Name: Foothills Brewing

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Type: Brewpub and Packaging

Available in DC Market?: No

What you need to know: Foothills is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and is most known for its seasonal imperial stout release entitled “Sexual Chocolate.” I hate to bring that up right outta the gate as they have many fine offerings, but no one talks about Bruce Springsteen B Sides like they should either. I feel the same about Foothills. Sexual Chocolate is released once a day to hundreds that drive from all over to wait in line. Big, bold, and seasonal releases are great and something we all look forward to, but at the end of the day, Foothills flagship beer are just as noteworthy.

Sponsorship

Beer #1: Barrel Aged People’s Porter (American Porter/ 6.0% ABV)

Notes: A 6 % barrel aged porter? That seems odd but is perhaps a pleasant surprise. After all, SAVOR is marathon not a sprint. This porter has all the familiar notes of the style in addition to some aggressive bourbon notes picked up from its time spent in the barrel.   I think this one might be hard to pass on. I want to see how everything comes together while coming on the lower end of the ABV scale.

BeerAdvocate Grade: 86 (60 reviews)
Ratebeer Grade: 98 overall;  99 style

Beer #2: Hoppyum (IPA / 6.3% ABV)

Notes: Foothills says this America IPA is “full of citrusy American hops with emphasis on Simcoe and finishes dry.”  I can’t see how that doesn’t appeal to 95 % of attendees.  The most appealing aspect of this offering is the chosen food pairing.  The Coconut macaroon with whipped crème fraiche and lemon zest will be one of the better desert pairings of the evening and also serve as a great pallet cleanser.  Sign me up.

BeerAdvocate Grade: 86 (215 reviews)
Ratebeer Grade: 94 overall;  89 style

Summary: Foothills represents the prefect balance between traditional and innovative styles of brewing. That balance of year-round staples and seasonal beers is what has made Foothills one of North Carolina’s best for many years. These days it seems Asheville is getting all the attention, but there is plenty of great beer throughout the state of North Carolina.

This profile is a part of the DCBEER.COM SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2012 SAVOR participants.

Beer Review Disclaimer: The beer reviews found on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer do not represent the opinions of this site. We provide these in the hope that they will serve as a resource showing what some craft beer fans have thought of the beers. These reviews can be a helpful guideline, but are not the be-all end-all about a beer’s strengths or weaknesses.