Well, SAVOR Week is here and already has been for two days. If you’ve already been out and about at Saturday and Sunday’s events, we hope you’re all geared up for the rest of the week! We’ll be previewing each night’s events for you, so check back in every day.
Tonight, there are a bunch of brewer-specific events lined up. Troeg’s, Founders, Dogfish Head, Victory, and Flying Dog all have events tonight, as you’ll see below, but the marquee event is probably the Sierra Nevada Tap Takeover at ChurchKey. 50 drafts and five casks from Sierra Nevada’s storied and diverse line-up is mouthwatering. Be forewarned, it will likely be packed there tonight, so be patient and strategic about what you order.
Remember how infuriating it is when someone ties up one of the bartenders for 15 minutes so that they can order eight different tasters and you can’t get a full pour of the beer you want? Well, keep that in mind when you step up to order. There’s only so much staff at ChurchKey, or any bar really, so be patient, be respectful of other folks and their desire to get beer too, and don’t order a dozen tasters at once unless you want me to be snarking at you for it.
If you’re not looking for a blowout event and would prefer something a little more manageable, then there are lots of other great options tonight in a variety of neighborhoods. Mad Fox (Falls Church), Smoke and Barrel, Jack Rose, and Bourbon (Adams Morgan), Lou’s City Bar (Columbia Heights), and Bourbon Glover Park all have events tonight. Here’s what else is on the slate:
Mad Fox Brewing Company: Oaked Beer Showcase – 3pm
Mad Fox reaches deep into our rare beer archive and pulls out four barrel aged beers as Savor week treats. Our brewers only produced a small quantity of these very special aged beers, so you may never get a chance to taste them together again. These intense beer will be available in 10 ounce snifters, sorry no growlers.
Oaked Crazy Ivan – First taste from these barrels on cask only, aged in Elijah Craig Bourbon barrels. This beer started out as a 9% ABV Russian Imperial Stout black-hearted plum pudding of a beer with coffee, dark chocolate and dark ripe fruit esters. The barrels add vanilla, toast and oak tanning with a Port wine character.
Batch 100 – This epic beer is a numerologist’s dream – 100 specific gravity points, 100 IBUs, 100% Centennial hops and 10.0% ABV. Imagine the prodigal son of Black IPA and Russian Imperial Stout, aged in Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 1999 Bourbon barrels. Our brewers combine the big hop flavor and aroma and sharp roast malt of a Black IPA with the smooth plum pudding malt and spirit warming of Russian Imperial Stout. The Bourbon barrels add layers of vanilla, toffee, caramel and oak that increase the complexity to the point of absurdity. Our Batch 100 beer defies categorization, but it is an epic journey in your mouth.
Oaked Wee Heavy – Aged in 8-year-old Evan Williams Bourbon barrels, Oaked Wee Heavy intensifies the sweet toffee and dark dry fruit characters while balancing the sweet notes with drying spirit and oak.
Oaked Slobberknocker – Aged in Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye white oak barrels, Slobberknocker picks up vanilla and hints of toffee along with some oak dryness. This is a very complex sipping beer that rewards the patient as it warms and the barrel character expresses.
ChurchKey: Sierra Nevada’s Record-Breaking Tap Takeover – 4pm
On Monday, ChurchKey is setting a new record for the most Sierra Nevada beers in one place ever as they take over all 55 draft lines. There is no admission for this event and all beers will be priced individually in 4 oz. tasters and full pours.
Early Bird Special: For the overzealous enthusiasts that want some extra time with these amazing brews, ChurchKey will be allowing early entry at 3 PM to the first 55 folks that call and reserve a spot. To secure early entry please call 202-567-2576. Limit four people per reservation.
Smoke and Barrel: Kickoff to SAVOR – 5pm
It’s going to be a crazy week of beer and Flying Dog will be at the Barrel with brewers and great beers to get you started. All Flying Dog drafts and cans will be $2 off from 5-8PM. The list: Barrel-Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter, Disobedience Abbey Dubbel, Single Hop El Dorado IPA, Sour Cherry Berliner Weisse, Underdog (can), Wildeman Farmhouse IPA
Bourbon Adams Morgan: Troegs Scratch Fever – 5pm-10pm
Happy hour feature with eight Troeg’s drafts, four of which will be their small batch scratch beers and one the beloved Nugget Nectar. Glassware will be given to take home. Beers: Scratch 55 (Double IPA), Scratch 57 (Weizen Bock), Scratch 60 (Spring Helles), Nugget Nectar, Sunshine Pils, Dreamweaver Wheat, Hopback Amber, Flying Mouflan. All SAVOR Week, drafts will be $5 for a full pour and $2 for a 4oz pour
Jack Rose Dining Saloon: Victory Beer and Cigar Night – 5pm-10pm
Join Brewmaster Adam Bartles in enjoying a variety of Victory brewing company’s craft beers with specially selected cigars expertly paired by Matt Krimm of Draper’s Tobacco. Special deals on a whole package or individual pairings will be offered. All SAVOR Week, drafts will be $6 for a full pour and $2 for a 4oz pour BEER LINEUP: Hop Devil, Golden Monkey, Prima Pils, Hop Wallop, Summer Love, Headwaters Pale, Helios, Alt Bier, Mad King Weiss, St. Boisterous.
Lou’s City Bar: Dogfish Head Mini Tap Takeover – 5pm
Featuring 5 Dogfish Head drafts: 60, 90, Burton Baton, My Antonia, and Palo Santo Marron. Also $6 pours of 90 minute all night, starting at 5 p.m., along with half price burgers.
Bourbon Glover Park: Founders Vintage Night – 6pm
Vintage bottles of Nemesis and Backwoods Bastard. On tap will be Founders’ core selections (e.g., Red’s RyePA, Centennial IPA). $4 Drafts
