Well-balanced, complex, flat-headed, limited edition sour ale integrates green grape esters, white wine vinegaring, lemon lime souring, hard cider sharpness, oaken cherry dryness and leathery barnyard acridity that linger alongside moderate brettanomyces acidity.
Tag Archives: 3 STARS BREWING
3 STARS BREWING COMPANY
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Inside a large red brick warehouse at Washington DC’s northeast corridor, 3 STARS BREWING COMPANY began setting up shop at this former auto body shop, August 2012. Two miles south of Silver Springs’ popular Denizens Brewing, 3 Stars has crafted over 200 beers since inception, “pushing the envelope” stylistically while featuring four durable flagships conceived by entrepreneurial pals Mike Mc Garvey and Dave Coleman.
A bulb-lit 3 Stars insignia above the blackboard beer list captures patrons’ attention nearly as much as the onsite brews. Antique chandeliers and exposed pipes hang from the wood ceiling and a large red and white stars and stripes banner occupies a side wall. A kiosk-like country-styled Urban Farmhouse gets utilized mainly for private parties.
At the rustic cement-floored pub, a compact wood-topped serving station supplies twelve colorfully tap-handled draughts. The right side large-barreled brewroom nears a technicolor walled lantern display while barreled tables and plastic furnishings fill out the room. A community-tabled covered deck with barrel barriers offers outdoor picnic space.
I downed the four flagships before delving further into 3 Star’s likable lineup. Check the Beer Index for reviews on canned Low Hanging Fruit: Cherry & Lime, Birds Of A Feather Fruited Sour, Velvet Zombie Imperial Porter and Zombie Date Night (2022)
Piquantly soft-toned farmhouse offshoot, Peppercorn Saison, let mild currant-dried white and pink peppercorn rusticity influence its wispy limey sage herbage contrasted by delicate candi-sugared lemon meringue, orange marmalade and fried plantain sweetness.
Zesty grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering (from Citra hops) and dry Amarillo-Simcoe hop pining stayed mild against the gentle pale malt-spiced peach, tangerine and mango tanginess of Ghost IPA (not to be confused with witbier-influenced Ghost White IPA).
Briskly clean double dry-hopped hazy pale ale, Diamonds Are Forever, brought lemony grapefruit-peeled orange juicing and limey guava, passionfruit and gooseberry souring (of a tropical NEIPA) to mild resinous floral herbage above thin saltine cracker base.
Toasted pecans subtly sway Southern Belle Imperial Brown Ale, leaving sweet chestnut and hazelnut snips to contrast the ashen walnut bittering atop its brown breaded molasses base.
3 STARS ILLUMINATI BARREL AGED IMPERIAL STOUT RELEASE #4
Hefty habanero heat invades chocolate-vanilla richness of barrel aged 2019 Imperial Stout. In the midst, sharp dried fruiting and walnut coffee bittering descend as wood-seared habanero burn ascends above rye-pumpernickel base. Recessive black peppered poblano influence deepens lingered, but not intimidating, charcoal-stained habanero scorch.
3 STARS ZOMBIE DATE NIGHT IMPERIAL PORTER 2022
Extremely rich and creamy lactose milking safeguards bittersweet cocoa nibs prominence and tart raspberry scurry of decadent full body. Caramelized chocolate malting picks up Trail Mix-inspired dried fruited granola nuttiness. Pastry-like raspberry cheesecake center gains glazed date, candied cherry, dried fig and golden raisin illusions as well as sour pomegranate-blueberry splurge and oaken vanilla tannins, hiding most of its creme brulee sweetness.
3 STARS VELVET ZOMBIE IMPERIAL PORTER
Velvety lactic porter loads fudgy cocoa nibs richness upon dwelling pistachio, almond and fenugreek adjuncts. Dark chocolate bittering seeps thru nutty date-fig conflux, toffee-spiced almond buttering, walnut-smoked molasses, caffeinated coffee and hazelnut pasting. Mild fenugreek influence brings latent black licorice sweetness.
3 STARS BIRDS OF A FEATHER SOUR ALE PASSIONFRUIT/MANGO/COCONUT
Salty passionfruit and mango adjuncts allow pineapple-juiced guava tartness and limey yuku pucker to advance alongside milky coconut watering and wispy blood orange, nectarine and tangerine whims above neutral gluten free millet graining of cheesecloth-wafted fruited sour.
3 STARS LOW HANGING FRUIT SOUR ALE CHERRY & LIME
Mouth-puckering sour cherry liming gains vinous green grape esters and oaken cherry tannins to contrast sweet cinnamon cider riffs. Freshly-squeezed lime salting spreads dry sourness as weird cologne musk enters the fray.
3 STARS STARSKY & BRUNCH IMPERIAL STOUT
On tap at Oscar’s Alehouse, dark chocolate-influenced vanilla, coffee and bacon adjuncts draped by sugary maple syrup. Dewy peat moisture soon absorbs chewy chocolate insistence and bourbon vanilla bacon reminder above wheat-honeyed Graham Cracker base.
3 STARS 77 SEVILLES DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Ambulance, celebrating ’77 Cadillac Seville with a double dry-hopped IPA, streamlined moderate-to-medium body brings mellow yellow grapefruit, mandarin orange, white peach and nectarine tang to herbal-tinged grassy hop astringency.
