Tag: Blue Mountain Brewery

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Culture Living

Brewin’ through it: Oktoberfest is canceled. Autumn beers are not.

Devils Backbone’s O’Fest Lager has a 5.9 percent ABV, and will appeal to beer drinkers who find other festbiers too light.

Sadly, the largest and most famous Oktoberfest celebration, held annually in Munich, Germany, has been canceled this year due to COVID-19. Oktoberfest traditionally begins in mid- September and continues into October. Of course, autumn isn’t canceled, and as it arrives in Virginia, local breweries and beer drinkers can look forward to the release of beers appropriate for the season.

In Germany, the term Oktoberfestbier is legally defined with strict regulations about ingredients, brewing methods, alcohol levels, etc. In the United States, breweries have a bit more leeway, but beers that are specifically for Oktoberfest fall primarily into two categories: festbier or märzen. Märzen is the darker, fuller-bodied style many identify as the beer of fall, and was once the beer served in Germany for Oktoberfest. However, recently there’s been a move away from this style to the lighter-bodied festbier style. Festbier, a pale lager with low alcohol content, is more refreshing, making it easier to drink, and easier to drink more of.

Whether your personal preference is for a lighter- or a fuller-bodied style, local breweries have you covered.

The Festie Oktoberfest Lager from Starr Hill Brewery is available only during the months of September and October. It’s traditional in style with a low alcohol level of 4.8 percent ABV (alcohol by volume), and a pale golden color that is accompanied by a malty, biscuit nose and a light yeasty bread palate with just a hint of Hallertau hops. Interestingly, the beer is labeled “märzen-style” but falls squarely in the festbier category. It’s also available as part of the brewery’s Fall Tour variety pack that includes Starr Hill’s Grateful Pale Ale, Reviver Red IPA, and Last Leaf Maple IPA too.

Devils Backbone also has a festbier, the O’Fest Lager. It comes in slightly heavier at 5.9 percent ABV. It’s golden in color with a bit more fullness on the palate. A light nose of cracker and lemon peel leads to malty and toasted bread flavors, with a drying finish and slightly lingering hop bitterness. Very classic in style, this will appeal to those who find other festbiers a bit too light.

The 13.Five Oktoberfest Lagerbier from Blue Mountain Brewery takes its name from German regulatory laws requiring beers served at Oktoberfest to have an original specific gravity of 13.5° Plato. This number is related to the final alcohol level, which is 6 percent ABV in this case. The beer is medium amber in color, with a nose that is malty and bready, with hints of toasted sesame. On the palate, it is rich with lots of biscuit and cracker and well-balanced hop character. This märzen-style brew is a clear nod to tradition and is a good example of what many expect of Oktoberfest beer.

Just released, the Märzen Oktoberfest- style Amber Lager from Random Row Brewing Co. comes in at 5.8 percent ABV and brings malty, yeasty flavors with hints of rye bread. There is a touch of citrus- flavor hops on the slightly drying finish. Very pleasant and easy drinking, it’s available on tap and in four-packs of 16-ounce cans.

Three Notch’d Brewing Company’s limited release Oktoberfest beer is cleverly named Hansel and Kettle Imperial Oktoberfest. Available in 16-ounce. cans, this is a full-bodied märzen-style beer with higher alcohol (8 percent ABV), a dark caramel color, and a weighty palate. The sweet biscuit nose leads to flavors of toast and dark caramel and a long finish that has just a hint of bitterness. Very enjoyable for those looking for a fuller style märzen.

Champion Brewing is really getting into Oktoberfest this year with the release of four German-style beers: a festbier (5.5 percent ABV), a märzen (also 5.5 percent ABV), a kölsch (5 percent ABV), and Lagerboi (a zwickelpils, which is an unfiltered pilsner-style beer that is becoming more popular with American beer drinkers and comes in at 4.8 percent ABV). Hunter Smith, president of Champion, shared that he is excited to also feature the festbier and märzen on tap at his Brasserie Saison restaurant.

One of the newest breweries in town, Selvedge Brewing at The Wool Factory, is also offering a traditionally German style for the fall. Corduroy is a bock, typically darker in color and a little higher in alcohol than beers made for Oktoberfest. At 7 percent ABV, it’s a deep amber brew that’s still smooth on the palate. The nose is reminiscent of rising bread dough. Full flavors combine malty, yeasty, and roasted nuttiness with a slight sweetness. The overall impression suggests warm, toasted brioche, and it’s a perfect beer for chilly autumn days.

Lastly, for some the fall season would not be complete without flavors of pumpkin or maple. While the explosion of pumpkin beers that was seen a few years ago has seemed to subside, Rockfish Brewing Co. offers a seasonal pumpkin ale for those who are looking. The previously mentioned Last Leaf Maple IPA from Starr Hill will entice those who love maple syrup with a flavor that isn’t overly sweet, but reminds them of freshly made pancakes on a Saturday morning.

Whatever your fancy, local breweries are offering a variety of beers to tempt your palate this autumn. Even if you can’t travel to Germany, it’s still possible to celebrate Oktoberfest and good beer here in Virginia.

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Living

The Yard food hall set to open in May

The Yard food hall at 5th Street Station is slated to open in May, and Basil Mediterranean, Extreme Pizza and Chim, an Asian street food restaurant, are among its first tenants. Photo by Skycladap.com

By Sam Padgett and Erin O’Hare

The Yard food hall at 5th Street Station is gearing up to open in May, in the building next to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Jeff Garrison, the project’s lead, says he wanted to “create an active community-engaged area…a great area to hang out.” And so The Yard put extra emphasis on seating, including a shaded outdoor patio and complimentary WiFi. Additionally, if Garrison can obtain a coveted festival liquor license for the space, drinks can be openly carried between the businesses, which is beneficial because The Yard could also serve as an entertainment venue. As for the food half of the hall, The Yard already has leases from Basil Mediterranean Bistro & Wine Bar, Extreme Pizza and Chim, an Asian street food restaurant. While the first restaurants are going to be opening this May, The Yard will continue to add more options.

Fresh start

Back in December, we reported that The Villa Diner would be moving to a new location in town, as its current home at 129 Emmet St. N will soon be demolished when the University of Virginia begins to develop the land at the corner of Emmet Street and Ivy Road later this year.

Now we can report that The Villa’s moving down the road, into the former location of the Royal Indian Restaurant at 1250 Emmet St. N, adjacent to the new Zaxby’s. Villa Diner co-owner Jenifer Beachley describes the relocation as “terrifyingly exciting.” She says that the same atmosphere and service that customers have come to expect at The Villa will move with the business, and there will be a few additions to the menu. The Villa’s final day in its current location will be Memorial Day, and the Beachleys expect the new location to open in June.

Best of the South

In Southern Living magazine’s 2018 Best of the South poll, Charlottesville was named the eighth best food town in the region (food cities are in a different category). In that same poll, Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton was named the best brewery in Virginia.

And in Garden & Gun magazine’s Southern Craft Brewery bracket, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, whose flagship is in Richmond but operates a pilot brewery and taproom in Charlottesville, made it to the final matchup out of a field of 32 breweries, to take on Scofflaw Brewing Company of Atlanta for the championship. Hardywood was named the bracket winner on Tuesday.

Losing a gem

Pearl’s Bake Shoppe, known around town for its vegan cupcake offerings, among other sweet treats, closed its Charlottesville location on March 24. According to information posted to the bakery’s Facebook page, the owners have chosen to focus attention on their Richmond location instead.

Another closing

Water Street Restaurant—or, chef Brice Cunningham’s rebranded Tempo—closed after service on March 31. The eatery, which served upscale casual French and American cuisine, opened in September 2016.

Brunch game just got stronger

In a March 12 Facebook post, Kung Fu Tea Charlottesville at 1001 W. Main St. announced that it will soon begin serving dim sum (and judging by the hundreds of comments and shares on the post, folks are excited about it). For those unfamiliar with dim sum, it’s a style of Chinese (usually Cantonese) cuisine served with tea for a brunch-type meal. The bite-sized portions of food—think steamed buns, steamed vegetables, slow-roasted meats, congee soups and even dessert dim sum such as egg tarts—are served on small plates or nestled inside little steam baskets.

Quality time

In the last few weeks, a Facebook page called Quality Pie has popped up and begun sharing photos of baked goods, as well as both interior and exterior shots of the former Spudnuts donut shop on Avon Street in Belmont. It appears as though the bakery is the work of former Mas Tapas chef Tomas Rahal.

Categories
Living

Oktoberfest events abound in Charlottesville

Firefly staff and customers are encouraged to don their dirndls and lederhosen for the stein-hoisting competition Thursday, September 29. Photo by Martyn Kyle

It’s Oktoberfest season, and breweries, restaurants and bars all over town are celebrating one of the world’s largest festivals, which has its origins in an 1810 mid-October royal marriage in Munich. So dust off your dirndls and lederhosen, Charlottesville, and get thee to a bierhaus.

Kardinal Hall

Oktoberfest “is in the nature and history of this place, of getting everyone together to celebrate,” says Chris Cornelius, general manager at Kardinal Hall, where they’re rotating many German beers through the taps during an ongoing celebration. You’ll find the approachable Bitburger German lager, Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest-Märzen, Weihenstephaner Oktoberfestbier and Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen, a classic German hefe that Cornelius says is the best he’s ever tasted. “It has beautiful balance, not too banana, not too clove.”

Kardinal Hall will hold a stein-hoisting contest Saturday, October 1, before wrapping up its Oktoberfest on Tuesday, October 4, with a $30 per plate all-you-can-eat dinner of bratwurst, sauerkraut, spaetzel, pretzels and gingerbread (read more about Kardinal Hall’s German food on page 49).

Starr Hill Brewery

Starr Hill offers German-style brews all year round—The Love Hefeweizen and Jomo Vienna-Style Lager—but this year’s Oktoberfest afforded brewmaster Robbie O’Cain the chance to develop two new ones, a tart Berliner Weisse and the Basketcase American Helles Lager. Those beers, plus The Festie Oktoberfest Lager, Helles Bock and Warehouse Pils, will be on tap for the brewery’s Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, October 1, from noon to 7pm.

For the beer nerds, Starr Hill’s brewers will conduct a “bier session” on the history of German brewing techniques and beer styles. And if German food is your thing, check out the audience-decided bratwurst battle, where three local chefs will go knife-to-knife in hopes of being crowned brat king of the Blue Ridge.

Tickets are $17 and include three tokens, each redeemable for one beer or food serving.

Firefly

Firefly’s 12-day Oktoberfest celebration ends Oct. 2, but there’s still time to taste some official Munich Oktoberfest beers—such as the Hacker-Pschorr Hacker-Festzelt and Pschorr-Bräurosl and the Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier. General Manager Brett Cassis says they’ve also got some märzens on tap from Seven Arrows, Devils Backbone, Left Hand, DuClaw and others, and will have schnitzel, sausages, cabbage and pretzels on the menu, plus a stein-hosting contest on Thursday, September 29.

Blue Mountain Brewery

Over the next couple of weeks, pair Blue Mountain’s 13.Five Ofest lagerbier with some schnitzel, gulasch or a pretzel. If you’re lucky enough to snag a seat on Saturday, October 1 or 8, you can devour your Bavarian-inspired fare to the tune of a traditional oompah band. Dying to add to your Oktoberfest memorabilia collection? Blue Mountain’s Steal the Stein Night is Thursday, October 6.

Michael’s Bistro & Tap House

Michael’s keeps things a bit more traditional, with lederhosen- and dirndl-clad servers dishing out dinner specials such as wild boar and elk sausage alongside official Munich Oktoberfest beer offerings. “When you drink a märzen or a wiesn [this week], you know you are sharing that experience at that moment with people all over the world,” says owner Laura Spetz.