Young & Hungry » CommonWealth

Commonwealth To Dissolve This Weekend

Tammy Tuck — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:02:19 +0000

It is your last chance to dine on Scotch eggs or bangers and mash while gushing down pints of British ales and American craft beer at Commonwealth Gastropub in Columbia Heights. The doors of the London-style "farm-to-table" pub, which first opened in August 2008, will be closed for good after Sunday.

As reported by The Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema in his regular online chat last week, Commonwealth owner Jamie Leeds is selling the business to the new Irving Street Restaurant Group, which is fronted by Terry Cullen. Cullen and his associates are also opening Lou’s City Bar, a sports bar that will be located just down the block from Commonwealth on Irving Street between 14th and 16th Streets, Northwest.

According to commenter Michael Wilkinson on a Prince of Petworth post last week, plans for the new venue include removing Commonwealth's private dining room to expand the bar area, putting down hardwood floors, and adding more mainstream items to the food menu. The last change is good news to anyone who found Commonwealth dishes like deviled sweetbreads hard to stomach. Cullen is planning a May opening for the new but similarly-themed restaurant.

As for executive chef and owner Jamie Leeds, the sale enables her to focus resources and energy on expanding Hank's Oyster Bar in Dupont Circle, which she also owns. As Sietsema reports, Leeds got the opportunity to purchase the rowhouse next door to her original Hank's location and jumped at the opportunity to expand her six-year-old seafood restaurant.

I dropped by Commonwealth this week and the place was as busy as it has been any time I have visited. So busy, in fact, that I lost interest in waiting to order a beer. The solid but bit pricey draft list included Victory Prima Pils, Tröegs HopBack Amber, and Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA alongside British pub mainstays like Strongbow, Smithwick's, Bellhaven, and Guinness. If you intend to say goodbye to this gastropub with a quality beer in hand, I suggest hitting the bottle menu (or what's left of it), which has long had a strong selection of American breweries like Smuttynose, Ommegang, and Weyerbacher and regional favorites like Flying Dog and Heavy Seas.

Photo by Flickr user Mr. T in D.C. using an Attribution 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license

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This Week: European Brews at Wisdom, Pursuers of Hops at the Brick & Great Lakes Dinner at Commonwealth

Tammy Tuck — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 21:46:18 +0000

Once again we bring you the week in organized beer fun. Read on for our picks but for details on any event click on it in our D.C. Beer Events Calendar above.

Cocktail-focused Wisdom in Capitol Hill is having their first of hopefully many "Beer Club" events this week. On Tuesday at 7:30pm, beer expert John Brown will guide a tasting of seven beers from Europe: Žatec Bright Lager from the Czech Republic, Samuel Smith Winter Welcome and Taddy Porter from England, Ayinger Ur Weisse from Germany, Lindemans Faro and Rochefort 8 from Belgium, and Traquair House Jacobite from Scotland. Admission is $25 and includes light fare (shared cheese and bread plates) and glassware from the breweries. You can buy tickets online.

For the nerdiest of beer nerds and beer geek hopefuls, we suggest "The Pursuit of Hoppiness" Tasting at the Brickskeller this Saturday at 1:00pm. Hosted by the Smithsonian Resident Associates lecture program, this three-and-a-half-hour tasting seminar will be led by hop expert Ralph Olson. Olson grew up in the U.S. hop hotbed of Yakima Valley, Washington, and has worked in the hop business for over 30 years. According to the Smithsonian site, the tasting will feature "an array of beers that showcase the flavor characteristics of different hop strains: piney, sprucy, lemony, grapefruity, peppery, and musky." The event is coordinated by Jim Dorsch, editor and publisher, American Brewer, and Greg Kitsock, editor, Mid-Atlantic Brewing News and beer columnist for the Washington Post. Resident Associate members can get tickets for $65 but non-members will pay $82. Yes, it appears the price for knowledge is high.

Additional events this week include a special tapping of Founders Backwards Bastard at ChurchKey on Monday and a four-course paired dinner at Commonwealth featuring beers from Great Lakes Brewing Company on Tuesday. In regular weekly to-do's, Room 11's Monday night guest tap is North Coast Le Merle this week. For your trivia fix, Biergarten Haus closes a six-week tournament on Tuesday with a blow-out bash including prizes for just about everyone, and Meridian Pint hosts Trivia Masters to run their team games on Wednesday.

Send submissions for the D.C. Beer Events calendar to thelagerheads@gmail.com.

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Last Call for Summer: A Short Guide on Where to Enjoy the Fruits of a Dying Season

Stefanie Gans — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:32:03 +0000

The fruits of summer at the Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market

While not-so-delicately sipping pea soup, topped with an aggressive layer of Parmesan foam, I knew it was over. With the arrival of fall equinox, J&G Steakhouse will soon rid its menu of any traces of warm weather, like this terrific soup and the watermelon salad.

I started to think about how, once again, I have to say goodbye to tomatoes and eggplants, cut-off shorts and abbreviated work days. I'm already equipped with a long cardigan for nights out.

While I'm sad to leave behind beach trips and unbearable heat, I'm not ready to say goodbye to melons, beans, and multi-colored peppers. Summer allows embarrassingly easy meatless meals. Throw your farmers market goodies on the grill. Serve with grains, crumbled feta, and a mustard-filled vinaigrette.

Coite Manuel of Food Chain, a supplier of barbecue and burritos — not Polish sausages disguised as half-smokes — to D.C.'s street vendors, understands that summer's bounty of fresh produce practically begs for vegetarian eating. His favorite dish is a childhood holdover: a summer pasta of fresh tomatoes and plenty of melted jack cheese.

Ris Lacoste, chef and owner of RIS, doesn't get out of her kitchen as much as she'd like, but she did enjoy "a lovely unctuous, silky eggplant gazpacho, garnished with cherry tomatoes, jalapeno and, of course, potato crisps, at Citronelle on Tuesday. All the vegetables tasted fresh from the market, just the way they should.”

"This summer I've been eating Sweetgreen's heirloom tomato salad which is delicious," gushed Alex Nicholson, who writes the laugh-out-loud food coverage at Brightest Young Things. "I like that salad because of the Parmesan crisp they crush into it." She's also quick to point out, "I make terrible salads."

Jonathan Neman, one of the guys behind Sweetgreen, assured me that although the tomato dish was August's featured salad, it will still be around all of September. And where does Neman find meatless pleasure?

"Spiced Peach Strudel: lemon-thyme panna cotta, popped blueberries and sweet corn ice cream from Birch and Barley. It's an amazing end of summer dessert. The sweet corn ice cream was surprisingly delicious. We're so used to eating corn in a savory dish so to have it in a sweet dish is such a pleasant surprise. Tiffany [MacIssac], the pastry chef, is a rockstar!"

The countdown is officially on. Find the last of your summer-filled meatless meals before the equinox brings in pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin beer, and pumpkin latte (which, wow, has already started according to Twitter).

Photo courtesy of Bennett Lipscomb

Wednesday’s Beerspotter Picks for D.C. Beer Week

Orr Shtuhl — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:32:16 +0000

Readers have been quick to point out that not all Beer Week events are created equal. While draft rarities and discount specials are always welcome, a $5 pint hardly constitutes a special night unto itself, even if D.C. drink prices often approach Ticketmaster-level robbery. The best things in life are free, so start with some quality time with brewmaster Barrett Lauer at District Chophouse, who will be hanging with folks at the bar and offering tours of the brewery. If you're feeling antisocial, they've still got you covered; park on a barstool and drink half-price beers until 9 p.m., including the new, all-D.C. collaboration "Alt Together Now" altbier. It's a toasty brown ale with a grassy, European-style hop finish, and more thirst-quenching than the pumpkin and Octoberfest beers that breweries are peddling this August.

Tonight's also the night for beer dinners, with Thunder Burger, Liberty Tree, and Capitol Lounge all offering menus for $40 or less. They feature three top-notch breweries — Sierra Nevada, Smuttynose, and Great Lakes, respectively — but pressed to choose, I'd go with Thunder Burger, if only to taste the new Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Jack & Ken’s Imperial Black Barleywine Ale. How good is this commemorative brew? Well, it brought the legendary Jack McAuliffe out of retirement.

Meet the Brewer Night at District Chophouse – Meet brewer Barrett Lauer and tour the brewery, along with half-price beers. 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Sierra Nevada Dinner at Thunder Burger – Four-course meal, paired with Kellerweis Hefeweizen, Torpedo Extra IPA, Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale, and 30th Anniversary Jack & Ken’s Imperial Black Barleywine Ale. $40, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Great Lakes Beer and BBQ at Capitol Lounge – All-inclusive dinner of smoked brisket, Carolina-style pork barbecue, kielbasa, and the four Great Lakes flagship beers. $35, 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Smuttynose Beer Dinner at Liberty Tree – Four-courses, four-beer dinner. $40, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Heavy Seas Cask Night at Churchkey – One oak cask, five regular casks, and 2009 Below Decks Barleywine on draft, plus free glassware. Casks include Loose Cannon (in oak cask), wet-hopped Loose Cannon, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Hang Ten, Secret-Spice Hang Ten, Prosit!, and Peg Leg. 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Lagunitas Dinner at DC Bread & Brew – Six-course meal, paired with Hop Stoopid, A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’, Censored Ale, IPA, Czech Pilsner, and New Dogtown Pale Ale. $50, 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

D.C. Beer Week Night at Nationals Park – Discounted tickets and Leinenkugel beer samples if you buy your tickets through D.C. Beer Week. $22, 7:00 p.m.

Speakeasy DC at The Big Hunt – “Fermented: A Night of True Tales About Beer” Sold out. $15, 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., performance at 8:00 p.m.

“A Bitch and a Bastard” Flying Dog/Stone Tasting at The Big Hunt – Also sold out, but many of the beers will be available on tap at the bar. $35, 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Half-Price Rodenbach Drafts at Brasserie Beck – Free glassware. 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Ommegang’s Belgian Bonanza at Meridian Pint – Rare Vos, Belgian Pale Ale, Scotch Ale, Abbey Ale, Hennepin & 2008 Biere De Mars on tap.

An Evening with Troegs at Commonwealth – Free glassware and rare beers. 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Troegs Night at The Red and the Black – Free glassware, and serving Mad Elf Holiday Ale. 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

D.C. Beer Week Starts Friday: What’s In Store?

Tammy Tuck and Bruce Falconer — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:09:48 +0000

Early this month we posted a sneak peek at D.C. Beer Week, a celebration that will feature craft beer focused events and specials at bars and restaurants starting this Friday, August 20, and running through Saturday, August 28. There are already over 40 special events planned for the second annual city-wide craft beer festival.

Your trusted Y&H beer bloggers will be posting daily picks starting next week, but below is a complete list of known events. We expect to get wind of several more before festivities officially begin this weekend. For the most up-to-date info on D.C. Beer Week, visit DCBeerWeek.com or if you're Googley enough follow our D.C. Beer Events Calendar where you can click on any event for location, time, price and menu details.

FRIDAY, August 20

Nerd Nite DC and Rock & Barley Concert at Rock & Roll Hotel (Lectures 6:30pm, Concert 10:00pm, $10 for one event or $16 for both)

SUNDAY, August 22

Rare Beer Brunch at Pizzeria Paradiso (12:00-2:00pm, $60)
Craft Beer Cruise on the Cherry Blossom (6:00-9:00pm, $70)
Great Lakes & German Style Tasting at Little Miss Whiskey's Golden Dollar (8:00-10:00pm, $20)

MONDAY, August 23

Victory Brewing Company Rarities at Room 11 (5:00-10:00pm)
Great Lakes Take-Over at Meridian Pint (5:00pm-Close, $5 Pints)

Opposite Night & Homebrew Swap at Breadsoda (6:00-10:00pm, Free 8oz. beer with each pint purchased)
Oliver Ales Cask Night with Brewmaster Stephen Jones at The Big Hunt (6:00pm)
Belgian vs. American Beer Dinner at Granville Moore's (7:00-9:30pm, $70)
Three Course Beer & Food Pairing at Dino's (7:00-10:00pm, $39)
Burgers & Beer in the Bus at Trusty's

TUESDAY, August 24

Adam Stein Beer Dinner at Little Miss Whiskey's Golden Dollar (6:00-8:00pm, $20)
Brisket & Brews with He'Brew Ales at Star and Shamrock (6:00-9:00pm)
Brooklyn Brawl Beer & Cheese Tasting at Kramerbooks/Afterwords Cafe (6:00-10:00pm)
"Local" Beer Night at The Big Hunt (6:00pm-Close)
Harpoon Pints for Putts at H Street Country Club (6:30-9:30pm)
Racer 5 IPA & Dangerously Delicious Pies at Justin's Cafe (6:30-11:30pm, $10 for pie-beer combo)
Vintage Chimay Tasting at Belga Café (6:30-8:30pm, $59)
Dogfish Ancient Ales Tasting at The Brickskeller (7:00-9:00pm, $35)
Pizza Night with 21st Amendment Brewing at 18th Amendment (7:00-9:00pm)
Smuttynose Beer Dinner at Liberty Tree (7:00-9:00pm, $40)
Oliver's "Brewmaster Presents" with Stephen Jones at Meridian Pint

WEDNESDAY, August 25

Heavy Seas Cask Night at ChurchKey (6:00-9:00pm)
Troegs Night at The Red and the Black (6:00-9:00pm)
Sierra Nevada Dinner at Thunder Burger (6:00-9:00pm, $40)
Great Lakes Beer and BBQ at Capitol Lounge (6:00-10:00pm, $45)
An Evening with Troegs at Commonwealth (6:00-10:00pm)
Speakeasy DC at The Big Hunt (6:30-10:00pm, Performance $15)
Meet the Brewer Night at District Chophouse (7:00-9:00pm)
Lagunitas Dinner at DC Bread & Brew (7:00-9:30pm, $50)
D.C. Beer Week Night at Nationals Park (7:00-9:30pm)
(Flying Dog) Bitch vs. (Stone Arrogant) Bastard at The Big Hunt (8:00-10:00pm, $35)
Ommegang's Belgian Bonanza at Meridian Pint

THURSDAY, August 26

Rogue Ales Oyster Fest at The Reef (5:00-10:00pm)
DC Brau Owners Meet & Greet at The Big Hunt (5:30-7:30pm)
Heavy Seas Cask Night at Thunder Burger (6:00-9:00pm)
Schmaltz Brewing at Distrtict Pour House (6:00-8:00pm)
Schlafly Dinner with Founder Dan Kopman at Meridian Pint (7:00-10:00pm, $65)
Reissdorf Kolsch Firkin at Biergarten Haus (7:00-9:00pm)
Beer vs Beer Braugust Celebration at Breadsoda

FRIDAY, August 27

Duvel Happy Hour at Belga Café (4:00-6:00pm)
Beer Week Wrap-Up Specials at Meridian Pint (5:00-8:00pm)
Michigan Beer Bash at The Big Hunt (7:30pm-Close)

SATURDAY, August 28

Firkin Spectacular at RFD (7:00-9:30pm, $40)

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A Pint of Their Own: Beer Events for the Ladies SAVOR Weekend

Tammy Tuck and Bruce Falconer — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:47:58 +0000

Interest in craft beer grows each year. Everyday more people experience that "eureeka moment," discover how flavorful beer can be, and are hooked for life. Although a higher percentage of those people are men, the ranks of women becoming interested in beer and brewing is steadily growing.

In November we wrote about notable women in the craft beer industry as well as D.C.'s local ladies of beer. Next weekend, at the peak of SAVOR mania, there will be opportunities to meet and learn from several of the women featured in our lists, and two events focus specifically on women and beer.

On Saturday at Commonwealth, owner and chef Jamie Leeds is hosting a beer tasting and networking event for women in the restaurant, beer, and service industries with Sebbie Buhler of Rogue Ales. The event is a fundraiser for Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, a professional culinary organization that Leeds heads as President.

Then on Sunday your very own Lagerheads have partnered with Amy Bowman and Hollie Stephenson at the Black Squirrel, Deverie Robinson of DCBeer.com and Hurra Bier!, and Rachel Murray of The Brickskeller to bring the national and local female beer community together for an educational tasting and meet and greet. Eight women in the beer industry will talk through ten beers and six food pairings. Visit the official event page for more details about this Washington City Paper event and the chance to RSVP.

Although it's still a dude-heavy line-up, at Friday's Lupulin Reunuless at The Brickskeller, Kim Jordan, founder of New Belgium Brewing in Ft. Collins, Colorado, will share the stage with other big names in beer. To our knowledge, this will be the first time a female brewery founder or brewmaster has participated in the infamous East vs. West Coast hop slam (and hop slam reunion) series.

SAVOR Mania: The Master List

Tammy Tuck and Bruce Falconer — Tue, 25 May 2010 21:58:31 +0000

It's that time of year again. SAVOR is coming to town and with the national craft beer and food pairing event comes a week-long beer party for D.C. Tickets sold out in record time this year, but thanks to the local bars, restaurants, and distributors who take advantage of so many talented brewers being in town for SAVOR, you have plenty of opportunities to taste many of the same beers being served and meet several of the same brewery founders and brewmasters who will be at SAVOR.

The Lagerheads haven't decided if the best way to prepare for an entire week of drinking is to hydrate and get extra sleep now or start drinking to get our livers warmed up. Whichever route you choose, we hope this list of beer events for SAVOR week (a.k.a. D.C.'s Unofficial Beer Week) will help you make good decisions about where to spend your sobriety. (If you prefer a graphical representation of this info, check out our DC Beer Events Calendar. Our tired fingers thank you.)

TUESDAY, JUNE 1

[LH PICK] East Coast Craft Beer Cask Party at ChurchKey – Leading up to SAVOR, ChurchKey will pour rare casks and drafts and give away glassware from five East Coast craft breweries: Harpoon, Dogfish Head, Peak Organic, Heavy Seas, and Flying Dog. 4 to 8PM.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2

The Clash of the Titans at The Red and The Black – The event will feature Great Lakes Brewing Company's Lake Erie Monster and Harpoon Brewing's Leviathan, two behemoths among beers. Music provided by Nathan Robinson (of Archivist) and friends. Glassware giveaway. 5 to 8PM.
Anchor Humming Ale Release Party at ChurchKey -Anchor's new seasonal release, Humming Ale, will be featured on draft and multiple other Anchor offerings will be available. 6 to 9PM.
Flying Dog Meet the Brewery Night at Pizzeria Paradiso – Both Pizzeria Paradiso locations will have a special selection of Flying Dog beers including Barrel Aged Gonzo, Locally-Roasted Coffee Stout, and a firkin of Raging Bitch Belgian IPA. 5 to 8PM.
[LH PICK] Three Floyds Tasting at the Brickskeller – The three brothers from Indiana who started Three Floyds Brewing Company will be on stage at the Brick leading a tasting of eight FFF beers, including their Alpha King Challenge winning beer. 6:30 to 10PM. Tickets $35 at LoveTheBeer.com.
Heavy Seas & BreweryFans.com SAVOR Ticket Giveaway at Elephant & Castle – Loose Cannon IPA will be available for $1 off. Get a raffle ticket for every Loose Cannon purchased for a chance to win a ticket to SAVOR including a salon ticket. 6 to 9PM. Drawing at 9PM.
Goose Island Sofie Tasting at D'Vines – Free tasting of the Illinois brewery's "sparkling saison" style beer, brewed with wild yeasts and aged in wine barrels with orange peel. Every 13th four-pack is $0.01. 5:30 to 8PM.
Extended Hump Day Flying Dog Happy Hour at 19th – The golf-themed bar will have a late happy hour featuring Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale and other Flying Dog offerings. 8 to 10PM.
American Craft Beer Tasting at Granville Moore's – It'll be too late for those award-winning mussels but the folks at Granville Moore's are featuring a bunch of American craft beers including Brooklyn Barleywine, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Brooklyn Local 2, Anchor Porter, Rogue Chipotle, Coney Island Albino, River Horse Triple and others. Free Granville Moore's glasses to the first 30 people. 10PM to 12AM.

THURSDAY, JUNE 3

A Toast to SAVOR at RFD – Unlimited samples from 10 breweries featured at SAVOR: Dogfish Head, Samuel Adams, Ommegang, Sierra Nevada, Saranac, Harpoon, Heavy Seas, Anchor Steam, Magic Hat, Flying Dog, Southampton, Stoudts, Peak Organic, Hook & Ladder, Cisco, and Otter Creek. 6:30 to 10:30PM. Tickets $30 at LoveTheBeer.com.
Three Floyds Beer Dinner at Birreria Paradiso – The Floyds will guide guests through four courses and seven beers, including the super rare barrel-aged Dark Lord Imperial Stout. Seatings at 6:30 and 9:00PM. $65 includes tax and tip. Call 202-337-4936 for reservations. [SOLD OUT]
[LH PICK] Odell Tasting at the Brickskeller – Doug Odell of Ft. Collins Colorado will speak about and serve eight of his beers. 6:30 to 10PM. Tickets $30 at LoveTheBeer.com.
[LH PICK] The Bruery Dinner at Brasserie Beck – The Bruery founder Patrick Rue from California will host a dinner of four-courses paired with five Bruery beers: Orchard White, Saison de Lente, Rugbord, Oud Tart and 100% Barrel-Aged Coton. 7 to 9:30PM. $85 plus tax and gratuity. Call 202-408-1717 for reservations.

FRIDAY, JUNE 4

Heavy Seas Barrel-Aged Below Decks Barley Wine Tasting at D'Vines - Taste free samples of Heavy Seas' award-winning barleywine aged two ways, in wooden bourbon barrels or cabernet barrels. Every 13th bottle is only $0.01. 3 to 5PM.
Sierra Nevada Meet & Greet with Ken Grossman at ChurchKey – Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman will be on hand to serve some of his rare barrel-aged brews and cask ales and give away glassware. 4 to 7PM.
[LH PICK] Sam Calagione Book Signing & Dogfish Head Tasting at D'Vines – Owner and founder Sam Calagione will be selling and signing his book Extreme Brewing. Guests can taste Fort on draft at the store. Free Dogfish Head glass with book purchase. 5 to 6PM.
Harpoon Brewery Night at Scion – Six Harpoon Brewery beers will be available: IPA, UFO, Munich Dark, Leviathan Imperial IPA, Leviathan Big Bohemian Pilsner, and 100 Barrel Series Single Hop ESB. Food and beer pairings available a la carte. 5 to 9PM. RSVP to joanne@scionrestaurant by May 31, for a free bottle of Harpoon UFO.
Great Lakes Lake Eerie Monster Debut at DC Bread & Brew - "Release the Kraken!" will feature Great Lakes Brewing Company's Lake Erie Monster and free glassware giveaways. 6 to 9PM.
Magic Hat Beer Dinner at Policy – Alan Newman, co-founder of Magic Hat Brewing Company in Vermont, will lead a beer dinner upstairs. 6 to 9PM. Call 202-387-7654 for reservations.
Terrapin Brewmaster Meet & Greet at Rustico - Meet Spike Buckowski, brewmaster and cofounder of Terrapin. Enjoy casks of Hopsecutioner dry hopped with Centennial Hops, Hop Karma Brown IPA aged on wood with vanilla, Gamma Ray Honey Wheat Wine, their newest Side Project, and #11 Boomshakalager. Terrapin pint glass giveaway. 6 to 9PM.
Abita Bayou Beer Tasting at Eatonville – Meet and greet with reps from Abita Brewing Company in Louisiana and taste six different beers in draft and bottle, plus Abita Root Beer. Admission includes first beer and passed hors d'oeuvres including Fried Oysters, BBQ Shrimp and Exotic Gumbo. Live New Orleans-themed Music. $10. 6 to 8PM.
[LH PICK] Lupulin Reunuless at the Brickskeller - Without key competitors, a Lupulin Slam reunion (Lupulin Reunulin) is not possible this year. Instead a new lineup of big names in craft beer will be on stage to talk about their beers. Speakers include Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada, Kim Jordan of New Belgium, Rob Tod of Allagash, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, Greg Koch of Stone, Nick Matt of Saranac, Bob Pease of the Brewers Association, and Bill Madden of Mad Fox Brewpub in Falls Church. Doors at 6PM. Program 7 to 10:30pm. Tickets $50. [SOLD OUT]
Meet the Brewers Night at Pizzeria Paradiso Georgetown – Meet brewers Phil Markowski of Southampton and Matt Brophy of Flying Dog and enjoy several great American craft beers from Flying Dog, Southampton, Ommegang, and Victory. Markowski will have copies of his book, Farmhouse Ales: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition available for purchase and signing. Surprise guests and beers are highly likely. 7 to 10PM.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5

[LH PICK] Stone Founder Meet & Greet at Rustico – Stone co-founder Greg Koch and hoprageous Stone beers including double dry-hopped Stone IPA, 10th Anniversary Blend Imperial Russian Stout, and a cask of Ruination IPA. 11:30AM to 2PM.
Coronado Tasting with Rick Chapman at Best Cellars Clarendon – Beer tasting and bottle signing with Coronado founder Rick Chapman. 1 to 2:30PM. More info: 703-741-0404.
[LH PICK] Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Tasting at Commonwealth – A fundraiser and networking event for women in the beer and hospitality service industries to meet the Women Chefs of D.C. A selection of artisanal cheeses and charcuterie will be paired with three beers from Rogue Ales by Chef Jamie Leeds and Rogue Advocate Sebbie Buhler. 2 to 4PM. $10 WCR members; $20 non-members. RSVP online.
Coronado Tasting with Rick Chapman at DeVinos – Meet Coronado owner and founder Rick Chapman at a tasting featuring Mermaid Red Ale, Islander Pale Ale, and Idiot IPA. 3 to 5PM.
Stone Tasting at Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits – Featuring five Stone beers: Levitation, IPA, Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Smoked Porter & Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale. 3 to 6PM.
SAVOR: an American Craft Beer & Food Experience at the National Building Museum - Attendees will enjoy a reception-style sampling of sweet and savory appetizers and 140 craft beers from 70 breweries and a chance to converse with the brewery owners, brewers and representatives. 7:30-11pm, $95. [SOLD OUT]

SUNDAY, JUNE 6

[LH PICK] The Bruery and Allagash Brunch at Pizzeria Paradiso Dupont - The Bruery founder Patrick Rue and Allagash founder Rob Tod will lead guests through a six-beer four-course brunch. Beers include The Bruery's Hottenroth, Tradewinds Tripel, and Coton and Allagash Black, White, and Curieaux. 12 to 1:30PM. $60 includes tax and tip. Call 202-337-4936 for reservations.
Coronado Founder Meet & Greet at Rustico – Meet founder Rick Chapman and drink two Coronado beers on cask, Irish Stout and Nutter Brown. 2 to 5PM.
[LH PICK] All 'Ale the Ladies: Women of Craft Beer Meet & Greet at the Black Squirrel – Enjoy great beer, food pairings, and door prizes at this educational event. Featured guests include Sebbie Buehler of Rogue, Gwen Conley of Flying Dog, Julia Herz of the Brewers Association, Carolyn Smagalski of BellaOnline, Ellie Tupper of Tuppers' Hop Pocket Ales, Kelly Zimmerman of Heavy Seas, Erin Tyler of Legends Limited and Susan Greene of Global Brewers Guild. 6 to 8:30PM. Info online. [RSVPs FULL]

MONDAY, JUNE 7

[LH PICK] Schlafly Happy Hour at The Big Hunt – Meet and greet with co-founder and brewmaster Dan Kopman from St Louis Brewing Co., makers of Schlafly Ales & Lagers. On draft will be the 2010 World Beer Cup Gold Medal Winner- Kolsch, APA (American Pale Ale), and the just-released AIPA (American India Pale Ale). Bottles of a rare Schlafly 750 ml will also be available to purchase. 5:30 to 7:30PM.

Photo by Eddie Arrossi Photography

This Week: Hopslam Cask at ChurchKey, Holy Moses at Black Squirrel, New York Dinner at Granville Moore’s & Flying Dog Casks Galore

Tammy Tuck and Bruce Falconer — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:31:02 +0000

This week is National Cask Ale Week in the U.K., and real ale fans all over the colonies are celebrating by drinking hand-pumped beer. If you are looking for an authentic experience (but have no plans to jump the pond) we suggest heading to Pratt Street Ale House in Baltimore. They will be pouring $5 cask pints of their traditional British-style ales every evening this week and will feature Oliver Breweries dry-hopped Blonde Ale in their glass-headed firkin on Friday. Need some coaxing? Check out the Beerspotter's tasting notes from Oliver brewmaster Stephen Jones' event at Commonwealth last week.

Don't worry if you can't get out there because DC has some excellent opportunities to participate in Cask Ale Week. On Monday, ChurchKey will have the only cask of Bell's Hopslam available in the area. On Wednesday Flying Dog is bringing two casks (Snake Dog IPA and Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale) to Black Squirrel, and on Thursday the award-winning Frederick brewery will have Simcoe dry-hopped casks of Gonzo Imperial Porter, Snake Dog IPA, and Doggie-Style Classic Pale Ale at ChurchKey.

Beyond the special events this week, you can experience cask ale, DC's Best New Beer Trend, anytime at Pizzeria Paradiso, Commonwealth, District Chophouse, RFD, the Brickskeller, and Rustico.

As for other beer fun this week, like every Monday you can visit Room 11 for their featured guest tap–which is St. Bernardus Pater 6 tonight. On Tuesday Black Squirrel will have the only available keg of Great Lakes Holy Moses. Tammy got the last few drops of a preview keg of this Belgian-style wit at the Big Hunt last month and recommends trying it. Also on Tuesday is Teddy Folkman's "New York's Finest" Beer Dinner at Granville Moore's and a lambic-focused beer tasting at Belga Café. Finally, if you can't wait until next week for Williams Brothers/Heather Ale owner Bruce Williams to come to the Brickskeller, you can head up to Max's in Baltimore Tuesday evening for his Scottish Ales and tales.

As always, click on any event in the DC Beer Events Calendar above for more details.

Real Ale Cask: (Dry-H

Gonzo ImperiDog India Pale Ale, Doggie-Style Classic Pale Ale

Oliver Breweries Bring Us English-Style Beer, Finally

Orr Shtuhl — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:22:59 +0000

The top beer wish on my wish list has been fulfilled, and D.C. now has a strong cask ale presence — strong enough that we honored the trend in the new Best of D.C. issue, out today. So what's next on the wish list?

D.C. might have the best beer availability of any city in America; we get great beer from both coasts, from Michigan, from Colorado, from the Southeast and from New England. We have a German beer garden coming, and the city's finer establishments are showcasing rare, up-and-coming microbrews from Italy and Quebec. And lord knows we have our share of Belgian beer and mussel houses.

So maybe it's selfish to ask for more, but I want British-style beer. Fresh, mild, buttery, low-alcohol ("session") beers that are meant for downing by the pint. Enter Oliver Breweries.

Oliver is the house label for the Baltimore brewpub Pratt Street Ale House, which began distributing to the District in October, filling our casks with ales of real English provenance. Brewmaster Stephen Jones hosted a dinner at Commonwealth on Tuesday in which he showcased his liquid offerings and genuine English accent.

Before moving to the U.S., Jones logged four years experience brewing for the UK's now-defunct Firkin Brewery (not related to the Canadian chain of the same name). In 1999 he moved to Baltimore and started at Oliver, working for brewmaster Barrett Lauer — who now mans the tanks at District Chophouse — before taking over the top spot in 2001.

Oliver's Brit cred goes deeper than their brewer, however. They use only Ringwood yeast, an English standby, and mostly English malts and hops — the hops in particular known for their mild flavors and low bitterness, a hemisphere removed from our citrusy west-coast crop. Oliver's mainstay beers, such as their Ironman Pale Ale and Dark Horse mild, are brewed with cask treatment in mind, with subtle flavors that come out in every buttery pint at Commonwealth, Pizzeria Paradiso, Churchkey, or anywhere else you find the beers that are now flooding the city.

What do they taste like? Keep an eye out here on Y&H for the Drool List of beers from the Commonwealth beer dinner.

This Week: Mikkeller at ChurchKey, Stoudts at Birreria, Oliver at Commonwealth, Heavy Seas at Elephant & Castle and Chris O’Brien at the Chophouse

Tammy Tuck and Bruce Falconer — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:43:42 +0000

This week is a busy one when it comes to beer. Tonight ChurchKey will have all 10 Mikkeller Single Hop IPAs on draft. If you are interested in learning more about what different types of hops smell and taste like, this is a good opportunity to get geeky. Also tonight is Birreria Paradiso's monthly beer dinner, featuring Stoudts Brewing Company this time. Seatings are at 6:30 and 9:00pm but call ahead because they usually sell out in advance.

Tuesday Baltimore beer invades DC. Steve Jones and his English-style ales will be at Commonwealth for an Oliver Breweries beer dinner while downtown at Elephant & Castle, Clipper City founder Hugh Sisson will host a five-course dinner featuring Heavy Seas beers.

On Wednesday DC has a good reason to invade Baltimore–the rare chance to meet James Watt of Scottish renegade brewing outfit BrewDog at Max's. The Fell's Point beer bar will have over twenty BrewDog offerings, including two Paradox series whiskey casks, six beers on draft, and thirteen different bottles.

On Thursday local author and "Beer Activist" Chris O'Brien will be at District Chophouse to sign copies of his award-winning book Fermenting Revolution: How to Drink Beer and Save the World while brewer Barrett Lauer serves seven of his hand-crafted brews.

Saturday gives DC beer fans another reason to head up to Baltimore–the Heavy Seas Real Ale & BBQ Fest. The brewery will have at least 8 firkins, 12 taps, brewery tours, live music, and tons of food from Baltimore restaurants.

For more details about any event, click on it in the calendar above.