Gordon Biersch's Winter Bock is pretty damn good. Throughout the Autumn I've been surviving on Spaaten Oktoberfest, though
Not on tap locally (that I know) but on sale locally... Newcastle Winter IPA is 10X better than it has any right to be. Delicious.
By the way, this is brewed by Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh (they and Newcastle are both owned by Heineken these days). I wonder if it's just Caledonian's Deuchars IPA bumped up a bit from 3.8% for the US market.
That would have me intrigued. Newkie brown is pish and I have no interest in it. Deuchars? Well that's a whole 'nuther kettle o' fish.
Is Aramark still in charge of hospitality at RFK this year? I just need to know whether I'll have to do all of my drinking pre/post game. K.
Center Plate took over last season and my ticket rep mentioned that they'd be back again this season. http://centerplate.com/ Don't know if this accurate for 2012 (or if it was 100% correct for 2011), but here's the beer/food list: http://www.dcunited.com/matchday/food-beer-locations Beer stand Sections: Bass 313 Bud & Bud Light 208, 227, 230, 238 Bud & Bud Light bottles 235, 319 Corona 201, 205, 208, 234, 301, 318 Guinness 205, 206, 313, 314 Harp 205, 206, 313, 314 Miller Lite 201, 207, 224, 234 Negro Modelo 201, 205, 208, 234, 301, 318 Starr Hill 206 Stella Artois 206, 313 Yuengling 207, 212, 230, 305, 324
I have put in bold the sections that are on the loud side. If it's not in bold, it's on the quiet side. So the question is: why does Center Plate hate the supporters' groups?
Just finished some Old Ale crushing, Hibernation ale and Founders Better Half... I am happy! Hoping for good things this Saturday!
I dunno. Sure, it could be a lot better. But as cheap lagers go, I like Yuengling; I like Negra Modelo; and while I don't know *which* Starr Hill beer they're selling, I know Starr Hill makes some beers I like a lot. Sure, there's also a lot of Bud and Corona and crap like that; but there's no getting around that at a stadium.
I've bolded the corner on the QS that is my preferred location (for most games), and obviously I chose wisely. Honestly I think they just look at where do most people enter the stadium, which is the main gate and the QS, and they need to be most visible in those locations. I agree. All in all it's really not bad.
I don't have a problem with them selling the watery domestic, but Starr Hill is the only craft beer offering and it's just one station of that. You'd think with proximity to Dogfish Head, Victory, Troeggs, Evolution, not to mention the new truly local Port City and DC Brau there'd be something a bit more on offer. Hell national players like Sierra Nevada (which we had once upon a time), Anchor, etc. could do with a seat at the table.
It'll be interesting to see whether the taps return or if RFK remains a can-only operation, as it shifted to mid-season last year. There may have been a few taps in the permanent concession stands (I don't know), but all the stand-alone stands switched to cans (16 oz. or 24 oz. (for Modelo and Corona)) during the season -- see discussion above for what a Centerplate subcontractor told me last year. That would limit the potential selection.
I picked up a sixer of the Eastern Shore Brewing Co (St Michaels) Hefeweizen. I tried really hard to like it, but just could not do it. Just not enough quality in the flavors.
And just to warn you, 16 Mile Brewing from DE ain't all that either. I tell you this, Evolutions Summer Session would be the greatest beer in the world for RFK. Full stop. http://www.evolutioncraftbrewing.com/seasonal-summer.htm It's light enough that just about anyone will drink it, flavorful enough that the geeks can get down, and it is absolutely made for the long hot slog here in Capital summer. I drank my share in the hot, hot OC sun last year.
Not DC-related, but I saw this event at Simon & Seafort's restaurant in Anchorage and thought of you, MeridianFC. http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/290183931054730/ "A rare Alaskan Smoked Porter Vertical tasting dinner. You will try Smoked Porters aged back to 2003 paired with food like ...BBQ Wild Boar Spare Ribs with a Citrus-Honey Porter Sauce. Five courses each paired with a different Porter."
I had to actually search for this thread. Apparently this has been around for a bit and I just missed it, but it's new to me: Newcastle Summer Ale. I'm biased because I love the Brown Ale, but I did notice prior to seeing the posting above about the Edinborough brewing location which gave me some pause, thanks for the additional business-end info. Anyway, it's okay. It's not the citrus-packed American style summer ale (Blue Moon/Sam Summer), but rather a highly filtered fairly hoppy clean ale, which I believe (not an expert) is more along the lines of the European continent summer ales. I can see how it's supposed to be refreshing. It does however, still retain a sort of grit and smokiness in the back end, which reminds you of Newcastle. It also takes off some of the cleanliness. It probably depends on what you like. It's good/fine, but not near great. Next up I'll try out the Founder's Ale, which I think is new this year.
I assume you mean beer advocate? I peruse it from time to time, but not really an active user of the site. Have thought about it.
Back in March, we had a meal at Black Bear Bistro in Warrenton, VA. They served Devil's Backbone Vienna and I quited liked it. I've recently spotted that beer in two places in NOVA. I first ran across it at a well-stocked mini-market near our home in Arlington and subsequently found all three of the Devil's Backbone beers at the Whole Foods in Clarendon. If the Vienna style is your thing, I highly recommend this one. It took home Silver at the '09 Great American Beer Festival and recently took Gold at the 2012 World Beer Cup. It's been my tailgate beer at a couple of recent DCU games; I'm loving it. Devil's Backbone Brewing, Co.
Yes that is what I meant, and I would love to get some Devils Backbone... although I am in DC/MD and make it only into VA stores on odd occasions..