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Foodcations Are The Only Way to Travel

January 7th, 2016 • No Comments

2015-12-09 11.26.26Saw this wonderful article on “Foodcations” in Thrillist – and it makes total sense! The new vacation is all about experiences and having unique moments that are extraordinary or at least entertaining. Not just for Foodies, but for pretty much all travelers who are looking for the next cool experience, there is nothing more amazing than discovering the next local donut shop, tasting the newest local craft beer or cocktail, or making chocolate in a local chocolate factory – these are just too much fun NOT to do!

The article also mentions that being a “hipster” or “Foodie” is just a label and doesn’t really say that much – in other words, everyone has some “hipness” or “foodieness” – it’s really a matter of degree. I am a serious Foodie – and like many serious Foodies I want to taste my way through a city – food festivals, cooking classes, food tours, restaurants, breweries, distilleries, wineries and all that I can get my mouth around – so to speak! This is essentially why I started TasteUSA – as a way for me to make a living and enjoy what I feel most passionate about.2015-10-04 18.28.15

So what should you do on your Foodcation?

1)Plan according to your date and time first. You probably aren’t going to travel very far outside your region (say more than 100 miles) unless you have the time and probably some kind of hotel or AirBnB involved, so take that into account first. Pretty much any place can be a foodcation destination, so their’s vast flexibility after this.

2)Be creative. Depending on if you’re an “adventure-seeker” or pretty limited in your culinary interest/prowess, you can find something fun, foodie and will kill 3 hours or so of time. I always choose a basic interest – food or drink – and then Google that interest with the region. For example, say I’m visiting Philadelphia – I recently had plans to attend the Valley Forge Beer and Cider Fest just outside Philly. When I went to the site, I realized that Valley Forge was close to a town called “Phoenixville, PA”. I AirBnb’d the region, found an affordable room in the region and discovered that Phoenixville – population somewhere around 2,000 people – actually has it’s own downtown, Brewery, Wine tasting room, Cidery and Distillery – whooaaahhh!! I ended up visiting the Brewery – Stable 12 Brewing Company – for a flight of beers and then I also ended up going to a most unique experience: the Firebird Festival – essentially a Bacchanalian burning of a wood pyre shaped like the legendary “Phoenix” bird – and of course, there were tons of food trucks nearby! . The next day for lunch I found on Yelp that there was an outdoor Texas BBQ truck with highly rated BBQ – so that was a no-brainer for lunch!

3)Google, but Add Other Online Resources as You Go. Yelp of course is a fantastic resource for Restaurants and related food businesses. But you should also check out the local brewery/winery/distillery sites – and of course add TasteUSA to the mix for fill-in. Each State often has it’s own winery/brewery/distillery associations but the quickest way to find out is to Google “winery map” or a related search – normally, this will take you right to the State Association’s page and save you some time. Even as simple a search as “City/wineries” can be an amazingly fruitful return of excellent usable data. I didn’t end up going to any wineries on my Phoenixville foray, but there is a PA Wineries Association.

Bluebird Distillery in Phoenixville, PA!

Bluebird Distillery in Phoenixville, PA!

4)Talk to Actual People. I know, so Old School – but your locals often know a thing or two about their Region! Personally, I meet the most interesting and informative people in a bar, but you may have a family and that may not be your type of destination. I met some nice people at the Stable 12 Brewing Company over beers and they told me about the region and what was happening in Phoenixville – turns out that it’s kind of a hip new destination spot as a bedroom community to the Philly Region and that’s why there is so much desirable development going on!

5)Leave Time to Explore. Too many travellers have to have every moment planned out – but it’s amazing what you can do with an Iphone and a little free time. It’s way more fun to sketch-out an itinerary and once you arrive to make adjustments to your plan. Obviously if you want to go to a highly desirable restaurant, you’ll want to get an advanced Reservation (the biggest headache of travelling without a plan – but now there are apps coming out that may fix that as well..), but keeping an open-mind and exploring is way more fun than planning events that you and your fellow travellers may not actually want to do. I actually discovered the Phoenix Firebird Festival purely by accident – and this is a Big Deal to the locals!

Doc's Draft Hard Cider at Valley Forge Craft Beer & Cider Festival

Doc’s Draft Hard Cider at Valley Forge Craft Beer & Cider Festival

I hope this is a helpful resource for your next Foodcation – remember, that no matter if you’re a Foodie or not, you have to eat and drink when you travel, so it’s always a good primary or secondary focus. Online resources are swelling for food and drink – from locating restaurants and getting reservations to food allergies, so use some of your existing daily resources as well. Have fun on your next trip – Cheers!

Some Ideas for Future Foodcations (and excellent for Googling):

-Chocolate Factory Bean-to-Bar Tour

-Bread Making Workshop

-Food and Drink Festival (Bacon, Beer, Wine, Oysters, etc..)

-Winery/Brewery/Distillery Tours

-Cooking classes

-Food Tour of the Area (quick Resource is www.zerve.com )

Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler

Yum, Yum, EmporiYum!

November 16th, 2015 • No Comments

Yummy in Your Tummy at Emporiyum at Union Market’s, Dock 5 – one of the last events at this foodie destination!

DC's own True Tonics

DC’s own True Tonics

I attended my first Emporiyum on Saturday, November 14, 2015 in Washington, D.C. and found a boatload of new artisans and stories of small local food artisans. My first impression of this event designed to be a “Meet Eat Shop” by the organizer’s pen was one of slight fear – I don’t mind crowds, but I am fearful of children running loose and amok around Foodie adults. No worries – for whatever reason, the kiddies were pretty well-behaved – this is likely because the adults were in their own fantasy land, and the children knew better than to ruin Foodie Mommy’s chance to feast on chocokombuchanola and other treats!

More Kombucha from Hex Elements!

More Kombucha from Hex Elements!

District Donuts Creme Brulee on Fire!

District Donuts Creme Brulee on Fire!

Emporiyum http://www.tasteusa.com/event/16577/the-emporiyum

Craft Kombucha at Emporiyum

Emporiyum comprised the major food categories, those categories being chocolate, booze and pork and some other delicious fillers like candy (had some awesome caramels from Mouth Party Caramels – I think these should be a food category as well!) and of course Kombucha – I think Craft Kombucha and other makers of this fermented/pro-biotic spritzed up to reduce the actual vinegary taste product are on to something – another relatively new drink category – tonics. I of course needed a cocktail (it was after noon of course!) and the wonderful True Tonics gentleman took goo care of me! Some other noteworthy beverages:

Thunderbeast – no booze in this, but this is root beer with character!

Charm City Meadworks – I said tonic, right? Well this is honey-based and alcoholic – honey+alcohol=deliciousness – and you don’t have to mix it! Use this with a little water or lemonade spritzer after a hot yoga workout to revive you – yes!

One Eight Distilling – Max said Hi and remembered me – that and the fact they make great white whiskey and gin .. I stopped by at their facility nearby after the show, and I can barely remember the rest of the day!

Rujero Singani – Singani..the next Pisco..

Element Shrub  – yes, it’s vinegar based..but for us vinegar lovers, I’ve always wondered how lemonade vs vinegarade would taste – hey, acid is acid, lemons are not local, use local made vinegar in your ade’s first.

Kinderhook

Kinderhook

And of course, I have to talk about Route 11’s potato chips – here’s a great recent article in the Washington Post about Sarah Cohen and how her family started this Regional chiphouse. And this was a twofer..right around the corner was Jeremiah “Bullfrog” Cohen, Sarah’s brother with his food business – Bullfrog Bagels and this tagline “Great people, making great food, for great people. #CARPEBAGEL” – just plain weird, but hey the Bagels are really Great!IMG_5301

So many great foods and drinks – I was most impressed by the visual presentation of Buredo – I kept wondering why a Sushi bar was in the middle of Emporiyum and then it struck me – this is the new sushi/burrito mashup that will probably storm America just like donut bacon cheeseburgers and cronuts – Americans just love mashups – I mean, we invented peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!

My conclusion on Emporiyum? It was a fun romp among about 100 food vendors which covered more than just snacky snacks but both real food and real drink. I’d prefer the event if it were 21 and over, but the kids seemed to be in designated areas (event organizers take note – parents and kids seem to need to sit – those alarming outbursts that seem to happen at the most opportune times don’t last long – give this stressed out demographic side seating!). If you paid $15 or whatever (hey, LivingSocial had a deal, so don’t bitch if you didn’t get one!) you shouldn’t expect a free meal – another peave of mine – the “I bought a ticket and it’s a free-for-all-stuff-your-face-get-my-money’s-worth” crowd should get over it, and expect to dish out an additional $15-$25 for lunch and snacks. This is also essentially a bazaar/emporium so a great time to stock up on snacks and other gourmet foods. There were easily 1,000+ people at the event, but crowd control was good – I think the fact that the event was 4 to 5 hours long made people realize that nothing would run out – I also went on Day 1 a Saturday which is often a madhouse, but again, people seemed pretty well behaved. The demographic was solid female 20 and 30 something and my impression is they loved it – a great day out, shopping, munching, and hanging with friends. Cheers!

Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler

Taste Ambassador, TasteUSA

Buredo

Buredo

Georgian Wine Tasting – Saperavi, Rkatsiteli & More!

October 20th, 2015 • No Comments

IMG_4622

Saperavi — Mtsvane (silent “M”) — Rkatsiteli (silent “R”) – Georgian wines came to Washington, D.C. for a fantastic Trade Tasting held at Vidalia Restaurant on Monday, October 19, 2015 and really made a show!  Presented by Georgian Wines (Facebook Event Here) the tasting was sponsored by The National Wine Agency, a division of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Georgia.

So what makes Georgian wine unique?

1)Wines are made in an ancient traditional way – the “qvevri” which according to Wikipedia: “large earthenware vessels used for the fermentation, storage and ageing of traditional Georgian wine”.

Georgian "Orange Wines"

Georgian “Orange Wines”

2)Orange or amber wines are created for white wine varietals due to skin contact while fermenting and aging. According to Wine Enthusiast: “Orange wines are white wines produced more like reds, with prolonged maceration of crushed grape skins and seeds.” Article Link Here . The taste is quite unique from this maceration and storing in clay pots – dried fruits like apricots and floral notes immediately come to mind, but of course it depends on the quality of grapes and the varietal. We tasted many Rkatsitelis (“R” is silent – so “cats-e-telee”) and Mtsvanis (“M” is silent – so “svah-nee”) and one in particular that was memorable was the Shalauri Mtsvane that was decanted – see image – “dried apricots, floral aromas and tea-like in flavor” – Very, VERY dry wines as well – not even a hint of residual sugar on my palate and medium acidity – these wines CRY for food! Mamuka Tsereteli, the infamous importer/distributor of many Georgian wines for Georgian Wine House in the Mid-Atlantic Region also told me I needed to taste his Our Wine Rkatsitelli – this “amber wine” (which seemed to be a more favorable expression at the event –  I guess my love of Orange Fanta didn’t go over well!!) had an intensity/acidity and dried fruit/tea/smoked ham (I stole this descriptor from the pamphlet..but overall, it’s a goodie!) aroma/flavor profile that really stood out at the event!

3)Over 500 “unique/indigenous” varietals with 8,000 years of winemaking history – literally, the cradle of winemaking as we know it! Here are some I tasted: Chinebuli, Tsitska, Mtsvane, Saperavi, Tsolikouri, Rkatsiteli, Ojaleshi, Otskhanuri Sapere, Kisi and Krakhuna..400+ to go..

Georgian white wines often have this cool orange/amber color!

Georgian white wines often have this cool orange/amber color!

Qvevri - the Traditional Georgian Clay Pots for Storing Wine!

Qvevri – the Traditional Georgian Clay Pots for Storing Wine!

THE LIST OF PARTICIPATING PRODUCERS INCLUDES:

Amiran Vepkhvadze
Antadze
Bagrationi
Chateau Mukhrani
Gotsa
Iago’s Wine
Jakeli
Kindzmarauli Marani
Lagvinari
Marani (Telavi Wine Cellars)
Orgo
Our Wine
Pheasant’s Tears
Sarajishvili
Schuchmann
Shaluri
Shalvino
Shavnabada Monastery
Shumi
Teliani Valley Winery
Vinoterra
WineMan

Mamuka Tsereteli - the Legend of Georgian Wines!

Mamuka Tsereteli – the Legend of Georgian Wines!

DC Beer Festivals Kick In – 2015 Fall Issue

September 13th, 2015 • No Comments
A True Beer Connoisseur!

A True Beer Connoisseur!

DC Beer Festival season kicks in again – an amazing number of craft beer festivals – from 1-price all you can drink to the Mega Snallygaster “money is no obect” – there are festivals for the craft beer lover this Fall, 2015

As the head of TasteUSA, it’s my job to attend and cover as many food and drink festivals in the U.S. as possible – and since DC is my home base, here’s some upcoming events and maybe a recap or 2 to help you plan your Festival Season.

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ (September 19th, 2015 – Tyson’s Corner – but this festival visits many different cities during the season)- Trigger Agency’s series of over the top porkiness (?porkyness?) events that combine too much of what every hearty foodie wants: pigliciousness, Bourbon and of course craft brews! Expect more bacon too – it seems this is the current foodie draw to over-the-top events. Medium on the Beer Geek/Bourbon Geek scale, Trigger really specializes in a more laid-back vibe for the city slickers who want to just throw on some jeans and kick back a bit!

Arlington Backyard Beer Festival (September 19th, 2015 – Arlington Gateway, Rosslyn, VA) – although a first year event, the Organizers have put together multiple other local beer festivals including Drink the World Beer Festival and All-American Beer Festival . Expect a nice selection of craft beers and really great food trucks for food – the price is also right – you can save 30% off the ticket price at our site with promo code “tasteusa” and the VIP Tickets are only $45 before discount!

Das Best Oktoberfest (September 26th, 2015 – National Harbor, MD) – Hey, again you can get discounted tickets – only $29 for VIP all-you-can-drink – another Trigger Agency event that is very popular. You can do the German Oktoberfest thing, or simply enjoy lot’s of great beer – and since our discounted price is $29/per person (VIP) – you get a very affordable event to enjoy craft beers at!

All-American Beer Festival

All-American Beer Festival

Past Events (hey, they’ll be back next year!)

Snallygaster 2015 – Holy Smokes, this is one Great and expensive craft beer festival – Very High on the Beer Geek scale, maybe an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10! 300+ beers this year and many rare, cask, unique examples of hops, grain and yeast combined in an amazing array of choices. I actually tried a beer that

Annapolis Craft Beer & Music Festival – September 12th, 2015 – Outside the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, this event is always fun and has a nice selection of local beers including Jail Break, Oliver Breweries, and Heavy Seas.

Have fun at upcoming craft beer festivals – I’ll include an article soon on new food and drink events at TasteUSA – Cheer!

Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler

Beer, Bacon, Booze..Festivals That Is!

May 8th, 2015 • No Comments

We’ve hit the big Foodie Festival Season in Washington, D.C. now that it’s the first week in May..more Bacon Festivals, more Beer Festivals, more Booze Festivals..ohh, and a few wine festivals, food crawls, Big Charity high-ticket dinners..ohhand of course DC Lamb Jam .. here it goes, a fun rollick through the Washington, D.C. Foodie Festival Season..

dccraftbeernewlogocider600x600_Logo (1)Saturday, May 9th, 2015 – DC Craft Beer and Cider Festival – Hey, they added Ciders and more Speciality craft beers impossibly hard to find.. Did I mention that Mess Hall (the Food Incubator) is Catering the event?

 

VinoFest, May 9th, 2015 – More Music than Foodie, but with over 20 wines included and some awesome food, I can see getting my boogie on and sipping away at this one

BBM15-FB-cover-share Beer, Bacon & Music Festival , May 16th, 2015, Frederick Fairgrounds – C’mon you got all the good stuff – plenty of craft beers,  bacon both in 2 Tons to eat right away, and a bevy of food trucks and Bacon purveyors..and frankly a bit away from the city..

DC_-LMAB-JAM-POSTER--750-pxDC Lamb Jam , May 17th, 2015 – This is a Serious Chefstravaganza – 17 chefs, tons of food, wine, craft beer and Foodie Heaven – Chefs competing to win your tastebuds over .. and only $60.. c’mon, I’ve spent more than that at a Food Truck Festivals (well, I promote them!)

 

StMike2015St. Michael’s BrewFest, May 30th, 2015 – hey sometimes you gotta get away and visit the Eastern Shore..I mean this could be a whole weekend, especially if you visit Lyon Distillery and other distilleries and breweries around the corner..I mean, that’s travelling for food and drink!

DCIST List Here – Hey, check out this short list from DCist..there are actually more Bacon Festivals coming, more beer, wine, cocktail festivals..and well..this just forces me to drink on the Job – Cheers!

Eater DC Added some events like Edible DC’s Cocktail Derby ..

And of course Fritz Hahn’s Going Out Guide Washington Post Article for 2015 Beer Festivals

Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler

Getting’ Piggy – Cochon 555 DC 2015

March 24th, 2015 • No Comments

Cochon 555 Is the Pigging Party That Never Stops Giving!

2015-03-22 18.12.56Making Old Fashioneds 2015-03-22 17.01.34Whistlepig Cocktail
2015-03-22 18.03.45 2015-03-22 16.00.15Mr. Piggy Says “Hello”
2015-03-22 17.50.48Mike Isabella Being Piggie!2015-03-22 17.47.32Mandu – the Piggie Winners! 2015-03-22 17.29.36Yona Piggie! 2015-03-22 17.44.12Piggie Pieces (Heritage!) 2015-03-22 17.20.00Piggy Heart (Actually, Beef Heart – but REALLY Good!) 2015-03-22 16.47.00Piggy Jowl with Spike Mendelsohn of Bearnaise 2015-03-22 17.23.09Ummmm…Bacon!

2015-03-22 15.52.50Glorious Whistlepig! 2015-03-22 16.03.18Punch Competition (Taha Won!) 2015-03-22 16.35.07Ommegangness! 2015-03-22 16.28.20There was wine too – Washington State Wines 2015-03-22 16.33.34More Oinky Deliciousness! 2015-03-22 15.56.08 2015-03-22 15.55.55Did I mention there was PLENTY of Booze?? 2015-03-22 15.58.28Charlie Adler Taking A Shot from “Say Hello to My Little Friend” Mojito Gun

DC Drinks Invitational Gets Some Buzz

February 22nd, 2015 • No Comments
2015-02-19 18.42.41

Charm City Meadworks

Edible DC has Arrived in Washington, D.C. with a fantastic Bang of an Event – Drinks Invitational held on Thursday, February 19, 2015. I truly had a great time at the Drinks Invitational which both introduced and celebrated the craft spirits/craft drinks revival that’s occurring throughout the Washington, D.C. area and also around the U.S. More than just a tasting, this event was well-laid out, had decent food (which could actually be eaten as a full-meal – what a rarity at these events!) and a pleasant vibe.

I entered the event on a really cold evening – maybe it was 15 degrees Fahrenheit, but the wind was swirling and the area seemed bleak – it was so refreshing once I arrived that I decided just to take in the event and not to take too many notes or worry about the meaning of the event.

I didn’t get a chance to taste everything (I’ve had Catoctin Creek, Greenhat Gin, Lyon Distilling (which I tasted their really molasseseey Dark Rum back at the DC Rum-B-Que!) and Bloomery Sweetshine’s spirits in the past and they’re quite good!), so I focused more on newer products and things I hadn’t heard of like Charm City Meadworks. Everyone knows that Cider is hot right now, but Mead is probably the next up-and-comer. The problem with Mead may be it’s image and history – it was known as the drink of the Middle Ages..or maybe it was the Vikings – who knows, but it seems almost pre-historic. I sampled both their Wildflower Draft Mead at 6.9% ABV and their Rosemary Still Mead at 12% ABV – the latter was truly funky and delicious and very memorable – It wasn’t particularly sweet and the rosemary and other flavors from the fermented honey gave it a knotch up in flavor to say a hoppy craft beer. Keep an eye out for them – Mead is the next cider/craft beer!

Other drinks I tasted that caught my attention included the Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur that really tasted great in a Ginger Beer style cocktail, a really interesting Honeydew Jalapeño Shrub by Element Shrub , some great Root Beers by Thunder Beast , and a cool Cocktail with One Eight Distillings Ivy City Gin ! 2015-02-19 18.56.36

2015-02-19 19.43.54

All In all, a really fantastic evening with cool cats company – I didn’t even mention that it was a people mix of hipster, foodie, and DC Intelligentsia..well, maybe not so much the latter, but being a Foodie, I can be pretty judgmental! Let’s just say that DC is really coming into it’s own on the culinary and drinks scene – we’re not really copying anyone anymore – we’ve created our own intense, cerebral, juxtaposed Cocktail scene which is putting us on the a distinctive map of Taste!

Charlie Adler, “I Drink on the Job”
TasteUSA

2015-02-19 19.56.35

Mattias Hagglund of Heritage Richmond fixing some great cocktails!

 

Thanksgiving Wine Classes

November 22nd, 2014 • No Comments

It’s that time of year where everyone wants to know which wine goes with the Thanksgiving Turkey..

Here are some fun wine classes around Thanksgiving that offer more than just the usual suspects like Beaujolais Nouveau and German Rieslings – both great, but there are so many fantastic and fun pairings to consider! The key to Thanksgiving is to consider the whole family..or at least those over 21 years of age – I mean does Aunt Harriet really want some complex pairing partner to her pumpkin pie with marshmallows? Maybe something not too heavy, and even a touch sweet works better! I always say bring 2 bottles to the Thanksgiving meal – one cheap for everybody who just wants something fun to drink and one for yourself..who’s going to notice anyway – just put your favorite bottle under the table, grab and pour when needed..

Turkey Day Walk-Around at New York Vintners on Sunday, November 23, 2014

In this walk-around style event, you will be “Thankful” to taste 15 of our most sought-after. Those wines are hand-selected by our Chef and Sommelier Staff and beyond Beaujolais with 3 stations of wine styles that are perfect compliments to a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Whether you are planning dinner at your own home or want advice on what to bring to a party, our 3 sommeliers will assist you while you taste delicious, great value wines.

Turley Blind Zinfandel Tasting at Cafe Tallulah in New York, Tuesday, November 25, 2014

This is with Wine Workshop which not only does excellent tastings but some pretty awesome (pricey too!) wine dinners with some of the world’s greatest wine producers..Since Turley’s debut vintage of 1993, it was quickly established that Turley Cellars was deadly serious about making blockbuster Zinfandels from some of California’s oldest, pre-prohibition, head-pruned vineyards. The wines are made from super ripe grapes that express the essence of Zinfandel. Larry Turley’s wines are extraordinarily rich and clearly the most concentrated and powerful Zinfandels ever made. As Robert Parker has stated many times in the past, “Turley Cellars’ offerings have become the reference point for Zinfandel, as they are the most complex, concentrated, hedonistic wines ever produced from this varietal.”

Taste among these classics:
1996 Aida; 2002, 2003 Dragon; 1998, 2001 Duarte, 1999 Estate; 1997, 2001 Moore ‘Earthquake’; 2001 Pesenti; 1999, 2001 Pringle Family; 2003 Rattlesnake Ridge; 1999, 2000 Tofanelli and 2001 Vineyard 101. Fantastic Fortified Flavors of Port, Sherry and Madeira, Sunday, November 23rd, 2014 at Chain Bridge Cellars, McLean, VA

As Fall turns to Winter and Thanksgiving and the December Holidays come close, it’s a fine time to explore the warming wonders of the world’s best fortified wines.  They can be dry and savory (like Rainwater or Sercial Madeira) or sweet and unctuous (like Bual Madeira or Port).  Some are complements to a fine meal, while others are the crowning touch after dessert.  But all are fascinating, fun to explore, and very, very, delicious.

Join us on Sunday, November 23, as we explore the world of sweet and savory fortified wines from Port and Medeira.  We’ll taste four Ports, ranging from a wood-aged white Port to a rare single-vintage Tawny and two wines from the great 2011 Vintage Port release:

Rozes Porto White Reserve NV
Quinta Dona Matilde Vintage Port 2011
Quinta do Noval Vintage Port 2011
Quinta Dona Matilde Colhieta Port 2004

For the Madeiras, we’ll travel back in time to the 18th Century, when Madeira was the most popular drink of our Founding Fathers.  The Rare Wine Company and Madeira producer Barbeito have created a line-up of wines that showcase styles most popular in various cities of Colonial America – we’ll try four of them:

Barbeito New York Malmsey Reserve
Barbeito Boston Bual Reserve
Barbeito Baltimore Rainwater Reserve
Barbeito Charleston Sercial Reserve

We’ll serve you some wonderful pairing bites like walnuts, dried fruit, salty bleu cheeses, and even a little dark chocolate so you can enjoy how well the wines play with food.  You’ll learn how they were created, are made, and the best way and time to enjoy each wine.  Most of all, though, you’ll enjoy eight delicious fortified wines and a rousing good time!

Washington, D.C. 2014 Fall Craft Beer Festival Guide

September 14th, 2014 • No Comments

TasteUSA has the Beer Festival List.. The Fall Season in Washington, D.C. is kicking in with an amazing number and quality selection of Craft Beer Festivals. I saw the Washington Post Article: Drink up: A guide to local fall beer festivals and decided that TasteUSA simply had a more comprehensive list – then again we specialize in promoting, marketing and communicating on craft beer festivals, but wine festivals and foodie events too!

3rd Annual Brew & Bourbon Classic    Laurel Park RT 198 & Racetrack Road    09/13/2014 – 12:00pm
ChessieFest    Grapeseed    09/13/2014 – 12:00pm
Bands, Brews & BBQ    Manassas Museum Lawn    09/13/2014 – 12:00pm
Annapolis Craft Beer & Music Festival    Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium 550 Taylor Ave    09/13/2014 – 12:00pm
Snallygaster Beer Festival    Yards Park 355 Water St SE    09/13/2014 – 12:00pm
Taste of Georgetown    K Street NW between Wisconsin Avenue and Thomas Jefferson Street    09/13/2014 – 12:00pm
Beer and Bacon Festival    Heavy Seas Brewery, 4615 Hollins Ferry Rd    09/13/2014 – 12:00pm
District Oktoberfest Special Price VIP Tickets    RFD 810 7th St., NW    09/20/2014 – 11:00am
Virginia Cider Festival    Fredericksburg Fairgrounds 2400 Airport Avenue    09/20/2014 – 11:00am
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ -VIP Whole Hog Pig Pickin and Tasting Glass    Lerner Town Square at Tysons II    09/20/2014 – 11:00am
Capitol Bacon Festival    Fairgrounds    09/20/2014 – 11:30am
DC International Beer Festival (New Date and Location)    Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW    09/20/2014 – 12:00pm
Maryland Brewer’s Harvest    Bond Street Wharf    09/20/2014 – 12:00pm
Oktoberfest at Heurich House    Heurich House Museum    09/20/2014 – 1:00pm
Du Claw Real Ale Fest    DuClaw Brewing Company of BelAir    09/20/2014 – 2:00pm
Top of the Hops Charlottesville    nTelos Wireless Pavilion    09/20/2014 – 3:00pm
Sterling Volunteer Fire Company Oktoberfest    Patton Hall, 46700 Middlefield Dr. Sterling, VA    09/20/2014 – 5:00pm
Blues and Brews    2121 Crystal Drive Courtyard    09/24/2014 – 4:00pm
Maryland Microbrewery Festival    Union Mills Homestead    09/27/2014 – 11:00am
Frederick Oktoberfest    e-ventplex at the Frederick Fairgrounds 797 E Patrick St    09/27/2014 – 11:00am
Hoppy Oktoberfest    Mad Fox Brewing Company, 444 West Broad Street    09/27/2014 – 12:00pm
Lovettsville Oktoberfest    Town of Lovettsville    09/27/2014 – 12:00pm
Das Best Oktoberfest    DC Armory    09/27/2014 – 1:00pm
Cambridge Firkin Festival    Stoked    09/27/2014 – 2:00pm
Frederick Oktoberfest    e-ventplex at the Frederick Fairgrounds 797 E Patrick St    09/28/2014 – 11:00am
Cap City Oktoberfest    The Village at Shirlington 4001 Campbell Avenue    10/04/2014 – 12:00pm
Oktoberfest Reston    Reston Town Center    10/11/2014  and  10/12/2014 – 12:00pm
8th Annual Northern Virginia Fall BrewFest    Bull Run Regional Park    10/18/2014 – 11:00am
Fredericksburg BrewFest    Fredericksburg Fairgrounds 2400 Airport Avenue    10/18/2014 – 11:00am
Shuckeroo Oyster and Beer Festival    Fairgrounds    10/18/2014 – 11:00am
Tysons Fall Harvest Wine and Beer Festival    Lerner Town Square at Tysons II    10/18/2014 – 11:00am
Real Ale Festival    Pratt Street Ale House    10/18/2014 – 12:00pm
Shuck It! Beer & Oyster Festival    Tony and Joe’s    10/18/2014 – 2:00pm
8th Annual Northern Virginia Fall BrewFest    Bull Run Regional Park    10/19/2014 – 11:00am
DC Beer Festival    Nationals Ballpark    11/08/2014 – 12:00pm
DC Craft Beer Festival – Winter Harvest    Walter E. Washington Convention Center    11/22/2014 – 1:00pm

Filson Bourbon Academy Returns to DC

August 23rd, 2014 • No Comments

Filson Bourbon Academy received Rave Reviews from attendees last year – how do I know? I run DC Whiskey Drinkers on Facebook and many of our members attended!

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The All-Day (well, it’s 6 hours with lunch!) startst at 10 am on Saturday, September 6th at Jack Rose Dining Saloon – For complete details on this event, go to TasteUSA – Filson Bourbon Academy

Mike Veach teaches the class and he has quite a Bio:

The Bourbon Academy™ Faculty:

Academy programs and events are led by Michael Veach, Filson Bourbon Historian. Since 1997, Michael has served on the staff of The Filson as a Special Collections Assistant, later moving to Associate Curator of Special Collections. In the past 20 years he has dedicated his time studying the distilling industry. In 2006 Michael was inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame. Michael is the author of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage (2013), which was praised by The Wall Street Journal, Courier-Journal, and other national media. He is currently completing a second book on bourbon tasting with former Courier-Journal columnist Susan Reigler.

We’ve had fun at Jack Rose Dining Saloon recently at the Rum B Que where over 20 Signature Rums and some really great cocktails were paired with some delicious cuisine! 2014-08-16 13.37.25

We’re also promoting whiskey events in New York, so take a look at Whiskey 101 at the Flatiron Room (and check the TasteUSA Schedule by Filtering any city with Whiskey/Spirits/Cocktails – you’ll definitely learn and taste some wonderful whiskies!)

Cheers!

Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler