Cold and Drunk in Richmond

I recently assisted my girlfriend on an excursion to Richmond.  We arrived around 9:30 at our hotel in downtown and found nothing to do in the building.  So what do you do when it is 20 degrees outside but nothing to do in your hotel?  Well, my most awesome girlfriend had already researched the nearest pub (she doesn't like beer, so she is extra awesome).  At only two and a half blocks away from the hotel, The Capital Ale House was a worthy excursion despite the temperature.

The Capital Ale House is pretty damn impressive.  Now, maybe I'm just saying this because in the land of banking that is Charlotte, NC (my hometown) there are not a lot of places to try a lot of beer.  In Charlotte we have the always wonderful Flying Saucer, but they built out by the university and the amount of driving to get there kills me.  Then there's Hotel Charlotte and Smokey Joe's, but I'm not sure if they reach the unseen variety that I found at the Capital Ale House.  You see, CAH (oh yeah, abbr.) has over 300 beers ranging from a healthy selection of Ales, Porters, Stouts, IPAs, cask beer, and pure awesomeness.  These are beer's I have never seen elsewhere, well maybe at the Brickstore Pub in Decatur, GA, but not in Charlotte.

So onto the beer menu.  What follows is not exactly reviews of the beers but just an idea of what I tried.

Tommy Knocker - Maple Nut Brown - Not bad for a starter ale but a little light for my taste.

Starr Hill - Jomo Lager - Described on the menu as an almost nonexistent hop presence.  B.S.  Good stuff but hoppy.  Also, not at all like an Oktoberfest which I tend to think of as a malty beer.  Lagers aren't malty like an Oktoberfest.  This was a little closer to a Pilsner in taste.

Beer #3 - I don't remember.

Victory - Storm King Cask Stout - My first foray into a cask beer.  I have had Storm King before but never on tap or like this.  The head was so much creamier, I assume this was due to the pumping of the beer.  Hell if I know but it was delicious.
So when in Richmond, Va. try this place.  They serve a hella good onion soup too!

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Wabid Duck Wussian Impewial Stout (Duck-Wabbit) - Weview

Alright, so I've been drinking recently (not a surprise) and have not been good about posting but I have an excuse. The posts are on Brooke's computer and he is lazy about getting them to me. But I posted about malt liquors earlier so at least I'm on a roll today. Brooke and I both reviewed this, but he left out the witty banter and opted for and honest, straightforward review.

Duck Rabbit Rabid Duck Russian Imperial Stout
Stephen: First things first: I'm a sucker for stouts. When it comes to the King of them, it has to be the Rogue Xperience Imperial Stout. On the plus side, the Wabid Duck comes very close for the price. Insane! head. First taste like clean, tasty, spicy dirt (okay bad description). Reminds me of an excellent steak served with a spicy cocoa cabernet sauce (odd description but hey, it's what I tasted!) Simply put, this beer is an awesome Imperial Stout for the price and if it's available outside of North Carolina, get some.

Brooke: Very robust head. Foams up quickly and settles to a nice smooth head. Flavor is very heavy on roasted malts, with lots of chocolate malts throughout. Reminds me of the Brooklyn Black.




This is the original photo we took but the Elmer Fudd joke took flight and we couldn't pass on it.

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