3 Malts and Hops
I attended a media tasting event given by Mad Fox Brewing Company in Falls Church, and walked away impressed. The first good thing about going to Mad Fox: the parking. They have a FREE parking garage attached to the building, and the experience only gets better once you enter the establishment. We were given a group tour and tasted a couple of exclusive beers while the owner, Bill Madden, explained the brewing process and how Mad Fox got its start. In the main dining area, casks of beer age until maturation. He told us that he began the practice out of necessity, but customers enjoyed the idea of sitting next to the aging brews. Once in the distilling room, Bill shared information about the different types of malts and hops that go into flavoring a beer; for instance, malts can be pale, crystal, or chocolate. Meanwhile we tasted his English Summer Ale and Russian Imperial Stout. The English (which was being brewed for a beer competition in San Diego) was nicely balanced, had a medium head, and was cloudy and honey-colored in the glass. The Russian – called
Caramel Bacon Donuts
Crazy Ivan – had a thin head, was clear and dark brown in the glass, and tasted faintly like molasses. The finish on this big beer was toasty, and I found it to be extremely pleasing to drink. Honestly, I’ll probably go back on Tuesday, February 7, when they tap the casks for the general public.
After the behind-the-scenes tour, we were escorted to our dining area. The house-made Caramel Bacon Donuts (sic) awaited us in trios. It was odd to receive dessert first, but that didn’t deter anyone from digging in. Still warm, they had a great yeasty flavor. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like an ultra-sweet dessert, then I’d recommend these donuts. The donuts themselves aren’t sweet – the caramel glaze handles that department, while the bacon covers those who like salty treats. Shortly after we sat down, servers brought out glasses of the house-made Root Beer . I’m generally not a fan of root beer, but I can honestly endorse Mad Fox’s version. It was dark and clear, and it smelled delicious. I would recommend it to go with any of the entrees for a workday lunch.
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Next up were the appetizers. Each arrived with a different dipping sauce attuned to the flavors and scents of the bite-sized food it accompanied. First up – the Dutch Style Bitterballen. At first glance, they appear to be fine-crumb hush puppies. However, the little spheres contained delicious beef and vegetables flavored with a little curry powder. The texture was soft, almost like biting into a ball of mashed potatoes, and I mean that in a good way. The Bitterballen were served with a curry aioli that made them even more delicious. If you’re craving Indian food, these little treats will satisfy the urge. Frickles seem to be one of the many dishes served at Mad Fox that you’d be pressed to find elsewhere. Battered and deep-fried pickle slices were piled into a metal serving basket with a silver cup of chipotle sauce. The batter was slightly spicy, and the dipping sauce upped the ante for those who like it hot. I’m not generally a fan of pickles, but these were so good that I have to recommend them. Lastly, the Pretzel Bites came out. They looked like any other pretzel pieces you may come across. The difference? Smoked salt sprinkled over them and the grainy mustard served with them. The salt is
Dutch Style Bitterballen
subtle and quite frankly, if you weren’t paying attention you’d likely miss it. The mustard sauce was very good and made in-house, and the pretzels had a great texture and taste.
The Kellerbier Kölsch was the first beer we were served, and it arrived with the appetizers. An unfiltered beer, it was cloudy in the glass. The faintly yellow beverage had a thin head and was hoppy. Following the Kellerbier, two immense pizzas arrived. The first appeared bright orange with a sprinkling of green. The Buffalo Chicken pizza lived up to its name. Topped with shredded buffalo chicken, onions, celery, cilantro, and bleu cheese, it tasted great. If you’re a wings fan, I’d suggest ordering this pizza. The second looked like a traditional Italian pizza with toppings distinct from the cheese. It turned out to be the Balsamic Blues pizza. Topped with figs,
Stuffed Meatloaf
caramelized onions, rosemary, bacon, and bleu cheese, it was generously drizzled with balsamic vinegar. My mouth is watering just thinking about how amazing this pizza tasted. I cannot recommend the Balsamic Blues highly enough—it was excellent.
Two huge platters of sliders arrived with glasses of Kölsch. Clear and crisp, the beer was the filtered version of the Kellerbier. It was just as hoppy as the first, but it had a cleaner finish. It went extremely well with the two sliders. The Mad Fox slider consisted of a thick and juicy burger, topped with oven-roasted tomatoes (delicious!), caramelized onions and some blend of cheese that melted and oozed down the sides. It’s exactly the kind of burger that satisfies the carnivore inside (almost) all of us. The Brisket slider tasted like a really good French Dip with barbecue sauce instead of au jus. Thick slices of beef, pickles, barbecue sauce, and red onions were nestled in a hoagie-type of roll. Either sandwich would be perfect for lunch, especially on the
Veg Wellington
weekend with a tall glass of Kölsch.
The staff brought out glasses of Saison, a platter of Virginia Pork Belly slices with little spoonbreads, and a platter piled high with Veg Wellington. The Saison was light yellow in the glass, and just a bit cloudy. It had a little bit of a biscuity flavor, which is probably due to the yeast content of the beer. Personally, I liked it very much and would suggest ordering it with a comfort-food meal. I was intrigued by the pork belly dish because I’d never had spoonbread at a restaurant before. It tasted just as good as any homemade version I’ve ever had. The pork belly melted in my mouth, and the taste of molasses and teriyaki went beautifully with the spoonbread. It’s an easy recommendation for a delicious dinner entrée; however, Mad Fox places it with their appetizers. The Veg Wellington was an interesting dish. The stuffing included barley and a mix of onions, carrots, celery, and other vegetables – the flavor impressed me, which says something, considering it was a
Kolsch with Slider
vegetarian dish. The flaky crust kept its shape, though the accompanying sautéed spinach and marinara sauce shared the platter.
A couple bowls of Shrimp and Grits made their way to the sidebar, along with two bowls of Garden Salad. We were served glasses of the 80 Shilling Malt, which smelled faintly toasty and sweet. Clear and medium brown in the glass, the beer had a thin head and tasted malty. This was my second favorite beer overall and it complemented the shrimp dish very well. The shrimp were tail-on, but otherwise the dish was very good. It’s billed as Louisiana-style, and I’d have to agree. The seasonings for the tomato base brought out the creaminess of the grits. I would absolutely order this entrée for dinner. The salad was comprised of arugula, romaine, carrot shreds, celery, spinach, and thin-sliced red onion. What made the salad special was the dressing. Chef
Defender American Pale Ale
Russel Cunningham shared with us that he reduces some of their beers, and the resulting liquid is used as a syrup in their dressings. It’s definitely not an ingredient you’ll run into on a regular basis, so enjoy it on the salads you order at Mad Fox. The Broad Street IPA made its way to the tables; the beer was light brown and slightly cloudy. It had a medium head and had a regulated bite. The hops dominate this beer, making it a good match for the heavier dishes.
Our last dish to taste ended up being the Stuffed Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes, served with the Defender American Pale Ale. This beer was my favorite overall. It was complex, and nicely balanced between malt and hops. Capped by a thick head, the clear yellow beer tasted sweeter than expected and finished with a bittersweet flavor. The meatloaf was amazing, in short. First of all, it’s wrapped in bacon. Second, it’s stuffed with provolone and prosciutto. The mashed potatoes were creamy and mixed with herbs, but not over-mashed. A mix of vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, purple cabbage, and carrots comes with the dish, and the pan gravy was the perfect consistency. If you try one dish while at Mad Fox, make it their Stuffed Meatloaf with a tall glass of Defender American Pale Ale.
-TKW
