Local
KNOWLEDGE
My
entry
point into the burgeoning—well,
exploding, really—craft beer scene
came back in the 1990s, when I lived in
Arizona, and a six-pack of Stone Brewing Company’s original
India Pale Ale went for a mere six dollars.
Hops drew me into craft beer, but I’ve discovered of late that
beer is so much more than the ubiquitous, hoppy, bitter IPA.
This is a golf magazine, you say. Indeed. And there’s no
better way to cap a hot summer day on the course than with
a cold, refreshing beer. That’s nothing new. Golf
and beer have enjoyed a healthy relationship
over the years, as evidenced by Anheuser-Busch’s
sponsorship of both PGA and LPGA Tour stops
at Williamsburg’s Kingsmill Resort.
Here’s the thing about the big, hoppy IPA: It’s
delicious, but most varieties pack a serious punch.
A beer that checks in at an alcohol by volume
(ABV) of 6 percent or higher won’t help your
game—too much shootin’ juice, as they say. But
fret not. Craft companies have gone out of their
way to produce lighter ales, sours, saisons and
sessions that will quench your thirst and keep
you going strong throughout the summer. And the best part:
We live in a state that has quickly turned into a craft beer haven.
In early 2015, the Commonwealth’s 100th brewery opened.
By mid-March, that number had ballooned to 142. It doesn’t
matter what part of Virginia you call home. There’s a good
chance you’ll find something you’ll like, all while supporting
local businesses. Note: The breweries listed are ones that have
some sort of distribution away from their respective tasting
rooms. Be sure to check your area for more tasty, local options.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF BREWERS
BREWERIES OF NOTE: Mad Fox,
Lost Rhino, Port City, DC Brau, Beer
Hound, Backroom, Capitol City, Old Ox,
Old Bust Head
CHOICES FOR THE COURSE:
Located in Alexandria, Port City, earned
acclaim in 2015 at the Great American Beer Festival as America’s Small
Brewery of the Year. One of Port City’s
signature brews is its Downright Pilsner,
a crisp, light, 4.8 percent ABV beer that
goes down smooth. It took the silver
medal in the pilsner category at the 2015
Virginia Craft Brewers Cup. … Capitol
City, which has locations in Arlington
and D.C., produces a two consistent
award winners: Amber Waves, an American style Amber, and Capitol Kolsch, a
classic German-style blonde ale. … Beer
Hound, out of Culpeper, won gold at the
Virginia Craft Brewers Cup last year
with its Olde Yella, an American Pale
Wheat Ale.
vsga.org
Alexandria’s Port City
Brewing Company
was named America’s
Small Brewery of the
Year at the 2015 Great
American Beer Festival.
M AY /J U N E 2 0 16 | V I R G I N I A G O L F E R
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