When Greg Engert curated the list of brews for the fourth annual Novemberfest, he wasn’t just checking boxes to make sure he nailed the right balance of beer styles or breweries, though that was important to the Neighborhood Restaurant Group beer director. “It’s not just a beer from every brewer in Virginia—it’s a few beers from exceptional breweries that show the full spectrum of craft brewing in the state,” Engert says. “People want to drink local, but Virginia beers are far more interesting beyond just being local.”
Of the 50-plus Virginia beers that will be offered at the festival on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Rustico in Alexandria (827 Slaters Lane), 23 will be making their Northern Virginia debut. Many hail from breweries in other parts of the Old Dominion state and haven’t migrated North yet. “For those breweries, I’m driving down to Richmond next week and picking the kegs up myself,” Engert says. Of these beers, Engert recommends paying attention to the Same Difference American IPA from The Answer Brewpub in Richmond. The Winter Snack Holiday Stout 2015 from Apocalypse Brew Works in Forest also sounds intriguing with its hints of cocoa nibs, raisins, orange peel and cinnamon.
For those with bona fide beer-nerd status, there will also be some exclusive beers to try. “Hardywood Park has beer they release every year in the fall called Trickery,” Engert says. “It’s this big, huge apple brandy barrel-aged imperial sweet stout. Last year it was a brewery-only release, but this year we’ll have a keg.” Novemberfest is the only place to try the 2015 release without driving to Richmond. Same goes for their Quadrahop Fourth Anniversary Ale.
Finally, Engert says don’t miss Exesus Sanctum from Lost Rhino. Despite having a name that sounds like a death metal band, the brew is actually quite friendly on the palate, having been brewed with peaches and aged in an oak barrel. Engert says he’s impressed with the fruited, barrel-aged sours coming out of the Ashburn brewery.
In addition to beer, the afternoon will feature a menu of hearty dishes to pad your stomach such as pulled pork sandwiches, sausages, Old Bay chicken wings and pumpkin doughnuts. Bring the family because a bluegrass band will be playing and there will be games and activities for children. Novemberfest runs from noon-5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door; proceeds benefit Arcadia, and food and drink tickets will be sold a la carte. You can purchase them in advance online. Kids under 14 get in free.
See the beer list as of Oct. 28 with flavor notations courtesy of Engert:
Adroit Theory Death of CHUTULU (Imperial Stout w/ Seaweed & Marshmallows)
Adroit Theory B/A/Y/S: Bourbon w/ Tart Cherries (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ Tart Cherries)
AleWerks Café Royale (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ Coffee)
Apocalypse Lustful Maiden (Dubbel)
Apocalypse Winter Snack Holiday Stout 2015 (Imperial Oatmeal Stout w/ Cocoa Nibs, Raisins, Orange Peel & Cinnamon) NOVA DEBUT
Ardent IPA (American IPA) NOVA DEBUT
Ardent Sweet Potato & Sage Ale (Saison w/ Sweet Potato & Sage) NOVA DEBUT
Blue Mountain The Local D.O.P.A. (Wet Hop Imperial IPA)
Blue Mountain Vanilla Porter (Robust Porter w/ Vanilla Beans)
Brothers Cutting Teeth (American Pale Ale) NOVA DEBUT
Caboose Ghost Pepper Pale Ale (American Pale Ale w/ Ghost Peppers) NOVA DEBUT
Caboose Vanilla Hobo (Imperial Stout w/ Vanilla Beans) NOVA DEBUT
Champion Commoner (Sour Saison) NOVA DEBUT
Champion Shower Beer (Pilsner)
Chaos Mountain Agents of Chaos (Quadrupel) NOVA DEBUT
Chaos Mountain Ultimate Warrior (Imperial IPA) NOVA DEBUT
Devils Backbone Cuvée de Gooch (Saison w/ Brettanomyces)
Devils Backbone Kabong (Imperial IPA) NOVA DEBUT
Extra Billy’s Citra Ass Down (American IPA) NOVA DEBUT
Extra Billy’s My Only Weiss (Hefeweizen) NOVA DEBUT
Fair Winds Siren’s Lure (Hoppy Saison)
Hardywood Park Pineapple Great Return (American IPA w/ Pineapple)
Hardywood Park Rum Barrel-Aged Farmhouse Pumpkin Ale (Rum Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Saison w/ Spices)
Hardywood Park Quadrahop – 4th Anniversary Ale (Imperial IPA) – NOVA DEBUT & NOVA EXCLUSIVE
Hardywood Park Trickery 2015 (Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged Imperial Sweet Stout) NOVA DEBUT & NOVA EXCLUSIVE
Isley Stunt Dubble (Pumpkin Ale) NOVA DEBUT
Isley Ruby Red Slippers (Session IPA w/ Grapefruit) NOVA DEBUT
Lickinghole Creek Bourbon Three Chop’t (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Tripel)
Lickinghole Creek Redneck Soap Opera (Rum Barrel-Aged Quadrupel w/ 12 Spices) NOVA DEBUT
Lickinghole Creek & Three Notch’d The Source (American IPA w/ Blueberries)
Lost Rhino Exesus Sanctum (Oak Barrel-Aged Sour Blond Ale w/ Peaches)
Lost Rhino Native Son (American Amber Ale w/ 100% Local Ingredients)
Lost Rhino Oatmeal Pumpkin Brown Ale (Brown Ale w/ Pumpkin, Spices & Oats) CASK
Mad Fox Headcracker (Blond Barleywine) CASK
Midnight VA Midway (American Wheat Ale)
Ocelot Embrace The Loss (Imperial IPA)
Ocelot The Gallows (Imperial Red Ale)
Old Bust Head Virginia Hop Harvest 2015 (Wet Hop Amber Ale)
Old Ox BigTasty: Hazelnut, Cocoa & Vanilla (Imperial Stout w/ Hazelnut, Cocoa Nibs & Vanilla) NOVA DEBUT
Port City Maniacal (Imperial IPA)
Rusty Beaver Roy’s Big Bad Brown (Brown Ale) NOVA DEBUT
South Street Slippery When Wit (Sour Witbier)
Starr Hill Hopfetti (Imperial IPA)
Strangeways A-Bomb (Sour Blond Ale w/ Green Apples) NOVA DEBUT
Strangeways Rot-in-Hell (Sour Blond Ale w/ Pumpkin & Spices) NOVA DEBUT
The Answer Same Difference (American IPA) NOVA DEBUT
Three Notch’d Brettadocious (Wine Barrel-Aged Sour Blond Ale w/ Brettanomyces) NOVA DEBUT
Three Notch’d No Veto (Brown Ale) CASK
Triple Crossing Falcon Smash (American IPA)
Laura Hayes hails from Philly (but don’t hold it against her). She’s been covering the local dining scene for three years, and her work has been published in the Washington Post, Food Network, Washington City Paper, Arlington Magazine and more. Having lived in Japan for two years, she finds herself in a constant state of craving sushi. Laura always orders her favorite savory dish again for dessert and keeps her gut in check through lots of CrossFit classes.
