Foothills Brewing Arrives in Virginia

We saw the news last month that Foothills Brewing was expanding distribution to Virginia. I've enjoyed some of their beers previously during visits to North Carolina. More good beer available locally is always good news, and when I saw a last minute post on their FaceBook page that Capital Ale House was tapping a few Foothills beers this week, we made plans to stop in.

Three Foothills beers were were available; Torch Pilsner, Hoppyum IPA and Stout. Though I heard many folks asking about it, the infamous Sexual Chocolate Stout wasn't on the list. I started out with a glass of the Torch Pilsner. This Czech Pilsener was a golden-yellow color with a thin white head. Our friend made the comment, " Is that a Bud?", to which I replied, "This is what Pilsner is supposed to be." The flavor was grassy with bitter hops. There was a touch of earthiness and a slightly sweet clean finish. After a night (or day) of heavy beers, I often like to "wind down" with a crisp Pilsner, and this is one I'd choose again.

Next up I ordered the Hoppyum IPA. I'd had this one recently during our vacation in the Outer Banks. Back then, the beer was accompanied by spicy wings, this time it was a hot pretzel and spicy mustard appetizer. This pairing worked go well too. Hoppyum has a rich citrus hop aroma. The taste is what one would expect; citrusy, juicy and resinous. It's a good, classic IPA.

I opted out of ordering the third Foothills selection in the interest of time. However, Colleen and "Checkered Flag" had both ordered the Foothills Stout, so I was able to get a few sips, solely for reporting purposes. The stout has a moderately strong aroma of roasted grain and dark coffee. The flavor is bitter, with more roasted, or even burnt, malt, with coffee and bittersweet chocolate. The finish brings some lingering bitterness.

I'm glad to see Foothills beers showing up locally. I hope we'll see more of them on local tap lists in the near future.