Notable Releases - DC/NOVA/MD

Greater Pumpkin gets NoVA distro.

 

Those are ridiculous bar prices. In a good way.

 

Glad you asked 'cause there's very many reasons, the most important being lack of physical space. Both floors of our building total less than 1700 sq. ft. and we had to make choices dictated by economics (including how little money I had with which to build everything from scratch into a '20's era rowhouse (many limitations there)).
We managed to cram in two full bars, 3 small bathrooms, a small dance floor & DJ booth, and a small private room for reservations, which left no place for a keg cooler (those are big). Both bars are long because that's necessary for good service. The 3 bathrooms are required, and the dance floor and reservation room maximize revenue.
We're so tightly packed that even the space beneath the bars is used entirely for storage, so finding ways to maintain around 130 beers in our coolers is a weekly challenge.
Hope that all makes sense. It took 18 months to complete build-out in '08-'09 as we faced some pretty difficult challenges (especially structurally (and of course financially)), the solutions we came up with were pretty creative so lemme know if you're interested in checking them out firsthand.

 

you just made my day, thanks so much.
price-gouging makes enemies...

 

Untappd is actually my very first line of defense when seeking out new beers. Last year, I looked everywhere for Stone's Xocoveza and couldn't find anything within 5 mile radius until one of the last days where I snagged some from Brookland Pint's very last keg.

Ever since then, I check in all my beers at the location I've found them (Whole Foods, The Brew Shop, TW, etc) just in case anyone else is looking. Already been trolling around for Hardywood's Trickery and GBS hoping to find it in DC. So, super useful if you ask me.

 

Aaaand on that note, anyone know if Hardywood Trickery or Cassowary will make it to DMV? I can't go to the release today but am dying to find it. Don't remember if they distribute the bottles (certainly not as widely as GBS variants) or if it's a brewery-only release? Any ideas?

 

There is a Trickery thread in the South Atlantic forum where people are speculating about distribution, but a very small number of bottles did make their way up here last year. I found a couple at Wegmans.

 

Would anyone happen to know if SingleCut bottles are still around in DC?

 

I think there were some at Connecticut Avenue in the last day or two.

 

I saw Bon Bon at Craft Beer Cellar last night. They also had BOMB, Birthday BOMB, and Apple Brandy Noir.

 

Just picked up Bon Bon 2X TNT from Conn Ave, still plenty left.

 

Fwiw, I wasn't a huge fan of the Bon Bon. It had an incredible tropical fruit smell, but that was seemingly a product of intense dry-hopping, as it did not carry forward into the flavor at all. Flavor was intensely bitter and a little too malty for my taste. I much-preferred the Billy Full Stack I had on tap yesterday at Smoke & Barrel. Similar great aroma with much better balance in the flavor.

 

What's the date on the bottle? I find that SingleCut stuff does fall off pretty quickly flavor wise. I've had just about every IPA they make though, and I do agree with you - Billy Full Stack is much better. Mo Shuggie and Softly Spoken Magic Spells are my favorites.

 

Bottles at Conn Ave are 10/19/16.

 

I went to Craft Beer Cellar once on Saturday and again on Saturday to pick up AB Noir (limit 1pp). I can't believe this was still sitting on shelves - does no one go to Craft Beer Cellar? Even with the Trickery release was Sat morning I'm still surprised.

 

Was at Max's and saw that we've got a new brewery coming to Maryland tomorrow. Two Brothers Brewing and their GABF Gold Medal winning Domaine DuPage. Excited to try some new stuff!

 

Any Backwoods sightings in MD yet?

 

They made Three Brothers change their name. I'm boycotting.

 

Was at PP this evening. Still none there.

 

Ha, then you obviously have no idea how trademark law works. Trademark law is weird. If a trademark holder doesn't challenge another identical or similarly branded competitor in the same industry, the original trademark holder puts themselves at risk of losing their trademark. So if Two Brothers hadn't pushed Three Brothers to change their name, they might've lost the trademark they had on their name. Never begrudge breweries for doing this, as the law all but requires them to do it.