 per game for that)

I have only been to a few LaserTag places, but this had two levels and a pretty big area I though it was good
but pretty standard
I've yet to do it where we go with 20 people and really play against each other

What annoys me the most is the have barley any real video games and mostly those games with the arm to pick a prize and basicly spend $10 to get a 25 cent rubber ducky

I went to that laser tag place once for a friend's birthday. I did very poorly and found out how out of shape I was haha. Those little kids owned me! Also of note is the Kabob place next to the laser tag place. Its called Dulles Kabob and I found it highly enjoyable.

ohh myy…aslin going with the bottle releases this month

I swear the way you guys go on about Aslin when I finally drink one I'm going to expect an orgasm…

hutch wrote:
I swear the way you guys go on about Aslin when I finally drink one I'm going to expect an orgasm…

I think you'll go on about their ridiculously high prices.

750ml bottles for IPAs? meh

Space wrote:

hutch wrote:
I swear the way you guys go on about Aslin when I finally drink one I'm going to expect an orgasm…

I think you'll go on about their ridiculously high prices.

Cheaper than trillium when they used that  format.

What's the consensus on tipping for growler fills?  If I'm paying $16-$17 for a 64 oz fill and maybe grab a pint while I'm there - tip on the pint and maybe a buck or 2 for the fill?

shemptiness wrote:
What's the consensus on tipping for growler fills?  If I'm paying $16-$17 for a 64 oz fill and maybe grab a pint while I'm there - tip on the pint and maybe a buck or 2 for the fill?

Yes, tip for the pint.

Do you tip when you get carry-out food from a restaurant? And if so, what percentage? There's your answer to the growler question.

Space wrote:

shemptiness wrote:
What's the consensus on tipping for growler fills?  If I'm paying $16-$17 for a 64 oz fill and maybe grab a pint while I'm there - tip on the pint and maybe a buck or 2 for the fill?

Yes, tip for the pint.

Do you tip when you get carry-out food from a restaurant? And if so, what percentage? There's your answer to the growler question.

I don't, but leave feeling like I should have.  Catholic guilt, perhaps.

shemptiness wrote:

Space wrote:

shemptiness wrote:
What's the consensus on tipping for growler fills?  If I'm paying $16-$17 for a 64 oz fill and maybe grab a pint while I'm there - tip on the pint and maybe a buck or 2 for the fill?

Yes, tip for the pint.

Do you tip when you get carry-out food from a restaurant? And if so, what percentage? There's your answer to the growler question.

I don't, but leave feeling like I should have.  Catholic guilt, perhaps.

Well if they are exceptional in their service, and there's no rule against tipping, and it makes you feel good, tip them.

Hutch …I found a beer with your name on it…almost
cool freaking can by local dc brewery
no idea how it tastes

So I've been drinking a serious amount of stouts
Baltic porters, Chocolate Stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout
basically lots of jet black roasted goodness

only problem is…I think I've gained 10 pounds

sidehatch wrote:
So I've been drinking a serious amount of stouts
Baltic porters, Chocolate Stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout, and imperial stout
basically lots of jet black roasted goodness

only problem is…I think I've gained 10 pounds

you are looking rather stout lately…

Speaking of gaining 10 pounds, I found the perfect beer to pair with bread pudding. At 12.5% abv, I had to limit myself to one 12 oz goblet. Boulevard Collaboration #6 (with Firestone Walker)

Collaboration No. 6 will be composed of the following beers:

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad ? 45%
Based loosely on the Smokestack Series? The Sixth Glass, this abbey-style quadrupel is separated into a number of oak bourbon barrels where it ages for varying lengths of time, some for up to three years. Cherries are added to make up for the ?angel?s share? of beer lost during barrel aging. Selected barrels are then blended for optimum flavor. The resulting beer retains only very subtle cherry characteristics, with toffee and vanilla notes coming to the fore.
ABV ? 11.8, IBU ? 19

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee ? 35%
Brewed with Belgian candi sugar and aged in a selection of fine bourbon barrels, Stickee Monkee trailblazes its own category as a ?Central Coast Quad.? The name Stickee Monkee is a nod to the Central Coast?s native Sticky Monkey flower, as well as a shout­‐out to the Belgian monks who pioneered the Quad style. The Belgian candi sugar imparts a signature molasses sweetness to the beer. Meanwhile, maturation in bourbon casks brings ample barrel expression with notes of toasted oak, coconut, leather and cigar tobacco.
ABV ? 13, IBU ? 45

Imperial Stout X ? Tart Cherry (Whiskey Barrel-aged) ? 10%
Our special treat for lovers of big, complex stouts, the Imperial Stout ?X? series offers a year-long roster of limited releases, each with a significant variation. This riff spotlights the addition of tart cherries to fermentation as well as a lactic souring on the brewhouse. The result is a perfect marriage of robust, smoky maltiness and bracing tartness. Unlike the release version of Imperial Stout X ? Tart Cherry, this portion was briefly aged in previously used whiskey barrels.
ABV ? 11, IBU ? 64

Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin ? 10%
Velvet Merkin is the beer that almost wasn?t?Indeed, this vintage oatmeal stout?s comical (or is it scandalous?) name went off the grid for several years, but now it?s back due to popular demand. Velvet Merkin is aged for a full year in retired spirits barrels from Heaven Hill, Woodford Reserve and others, yet manages to offer mind-­boggling balance and restraint. You will wig out when you taste Velvet Merkin?s rich milk chocolate, bourbon and espresso flavors, preceded by aromas of vanilla, coconut, toasted oak and mocha.
ABV ? 8.5, IBU ? 33