DC/MD/NoVA Beer Updates (2023)

I recently stumbled upon the same conclusion about OH DC. Shortly after they first opened, when it was clear they didn't have their brewing process dialed in, I saw speculation that the difference in water mineral content between New York and here might be at the root of their issues. This popped back into my head maybe a month or two ago when I saw they were doing a presentation on how water mineral content affects brewing. Regardless of whether that explains their early stumbles, I'm happy to have high quality, locally brewed hops at hand.

As for Aslin, I stopped holding my breath long ago. I honestly don't think their owners care about quality. It seems they've shifted their focus to moving volume among the less discerning grocery store beer buying crowd rather than trying to produce great beer. They seem perfectly fine releasing batches that obviously should have been dumped, and they don't seem to be changing course at all in response to the backlash they've been getting for years from us beer geeks. As a former Mug Club member, I think that ship has sailed.

 

I am pretty sure they are just brand building and expanding at this point. QC need not apply. I have a handful of high flyer bottles left at this point, down from boxes. Mug Club was an absolute waste of money last year and I'm not contributing to Aslin for the foreseeable future.

 

Anybody had this year's Talking Backwards? Ocelot has been especially great recently, so I'm looking forward to trying it, though I'm about done with triple IPAs for a while after the onslaught of Monkish and Other Half triples in the last month.

 

Talking is spot on as always

 

I agree! I was just there and they seem to have their operation in order. Cheers!

 

Just picked up another 4-pack of Vibrissa Degrees. It's a Czech pilsner that has a ton of body, flavor and bitterness at 4.5%. My favorite beer so far in 2023.

 

I quite enjoy that beer, but with Jack’s Abby Sunny Ridge out around here now, I am throwing Czech Pils dollars another direction currently. Haven’t seen an English-style offering from Vibrissa recently, though I think maybe I missed their pub ale on the shelf in the last month or two.

 

Glad to hear about OH DC. Passed on them many times after being burned over their first year.

I still can’t believe aslin gets away with not dating their cans. I haven’t bought from them in years, but I can’t imagine how nasty a year old can of a batch that probably should have been dumped in the first place would taste.

 

This is one of two dealbreakers for me when it comes to Aslin's IPAs. Before they opened their Alexandria spot, they relied pretty heavily on the "we don't have space for date-stamping equipment" excuse for not dating their cans. When their cans remained undated after the Alexandria debut--where they have no shortage of space--that made it pretty clear they just don't want to do it, and they don't care if their customers have bad experiences with outdated beers.

The other dealbreaker is that their IPAs just aren't good anymore. When you think about it, they haven't been consistently good since roughly their first year in business. They had some sporadic magic here and there over the few years that followed, but that's long gone.

 

Wondering if anyone has experience with Ten Eyck beers from over on the eastern shore of Maryland (near Kent Island I believe). A friend of mine stopped by and sampled a few and thought they were solid. He gave me a can of a DIPA from them, and my first impression was "this tastes alot like what I remember the original Aslin IPAs from 2017-2018 timeframe tasted like". I only had a 1 can sample, but it had that distinguished flavor/aroma profile that I loved from many Aslin brews from original location.

 

Its been about 2 years, but I had Vibrassa's Helles lager called "Park Pass" which was a very, very solid Helles lager. I completely forgot about my spring trip over to Front Royal in 2021. I think when the weather breaks I'll venture over there again. Love that area of VA.

 

Yeah, we've gotten to stopping by the Front Royal location on the way back from the cabin (they have a new location in Winchester we haven't checked out, yet). Have yet to noodle out Vibrissa's release schedule (if they have one), but I think Park Pass was out recently. I'm generally just happy seeing when their beers drop at the beer store, whatever they are.

 

I heard that Vibrissa's head brewer was Ocelot's original brewer, but that he recently left. Hope the quality continues.

 

The first part is true and I thought I'd heard some rumblings about the latter. If it is true, I have the same hope (concern?).

 

I have yet to buy an Aslin IPA... I mostly limit myself to the How Now Brown Cows or the other non-hoppy offerings because I'm not gonna buy "Undated Starfish"

 

It's sad to think about it. Over their first year or so in business--the time period were they really made their name--their IPAs we're absolutely stellar. I honestly would have put them in the same tier as the Tree Houses and Trilliums of the world (the latter being another brewery that's fallen in the years since, though not as badly as Aslin). They had yet to find their footing on stouts at the time, and the Berliners and goses, while solid, were never quite my thing, but I put an unreasonable amount of miles on my car making the drive between Alexandria and Herndon just for their hops. That's all clearly in the past now, but at least we have Other Half hitting their stride to keep us all juiced.

 

Agree with Aslin at one time beign on par with the best of the best NEIPA makers in the country. Looked back through all the Aslin beers I rated, I gave ALOT of very high ratings in 2016-2018 timeframe. Fall of 2017 seems to be when they were really dialed in the best (at least looking at my ratings/reviews). But in fairness I did have a pilsner from them last year that I thought was very well made.

 

I've been to and enjoy both locations. Everything we've had has been solid. Similar but different beer and food options at both. the winchester location is more open and modern feeling. it's a couple blocks off the walking mall so it's a little harder to find if you're not looking for it. They do have a goog sized parking lot on the north side of the building which should help.

Apparently both locations brew beers. some the same and some different. they then trade kegs back and forth to fill and diversify the menu board. Sometimes things are only available on can pours too.

 

Thanks for the info. Hopefully we'll check it out sometime this spring or summer. Unless things have changed, I believe in Virginia you still have to brew at least something on site to be able to sell directly to the end consumer at that site (though you can sell beer from any production facility). So it makes sense they'd be brewing at both sites. I think many Virginia breweries use their satellite locations as "test kitchens" for experimentation.

 

Anyone have any luck with local/regional west coast IPAs or even APAs? I don't think I can stomach another hazy IPA and the local lagers aren't worth buying when I can get Jacks Abbey or Von Trapp for less, honestly rather drink Modelo than most local lagers.

BTW, Aslin sucks. They REFUSE to date their products, which should tell you as a customer that they don't care about the quality or reputation of their beer.