Photo by Rachel Tepper

If the Washington City Paper's debut Beer Issue accomplished anything, it got people talking. And bitching. And praising. And wondering what planet we live on.  Below are a handful of the many comments found on Twitter, the DC-Beer listserv, blogs, and elsewhere.

On the Beer Issue in general:

• @jacobsberg: "b/w the @wcp #beer issue and @tomsietsema dining guide not a lot of work getting done this afternoon. Batch loading/processesing ftw!"
• @bkirkland: "Washington City Paper's inaugural "beer issue" (which is claiming DC has a beer scene) has some dude drinking PBR on the cover. #FAIL"
• "Despite Carman's piece I think it is a good thing that the WASHINGTON CITY PAPER decided to have a beer issue. They ought to make it an annual event." — Martin Wooster, DC-Beer listserv

On Jonathan L. Fischer's story about PBR's local missionary, Dan VanHoozer:

• "I very much enjoyed Jonathan L. Fischer's profile of Dan VanHoozer, Pabst Blue Ribbon "creative" for Washington, which means the sales rep. (We can't call sales reps that at Pabst, no sir!) I thought Fischer did a really good job in showing how Pabst markets itself these days to "super-interesting people, whether it's artists or people who play in bands or rugby players." — Martin Wooster, DC-Beer listserv

On Orr Shtuhl's story on the uptick in cask ale:

• "Brief, but excellent, article on Washington DC's increasing cask ale scene in this week's Washington City Paper." — Alexander D. Mitchell IV, DC-Beer listserv

On Tammy Tuck's story about four new breweries opening in D.C.:

• "Nice article. Thanks!! The DC area has the sophistication, and the education levels as well the financials to support more craft breweries and brew pubs. I believe we should be the East Coast beer Mecca and not Philly or Ashville." — Chuck Triplett from Tuck's facebook page.
• @coolmcjazz: "I am in lurv with @wcp's current issue on the about-to-explode #DC craft #beer scene. Can't wait for these breweries to open! @beerspotter"
• @seanldalton: "I forgot to mention — that stellar @wcp article was written by Tammy of the @Lagerheads. If you're not reading/following them, DO IT!"
• "Whether it is National Bohemian, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Iron City Beer, or Old Style one of the fun parts of travel is to try out a cities local beer. Four different breweries are set to open in D.C. next year. Hopefully one of them can become as iconic as the beers mentioned above." — Federal Baseball

On my story on what the new owners of the Brickskeller should do to improve the old institution:

• "Carman has repeatedly trashed the Brickskeller over the years. I've never met the man but he has a bug in his butt about the Brickskeller. I could well understand why the Alexanders wouldn't talk to him... DC is enriched by having lots of different great beer emporia. Thor Cheston, Greg Jasgur, and Greg Engert do good things. The DC beer scene is being enriched by having choice and variety. BUT I'm bothered by them telling Alexander how to run his bar, since Dave has not gratuitously offered advice on how to "improve" the Big Hunt or Pizzeria Paradiso....A lot of Alexander's competitors are SO expensive that I don't feel I can relax and enjoy myself there (particularly given the loud music at ChurchKey and the ear-shattering music at the Big Hunt)....I don't feel "at home" at Pizzeria Paradiso, Brasserie Beck. or ChurchKey. I DO feel at home at the Brickskeller." — Martin Wooster, DC-Beer listserv
• Let's take this a step further. The guy seems to have an axe to grind. The paucity of his research seems to indicate an agenda, and not a good one." — Lyle C. Brown, DC-Beer listserv
• "I haven't followed Carman's previous writings about the Brickskeller so maybe I'm missing some important context. But I didn't get the impression that his latest article had an axe to grind at all. I thought it was a fairly balanced story that addressed both the legacy of Brickskeller as well as the fact that it needs to be renovated and there has been no effort to upkeep or maintain it. To cite just one egregious example of the latter, there was a urinal on the upper level men's restroom that apparently did not work and was just left unrepaired and covered with a blue tarp for at least 2 years. Maybe it's still like that? If that's an image they're comfortable presenting to their patrons, I can only imagine what's going on behind closed doors. What is the draw to customers, who now have so many other options to choose from? I used to tolerate the Brickskeller's shortcomings, but I now find its atmosphere so dismal and depressing I'd rather go elsewhere." — Steve Mitchell, DC-Beer listserv
• "If you haven’t seen it already, Tim Carman’s article in the City Paper about the future of the Brickskeller is worth a read, even if you’re not a beer drinker. Go read it; I’ll wait...It’s a pity that an institution as beloved and revered as the Brickskeller has been reduced to this point- when I moved here, my friends in town spoke rapturously about it despite the fact that it was clearly in decline even then. I’m not a beer drinker, but as someone who is married to a beer enthusiast and socializes with many others, I know it’s been years since we suggested that any of our beer-loving friends from out of town visit the Brick for anything other than its landmark value." — WeLoveDC

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

OK, Y&H Nation: Given the double blast of beer sophistication on this blog, I fully expect you to ace this suds quiz over on Serious Eats. (Registration required.)

I took the quiz myself and...well, find out my score after the jump.

I clearly need to brush up on my Beerspotter and Lagerheads reading. I got 7 out of 8, a felony crime in my book. How'd you do?

First up, all week there is a rare chance to drink New Belgium Brewery beers at the Black Squirrel. The tiresome folks brought back Fat Tire, Mothership Wit, 1554, and the Biere de Mars from a recent trip to North Carolina. That's beer altruism!

This Monday Galaxy Hut in Clarendon is showcasing The Bruery from Orange County, California. Owner Lary Hoffman and brewery rep Jonas Nemura will have the Berliner Weisse, Mischief, Rugbrød and Saison De Lente on draft, and a cask-conditioned firkin of Rugbrød. Also Monday is the official D.C. launch of Schlafly beers at ChurchKey, where co-founders Tom Schlafly and Dan Kopman will be presenting nine of their St. Louis beers, giving glasses away, and talking about their brewery.

Tuesday is the rescheduled date for Beerspotter Orr Shtuhl's beer pairing dinner with Teddy Folkman at Granville Moore's. Wednesday is a beer-vs.-wine and cheese pairing event at National Geographic with cheese expert Steven Jenkins, grape guru Joshua Wesson, and award-winning brewer Nick Funnell from Sweetwater Tavern in Sterling, Virginia.

As always, click on an event in the calendar for more details.

Beer and music are an obvious yet overlooked combination. Y&H readers may remember the Beerspotter's listening party on NPR last summer. Brewers like James Watt and Martin Dickie of the Scottish brewery BrewDog hold beer and music pairing events and listen to specific albums every time they brew (and no, it's not all punk though we see why you'd think that). They are far from alone in their passion for both beer and music.

Recently, the Missoula Independent put a similar spin on beer pairings:

We drink a variety of beers, for a variety of reasons. Nothing goes better with beer (sorry, pretzels) than music, and any serious lover of suds and songs will agree there's an optimum album for every beer-drinking situation. I don't want to listen to Leonard Cohen, say, while I'm blowing off steam at Happy Hour, but you'd be surprised at how effective Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra" is when hitting the beer bong.

The piece goes on to explore the drinkability of various tracks on Bruce Springsteen's 1982 album Nebraska. It's not Montana, but hey, close enough. As for us, when it comes to knocking back a liter or two of German beer on a sunny day, we have a soft spot in our hearts for the German post-punk band Tocotronic–in particular, their 1995 release, Digital Ist Besser. (Get an audio taste here.) We'll have to suggest it be added to the playlist at the soon-to-open Biergarten Haus on H Street.

So, what's your favorite beer soundtrack? Any great brew-tune combos?

Photo by hsingy used under a Creative Commons license

Also Monday is a Dogfish Head dinner at American Flatbread in Clarendon, and Room 11 is having a special tapping of La Chose, Quebec brewery La Trou du Diable's Wee Heavy/IPA hybrid. "The Thing" is a real monster, but the kind you want in your mouth (yes, we know first hand). Tuesday Y&H's very own Beerspotter Orr Shtuhl and executive chef Teddy Folkman will be hosting a pairing dinner at Granville Moore's. [UPDATE: THE BEERSPOTTER GRANVILLE MOORE'S DINNER HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO TUESDAY, MAY 4.]

On Wednesday, the Big Hunt is having a Kentucky Derby warm-up party of the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ variety. They will be serving bourbon cocktails, beers from Allagash, Great Lakes, and Founders, and favorite BBQ dishes specially prepared to go with each beer. Among the selection will be the hard-to-get and highly rated Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout, which is the Michigan brewery's Breakfast Stout aged in maple syrup barrels.

Speaking of BBQ, North Carolina is invading the Black Squirrel this week. Starting Monday, a dozen beers from five North Carolina breweries will be available, and chef Gene Sohn has added an appropriate selection of BBQ dishes to the regular menu. Friday there is a Southampton beer tasting at Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits, and Dean & Deluca in Georgetown is having a cheese and beer tasting. As if all this weren't enough, Saturday, May 1, is National Homebrew Day. Make some friends and get to brewing!

Also tonight, DC Beer Week organizer Jeff Wells and Againn are hosting a four-course pairing dinner with five (yeah FIVE) barleywines to celebrate George Washington's birthday. After so many high-ABV beers you may be convinced that you are one of our nation's founding fathers and it is in fact your birthday, so for a more low-key night (but not that much less potent beer) head over to Room 11 for Weyerbacher Quadruple on their weekly guest tap.

Tuesday you can get more big brews at the Brickskeller's strong ale tasting redux. Participating breweries include Flying Dog, Sweetwater Tavern, Schmaltz, multiple Capitol City Brewing Company locations, and at long last (because you can't attend a Brickskeller event without hearing about it) Tuppers.'

In addition to SAVOR tickets going on sale, Wednesday is a DC Homebrewers meeting. If you are a homebrewer or interested in becoming one, you can check out their website for details about joining the club and attending their events.

Thursday is a very special night for Y&H. WCP is hosting a Tweet Up at the Black Squirrel for the Beerspotter to celebrate his total domination of Twitter. We expect all 1,000 of his followers to show up, so you better plan on being there.

@BrianDau: Hopslam: Even my sorry excuse for a nose can pick up the grapefruit and pineapple aromas. Does not taste like a 10% ABV beer.

Commenter David offered a lone voice of dissent — in journalism, this is what we call "balancing our sources."

I was underwhelmed. Not for the lack of hops but for the lack of depth and character. I didn’t particularly enjoy it when compared to the slightly sweeter (if memory serves) DFH 90 Minute IPA. Too bland and boring for the price.

But the comment of the week belongs to Jon, who unleashed a tirade that takes to task naysayers, extreme hop lovers, and price-gouging merchants — all in the name of love for his beer:

What HopSlam IS: Well-crafted and unique, balanced and scarily drinkable, despite its 10% ABV. Anyone who considers this beer “bland” should have their tastebuds checked. What HopSlam is NOT: A hop bomb that will strip your tongue of all feeling. If you are looking for something similar to the astringency of Arrogant Bastard, move along. The honey that isa used as part of the brewing process imparts a delicious background sweetness that complements (and compliments) the floral, citrusy Centennial hops that give this brew its unique flavor. The only offensive thing about this beer is the obscene prices that some retailers have chosen to foist on area beer drinkers. $24.99, Westover? $22.99, Whole Foods. You should be ashamed.

No, I'm not retiring from my post as "that lucky bastard who gets paid to drink beer." Please. But all the beer tips I get from you folks on Twitter got me thinking: How do these beers taste? What do you think about them?

So get on that bright blue time-waster and let me know @Beerspotter what you've tried lately and what it was like — and your deepest 140-character thoughts will be shared right here on Y&H!

This week, I'm particularly curious: Anyone had Bud Light Wheat? How's it hold up to Blue Moon? Or Lysol?

Yesterday the Lagerheads brought you what we consider five of the most influential local beer happenings of 2009. Today we offer Chapter Two: five more events and trends that show DC's growth as a beer city.

1. Flying Dog, Our (Close to) Local Production Brewery, Makes Us Proud – Shall we call it the Year of the Dog? The determined folks at Flying Dog Ales have been like a pack of wild (but benign) beasts in bringing their quality products to DC and supporting them with fun, educational events. We have had no choice but to adopt the closest-to-local production brewery (only 40 minutes away in Frederick) as our own. It's not a bad deal considering that Flying Dog won Brewery of the Year at this year's Great American Beer Festival, which is no small feat. Let's hope, however, that sometime this decade DC gets its very own production brewery, since that's one of the biggest things preventing us from becoming a real beer city.
2. More Great Beers Arrive: Founders, The Bruery & Others – It's about the beer, people, and DC has seen a steady stream of great brews become available, both American and imports, over the past several years. Last year really took the cake, as our very own Beerspotter pointed out last week. You know how we feel about Duck Rabbit, and we are very grateful to finally find Founders beer in DC, as well as discover beers from the up-and-coming artisan brewers at The Bruery. Good year!
3. Tuppers' Hop Pocket Returns (Almost) – A beloved local beer icon made a comeback this year, even if it was only with a few kegs at the Northern Virginia Summer Brewfest in Leesburg. Plenty of folks were excited to taste how Hampton, Virginia's St. George Brewing was doing at filling Old Dominion's shoes as the contract brewer of Tuppers' Beers. According to the Tuppers themselves, it was primarily a labeling snafu that kept Hop Pocket from actual release in 2009. Because of distribution, the beer will be only available in Virginia at first, but who knows what could happen by the end of 2010. Regardless, having Tuppers back is a win for the DC beer community for sure.
4. Beer Events, Beer Events, Beer Events – It's no secret that the Lagerheads are all about organized beer hangs. We see them as not only a good time out, but a chance to learn more about fermented treats and meet other people who are enthusiastic about the world's greatest beverage. DC is no stranger to beer events; Pizzeria Paradiso, Brasserie Beck, and CulinAerie have long been holding beer dinners, and the Brickskeller boasts itself as the birthplace of the educational beer tasting. However, what really stands out about 2009 is the number, quality, and variety of beer events that that started springing up. Pizzeria Paradiso hit its stride last year and now holds a unique beer dinner every single month. Cafe Belga and Granville Moore's began holding regular food and beer pairings, and a handful of other places did some decent dabbling in all kinds of beer-themed events. These include The Reef (which now has a firkin of fresh beer every Thursday), Black Squirrel, Cafe Saint-Ex, and The Red and the Black, and we are sure that our very own Beer Spotter's event at Red Derby is a sign of things to come over there. The Brickskeller also announced the launch of a Beer School run by bar manager Rachel Murray. So keep it up, DC. Bring the demand for opportunities to develop your knowledge and love of beer and more will come.
5. Announcements for 2010 Beer Spot Openings: Biergarten Haus, Mussel Bar & Pizzeria Paradiso #3 – Our fellow Young and Hungry blogger Tim Carman released his list of restaurants set to open this year in DC, with a focus on dining, of course. Last month Mike Dolan at dcbeer.com did an excellent job rounding up beer spots opening in 2010. More beer-focused bars equals more beer and an even better beer city (as well as shorter waits at all beer spots if the froth-loving masses have more great places to choose from). We likey. Just a few additions to Mike's:

• Dr. Dremo's – The re-opening of this Clarendon beer institution, that is
• Mussel Bar – Brasserie Beck's newest project in Bethesda (in addition to the Atlantic City restaurant we also found out about this year)
• Pizzeria Paradiso #3 – We can't tell you where but we can say a third pizza/beer mecca will be opening its doors in the DC area sometime this year. Be thankful.

So that's it for the local stuff. What did we miss? Likewise, if you see any items on our lists that weren't all that influential, in your humble opinion, let us know. We want to hear your year-in-beer reflections.