Some problems are unexpected but welcomed. In this case, I’m talking about Port City Brewing and their “problem” of having too many patrons show up for tastings and tours. Weekend crowds are continuing to exceed fifty tour after tour. Their solution? Make it bigger!
This Sunday, July 1 from 12pm-6pm, Port City is hosting a re-opening event to show off the expanded tasting room and officially begin serving full pints on premise. This change in Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control laws allows breweries to serve on the premises, effective as of July 1, 2012.
Here is a bit more from the folks Port City Brewing about their recent expansion and on-premise consumption changes.
The renovations include adding a second Tasting Bar and an express growler filling station. The Tasting Room will also begin serving full pints in addition to offering tasting flights of Port City beers. Port City’s Tasting Room is one of the first breweries to serve pints on site due to changes in the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control laws allowing breweries to serve on the premises, effective as of July 1. Port City will continue to offer educational public tours of their state-of-the-art craft brewery on an expanded schedule and will be increasing opening hours as well.
The Tasting Room at Port City Brewing Company has been so popular with customers and DC area craft beer enthusiasts that Port City has decided to expand the space and extend the hours of the Tasting Room operations. To kick off the expanded hours and to unveil the newly renovated Tasting Room, Port City is hosting the first “Port City Pint Party” on July 1, 2012. The 11,000-square-foot craft brewery is dedicated to bringing great quality, innovative, handmade craft beers to the DC and Mid-Atlantic market, and was named by Washingtonian magazine as Washington, DC’s best brewery tour of 2011.
Owner Bill Butcher invites customers to kick off the expanded hours and to unveil the newly renovated Tasting Room with live music from local musician Justin Trawick performing two sets from 2 PM-4 PM. Additionally the Big Cheese Truck will be at the event selling upscale grilled cheese sandwiches, perfect with cold beer. There is no charge to enter the tasting room. A public tour with a full tasting flight of Port City’s beers cost $7.
The new schedule of the Tasting Room, effective of July 1:
Wednesdays, 5 PM-8 PM
Thursdays, 5 PM-8 PM
Fridays, 3 PM-8 PM, public tours at 6:30 PM
Saturdays 12 PM-8PM, public tours at 1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM & 5 PM
Sundays 12PM-6 PM, public tours at 2 PM and 3 PMWHEN: Sunday, July 1, 2012 for the “Pint Party” 12 PM- 6 PM
HOW: There is no charge to enter the Tasting Room and reservations are not required. Tours and a tasting flight of Port City beers are priced at $7 per person, which includes a tasting glass to keep and a full tasting of all Port City beers on tap. For more information please call (703) 797-2739 or visit www.portcitybrewing.com.
WHERE: Port City Brewing Company, located two miles from the King Street Metro at 3950 Wheeler Avenue Alexandria, VA 22304.