Last year local beer enthusiasts enjoyed the first official D.C. Beer Week, organized by Teddy Folkman of Granville Moore’s fame and a host of other local beer industry insiders. The hangover-inspiring sequel is planned to run from Friday, August 20, to Saturday, August 28 this year, and the week is shaping up nicely.
In addition to the usual happy hours, brewer meet and greets, and pairing dinners, this year’s line-up includes a beer cruise on the Potomac, a craft beer night at Nationals Park, and events that pair beer with everything from pies to brisket to indie rock. The schedule is heavy on mid-week events and H Street corridor venues, likely because those bar owners are within arm’s reach of the week’s main organizers, but it is not likely to stay that way as other craft beer championing bars and restaurants across the city firm up their plans.
For those of you dying for a sneak preview, below is a tentative list of events so far. The line-up is nowhere near complete, but this little tease should be enough to get your saliva going and your glass-grasping hand ready. For updates and further details, you can keep checking back here on Y&H, add our D.C. Beer Events Calendar to your arsenal of Google gadgets, or visit D.C. Beer Week’s Facebook page. (Just don’t mind the messed up dates. No one said the organizers were math geniuses…)
Friday, Aug 20
- D.C. Beer Week Kickoff: DC Nerd Nite and Rock & Barley Concert at Rock & Roll Hotel
Sunday, Aug 22
- Craft Beer Cruise on the Cherry Blossom
Monday, Aug 23
- Oliver Ales Cask Night at The Big Hunt
- Belgian vs. American Beer Dinner at Granville Moore’s
Tuesday, Aug 24
- Brisket & Brews with He’Brew Ales at Star and Shamrock
- Butternut Pints for Putts at H Street Country Club
- Racer 5 IPA & Dangerously Delicious Pies at Justin’s Cafe
- Vintage Chimay Tasting at Belga Café
- 21st Amendment Brewing at 18th Amendment
Wednesday, Aug 25
- D.C. Beer Week Night at Nationals Park
- Heavy Seas Cask Night at ChurchKey
- Troegs Night at the Red and the Black
- Speakeasy DC/(Flying Dog) Bitch vs. (Stone Arrogant) Bastard at The Big Hunt
- Great Lakes Beer and BBQ at Capitol Lounge
- Meet the Brewer Night at District Chophouse
- Sierra Nevada Dinner at Thunder Burger
Thursday, Aug 26
- Heavy Seas Cask Night at Thunder Burger
- Schmaltz Brewing at the Pour House
- Beer vs Beer Braugust Celebration at Breadsoda
Friday, Aug 27 & Saturday, Aug 28
- Michigan Beer Bash at The Big Hunt