A Barrell of Fun this Week

Coming up THIS week:

August 12 @ 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

 It’s time to pick the hops, and we need your help!  Volunteer for two hours and lunch is on us!  Enjoy live music while you pick.

August 14 @ 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Friday Night Bites - new small plate menu is available every Friday 5pm-10pm! $5 per plate. Regular menu also available.

--Koda and Marie from Chamomile and Whiskey. 

On tap now at the Arrington Barrel House:

Classic Lager
Local Species
A Hopwork Orange
Full Nelson
South Street Satan's Pony
Dark Hollow

 

Afton Brewpub:

Classic Lager
Kolsch 151
Blue Toad Hard Cider Blue Ridge Blonde
South Street 365 Shandy
South Street Satan's Pony
Full Nelson
A Hopwork Orange
DIPA
Dunkel Lager
Original Nitro Porter
Special Bottle Offering: Dark Hollow

The Colleen Drive-In

I can remember the Colleen Drive-In as a staple when going to visit great-grandma Tinsley in the early 1980's: we'd stop for ice cream or corn dogs or sundaes. I'd always throw up on the way back home. But that had nothing to do with the ice cream--I got terrible motion sickness.

What you may not have known is that the Colleen Drive-In started out as a chain of roadside stands originating in  Wooster, Ohio called The Dairy Isle in 1951. It eventually grew to 160 locations although today there are only a few scatted across the East.

Colleen had it's name change in 1964. You can find a similar stand in South Boston, except no ultra cool giant cone, so why even bother?

This ultra awesome website takes you through the history of a few other roadside stands in Virginia. I suggest you check it out.

Pints O Plenty Pick-O-Da-Week

Erginger Pikantus:

What the website says:

For some people, Erdinger Weissbier Pikantus 'dark bock beer' is a delicacy to be enjoyed in the colder months of the year. For lovers of strong beer, however, the season for Pikantus lasts a full twelve months.

At 7.3% alcohol, this specialty wheat beer has a considerably higher alcohol content than other varieties produced by Erdinger Weissbräu. The dark bock beer owes its sharp and full flavor to the use of selected dark wheat and barley malts and a significantly longer maturing process.

In contrast to many bock beers, Erdinger Weissbier Pikantus 'dark bock beer' does not taste too sweet. Despite its higher alcohol content, Erdinger's master brewers have succeeded in retaining the smooth Pikantus flavor.

What I say:

A toffee, banana scent with an equally, unoffensive sweet amber finish. Four out of five.

Heresy:

This old heathen is aged in whiskey bourbon barrels. Please enjoy this clip of Grandscrew getting pissed about me buying beer. She advised all the patrons I was going to hell, never mind the implication for their own souls.

Heresy is a decent imperial stout, a little heavy on fruity tones for me but most def a nice port brandy finish. I say three out of five.

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout:

What the website says:

This is the famous Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. In the 18th century, Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, ordered a stout to be sent to her from England. This beer was brewed strong and hoppy to survive the sea voyage, and it arrived in perfect condition. Soon "Russian Imperial Stout" became the toast of the Russian aristocracy. Brewed since 1994, our Black Chocolate Stout has itself become a modern classic, heralded the world over. It achieves its dark chocolate aroma and flavor through the artful blending of six malts and months of aging. Properly kept, it will improve in the bottle for many years. This stout is the toast of the winter season in many countries, and there is nothing better to enjoy with chocolate desserts, cheesecake, ice cream, fine cheeses and roaring fireplaces.

This is your basic chocolate/coffee stout. You can't go wrong with it. But nothing special. Thick, rich, and dark. Three out of five.

The Village Inn

The Basics:

You won't find a coffee maker or shampoo. They've give you towels, small bar soap, an ice bucket and 2 plastic cups. The ice is inside the office. There are 2 soda machines and news paper stands. I don't know anything about the channel offerings because they have free, fast wireless and I bring my lap top everywhere. I also didn't care about the other toiletries because I bring my own so who cares?

PROS:

It's fairly clean. I lifted up the mattress and checked. Nothing suspicious or gross--no bugs. Clean floor, clean tub, well lit sink area. Not a lot of lighting otherwise but not a big deal. You get an extra blanket but again, I bring my own pillow and blanket so no big deal.

It's fairly cheap. The owners were gracious and provided a discount when I pointed out I paid more through a partnership site than they offered directly. The owner even came to my room to confirm this.

It was quiet and there's a big field out back. You can watch wildlife if you're so inclined.

It has a retro feel and it's a nice staycation for someone who wants to get a little peace, write, think, read, visit a small town.

There are quirky paintings on the wall. Mine was a mermaid.

They have smoking and non-smoking rooms.

The water pressure in the shower is fantastic. I wanted to have an affair with it.

CONS:

There is no breakfast, just coffee.

The outlets have been poked and prodded past their prime. My phone charger kept falling out if you glanced sideways at it so I woke up to a dead phone.

I've driven by this place at least a dozen times on my way to Charlottesville and I've always wanted to stay. I felt like it would be a sweet, quaint little place and I was right. It's own by a precious little family and I felt safe. I also felt like--based on my own needs--I got a good deal. I wanted to have a local, quiet, effortless experience and that's what it was.

Kroger Karing --How to Help the Hungry in 8 Krazy Easy Steps

K is for Kroger. Kroger is for Free Friday Download. Free Friday Downloads are for folk with a Kroger Kard--I mean card. Here's how we do it.

1. Go to Kroger.com

2. Register your Kroger card (if you don't have one, seriously, what is wrong with you? Go to Kroger and get one...psh, Walmart Fart Face).

3. Log on to your Kroger account every Friday for your Free Friday Download. You can just load it to your Kroger card. You don't need an app--just a Kroger card and a computer.

4. Go to Kroger.

5. Check out the free item with your Kroger card and get it for free.

6. Hold onto it until I can pick it up for you.

7. At the end of the month, I donate it to the Food Bank on a Monday which is next to Grandscrew's elderly group.

8. Tell other people so we can collect more items. Share this blog, share with your church, family, coworkers, etc.

These Are a Screw of my Favorite Things: Virginia Pot

None of you actually thought I was talking about weed if you're really honest with yourselves. Everyone knows I prefer pills and scotch.

Here are a Screw of my favorite pottery items from across the Commonwealth. I like to touch them and look at them and eat off of them and spin them on sticks and buy matching sets and send random invites to their creators and ask if they'll let me throw clay or talk to them or knock on their windows and smile all toothy or possibly take a selfie with them while holding their wares. No one has answered my emails. One day...

David Norton Pottery

Want these for ma chili

So I cans noms noms like dis

THIS LOOKS NEAT AND FOREIGN

I want to keep things warm in it.

Oxide Pottery

I'm not going to link this business because I kind of hate them but not in a mean way. Their stuff reminds me of all my favorite bands you've never heard of like Swear and Shake and The Mountain Goats. You probably do listen to those bands and you know I'm just a middle aged fat person who doesn't really own anything way expensive and hip like a fancy dog or a Pabst Blue ribbon beer can.

But whatever on this folk because they stole my mug idea.

This shit is seriously expensive. I'm the kind of person who would talk about how ridiculous it is to buy a plate for $170 and then I would want to meet the person who bought one and also buy one myself and I'd invite people over and climb the walls until someone asked me where I bought it. But not the $170 one. That really is seriously ridiculous. I wouldn't buy a plate for $170 if Bono made it with his ass cheeks.

Emerson Creek

This place makes brie bakers and cookie presses. I've got one and you can have it. I spent an hour in their Bedford store last summer. They have local collections like Peaks of Otter and Smith Mountain Lake. I want a whole entire room-shrine of Emerson Creek. If they had a Def Leppard collections I'd lose my shit. 

Irish Soda Bread Cookies

Directions

Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt and stir well to mix.

Add the butter and rub in until the butter disappears into the dry ingredients.

Stir in the caraway seeds if used and the raisins.

In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together and mix into the dough mixture with a rubber spatula.

Turn the dough out on a floured work surface and fold it over on itself several times, shaping it into a round loaf. Transfer the loaf to one cookie sheet or jelly roll pan covered with parchment or foil and cut a cross in the top. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes more, until well colored and a toothpick plunged into the center emerges clean.

Cool the soda bread on a rack and serve with plenty of sweet butter and bitter orange marmalade.