DC/MD/NoVA Beer Updates (2023)

Does anyone needs more than a couple?

 

'Need'? Probably not but plenty of people like that have more than 2 beers if visiting a brewery, something wrong with that?

 

You're assuming everyone drives themselves and you're wrong.

 

Yeah!
Some of us bike!

 

Phil Runco was on Head Retention and they talked about his year end review for DC Beer. Thought it was pretty interesting, specifically the "negatives." With the pandemic and beer shipping direct to consumer, a lot of the local breweries have struggled with that. Thought it was an interesting discussion.

 

That was a great read, thanks. Love all the crapping on fruited sours and weird pastry beers. Noticeably absent from the article: Aslin.

 

I wonder if the bigger stores have cut down on craft beer because people are getting their beer somewhere else. I didn't have a problem picking up beer at the Clarendon Whole Foods when I lived in Arlington, but there was a general lack of attention given both to the take away beer as well as the taplist (and COVID made things worse). It seemed they were cutting back near the time I moved away and that was sad. The beer section and the bar were MUCH worse by the time I left than when I had arrived. Luckily, you had specialty shops like The Brew Shop nearby.

The bigger stores may point to sales, but I think it's also kind of a cycle of not giving enough attention to that section and curating and presenting product in a good way leading to consumers looking elsewhere to grab their beer. It's not primarily due to a lack of interest in beer. You also definitely have to push product and devote resources to pushing product more so than back in the day. The culture of selling craft beer has changed.

 

Does it make you feel more secure in your existence to hear an "authority

Does it make you feel more secure in your existence to hear an "authority" crapping on beer you don't like?

 

Was this directed towards me or @Beers-es? I haven't been able to set aside time to read Phil's review because it was long. I don't remember him crapping on Aslin on the podcast.

 

yes

 

If you haven't been, definitely check out two new breweries that get shout-outs in that review: Landmade (if you like Wheatland Spring...), and Lost Generation (have enjoyed both the lagers and IPAs I've had there).

 

I don't live in the DC area anymore, but will if I get back into the area to visit friends/family. Have heard great things about Lost Generation. Have not heard of Landmade.

 

WF Clarendon has gotten only worse in the past 2+ years. There used to be a regular guy running the coffee and bar who was opening taps at 10 AM and would talk up beers they had. He's gone and no idea what they have without checking untapped. Not really worth it anymore...

 

Yeah, I know or heard the beer guy got moved to Tysons and it seemed like they never really replaced him in Clarendon. The selection was gettin smaller. The shelves weren't getting restocked. The bar was closed for a while, but when it was back, it was just fine. The taps didn't turn over at all either and that's what happens when, despite coming there to shop often, you forget they have that bar, since they stop updating the taplist. The lack of attention paid to it kind of led to its demise and with the corporate overlords (and that area), I imagine that they weere more than happy to give more shelf space seltzer or whatever.

 

Dominion got a bunch of Fidens cans in but at $30/per. No thanks for me

 

Nevermind. I guess the price was too low. Sold out

 

To be fair, the pale ale was only 26.