Continuing my Winter 2013-14 DC Brew Tour…

Part 7: Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store, Hyattsville, MD

When Visited: December 31, 2013

Occasion: New Year’s Eve 2013. For the second year in a row, I prepared to ring in the new year by enjoying dinner with friends at a local brewery restaurant.

Beers Sampled: I ordered a full sampler of the 10 house beers on tap to go along with my crunchy Beer-battered Onion Rings and spicy Thai Chicken Pizza:

• Bombshell Blonde (4.5%), a light American Blonde Ale
• Rubber Chicken Red (5.0%), an easy-drinking American Amber Ale
• Twisted Turtle Pale Ale (5.5%), an English-style Pale Ale
• Oatmeal Stout (5.5%), a smooth and drinkable Stout
• Save Our Saucer (6.0%), an American-style Pale Ale
• Old Miser (7.8%), this English-style Old Ale is a traditional winter warmer
• Hop Zen (7.6%), a hoppy American Strong Ale
• Black Hop Down (8.0%), a black Double IPA
• Highland Hugh (8.1%), a full-bodied Scotch Ale
• Imperial Stout (9.0%), a rich and strong Stout

I Filled my Growlers with: Rubber Chicken Red and Highland Hugh. The Scotch Ale was perfect for the frigid New Year’s Eve night, and the sessionable Red was perfect for watching the NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day.

The general store connected to the brewery restaurant is one of the best parts of the Franklins experience. The store has a great beer selection, but I had just stocked up so I didn’t need any beer. But I couldn’t pass up buying a single bottle of DuClaw Brewing Company’s Sweet Baby Jesus, a Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter – yum!

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