Drinkmuse: Shirlington Oktoberfest
Every year Capital City Brewery puts on an Oktoberfest celebration in Shirlington Virginia. I’ve been going for almost the entire time I’ve been here. It’s a bunch of fun, with lots of breweries well mixed between local and further out, basic and higher end. There is of course German music and food, plus food from many of the restaurants in Shirlington. Well worth it, across the board. It’s hard to taste and take notes well there – you get ten tickets worth a tasting each, and you WILL get drunk if you aren’t careful. What follows were thoughts I was jotting down as we went along. This isn’t all I had, but it was a bit. I thoroughly recommend it for next year if you are in the DC area.
Clown Shoes – Had a brown ale and a wheat. I liked the brown ale, but it was quite smoky – heavy on the roasted malts. Might not be everyone’s thing. Wasn’t that impressed with their wheat.
Sweetwater – had a I think double IPA which was great, and an Oktoberfest which was just ok. Need to track down if that was their double IPA – it was definitely something I want more of.
St. Louis – Had their framboise lambic. It’s what I expected – similar to Lindemann’s, incredibly sweet, with nothing really reminiscent of the sour lambic style. Great beer to get people who say they don’t like beer into beer, however.
Troegs – Had their porter, which I liked, but came away thinking it was a bit two sweet. Not sure if that was the tasting conditions, or if it was really the beer.
RJ Rockers Dunkel – Tasty. Nothing special, but fit the style as I understand it and was very drinkable.
DC Brau – Was disappointed here. Have loved them the few times I have had them, but both their beers at the fest felt off – all the people I was, plus me, were getting soapy hints to the beer. Wonder if their taps/lines were not washed right after their last cleaning.
Epic – had their Saison, which was really really good. This is another I will seek out more of. Actually tasted like what I understand a Saison to be, instead of being something watered down without the fun Belgian characteristics.
Random Disassociated Musings 
well crap the comment gremlins ate my first comment. Usually I’m there to pour, just couldn’t do it this year, bummer.
Wonder where the Sweetwater was out of? Usually it comes our of Merrifield where our friend Nick Funnell is the head brewmeister, he always wins awards, just won one at GABF too. Was Mad Fox there? Bill just won at GABF too.
Clown Shoes is from Mass. we’ve had their other stuff. Not bad. You can get it at Rick’s Gourmet in Alexandria, and you can get it on tap at Fireflies in Alexandria.
Did you go in the AM or afternoon? Better to go in the morning, beer is fresher and colder, less drunken idiots too.
Who won the Oktoberfest crown? Who had pumpkin beers, always ridiculously popular. Was Southern Tier there? They are always real popular.
Geeze Wendell had a shortage of volunteers, should put you two in touch, at least your beer woulda been free. Javi was pouring, did you see him?
Rustico’s Oktoberfest is this weeknd, get in touch with Rollie, he’d love to go.
Yuck, I hated St. Louis’ framboise lambic! it was flat and sour (in a bad way) to me. The Timmermann’s version was DELICIOUS though… and I adored RJ Rocker’s Dunkelweizen (the Buckwheat one). Really good dark but not too heavy (like my Aventinus). And of course the girly favorite was the Woodchuck Fall Cider. Mmmm it was like pumpkin pie in a glass!
and i really love when i go to the same things that you do so i actually know what you’re talking about 😀