Headed to the Blue Ridge

Been a couple weeks since the last post, but a business trip, a heavy workload and a (much needed) slow weekend will cramp the Gastonomical adventures. This weekend, on the other hand, we've got a little getaway going down. We found a Living Social (Or was it Groupon?) deal for a dog-friendly B&B down in Nelson County, VA, just southwest of Charlottesville.

Fermentation Friday: DC Brewery Crawl

"Fermentation Friday":  An semi-regular look at the holy fermented trinity:  beer, wine and cheese.

A couple Saturdays ago, while we were in the throes of the Polar Vortex, Patti and I embarked on a journey that would’ve been unthinkable five years ago – a District of Columbia brewery crawl. By my count, DC itself has at least seven breweries or restaurants that brew their own beer (and I’m probably forgetting some) and there are several that we haven’t had a chance to check out. Sure, we did DC Brau last summer and recently visited BlueJacket, but there are so many more in DC’s burgeoning craft beer scene. So, after a hearty late lunch at Union Market (TaKorean for me, Toki’s popup for her), we set out to find some breweries and taste some beer.

Fermentation Friday: First Look at Bluejacket!

"Fermentation Friday":  An semi-regular look at the holy fermented trinity:  beer, wine and cheese.

As the holder of a Nats season ticket package of one type or another since Day One, I've spent plenty of time lamenting the fact that there's not much to do around the ballpark except go to the game. Sure you can hike to Barracks Row, but that's a haul. This year, that finally changed with the opening of a Gordon Biersch near the stadium. And while that's fine (and certainly better than nothing), what I've been really watching with great anticipation for the better part of two Nats seasons is Bluejacket Brewery.

Fermentation Friday: Port City Brewery

"Fermentation Friday": A semi-regular look at a member of the holy fermented trinity:  beer, wine and cheese.


I remember visiting my brother and sister in law in San Francisco a few years ago. Cam (my bro in law) and I got to yammering (as we usually do when we're together) and drinking (ditto) when the subject turned to beer. San Francisco, and California in general, has a famously thriving craft beer scene. Lots of hops, lots of options, and little reason to look very far for good beer. He asked me what our craft beer scene was like out in the DC area. "We don't really have one," I said. Sure, there were some Pennsylvania beers, Dogfish Head (of course) and a few other odds and ends. But nothing compared with what they have out there.

That was a few years ago. I'm happy to report things have definitely changed. Right in my own backyard.