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Your Beermonger: Milk Stout Nitro

By WTOP Staff

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)

Most of the time, it works like this: I get word of an upcoming release from a brewery; the brewery starts getting word out through the press, the beer is released, and then within a certain number of weeks/months a distributor clears it for Virginia and then I get it for stock. Some of the time, a beer from a brewery popular in Virginia is made in small enough quantities that it never makes it here. Then there’s the case of Left Hand’s Milk Stout Nitro.

In early 2011 I started hearing about a project Left Hand Brewing of Longmont, Colorado was working on. The rumor was Left Hand was developing a new version of its popular Milk Stout, and over that summer word got out; Left Hand had been spending a lot of money in an effort to impart a nitro-tap feel into the bottles of Milk Stout, a la Guinness Draught. In September 2011, Milk Stout Nitro officially arrived with the bold proclamation of Left Hand’s intentions to “take America back” from Guinness’ popularity.

Milk Stout Nitro made its way to Chicago and Boston while I kept my ear to the ground. As a long-time Guinness fan and someone who’s always enjoyed Left Hand Milk Stout, my excitement grew as I read review after review of Nitro — yet none was arriving for us in Virginia. In all honesty I had reached the point of giving up when earlier this week I was woken up by a text from my representative of Left Hand’s distributor in Virginia: “Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro bottles have arrived!!!”

By the time this column runs, Milk Stout Nitro will be in stock at retailers around Virginia, including Arrowine. I still will have not tried it by then, so I can’t speak to its greatness personally but from what I’ve read the Nitro indeed has the thick head and creaminess of a true nitro-tap Stout. Also, most reports have the sweet vanilla notes from the lactose used a bit muted in comparison to the standard Left Hand Milk Stout.

So yes, I’ve devoted a good chunk of my week and this column space to a beer I haven’t even tried yet. But I trust the crew at Left Hand, and am looking forward to the first of what I hope will be many Milk Stout Nitro bottles this weekend. If you happen to be in the neighborhood of Arrowine this Friday night, you might just be able to check it out yourself.

Until next time.

Cheers!

Nick Anderson maintains a blog at www.beermonger.net, and can be found on Twitter at @The_Beermonger. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Community discussion guidelines: Our sponsored columns are written by members of the local business community. While we encourage a robust and open discussion, we ask that all reviews of the businesses — good or bad — be directed to another venue, like Yelp. The comments section is intended for a conversation about the topic of the article.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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