Posts Tagged ‘DC Beer Festivals’
Bacon + Beer at 918 F St.
Whole Lotta Bacon..
I really enjoyed myself Monday night at 918 F St (Living Social) for a tasty pairing of two of my favorites: bacon and beer! 918 F Street in Washington, D.C. is quite a facility – 5 floors each with one or two rooms for cooking, mixing drinks or other events – it’s a pretty happening event space with literally thousands of people going through every month (maybe every week!).
The speaker for this event – Bacon + Beer – really knew his stuff – Jesse Raines, Beverage Director at VSLS, Living Social (but his card lists him also as “Speakeasy Manager”). Very simple setup: we sat at white table-clothed tables and were given a very explanatory tasting sheet with 4 beers and a selection of 3 bacons (two slices of each – way more than needed!) and finally at the end the chocolate covered bacon was put out separately (I assume to keep the chocolate from melting – it was served slightly chilled).
Four Bacon Tastings with matching beers (and my comments):
• Honey Chipotle-Glazed Bacon with Abita Amber Lager
This was a very good pairing – The Abita Amber Lager is a Session beer with relatively low alcohol and has just a hint of honey which helped it go with the sweetness of the bacon’s glaze. Actually, the Abita pretty much went with every bacon – except for the chocolate covered..
• Espresso-Glazed Bacon with Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Delicious Beer (10% ABV!), great bacon with big coffee/hickory flavors, but the pairing didn’t work – simple reason: the Stout is a Big Beer with loads of alcohol and chocolate/coffee intense flavor (actually has no chocolate in it!) and there just wasn’t any synergy. I would have paired the Stout with something chocolate like cake and maybe even a scoop of vanilla ice cream which would cool down the heat of this beer..Some beers were meant to be drunk alone though!
• Sriracha-Glazed Bacon with Firestone Walker Wookey Jack Black Ale
I hate to overuse the word “awesome” but this bacon was AWESOME!! The prior two bacons were hickory-smoked, while this one was apple-smoked and the bacon was more juicy/fatty/srirachi! Yum and yum, this bacon rocked! The big difference in this beer is noticeable hops and a slight rye whiskey flavor (so a spicy/smokyness..) which came from aging in rye barrels. This was a very good pairing with alot of complexity from smoke to hot Sriracha, from hops to saltiness..alot going on which is fun in your mouth!
• Chocolate and Sea Salt-Dipped Bacon with Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter
This was some rich dark bittersweet chocolate – I mean I actually tasted more of the chocolate than the bacon! Nice pairing – it was on the rich side with chocolate, bacon and “Imperial” Porter (BTW – Jesse mentioned that “Imperial” added to a craft beer title pretty much just means high in alcohol!) and of course my palate was coated with a nice bacon fat/hops/maltiness, so it takes some strong flavors to come through.
We ended the evening with a fifth tasting in the Speakeasy (my Bad – I forget the name of the beer!) and I had a couple of Whistlepig Whiskeys to clear my head, and all was good in the world – Cheers!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler
Upcoming Beer Events on TasteDC:
–Belgian Restaurant Week’s Mussel Throw Down and Blind-folded Beer Tasting at Eastern Market (Saturday, July 20th, 2013)
–Artists & Artisans Summer Celebration at 3 Stars Brewery, Washington, D.C. (Sunday, July 28th, 2013)
–Drink the District: Beer Edition (Saturday and Sunday, July 27th and 28th)
Yes I Can Jam – Beer Festival in DC Celebrates the Can!
This is a light news coverage of a recent event I attended called Can Jam Festival which was held on Saturday, June 22nd 2013 at Kastles Stadium in Washington, D.C. This event was organized and promoted by Ontaponline – I’m very familiar with this organization which promotes lifestyle for 20s and 30s somethings in the DC Area – we were both founded in 1997 on the same block on Dent Place, NW in Washington, D.C.!
The concept for this event was to promote breweries that serve beer in cans – the most obvious and early adapter of this sustainable beer storage container is Oskar Blues, but many other breweries have caught on including a local favorite Lost Rhino in Ashburn, VA. I’m including the blurb on what breweries and food trucks participated below (hey, sometimes the news IS just the content!), but do want to mention I had a “Boss Dog” at Top Dog – and there is NOTHING like a well dressed hot dog on a hot day when you are drinking WAY TOO MUCH Beer!
Breweries include: Anderson Valley, Avery, Beck’s, Blue Moon, Budweiser, Cisco, Corona, DC Brau, Flying Dog, Genesee Cream Ale, Goose Island, Jack’s Cider, Kona, Leinenkugel, Lost Rhino, Modelo Especial, New Belgium, Old Speckled Hen, Oskar Blues, PBR, Pilsner Urquell, Redd’s, Redhook, Sam Adams, Shiner, Shock Top, Sierra Nevada, Starr Hill, Stiegl, Third Shift, Yuengling
Food trucks: Sol Mexican Grill, DC Slices, DC Ballers, Willie’s Po’ Boy, Top Dog, Goodies Frozen Custard
Overall, a really fun event – the crowd was just the right size, so lines weren’t too long..also the weather was pretty perfect – sunny and no clouds. One comment – lagers, pilsners and lighter beers tend to refresh and are better in the hot weather. So if you decide to pop one open, remember – keep it light (but not lite!) – Cheers!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler
Some upcoming Festivals on TasteDC:
–Neighborfood H St. Foodie Tour – Saturday, June 29th, 2013 – H Street, NE in Washington, D.C. opens up a to a new food tour – 8 restaurants (click on link for details) each showcase different dishes that represent the culinary diversity and uniqueness of this area.
–Wine Stock Festival – Saturday, July 13th, 2013 – Little Washington Winery, Sperryville, VA – Festival about 90 minutes from DC celebrating great American wines, food and lots of great music – the view is beautiful too!
–Best of Washingtonian – Wednesday, July 17th, 2013 – National Building Museum, DC – Big Shindig which has all the the great chefs and restaurants and tons of great drinks and food – worth the $125 ticket price, or the VIP $175!
If It’s March, It Must Be Beer Time!
It seemed that beer classes and beer dinners had disappeared..
5-Course Anchor Brewery Beer Dinner with Brewmaster Mark Carpenter w/Top Chef Sprissler’s Dishes – Wednesday March 27thIt may seem unusual, but DC was full steam ahead with beer events over the past few years, but it just kind of stopped late 2012..I can’t explain it, but beer dinners disappeared, beer classes were impossible to find, and you really had to search out beer events other than tap takeovers (maybe it was a hangover from too many recent beer festivals?)..Well Great News – as of March, 2013, that all has changed! One of the reasons is that the American Craft Brewer’s Conference is in Washington, D.C. this year and so many great American Craft Brewers will be here from March 26th-29th.
Here’s a List of upcoming DC Beer Events (no affiliation with DCBeer.com – but they are an excellent resource!)
–March 6th, 7-9 pm – La Cuisine du Québec: Exploring the Passion and Depth of Québec’s Emerging Microbreweries, $30/per person, Smithsonian – Celebrated beer sommelier Sylvain Bouchard joins us from Québec to showcase the microbrewery movement and the wealth of variety that defines craft beers in Québec.
–March 7th (Thursday), $75/per person, 4-Course DC Brau Beer Dinner, 1905 Bistro & Bar 1905 9th Street, NW, Washington DC 20001 – This is inaugural Beer Dinner for 1905 with DC’s own 1st Brewery DC Brau
–March 9th, Noon – 4 pm – Real Ale & BBQ Fest at Heavy Seas Brewery, $49/per person – In addition to your Heavy Seas favorites from 10 taps, our award winning brewers will be creating many one-of-a-kind casks! We’ll be pouring real ale from 10 firkins, including from the wood.
March 11th 6:30 pm, Italian Craft Beer Dinner, Pizzeria Paradiso, 3282 M St., NW, Washington DC 20007 – Paradiso is matching food to Italian Beers
Bourbon Beer School – Series of 6 Classes, each is $25/per person, Bourbon Glover Park, 2348 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington DC 20007
– Session 1: Fermentation & Yeast (Only on 3/12)
– Session 2 Hops (3/19 & 3/26)
– Session 3 Malts (4/2 & 4/9)
– Session 4 American Craft Beer (4/16 & 4/23)
– Session 5 German Beer Styles (4/23 & 5/7)
– Session 6 Belgian Beer Styles (5/14 & 5/21)
Each Class is a Stand-Alone Class (no Prerequisites) – a series of educational beer tastings led by resident beer expert Rachel Murray – 6 Beers are tasted at each event.
– March 13th, March 21st & March 27th (3 Separate Classes) Local Charcuterie, Craft Beer, & Cheese, $59/per person, Righteous Cheese, Union Market 1309 5th Street NE, Washington DC 20002– We’ll explore the world of cheese pairing by tasting 4 cheeses and 4 local craft beers along with a bounty of charcuterie from local producers Red Apron Butchery, Three Little Pigs and Seasonal Pantry
–-March 23rd & 24th (Weekend), DC Beer Festival, $40/per person, Nationals Ballpark, 1500 South Capitol Street, SE, Washington DC 20003– The inaugural DC Beer Festival brings together dozens of craft and international breweries, as well as DC’s best local breweries.
–March 25th, 6 pm, Cheese and Beer Tasting with Janet Fletcher – Cowgirl Creamery is pleased to welcome Janet Fletcher, author of the brand-new guide, Cheese & Beer. Janet’s weekly cheese column for the San Francisco Chronicle has made her a nationally recognized cheese authority, and we’re the first store in the nation to have her beautiful new book. Come meet Janet at this private, walk-around tasting. You’ll sample a selection of the best American craft brews expertly matched to their cheesy soul mates. Ticket price includes a signed copy of Cheese & Beer. Space is limited. Reserve now for this tasty and educational evening.
–March 25th, 7 pm, The Craft Brewer’s Conference Beer & Food Experience at Birch & Barley, 1337 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C. – I haven’t gotten the list of brewers, but this is going to be some shindig! 5 Craft Brewers in town for the CBC (locals DCBrau and Flying Dog will be there..)
– March 26th, 6:30 pm, Belgian Beer & Cheese Inspired Dinner, $49/per person, Belga Cafe, 514 8th St., SE, Washington DC 20003 – Enjoy tasting menu and a very special line up of Belgian “rock star beers”
–March 27th – 5-Course Anchor Brewery Beer Dinner, $55/per person, Mayfair and Pine, 2218 Wisconsin Ave., NW -Mayfair & Pine and Anchor Brewing would like to invite you to an exclusive food and beer pairing dinner! Executive Chef Emily Sprissler and Brew Master Mark Carpenter will be your hosts during this elegantly casual evening. Chef Sprissler has chosen her pairings to develop a unique experience to create palate pleasing plates! Each course is accompanied by seasonal and perennial favorites crafted by Brew Master Mark at America’s first craft brewery in their traditional copper brewhouse. Souvenir Anchor Brewing Pint glass included! (See Complete Menu)
– March 28th, Beer & Cheese with Oxbow & The Bruery, $45/per person, Meridian Pint 3400 11th st NW , Washington DC 20010– The 6 PM seating is $45 (tax and gratuity included) and will feature Tim Adams, Oxbow Co-Founder and brewer, and at least one representative from The Bruery. Michelle Gardner
– March 28th, DC Craft Beer Bus Bar Tour, $65/per person, 801 Mt Vernon Pl NW, Washington DC 20001 – Featuring 5-6 Stops at various DC Beer Establishments (you’re on a Bus) – 21st Amendment, Elysian, Ninkasi, No-Li & Uinta Breweries plus a few surprises
Fall Is Tasting Season in DC
Charlie Adler – Drinking on the Job!
With the new TasteDC site revving up (expected completion in late November, 2012), I thought it’s a good time to update the Foodies and drinks lovers in the DC Region on what’s happening event-wise. Since it’s the end of September, Oktoberfests are all over our area – even LivingSocial (our locally based Deal Site) is getting into the action with their Craft Beer and Food Truck Festival at the Yards in DC (September 29th-30th, 2012). Both Reston, VA (Oct. 5th-7th) and Shirlington, Va (13th Annual CapCity Beer Fest is Oct. 6th – Saturday) are having big beer fests as well in October, 2012.
A trend in food and drink events I’m beginning to see is a very big interest in “international” events like the DC Turkish Festival on Sunday, September 30th and the Romanian Food Festival on Oct. 5th – 7th – it seems that people in our area can’t get enough of new and unique culinary experiences! I’m noticing a return of the Embassies into the event sphere with the French Embassy always leading the way – they have their upcoming annual Champagne Gala on Friday, November 9th which usually sells out in advance.
The truly Hot area of food and drink events are the multi-chef and unique culinary additions to our Foodie landscape. 
One such example is Washingtonian Magazine’s Saturday, October 20th Brunch & Bloody’s Event which is located in an art event space that’s in the up and coming Shaw area – the Longview Gallery. This event is based on Washingtonian’s October, 2012 Cover Story about the Top 50 places in the DC Area for Brunch – I’ll be attending this event, so stop by and share your Bloody with me..or just say “Cheers”!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler
Announcing the Mid-Atlantic Craft Brew Festival – MAC Brew Fest!
Brandon Skall, Founder of DC Brau, DC’s 1st Brewery in Many Years
So after spending the last 14 years focusing on learning about wine and food (and plenty of beer and spirits in between!), I’ve decided to re-dedicate myself to craft beer. I’m certainly not giving up on wine, but I’ve seen the light – growth in craft beer sales and consumption in the U.S. has increased consistently at over 10% a year for the last 5 years. But the real impetus for moving myself into the craft beer field is really that Washington, D.C. is a VERY under-served area for craft beer. For example, we only have a few breweries in the area including Baying Hound Aleworks, DC Brau, Port City Brewing Co., and Lost Rhino Brewing Co.. Although we do have some excellent brew pubs such as Franklin’s, Mad Fox Brewing and Capital City Brew Pub, there is so much room for growth in both local breweries and brew pubs. And did I mention that the beer wholesalers in the area tell me they can’t get enough craft beer to keep up with demand?
So here’s the official announcement – I’m organizing the Mid-Atlantic Craft Brew Festival, known as “MAC Brew Fest” on Saturday, October 15th, 2011 in Washington, D.C. at the Sphinx Club which is hidden gem of a venue in the heart of DC at 13th and K St., NW. The website is at MAC Brew Fest and will include 30 craft breweries – many from the DC/MD/VA area as well as delicious food paired with the craft beers. Right now my event planner and I are working on the event including developing the TasteDC Food Pavilion which will include a minimum of 30 American artisanal cheeses, locally sourced charcuterie, a gelato bar and extensive selection of sweets and desserts as well as international foods. The goal is to showcase craft beer as part of meal with regional specialties. I’ll keep updating the blog and website, but I’m looking forward to creating a beer event that makes people proud of our city – Cheers!
