Week 1: Monday Night Beer Wars

Each week there will be 2 beers selected that are kind of near the teams that are facing each other in Monday Night Football. You can vote on the right side for which beer you like better. Some weeks you have to go to Total Wine and "make your own" variety pack as some may be rare.

Week 1 has 2 matchups! The first one between Landshark and Sam Adams can be found at any store. Fat tire is recently new to the area, but should be around select establishments already , or you've probably had it before.

Location: Bungalow (Chantilly)

The Bungalow
13891 Metrotech Drive
Chantilly, VA
(703) 502-1894

Sunday, Sept 23rd, Redskins vs Giants

TVs & Games:
1 Nice HD Projector, Several Small TVs
In the billiards section, there are enough TVs to see all the games at 1:00 or 4:00. The downside is you will be standing and walking a little. On the seating side, there are about 6 games that can be seen. The Skins on the HD Projector is nice.

Ages:
The Door says "Must be 21" But I dunno
I once called them and asked if you had to be 21. They replied "uhh maybe sometimes". When we went there were small children there and no one carded people at the door.

Beer:
$1.50 Domestic Drafts
If there is one thing I've learned it is NEVER ORDER A BUCKET. Its always cheaper to drink pitchers or drafts. Not a bad price for a buck and a half.

Food:
Cheap Appetizers
$4 for several items including a half naco platter, a cheesesteak pita w/ fries, Potato skins, and possibly some more. The cheesesteak was great, and our Nacho expert says they were delicious.

Service:
Great
Our waiter came to the table often and was very friendly.

Crowd:
Boring
It wasn't very crowded and those that were there were pretty laid back. Several of us walked out unhappy at the end of the day.

How Early Do I Need To Get There:
30 minutes
If you plan to play pool, get there whenever. If you want a seat at the bar area, you may have to arrive a little early. For the seating area, if you want the best seat in the house right by the projector, get there an hour early. If you don't really care, you could show up right before the game and still get a seat. (Seating section only has 2 tables. The rest are booths for 4 people)

Experience:
Got there to watch the 2nd half of the 1:00 games. They have Golden Tee & The bowling game, plus plenty of open pool tables & darts to keep you happy while watching all the games.

Recommendation:
The Bungalow is very nice and had great prices on both food and beer. You get to play games while watching football. Great last minute place as you can get there at any time. The crowd was kind of weak but...I'd Go Back

Location: Champps (Fair Oaks Mall)

Champps
Fair Oaks Mall
Fairfax, VA
(703) 383-1200

Monday, Sept 10th, Redskins vs Eagles

TVs & Games:
1 Giant 6 Panel Awesome TV, Several Smaller Plasmas
If you are going for Sunday football, it is best to sit at the bar. That is where you can see the most TVs. I chose a great spot behind a pole and could not see the giant TV.

Ages:
All Ages
They may not let you sit in the bar section if you are not 21. You could probably sit at a table in the bar section, defiantly not at the bar. The rest of the restaurant has plenty of seating.

Beer:
Rip Off
The beer is the highest price I’ve seen in a while for a football game. They had no beer specials and regular price is $4 Bottles and $5.25 22oz drafts. They also will “run out of large mugs” and make you either wait or get a small draft which is even more of a rip off.

Food:
Unreal
The price for food is crazy. $9 chicken fingers. $15 appetizer sampler. The cheapest item on the menu was a side salad and that was $5.25. If I didn’t have a gift certificate, I would not have ordered. Maybe for a nice dinner you can go there, but not for football.

Service:
Not Awful
I sat at the bar, and therefore service was decent. Sometimes my glass was empty for awhile, but that was probably a good thing. Bartenders will ignore you if you don’t speak up though.

Crowd:
Great
Very passionate Redskins fans. Cheering for 1 yard gains or for any reason that they could think of. Great atmosphere for a Skins game.

How Early Do I Need To Get There:
1-2 Hours
The bar area was packed to the brim. They have a live radio show, so people get there 2 hours before the game. In order to get a good bar seat, you need to get there 2 hours early. The tables fill up quick as game time approaches. I would recommend an hour to sit at a table.

Experience:
Champps has a live radio show with the Sports Junkies. It was impossible to hear a word of what they were saying. They had a few contests and a “junkette” walking around, but it wasn’t as cool as I expected it to be. I drank several beers and luckily had a gift certificate to cover it, because if I didn't I would have drank water all night.

Recommendation:
If you are looking to take out a girl to a sports bar, but want her to think you are classy, go to Champps for the game. If you are a Skins fan and love to drink water, it is also a great place. However, if you have any sense of not paying more than something is worth, avoid this Fake Sports Bar at all costs…NOT GOING BACK

Location: Buffalo Wing University (Fairfax)

Buffalo Wing University
10312 Willard Way
Fairfax, VA
(703) 273-6336

Sunday, September 16th, 1:00 Games

TVs & Games:
2 Projectors & Several Plasma Screens
You can usually see all of the games. Some angles from certain seats are bad. The bar area has a few nice plasmas and several small TVs. All Games were on TVs and I could see all but 1 game from my seat.

Ages:
All Ages
There are arcade games and the restaurant area is family friendly. Some of the cursing in the bar section, and sometimes the restaurant section, can be heard occasionally.

Beer:
$5 Natty Pitchers, Good Selection
They have a deal for a domestic bucket of beers. This deal is not great (4 for $10.50). You are better off getting a domestic pitcher for $8.50 (more beers for cheaper) or $10 Import Pitchers. Or if you really want to get trashed and not look back, get a few $5 pitchers of Natty. The beer on tap is a good selection, but nothing strange or unique.

Food:
1/2 Price Wings
The wings aren't great, but they are half price. The appetizers aren't too expensive, and aren't that good as well. Curly fries is always a nice choice.

Service:
Not Awful
Most of the waitresses at this establishment have a lot of "talent" and they aren't afraid to show it off. However, during football, they usually have a jersey covering themselves up, but not bad to look at anyway. (Wait that is not service). Our waitress was friendly and stopped by often to chat. They don't like to split up credit cards.

Crowd:
Not Terrible
During Skins games the crowd is pretty good. The bar area is definitely more exciting than the restaurant side. If you go for Sunday games when the skins aren't playing, it is like a library.

How Early Do I Need To Get There:
30 Minutes
If the Skins are playing, get there at least 30 minutes early to get a good seat. If the Skins are not playing, you can usually show up 5 minutes before kickoff and get a seat.

Experience:
The location & prices alone made this place worth going to. Seeing all the games and having a nice table with a lot of room was nice as well.

Recommendation:
A nice place to go for Sunday football, especially if the Skins are playing. The prices are great, and even though the food isn't, it is still a fun place to go. Plus if you want to get trashed, you can do so without putting a hole in your wallet...I'll Go Back Again

Beer Fight 2

Redskins vs Eagles. The 2nd taste test of the season. Each team has a nearby (if possible) brewery representing them, and 3 of their beers. The average rating is the avg of the Beer Advocate and Rate Beer scores. All descriptions are taken from the brewer's home page that you can link to under the team name.

Washington Redskins
Dominion Brewery
Ashburn, Virginia

Beer 1: Dominion Lager (5.4%)
Our flagship beer, Dominion Lager is brewed with four types of malted barley: German pilsner, Munich, Carapils, & Caramel. The bittering hops are Perle and Hallertau from the Yakima Valley in Washington state. The aromatic hops are domestic Tettnang, German Hallertau Hersbrucker, & Czech Saaz. This combination, along with a classic German lager yeast and a long, low temperature lagering process results in a mild, smooth, complex, & flavorful brew. In 1997, Dominion Lager won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. Widely available in bottle and on draught.
Average Rating: 75

Beer 2: Dominion Oak Barrel Stout (5.2%)
Oak Barrel Stout is our Dominion Stout that has been conditioned in oak bourbon barrels. In this form it is available on on draught at our Brewpub. In 2003 we produced a reformulated version to provide us the ability to package the beer for wider distribution. The Oak Barrel Stout is a delicious blend of heavy roasted malt flavor and sweet bourbon flavor with an overlay of vanilla. A very complex beer. Lew Bryson named Oak Barrel Stout the best new beer of 2003. Available in bottle and on slow pour draught.
Average Rating: 90

Beer 3: Dominion Octoberfest (5.8%)
This beer had no description. I would say its a beer that tastes good in October, and has the characteristics of other beers made in similar seasons.
Average Rating: 79.5

Philadelphia Eagles
Troegs Brewery
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Beer 1: Troegs Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale (4.4%)
Long toasty days, cool breezy nights and a splash of magic provide the inspiration for the Troegs brothers’ dreamiest Single Batch creation— Dreamweaver Wheat. Combining four wheat types with Munich and Pils malts, noble Saaz hops, and a yeast strain that imparts a spicy, peppery, clove taste with a slight hint of bananas, Dreamweaver Wheat is an unfiltered blast of spicy, mouthwatering joy.
Average Rating: 76.5

Beer 2: Troegs Troegenator Double Bock (8.2%)
for periods of fasting without solid foods, Monastic brewers relied on the double bock; a stronger, richer beer to fulfill their basic nutritional needs. Known to them as "liquid bread", a double bock has a strong malt aroma and chewy rich body. In the spirited tradition of naming a double bock in the suffix "ator," we give you Troegenator to provide warmth and richness through the early spring months.
Average Rating: 85.5

Beer 3: Troegs Sunshine Pilsner (5.3%)
( May- Aug.) is hand crafted using only malted barley, noble hops, and bottom fermenting yeast. A crisp and hoppy pilsner.
Average Rating: 77.5
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Results

Redskins 20, Eagles 12
Dominion 50, Troegs 50

Winner: Dominion Octoberfest (22) (Jessie & Kevin Favorite)
2. Troeg's Trogenator Double Bock (21) (Chris & Geoff Favorite)
3. Dominion Oak Barrel Stout (18)
4. Troegs Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale (15) (Lisa Favorite)
5. Troegs Sunshine Pilsner (14)
6. Dominion Lager (10)

This time, there were a lot of good beers. At least people didn't go with the boring one as their favorite. It was a pretty close race and in fact ended up a tie. Octoberfest prevailed as the favorite of the night.

Week 1 In Review

Listed below are the top 5 fantasy players from Week 1 in our league.

Top 5 QB
1. Tony Romo (34) Phil
2. Eli Manning (28) Geoff
3. Ben Roethlisberger (27) Erik
4. Tom Brady (23) Raman
5. Peyton Manning (23) Ted

Top 5 RB
1. Ladanian Tomlinson (15) Phil
2. Adrian Peterson (14) Dan
3. LaMont Jordan (13) Chris (Bench)
4. Joe Addai (12) Alicia
5. Edgerrin James (11) Raman
Sean Alexander (11) Chris
Derrick Ward (11) Waivers (Kevin K)

Top 5 WR
1. Plaxico Burress (25) Phil
2. Terell Owens (16) Sarah
3. Randy Moss (15) Erik
4. Reggie Wayne (15) Ted
5. Laveranues Coles (14) Chris

Top 5 TE
1. Jason Witten (11) Erik
2. Antonio Gates (11) Chris
3. Heath Miller (7) Evan
4. Mat Spaeth ( 6) Waivers
5. Ben Watson (6) Phil
Justin Peele (6) Waivers

Top 5 K
1. Jason Hanson (14) Dan
2. Lawrence Tynes (13) Waivers
3. Mason Crosby (13) Waivers
4. Adam Vinatieri (11) Sarah
5. Shaun Suisham (11) Waivers
Jason Elam (11) Raman

Top 5 D
1. Minnesota (29) Evan
2. Houston (24) Waiver
3. Cincinatti (21) Waivers (Chris)
4. Pittsburgh (20) Alicia
5. Indianapolis (20) Waivers (Ted)

Players in red accounted for 0 points due to them being unsigned or left on someone's bench.

Phil had the top QB, RB, and WR, which will never happen again. Most Defense & Kickers were available and Chicago & Baltimore D were not on the list, although both were early picks. We are still waiting for Kevin to pick up Matt Spaeth, Houston D, and Lawrence Tynes.

Notes:
--Geoff needed a TD from Larry Fitzgerald on Monday Night for the win. It did not happen.
--Eli Manning (Geoff), Brandon Jacobs (Evan), Terry Glenn (Ted) & DJ Hackett (Kevin) are among important players that are out for a while.
--Kevin won by 8 points, the same number of points that Santonio Holmes had who was dropped by Sarah. Anyone remember Kevin complaining about Santana Moss?

Location: Buffalo Wing Factory (Chantilly)

Every Sunday I will check out a new place for the 1:00 afternoon games. Mostly around Northern VA.

Buffalo Wing Factory
Greenbriar Shopping Center
13067 Lee Jackson
Chantilly, VA
(703) 263-0202

Ages: All Ages
Beer: Good Selection, Good Domestic Special
Food: Not Great, Not Cheap, Kids Eat Cheap
TVs: 2 Plasmas, several small TVs
Games: All but 2 games visible from central seating area
Service: Thumbs Down
Get There Early: 30 mins early should get you a seat

TVs & GAMES
Apparantly, the Wing Factory had no idea the NFL season was starting. Every single TV was tuned into ESPN. As NFL Countdown came to an end, I noticed one TV had a game that was already started. I looked at my watch and it was 1:00pm.

The latest Contender episode was playing on ESPN, and somewhere in real life, the Redskins were already playing. People began to complain (scream) and soon the 1 employee at the restaurant took the 1 remote at the restaurant and went to each TV one by one. Instead of making the first TV the Skins, he chose a different game.

Eventually the Redskins were on a small TV and we had only missed about one drive. The Contender was still on the 2 Big Screen Plasmas and several games were not on any TV. A second employee came out to try to figure out how to work the plasmas, but had much trouble.

After awhile, things settled down and now the Skins were on a big TV, and every other game except for the Texans/Chiefs and Vikings/Falcons were on a visible screen. (Those 2 games were on TVs in the bar, but not where the main seats were.

FOOD, BEER, SERVICE
$1 Domestic Drafts. Thats about the best beer special that you can get. Other than that, they have around 15 beers on tap including several good choices.

Kids meals were $2, but all other food was regular price. The Wings were about $8 for 10 wings, which comes out to about $1 per wing after tax & tip. They have 24 different flavors, but they aren't that great. No nachos on the menu.

I think there was 1 waiter for like 20 tables. He came by every once & awhile, and forgot several things. Sometimes I don't even think he was in the building.

Recommendation: If you want to get trashed while watching every NFL game, the Factory is a great place to go. If you are looking for food & service, go somewhere else.