UPDATE:
Bad news, beer fans. Guess you'll have to go to one of DC's other great beer spots. You all are good sports. Editor's Note: The outpouring of support yesterday was tremendous. It lets us know if we ever decide to get into an endeavor with spherical foods, limited beer lists, and Nordic folk metal that we can expect to have a lot of regulars. Cheers and best to all of you!
For years now, we here at DC Beer have worked hard to promote the craft beer community in our fair city. It’s been a fun ride, but today, we’re thrilled to announce that we’re cashing in.
In mid-April, the DC Beer team will finally bring great beer and innovative food to Logan Circle with the debut of our new concept, Bottle Opener. The gastronomical public house, or ‘gas house,’ will redefine the food and beverage scene of the entire Mid-Atlantic region.
From day one, tourists and some locals can expect ice cold beers and sizzling hot eats. "[Logan Circle] is a neighborhood without any good meal options in general, and it’s a true craft beer desert," argues co-managing co-partner and DCBeer co-editor Bill DeBaun. Bottle Opener will right that wrong, serving dozens of patrons a week. Located at 1409 14th St NW, the intimate space will have seating for 8 and an outdoor patio with room for 60, pending ANC approval.
Tim Liu, formerly of Scion and Crios, will manage the intermittently evolving beer program at Bottle Opener. “I’ve been dying to get out of those places for ages now,” admits Liu, “and this just seemed like the right opportunity. This seems so, so much easier.”
The highly curated beer menu will rotate beers across one draft line, one cask line (typically with fun additions like Jujubes and pearl onions), and three bottles. This will provide a laser-like focus on only the best products available on the market. “People like being told what to drink, and that’s what we intend to do,” asserts Chris Van Orden, co-managing co-partner and DCBeer co-editor.
Each beer will be served in branded shaker pints, as the breweries intended. Every night will feature a “steal the pint” promotion in an effort to stock the many new and high-end cupboards in the surrounding neighborhood’s junior one bedroom apartments. Guests will also be able to request complimentary pineapples, coconuts, and Canary melons from which to drink our, and eventually their, favorite beers. Prices will range from $7-$19 and beyond, based on a dynamic pricing model that takes into account how much distributors like us and how badly Bottle Opener’s dedicated bar staff perceive that guests want it.
Bottle Opener will offer no wine or cocktails beyond Old Overholt.
In the kitchen, longtime DC culinary writer Aaron Morrissey will take the reins for the first time as a head chef, overseeing an ambitious menu designed entirely around ebelskiver pans. “What can I say? I like my food spherical,” Morrissey admits. Look for dishes like shredded pork orbs, globular dough mounds, and ‘meat’ balls.
In the coming months, other notable #dcbrews personalities will “strategically phase out” of their current professional lives and contribute to the “nightlife disruption” that will characterize Bottle Opener. For example, our plans to host live musical acts, pending ANC approval, will be facilitated by booking agent John Fleury, who will bring in some of the best local thrash metal talent for acoustic sets. "DC will become the next Nordic folk metal epicenter of the world!" Fleury \m/'ed via email.
In time, we also hope that Jacob Berg will operate a small research library, also pending ANC approval, out of the awkward space where people comingle while waiting for the bathroom. “I have a vision of operating the largest little free library on central Asian fermentation outside of Milton, Delaware,” prophesies Berg.
Everyone at DC Beer is proud to be involved in such a monumental undertaking. We look forward to seeing you all in the very near future and apologize to any nearby bars that see a sudden decrease in customers. It can be difficult to operate in an unpopular neighborhood without other craft-focused bars there to serve as a role model. There is plenty of room under our wings if not on our draft lines.
Please consider contributing to our Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, GoFundMe, and CrowdRise campaigns.
Stay tuned as we announce the final date for opening night (scheduled tentatively for April 16), which is dependent on getting any of our permits, or a lease, signed in a timely fashion.
