thepourlife From the second I walk into Ocelot Brewing Company, I am immersed in an authentic brewing experience. The room is scattered with barrels and industrial décor, and the brew tanks are along the rear of the warehouse. There are no secrets – only delicious, straight from the source, beer. I’m immediately overcome by a relaxing sensation, and head to the bar for a pour.
Ocelot, located in Loudon County, VA, is close enough to Dulles Airport that I can almost see the planes take off in the distance. My first visit to Ocelot was over a year ago and I continue to visit regularly. While most of my brewery visits are like a one night stand, Ocelot and I have a long-term relationship. I celebrated with them when they had their first anniversary party and I plan to be there for many more. In my visits, I have celebrated engagements, birthdays, and many friendships. To me, Ocelot is more than just a brewery, but a place to gather family and friends, drink good beer, and have a celebration. The added ability to bring in outside food makes it conducive for these types of gatherings. Alternatively, there is typically a food truck parked outside with dishes that smell so good, if you weren’t hungry before, you will be now. But the best part about Ocelot? It doesn’t close until the last person finishes drinking for the night. I’ll cheers to that.
Ocelot’s beer list rotates weekly with a wide variety of beer on tap: IPAs, lagers, barrel aged, and many others. For the newbies, I recommend getting a flight to figure out what beer speaks to you. Their barrel aged beers stand out as particularly special, and not just because of the buzz you’ll get. On tap during my last visit was a Saison called Hearts & Thoughts, which was barrel aged in a white wine barrel. It quickly became my favorite. Light and refreshing, with a fruity taste that still gave a hint of the white wine. It hit my palate perfectly – I even decided to get a growler to bring home with me. And if this doesn’t sound like your kind of beer, don’t worry because Ocelot releases a new brew every Thursday. You’ll never get bored.
The tasting room is fairly large, but often gets crowded. It goes to show that this place has a following. If the weather is good, you also have the option of sitting at the picnic tables outside – I recommend you share a beer with your furry friend. Overall, you can’t beat the vibe of this place, thanks to the owners’ passion for music. Every beer’s name refers to one of their favorite songs. And a wall in the building, “The Barrel Wall,” is a painted replica of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” album. It all ties in the music theme. Occasionally, a band performs in the tasting room, but if not, it should go without saying an on-point playlist resonates throughout the large, warehouse space.
Serving you pours are friendly bartenders, eager to share their knowledge of the beer and the brewery. Tours are not set to occur at a particular time, but if you ask, they will do them by request (assuming the conditions aren’t dangerous – AKA they aren’t brewing beer). All things considered, this place is awesome. I have met many new and exciting people, as well as brought in friends to experience the charming atmosphere and brewery. I’m basically a reg at this point, so I hope to see you there!
P.S. What is an ocelot? It is a beautifully coated wild cat found in the Americas. They look so cute, I would love to have one as a pet. And BTW, Ocelot is a member of the “mammals” – a group of mammal-based breweries in NOVA that make cool t-shirts. Other mammals include Lost Rhino and Old Ox.
Date of Original Visit: June 9, 2017
