Christmas Beer Week at Capital Ale House

Through the Capital Ale House in Fredericksburg, where Joe Young selects the beer, you can walk nearly a city block from front to back to a pair of dart boards where some of my colleagues and I compete at Cricket with some regularity.  Lacking skill or adequate practice, I have relied on a judicious combination of smack talk and the distraction of good beers to help my team rise to the top.

This weekend the wind was at my back, friends, because Joe Young, who purchases beers for the Cap Ale's Fredericksburg location, has arranged for a Christmas Beer Week which started this past Friday, December 17.

Mr. Young, who was born and raised in Queens, worked as head chef at several restaurants, including Richmond's Legend Brewing Pub, before joining Matt Simmons in his new venture, Capital Ale House, which now has four locations between Midlothian and Fredericksburg.  What gave him the idea for Christmas Beer Week?

"I just remembered, growing up, visiting house–to–house for drinks."

'Tis the season.  'Tis also the season for distracting your friends with good beer.  Any little edge, you know.

And what shall we be drinking?

▪                Christmas Leroy (Brouwerij Van Eecke):  Dark Belgian with candy sweetness and hints of clove and cinnamon

▪                Gulden Draak Vintage '10 (Brouwerij Van Steenberge):  Dark Belgian strong ale with honey sweetness and hints of roasted malts and a surprisingly peppery finish

▪                Delirium Noël (Brouweij Huyghe):  Dark Belgian—cherries and honey maltiness, Mr. Young's personal fave

▪                Christmas Ale (Scottish Ale) (Bell's Brewery)

▪                Silly Enghien Noël Tripel Blonde (Brasserie de Silly):  very sweet, orangy with honey and cherry notes.

How long should we expect them to be around?

"These beers will be on until they blow.  I expect most will be gone by Monday.  I will be tapping Anderson Valley Winter Solstice on the Winter Solstice (December 21st).  This has been the biggest crowd pleaser, since it was brought in in bottles a little over a month ago.  A winter warmer characterized by a vanilla, cinnamon sweetness."

Aaaaand …. how much of an advantage can I expect?

"These are all barley–based beers and are generally higher in alcohol content, ranging from 5.4% ABV for the Bell's to 10% ABV for the Delirium Noël."

So, Delirium it is!