As independent, craft, and insert-adjective-of-your-choice beer has become more prevalent, the beer bar has become less so, and with it, the beer event has become more rare. Pizzeria Paradiso And Granville Moore’s are chugging along, and Brasserie Beck has reopened, but Meridian Pint is no more, and Smoke and Barrel just closed, too. Brookland Pint has basically dropped out of the “beer bar” game, as Smoke did upon reopening during the pandemic, with 7 of 25 draft lines not in operation. The pandemic has done a number on both the beer bar and the beer event, as has the rise of brewery taprooms. On the other hand, your local bar/restaurant/tavern probably has at least 8 draft lines, and 6 of those fit the localish, craftish bill. The whole situation is a decidedly mixed bag.
All this is to say that there used to be a SAVOR Week in DC, starting perhaps the Monday or Tuesday before the main event. Now we have a SAVOR Long Weekend, mostly brought to you by Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the last consortia of beer bars standing, as it were. Here we go.
WEDNESDAY:
The Midlands hosts The Bruery at 3pm.
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THURSDAY:
Lost and Found hosts Florida’s Ivanhoe Park, 4pm
We don’t have a tap list, but we know there will be 6 beers from this out-of-market brewery.
ChurchKey – THE NIGHT BEFORE SAVOR BEER LIST, 4pm
Alesong Magic Is Real (Oak BA Sour Red Ale w/ Raspberries & Blueberries)
Alesong Mocha Rhino Suit (Imperial Stout w/ Coffee & Cocoa Nibs)
Alesong Rackhouse Reserve (Bourbon BA American Strong Ale)
The Bruery Chocolate Churriosity: Bourbon (Bourbon BA Imperial Stout w/ Churros)
The Bruery Black Tuesday: Rye (Rye BA Imperial Stout)
The Bruery Soie (Bourbon BA American Strong Ale)
Brew Gentlemen VIII (Bourbon BA English Barleywine)
Brew Gentlemen General Braddock’s (Hazy IPA)
Brew Gentlemen Lou 2022 (Hazy Double IPA)
Fremont BBADS 2019 (Bourbon BA Imperial Stout)
Fremont Legend (Cold IPA)
Fremont The Rusty Nail 2020 (Bourbon BA Imperial Stout w/ Licorice & Cinnamon)
Jackie O’s Bourbon Barrel Oro Negro (Bourbon BA Imperial Stout w/ Cocoa, Vanilla & Spices)
Jackie O’s Endolith (Bourbon BA English Barleywine)
Jackie O’s Oil of Aphrodite: Extra Reserve (Bourbon BA Imperial Stout w/ Walnuts & Maple)
Craft Beer Cellar, Shade’s Brewing (UT), 5-7:30pm
We noted that Shade’s Thai Tom Kha sour ale was, um, pretty weird. Get yourself a taste on Thursday after work, try before you buy! That’s right, the following beers will be available for sampling and purchase at CBC:
Mexican Lager: Brewed with salt and lime, this beer is a summertime crusher.
Sounds Gay, I’m In: Brewed to celebrate Pride Month, this Sour Ale is brewed with Southern Utah prickly pears.
Peach Cobbler Sour Ale: A pastry sour inspired by a favorite summer fruit. Brewed with peach, cinnamon, vanilla, graham crackers & lactose.
Thai Tom Kha Sour Ale: A variation of Shades’ Kveik1 Golden Sour and inspired by flavors from Thailand. Light in body and tartness with notes of coconut, kaffir leaves, lemon-grass, and galangal (contains lactose).
Then keep in Northeast baby by walking over to Andy’s Pizza NoMa, for a Wild East tap takeover. 7 beers pouring, plus brewery representatives on hand. Swag? Maybe! Little Patience, a god-like 3.8% Czech Pilsner? Definitely.
SOVEREIGN’S A TOAST TO SAVOR LIST, 5pm
Amor Artis Belgian Wit (Witbier)
Amor Artis Slightly Strawberry (Tripel w/ Strawberries)
Amor Artis Barrel Aged Tripel Cuvée (Wine BA Tripel)
Odd Breed 3 Sons Collaboration (TBD)
Odd Breed Barrel of Funk: Batch 5 (Flanders Red Ale)
Odd Breed Fresh Off the Farm: Passionfruit (Mixed Ferm. Ale w/ Passionfruit)
Odd Breed Presently Antiquated (Oak BA Mixed Ferm. Ale)
Perennial Autumn Wind (Motueka Dry-Hopped Saison w/ Honey)
Perennial By & By (Mixed Ferm. Ale w/ Honey)
Perennial Saison des Rêves (Huell Melon Dry-Hopped Saison)
Perennial Southside Blond (Belgian Blond Ale)
Wooden Robot Tripel Down Memory Lane (Tripel)
Wooden Robot Sour Sally (Flanders Red Ale)
The Lost Abbey TBD (bringing 4 beers)
FRIDAY:
Let’s pregame! Taste some Wild East beers at Craft Beer Cellar from 2-5. Wild East is bringing 4 beers including Cosplay Peach from their mixed fermentation program.
Little Patience: This 3.8% ABV, 10º Plato Czech-Style Pilsner is brewed using a traditional decoction mash. Rustic, crackery malt and gentle grainy sweetness countered with herbal, gently-spicy Saaz hops. Highly drinkable and very refreshing.
Acceptance: Brewed to celebrate Pride Month, this German-style amber ale is brewed with Tettnang hops. Crisp & complex malt with notes of almond, light caramel, sourdough toast & faint cherry-like esters. Moderately-low hop bitterness with a smooth, nutty finish.
Al Fresco Cucumber: Kolsch-style ale made with all NY-state ingredients, including fresh, locally-sourced cucumbers. Just the right amount of balanced cucumber flavor & aroma to create a highly-drinkable, totally unique beer.
Cosplay Peach: A barrel-aged mixed fermentation Saison conditioned on second-use peaches for a delicate, nuanced stone fruit flavor. Tart with moderate acidity, light peachy funk, oaky notes, light tannins and a semi-dry, semi-juicy finish.
SAVOR is at The Anthem from 6 or 7pm, depending on your ticket, to 10pm. We’d expect afterparties at nearby breweries and taprooms, looking at you Atlas and Solace, and especially you, Bluejacket. Follow the crowd?
DC Brau, however, is bringing the pregame to Cantina Bambina, about 30 feet from the entrance to SAVOR. 3-7pm, with Kennedy Street Tacos to provide you with a solid base to start the evening.
Not going to SAVOR? Hit up ChurchKey or The Sovereign and have yourself a private beer fest. Plenty of the SAVOR Week beers will be available.
SATURDAY:
Anxo’s got both Wooden Robot and Amor Artis in the house. Details are scant, so check their social media.
Shelter’s THE SESSION SATURDAY: POST SAVOR RETOX, 12pm
3 Sons Ocean Park (German Pilsner)
Alesong Pacific Bliss (Motueka Dry-Hopped Grisette)
The Bruery Bruesicle: Peaches & Cream (Sour w/ Peaches & Marshmallows)
The Bruery Ruekeller Helles (Helles Lager)
Offshoot Coast (Hazy Pale Ale w/ Mosaic, Strata, Citra & Cashmere Hops)
Fremont Golden Pilsner (Czech Pilsner)
Fremont Sky Kraken (Hazy Pale Ale w/ Citra, Mosaic & Strata Hops)
Jackie O’s Diät Pils (German Pilsner)
Jackie O’s Shepherd’s Wash (English Mild)
Perennial Daydreaming (Witbier)
Perennial Good Mr. Postman (Pale Lager)
Perennial Watermelon Suburban Beverage (Gose w/ Lime & Watermelon)
Wooden Robot Czech Check (Pale Lager)
Wooden Robot Good Morning Vietnam (Blond Ale w/ Coffee & Vanilla)
Wooden Robot Pops’ Pilsner (German Pilsner)
Yeah, those are all under 6% ABV. Get you a little hair of the dog. Or… get you a lot of dog hair at ChurchKey.
ChurchKey’s Brewers’ Brunch, also 12pm, is $65 per person, exclusive of tax & gratuity. Reservations are required. The brunch features a 5-course meal with pairings, plus a welcome beer. The breweries involved are Wooden Robot, Perennial Artisan Ales, The Lost Abbey, Maine Beer Co., Sierra Nevada, and 3 Sons Brewing.
Not into brunch? You might see these beers around 4pm or so, plus a few other goodies from these and other participating breweries.
If we hear of or see other events, we’ll add them to this page. Watch this space, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll see some out-of-market brewery bottles and cans for sale.
