Three Beautiful Things 08/29/14: W & OD Trail, Mad Fox Has Mad Beer, Dogfish Head Pub

1.  After riding the Fairfax Connector to Huntington Station, taking the Yellow Line to King's Street, the Blue Line to Rosslyn, and the Silver Line to East Falls Church, I got oriented in East Falls Church and walked a part of the W & OD Trail, a suburban rails to trails project.  The bicyclists whizzing by and I all got along handsomely and safely and I worked up a pretty good sweat and enjoyed the chunk of the trail I ambled on.

2.  My destination was the Mad Fox Brewery on W. Broad Street in Falls Church.  It's a large, airy, windowy restaurant with a fierce commitment to brewing good beer.  I did the smartest thing I've done in 2014 and ordered a flight of four 4 oz tasters, all top notch.  Having walked and become heated up, the Kellenbier Kolsch was perfectly light and refreshing.  The flight was off to a superb start.  Then I dove into the very slightly and also light Praha Pils.  Again, superb.  Then things got more complex with Saison Licht and I ended my flight with a beer worth of a Troxstar-Shane Johnson-Loren Crow Belgian Blow-Out:  the Abbaye des Chutes.  It was boozy and fruity and I'd cooled off enough that a warming beer was richly satisfying at the end of my flight.  Then, having read the brewery's description of it, I ordered a pint the Dingo IPA, and I it was one of my favorite IPAs ever.  Its hop character is on the citrusy side and not overpowering.  It didn't punch me in the mouth with ABV and its overall balance was nearly perfect for my taste.  The Deke arrived nearly comatose after a long day at Robert Goddard French Immersion School, I ordered a second pint of Dingo, and she thoroughly enjoyed her reviving Stir-About Oatmeal Stout.

3.  The stop at Mad Fox was a prelude to the Deke driving us just down to road to meet Hiram, Molly, David, and Olivia for dinner at Dogfish Head's pub in Falls Church.  We had a great time visiting.  I ordered a black and tan made with Dogfish Head's chicory stout and 90 Minute IPA and it was okay, but not a beer I'd order again.  The stout was little to chicory-y for me and I think the British Black and Tans have spoiled me and make American ones difficult to fully enjoy.  But, I continue to try them.  Hiram drove me and David and I learned more about this densely populated patchwork of suburban cities where I now live.