Beer of the Week! 12/18/23
Right Proper Häxan
Normally $13.99 / Now on Sale for $12.96
Robust Porter
Wife and husband Leah and Thor Cheston, in Washington D.C., were both veterans of the hospitality industry looking to start their own place. Leah was interested in a wine bar, while Thor was thinking about a brewpub. According to Leah, Thor’s vision was “just a little further along,” so they went that-a-way. That’s how, in 2013, they came to found Right Proper Brewing Company in D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood, next to the Howard Theater. In 2015, they brought in Bobby Bump from D.C.’s Bluejacket Brewing to be their brewmaster.
The Häxan is one of Right Proper’s earliest beers. A robust porter, it’s Swedish for “witch,” taking its name from a 1922 Swedish silent documentary film on witchcraft. (That’s one of things we love about craft beer; things are rarely boring.)
The Häxan is so bacony on the nose that you’d swear this porter was Beechwood smoked, and it’s just shy of tasting that way on the palate. It’s like a Rauchbier’s little brother — the pretty kind, not the bratty kind. Have it just two steps shy of cold.
Bonus Beer of the Week (‘Cause who loves ya’, baby?)
Grimm Wavetable
Normally $18.99 / Now on Sale for $17.96
New England Style IPA
How many artists does it take to make a great IPA?
Brooklyn’s Grimm Artisanal Ales is the product of musician and sculptor/conceptual artist, husband and wife team Joe and Lauren Carter Grimm. How much they bring their artistic sensibilities to their beer is nowhere more apparent than in this, their flagship IPA.
The name “Wavetable” is taken from pioneer computer music programmer Max Matthews. In 1958, in Matthews’ update to his MUSIC program, MUSIC II, he introduced the concept of wavetable synthesis. A quick Google search convinces us that, ironically, we would have to understand what wavetable synthesis is before we could understand someone’s description of what wavetable synthesis is. From what we can gather, wavetable synthesis involves the manipulation of the shapes of sonic signals. We can see how that concept can be analogous to a brewer manipulating ingredients (like hops) in a beer.
For the Wavetable, Joe Grimm uses Strata, Mosaic, and Citra hops, while Lauren Carter Grimm designs the label. We get pineapple right up front, which gives way to a citrusy zest on the finish. Think of the juice/tart mix of a dry lemon Jolly Rancher.
So, how many artists does it take to make a great IPA? We don’t know, but the right two can turn beer making into an art.
Remember!
You can see our entire beer inventory on Untappd.com!