Beer Tasting at the British Embassy

As a lot of you may know last week was DC Craft Beer week. There was a killer beer festival at Nationals Park (click HERE to check out the review), beer dinners at many local restaurants, and a slew of other events honoring our favorite beverage. Craft brewers from across the country and around the world came to DC to do some drinking, and I had the distinct honor of being asked to represent Cloture Club at an event that very few average beer lovers like myself get to attend. On Wednesday night I joined a congregation of America’s craft brewers, beer industry VIPs, and even diplomats at the Craft Beer Reception hosted by the British Embassy.

Imagine every one of your favorite breweries from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, all in one place putting on their own mini British Brew Fest. If you don’t have any favorite British beers, you need to get some! Our friends across the pond are responsible for the refinement and in some cases creation of many of our favorite beer and ale styles. Their contributions to humanity’s love of suds are evident in their brown ales, porters, stouts, real ales served from casks, and of course… India pale ale. I got to enjoy all of my favorites and some I’d never tasted while I was there.

Cask Ale Being Pulled Through a Beer Engine

& Fuller’s London Pride, One of My Favorites

While all of the beers were great, especially the cask ale, the Brits took their hospitality further with a full spread of delicious food, including mini versions of classics like fish n’ chips and bangers & mash!

yum!

I’ll admit I’ve got my share of vices, but I never expected that so many of them would be present at the British embassy in Washington, DC. After filling up on beer and food, I turned around to see one of the best surprises of the night. The Balvenie Distillery from the Speyside region of Scotland had crashed the beer reception with barley beverages of their own; a wide selection of their delicious single malt Scotch whiskeys. I had the pleasure of sampling their well-known DoubleWood 12 year, their 14 year Caribbean cask which is “finished” in barrels that previously held rum, and their 20 year old PortWood which spends some of its adult life in barrels that once held fine port wines. The later was by far my favorite …I sampled it a few times to be sure.

Scotch Whiskey Tasting from the Balvenie Distillery

I had a really great time making my way around the embassy’s rotunda and reception area where I sampled some of the finest beers in the world, gnawed on some delicious pub food, and met craft brewers from around the country. I got to talk with a brewer from one of my favorite west coast craft beer giants, Stone Brewing Co, as well as some American brewers with Scottish roots who are now bringing their traditions to the east coast at Old Burnside Brewery in Hartfort, CT.

Brewers from Stone Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA) and Old Burnside Brewery (Hartford, CT)

The highlight of my evening however, wasn’t the food or the beer or the American brewers that were present…it was by far the Brits themselves. I had some of the most amazing conversations about beer, brewing and life with some of our British friends. Because of their friendliness and hospitality, I have to count the British Craft Brewing Reception as one of my top beer experiences.

Cheers! And until next time, stay thirsty DC!

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