Foothills Brewing Co.
Winston Salem, NC
Available: NC, SC, TN, VA
Winston-Salem, home of Foothills Brewing, was also the site of the first brewery in North Carolina. The Moravians, immigrants from what is now the Czech Republic, established a brewery and distillery at Salem in 1773; the brewery, built by the Single brothers, operated on Old Shallowford Road until 1813.
ABV: 6.25
ABW: 5
Bitterness: 70
Original gravity: 1060
It’s IPAs all the way from now on. Hoppyum has a pale bronze color, good collar of foam and a veritable farmyard pong of sulfur just like the mineral-rich waters of Burton-on-Trent in England. As the sulfur clears, a powerful aroma of bitter oranges attacks the nose along with earthy hops – Cascade, Centennial, Columbus and Simcoe – with a cracker wheat malt note. Bitter fruit and hops build in the mouth but chewy, sweet malt adds a fine balance. The finish is bittersweet with marmalade fruit, earthy hop resins and powerful malt notes.
The copper-colored beer sparkles with appealing clarity and stands an off-white head. A nice fresh hop aroma emanates from the glass, more minty-weedy than citrus-like. Bitterness is fine and focused on a very dry minerally malt frame. The finish is super-clean. While this beer lacks some character in the center, it’s hard to argue with a beer that’s brewed this well. You may well drink four pints, preferably with spicy fish tacos.
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Internationally recognized brewer and expert on traditional beer, Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and the author of The Brewmaster's Table.
