As this week is DC Beer Week (August 11-18), I’m going to skip Mailbag Monday in favor of giving the local brews a little love.  Not to worry, though, wine lovers…this Wednesday is the return of Wine Blogging Wednesday, so there will be wine making an appearance during DC Beer Week.

Sundays in the A Glass After Work household are fairly routine, and yesterday was no exception.  We hit two of the grocery stores in our neighborhood, and both were pretty empty of people, probably because August in DC means everyone scatters for vacation.  Once got home and I unpacked the groceries, we grabbed a quick lunch before Hubby got to work on the food and I put the first load of laundry in.  Once the clothes were set, I grabbed my running shoes and for a 3.5 mile run.  I have to admit my excitement about this run.  It was my longest one without intervals since my surgery, and while I was definitely sore afterwards, the run itself felt fantastic!  Afterwards, I fired up the laptop and cracked open a cold DC beer as inspiration while writing this blog post (and a couple of others) before Hubby and I relaxed on the couch for some True Blood.

In preparation for DC Beer Week, I went to Grateful Red Wine Shop to buy a 6-pack of single beers, all from the DC Metro Area.  The staff was very helpful in trying to make sure I had an assortment of beers from a number of local breweries.  I opted to start DC Beer Week off with something from DC Brau Brewing Company, as it was the first production brewery inside the District of Columbia proper in almost 60 years.  According to their website, as a production brewery, DC Brau produces cans and kegs of beer for sale through their distributor, as well as offer growler-fills, can sales, tours, and tastings onsite.  The three year-round DC Brau offerings–The Public (American Pale Ale), The Corruption (India Pale Ale), and The Citizen (Belgian Pale Ale)–all have a fact on the side of the can, and the factoid changes every year.  Admittedly, I haven’t been to the facility yet, but it’s definitely on my short-list of things to do.

DC Brau’s The Corruption (website) is an India Pale Ale made in the District of Columbia.  The beer had an off-white, almost pale yellow foam on top with an orangy-amber liquid that was slightly murky. On the nose, there was lemon zest , grapefruit, and pine sap with a hint of something that reminded me of unbaked pizza dough.  In the mouth, there were pine needles, grapefruit, and hints of something floral.  The beer had a medium body and carbonation.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable beer.   At $2.57 for a single 12-ounce can, this was a solidly enjoyable beer but not one that blew me away.   I expected more taste considering the great nose, but after the beer’s initial flavor attack, the finish tasted a little sudsy and faded.  All in all, though, while there are other IPAs I would buy to drink at home, The Corruption is a beer that I would (and have) enjoyed getting when out at a bar or restaurant, as it goes well with hamburgers and good friends.

Question of the Day:  Does your local area have a craft beer scene?  If so, how do you feel about the local beer in your area? 

Price: $2.57 for a can or $13 for a 6-pack
Purchased at Grateful Red
Overall: 3 Corks