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Where in Town: Right Proper Brewing Company, 920 Girard St. NE
Price: $6/16 oz.
The Producers
Two years ago this week, Right Proper Brewing Company opened the doors to its Shaw brewpub. Its arsenal of rustic, mainly low-alcohol beers quickly won over D.C.’s highly discerning beer guzzlers. If this anniversary wasn’t enough reason to celebrate, here’s another: last week’s grand opening of Right Proper’s new production brewery in Brookland. Co-owners Thor Cheston and Nathan Zeender’s 6,300 square-foot space, formerly an auto-repair shop, is already churning out kegs for local bars and restaurants. The adjoining tasting room—decorated with wall-sized murals of animals behaving badly—features 12 taps, a turntable-driven sound system, and the grand oddity of a piano in one of the bathrooms. (Just be sure to wash your hands before hammering out any showtunes!)
Witches’ Brew
Of the opening-night drafts, my favorite is a delicious, dark beauty called Häxan, named for a Danish silent-era movie about witchcraft. Devotees know Häxan has been on Right Proper’s menu for a while. For this version, though, Zeender has reimagined it more in the fashion of a Baltic Porter, upping its alcohol content from 5.5 to 7 percent to make this already flavorful beer “a bit more brooding and robust.” Brewed with Carafa malt and plenty of oats, Häxan is akin to a moderately sweet oatmeal stout. Its mild, nutty aroma gives way to dark chocolate and roast flavors. Rich, creamy, and full-bodied, just a few sips of this brew are enough to cast a spell leaving you wanting more.
Photo by Tammy Tuck