Name: Flying Dog Brewery

Location: Frederick, MD

Website: www.flyingdogales.com

Type: Production brewery

Available in DC Market: Ohohohoohoho yes

Sponsorship

What you need to know: For Flying Dog, the rest is history. Until very recently, Flying Dog was the most local beer for the DC Metro Area, and while it isn't brewed in DC proper, Frederick isn't too far and they're still a force in our craft beer scene. Widely known for their “good beer, no shit” mantra, Flying Dog consistently produces fine ales and seasonal releases that are widely anticipated. Look for former DC Beer writer Nate or general rapscallion Tommy pouring.

Beer #1:  Dead Rise (Saison-like with German ale yeast, 5.6% ABV)

In Their Own Words: A summer ale brewed with Old Bay, the native spice blend of Maryland sprinkled (often liberally) onto local seafood.  Proceeds from this beer benefit the True Blue (an initiative to support the Maryland Blue Crab industry.)

Food Pairing: Smoked mackerel and caviar (Thin slices of smoked mackerel served on hearts of palm with lemon, dill and caviar crème fraiche. )

Our Thoughts: It bears the name “summer ale” but is registered in the “saison” category, so it’s not clear what role yeast will play in the ultimate flavor, but a briney, zesty, relatively low-ABV beer sounds like an intriguing summer option.  The pairing with seafood is a no brainer, given the Old Bay. It’ll be interesting to see how a delicate beer handles the intensity of the smoked fish and salty roe.

Beer #2:  The Truth (Imperial IPA, 8.7% ABV)

In Their Own Words: The Truth Imperial IPA is a hop bomb of some of the most distinct Pacific Northwest varietals available to craft brewers today.  In fact, three years of crafting our Single Hop Imperial IPAs with some of the most rare and flavorful hop varieties enabled us to craft this bold, yet balanced Imperial IPA. Its sharp hop bitterness begins with huge pine notes on the nose, which evolve into bright citrus and subtle stone fruit flavors

Food Pairing: Garam Masala Lamb Loin with Mango Chutney

Our Thoughts: You’ve probably seen this bad boy around town.  Big and brassy, it’s firmly in DIPA territory (and not, as the SAVOR website would have it, stoutsburgh).  It’s a tough beer to pair, bold as it is, but lamb’s gaminess and mango’s sticky sweetness should prove apt foils.

This profile is a part of the DCBeer.com SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2014 SAVOR participants.