We have all come to know Churchkey for their exceptional offerings, great finds and many events. On Tuesday, June 1, they kicked off “Savor Week” with a Cask Ale tasting, featuring five beers on cask that are otherwise hard to find on a manual pull line. I was lucky enough to get their early, grab a seat and put my order in just as they began pulling beers.
From left in the above picture:
– Harpoon Summer Beer Kolsch (dry-hopped with Willamette hops)
– Peak Organic Amber Ale (dry-hopped with Simoce and Halletauer hops)
– Flying Dog Raging Bitch Belgian IPA
– Clipper City Heavy Seas Sky at Night Saison
– Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron Brown Ale
My favorite of the evening was the Raging Bitch. Certainly a well-known beer around DC, the cask definitely added another dimension to the beer allowing the yeast rto stand out, making it clear this was not a standard IPA. And bonus points for being the best pairing with the fig, prosciutto and gorgonzola flatbread.
The Peak Organic Amber Ale grew on me thanks to a subtle grapefruit flavor. Harpoon and Clipper City brought out some classic styles for summer flavors, which was a welcome addition during yesterdays true summer weather. I love Palo Santo and on cask it really became velvety – which may or may not be the feature you seek out on a hot summer day. It is great to see cask beers getting the attention they deserve. For a Tuesday happy hour crowd, the bar was full, but still comfortable. There was definitely a happy buzz of people trying new beers and getting ready for an exciting Savor Week.
