Name: Victory Brewing Company
Location: Downingtown, PA
Website: www.victorybeer.com
Type: Production brewery and brewpub
Available in DC Market: Yes
What you need to know: This is one of those last but not least situations. Victory is the 76th, and last, brewery profile to be written for SAVOR 2014. Victory has been making great beer in Pennsylvania for a long time. They brew a wide variety of styles, and there's something to like for everyone. Like crisp, light beers? Prima Pils is arguably the best American version of that style. Like hops? Hit up Hop Devil or Hop Wallop or Dirt Wolf. Like dark beers? Storm King is your jam. Victory is a huge part of the mid-Atlantic brewing scene and can be trusted to put out a quality product in nearly any type of beer. They're also the last brewery I'm writing up so, you know, I like them, but right now I REALLY like them.
Beer #1: Headwaters Pale Ale
In Their Own Words: "Malted barley, hops and yeast are the building blocks of beer. But none of these elements would exist without water, the essence of life. The waters that feed our brewery begin just over a dozen miles away, making for spectacularly pure and vital water for brewing. Having worked with watershed advocacy groups since our inception, we value our headwaters, our source, in many ways. We think you’ll value them as well when you taste this firmly crisp and aromatically arousing pale ale."
Food Pairing: Tiny Brussels sprout cups filled with apple and sprout slaw tossed with a miso dressing and garnished with cashew.
Our Thoughts: This works out quite nicely. Headwaters has a fair amount of citrus but at its core is an east coast pale ale, which means plenty of malt backbone, earth, and grassiness to match the brussel sprouts and sweetness from the cashew.
Beer #2: Helios Ale
In Their Own Words: "(Re) Introducing Helios Ale. We’ve rebranded the former V-Saison and now introduce Helios Ale. This bottle-conditioned, Belgian-inspired ale remains the same refreshing ale that you enjoyed as V-Saison, however, in a more approachable, less expensive 22 oz capped bottle. Helios Ale has an earthy, aromatic hop start and shifts into aspects of lemon peel and black pepper. This is a quenching, invigorating ale, despite its substantial strength. This style was developed to refresh farm workers during harvest season in its native Belgium. Though such high alcohol is surprising to imagine as suitable for ‘refreshment,’ it does seem to fit the Belgian philosophy on enjoyment of their beloved beer."
Food Pairing: Honeydew and cantaloupe melon pressed sous vide with yuzu and lemongrass
Our Thoughts: A perfect taste of summer. Thirst-quenching and crisp with some nice fruit and tang from the lemongrass and yuzu. If you could steal this pairing to eat all through August, I know you would.
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.
