Hardywood Park Christmas Morning

This imperial stout really took me by surprise. This is Hardywood Park Gingerbread Stout, which was already good, combined with Mexican Chiapas coffee beans. The taste is just fantastic, with the coffee beans sitting on top. Really blows the gingerbread stout away!

Beer Battles Breast Cancer: A Look at Pretty in Pink

A slight detour today with the review. Instead of looking at some more pumpkin ales we are going to look at a beer brewed for a good cause. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many organizations and events have been taking place to raise awareness of this insidious and perfidous disease. I'm proud to say that the Viriginia and DC brewing community is doing their part too.

Four brewsters, Becky Jordan of Lost Rhino, Megan Parisi of Bluejacket, Kristi Mathews-Griner of Vintage 50, and Rachael Cardwell of Hardywood Park, put their minds together and came up with a beer to represent the brewing community's efforts to support breast cancer research. The end result of their collaboration is Pretty in Pink: Awareness Ferments Hope, a saison style beer amplified by pomegranate and hibiscus.

The brilliant brains behind a beautiful beer.
(L-R: Becky Jordan, Kristi Mathews-Griner, Rachael Cardwell, and Megan Parisi)

Pink!

I stopped in at the Churchkey in DC earlier this week for one of the tappings. The beer filled the tulip glass with a hazy pink hue, an appropriate color for its cause. On the drink the pomegranate and hibiscus blend exceptionally well with the tangy flavors found in most saisons. It finishes dry with a bitter tartness retained in the mouth. This actually works in the beer's favor, amplifying the fruity nature on the next drink. Overall this went down smoothly and way too quickly. This is a wonderful fruity, refreshing, and drinkable beer that should appeal to a wide audience. It has an understated ABV of 5.8%. 

Part of the proceeds of the sales of Pretty in Pink will be donated to the Massey Cancer Center in Richmond to continue their mission of research and treatment of all types of cancer. 

The initial 80 barrels have sold out quickly to the drinking establishments in the region. Another batch is in the works and will be making its way to shelves in 22 ounce bottles during the holiday season. 

Pretty in Pink is a well-crafted beer for a notable cause. Keep your eyes open for this and pick up a bottle or two when you get the chance.