So many choices, so little time…

July 2, 2009 So many choices, so little time…

by Tondagossa

 

National Harbor – Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival

“Variety is the spice of life.”  Someone said that once… or twice.  It’s a philosophy that kind of sticks with me, especially when it comes to food and drink.  Ah yes, sweet variety.  As a foodie, you just can’t live without it.

A couple of weeks ago, June 20th, I decided to run that little philosophy through its paces.  How else?  With lots of beer, of course!  A few of my friends and I gathered together at the National Harbor that day for a beer tasting extravaganza, namely The Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival.

As you may know by now, I’ve got a bit of a thing for beer.  I can respect and understand that some people don’t like it.  Actually, I didn’t like it so much at first.  Then I found out there are more complex flavors than… oh say, Coors Light.  Belgian and German beer seem to be high on the list for me these days, though I have found some great domestics as well.

Going to any tasting with friends who enjoy the same food or drink, I would imagine, makes for tons of enjoyment.  Our group of friends (3 of us, plus 2 designated drivers) went from vendor to vendor, tasting beer, and sharing with each other our experiences and what we thought of the flavors.  I got to try some of their favorites that I haven’t tried and vice versa.  Arguably more fun than tossing Mentos in bottles full of soda!  By my estimates, we tried anywhere between 20-30 different beers, most new to all 3 of us.

We didn’t try any bourbon, but the barbecue was pretty good.  Lots of people were there that day, so we had to wait in lines for both BBQ and drinks.  It wasn’t too bad since the lines usually moved at a decent clip.  The great thing is we each received a souvenir – the tasting glass, which is pretty nice looking.  It has a couple of lines on it to designate where the vendors stop pouring for bourbon and beer.  Events went on throughout the day, though we didn’t get to check them out since we were too busy boozin’.  There were some live bands playing good music and Jack Daniel’s was there with a mechanical bull.  Need I say more?  Good times.

Hmm… Oktoberfest at National Harbor?  You bet.

Most surprisingly tasty brew of that day: Saranac Pomegranate Wheat

While we’re on the subject of beer and BBQ… have a happy and safe 4th of July!

 

Tags: barbecue, BBQ, beer, bourbon, DC, festival, freshmaker, Maryland, MD, National Harbor, Saranac Pomagranate Wheat

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