District Fray - profile on Lauren Paylor O'Brien

My latest article for District Fray Magazine centers on DC mixologist Lauren Paylor O'Brien, fresh off her major win on Netflix's Drink Masters. This was a pretty straightforward interview, but it does show just how multifaceted mixology can be. Bartenders don't just show up for work, throw some ingredients in a set of mixing cups, and clock out. There's tons of research, development, trial & error, and learning that goes into being a good drink master. 

I was not drinking anything while doing this interview, as it was conducted at 1pm on a Tuesday, but in honor of LP's love of sherry, I poured myself a glass of Oloroso when I got home. 

https://districtfray.com/articles/lauren-paylor-obrien-lp-drink-masters-dc/

Singlecut Beersmiths - "Those Clouds All Disappear" Imperial IPA

 Here's an interesting IPA I tried today from Singlecut Beersmiths out of Queens, NY. It's called "Those Clouds All Disappear" and is an 8.00% ABV imperial IPA. The hop bill is unknown, but it is advertised as being 88 IBUs. The soup can label is fun; I'm surprised Campbell's hasn't sued for overuse of their iconic cans. 

Yum! This is actually quite delicate for an imperial IPA - it's a bit grassy, with some soft tropical fruit like tangerine and a very creamy, soft texture. No lactose is used to my knowledge. The flavors are very mild, slightly sweet, and actually just perfect for an IIPA in my opinion. The ABV is high enough to hold my attention but moderate enough not to punch me in the face. Good lingering finish in just the right ways. 

I'm impressed. Cost for me was $5.49 for a single 16oz can at Irving Wines & Spirits...would I pay $22 for four? Yeah, maybe.  

Other Half Brewing - "Green City" IPA and "2nd Anniversary" Triple IPA

Here's a twofer - a look at two IPAs from Other Half Brewing. They've got two locations, one in DC and one in New York City, so I think I need to go to both places to truly experience it. 

First up is "Green City" IPA, enjoyed in a plastic cup sitting in the shadow of the Flatiron Building in Manhattan. I was up for a long weekend and needed some refreshment so I grabbed this 16oz can at the kiosk and sat down with a nice view of the Empire State Building to try this beverage.

Woof, ok, this is C H U N K Y. Full of sediment, this 7.00% ABV New England style IPA is almost like orange juice pulp. Wow. It's actually made with oats, which tones down the bitterness and provides an interesting texture. There's a touch of piney hops, too, which I'm detecting mostly on the finish. There's no real bite to it and doesn't have much flavor to linger. Pretty neat, and I like the texture. 

And second is "2 Anniversary", a 10.00% ABV triple IPA made for their DC brewing location's second trip around the sun. This beer is made with a whole kitchen sink of hops: Citra, Riwaka, Cashmere, Vic Secret, Citra Cryo, Citra Incognito, and Cashmere Cryo. I haven't heard of many of these. 

Pretty good, definitely feeling the booze on this one. Lighter than many other TIPAs I have had...some are quite potent and sweet, this is definitely softer in terms of bitterness. No idea the IBUs, but probably not more than 50. It's pretty fruity, not super dank, but there's some soft ripeness in there which is nice. $21.99 for 4 pints, so not cheap but not exorbitant these days. Happy anniversary, Other Half!

Lost Generation Brewing Co - a fun new opening!

Recently I wrote a piece for District Fray Magazine about Lost Generation Brewing Co., DC's newest brewpub in Eckington. The piece can be found here:

https://districtfray.com/articles/lost-generation-brewing/

I went on Saturday, October 29th, for their grand opening and it was quite the success...despite having such a cavernous space, it was standing room only and absolutely packed. At times it was tough to reach the bar because of how busy it was (which is a good problem to have if you're a brewer!) so if this is any indication, the pub will have a fantastic run. The only suggestion I might give is to make a dedicated lane at the bar for walk-ups, to make it easier to order rather than having guests push past others to order. 

I tried a number of their beers, all of which were delicious, but I wanted to spotlight one that was funky and neat - their "Peach Cobbler a la Mode", a 5.00% ABV pastry sour. I'm a big fan - it was sweet but not excessively so, and the fresh peach flavors came through quite well and balanced the mild sour tang. Consistency-wise, my first pour (below) was quite thick and bubbly; the second was more "stable" so not sure what's going on there. If you're a fan of peach beers, this is definitely worth a try!

Mi Vida on 14th - Bebidas Deliciosas y Comida Fantastica!

DC's got no shortage of good restaurants, and I'm always down to check out new (or reimagined) spaces. Recently I had the chance to visit Mi Vida on 14th and T, NW - the old Match Box space is newly-bedecked in bright colors, intricate patterns, and truly eye-catching.

The inside is dark yet airy, and the industrial look matches well with blond wood and low-Kelvin lighting. It was nice outside so I sat on the patio along T Street. Outside, there's probably 20 tables, with chairs made of woven, bright-orange chunky paracord. Perfect for people-watching right across from Compass Rose!

To start I had "La Frozen", a thirst-quenching chilled concoction of Sauza blanco tequila, mango, ginger, passionfruit, fresh lime, and agave. It's very spirit-forward, so if you like boozy cocktails, this is for you. The ginger is a nice touch, too, and the mango and passionfruit is balanced nicely to give just the right mix of fruit. 

By the way, they have a *very* extensive agave tasting menu. Dozens of mezcals and tequilas are listed on the menu, including lesser-known offerings like sotol and raicilla. There are some pretty cashy labels on there, too, so now that Espita is gone this seems to be THE place in DC for high-end agave spirits. They've got flights, too, if you want to try a curated selection.

So what about the food? I had the chance to sit down with Joe Jo Jennings, guest relations manager for the KNEAD group, to talk a little bit about food philosophy. According to Joe Jo, the restaurant is focused around communal plates and sharing menus – large sample platters for families or groups. I didn’t get one (although I feel like I probably I ate enough for one!) and judging by what's on offer, they’re a good spread of the stuff on the menu. Here they call the family platter "Sabores," or "tastes" in Spanish.

“Sabores is a sample of who we are”, said Joe Jo, “This isn’t a Tex-Mex spot and there’s no sizzling fajita plates or yellow corn chips." That is true, and the menu reflects a more elevated experience. They sure do stuff you here - probably one of the more generous restaurants in terms of offerings. Here's a snapshot of what I had:

• Huevos Rellenos: tastly little eggs that are filled with XYZ. Great for a snack and very reasonably priced ($1.50 each, so perfect add-ons to a meal.) 
• Queso Fundido: an exercise is hot, gooey, cheesy gluttony - filled with chorizo, herbs, and cheese. It also is served on a small, square cast-iron which is cute.
• Bunido: Corn cakes. It’s a touch sweeter than the cornbread you might find at “Southern” places, rumbly and works kinda like a dessert. Not like corn pudding, though!
• Guacamole: pretty snappy, actually, with a kick of heat. Also very good, and some of the best guac I think I've had for that reason. Chips are also awesome. 
• Mole enchiladas: The mole is made here (dark, a bit smoky, and heavy on the chocolate) and very good. It has a regular spice amount, nothing too hot, but instead presents a deep and rich flavor. Richer than any mole I think I’ve had, and well worth it. Save some extra mole sauce to spoon over the tortillas.
• Churros: I'm not a fan of sweet desserts, but these are really good. They're accompanied by three suaces: berry, dulce de leche, and chocolate. Not as sweet as some churros I've had, which is good. Nice and crunchy too!

Service was impeccable – seated promptly, waters refilled without asking, and Not the place for quick bar bites or tapas, this is a big meal kind of place. If you’re lucky enough to get Keandre as a server, you are in for a great time. Come hungry!

The Side Project Cellar - Wild Fermentation in St. Louis!

You may remember Side Project Brewing from SAVOR this year...they brought an awesome barleywine as well as their "Oud Fermier", which I found fantastic. Well, they're only a few miles down the road from Urban Chestnut, the subject of my last post, so why not! Hopped in an Uber and made it to the brewery. 

Closed that day. 

Bummer! I did discover, however, that a few blocks away was Side Project's other location, The Side Project Cellar. Open for business that day, and pouring beers. Let's do it!

I met up with a former colleague, and we had a nice sampling of what they had to offer. The taproom, if you can call it that, is a cozy and chic tasting area with a generous spread of whiskeys and other distilled spirits. I'm not here for any draft beer, though - I'm here for the bottle library. 

The raison d'etre here are bottle-conditioned beers, many of which spend quite a while mellowing. These are usually northwestern European styles, and are often served in 750mL formats. Their list of bottles available was respectable but not overwhelming, and I settled on the "Saison du Fermier Blend #6", a 7.00% ABV saison aged for 10 months in Pinot Noir puncheons, then bottle conditioned for 3 months. Apparently they typically use Chardonnay casks to age their saisons, which makes sense given the complementary flavor profiles of Chardonnay and that style of beer. I believe they use spelt as the base, and also wild Missouri yeast.

Pours swiftly into tulip glasses and generates thick, lacy foam.

Fantastic! Some heavy wood character on this, more so than some of their other offerings (I also had the "Biere du Pays" and the "Provence Blueberry Rosehip".) I'm getting a main backbone of open fermented tartness, but more rounded, and deep in flavor. It's less piquant than their lighter, more fruit forward offerings. The touch of pinot sweetness mellows out the more astringent notes you might find, as well, and makes this beer wonderful to savor. 

Tabitha and Roilen behind the bar took great care of us, and I do believe Side Project deserves to be on any beer lover's list if they travel to The Gateway City. Bottle-fermented beers and Belgian/Flanders styles are really worth investigating if you haven't already, and it's cool that there's a whole place dedicated just to it!

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. - St. Louis, Missouri

Hello from St. Louis! Recently I had the chance to spend a week travelling across Missouri, and of course, had to try the beer and food. No matter where you are in the world, with a few notable exceptions, you’ll find beer being brewed. For this trip, I started in St. Louis, a historic brewing city with well over a century and a half of experience making beer for the masses. Home to Anheuser Busch and Budweiser, the craft beer boom hasn’t skipped STL either...you've probably heard of Schlafly, as well. They're here. Also, Side Project Brewing, which I saw at SAVOR, is right here in St. Louis (and worth a visit! Stay tuned!) And many more! Too many to try in a few days. 

First up on my tour: Urban Chestnut. Everyone I spoke to raved about it. They’ve got two locations in St. Louis and one in Germany; the head brewer Florian is German so it’s natural that German styles feature here (after all, it was German immigrants who brought beer as we know it to North America!) So naturally, I expect a lot of German styles done correctly. 

Arriving via Uber, I pull up to what I can only describe as a warehouse complex. The place is massive, by the way. Much of the brewing apparatus are visible, out in the open, and available for tours. The industrial interior is well-attended, with long German-style tables forming the seating area. The concrete bar is maybe the longest I’ve ever seen. Truly "yuge." 

As per usual, when I’m in a new place, it’s time to try a sampler, which they don't offer per se but I cobbled together on my own:

• (L) - "Konomi" - Japanese lager, 20 IBUs, 5.40% ABV. Nice color, thin soap bubble head with a gentle aroma. It's got a touch of that sake dryness, a bit yeasty, with a good, long, lingering aftertaste. Here I'm getting wild wheat stalk flavors and a little bit more yeast. I like the weight of the beer too, it's light-to-medium and I think balances well the flavors, textures, and delivery. 
• (R) - "Balkan" - Helles Lager, 25 IBUs, 4.80% ABV. Nice hay color accompanied by a fine white cap of foam. Mild aroma, as to be expected, and presents an off-dry texture and notable soft grain flavor. Very tasty and refreshing, and a collab between UC and Balkan Treat Box restaurant in Webster Grove, MO. 

• (L) - "Fantasyland" - West Coast IPA, 6.00% ABV, 60 IBUs. One of the only IPAs on the menu, so I was curious how they approached the style. It's not as grassy as I was expecting, instead presenting tropical flavors like cantaloupe and mango. 60 IBUs is getting up there in bitterness, but I think the fruit balances that out a bit. Pretty solid and good for those who might not like German styles. 
• (R) - "Mercator" - Flemish red, 6.30% ABV, 15 IBUs Flemish sour ale...definitely has the nose! It's got the usual Flemish funk...very tart, no sweetness, tangy and acidic, but this one has more of a cherry angle to it, kinda like Ommegang's "Three Philosophers." It's also lighter than many Flanders ales so that's a plus. If I wasn't going to Side Project Brewing later in the day, I'd have had a second. 
•  (B) - "Dorfbier" - Munich-style Dunkel, 5.20% ABV, 20 IBUs. Definitely one of my favorites of the night...chewy, malty, rounded, and a touch sweet. Nice showing of malts, a bit of smoke, and very true to the style. I would expect no less from Florian, the brewer, to get this right. I actually went home with a 4pk, and had it with leftover barbeque a few nights later. Perfect for meat dishes, stews, or just relaxing on the deck in the fall!