Is this week the last SAVOR? Can two breweries become a Gundam? These questions are answered in this week’s edition.
Welcome to SAVOR week, everyone. The big news about this SAVOR week above all others is the sense that this one is more subdued than in previous years. It’s one less day and the feeling is that there are fewer events and less bandwidth for events. There are still plenty to go to, especially if you like imp stouts, but the days of a laundry list of events night after night seem to be over.
Not only that, but our own Jake Berg says this year will likely be the last, with official word potentially coming as early as Friday, but more than likely later this year. Enjoy it while you can. It’s been a good run for a unique event. Get out there and drink the Fremont before it goes away for a while.
As much as I’d like to seamlessly continue into local news, there is a more pressing matter on hand. You may have heard in the TAKESTORM that ensued afterward that Dogfish Head Brewing and Samuel Adams Brewing have combined forces in a $300 million deal that some say sounds more like an acquisition even if they described it as a merger. Either way, the two stalwart craft beer entities are now one. Bryan Roth finds good reasons for this move from both companies’ perspectives. Joshua Bernstein says the merger brings a renewed effort toward beer for behemoth Sam Adams, which in previous years had grown into a multi-market beverage company while seeing little growth in beer sales. And as Jason Notte points out, this was about more than beer for Sam Adams as well.
Before this news came out, the bigger news in the Void was slated to be the new Denizens spot getting an opening day in Riverdale Park, MD. Things change in a hurry. But go check that spot out at the end of the month as well.
Dacha opened their cans-only giant outdoor area in Navy Yard last week.
Mayor Bowser has proposed raising the allowable amount of alcohol in wine and cider, from a limit of 15% ABV to 21%.
Caboose Brewing’s summer ale returns to Wolf Trap for the summer season.
For once, an article about the best craft beer bars in every state includes DC in its list.
Let’s check in on how Brewdog is doing.
How can they make things worse, you ask? I can’t really say anything more than is said about them in the threads.
While we’re on the subject of intellectual property, the lawsuit of Guns N’ Roses the band against Oskar Blues has moved into another stage.
Who wants to hear about this year’s hot new hop varietals? Do we really need more? I mean, need is an interesting word here.
Congrats to Allagash founder Rob Tod, who won a James Beard award.
Finally, we’ve got three long reads this week, so after all that, you’re going to have to get another coffee. I know, I know, you’ve already had eight, but JUST ONE MORE, OK?
Two of them come from Jeff Alworth, first on a subject near and dear to my palate, London Porter. And, in the wake of Dogfish Head getting acquired for a third of its value, how hazies stopped Ballast Point.
Finally, We go to Lily Waite back in London for a Mild Month feature on the one known as the Mild One in a brewery in East London.
