Foothills Brewing - Malt Shaker

Pouring a rich-looking deep amber-red color with a head of khaki foam, Malt Shaker looks quite inviting in the glass. In the aroma department, look for a fruity, lightly citric note with a hint of a berry-like overtone, supported by a base of caramel and light bread. That fruity quality comes through prominently on the palate, too, along with a very smooth impression of caramel at the center. Look for some toasty and nutty notes to abound here, as well, bringing with them moderate residual sweetness. As this is a malt-forward amber ale, hop bitterness is low, but enough to provide a balancing counterpoint to the maltiness. Round and robust, but not dense, this tasty amber ale will make an excellent companion to a wide variety of foods including grilled or roasted meats and vegetables, fried chicken, pizza, glazed ham, smoked salmon, and chili. Enjoy!

Foothills Brewing opened for business in 2005 with a brewpub/restaurant location on Fourth Street in downtown Winston-Salem, NC. At first, co-owner Jamie Bartholomaus was pretty much alone in the brewhouse, crafting Foothills’ beers from homebrew recipes he had developed while attending the University of Georgia in Athens. These days he’s got a bit more help; strong growth since those early days means Foothills now has about 15 employees just on the brewing side of their business alone.

Bartholomaus got his start in the beer world as a homebrewer, which eventually led to him working for Athens, GA’s now defunct Blind Man Ales. After relocating to North Carolina, he did a stint with the respected Olde Hickory Brewery before jumping into business for himself with Foothills. Since then, business has grown steadily, although the last several years have been quite dramatic. After maxing out their brewpub system, Foothills acquired a new, larger, 48,000 sq. ft. facility a few miles to the southwest, which they put into production at the end of 2011, a year which saw a 46% increase in production compared to the year prior.

In 2011, Foothills also acquired the brewing division of Carolina Beer & Beverage, including their Carolina Blonde and Cottonwood Ales brands and all their brewing equipment. This gave Foothills a critical upgrade: the ability to bottle their beers and package them for retail sales instead of relying solely on draft accounts. It also means more people are now getting a chance to try their excellent brews!

For more info on the brewery, their brewpub restaurant, or their eight year-round, seven seasonal, and miscellaneous limited-release beers (including their legendary Sexual Chocolate imperial stout, released annually for Valentine’s Day in very limited amounts) visit www.foothillsbrewing.com or call 336-997-9484.