Smoke & Barrel, the new craft beer and barbecue joint inside the former top floor of Asylum, officially opens Tuesday night, Sept. 27, in Adams Morgan.  The blog DC Beer has a run-down of the venue’s opening beer list, as well as a Q&A with the joint’s “tavernkeeper,” Matt Heffernan, formerly of Rustico, touching on his search for the right chef, among other things. To better illustrate how he made the right hire, Heffernan offers up an excerpt of successful new pit master Vinny Waide‘s eloquently written initial email pitch for the gig:

Beer and barbecue are the quintessential American knockout punch. Nothing short of the Statue of Liberty eating a red, white, and blue apple pie while tap dancing to “God Bless America” is more American than beer and barbecue. Craft beers offer many great options when pairing with barbecue. Hoppy, floral ales offer a nice bitter and crisp finish to cleanse the palate after the mouth coating stickiness of good ‘cue. Nutty, malty bocks complement the sweet smokiness of glazed spareribs, and citrusy wheat beers offer nice acidity to cut through fatty brisket and sausage.

Photo by Chris Shott