Short Trip to DC / Alexandria Area

Whole Foods P Street NW for cans/bottles.

Right Proper is the only (centrally-based) DC brewery worth checking out. If you're willing to drive a bit to the outskirts, DC Brau is great too. And if you're REALLY willing to drive (over 30 minutes), Herndon area of VA is churning out some of the best IPAs in the area, in Aslin Brewing and Ocelot Brewing. Good luck!

 

If you're out in MD at Joint Base Andrews it will be a pain to get into DC if you're driving in rush hour, and at least 35 min even if it's moving, plus parking time, etc., to go to Whole Foods P St and the like...you'll be a ways from DC brau as well.

Going to Alexandria will be a lot easier. Rustico for drinks/food, Pizza Paradiso, Evening Star Cafe for food/beer and a really good under the radar bottle (wine) shop. Lost Dog Cafe on Columbia Pike in Arlington has good food/drafts, and a small area with a lot of bottles for carry out, and underground parking around the corner.

 

Whole Foods Alexandria ain't bad either.. Right over the Woodrow Wilson bridge.

 

I'm going to second most of what was said. DC will potentially be a pain in the butt, Alexandria is easier, Ocelot and Aslin are fantastic. Whole Foods Old Town Alexandria (they have a bar in the back, Pizzeria Paradiso, Rustico, Lost Dog on rt1, Evening Star Cafe are my usual haunts.

 

JB Andrews is at minimum a 55 minute drive to Ocelot. Alexandria is your best best. As mentioned, Rustico, Paridiso, are awesome, I'll throw in a tally for Del Ray Pizzaria. When are you coming, Port City is releasing their DIPA in bottles for the first time. DC Brau is not great to drink at.

 

The bottle shop next to Evening Star is Planet Wine. Was at Lost Dog Columbia Pike last night and they were pretty bare. Supposed to get a shipment today. And half their taps are shut down for the Left Hand takeover Thurs. But they had two Ocelot on draft, at least. If you get lucky, you might stumble upon a Parabola or LCCB Supreme Leader bottle. Neither are IPAs. As for great IPAs, Ocelot is making it around the area on draft only, expect to see lots of Maine and if you get lucky another batch of OTWOA or double duckpin hits shelves this week. LCCB Nuclear Nugget is another local ipa that just released.

rustico alexandria draft menu: http://www.rusticorestaurant.com/menus/documents/R1AlexandriaDraft4.13.16.pdf

 

I haven't been to Alexandria for a while. Is that bottleshop off of Rt. 7 (heading west but before Quaker Lane) in the strip mall still there? It predated the craft boom by a few years. I think they used to organize their beers geographically, which I liked.

 

Damn, Lost Dog is now in Alexandria, and I see it is walking distance from Braddock Rd Metro where I used to get off. I wish I still lived there, love that place!

 

You're referring to Rick's I think, which was on Duke west of Old Town. That place was money, sadly closed down a few years back.

 

Honestly, I don't know how folks don't mention Vermilion. It's owned by the same folks as Churchkey, Bluejacket etc, and it's in the heart of Old Town Alexandria. Here's a link to their current beer menu:

http://vermilionrestaurant.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Cocktails-Beer-2.19.16.pdf You can get a bottle of Abyss for $25 at the bar! That's only like a $5-10 mark-up.

 

I live in Alexandria and I've never heard of it. That's great to know, thanks!

 

You're right, Vermilion is a great spot with late night bites. I'm sure their current selection is good, however that menu is from February.

 

Ricks is the place I'm thinking of. Sorry to hear it's gone. It was ahead of its time.

 

Taco's? Go to District Taco. The one in Old Town Alexandria is SUPER easy to get to as well. Love that place when I am down there.

 

If you do go to Alexandria, check out Port City Brewing. Their beers are solid, if unspectacular, and it's a fun tour and atmosphere and only about 5 minutes from Old Town. Optimal Wit and Porter are both above average beers.

RIP Rick's, how I miss Facebook stalking them on big release days and then trying to get through on the phones to score some KBS.

 

2/19/16. I ma guessing the lineup has changed since then.

Here is a link to a current menu:

http://vermilionrestaurant.com/menu/#317

You know it is current because they have Cascade bottles now.

 

As for local beers at Vermillion, they have On the Wings of Armageddon, Port City Porter, Union Anthem. Not sure where you are coming from, but some nonlocal highlights: Maine, Cigar City Jai Alai (though IMO this has gone downhill), Alesmith Speedway Stout (meh, the hawaiian is amazing tho), Alpine Nelson (does not live up to the hype anymore).

 

I had a feeling it was out of date but I hoped it proved my point. Regardless, it's an awesome spot for beer and to take a lady. I was there last October and they had Abraxas bottles for $25 - no BS. I only saw it after I was four or five deep, so I couldn't finish it - they were polite enough to cork it for me and let me take it home.