Video Friday at Dumbarton's Beer

Courtesy of the fine folks at the  Washington City Paper. A friendly competition to see which local beer experts know their beer. Read about it here.




This one is just for fun. "All we need is one pin, Rodney."

An Oasis in the Desert

Living along the Northeast Corridor means you are an elitist. Living inside the Beltway makes you an elitist. I live in Washington, DC proper, which means I'm more elitist than just about any other elitist. It also means I'm either a marginally douchey, self-important hipster or a self-important political a**hole, er I mean, policy wonk. The rarest of elitists are both.

Living in Washington, DC requires a healthy disdain for the suburbs. Even though I have young kids and will eventually sell out to live in Bethesdsa, Arlington, or Chevy Chase (ok, not CC - I am a poor elitist). So, I appreciate the irony of relocating to the Crystal City Radisson while renovating the only bathroom in my city rowhouse.

Crystal City is maybe the worst of the suburban landscape. Big, fat Highway 1, named after a leader of the Confederacy, divides what is little more than condominiums, apartments, hotels, and office buildings. Crystal City starts roughly at the Americana Hotel and ends appropriately at a strip mall. The mall includes a Target, Best Buy, Starbucks, IHOP (not iHOP?) and a brewpub called Hops. Wait, a brewpub? Don't worry, it's a chain - a wholly owned subsidiary of Rita Restaurant Corporation. The Crystal City Metro stop in the height of tourist season is a reasonable facsimile for the Gates of Hell. Tourists* stand around in their gaudy t-shirts reminding me that while they are on vacation I'm going to work. Making matters worse is they stand on both sides of the Metro faregates because half don't know where to put the fare cards and the other half are required to block the opposite side as a precaution. Yesterday there was literally a line to get through the faregates - leaving the Metro. If you got into the system chances are the process for getting out is the same. They also stand at the ticket machines (which I freely admit are not particularly user-friendly) trying to determine where they are going, what is the fare, and why is there a rush+. OK, we all ask about the rush+.

Cafe Pizzaiolo in Crystal City, VA

The 500 block of South 23rd Street is the oasis of this desert. There are several nice local establishments along the avenue but I would like to focus on Cafe Pizzaiolo. It's a pizza parlor with gelato and a solid craft beer selection. The Cafe combines locally sourced ingredients with Italian imports to create excellent New York-style pizza. They also offer pasta and pannini but we focused on the pizza. The hummus is made in house and was a big win with the family.Try the chocolate chip gelato for dessert (not desert) and you will not be disappointed.

Nothing against Cafe Pizzaiolo's food but this is a beer blog. The happy hour special was three dollar pints of Yuengling. They offer an array of craft brews and some major labels (Bud, Stella, Corona, etc) as well. Perhaps the best part of this joint is that you can purchase beer to go by the six pack for $11.99. Mix-and-match or six of the same. Needless to say, I had a couple pints of Yuengling and took a six pack to the hotel room.

Here is a quick rundown of what Cafe Pizzaiolo offers:

Magic Hat #9
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA 
Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
New Belgium Fat Tire
Bells Oberon
Bells Two Hearted Ale
Shiner Bock
Star Hill Amber Ale
Yeungling
Founders Red's Rye PA

In summation: the suburbs aren't so terrible after all. Tourists - still awful (just stay to the right).

*Coming from the third poorest city in the country I make it a rule to refrain from harping on tourists. If for no other reason than the the tax revenue they bring to the DMV. Some places would love such trouble. However, every rule requires an exception.

Repeal Day for Congressional Stepchild!

Most people in this great land celebrate Repeal Day on December 5th, the day Utah (yes, the Mormon state) helped the United States ratify the 21st amendment in 1933 thus ending Prohibition for almost everybody. The residents of Washington, DC celebrate Repeal Day on March 2nd. Say whaaaa?

Residents of Washington, DC have, quite literally since it was created, been the red-headed stepchild of Congress. Initially, Washington, DC was completely under federal control. It got better in 1974 but as a resident of the District, I still have a long list of grievances about Congressional meddling in our local affairs. In the past, the US Congress has asserted its will on issues such as abortion, gun control, budgets, and voting rights (Congress really enjoys imposing rules on DC residents that don't pass muster on a national scale). All local laws, including the budget, must be approved by Congress. My favorite is voting rights. The approximately 600,000 residents of Washington, DC do not enjoy basic voting rights. We have no official member of the House of Representatives or the Senate. Yes, Elanor Holmes Norton represents us in the House and we have a Shadow Senator but these positions do not have voting rights on federal legislation. Also, in my head the Shadow Senator does nothing but follow the real Senators around the halls of the Capitol Building.

Getting back to the issue at hand...On November 1, 1917, the Sheppherd Act went into effect "prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and importation of liquor in the District of Columbia." The legislation was repealed on March 1, 1934, some three months after repeal ended for the rest of the country. Not only did DC get Prohibition some 2 years early it lasted a few months longer. Our forefathers stayed thirsty longer than your forefathers.

"Taxation without Representation is Tyranny"
-James Otis, Jr

A Political Update and A New Beginning

Before we get started - it's official. DC Brau is the first commercial brewery operating in our nation's capital in more than 50 years! Find them on FB and on the Interwebs for great pics and updates.

On to the news of the day.  This is a bit of a good news-bad news piece on recent DMV brew-related legislation.

Maryland Poised to Increase Alcohol Tax: There's something about being below the Mason-Dixon line that makes state politicals act funky. OK, it's all politicals in all locales. Anyway, the folks at Heavy Seas have led the charge against a possible increase in alcohol taxes. It looks like this valiant effort is going to fail.

According to the Washington Times, which some people actually read, the tax is ready to pass. Don't worry Marylanders, this is probably the only tax increase you'll face this year. So, our recommendation is that you purchase your alcohol in DC, Virginia, Delaware, or West Virginia, or Pennsylvania. By our guesstimate, this really only screws residents in Baltimore. Everybody else seems to live/work close enough to a state or DC to avoid the tax.


DC Hearing on Allowing Samples Announce: We previously mentioned that inside the District commercial breweries are prohibited from offering samples on site. For half a century this was not a concern to anybody primarily because there hasn't been a commercial brewery actually brewing in the District. Well, now there is (see above) and they need to offer samples on site just like breweries in just about every other locale in the country.

The DC Council has legislation on the table to right this wrong. We'll say it's because of a need for due diligence but Councilmember Graham requested a hearing and his request was granted. The Human Services Committee Hearing will be held on March 31, 2011, at the Wilson Building - Room 412. Again, the bill is here. You can contact Benton Heimsath if you would like to testify. Don't hesitate to contact your Councilmember asking for their support of this bill.

(savor) the Fun More than Once

SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience is playing a double heard this year.  The The Brewers Association announced this year's event will take place over two nights - June 3-4, 2011.  Tickets go on sale to the general public on March 3, 2011.  A special few (probably everybody on the BA E-mail list) can purchase tickets on March 1, 2011. Once again the event will be held at Washington, DC's National Building Museum.

According to the announcement a full 60 percent of breweries at this year's event were not present in 2010.  Of course, we weren't at the 2010 event so it doesn't much matter to us.  See the list of participating breweries here.  If you're more of a foodie you're probably not reading this blog but here you go.

DC Beer Week 2010

After last year's successful inaugural week, the good folks at DC Beer Week are back for a second round.  This year's festivities kick off on August 20, 2010 with DC Nerd Nite and Rock & Barley Concert at the Rock & Roll Hotel.  Of course, there are the standard fare happy hours, brewer meet & greets, and beer dinner pairings through out the week.  They've also added some novel events like the Cherry Blossom Craft Beer Cruise on August 22nd.

We've been having trouble viewing the DC Beer Week Web site, which could be do to our IT incompetence.  Absent the Web site, you can start planning your week by checking out this Washington CityPaper article.  You can also find events information on their Facebook page, twitter feed, or on the DC Beer Events calendar.  So basically you have no excuses for not finding something to do between August 20th and 28th.

Hope everybody inside the Beltway is getting thirsty.

DC Brau: Leading the Renaissance in the Nation's Capital

We Dumbarton's Beer strive to bring you cutting edge news and information from the brewing world.  Today, for the first time ever, we actually deliver.  Brandon Skall, co-founder of DC Brau, agreed to an e-sit down with us and we really didn't have to beg very much.

Mr. Skall took a few minutes from what is surely a busy schedule to share some insights about the brewery he is opening with partner Jeff Hancock in January 2011.

Background

DB:  How did Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock Meet?

BS:  "We met as fans of the local music scene several years ago, when we were both just starting to get into the beverage industry.  After that we went our separate ways.  Jeff moved out west, brewing in Michigan and I stayed here working in beverage sales, distribution, import and marketing.  It wasn't until we were reintroduced at a party that the idea took off."

"Just to add a little more about my background.  I was a fine wine specialist for a local wine distributor for 4 years but most recently I was the Mid Atlantic Regional Manager for a wine and spirits importer based in NYC.  I was responsible for the sales and marketing of my brands in this region as well as designing sales incentives for my wholesalers."

DB:  When did the idea for the brewery come about?

BS:  "I had been contemplating a DC Brewery for quite some time when I re-met Jeff.  I discovered he had the same aspirations and we decided to go for it.  We got to working on a business plan and hired a lawyer and the rest is history."

The Brewery

DB:  Where will the brewery be located?

BS:  "The brewery will be located off of Bladensburg Rd, in NE DC."

DB:  Can you tell us about the brewery system (number of barrels, who designed and manufactured it, etc)?

BS:  "We are ordering a 15 BBL turnkey system from Premier Stainless in San Diego California.  Both Jeff and I were very impressed with the quality of design and construction behind this manufacturer."

The Brew

DB:  When open, will product and merchandise be available for purchase at the brewery?

BS:  "Merchandise yes, in fact we already  have T Shirts for sale on our website.  As for product, not at first.  But we hope to have an on-site and off-site tasting room eventually."

DB:  When will the first of the limited release beers be available?  How will they be named?

BS:  "We will most likely do a limited release sometime next fall.  The goal is to get all three flagships launched in the market before we start any "crazy stuff."  Our seasonal offerings will be named for different neighborhoods throughout the city.  The limited release specialty ales will have no rhyme or reason behind their names...just whatever we come up with at the time, but I assure you they will be fun and witty."

DB:  Do you have a preliminary list of stores, restaurants, and pubs that will carry DC Brau?

BS:  "Yes we do.  I don't want to name them publicly right now but you will be able to find DC Brau across the entire city.  Last summer/fall we collected letters of support from ABRA licensed establishments.  We used these letters in our investor presentations to show the current support for a hometown brewery."

Activism

DB:  We are in the nation's capital and a prominent link on your site is DC Statehood.  Do you expect DC Brau to be active on political and social issues?

BS:  "One thing that makes DC special is that it is the political hub of the nation.  This is the most unique and powerful aspect of DC.  No other city in the country can claim that.  While we don't want to be too political or choose sides, we can't imagine ignoring politics all together.  DC Statehood is one issue we'd like to shed light upon.  We plan on incorporating this into our packaging and our identity.  We are not trying to say something is right or wrong.  We believe this issue is just as much a part of DC as anything.  It is something that everyone who resides here not only identifies with, but is also affected by."

DB:  DC Brau is featuring aluminum cans and will recycle brewery waste.  In what other ways are you hoping the brewery will be "green"?

BS:  "We are hoping to re-capture evaporated water vapor from the kettle boil for initial fermenter rinsing.  We are also giving all of our brewery waste to a local organic practice farm called Burnside Farms located in Haymarket, VA., where they will use the waste for composting and soil conditioning purposes."

Last Thoughts

DB:  What else should we know about you two or about DC Brau?

BS:  "DC Brau will be the first package microbrewery in DC since 1956"

DB:  Want to share any breaking news?

BS:  "Just put down our deposit on our automated canning line."

Here They Come

Living inside the beltway has its perks - focal point of the universe, capital of the free world, 535 out of town guests regularly telling us how to run our local affairs.  For all the positives we have in the nation's capital we are short on microbreweries.  Sure, Foggy Bottom is based in DC but it's brewed in Utica, NY.  Frankly, we're not even sure where you can get Foggy Bottom these days.  The last packaging brewery in the city, Chr. Heurich Brewing Company, closed in 1956.

The Washington Post's All We Can Eat blog tells us that a beer renaissance is brewing.  No less than five breweries are in the various planning stages for the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area (for those keeping score at home it's WDC 3 NVA 2).  Of the five breweries four are scheduled to be brewing by early 2011.  DC Brau expects to be open for business by January 2011.  Chocolate City could be open as early as August.  The Black Squirrel Brewing Company is a couple of years away.  The 28 North Brewhouse will open in Ashburn, VA this autumn.  Finally, Port City Brewery expects to be open by year's end. 

DC Brau has the most information publicly available so we offer a few highlights.  Founders Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock enjoy good music and good beer. (Don't we all?)  More importantly both have experience in brewing and distribution.  According to their Web site, Hancock served an apprenticeship at Franklin's, brewed at Grizzly Peak and Flying Dog. Skall has extensive experience in restaurant management and the beverage industry.  Skall will be the Yin to Hancock's Yang (there's a joke here somewhere).  They plan to feature Corruption Ale (IPA), the Citizen (Belgian pale ale) and the Public Ale.

We are very thirsty for local swill and it appears our thirst is about to be quenched.

(SAVOR) Fast Approaching

We have two very good reasons for not attending the SAVOR event this year.  While it pains us to regularly remind our loyal readers of the event we feel obligated to highlight some of the events leading up to SAVOR.  The nation's capital is making a strong attempt to become a solid beer drinking town and we're supporting that effort.  So, if you're in town for SAVOR or to play tourist here are some fun evens:

June 2, 2010
Anchor Brewing will introduce Humming Ale at the Churchkey in Washington, DC at a special release party prior to SAVOR.  Also available brews from Harpoon, Dogfish, Heavy Seas, Peak Organic and Flying Dog.

June 3, 2010
A Toast to Savor at RFD from 6:30-10:30p.  Samples from 10 breweries - "extremely limited release offerings."  Call RFD at 202.289.2030 for ducats.

Dinner at the Brickskeller Inn with Doug Odell, owner of Odell Brewing Company.  At least eight beers served.  More info here.

As more events are announced we will post them.  Despite the pain it causes us.