Beer of the Week! 09/06/22
A Couple of 2 Silos
So, we have joked before that there are three groups of people who start craft breweries — home brewers who’ve “gone pro,” retired business men (with money) looking for a “second career,” and pot heads. ;) Now that craft beer is an established business concern rather than a niche market “revolution,” it looks like we’ll have to add another group — the Suit Brewts — economic developers not so much interested in the making of beer as in making money from the making of beer.
Marcus Silva, of Clifton, VA in Fairfax County had his eye on diversifying from the construction business that he owned to “the hospitality industry” as the suits call it. In 2014, he started a small, Italian-ish restaurant called Trattoria Villagio and hired local restaurant person Joe Ortega to manage it. “It’s run very corporate, very structured,” said Ortega, the benefit being that “we’re able to develop other stores.” Nail on the head, Joe. Nail on the head.
In 2015 (two years after Lickinghole Creek in Goochland had opened and survived as Virginia’s first farm brewery), Silva bought some land outside of Clifton on which to start a farm brewery named Loudmouth. However, wealthy Clifton residents — already peeved from the increase in traffic (sometimes drunken) from the 2009 introduction of Paradise Springs Winery — vehemently sank Silva’s plans. Silva, however, was undeterred. “I look forward to having a pint of craft beer with all of you very soon . . . just somewhere else!” he said, and in 2016, Prince William County approved the sale, to a Silva subsidiary, of 6.5 acres in Manassas’ Innovation Technology Park, across the county line from Clifton.
One year, hundreds and thousands of investment dollars, and 5.5 more acres later, Villagio Hospitality Group (still Silva, swimming like a shark) opened Farm Brew LIVE — a distillery, a pit barbecue, a taco place, two food trucks, a concert stage, and 2 Silos Brewing Company. (Why not Loudmouth? We don’t know, but maybe it had to do with a Loudmouth Brewing Company opening in British Columbia in 2018.)
Okay, enough of our snide digs at the corp-ses, do the ales fail? Well, we have to throw down our “hater hats” in frustration because brewmaster and co-founder Forrest Morgan makes some pretty darn drinkable beer.
2 Silos Squared Pants
Regularly $15.99 / Now on Sale for $14.96
Kettle Sour with Pineapple and Guava
The 2 Silos Squared Pants is a kettle sour with pineapple and guava purées that coyly avoids trademark infringement. (Who drinks in a pineapple under the sea? ;P)
Pineapple and guava are two strong fruits that can easily go overboard in any beer, much less a sour, but Morgan keeps the Squared Pants dry so that the pineapple’s and guava’s acidity (which usually hide under their sweetness) smoothly meld into the tartness from the Lactobacillus bacteria.
2 Silos Mosaic Goat
Regularly $14.99 / Now on Sale for $13.96
Double New England Style IPA
The 2 Silos Mosaic Goat features Eldorado hops, Cashmere hops, and, of course, Mosaic. If you think this collection sounds like a recipe for a juicy DNEIPA, it does, and you will not be disappointed. Morgan allows the malt to maintain some sweetness so that you can really lean into the fruit notes of the hops. It’s also double dry-hopped to give it a nice aroma.
As seems appropriate considering the source behind the source, these beers are not meant to counter pre-conceptions or to challenge palates. They’re brewed to be accessible crowd pleasers and definitely succeed as such. Have parties coming up in your own personal hospitality destination? Either of these brews are sure bets — even if the party is just in your mouth and no one else is invited.
Remember!
You can see our entire beer inventory on Untappd.com!