Savor Week Samples

Once again Savor rolled into town and brought with it some of the top beer makers in the country.  Savor has become one of the major craft beer events in the country and focuses on matching beer with sweet and savory appetizers for a more flavorful (savory...) experience.   For the third year in a row, I did not attend the actual event.  Instead, I focused on a couple beer events held to highlight some unique, rare and new beers made by breweries in town for Savor.

Below is a list of beers I sampled for the first time at Churchkey, all thanks to this unique event.  It's not a very thorough list in terms of descriptions, but cut me some slack, it's like 20 beers.   I'll say I was really impressed by Funky Buddha, whom I'd never heard of.  Their No Crusts (PB&J flavored) and Bonita Applebum (apple pie flavor) were among my favorites.  Snack Attack was more flavorful (peanut gallor) than I could have imagined and Vision Quest from Shorts was one of the strangest beers I've ever tasted (mustard seed).

There are literally dozens of beer events during the week before Savor and I wish I could attend them all.   It really is the best week of the year for DC beer geeks and I'm sure it will only keep getting better.

All samples were from 4 oz pours:  

Blue Jacket Collad Brews (Opening in DC 2013):
- Snack Attack (Funky Buddha and Cigar City)
- Black Berliner Techno Weiss (Devil's Backbone)

Deschutes, OR
http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/
- Chainbreaker White IPA

Funky Buddha Brewing, FL
http://www.thefunkybuddha.com/
- Day Walker
- No Crusts
- Bonita Applebum
- Piña Colada
- Rasberry Berliner Weisse

Cigar City Brewing, FL
http://www.cigarcitybrewing.com/
- Tocobaga
- Smokabaga
- Peach India Ale
- Jean Ribault
- Cucumber Saison

(Note: The bar was out of the following beers by 7:45 pm: blueberry muffin, maple bacon coffee porter, last snow (a white choc porter).  Missed out on the tropical lager as well.)

Boulevard & Sierra Nevada Collaboration Savor Beer:
www.boulevard.com/
http://www.sierranevada.com/
-Terra Incognita

Upland Brewing, IN
http://uplandbeer.com/
- Lord T Ferguson
- Pineapple upside down

Shorts Brewing, MI
http://www.shortsbrewing.com/
- Soft Parade - Super berry beer
- Vision Quest - Pale ale made with Mustard Seed
- Franken Pils -  Cask conditioned blend of a Pilsner and Pale Ale
- Anniversary Ale - blood orange wheat wine
- Bourbon sustenance - A black lager (Schwartzbier) aged in bourdon
- Nicie Spicie