If rainwater was beer

The Northern Virginia Fall BrewFest was held this past Saturday and Sunday at Bull Run Park in Centreville, Va.

Meteorologists on all the local networks had predicted a washout for the weekend. But the rain held off (except for a short time on Sunday) ... and a beer festival broke out.

A few things of note:

• One of the principals of the Mad Fox Brewpub, Rick Garvin, indicated that 2009 looked good for the pub to open in Northern Virginia. Mum's the word --understandably-- as to the exact location until a letter of intent is signed.[UPDATE 2009.02.26. Done ... in Falls Church, Va.]
• Bill Madden keeps a stealth beer on tap at Vintage 50 (and probably will at the soon-to-be Mad Fox): one has to ask "stealth beer, please" to get one! David Turley —of Fredericksburg's Musings Over a Pint —remembered to ask at the festival (and reminded me). Saturday's was a Saison; Sunday's was an Alt.
  
• Hear Bill Madden's interview on WJFK-FM's Big O and Dukes show.
• Jerry Bailey, founder and past president of Dominion Brewing was pouring at the Stella Artois/Becks booth. Jerry gamely helped out, when other volunteers chose other breweries.
  

The weather —or, more appropriately, the weather forecasters— may have frightened off some potential beer lovers, as things never became hectic. That relaxed atmosphere created more opportunity to talk with festival goers about the beers themselves.

It was busy enough, however, especially on Saturday, that Bill Madden and other festival organizers seemed confident of the gate receipts. A worthy festival, worthy of attending next year.

And the roster of beers? The festival listed the following breweries, winery, and cidery as in attendance. (As a representative for wholesaler Select Wines, Ltd., I brought selections from 7 breweries, marked below with an asterisk.)

Abita (Restoration Ale, Purple Haze)*, Allagash (White, Triple)*, Ballast Point, Bear Republic, Beck’s, Bells, Birra Peroni, Bitburger, Blue Grass, Boston Brewing Company, Boulder, Brooklyn (Oktoberfest, IPA, Post Road Pumpkin)*, Budweiser, Capitol City, Clipper City (Hang Ten Dopple Weizenbock, Balto MarzHon)*, Dogfish, Flying Dog (Gonzo Imperial Porter Old Scratch Amber Lager)*, Fordham, Franziskaner, Het Anker, Hofbrau Munchen, Hook & Ladder, Huyghe/Delirium Tremes, Kona, Kostrizer, Lagunitas, Lancaster Brewing Co. (Milk Stout, Oktoberfest)*, Leinenkugel, Mad Fox, Magic Hat, New Holland, Northcoast, Old Dominion, Oskar Blues, Otter Creek/ Wolavers (Otter Creek Oktoberfest, Wolavers Pale/Brown)*, Peak Organic, Pilsner Urquell, RedHook, Sierra Nevada, Spaten, St George, Starr Hill, Tarara Winery, Van Housebrouck, Victory, Vintage 50, Weihenstephaner, Widmer, Wild Goose, Woodchuck.

No brewery brought a cask.

And, as to Sunday's 15 minutes of rain ... In A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt, Thomas More declares:

I wish we could all have good luck, all the time. I wish we had wings.

I wish rainwater was beer. But it isn't.

And what with not having wings but walking-on two flat feet; and good luck and bad luck being just exactly even stevens; and rain being water—don't you complicate the job by putting things in me for me to miss.

More photos here.