DC/MD/NoVA Beer Updates (2019)

Haha, I'd probably get there all gung-ho on trying the stouts and then decide to get the Schlenkerla.

 

What are everyone's thoughts on Bluejacket cans? I live nearby and finally went over last week and thought Star Power is a pretty solid hazy IPA.

 

I stopped by today and all the ones you listed were still available, just an amazing selection of taps!

Thanks!

 

Too many stouts. Boring.

 

They had plenty of juice bombs, as well as some other good offerings. I don’t remember when they had such a great selection. I drank the stouts because I had already had most of the othe non-stout offerings.

You can look at the picture and figure out what they had:

 

You guys are talking about stouts and juice when there’s harvest life on cask?

 

I’ve gotten 4 or 5 canned beers from them, stouts and IPAs, and they’ve all been real solid. Great artwork too. One of the better values around taking into consideration availability and travel time

 

Who gets Commonwealth in DC/MD? I've seen people getting cans at Craft Beer Cellar, Downtown Crown, and the Frederick area but they've been elusive elsewhere. Any suggestions in NW DC, Silver Spring area, or Columbia area?

 

I don't know how complete this list is but it's a good place to start:

https://www.commonwealthbrewingcompany.com/find-the-wealth/

 

What's the deal with Bluejacket? I never know what to expect with them. The first time I went, I found the listing of how many pounds of hops they used in each beer to be obnoxious* in the sense that I felt like they were trying to market via their hop usage. The beers themselves were by in large disappointing. This was probably two years ago. I went last summer and again over the weekend and it seems like there's been a marked improvement (yet still the insistence on mentioning their hop usage). Anyway, I've enjoyed their hoppy beers when I've gone. Has there been new brewing staff? Why aren't they talked about more in this thread? Is it a location thing?

*RE: hop usage being advertised - I just think that it sets me up for disappointment. It's more about using resources efficiently to get the flavor out of those ingredients. Adding pounds and pounds of hops in the process to get little to no added effect is a waste for me. Those hops could be used for another beer.

 

In NW, Odd Provisions and Glen’s almost always have a selection of Commonwealth.

 

Re: Commonwealth - Glenn's in Dupont always has a good stock of the new releases.

On that note I'd like to shout out to Glenn's beer manager/general department. It has been my go-to for beer lately as its on my walk home from work. The tap list is also really good from time to time. It rotates almost daily so you need to keep up with it on untappd but as of right now they have three different Triple Crossing beers on draft for $6/13oz (I think this is the first they've had TC) and Burley Oak's Jelly, Not Jam, on Tap. You can't get growler fills of those specific ones but from time to time they do offer growler fills on these types of beers for $19 flat, like the growler of RAR Out of Order I got a few months ago for $19 (I think that's below 4-pack price from the brewery).

 

Should see a decent drop of Commonwealth at Odd Provisions tomorrow or Friday (I'll try to update this post when it happens), their stuff comes into the city every 2 weeks.

 

I am glad I went back and tried it! I really enjoyed it!



Cheers!

 

Picked up a can each of those new Commonwealth IIPAs: Greenstone and Experimental

Experiemental is kind of a mess and Greenstone is pretty solid. I don't know why I keep buying these though.

 

Lived in DC for 8 years but moved away about a year and a half ago. Coming back for a trip this weekend. Few questions:

1. Are Churchkey, Meridian Pint/Smoke & Barrel, Pizza P still the places to go for beer on tap? Any other suggestions?
2. Saw Veil is having a pop-up at the Bruery. Any thoughts on how some of the more recent takeovers have gone? Cans/drafts usually go quickly or do they last through the day? I'm not opposed to waiting a bit in line but figured I'd prepare myself either way.
3. Any other suggestions for someone who hasn't been around in a bit?

Thanks in advance!

 

1. Yes
2. I went to the OH pop-up and showed up an hour early. Line was probably 50 deep at that point. They didn't sell out after the initial line went through, and it ended up being pretty long. I guess it will depend on what the limits are like. We get a lot of Veil on tap around here unlike OH, so it probably won't be that big of a shit show.
3. The Sovereign in Georgetown. They have a pretty big selection of 3F and loon bottles.

 

I predict the Veil release to be a semi-shitshow and you'd have to get there early and wait in a line if you want cans.

But I guess it all depends on how many cases they will have available.