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Your Beermonger: Tasting Notes

By WTOP Staff

Your Beermonger logo

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

It doesn’t happen often, but it’s been a slow week. No huge breaking news (though it’s worth looking at the restructured InBev/Modelo deal to see how they’ll get away with that). No insane once-per-year rarities to call every store in town to find. There are some cool new beers out including the new Schwarzbier from Devils Backbone, and we’ll be sampling those on Saturday at the shop. But as far as news goes it’s a little too quiet out there.

In light of this, here are some tasting notes on beers I’ve been able to try lately. If you have any questions about beer in the area, I’ll be happy to answer them in the comments.

Bell’s HopSlam 2013: I got to try a bottle a couple of weeks ago. I’ve always been a fan of HopSlam, but it feels like the ever-increasing demand and resulting shortness of supply has created a bit of a backlash, with more folks every year saying HopSlam isn’t worth the trouble or its high price. I actually quite liked this year’s HopSlam. The honey in it seemed more utilitarian than it had over the past couple years. Where HopSlam was becoming a tick too fruity and cloying, this year’s feels more like the Imperial IPA it is meant to be. Is it worth the time and money to track down? That’s up to you, but if you can get a hold of some, it’s a fine beer as always.

Sand Creek Brewing Company: I was given a couple of this Wisconsin outfit’s brews to sample and am now officially a fan. First up was their Wild Ride IPA, which is a delightful throwback to the days where bigger wasn’t necessarily better. If the craft beer movement has been around long enough, and I’m not sure it has, it could be said that this is an old-school American IPA. The 60 IBU are well-balanced by just the perfect amount of malt. This is an IPA that I could keep in the fridge all the time, and really wish was available here in VA.

The other Sand Creek I got to try was Oscar’s Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, which is the kind of beer I think every brewer in America should try. Oscar’s is rich in body, with a silky palate featuring dark chocolate flavors that somehow avoid being sugary in any way. The best part of Oscar’s: it’s 4.5% ABV. It’s a Session beer. Seriously, seriously well-made and someone needs to get Sand Creek to expand beyond their four-market distribution range.

Blue Mountain MacHayden’s Wee Heavy: Hey — here’s something good that you can actually find for sale around here. I had no idea Blue Mountain made a Scotch Ale, but when this became available last week, I jumped on it. MacHayden’s is reminiscent of classic Scotch Ales like McEwan’s Export, with that very particular kind of sweetness from its malts that is the hallmark of the style. Too many American brewers over-roast the malts in their Scotch Ales or go too hoppy for fear of turning off U.S. beer fans, but those who seek out Scotch Ale are looking for something very specific. Blue Mountain does a great job combining traditional flavors with a stronger, more modern strength and lush mouthfeel.

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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