Craft Beer + Spirits = Brewstillery Festival

StormBreaker's Brewstillery festival will take place this Saturday and brings together craft beer and spirits in carefully selected pairs. Now before you dismiss this festival, siting your preference to stick to craft beer on its own, as I almost did when I first heard about it, give me a chance to change your mind. In fact, let's start with a brief intro from Rob about how the festival came about.

Last week I had the opportunity to try some of the pairings and while not all of them were for me it was definitely an eye-opening experience, one that left me with a greater appreciation of spirits. The pairings are designed for one to alternate sips of the beer and the spirit, taking the time to swirl the spirit around in the mouth and taste how it interacts with the beer it has been paired with. The majority of the spirits are whiskey/whisky or bourbon but even if those aren't up your alley you'll also find gin, rum, vodka and liqueur pairings, including a liqueur called "hopka" which is an 80 proof, vodka-base infused with Citrus and Cascade hops.

While I didn't drink all of them (nor would I recommend attempting that feat on your own either) there were two that I particularly enjoyed. The first was Bull Run Temperance Trader whiskey and StormBreaker BBA Winter Coat. The beer was aged in Bull Run barrels for two months and the whiskey is a blend of four- and seven-year-old varieties. The sweetness in the beer is brought out by the whiskey and in turn the beer mellows the alcohol bite.

The other pairing that captured my attention was Aviation Gin and Breakside's collaboration beer with Fat Head's, Juggling Plums Gose. Both parts of the pairing I would happily drink alone and the pairing pleasantly combines the coriander in the gin with the savory saltiness of the beer, imparted by the Japanese salt plums that were blended in post-fermentation into the bright tank. 

So, how did I do? Do you believe this "beer-only" drinker that this is a festival you don't want to miss out on? If so, get your tickets now and save $5 on the door price. If not, I guess you can take your chances, skip it and then cry in your beer on Sunday when you hear what a great time it in fact was.