Arts & Entertainment www.gazette.net | Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014 | Page B-4
All hands on deck for area brewery BREWS BROTHERS STEVEN FRANK AND ARNOLD MELTZER
Bluejacket Brewery brings sophistication to brews
n
PHOTO BY JAE ROBINSON
From left, Holly Trout as Ross, Jaki Demarest as Lady Macbeth, Alan Duda as Macbeth, Michael Robinson as Duncan, Evan Ockershausen as Malcolm and Marlowe Vilchez as Banquo perform in this year’s Rude Mechanicals production of “Macbeth.”
Something rude this way comes Troupe focuses on darkness of “Macbeth” n
BY
KIRSTY GROFF STAFF WRITER
The Rude Mechanicals hope to prove that there’s always something new to discover about Shakespeare with their take on the Bard’s play, beginning Aug. 15. “Macbeth: The Instruments of Darkness,” explores the classic play with fresh eyes, a technique commonly used by the Rude Mechanicals over the last
MACBETH: THE INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS n When: 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Aug. 15, 16, 22 and 23; 2 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 17 n Where: Greenbelt Arts Center, 123 Centerway, Greenbelt n Tickets: $12-$17 n For Information: rudemechanicals.com, 301-441-8770
15 years since the troupe’s first show. “We have this approach where we forget it’s been performed for 400 years — we forget the traditions and really look at the text as if it were a
brand new play,” said director Joshua Engel. “That strippeddown version really lets us get at what we think is the heart of the play — it’s not just yet another version.” “Macbeth” tells the story
of Macbeth and his wife, the prophecies of witches and the consequences of pursuing power. Urged on by Lady Macbeth, the titular character kills the man in his way of the Scotland throne, an act that paves the way for increasingly worse acts of violence and tragedy. This will be the third “Macbeth” production in Rude Mechanicals’ history — the play itself is a bit of a touchstone for several core members of the troupe, as their initial take in their second year introduced
See MACBETH, Page B-5
Bluejacket Brewery is one of the newest additions to the DC brewing scene, located in the revitalized section of Southeast Washington, very close to Nationals Stadium. The brewery is part of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group which includes the beer-centric ChurchKey/ Birch and Barley and Rustico. Bluejacket opened in October 2013 in one of Washington’s oldest extant industrial buildings which started life in 1919 as the Boilermakers Shops of the Navy Yard. Bluejacket is a Navy term for an enlisted man and pays homage to the building and neighborhood’s origins. The insides of the empty building were completely crafted to fit the plans for Bluejacket. Bluejacket’s main floor is the brewery’s restaurant and bar, called The Arsenal. The Arsenal has 20 draft lines, each serving a different unfiltered beer at the correct serving temperature through a sophisticated control system. Bluejacket uses eight different glassware shapes to ensure beers are served with the appropriate glass for the style. There also are five cask conditioned ales served via hand pumps. The upper two floors contain the brewery itself. The 15-barrel brewing system has 18 small fermenters which provide flexibility for aging beers
for various lengths of time as needed. There also is a souring room where tart/sour beers are aged and developed in a wide variety of wood casks. Lastly, Bluejacket installed one of the few coolships extant in the country. Plans are to begin using the coolship to create some sour ales starting in the fall. In less than a year of operation, Bluejacket has made more than 70 different beers. Most beers follow traditional styles modified by creativity and experimentation. Until recently, all the beers have been consumed onsite in The Arsenal. Bluejacket has started bottling 10 of their beers and plans to sell kegs to local restaurants and bars. While there is a continuing rotation of beers, the three most popular and regularly available are Forbidden Planet, a dryhopped Kölsch, Lost Weekend IPA made with Citra hops, and Mexican Radio, a spiced sweet stout. Normally there are at least 2-3 funky or sour ales on draft. Forbidden Planet (4.2 percent alcohol by volume, ABV) is a hoppy Kölsch made with a profusion of Galaxy hops. It has a tropical fruit nose with notes of mango, orange and cantaloupe with some floral character. Quite smooth, Forbidden Planet has a light sweet mango front which continues in the middle. A slight citrus-y orange is added in the finish with all going into the aftertaste with the citrus flavors lingering. Ratings: 8/8 Pyro (5.9 percent ABV) is a sour Saison which begins with a complex aroma that is fruity, tangy and has a mild smokiness. The noticeable tangy fruit front is followed by a blast of lemon
See BREWERY, Page B-5
144448G