After having a rough 11-mile treadmill run on January 25, I headed into my 12-mile long run the following Saturday with mixed emotions.  I dreaded the idea of having another bad run, but was very hopeful that by heading back outside that the problems of the previous week would be left behind.  I also decided to take a slightly different route, this way I could run a few more hills, head into DC, and have a change of scenery.

Miles 1-4 were awesome, and I knew it was going to be a solid run. Miles 5 & 6 were rough, but mile 6 is always where I struggle a little in my longer runs.  So, I pushed through and by miles 7 & 8, I was feeling strong.  Mile 9 was ok.  Then there was Mile 10, when I was sure my legs were abandoning me.  I started a mantra in my head to keep myself from stopping with only 2 miles to go.  It was a hard final push.  When I finished and reviewed my split times, I realized my long runs have not only been getting consistently longer, but also consistently faster.  The best part of the run, though, was my post-run beer and pizza.

The Aria (brewery) is a Belgian ale fermented with Brettanomyces (affectionately known as Brett) by Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis, Missouri.  The beer has 1 1/2 inches of stiff, off-white foam and a hazy, amber color.  On the nose, there was honey, white pepper, horse stable, and wet hay.  In the mouth, there was apple, wet horse stable, and hints of honey and apricots.  The beer had a medium body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this beer in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $13, this is the beer for a Brett lover.  When it’s done in a controlled way, I like the “barn yard” characteristics in my wine, which is why I wanted to give it a shot in my beer.  And, Perennial did a nice job.  They created a beer that was interesting and unique, yet still very drinkable.  That said, if you don’t like the Brett characteristics, you won’t like this beer.  Also, a word of warning…don’t pair the Aria with pepperoni and meatball pizza.  While the two are delicious on their own, they do not make a good pairing.

Question of the Day: Have you ever had a beer or wine with Brettanomyces characteristics?  Are you a fan or do you think it gives the drink a flawed, nasty taste?

Price: $13 for a 750ml bottle
Purchased at Whole Foods Market
Overall: 4 Corks