Perfect Pints at Pale Fire Brewing

Pale FIre Brewing Company was founded by Jamie Long and Tim Brady in Harrisonburg, Virginia in the renovated Ice House building on Liberty Street.

The brewery opened its doors in April 2015 to an eager, thirsty local crowd.

Tim got his start in the industry in 2002 when he worked as assistant brewer at Calhoun’s, a former brewery in Harrisonburg, then worked for craft beer distributor Specialty Beverage.

Jamie started homebrewing during college. He quit law school to attend Chicago’s famous Siebel Institute. An internship at Starr Hill Brewery in Charlottesville led to a lead brewing job at Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Maryland.

•  Take a Tour of Flying Dog

Brewer Ben Trumbo, a native of the Blue Ridge mountains, completes the team. Ben was an avid homebrewer for years, then completed the Concise Course in Brewing Technology through the Siebel Institute in 2012. He completed an internship at Six Row Brewing Company in St. Louis, Missouri, where he then worked as a cellar tech/assistant brewer.

The beers on tap during my visit included…

• Deadly Rhythm – a 4.8% ABV, 45 IBU Pale Ale brewed with American two row malt, Maris Otter, Munich, and Crystal malts with Warrior, Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook hops. Deadly Rhythm, by its very name, creates a graceful balance between Pacific Northwest hops and a blend of American and English malts. Floral and fruity hop aromas provide the introduction to the lightly toasted malt backbone of this beer. This American pale ale finishes dry with a smooth but lingering bitterness.
• Salad Days – a 7.0% ABV, 40 IBU American Saison brewed with American two row malt, Rye, and Wheat with Warrior, Cascade, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops.
  American two row barley and malted rye provide the canvas for pungent Amarillo, Simcoe and Cascade hops to mingle with our house Saison yeast. Notes of grapefruit, peach, and bubblegum dance out of the glass and mellow into a refreshingly tart, dry finish.
• Saving Grace  – a 4.2% ABV, 26 IBU Table Beer brewed with Pilsner malt, Wheat, and Carapils with Northern Brewer and Czech Saaz hops. Saving Grace is based on the Belgian “patersbier” which Trappist monks used to brew for sustenance that would allow them to continue to work during the day. This low-alcohol farmhouse beer is brewed with Pilsner malt, Czech Saaz hops and our house Saison yeast to provide a satisfying end to a long day of hard work.
• Village Green – a 8.0% ABV, 100 IBU Double IPA brewed with Maris Otter, Crystal, and Wheat with Warrior, Summit, Amarillo, Simcoe, Citra, and CTZ hops. Village Green is intensely hopped with six hop varieties that offer a cornucopia of aromas ranging from passion fruit, peach, and pineapple to grapefruit and lemon zest. We use English Maris Otter to balance the intense hop aromas producing a malt-balanced East Coast version of a Double IPA.
• Smoking Scottish – a 5.6% ABV, 20 IBU Scottish Ale brewed with Maris Otter, Victory, Roasted Barley, Crystal, and Beech-smoked malt with Perle hops.
  Smoking Scottish is a legacy beer from Calhoun’s, Harrisonburg’s first modern brewpub. This Scottish ale features a complex blend of English Maris Otter, roasted and caramel malts for a rich malt backbone. German Perle hops add a clean bitterness to balance the toasted caramel flavors from the malt.
• Lucille – a 5.8% Oatmeal Stout. Malt lovers are in for a treat with this full-bodied, silky smooth ale that’s showing off notes of roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate and toasted bread.

I had a flight of beers and enjoyed every one of them. Salad Days was my favorite. It was amazing. It was one of the best beers I’ve had in a very long time. In fact, I am drinking a pint right now from the growler I brought home. Salad Days is bright, bitter, refreshing and fruity.

The taproom at Pale Fire boasts a large bar with plenty of seating, as well as bar tables. For warmer days, there is a spacious outdoor patio. A lounge area complete with fire place, library, and record player is another option.

The taproom is open Monday through Thursday 4 PM to 11PM, Friday and Saturday 11 AM to midnight, and Sunday 11 AM to 11 PM.

Thank you to our waitress from the Capital Ale House in Harrisonburg. She recommended Pale Fire’s Saving Grace (among the many many beer choices), and she told us about the taproom, which was less than a quarter mile from the restaurant! Don’t miss out on Pale Fire Brewing Company like I almost did!

Ben Trumbo, brewery, Harrisonburg, Jamie Long, Pale FIre Brewing Company, Tim Brady, Virginia