Beer and wine, are they world's apart? Is beer laid-back and wine stuffy? Can the roles be reversed? Rather than contemplating these questions too deeply, your next beer might be able to answer that question. In Washington State, as Seattle Weekly reports, brewers and vintners are getting their hops and grapes together, with intriguing results. Long Shadows winery in Walla Walla recently donated some fresh pressed grape juice (Riesling, Sangiovese, and Syrah) to Seattle's Epic Ales. The resulting beer was sold at Epic's brewery and restaurant, and Long Shadows bought some kegs that you'll be able to sample at their Woodinville Library Tasting Room, about 20 miles northeast of Seattle.
This isn't the first time a Washington State winery has collaborated with a brewery. Alexandria Nicole Cellars in Prosser teamed up with Dogfish Head in Delaware to produce Noble Rot, a beer brewed with botrytis-affected Viognier grape juice and Pinot Gris must.
Here's a short video from Dogfish Head about the brew, where they wonder if anyone will buy a beer with the name "rot" in it:
