This post is brought to you by Prequel.

The best two ways to beat DC’s extraordinary heat and humidity are a cold drink and a cool bar. Brick & Mortar, a new basement bar tucked inside Prequel at 918 F Street in Penn Quarter, offers a wide array of handcrafted cocktails, a mix of familiar flavors and new, in a relaxing and atmospheric environment.

Brick & Mortar stands out in the Penn Quarter/Chinatown area as a distinct, local concept amidst several chain sports bars and concepts that appeal to tourists and other out-of-town guests. The fact that it is inside and down a staircase (off the street) gives Brick & Mortar the exciting feel of a hidden gem that not everyone knows about. It’s for this reason, and the impressive menu, that many have called the bar DC’s best kept secret.

Open Tuesday through Saturday, Brick & Mortar offers a happy hour from 5 to 7pm each day with special beverages discounted. In addition to cocktails, Brick & Mortar offers a full wine, beer, and food menu. The food menu offers burgers, veggie burgers, and other sandwiches like a candied bacon BLT, along with an assortment of snacks and cheese/charcuterie plates. Sitting at the Brick & Mortar bar, you can peer up to its second level, which is available to rent out for private events.

Our Favorite Cocktails at Brick & Mortar

If you are looking for a place to beat the heat (or any of those pesky storms that keep emerging), you will want to duck into Brick & Mortar. While it is hard to narrow down our summer favorites from their list, we recommend the following:

SAVANNAH-LA-MAR
For the lover of sweet-but-not-too-sweet cocktails

The Savannah-La-Mar is a tiki-like cocktail combines 4-year El Dorado rum, Madagascar vanilla, lime, valvet falernum, and mint, for a flavor profile that you will not find in the city anywhere else. The combination of citrus and herb with the subtle sweetness of vanilla give this cocktail a distinct and memorable taste.

THE GOLDEN AGE
For summer gin drinkers

Gin and tonics are a regular summer go-to, but The Golden Age gives the classic a run for its money. With Boomsma Genever (modern gin’s juniper-forward “ancestor”), turmeric, lime juice, sugar, and club soda, the cocktail offers a pleasurable first sip-to-last-sip experience. The use of turmeric, an underutilized spice, paired with the tartness of lime gives the cocktail its mesmerizing color and memorable flavor. You will not miss the tonic water with your gin after having The Golden Age.

ALPINE SUNSET
For the “not a summer cocktail” person

Summer drinks are sometimes thought of as only sweet, fruity, and refreshing. Alpine Sunset proves that a summer cocktail can be a refreshing even when being more bitter. Fans of Campari drinks (such as negronis or americanos) will appreciate Brick & Mortar’s twist, which leaves a lingering taste of lemon. With Campari, Cocchi Americano Rosa, lemon, and club soda, the Alpine Sunset is perfect for fans of strong, boozy cocktails all year round.

Don’t Miss What Else is Happening at Prequel

It is also worth mentioning that Brick & Mortar operates out of the basement of Prequel, a new restaurant pop-up complex in Penn Quarter. A five-story historic building, Prequel houses a number of other pop-ups thought the week, such as Bluebird Bakery, United States of Ramen, Lighthouse, and 4th Floor Wine Bar.

One of the remarkable things about Prequel is that you could visit Brick & Mortar before or after attending a pop-up upstairs; the building encourages guests to explore each level and its different concepts. You can check out what is happening at Prequel and order tickets for their different pop-ups and cooking classes at PrequelDC.com.

You might recall hearing about Prequel when it became the first company in DC to successfully facilitate a $200,000 investment-based crowdfunding campaign in February. The pop-up complex opened after over 300 DC residents invested startup capital, with investments ranging from $100 to $25,000. Prequel is raising another round of funding with a similar entry point for interested residents. For more information about investing in Prequel, click here.