Coalition of the Swilling: Belgian Brews
Written by DCist contributor Eric Denman
As summer lingers on, the average D.C. resident may be tempted to stay indoors, limit excursions, and camp out in front of the A/C unit with a tongue-numbingly cold, mass-produced lager. There is a better option! A nice Belgian beer can quench your thirst while also satisfying your palate. Although some Belgian styles may be a bit heavy for summer, many of them fit the bill perfectly (Witbier and Lambic spring to mind, Blonde and Abbey ales also). Luckily for us, D.C. has a great range of bars throughout the city that serve a wide selection of Belgian beers for your enjoyment:
One of the newest entries in the field, Brasserie Beck has been a recent hit with an all-Belgian beer list and all-Belgian food menu. The 11 taps are creatively and aptly chosen, and the bar area is one of the best places to drink Belgian ales in the city. Be aware, however: this place gets very busy, and a spot at the bar can be a difficult thing to snag, even on a weekday night.
Birreria Paradiso, in the basement of the popular Georgetown pizza joint, has an eclectic and frequently rotating tap list of 16 primarily American and Belgian brews. Although the bottle list is equally extensive, the taps are the real reason to make this a stop on any Georgetown visit. Also, being in a basement, it provides a nice respite from the bitter heat, especially if you manage to stay downstairs until the sun goes down.
The oldest beer bar in the area, the Brickskeller has a legendary beer selection, including a menu/manifesto of 1,000+ bottles. Table service and stock can be an issue, but if you sit at the bar and have a flexible wish-list, the Bricks can be a fantastic place to relax after a long day at work. Plus, you've always got another several hundred options, should you wish to branch out!
To finish off the list of "B"-list of Belgian Beer Bars, Belga Café is holding down the fort in Capitol Hill, serving a somewhat smaller and less eclectic list, but notable for serving almost all of their beers in the appropriate brewery-specific glassware. Belga opened in early 2005, which puts it on the more senior end of the spectrum, 
and the experience shows.
Also of note, L'Enfant Café (half price Belgians Tuesdays 4:30-7:30pm but limited selection), the Reef (usually a few Belgian taps, great roof deck, but crowded on the weekends), RFD (the Brickskeller's sister restaurant in Chinatown, ~40 taps), Dr. Granville Moore's (just opened in the Atlas District, NE, great bottle list, ambiance is fantastic), Rustico (30 taps, ~200 bottles, beer/food pairings in Alexandria), and RedRocks (just opened in Columbia Heights, pizza and some good taps).
Keep in mind, this is just a sampling of some of the best in the area; many bars and restaurants carry a small handful of Belgians, and they are almost always worth asking after. In any case, there are more options for Belgian beer in D.C. now than ever before. Cheers, and I'll see you at the bar!
The author is a former employee of the Brickskeller, and currently works at Rustico Restaurant
Brasserie Beck, 1101 K St. NW, 202-408-1717, Metro: Metro Center/Gallery Place/Mt. Vernon Square/McPherson Square
Birreria Paradiso, 3282 M St. NW, 202-337-1245, Metro: Foggy Bottom, then the Circulator
Brickskeller, 1523 22nd St. NW, 202-293-1885, Metro: Dupont Circle
Belga Café, 514 Eighth St. SE, 202-544-0100, Metro: Eastern Market
L'Enfant Café, 2000 18th St. NW, 202-319-1800, Metro: Dupont Circle
The Reef, 2446 18th St. NW, 202-518-3800, Metro: Woodley Park
RFD, 810 7th St. NW, 202-289-2030, Metro: Gallery Place
Rustico, 827 Slaters Ln., Alexandria, 703-224-5051, Metro: Braddock Road
Dr. Granville Moore's, 1238 H St. NE, 202-399-2536, Metro: Union Station, then the Atlas Courtesy Shuttle
RedRocks FireBrickPizzeria, 1036 Park Rd. NW, 202-506-1402, Metro: Columbia Heights