Yards Brewing Company shared beer’s revolutionary roots last Friday night by introducing Ales of the Revolution to guests at a memorable historic beer dinner in colonial Alexandria, lending a festive glow to a cold January night. Hosted by the renowned eighteenth-century colonial inn - Gadsby's Tavern Museum - the four-course dinner and pre-dinner tasting was resonant with memories of struggling new generations of Americans that beer has soothed and restored. Departing after midnight, I could almost hear the muffled sounds of hoofbeats breaking the silence of Old Town’s empty streets during a…

A growler originally meant a bucket that dad used to tote beer home from the saloon in an age when six-packs weren’t available. Today, a growler is a glass jug used for the same purpose. They come in 64-ounce and 32-ounce sizes, and in different shapes: the simple hillbilly jug versus the fancier swing-top bottle. All are ecologically friendly – they can be used indefinitely as long as you don’t drop them - and are a great way to enjoy draft beer in the comfort of your home. Virginia is a very friendly state for growler sales. Brewpubs, breweries, bars and even grocery stores can sell them …

When the clock strikes twelve on Dec. 31, people all over Arlington will cheer and wish each other a very Happy New Year. For many, the New Year symbolizes the beginning of a better tomorrow. So, if you look forward to a good year ahead, spread some happiness with a bottle of Infinium, a Boston Beer Co. specialty brew that wanders into champagne territory past the normal expectations of what you’d get from a beer. According to iconic Boston Beer founder Jim Koch, Infinium, "has some of the dryness, the freshness, the crispness, the effervescence and acidity of champagne, but the texture and …

Rustico calls its annual holiday beer bash Festivus after a made-up holiday from the TV show Seinfeld. However, Greg Engert, beer director for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (which includes both Rustico locations), draws his inspiration from a more traditional Christmas celebration. “The 24 brews represent an Advent calendar of sorts, with each ‘day’ promising something more elusive and exciting than the ‘day’ before!” Engert explains. Twelve holiday beers will be featured on Monday evening, December 19 at the Rustico in Ballston. A totally different lineup of a dozen seasonal brews (along…

Is there a city with a richer Scottish heritage than Alexandria? See for yourself this Saturday, when more than 100 clans and pipe-and-drum bands and their canine companions march through Old Town along with Scottish dancers, reenactment groups and, of course, Santa Claus. This show of Scottish pride would hardly be complete without a tasting of Scottish ales and a wee glass or two of single-malt whisky. You can quench your thirst at The Taste of Scotland, taking place this evening, as part of the Scottish Walk Christmas Weekend. "Scotland bonds of kinship and friendship with the USA are deep…

It is a perfect place for someone with caviar taste on a Cheez-Whiz budget. But the real difference between the new Clarendon Trader Joe’s (TJ’s) beer selection and the other stores in the area is that you will find a basic spectrum of the major beer styles brewed under corporate pseudo names by several well-known craft breweries. They are craft beers exclusive to TJ’s. For instance they offer Fat Weasel Ale from River Treat Brewing Co. in Ukiah, Ca. The location is a clue to the real identity of the brewer. Mendocino Brewing Company is the only brewing company in that neck of the woods large…

Very soon we’ll find out what Ali Berry did at summer camp this year. A couple months ago we reported that Ali, the wife Mike Berry (beer manager for Fire Works Pizza in Arlington’s Court House neighborhood), was one of 20 happy campers chosen by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. to create a unique brew at their multiple-times-a-month Beer Camp. Sierra Nevada regularly invites distributors, retailers and other beer professionals to fly to Chico, California and crank out a new beer, but once a year they hold a contest to tap a few lucky homebrewer for the honor. Ali won her spot by submitting a video …

It stretched on from 7 p.m. until after 11, much more than your average beer dinner. Thunder Burger, an upscale burger restaurant in Georgetown, had been planning this feast almost since the SAVOR festival last June. The meal offered nine courses with nine accompanying beers from a pair of Sams: the Sam Adams folk from Boston Beer Co. and Sam Calagione’s Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, Del. Most guests probably didn’t get to bed on time and woke up a little worse for the wear the next morning. But events like these are an excellent opportunity to preview up-and-coming releases that are …

Throughout history brewing has always afforded women a measurable degree of independence. It wasn’t until the 1700s that women began drinking and producing less beer with the onset of the Industrial Revolution that transferred brewing from the home to the factory, while men claimed the tavern as their own. Though the beer industry is still male-dominated, much has changed. Brewster Kristi Mathews Griner was recently hired by Vintage 50 of Leesburg, Va. and is proud to be the only professionally active female brewer that she knows of in the state of Virginia. Since leaving her four-year post …

“This is one of the best-run festivals in the country,” boasts Greg Engert, Beer Director for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. He’s talking about the 2011 Rustico Oktobeerfest, which will take place from noon to 5 p.m. this Saturday outside the Alexandria Rustico. “We are all staff, and have a passion for what we are doing,” he continues. “Our goals are to educate the patrons about the beers that are available so that they can feel comfortable purchasing these products later.” The Rustico brew crew is out to outdo all other parties in the past in terms of both keg count and variety, with …

While Germany's Oktoberfest lasts just 17 days: America's tends to stretch from mid-September through the end of October. This Saturday, bust out your lederhosen and dirndls once more and head to the Village at Shirlington for the twelfth annual Capitol City Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest. Capitol City Brewing Company (2700 S. Quincy St., Arlington, Va.) organizers expect 850 guests from noon-7 p.m., with taps shutting off at 6 p.m. The $25 admission includes a souvenir mug and tickets for 10 beers, (4-oz. pours). If you’re still thirsty, you can pay $5 for a book of five more tickets. “Each beer …

Beer dinners, cask nights, tap takeovers and even branded festivals with great live music have quickly become familiar events in the greater Northern Virginia area. However, this weekend brings an event with a uniquely out-of-the-ordinary twist on top-shelf suds and culinary pairing philosophies. This Saturday’s Food Truck Beer Dinner at Das Bullpen Biergarten near Nationals Park is the brainchild of Brad Phillips, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s D.C. and Northern Virginia brand manager. But the truck doesn’t just stop there. Phillips invited Dogfish Head Brewery on board and together they paired…

There’s a dirty little secret about pumpkin. Simply, pumpkin doesn’t have that much flavor! What makes pumpkin beer such a popular autumn seasonal is the volume of spices brewers use. Cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice are the most common, but some brewers toss ginger and other condiments into the mix. To make their beers stand out from the pack, they’re trying new combinations of flavor. Shock Top Brewing (a pseudonym for Anheuser-Busch) has put out a Pumpkin Wheat this season that’s worth trying. On first sip it seems full-bodied with a nice malt sweetness to balance the spices. (Too …

This is the official launch weekend of the Munich Oktoberfest, and the DC suburbs are shaping up to look like Munich on the Potomac again this season, with fall festivals and store shelves stocked with Oktoberfest-style lagers and pumpkin ales. Kick off the harvest season at Mad Fox Brewing Co. in Falls Church, our favorite brewpub (just one Orange Line stop away), on Sept. 24, with a celebration that includes uber-quality Germanic food specials, delicious house-brewed libations and a killer cover band. “We’ll be tapping our very own Oktoberfest lager - a traditional German style,” said owner…

No stranger to change, the Clarendon neighborhood is braced for yet another round of evolution as The American Tap Room opened its third Virginia location Tuesday night to a packed house at 3101 Wilson Blvd., replacing Sette Bello Italian restaurant. Thompson Hospitality president and chairman Warren Thompson was on hand to welcome guests to his shiny new family-owned, beer-centric gastropub and restaurant, rumored to have cost $3 million. "We offer chef-driven fare at a good value, a great line up of over 100 beers, an extensive wine list, and an incredible selection of unique martinis. No …

“Do you have Fat Tire?” For 20 years, Virginians have been asking that burning question. And now bartenders can answer with an ice-cold pour of the well-balanced, immensely drinkable Belgian-style amber ale, the flagship brand of the New Belgium Brewing Co. in Fort Collins, CO. New Belgium Brewing Co. officially entered Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia Aug. 22. "We couldn't be more excited about these new territories," said Bryan Simpson, Media Relations Director for New Belgium. "Many New Belgium co-workers are from the East Coast, including our CEO and founder Kim Jordan who …

Sunday is the kickoff for DC Beer Week 2011 (Aug. 14-21), jumpstarting a week of tastings, dinners, tap takeovers and other beer events in The District, with the excitement spilling across the Potomac into Northern Virginia. The week of beer happenings begins with a yacht cruise down the Potomac this Sunday. Boarding the Odyssey at the Southwest Waterfront will be 24 craft brewers (at press time), including New Belgium and Elysian Brewing Companies, who are just entering the area. Click here for an up-to-date lineup. Tickets - $85 for general admission, $200 for VIP admission - will entitle …

“Believe me, I know first hand the challenges people face when turning a passion into a viable small business from my days as a homebrewer trying to start a business in my kitchen with only two people,” said Jim Koch, founder and owner of Boston Beer Co. in a telephone interview this week. With a firm grip on nearly 1% of the U.S. craft beer market, Koch competes with giants in the industry every day.  Despite the success of Samuel Adams beers, he still likes to keep close to his entrepreneurial roots, and has set up a unique program to assist craft brewers nationwide. “Essentially we …

Congratulations to Greg Engert, beer director for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (including both Rustico locations). Food & Wine magazine honored him as one of the top seven sommeliers of 2010 “for bringing the same seriousness to beer that other sommeliers bring to wine.” Wine Enthusiast magazine placed Birch & Barley (1337 14th Street NW, DC) among “America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants of 2011” in its August 2011 issue, noting Engert’s expansive selection and expertise in pairing beer and food. The area craft beer community is quite familiar with his “flavor-first,” easy-to-navigate menu …

Food lovers agree that some of the finest food in Europe is served in the homes and restaurants of Belgium. The major influences on Belgian food came from the French, but you can also taste elements that came along during the years when Belgium was ruled by the Spanish and the Austrians. Belgium’s beer is even more famous than its food. During the Revolution of 1830, the Flemish emancipated themselves from the Netherlands, an event we celebrate as Belgian Independence Day (or Feestdag, which means Party Day) on July 21. Many a toast was raised Thursday night in Northern Virginia and …