GABF Fancy Cork Route

Admin
On October 10, 2012

Contributed by Cori Flinchbaugh the Draft Wench

Ok, so you’re going to the Great American Beer Festival but there are now over 2,000 beers to choose from, what do you do? I usually suggest to first timers to pick a beer style or two (IPA, Belgian, Porters or Stouts, Fruit Beers, Sour Beers) and stick to it.

If you don’t know what style to choose or are looking for something fun and different, a friend and I came up with “Fancy Cork Night.” We go around and drink only beers that come in 750 ml bottles (Russian River has smaller ones too) usually with a fancy cork and cage. These beers are typically “Seasonal/Specialty or Sour.” It’s kind of like a delicious scavenger hunt.

Here are a few we like (and always hit) to get you started:

1. Allagash (ME): http://www.allagash.com/

2. The Brewery Ommegang (NY): http://www.ommegang.com/ everything is good here!

3. The Bruery (CA): Oude Tart, Flemish Red http://www.thebruery.com/beers/specialcollection.html

4. Cascade Brewing (OR): http://www.cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com/ The Vine is divine and the Apricot was so good we ordered it for New Year’s Eve.

5. Lost Abby (CA): Serpent’s Stout: http://networkedblogs.com/CFkJP

6. New Glarus (WI): http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/ All their beers are yummy but the Wisconsin Belgian Red and Raspberry Tart are a “not miss.” That’s why there is always a line for this booth.

7. Russian River Brewing (CA): http://russianriverbrewing.com/ anything that ends in “tion” is worth a sip.

8. Upland Brewing (IN): makes some delicious Fruited Sours Ales. They only bring a limited number of their special beers for each session at the Festival. Go by their booth and check out the schedule for the different beers they will be pouring throughout the festival. Last year’s Kiwi as a big hit. http://uplandbeer.com/upland-brewery/wild-lambic-sours/fruited-sour-ales/

9. Victory Beer (PA): http://victorybeer.com/

Enjoy the festival and I would love to hear what “Fancy Corks” you find too.