DC/MD/NoVA Beer Updates (2024)

I was hoping for it to be colder but I have an ulterior motive that I want to wear some things tp promote my local interests. 62 would have been great for that.

 

At Midlands in DC tonight and was surprised to find Maine Dinner on tap— don’t see it often around here.

 

I was at Churchkey on Monday and they had a ton of Monkish on tap. All new beers apparently brewed for Snally.

 

What time do people start lining up for Snally VIP these days? I have missed out last couple of years, so I don't want to be too early and definitely not too late.

 

I got there at maybe 11:30 last year, and there were about 300 people ahead of me. Keep in mind that there are two entrances, so a similar number of people got in before me on the other side of the event, and it rained basically the entire time, which probably discouraged some from lining up in advance.

Two years ago, on a non-rainy day, it felt like I had about a thousand people ahead of me when I arrived around 11:45. I wouldn't recommend getting there that late.

 

What are the best liquor stores in the Baltimore area for singles?

 

I am not familiar with the Baltimore area beer shops, but I will say if you want singles from a good brewery try Sapwood Cellars, they always stock up a refrigerator with all their latest single cans and they do also have single bottles of their stout and wild ales (just not refrigerated).

ps-try the Baltimore forum for a better response.

 

Also in the Sapwood area, I believe The Perfect Pour has all beers available as singles, but I have only been there once, a year or two ago. I'd contact them before taking my word for it.

Sapwood doesn't always put their newest hoppy beers in the singles cooler, but nearly everything else is available for $5/$6 per can.

 

I've stopped by Sapwood a few times in the last couple of months and bought only out of the singles fridge. I've been able to get several of their NEIPAs/hoppy beers < 4 weeks old. I think a few may have been in the 1-2 week range. So may not be the newest releases but there are some that are still in the "sweet spot" for drinking. Some singles are dated a little so you just need to check the dates for your preferences. But from my experiences they seem to be the only brewery in Maryland that sells single cans to-go. If anyone else knows of other brewers that will sell single cans (vs. 4 pack only of same beer) please share.

 

Lagunitas Born Yesterday is still good

 

It is! Not every year has been this good, but this one reminds me of the first release we got out here in like 2018. Almost a fruity candy thing combined with some dank resin. So good.

 

I checked and I reviewed this in 2015, not 2018

 

Just picked up a sixer. Cannot for the life of me determine the bottling date. It used to be stamped on there clearly. Anyone?

 

Same, I have no clue. But it tastes great, fortunately.

 

I finally found some in DC today. It is hard to see, but mine appears to have been bottled on 9/30/24. I seem to remember the first time they brewed this, they tried to get it on the shelves within a few days. Regardless, I just had one and it’s good!

 

My review in 2015 says it was bottled on 10/26 and I drank the first bottle on 11/2, so it was much fresher. I think my review is interesting, because my memory was that this year's tasted like that first batch, but it sounds quite different now that I read it. Maybe because it's 6 weeks old at this point. Here's what I wrote back then:

"Poured from a 10/26 bottle into a pint glass. Looks a nice clear gold, with a 1-finger head that's frothy but dense. The smell on first opening/pouring is intense tangerines, fresh grapefruit juice and pine. Smells great. After a couple of sips the smell is more fruity-yeasty, and a little herbal spiciness. The first few sips were citrus/pine, but then the herbal spiciness started dominating, kind of like fresh bay leaves. Once that herbal thing starts happening it takes over for me, and the bitter finish acquires a sort of astringent quality, which I don't fully love, but can accept. Feel is lively on the initial sip, then gets a bit watery before the drying bitterness kicks in. I had another bottle a few days ago and everything is the same this time. For me it's more challenging than uber-drinkable, but a really good beer nonetheless."

 

Seeing that now, but it's hard to believe this beer is 6 weeks old already. It smells fresher than that. It's drinking incredibly right now though so no complaints.

And yes, in the past (I specifically remember 2015) it would arrive on shelves here just 3-4 days after bottling. Sadly those days are long gone.

 

Looking at my review, I say that "I had another bottle a few days ago." That was on 11/2 for a 10/26 beer. So that first bottle may have been the day after bottling. I seem to remember that it literally did show up the very next day after it came out.