RIP Chocolate City

I visited there once. Super small operation and only had two taps when I was there. Of what I tasted, I didn't hate anything nor did I love anything either. Anyone know what lead to them closing?

 

mediocrity

 

I am surprised many more have not had to close. With so many choices it has to be tough to break in. Especially with a small operation.

 

That is quite generous of you.

 

I only tried two of their beers, I've had better, I've had worse..haven't heard anything about them in the area in awhile, so not that surprised.

 

That's what a buddy of mine said that lives in Arlington. They were pretty bad at getting their beer to market.

 

You still need to pay the troll toll

 

I hope you're being ironic.

 

I just meant that DC Brau is terrible, so being mediocre can't be the only reason bars don't carry Chocolate City.

 

Wait, what?

 

What the what?

DC Brau makes some very good beer, but I'm guessing you know that and your post is designed to stir things up. I'll take the bait.

I didn't think Chocolate City's beer was awful, just very very "meh" and a careless go-to-market strategy that ultimately tanked them. It's too bad they couldn't establish themselves more effectively.

 

Don't think DCB is terrible, but there are a number of breweries in town doing just okay things that manage to have a good footprint, trading in localism to great success. Never did have Chocolate City (not around town much and wasn't given a reason to seek it out) but I'd have to think marketing/sales strategy was as much their downfall as quality.

 

They really seemed to have a knack for making some weird looking brews, their esb was just flat out bizarre.

Their beers were occasionally on tap at a few places early on... saw them at Ben's Next Door, The Pug , rfd, but they quickly dissappeared it seems as fast as they started.

I seem to really remember that their knack for getting a style just right really was lacking it seems to stic in my memory.

Didn't mind big chair, but it is too crowded an Ipa world and that just didn't stick out for me.

 

Not trying to stir things up, I just don't like them. OTWOA is pretty good but unreliable. Looking at (inflated) BA ratings, most are in the mid to high 3s. Take from that what you will.

I just don't get why people in DC like DC Brau so much.

 

Because they paired good-to-excellent beer with a shrewd market strategy. And they embraced the crap out of DC as a city...and DC embraced them back.

The only thing they make on the regular that garners your indirect comparison to Chocolate City is The Citizen, IMO.

 

DC Brau is okay.

Wouldn't be surprised if within the next decade Denizens and or Jailbreak surpass them. Whats the deal with OTWOA never being available regionally? They should figure that shit out. Now.

I'm surprised Chocolate City lasted as long as they did.

 

OTWOA being brewery-only is a solid decision for DC Brau. It's already pricey, and once it hits retail it would likely get even more expensive, sit on shelves too long, and disappoint customers who overpay for less-than-fresh beer.

Right now, people line up at the brewery every time it's available to pay $80 a case. The beer is always fresh and people have more incentive to like the beer because they have to justify why they waited in line to buy it. It's just a good PR move. They're making all of their money on the year-round beers, anyway.

Ramping up OTWOA production for retail distro would probably cost them more money than it's worth.

As far as Chocolate City goes--nice people, but the end product just didn't have the polish of most of the other local breweries. Their year-round beers weren't exactly the most in-demand styles, either.