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Craft Breweries in and around Washington DC, USA

Craft Breweries in and around Washington DC, USA

by | Oct 23, 2019 | brewery, dc, district of columbia, maryland, virginia, washington

I lived in the Washington DC area for 18 years and I was certainly a fan of craft beer during that time. But it wasn’t until after I left our Nation’s Capital that I truly started honing my skills and ramping up my visits to as many breweries as possible. I still return to the DC area on occasion, so I’ve had a chance to experience several of the local breweries with a fresh palate. I compiled the following list of breweries in Washington DC and surrounding communities in Maryland and Virginia. It is by no means comprehensive. I have more tasting to do, but it’s my hope this will give you a great start.

District of Columbia

Atlas Brew Works

Atlas Brew Works is 100% solar powered, so you can thank the sun for the tasty beer (thank the brewers too). If that isn’t cool enough, the draught list is creative, with something for everyone, and you may recognize some of the popular brews because they distribute regionally. Atlas is a production brewery and a taproom; there is no restaurant, but you can bring your own food or purchase from occasional food trucks. Atlas is located a couple miles from the NOMA Metro station on the Red Line. You’ll either want to drive to the brewery or take a ride share from the Metro. The brewery is near the National Arboretum if you want to tack that onto your trip. Atlas is kid and dog friendly.

Tropic Thunder American IPA

 

The draught list at Atlas in June 2019

 

This is Bluejacket, a brewery and restaurant in Southeast DC. The atmosphere can’t be beat in this large, historic building that was once part of the Washington Navy Yard. During baseball season, the brewery is a great stop before or after a Washington Nationals game, with the ballpark right down the street. Bluejacket has a great selection of brews, including a few common beer styles as well as several unique finds. Mexican Radio (sweet stout with spices, 1st in flight) is a favorite of mine. The Turnstiles, a New England style IPA (2nd in flight), is also good. Oh, and they have delicious, upscale pub fare too.Bluejacket is in the heart of DC, walking distance of the Navy Yard Metro station on the Green Line.

Bluejacket’s building used to be part of the Washington Navy Yard

 

My flight from October 2018

 

Both my Tots and Coconut Curry Soup were delicious

 

Red Bear Brewing Co is a newcomer on the DC brewery scene (opened in early 2019) and one you won’t want to miss.This is an energetic young brewery offering a variety of beer styles, including seasonals. Polar Bear Wheat Pale Ale (1st in flight) is a popular choice and quite tasty. The Something About Rosemary saison (3rd in flight) was an interesting brew and hazier than expected. I visited during DC Pride, so I also must point out the Butch Queen Fruited Pale Ale (5th in flight) with passion fruit – yum! As for food, there isn’t a permanent menu, but various food vendors operate as “pop-ups” so you’re likely to find food if you visit during a busy time. Red Bear is only a short walk from the NOMA Metro station on the Red Line.

Red Bear has a nice patio for warmer weather

 

My flight from June 2019

 

The tap room decorated for DC Pride in June 2019

 

If you’re a fan of “Real Ale” a.k.a. cask beer, you’ll want to check out Chesepiooc Real Ale Brewery in Crofton, Maryland, USA. This is a little off the beaten path if you’re just visiting DC proper, but easily reachable by car about halfway between the DC Beltway and Annapolis, Maryland. Chesepiooc has filled a niche with their rotating cask ales. There are eight beer engines and new real ales are put on draught on Wednesdays until they run out (the brewery is closed Monday and Tuesday). Unfortunately, I visited on Sunday afternoon with only one remaining cask ale. Here Comes the Sun New England IPA (2nd in flight) was my only cask option on my June 2019 visit, so I’ll need to return. But there were several other brews on standard CO2 draughts. My favorite was the unique Here Comes the Moon Black New England IPA (3rd in flight). This was my first experience with this interesting mash-up. I love that Chesepiooc educates customers by listing the malt, hop and yeast varieties that go into each brew.

Chesepiooc’s Beer Engines

 

My flight from June 2019

 

Every beer’s specifications are posted at Chesepiooc

 

Granite City Brewery

Normally I wouldn’t recommend a chain, but the Granite City Brewery location on the Potomac River is convenient for those staying in National Harbor, Maryland, USA, a popular destination for shopping, dining and conventions. Both the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center and the MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino are nearby. Granite City could be a nice craft beer diversion from the rest of  your busy activities in National Harbor. They offer a full menu of upscale American pub fare, and a slate of standard beer styles. On my most recent visit I opted for the Ukulele Citra IPA, which was a pretty decent version of the style. On a previous trip I gave high ratings to the Broad Axe Stout and the Zug Zwang Porter, but neither was available on my second visit. Granite City is best accessed by car unless you’re staying in one of the National Harbor hotels.

Exterior of Granite City National Harbor

 

Ukulele Citra IPA

 

Jailbreak Brewing Co

Jailbreak Brewing Co operates in Laurel, Maryland, USA in the far eastern suburbs of DC. The brewery offers a vibrant atmosphere and a wide variety of beer styles. You can sample unusual creations like the Made Wit Basil witbier that is, well, made with basil. But my favorite on my 2018 visit was the Funk Sway Berliner Weiss. Jailbreak has a kitchen and the garlic Parmesan fries are delicious. From DC, you’ll need to drive to Jailbreak, which is located between DC and BWI airport.

My flight from June 2018

 

Inside the spacious taproom

 

Jailbreak’s unassuming exterior

 

Virginia

Aslin Beer Co has two locations in the DC suburbs: one in Alexandria, Virginia, USA and one in Herndon, Virginia, USA. The Alexandria location is closest to DC and just opened this summer; it’s the one I visited.The draught list is heavy on the IPAs. Those of you who like it hoppy will be happy. There are also a few stouts, lagers and other styles on the menu, so you’ll have options. I tried a couple of the creative IPAs and my favorite was the very unique Drive-In Copy Cat Sour IPA (pictured). The flavors were slightly sour, slightly vanilla, with a smooth mouthfeel. The blue color comes from algae. My other favorite was a Saison called Sedona or Sonoma?!?. Aslin Alexandria had tacos for the hungry, and kids are allowed in the taproom until 7 pm.

Aslin isn’t far from the Van Dorn Street Metro station on the Blue Line, but it might be easier to grab a quick ride share than to walk to the brewery.

That’s the yummy blue Drive-In Copycat Sour IPA

 

Exterior of Aslin’s Alexandria location

 

Audacious Aleworks

Audacious Aleworks in Falls Church, Virginia, USA is another brewery with a diverse draught list.I was delighted to see that Audacious has some sour beers, which are always fun to taste, and I included one in my flight. Everything was good, and the staff were very friendly and liked to talk about beer, as they should. Audacious describes itself as family friendly and they offer a small menu of pub fare.

Falls Church is just west of Arlington, Virginia but the brewery isn’t within walking distance of a Metro station, so you’ll want to drive or take a ride share.

The bar at Audacious Aleworks

 

My flight, from left: Ch-ch-ch Cherry Bomb fruited sour, Tread Lightly Belgian Tripel, The Lord Humungus DIPA, and Pumpkin Porter

 

New District Brewing Co

New District Brewing Co (Arlington, Virginia, USA) is a neighborhood brewery and tap room, and the first of its kind in Arlington in over 100 years. It’s a small business that supports other small businesses (they serve cheese plates from nearby restaurant and cheese shop Cheesetique). They are located on the popular W&OD mixed-use trail and as such, they support local running and cycling events. They’re also adjacent to a dog park and allow pre-registered pups to visit the brewery on Wednesdays. I used to live in the neighborhood and had a chance to stop by the brewery for an unofficial “tour” in fall of 2015 before it opened, when I sampled a delicious brown ale. I didn’t make it back to the fully opened New District until three years later. My favorite draughts that day were the All Your Haze New England IPA and the 1821 Dark Lager (third and fourth in flight). New District is located in the Shirlington neighborhood in Arlington. There is no direct Metro access, so this one is best visited by car, and is right off the I-395 Shirlington exit.

New District’s space is in an old storage facility; in nice weather that garage door is open

 

My flight from October 2018

 

Port City Brewing Co

Port City Brewing Co (Alexandria, Virginia, USA) is located in a historic city on the banks of the Potomac River across from Washington, DC. They’re an award-winning brewery with a loyal local following, with a variety of brews found on tap at many DC-area bars and restaurants. The brewery offers a busy taproom, frequent tours, and special events like Monday night “Joggers & Lagers”, a fun run at the brewery. I’ve tasted and enjoyed a number of Port City brews over the years, and the flagship beers are all good examples of their styles. On my most recent visit (October 2018) I ordered the juicy Integral IPA. While not Metro accessible, you can get off at a nearby station and take a ride share a couple of miles (there are several options on different Metro lines, so consult a transit map).

Outside Port City Brewing

 

Integral IPA

 

Visit

Unfortunately, most of these breweries are not directly accessible via the area’s Metrorail system, but in some cases you can take a train most of the way and then walk a couple miles or take a ride share. Check out each brewery’s website (linked) for more specific directions and for opening hours, which could change seasonally.

Brewing My Own at North High Brewing Co – Columbus, Ohio, USA

Brewing My Own at North High Brewing Co – Columbus, Ohio, USA

by | Jun 6, 2019 | brewery, brewing, columbus, northhigh, ohio, usa

Occasionally, I come across a brewery with a unique hands-on opportunity. North High Brewing Co in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, USA is one such brewery. North High opened six and a half years ago as a small, street-front brewery and taproom on High Street, the city’s primary North-South thoroughfare. It’s centrally located between the Ohio State University campus and the Short North Arts District, with lots of opportunity for drive-by and walk-in customers. It wasn’t long before North High outgrew their original space and expanded to a much larger production facility not far away. The original taproom remains a hub for craft beer drinkers, and the original brew house is a “brew your own” facility.


I brewed my own beer

 

Brew Day

Not yet having hands-on brewing experience, I decided that North High’s program would be the perfect way for me to get my feet wet with zero investment in home brewing equipment and supplies. I gathered my stepmom Kim and we set out to the brewery on a recent Sunday afternoon to brew our very own beer. We were greeted by James Clifford, the brewer who leads the brew-your-own program. After some quick introductions, we discussed beer styles. North High has a recipe book offering a diverse selection of brews. Knowing that we would be producing about 6 cases of beer, I wanted to pick a style that would have broad appeal. We settled on a modified IPA recipe that would be similar to a New England style: juicy and not too bitter.

One of the brew-your-own groups in the brewhouse

When James schedules individuals and groups to brew their own, he can oversee several kettles at once by staggering the brewing times of the groups. On our brew day, there were two other groups present, including one birthday party. Many of the brew-your-own participants choose this as a fun, social or team-building activity and are not interested in being 100% hands-on. Kim and I were different – we wanted to do as much as we could. Kim had some previous experience assisting my dad Steve years ago when he discovered home brewing, but I had no practical experience, and I wanted some.

While we waited for James to get our supplies ready, Kim and I enjoyed some delicious beverages from the bar. While I’m primarily a beer drinker, Kim is a vodka drinker. Neither of us was disappointed. Kim tried several vodkas from local craft distilleries, and I sampled some of the North High beers that I hadn’t tried before, including Apple Brandy Life, a sparkling ale. Apparently I was too busy working and taking pictures to keep track of the other beers I tried, but I know that in the past I’ve enjoyed their Milk Stout and Mister Fahrenheit, the New England IPA that my beer would be based on.

Sampling malts
Measuring liquid malt extracts for our beer
Kim with our pouch of milled caramel malt, or grist
The brew-your-own program at North High offers a simplified brewing process, designed perhaps to save time and cost. Rather than making our own mash, we started with two liquid malt extracts (Pale and Pilsener) that went straight into the kettle. For good measure, James did have us mill some caramel malt, load the grist into a mesh sleeve, and dip it into the kettle to impart some of its flavor and starch. But because we didn’t create a traditional mash, there was no need for lautering, or separating liquid wort from spent grain. Instead, our malt extracts dissolved into the boil.
Adding the grist
Our kettle
Kim adds one of our malt extracts
I add our second malt extract
And then the several hour boiling process took place. We added various hop pellets at specified times to contribute the classic bitterness expected in an IPA, as well as some citrusy flavors. Our hops were Summit, Chinook, Cascade, Centennial and Citra. At the end of the boil we were left with a wort that had just a little bit of solid matter from the spent hop pellets and proteins. James managed the filtering and cooling of our wort into a blue, plastic fermenting vessel where it would live for a few weeks. House yeast was added quickly, so as to not let much air into the vessel. And that was it for the brewing day.
Kim adds one of our wet hops; they went into the kettle at various intervals
And our beer boils
Transferring our wort from the kettle into the fermenter
James adds the yeast for us
And there it is: batch D098 wort, starting to ferment
Honorary North High brewers, we had a fun brew day with James as our guide

Dry Hop Day

About a week later, I returned to North High to add the dry hops to my beer under James’ supervision. Typically, he manages this step for the batches that need to be dry-hopped, but I wanted to be part of it. I measured the hops, wrapped them in the mesh, and added them to the fermenting vessel quickly. The dry hops were Summit, Chinook, Centennial and Citra.
Measuring the dry hops
Dry hops ready to go into the fermenter

And while I was there, I tried the newly released North High AF American IPA, which I thought was well-balanced and refreshing. I enjoyed sitting at the bar and talking to some of the happy hour patrons. The building housing North High’s taproom was an old-time car dealership, as well as other businesses over the years. There is a lot of character to be found in the woodwork, the showroom floor (you can see where a a turntable used to display cars), and the wall of mailbox cubbies. The atmosphere feels very 1930s/1940s.

You can see some of the woodworking detail from the bar; on the far side is the brew-your-own area
Drinking a North High AF American IPA on dry hop day

Canning Day

Three and a half weeks after brewing, I returned to North High to can my beer. Brew-your-own participants can choose bottles or cans as their packaging. I selected cans because they’re lighter, stack-able, air-tight and block all light from spoiling the beer. Before my canning day, I provided James with my label artwork. The brewery is required by law to label all beer that leaves the premises, but part of the label was ours to design (shout-out to my logo and beer label designer Ted Townsend). Before canning, I observed James transfer my beer from its fermenter into a keg, and then add the CO2. For canning, he hooked up a wand to the keg and the CO2 tank. The beer was fed from inside the cooler through a hose to the wand at a workstation outside the cooler.
Starting my canning session with a North High Grapefruit Walleye IPA
Kegging the beer
Labels printing
First taste of my beer

James demonstrated the proper techniques for adding first CO2 and then beer to each can, and then sealing the can. Little did I know how much time it would take to can six cases of beer by myself. Every single can had to be filled, sealed and labeled by hand. I spent a few hours at the brewery that evening, but it was worthwhile. First, I got to taste a new-to-me North High brew, Grapefruit Walleye IPA (does not contain fish), which was pretty good. And then I got to taste my own beer, which was indeed a very drinkable IPA that gave me some of the juiciness I was expecting, without too much bitterness. I also got to chat with Gavin Meyers, one of the brewery’s founders. I told him about my brew-your-own experience and he also tried my beer.

Filling cans by hand
Sealing cans
Starting to stack the 6-packs

I highly recommend going to North High if you want to try your hand at brewing, and it certainly would make a fun team-building experience for a small group. You should know that this is a streamlined brewing process, and you won’t be turned loose to do just anything that you want. There are recipes, controls and supervision in place, but these things ensure that you leave with six cases of good beer that you’ll want to drink. James is willing to work with you to help with recipe selection, and explain as much about the brewing process as you want to learn.

Final product

Now, what to do with my six cases of The Brewery Log 2019 India Pale Ale? I think I’ll plan a little can release party and invite friends and neighbors. The weather is just about right to have a little outdoor IPA tasting party one evening. I’ll distribute a few six packs to select friends and family members too. And…I’ll probably be drinking this IPA for a little while. Good thing it’s tasty!

Visit

The North High taproom is open daily. In addition to beer and spirits, you’ll find occasional food trucks, and there are many neighborhood restaurants where you can grab take-out to eat in the taproom. The brew-your-own program operates every day except Mondays and Wednesdays, and you can schedule your session online. Costs vary by beer style, but you can expect to spend about $300 total for brewing and packaging 6 cases to take home. The North High production facility is closed to the public except for special events, such as their annual anniversary party in December. Check out the brewery at northhighbrewing.com or follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Outerbelt Brewing Co. – Carroll, Ohio, USA – Preview

Outerbelt Brewing Co. – Carroll, Ohio, USA – Preview

by | Jan 16, 2019 | brewery, carroll, columbus, ohio, outerbelt, sideswipe, usa

It’s not yet open to the public, but Outerbelt Brewing Co (Carroll, Ohio, USA) is already distributing to local bars and restaurants in the greater Columbus area. I had the pleasure of previewing the brewery and taproom while still under construction. The public opening is fast approaching in the April 2019 time frame, and it will be worth the short drive from Columbus.

Brewers Dan Griffin and Dom Kirchgessner

 

Head brewer/minority owner Dan Griffin and brewer Dominic Kirchgessner showed me around on a recent afternoon and allowed me to taste some of their creations. Dan has been brewing professionally for several years, most recently at Gordon Biersch Columbus. Dom honed his brewing skills at Columbus’ Sideswipe Brewing Co, where I visit frequently. The connection to Sideswipe led me to check out Outerbelt.

The building is massive and 12,000 sq ft will go to the brewery, housing a 6,000 sq ft taproom, a 30 bbl brew house, special event space and a large 3+ seasons covered patio. The plan is for the bar to be full-service, and guests can dine on offerings from a variety of food trucks. It will be a fun, new brewery option in Fairfield County, which is quickly becoming a major craft beer destination.

Looking toward the future brew house
When that road opens, it will lead to a bar (event space is framed in, upper right)

 

This old warehouse isn’t much to look at yet, but we’ll see a transformation in a couple months

I was impressed by the beers that Dan and Dom are already brewing on their pilot 3.5 bbl system. There’s a very solid Outerbelt IPA; a hibiscus IPA called Hillbilly Knife Fight, which is a collaboration with Sideswipe; Cloverleaf, a dry Irish stout; and my favorite: Morning Commute, a brown ale brewed with local coffee.

Tasting my Morning Commute coffee brown ale from the temporary kegerator

 

Kegging Hillbilly Knife Fight Hibiscus IPA for local distribution from the pilot system fermenters

I’ll have additional details and photos to share about Outerbelt after their grand opening. There’s more to learn about the brewery’s backstory and the great things that Dan and Dom will be brewing up soon.

Find the Beer

Do you want to know where to find Outerbelt Brewing Co beers? Check out the brewery’s listing on Untappd. Better yet, download the Untappd app to your smartphone and discover more beers and breweries. Imagine my delight at finding Morning Commute on tap at my local neighborhood pub just a few days after visiting the brewery.