Spring Beer Roundup
Spring is in the air, and that means it's time for innumerable happy hours, barbecues, and various other events that involve drinking beer. Brasserie Beck was scheduled to open it's outdoor patio tonight, but it seems the rain may spoil the fun. They should be open tomorrow night if tonight is rained out. The setup is a brand new 4-draught system imported from Belgium, and as such, there will undoubtedly be some kinks that still need working out. However, if you want to drink some great Belgian beers in the gorgeous spring weather, Brasserie Beck is a very good option. While there, you can go inside and sample any of the other excellent beers that they're pouring at the moment (try the Cantillon Cuvée des Champions if it's still available, the $14 price is worth it).
Other good outdoor beer options include the roof deck at The Reef in Adams Morgan, and the outdoor seating at Belga Cafe in Capitol Hill. And there's always the back patio of The Big Hunt, which is pouring Troeg's Pils and Mad River Extra Pale. The Troeg may be the most simple, satisfying thing I've had to drink in a while - hoppier than most normal pils and seriously delicious. Area brewpubs are bringing out some spring seasonals: Gordon Biersch's Maibock was tapped a couple weeks ago, but supplies at the downtown location are running low - stop by soon if you haven't already. Capitol City downtown is getting in on the action with a Hefeweizen and an Altbier on tap.
Photo by staceyviera
In festival news, the SAVOR beer and food festival is coming up next month in D.C. (May 16-17). The $85 ticket price per session may seem a bit steep, but the brewery lineup is impressive, the speakers are world-renowned, and the food alone looks like it may be worth the price of admission. Along with several local area breweries, the lineup is joined by Avery, Full Sail, New Belgium, Russian River, and many others that rarely venture this far east. Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head is still one of the most entertaining speakers in the beer world, and talks by Jim Koch, Randy Mosher, and Garrett Oliver should all be excellent sessions.
In the week leading up to the festival, local beer bars are having a host of events. The Brickskeller is hosting its "Lupulin Reunulin" hoppy beer tasting on May 13 and 14, and then a Sierra Nevada tasting on May 15 (reportedly, there will be a harvest ale made with hops grown in the southern hemisphere). May 13 is also the night of a Bell's dinner at Rustico in Alexandria, while Birreria Paradiso will be tapping a new "Elusive, Exclusive, Delicious" keg every night that week, including: Stone Russian Imperial Stout, Hitachino Nest Celebration, and the Harviestoun Ola Dubh (aged in Highland Park barrels), among others. It promises to be a very good week for the D.C. beer scene, hopefully one that will be repeated every year. More details will undoubtedly be available about the surrounding events as we get closer to the actual weekend.