Road Trip: Drinking beer in an igloo
December 15, 2020
A special feature by Andrea Fleming
Drinking beer in an Igloo might be the coolest new social venue we’ve heard of this year. Guest blogger Andrea Fleming tells about her experience with the Igloos of Mountain State Brewing.
When I saw this past Saturday’s forecast was for unexpectedly warm December weather in Western Maryland, me and a few family members decided we’d take a day trip to Garrett County. I had heard that Mountain State Brewing’s Deep Creek Lake (McHenry, MD) taproom was offering Igloo reservations beginning December 11 in their outside seating area, so I grabbed one early last week to be sure we could get in on Saturday.
With the Covid-19 pandemic making eating at your favorite restaurant or visiting a brewery difficult, Mountain State Brewing at DCL has taken steps to ensure it is a clean, safe, festive and fun experience, even if the weather does not cooperate. Igloos are a key part of that strategy.
Upon arrival at the taproom you are taken around back to the outdoor seating area, where there are four clear, heated igloos for dining and craft brew tasting enjoyment. Right now, igloos are decorated with Christmas décor and lighting and are equipped with electric heaters that resemble the ambiance of a real fireplace. They seat two to six people and can be reserved for a 90-minute period with 30 minutes in between to clean and sanitize. The taproom also has other tables outside, with different types of outdoor heaters, if you do not mind a breeze.
The views are amazing as the brewery overlooks a farm pasture. It was also the first day of ski season for Wisp Resort, so there were many folks out and about enjoying the fifty-seven-degree temperature and sunny skies. Everyone had a mask on, and it was so nice out that many people brought their furry friends along to dine outdoors. I saw at least ten pooches during our 90-minute slot.
While I was there, I tried the homemade hot spiked apple cider. It was complete with a cinnamon-sugar rim which was like icing on spice cake. One food special they were serving pretzels with beer cheese and Hungarian mushroom soup, both which were delicious and hearty. I followed up with a Strainge Beast, a lemon, hibiscus, ginger kombucha. It was pleasantly sour, but sours are my favorite, so I was pleased. I also tried Mt. State’s own Miner’s Daughter Oatmeal Stout since winter is upon us. It is dark and super smooth. Brewed with chocolate malted barley, it has a light tan head and is surprisingly light for a stout at 5.3%.
My family enjoyed Mt. State’s Almost Heaven Amber Ale, which was an instant hit, as well as their Mountain State Cold Trail Ale, since we had a craft beer newbie among us. The Amber Ale is nut brown in color and lightly hopped with Willamette. The Blonde Ale is led with a silky caramel finish that some folks compare to heavenly. Cold Trail would be what I consider grass mowing beer, as it is light in both body and color and goes down well after any activity outdoors.
What I like most is Mountain State’s beers range from 4.2% to 5.5%, so nothing is over the top in alcohol content and makes for great flight tastings. The atmosphere and service are also top notch, and the menu has something for everyone.
If you have never visited a Mountain State taproom location, each offers hand-crafted microbrews, cocktails and wood-fired flatbreads. Mountain State DCL has 18 rotating taps of craft beer, a signature sangria, and seasonal cocktails. You can, of course, order online during the pandemic if you wish to avoid people traffic. Mountain State DCL offers Team Bingo every Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and Team Trivia every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. There is no brewer on site to chat with as the brews are made in Thomas, WV about 30 miles away.
Reserving your igloo
I highly suggest making the trip to McHenry and reserving an igloo. It may be the safest way to enjoy the holidays with friends until Covid-19 becomes a memory. It’s also not far from the Mountain State brewery in Thomas, Screech Owl Brewing in Bruceton Mills, High Ground Brewing in Terra Alta (which I believe are both take-out only right now) and Stumptown Ales in Davis. The region is flourishing with breweries so it makes a nice weekend tour.
You can make Igloo reservations online and then present a text to the hostess when you get there. Totally seamless. You can follow this link https://waitlist.me/w/msbcdcl and be sure and write in the notes that you are booking an igloo.
Mountain State Brewing Company is the largest full-scale microbrewery operation in the state of West Virginia. The production brewery and brewpub are located in Thomas, with taproom restaurants in Morgantown, Bridgeport, and Deep Creek Lake (McHenry, MD). Mountain State Brewing beer is also in distribution statewide, in both draft and six packs of 12-oz. cans.
Facebook Page for Mountain State DCL
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrea Salina Fleming is a craft beer enthusiast who resides in Marion County, WV. She is an occasional contributor to Brilliant Stream. In addition to following the local brewing scene, she works as a business operations manager for an information technology firm.
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