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From left to right the Three Gonzos: Barrel Aged Gonzo, Dry Hopped Gonzo and the Gonzo Imperial Porter (Eric Axelson)
Flying Dog Brewery started as a brewpub in Aspen, Colorado. They eventually bought bought Wild Goose a few years back and moved everything to Frederick, MD. For those only familiar with Flying Dog’s “pack” beer (what you’ll find at the Giant), it turns out there’s a whole ‘nother level to what they’re brewing. During the unofficial beer week Flying Dog has events all around town, including stops tonight at Bourbon and RFD.
Head Brewer Bob Malone and VP of Brewing Operations Matt Brophy stopped by the Brickskeller to give samples of their Canis Major and Wild Dog lines of beer and to discuss how it’s all made. With nine samples ranging from a brutally smoky Dog Schwarz to a divine Belgian Style IPA, it is clear that Flying Dog has much more going if you dig a little deeper.
The night started off slow with their Wild Goose XPA (Extra Pale Ale). The XPA was inherited when they purchased Wild Goose. It wasn't a bad beer, but pretty forgettable. From then on, every beer, love it or not, left a strong mark and sparked conversation.
The standout beer of the night was the world debut of the Wild Dog Belgian Style IPA. This ale had a nice cloudiness to it and smelled vaguely of cedar, pine and butterscotch. The smell alone was almost worth the price of admission. A curious blend, the mix of hops and sugar came off almost floral with a lightly bitter end. Malone said that the flavor comes from an aggressive yeast nicknamed “El Diablo” and Amarillo Hops. Being new, they only made a small batch of this brew - if you see it around during DC’s beer week, fight for a glass, it’s that good. On the way out, Malone was stopping everyone he could to ask what the favorite beer of the night was, and this IPA seemed to be a frequent pick.
If you’re looking for a beer that stores might carry, another great drink was the Gonzo Imperial Porter. I don’t recall seeing this around town, but the Lagerheads I was with claimed that they’ve had this before. This thick porter clung to the sides of the glass upon swirling, and ran dark as its name implied. Even the smell didn’t give away the dry hopped drink to come. Malone told a story about adding insane amounts of hop pellets from a lift while making the Gonzo, and this all made sense as the hops cut through the chocolatey porter base. Complex and interesting, this is a beer that you could stick with for a whole night.
Other beers to remember: the Kerberos Triple, a Belgian style (complete with Belgian candy sugar) that is not overly sweet as triples can be. Vaguely sour with a little bit of apricot to smell. Also the Double Dog Double Pale Ale for any hop heads. Clocking in at 11%, this lightly colored hop bomb blends CTZ and Cascade hops to a nicely bitter peak.
Malone and Brophy are both very approachable and interested in hearing what you think of their beer, so stop by one of the events to have a taste and speak your mind. If you can't make it to one of the events in town, they have free tours on Saturdays at 1:30pm.
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You're moving down my ranks for favorite DCist author, Jamie, after precluding me from commenting on the Phantom Baker Boy.
I really like the pale ale - I found it at Total Beverage.
Ugh. When did dcist become frederickist?
Now that we've got that out of the way, I'm surprised Brickskellar had any samples, seeing as they're barely able to keep half the beers on the menu in stock.
And finally, is there any Wild Goose or Flying Dog that is mildly hopped like an English bitter? Or is it all suicide-by-hops IPAs?
It wouldn't be a beer thread without you expressing your distaste for beers on the very side of the hoppy spectrum. But usually you make your case with a more pornographic joie de vivre. Why so sad?
I'm sorry, but that Flying Hop F**ker Triple-XXX-Hop Head IPA I tried was so bitter, my butthole imploded into a quantum singularity of hoppiness, and my HMO doesn't cover the therapy.
The XPA was actually pretty close to an English bitter. As the brewer put it - it's not pounding you with intense flavors or alcohol content, so you can put a few down easily without getting in trouble.
I've had similar Brickskeller issues, too, but I'd give the event high marks. If anything, I wish the brewer and MC did a little less talking so we could confer at the table more. Don't get me wrong, they were fascinating, but we did so much listening, there wasn't much time to trade notes and chat with friends / neighbors. I'm going back for the Stone event on Monday, we'll see if it's any different.
I'll give the XPA a try. How's the carbonation? I prefer low carb so I can drink more without belching/pooting up a storm. Also, is it pretty readily available, or do I need to make a speciality trip to the beer snob store?
You're my boy, Blue!