Where Washington DC drinks local: brewpubs, taprooms and the new wave.
Taprooms, brewpubs and the local beer scene in Washington DC worth taking a tram to.
DC Brau Brewing in Washington DC is the city's first post-Prohibition brewery, founded 2011 by Jeff Hancock and Brandon Skall on Bladensburg Road NE, with The Public flagship pale ale on draft.
Tip: Brewery tours run Saturdays at 13:00; the taproom takes growlers and 32oz crowlers. Cash and card.
Right Proper Brewing Brookland Production House in Washington DC is the larger Brookland Girard Street brewery from Leah and Thor Cheston, with saison, lager and barrel-aged wild ales.
Tip: Raised By Wolves saison is the brewery's flagship; the Northern Brewer fest releases run Saturday afternoons.
Bluejacket Brewery in Washington DC is the Navy Yard Tingey Street brewery from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, with 20 house beers on tap and a full-service dining room (The Arsenal) attached.
Tip: Order the four-beer tasting flight to walk the range; the gose is the brewery's most-awarded beer.
Atlas Brew Works Ivy City in Washington DC is the West Virginia Avenue NE brewery from Justin Cox since 2013, with The Precious One DDH double IPA and a year-round Ponzi IPA flagship.
Tip: The Saturday afternoon brewery tour is free with a flight ticket; the Ivy City taproom is the larger of two DC outposts.
Hellbender Brewing in Washington DC is the Riggs Park 2nd Street brewery from Patrick Mullane and Ben Evans since 2014, named for the eastern hellbender salamander with a Czech pilsner focus.
Tip: The Southern Tier-style Stout series rotates seasonally; the year-round Bare Bones Pilsner is the editorial flagship.
Other Half Brewing DC in Washington DC is the Ivy City satellite of the Brooklyn brewery on Okie Street NE, with hazy IPAs and barrel-aged stouts brewed at the DC location for local release.
Tip: Saturday IPA can releases sell out by 14:00; queue starts at 11:00 on the sidewalk. Limit 2 cases per person.
Lost Generation Brewing in Washington DC is the Brookland Kearny Street brewery from John Trogner since 2018, with a European focus on Czech-style pilsners and Belgian-influenced saisons.
Tip: The Belgian-tripel can release runs once a quarter; sign up for the mailing list for the drop schedule.
Aslin Beer Company Eckington in Washington DC is the First Street NE DC taproom of the Herndon, Virginia brewery, with hazy IPAs, pastry stouts and sour ales brewed for direct-to-tap release.
Tip: Bring growlers; the brewery fills 32oz crowlers on site. The Sunday brunch with food truck is the local move.
Peak food season in Washington DC is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Washington DC rewards trust.