Young Veterans Brewing Company Grand Opener!

Today was an awesome day. Not only did we announce the gender of my first child (It's a boy!), but we had a new brewery join the ranks in Hampton Roads. We are lucky enough to have several small breweries in this area, but one more is always welcome. Two former military men opened this brewery and they have used their military heritage to base their brews off of. Winning two Battle of the Beers in this area before even opening, I had big hopes for these guys. I most certainly was not disappointed.

The first beer I had to try was the winner of both Battle of the Beers, Jet Noise IPA. Jet Noise had a nice, white head and pours a hazy gold. Big hops come to the nose on this one. The real treat of this brew, however, is how the flavors smoothly transition from citrus hops to big bitter flavors. This is certainly a beer that is meant to be enjoyed fresh and I am glad I came out early enough to get to try it.

Next up was another brew with limited availability: Night Vision Stout. I am pretty sure it is not possible to have a darker brew than this one, and the dark chocolate colored head really contributed to the appearance. One with of this brew reveals big coffee notes. These coffee notes follow through in the flavor. There was a nice balance of roasted malts and coffee flavors. I felt like I could pour a glass of this in the morning with my eggs and toast. Can't wait to grab some of this brew on a cold winter day and warm up the evening.

Next brew in line to taste was also the most creatively named: Semper Fi PA. Clear gold and and with a nice white head, I only took a couple sips out of my buddy's cup on this one. With my quick judgment of this brew I noticed its big floral nose and the big bitter hop taste. Sorry, not a very detailed description on this one, but trust me when I say it is worth a try.

I followed up with a pale ale called Even Keel. Pale ales are not particular favorites of mine, and though this brew was certainly well made, it is my least favorite of the bunch.Another hazy yellow brew with a white head. Fruity yeast notes on the nose that follow through lightly in the flavor. Slightly buttery after taste that is common of the style. Once again, not my favorite brew, but that is because of the style and certainly not because of the quality of brewing.

The last brew of the night was my absolute favorite, which is Pineapple Grenade. As with any hefeweizen, this beer poured a typical hazy yellow with a white head. Nice wheat notes on the nose as well as great citrus odors. The pineapple is huge in this brew. The forefront is all pineapple, followed up by some fruity wheat notes. I had to take some of this home, so I had a growler filled and brought it home to the neighbors. It was a hit!

In closing, I have to say that I am totally stoked for these guys. They took the time to get their brews right before opening, and it shows. Keep up the good work gentlemen, we will be waiting for the next big thing!