Mike McCarthy responds

In a recent Washington Post piece by Greg Kitsock ("A shake-up at Cap City Brewing"), brewer Mike McCarthy discussed his departure from the Capitol City Brewing Company after 11 years on the job. Some of his comments engendered a Twitter mini-storm, precipitated in part, alas, by my Tweet of the article.

McCarthy felt that some of his comments had been taken out of context. He communicated with me to clarify his position.

I've read Twitter posts by some who had read the recent Washington Post article about my departure from Capitol City Brewing Company. They seem to think I am bitter about the Washington, D.C. beer scene.

I'd like to emphasize that that had NO part in why I left Cap City. In fact, I even made comment in the article on how great of a beer city DC is; it's a reason that I have been brewing here for 11 years!

My statements regarding the DC beer scene were said in context of me getting financially involved in opening another brewery in the city. What I was referencing was the tap and shelf market and how challenging it can be here. With the many breweries that are in planning, my point was that I didn't know if that would be a risk I personally wanted to take.

I know that some people have a less than great view of CCBC. I would agree with some of those comments. Without doubt some aspects of the company had turned stale. Along with some other talented brewers at the company, I had tried to change things in the last few years and build more of a good beer culture within the company.

I was not successful, and felt it was my time to leave.

Keep in mind that one goal of the 'craft' beer movement is indeed the main-streeting of good beer. Have good beer available everywhere, at every corner shop and at every pub, in malls and in shopping centers, not the exclusive property of beer Xanadus. We're not quite there yet, but the times, they are a' changing. That's a wonderful difference between the good beer scene now and that of 25 years ago.

On a personal note, I'd like to stipulate that I've long been a fan of the beers of Mike McCarthy and Travis Tedrow at Cap City (especially those cask ales!). I've had good discussions with both brewers about beer and beer-making. And both are helluva nice guys.

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Read the Washington Post piece: here.

Read my piece on McCarthy's departure: here. And, on other Virginia comings and goings: here.

UPDATE 1 March 2013: Mike McCarthy, past head brewer of Capitol City Brewing, to take the head brewer position at startup brewery J Dub's, in Sarasota, Florida. Via Ticket Sarasota.

Lyon Hall Restaurant challenges Allagash Brewing

Lyon Hall, a bistro in the Clarendon district of Arlington, Virginia, continues its series of "Versus" Beer Dinners on Tuesday, 8 January 2013.

David McGregor, the restaurant's Beer Director, 'battles' Suzanne Woods, the local representative from Allagash Brewing (of Portland,Maine). The dinner features five courses and ten beers. Each course, prepared by Chef Andy Bennett, is paired with two beers: one from Allagash and the other selected by McGregor. Customers vote for their preferences for the better beer-food pairings. A winner is declared.

 

The Menu 

1st Course 

Cauliflower velouté sauce, grapes, and caviar.

Allagash White vs. Hitachino Nest White White Ale

An interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer, Allagash White delicately balances full flavor with a crisp, refreshing taste and subtle hints of spice. Naturally cloudy, with yeast. 5% alcohol-by-volume.

Hitachino Nest White Ale (Japan) is brewed in the tradition of a Belgian style white beer with coriander, nutmeg, orange peel, and orange juice. Malts: Lager, Wheat　 Hops: Perle, Styrian Golding　 Adjuncts: Flaked Wheat, Flaked Barley. Spices: Coriander, Nutmeg, Orange peel. Sugar: Orange Juice. 5.5% abv　

2nd Course 

Carrot salad, tossed with house-made ricotta, pecans, and yogurt-cumin dressing.

Allagash Curieux vs. Pretty in Pink Saison

Allagash Curieux was the brewery's first foray into barrel aging. Curieux is made by aging its Tripel Ale in Jim Beam bourbon barrels for eight weeks in cold cellars. The aged beer is then blended back with a portion of fresh Tripel. The resulting beer is soft with coconut and vanilla notes, with hints of bourbon. 11% alcohol-by-volume. [The brewery pronounces the beer as 'CURE eee oh'.]

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, four women from four breweries —Lost Rhino (Virginia), Bluejacket (Washington, D.C.), Vintage 50 (Virginia), and Hardywood (Virginia)— came together to craft a beer for hope, Pretty in Pink: Awareness Ferments Hope. Using the finest malts, two strains of hops, and an Ardennes yeast, then adding flavor, aroma, and hue with (hibiscus and pomegranate), they produced a brisk saison. Pink, slightly tart with subtle fruit-esters and hints of spice. 5.8% abv.

3rd Course

Pan roasted Artic Char, served with red cabbage, salsify emulsion, and bitter chocolate.

Allagash Tripel vs. Petrus Aged Pale Ale

Allagash Tripel is strong golden ale, marked by passion fruit and herbal notes in the aroma, with suggestions of banana and honey in the complex palate. The Tripel has a long and smooth finish.9% alcohol-by-volume. 9% alcohol-by-volume.

From Brouwerij Bavik (Belgium), Petrus Aged Pale Ale is matured 3 years in oak barrels. Deep golden in hue, tart in flavor. 7.3% abv

4th Course

Glazed short ribs, served with Brussels sprouts kimchi and smoked pineapple jus.

Allagash Dubbel vs. Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Allagash Dubbel boasts a deep red color and a complex malty taste. The finish is dry with subtle hints of chocolate and nuts. The yeast asserts itself by lending a classic Belgian fruitiness. 7% alcohol-by-volume.

From Great Lakes Brewing (in Cleveland, Ohio), Edmund Fitzgerald Porter has a complex, roasty aroma with a bittersweet, chocolate-coffee taste and a bold hop presence. 5.8% abv.

5th Course

House made Camembert and apple panna cotta, with chestnut honey and celery salad.
Allagash Interlude  vs. Brouwerij Bosteels Deus

Two yeast strains were used to create Allagash Interlude. The first, a Belgian farmhouse yeast, establishes the flavor foundations of a classic Belgian-style ale. The second, a house strain of Brettanomyces yeast, brings it to the next level contributing a myriad of flavors including pear, apricot, graham cracker, and bread crust. Finally, a portion of the Interlude is aged in French Merlot and Syrah oak barrels, which impart a vinous plum character and a drying, almost tannic finish. 9.5% alcohol-by-volume.

Brewed at Brouerij Bosteels in Belgium, Deus Brut des Flandres is transferred, after fermentation, to the Champagne region of France, were it is treated much like a champagne, with the bottles inverted and the yeast expunged and bottle re-corked. 11.5% abv.

The facts: 

5 courses/10 beers: $60 per guest (plus tax and gratuity) 

Tuesday, January 8th at 6:30 pm 

Call Lyon Hall @ 703.741.7636 for reservations.

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UPDATE. By a narrow margin, Allagash 'won' the vote. Photos from the dinner: here.

Caveat lector: As a representative for Select Wines, Inc. —a wine and beer wholesaler in northern Virginia— I sell the beers of Allagash.     

Comings & goings of Virginia brewers.

Small-scale brewing tends not to be a secure occupation.

A few weeks ago, I reported on the resignation of Mike McCarthy from the Capitol City Brewing Company, of northern Virginia. I haven't received comment from the brewery, so, from ProBrewer.com, here's confirmation of a sort.

Capitol City Brewing Company, the first brewpub in the Nation's Capital, has an opening for Head Brewer [in Shirlingon, Virginia]. In operation for more than 20 years, we are looking for a skilled and committed brewer who can carry on the fine tradition we have built. You must have four years of experience working in a brewery as well as the technical degree commensurate with this position.

More on the position: here.

UPDATE (7 January 2013): The Washington Post interviews Mike McCarthy, and reports that long-time assistant brewer Travis Tedrow will also be leaving, to open a Gordon-Biersch brewpub near Washington Nationals Park.

UPDATE (18 January 2013): Kristi Mathews Griner —current brewer at Vintage 50 in Leesburg, Virginia— to accept position as Capitol City Director of Brewing Operations, beginning 15 February. Press release: here.


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Further down I-95, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the Blue & Gray Brewing Company has also lost its head brewer, and is looking for a replacement.

The Blue & Gray Brewing Co. of Fredericksburg Va., seeks Head Brewer 30-50 hours a week beginning February 1, 2013. [Me: Yeast never sleeps. 30 hours of work per week? 50 would be more like the minimum to expect!]

The Blue & Gray Brewing Co. opened a 25 bbl brew house March 17th 2001 in central Virginia (An hour from Washington, DC, and Richmond). Annual production averages around 750 barrels a year. Total capacity approximately 1,250 bbl annually. The brewery is attached to Lee’s Retreat Brewpub, a casual slightly upscale restaurant serving fresh made local produce. We are looking for a dedicated head brewer who can handle all brewing aspects of running a small brewery and brewpub. Brewer works alone and is the primary brewery employee.

More on the position: here.

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There's another brewing position available in northern Virginia. Only this is not a replacement job. A successful applicant could be the original brewer for Beltway Brewing, which plans to open in 2013, in Loudoun County. Beltway will be a brewery for other breweries, housing the equipment and expertise to produce beer for breweries that lack their own packaging capability.

Production brewery dedicated exclusively to partner brewing and contract brewing seeking an experienced professional brewer to brew and oversee the brewing and packaging operations on our new DME 30bbl brewhouse and kegging, canning, and bottling lines.

Optimal candidate will have extensive experience in packaging brewery operations. Full-time position will be opening in early 2013, optimally ramping up with part-time hours in late 2012. Generous compensation package for individuals properly qualified.

More on the position: here.

More on Beltway Brewing: here.

There are rumors galore about more changes at Cap City, about a 'craft beer' pioneer's exodus from brewing, and about a DC area brewer's move to Florida. Stay tuned.

And, not to forget the move in October of 2012 of long-time Legend Brewery brewer, Mike Killelea, to new brewery Center of the Universe.

Pic(k) of the Week: Tapping the cask

For some reason, the number of hits on this photo of me —working for the Clipper City Brewing Company, five years ago, in 2008— has taken off in the last few months, and even more so in the last few weeks.

Why, I don't know. There was nothing special about the photo's composition, except maybe for the young observer in the background. Me, I was doing what I like to do —tapping a firkin of real ale. I'll take all of this sudden interest as a compliment.

The caption I wrote for the photo was:

Jacket safely removed (from cask and person), Thomas Cizauskas of Clipper City Brewing taps a firkin (10.8 gallon cask) of Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale at the ribbon-cutting for Grapevine.

Baxter (Fort Mill), South Carolina.
29 January 2008.

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Caveat lector: The Clipper City Brewing (of Baltimore, Maryland) is now known as Heavy Seas Brewing. As a representative for Select Wines, Inc. —a wine and beer wholesaler in northern Virginia— I sell the beers of Heavy Seas.

Pic(k) of the Week: one in a weekly series of personal photos, posted on Saturdays, and often, but not always, with a good fermentable as a subject. Commercial use requires explicit permission,as per Creative Commons.

New Year's Day, 1863.

On New Year's Day, one hundred fifty years ago:

Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:

"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.

"That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States."

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.

And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.

By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

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Interesting to note that Lincoln included mention of a fair ("reasonable") wage.

At Smithsonian Magazine: How the Emancipation Proclamation Came to Be Signed.