Header image from: dc.eater.com

A rainy, miserable Sunday brought us to the Bluejacket in southwest Washington. It was during that lazy time in between brunch and dinner, when everyone is just lingering and savoring the remainder of the weekend.

So we joined the crowd and tried two of the brewery’s drafts.

The Betty

ABV: 8.6%

Served: 12 oz snifter

The Betty is called an imperial apple crumble ale on the menu though that title makes the beer sound sweeter than it actually is. A blonde ale, it was created with Newton Pippin apple pomace that was pressed by an artisan hand cider maker in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Foggy Ridge Cider. The beer definitely has those red tones and carries only a light, sweet scent. It has cider flavors without a puckering sweetness as it muddles in allspice, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon. The fruit flavors are more pronounced as you sip but it’s never quite overpowering.

Bluejacket says it’s a “dessert in a glass” but I tend to think it would just pair well with a crisp dessert, like a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even — if you want to get crazy — some fried ice cream.

Sweet Science

ABV: 5.4%

Served: 16 oz fluted pilsner

The Sweet Science did work it’s formula on us; it commanded a second round. It’s a helles lager that was brewed with five malts and flaked oats. Bluejacket says it’s “brightly bready and mildly toasty,” which is spot on. It’s bready, but not heavy. It’s light … ish. It’s a beer for a rainy spring day. It’s a beer that will keep you warm with its corky profile but remind you that, yes, there are baseball games ahead and yes, the sun will eventually shine.

This beer could pair with nearly anything. We enjoyed it with the strange combination of cinnamon rolls and an Asian salad.