Now that the Silver line is complete and fully operational, we can answer the question you’ve all been asking, “What does this mean for me, a beer drinker with a SmartTrip card?” Well, wonder no more, because we’re here to help. Let’s hit these stations in order. 

McLean – Starr Hill Biergarten

There’s no brewing onsite at this rooftop Tysons beer hall, but you can see it from the Metro station. Starr Hill is Virginia’s largest independently owned brewery, and they pulled out of the DC market a few years ago to focus on in-state sales. Let’s find out what we’ve been missing. 

We reached out to Jace Gonnerman, formerly of Brookland and Meridian Pint, as well as Smoke and Barrel (RIP) for more info. He runs the Starr Hill Charlottesville taproom. Perusing the Tysons beer list, he highlights Big Red Roostarr, an 8% version of Little Red Roostarr coffee stout: “Big and rich with a great creamy body and lots of great cold brew coffee character. Whiter Shade IPA is also about to make its first appearance in quite some time. This was our now brewmaster Robbie’s first recipe of his own after he started at Starr Hill. It’s an IPA brewed with a bit of wheat, hopped and dry-hopped with Citra and Falconer’s Flight, and fermented with a Belgian Wit yeast. The tropical hop flavor plays with the esters of the yeast so, so well.” So there you have it. Thanks, Jace! 

On the other side of the Metro station, Tysons Biergarten, Shipgarten and Lost Dog Cafe – McLean are within a 10-minute walk, too.

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Tysons Corner – Andy’s Pizza and Barrel & Bushel

No breweries, but Andy’s Pizza on the 3rd floor of the Galleria has a good beer list, and good pizza. Barrel and Bushel is on the 2nd floor of Tysons Corner Center. Both a quick walk, in opposite directions, from the Metro station.

Greensboro – High Point Pub

Again, no breweries, but High Point Pub is inside of Whole Foods, and has a solid draft list with an excellent happy hour.

Wiehle Reston East – The Bike Lane Bicycle Shop and Brewery

Two blocks from the Metro station, this is the closest brewery to a Silver line stop. We’ve never been, but hey, you’re exploring across the Potomac. It’s an adventure. The brewery is right on the Washington and Old Dominion trail. Caboose Brewing is a 5-mile bike ride away on the trail–Juicy and Crooked Run are 3 and 6.5 miles in the opposite direction, respectively–and you can bring bikes on Metro. A reporter for Bloomberg did just that. Speaking of Juicy…

Herndon – Juicy Brewing Co., Aslin

You can walk 20ish minutes to Juicy, in the original Aslin space. Juicy has built a name and following on haze and froooooot, with the occasional pastry stout, but a credible kolsch-style ale and a schwartzbier showed us that they mean business. Aslin’s newer Herndon location is an additional mile away should you want to make a day of it, and the walk back from there to the Metro should be pleasant after a few beers.

Loudoun Gateway

You wouldn’t want to walk, but this station puts you a reasonably cheap rideshare away from Crooked Run, Rocket Frog (RIP), and the breweries of VA-28; or Ocelot and Solace, among others, to the west of the station. Of course, Solace has two closer options, one in Falls Church and the other by Audi Field, and Crooked Run is headed to Union Market next year. But still, work with us here. 

Ashburn – Lost Rhino

If you don’t mind a 30 minute walk, Lost Rhino is just under 2 miles away, and hits the styles well, with Great American Beer Festival hardware to prove it. Old Ox–which already made a Silver line local media appearance–and Dynasty are a bit further if you’d like to call a cab. Dynasty puts a beer on a firkin–like a cask, but gravity dispenses the beer instead of a hand engine–every Friday.

For a beer bar, you could do a lot worse than the Ashburn location of Blackfinn, right next to the Metro station.

Maybe the Spring Hill and Innovation Center stations will get breweries close by soon, but that’s what we’ve got for now. Go forth and explore the exurbs. Cheers! 

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