Weeping Radish Eco Farm and Brewey at DC's Brickskeller

There will be an "Oktoberfest" tasting at Washington D.C.'s The Brickskeller on September 22nd and 23rd (6PM) featuring Weeping Radish Eco Farm and Brewery.

There's a lot of words explaining a lot of things in the email about this but we'll condense: its an eco friendly farm, butcher, etc. the vogue thing now, no harm of course. Farm is out of North Carolina, owner is an interesting speaker if you're interested in attending the event, and makes some good German style beers.

Washington D.C. Beer Week

OK so its not Baltimore but its relatively nearby and worth checking out given D.C.'s excellent selection of beer bars and overall quality of events offered.

See here.

I'm hoping to sneak down today for that Abita crawfish boil or hopefully some of the Wednesday/Thursday stuff. You?

Update: Crawfish boil sold out, so er, nevermind that one.

Items

-- The latest Mid-Atlantic Brewing News is out!

-- This is a great tool. Social media Dogfish Head beer finder, customizable by state. The initial Maryland map looks bleak but click around, a ton of places suddenly appear.

-- McCormick & Schmick's at Pier 5 in the Inner Harbor has upped their "Magic Mondays" from 530-930 PM they're offering $3 Magic Hat beers and a new item, a $30/dozen blue crab feast.

-- DC beer's latest "happy hour" profiles "Bread & Brew" in DuPont Circle. I actually passed by this recently, was curious whats inside. Looks like a good hangout!

-- DC Beer Week's schedule of events is up, and its impressive.

Sunday, August 16
• DC Beer Week “Unity Jam” at the Rock & Roll Hotel
Rock & Roll Hotel
1353 H St NE
2 pm- 8 pm
The first annual DC Beer Week will kick-off in style celebrating two life’s greatest pleasures- music and beer! This indoor day-long event will emphasize the diversity of the DC music scene with bands displaying musical flavors such as Reggae, Dub, Funk, Folk, Rock, Blues, and Metal.
The confirmed line-up will be-
See-I
The Blackjacks
Laura Tsagaris Band
The Jeff Wells Band

There will also be a limited amount of fist come/ first serve “VIP” beer tasting tickets available for $20. Tasting tickets will consist of 10 -4 oz. pours of hard-to-find Craft Beers.
http://www.rackandrollhoteldc.com

• Unity Jam After Party at the Pug
The Pug
1234 H St NE
8:30 pm
The Pug has gained a reputation as a place “where the locals go”. Always playing great tunes on their sound system, free cheese puffs, fooseball, and an extensive selection of craft beers in cans- The Pug is sure to be a good time. Proprietor Tony T. and crew open their arms to the good beer-drinking loyalists of Washington, DC.

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Monday, August 17
• Allagash Beer Dinner with Rob Tod at Granville Moore’s
Granville Moore’s
1238 H St NE
7 pm
Come meet-and-greet with Rob Tod, President and Brewmaster of Allagash Brewing Co. at Granville Moore’s. A so-called “Gastropub with a Belgian Fetish” Granville’s Chef Teddy Folkman will be preparing 5 courses paired with 6 great beers from Allagash Brewing Co.
http://www.granvillemoores.com

• “Sausage, Cheese, and Beerliciousness” at the Big Hunt
The Big Hunt
1345 Connecticut Ave NW
Dupont Circle
7 pm
Come experience regional breweries paired with their regional cheeses and sausages. Big Hunt Beer Director Dave Coleman will be offering great beers on-tap from such world class breweries as Allagash, Bells, Brooklyn, Dogfish Head, Troegs, and Victory. Brewery representatives will be on-hand to discuss the beers and share great stories of the Craft Brewing movement.
http://www.thebighunt.net

• Dogfish Head Happy Hour at Brasserie Beck
Brasserie Beck
1101 K St NW
5-7 pm
Come to one of DC finest restaurants to sample a selection of great beers from Delaware’s world-renowned Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. Dogfish Head brand rep Devin Arloski will be on hand with glassware and other goodies.
http://www.beckdc.com

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Tuesday, August 18
• Rogue Oregon Oyster and Ale Festival at the Reef
The Reef
2446 18th St NW
Adams Morgan
5 pm-10 pm
Come chill and relax at the Reef and experience a taste of Oregon. Fresh, Yequina Bay Oysters from Newport, OR will be flown-in for this special event. The Reef’s Chef Connor will be preparing other delicious dishes paired with the complex, tasty beers from Newport’s Rogue Ales.
http://www.thereefdc.com

• Brooklyn Brewery Beer and Cheese Tasting with Cowgirl Creamery at Café Saint-Ex
Café Saint-Ex
1847 14th St NW
U St Corridor
7 pm
Come join in on the fun and experience the ultimate pairing to great cheese- craft beer. The folks from NY’s Brooklyn Brewery will be teaming up with one of city’s finest fromaggiers- Cowgirl Creamery- to present a vast array of flavorful beers and individualistic cheeses.
http://www.saint-ex.com

• Abita Beer Crawfish Boil at the Argonaut
The Argonaut
1433 H St NE
6 pm
Come experience a true Southern tradition- a crawfish boil. Abita Brewing Co. is the south’s most established craft brewery and a drink synonymous with the city of New Orleans. Chef Matthew Anderson of the Argonaut is known for his coastal cuisine and will be unleashing this customary communal dining experience for lucky attendees.
http://www.argonaut.typepad.com

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Wednesday, August 19
• “Hitting the Cycle” at Restaurant Marvin
Restaurant Marvin
2007 14th St NW
U St Corridor
6 pm
Join the folks at Restaurant Marvin as Beer Director Chris Surrusco will assemble an opportunity to “Hit the Cycle” of Belgian and Belgian-Style beers. Taste “Single”, “Double”, “Triple” and “Quadrupel” beers paired with delicious cuisine from Marvin’s Chef James Claudio. Attendees will have an opportunity to win two tickets to the Friday, Aug 21 Nationals vs. Brewers game.
http://www.marvindc.com

• “Belgian Beer Invades the Capitol”
Capitol Lounge
231 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Capitol Hill
5 pm
Mr. Belgium comes to Washington and he brought with him some potent, complex beers from the Mecca of brewing culture- Belgium. Come and join in on the action at one of Capitol Hill’s legendary taverns.
http://www.capitolloungedc.com

• Coney Island Freak Show at Palace Of Wonders
Palace of Wonders
1210 H St NE
9 pm
There’s always a freak show going on at the Palace of Wonders. Join founders Jeremy and Matt from Shmaltz Brewing Co. as they present there delicious beers- Coney Island Lagers and Hebrew Ales. Rumored is a surprise performance by an authentic Coney Island Freak Show legend.
http://www.palaceofwonders.com

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Thursday, August 20
• “Brew at the Zoo” at the Smithsonian National Zoo
Smithsonian National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Ave NW
Woodley Park
6- 9 pm
Raise your glass to conservation and join FONZ Young Professionals at the fifth annual Brew at the Zoo. Attendees will have an opportunity to sample beer from more than 35 micro and regional breweries. This annual event presents a great atmosphere to sample great beer all for a good cause.
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ActivitiesAndEvents/Celebrations/Brew/default.cfm

• DC Beer Week “BATZ” After-Party at Club Asylum
Club Asylum Downstairs Lounge
2471 18th St NW
Adams Morgan
9:30 pm
Come join brewers, beer lovers, and some of DC liveliest nightlife at the legendary Rock & Roll lounge- Club Asylum.
http://www.asylumdc.com

• Troegs Pint Night at the Red & the Black
The Red & The Black
1212 H St NE
7 pm
Come join Pete from Troegs Brewing Co of Harrisburg, PA and taste their award-winning beers. Authentic Troegs pint glasses will be given away throughout the duration of the evening.
http://www.redandblackbar.com

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Friday, August 21
• Washington Nationals “DC Beer Week Brewers Game”
Nationals Park
1500 South Capitol St SE
7:05 pm
Come kick-off the end of DC Beer week with America’s National pastime- Baseball. DC Beer Week attendees will receive 25% off tickets in selected areas of the ballpark. Suitably the Washington Nationals will be taking on the Milwaukee Brewers.
When visiting the Nationals website enter the promo code “Beer” to receive the discount.
http://www.nationals.com

Events

--- "Waynestock", celebrating Mahaffey's owner Wayne Mahaffey, goes off Saturday September 19th. More details when we get them.

--- Max's will host a one day Ciderfest this Tuesday July 28th at 6 PM. See the YFGF lnk for whats available. I missed last week's Christmas in July which per reports was a great success.

--- Reminder, Baltimore Beer Week will be from October 8th-18th. See website, twitter account for more info but the basics:

Opening tap event aboard the USS Constellation (cool!), Maryland Oktoberfest and The Chesapeake Real Ale Festival.

--- The Bowie Baysox have been hosting several beer dinner events this season. Their 4th such event will be on Thursday August 13th from 6-9 PM. It will be called "OctoBEERfest", sponsored by Spaten. For $41 ($27 without beverages) you get access for two hours to an all you can eat buffet, a three-hours all you can drink event, a ticket to the game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and free parking "from the ease and comfort of a luxury suite".

The dinner will include salad, assorted hors d'oeuvres, german style sausage and apple bake, grilled pork loin with mushroom bier sauce, cheese pasta with spinach and nutmeg, braised cabbage, roasted summer vegetables, and german chocolate brownies and strawberries.

On tap will be draft Spaten Oktoberfest, Spaten Munich Dunkel, Spaten Optimator, Franziskaner Dunkel Weiss and Spaten Lager.

Tickets must be purchased by 3 PM on August 11th.

Also, their fourth and final beer event will be on September third, more details as they arrive.

--- The next available tours at Clipper City will be at 1 and 230 PM on August 8th, 15th and 22nd, reservations recommended.

--- The excellent SoYeahDood has pieced together a Baltimore based homebrew club of sorts, looks kind of cool, its called "Baltibrew". Their next meetup is at 630 PM on

--- Looney's North is running its annual "kiss-a-pig" competition, purchase a pig for $1 which goes to support youth development programs with the Boys & Girls Clubs in Harford County. Pigs can be purchased now through August 20th, where the kissing occurs during the Ironbirds' game at Ripken Stadium.

--- Looks like we missed Belgian Independence Day last week. Bummer, a nod in the direction of the Belgian people and particularly their master brewers that keep us beer nerds inspired.

--- The Society for the Preservation of Beer from Wood (SPBW) is having its annual bus trip on Saturday August 8th. They'll leave the Timonium Fairgrounds park-n-ride at 930 AM before heading to Stoudts, Victory and Sly Fox. Price is $30 for the ride on the luxury coach with a small buffet on the last leg at Sly Fox. Open to all.

They'll also host a crab feast at Goddard Space Flight Center Rec Center on Saturday September 19th. It includes all you can eat steamed crabs, BBQ chicken, pulled pork, burgers, dogs, coleslaw, desserts, cask ale, sodas, water, with games for adults and kids. Price is $35 for adults, $10 for 7-13 year old kids, free for those six and under. Bring homebrewed beer (they'll take care of the ice), a mallet or crab picking knife and yourself. Advance tickets only. See the website for specifics and important ticket and arrival info.

--- There will be a five-day inaugural "DC Beer Week" starting August 16th through the 20th involving more than a dozen breweries and 25 restaurants.

Items

--- The Judges Bench in downtown Ellicott City earned mention in Sunday's Howard section of the Baltimore Sun. It was mostly about owner Mike Johnson (pictured in the article) and his encyclopedic knowledge of beer and brewing.

It happens to be one of my regular stops and I swung in there yesterday to give congrats to Mike and staff. In my view its the second best beer bar in Howard County, behind Frisco Grille and certainly one of the best in Maryland with its 17 consistently rotating and versatile taps and excellent, underrated bottle fridge.

--- Everyone loves Brewer's Art Ozzy, even those all the way across the country.

--- Clipper City has now released its "Hang Ten" weizen dopplebock, a hefty 10% ABV unique brew.

--- Be sure to check out Just Beer News, a growing compendium of beer items and news releases.

--- Also, check out Pizza Blogger, who appreciates good brews as well as great pizza. Great site.

--- The great HowChow reports the opening of a place called Dog House Pub & Grill in Columbia, apparently similar to the Pub Dog near Frisco Grille also in Columbia. I'm curious the beer situation there, as a reader emailed of $3 pints for beers like Flying Dog and Dogfish Head. Hopefully a website arrives for them soon.

Cool new blog find, "Drinking the Chesapeake" from a Fordham brewer (as seen at Beer Activist)

--- The Brewing News has updated its calendar feature, its more customizable now.

--- New Atlanta-based but hopefully nationally and globally inspired beer mag, The Beer Connoisseur.

--- Any reports from the new 13.5% winbar as far as beer goes? Pizza Blogger says they've got eight beers on tap and dozens of bottles. Sounds a bit like the excellent, underrated Grand Cru in Belvedere Square.

--- Great writeup of D.C. beer stops from the Washingtonian. I've been to Birreria Paradiso, District Chophouse, Granville Moore's, RFD and Rustico. Thoughts on them at a later point, but email if you're curious in the meantime.

--- DC Beer says there will be a new and improved Pizzeria Paradiso opening August 17th in DuPont. Look for 12 drafts, over 150 bottles. Woohoo!

--- Relentless Thirst spoke with Patrick Rue, CEO of California's The Bruery, which is working to get some placement in Virginia (Maryland next? Pretty, pretty please?). They make excellent, unusual Belgian inspired beers.

Brickskeller Items

Down there in D.C. ...

Flying Dog/Wild Goose Tuesday May 26th, format to be announced but they'll have the brewer on-stage presenting a selection from both brands.

Stoudts (w/Carol Stoudt) Thursday May 28th, tasting offered at a "very special" price and with news about new areas the brewery is entering.

In honor of all thats going on and only while SAVOR etc. is going on, the Brick will be offering "a rare beer list of sample portions of some of our rarest and scarcest beers. 21 year old Thomas Hardy Ale is just a hint of the samplings".

Lupulin Reunulin Friday May 29th at RFD back room (!!!!!!!) Tomme Arthur (Port/Lost Abbey), Vinnie Vilurzo (Russian River), Adam Avery (Avery), Rob Tod (Allagash), Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head).

"Every year this tasting lineup is the most astonishing and highest quality selection of beers presented in the city" Tickets go on sale online this week and will sell out.

Stone Brewing Monday June 1 at Brickskeller with Greg Koch.

Doors open at 6 PM, events sometime around 7 PM.

RFD's First Annual Charity for Children

At RFD in D.C. they'll have a charity event on May 2nd.

Starts at 4 PM, $40 ticket gets you food, drink and live music in the Courtyard and Backroom Bar. The flier I have in front of me says "bottomless cups of Flying Dog and Miller Lite". Wizard cheerleaders, door prizes, raffles, giveaways, t-shirt. All proceeds go to Children's National Medical Center.

Tickets

Flying Dog D.C. Tweetup

Flying Dog is having a "Tweetup" in D.C.'s Luna Grill and Diner on May 27th at 6 PM. All Tweetup attendees get one complimentary Flying Dog beer and can be registered to win some swag. They'll also have free Flying Dog pint glasses for the first 50 people through the door.

Bell's Oberon to ... D.C.

For whatever reason, Michigan-based Bell's beer isn't in Maryland. So if you'd like to enjoy it, head to Washington D.C., particularly starting March 30th when the Oberon starts pouring.

SAVOR Tickets Now On Sale

I didn't make this last year, probably won't make it this year but it still sounds way cool.

SAVOR is one of the beer community's biggest events and is returning to Washington D.C. It brings together some of the best breweries in one giant room at the National Building Museum as they offer samples of their brews along with gourmet food. It is held around the same time as American craft beer week (I've mangled the title but we'll get it right soon enough) so there will be other events going on at the same time here in Maryland as well as the entire Mid-Atlantic/Chesapeake region.

They also hold various salons but literally everything is sold out but one hosted by Maryland's own Hugh Sisson, head man at Clipper City.

Here's the link to purchase the ticket$$$

Clipper City Picks Up New Distributors

Congratulations to Maryland's own Clipper City for picking up a pair of distributors in Washington D.C. and Virginia.

New Washington, DC distributor. We are very pleased to announce that we are now represented in the nation's capital by Premium Distributors. (202)526-3900

New distribution in Charlottesville, Va. We are also very pleased to announce that our beers are now available in parts of central VA through J W Sieg in Charlottesville. They can be reached at (434)296-5531

Canned Beer is Good Beer

At least when it comes from those handcrafting beer with care. Read one of what will be many articles now and in the future about a major part of the craft beer movement going into the future.

There's actually a place in Washington D.C. called The Red Derby I'm planning on checking out at some point that serves nothing but canned beers.

Washington D.C. Beer Map (created by Baltimore Beer Guy)

Chimay Event At D.C.'s The Brickskeller

Once in a while its worth mentioning something outside of Baltimore/Maryland.

The world famous Brickskeller in Washington D.C. is hosting an event to commemorate Chimay's 25th anniversary in the U.S. Chimay representatives will be there to talk about their great beers, compare the taste differences between the large bottles (Premiere, Cinq Cents, Grand Reserve) and small bottles (Red, White, Blue) as far as bottle refermentation.

They will also be sampling their three hard-to-find Chimay cheeses.

Tickets are $35 and the event will be next Wednesday, September 24. Doors open around 6 and the event should begin around 7 in the upstairs area.

I can't vouch for the Brick, although I enjoyed my brief visit to its sister establishment, RFD Washington.

Be sure to read about Baltimore Beer Guy's recent beer trip to Washington D.C. as well as check out my growing Washington D.C. Beer Google Map for more of what's available nearby.

American Craft Beer Week

It's a big week for brewers and beer fans alike. All this week, from Monday May 12th to Sunday May 18th it's American Craft Beer Week.

American Craft Beer Week (May 12-18), which is celebrated annually, highlights
the industry and culture of craft beer. This year, breweries and beer makers
will also recognize their collective charitable contributions. For the first
time ever, the Brewers Association announced U.S. craft breweries' charitable
contributions, and for 2007 they are estimated to be more than $20 million.

Changed to a weeklong event in 2006, the inaugural American Craft Beer Week
was recognized by the U.S. Congress with House Resolution 753 (PDF file). The week has continued to grow with interest and support from beer enthusiasts and the media. In 2007, more than 150 brewers registered their community celebrations at http://www.americancraftbeerweek.org/.

So, uh, celebrate!

Be sure to get out this week, there's an incredible amount of interesting beer events in the area, and they should be taken advantage of.

All week long at Max's in Fells Point will be their 2nd Annual Craft Beer Fest. They'll have an incredible amount of good beers on tap, and will feature a brewer or style each day of the week. That looks incredible.

In D.C., many of the nation's most prominent brewers will offer their selections and lecture in various salons at the SAVOR "An American Craft Beer & Food Experience" event. Tickets are pricey ($85/day), but it will run from Friday through Sunday. Again, that looks like an incredible event.

With all these great brewers in the area, we're fortunate that some will host a handful of interesting events. Notable:

Tuesday 5/13 and Wednesday 5/14: The Lupulin Reunulin/Kill Dave Tasting featuring five great brewers at D.C.'s The Brickskeller. Pizza Port/Lost Abbey, Russian River, Avery, Allagash, Dogfish Head. Tickets are $35, I believe.

Thursday 5/15: Sierra Nevada Fresh Hop Ale Tasting at the Brickskeller in D.C. They'll present their "Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale", which is much-anticipated.

Thursday 5/15: Stone Brewing Company Pint Night at Axis Bar & Grill in D.C. Stone's a personal favorite of mine, from my old hometown of San Diego. Giveaways, pint glasses, reps, and brews like the Stone IPA, Arrogant Bastard and Smoked Porter (which is delicious).

Friday 5/16: Samuel Adams Beer Dinner at Mie N Yu in D.C.

And, unrelated but important, it's the Preakness on Saturday! Maryland is privileged enough to host the second leg of horseracing's Triple Crown and Kentucky Derby winner (and potential dynamo/Triple Crown winner) Big Brown will be running.

Saturday 5/17: Pints for Pets Brewfest in Hollidaysburg, PA. All proceeds benefit the Central PA Humane Society. Tickets are $25 to $30, and they expect upwards of 50 brewers and distributors to attend.

Saturday 5/17: Brandywine Valley (PA) Craft Brewer's Festival. Tickets are $30, hosted by Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant.

Saturday 5/17: 7th Annual Virginia Beer Festival in Norfolk. Tickets are $25-$30.

Saturday 5/17: 1st Annual Yardley (PA) Beer Fest supporting the Yardley Flood Relief Mitigation Fund. Tickets are limited.

Russian River at SAVOR

Summer of Beer Steve loves Russian River. Can't blame him.

Anyway, he passes along this bit of information from their newsletter:

We are participating in Savor, a food and beer pairing event, in D.C. May 16th & 17th.

More information and tickets available at www.savorcraftbeer.com. Vinnie and/or I will be there pouring Pliny the Elder and Supplication.

Those are two great beers, I suggest you go if you can.