The West Ventures East

Laura & I just returned from a trip to visit family back in Maryland and Virginia.  Our first few days were spent in Washington DC going through the Smithsonian museums.  One night we hung with Laura's brother David and went to a couple of clubs.  In the area of DC called Adams Morgan, we saw a bluegrass band in a club called Madam's Organ.  It was cool and funky.  Then we went to the Bohemian Caverns, a club in the basement in the U Street District that looks and feels like you're down in a secluded cavern.  It was open mic night and the band and singers combined to create a spontaneous, soulful energy that left me with tears running down my face.

Then Laura, David, and I went to the Rams Head in Annapolis to experience the Playing for Change performance that was even more moving than their DVD.  Grandpa Elliott blew everyone away.  David called it "spectacular."  Afterwards, we had a couple Fordham's beers in the old original Rams Head bar in the basement.

The next day, Laura's two brothers, Ray and David, their spouses Helen and Amy, and kids Sam and Jake piled into a Suburban and we all headed to Rehoboth on the Atlantic Ocean in Delaware.  We ate and sampled beers at the Dogfish Brewpub.  As a group (minus the kids!) we picked the 60 Minute IPA as our favorite.  The 90 and 120 Minute IPAs had a stronger sweet alcohol flavor that didn't hit the mark for us.  It turns out that 42% of all the beer they distribute is 60 Minute IPA.

Then we drove to Milton, Delaware, where the main Dogfish Head Brewery is and went on a tour.  What a huge place that is!  They brew batches up to 800 barrels (that's 1600 kegs). They had 10 or more 400-barrel fermenters.  The original brewery in Rehoboth is a 7 barrel system - just like ours.  Their Palo Santo beer, fermented in the Paraguayan hardwood, was very flavorful - a truly unique, quality brew for sure.  I left a few of our beers - the Ruud Awakening IPA, Blazing Amber, and Rendezvous Porter - with Josh our tour guide and am waiting their feedback.  Overall, a great beer day!

Our trip then continued to Norfolk, Virginia, to visit Laura's long-lost  cousin, Moana.  She loved the bottle of our Blueberry Cream I brought for her, as she is not much of a hop-head.  We had a "spectacular" trip and are now back and excited to work on moving toward more of our beer out into the world.