Beer and (not) skiing:
Two recent ski trips afforded the opportunity to sample local VA and VT beers.

VA skiing rained out, but an excellent selection of 6 at Blue Mountain Brewey in Afton, VA hepled provide diversion. Their "flagship" Full Nelson IPA is a nice, hoppy IPA but I thought their best brew is their Evil 8 Belgian style dubbel (10%). Mandolin is an extremely malty brew on tap and in 750ml bottles. Kolsch 151 also excellent, sold only in the spring.

Fared better skiing (Jay) in Vermont, w good brews before and after. Farmhouse Tap in Burlington has an excellent selection of local and distant microbrews. The Hill Farmstead Ales were outstanding, especially the Edward (black IPA w rye.) and Foster (pale ale). Several good Trapp Lodge selections, in particular the Winter Geist, made me revise upward (way upward) my estimate of Trapp's beers. Their Snow Bock was also quite good. Post skiing, a Switchback Ale and an Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter at Jay's Tower Bar provided fuel for the drive back to Burlington. Next day, Zero Gravity microbrewery (attached to American Flatbread) supplied their excellent IPA ("TLA IPA"). Also had, for the first time, their french saison "Lunatique." It was excellent.

Ski season about done but beer season continues. Happy St. Patrick's to all