Dave Alexander passed away on November 12, 2023 following a battle with cancer. In 1982 he and his wife Diane took over daily operations of the Brickskeller, just west of Dupont Circle, and made it into The Guinness Book of World Records for the largest commercially available collection of beer in the world. In an earlier article we wrote:
His importance to beer in Washington, DC cannot be overstated. Greg Engert, managing partner at Neighborhood Restaurant Group, got his start there, as did Rachel Michael Murray, general manager at Atlas Ivy City. Nahem Simon, who ran the beer program at Jack Rose, did as well. And of course many of us had our first <insert beer name/style here> there.
We reached out to both Brickskeller patrons and staff for memories of Alexander. Rest in Peace.
Nahem Simon: Dave would plan tastings and events with brewers who at the time were no more that passionate homebrewers slowly scaling their talents into bottles and cans, or whose celebrity was known within a small community of aficionados of beer, but now those brewers are the stuff of legends, all brought together by Dave Alexander.
Rachel Michael Murray: Working for Dave and Diane Alexander in my early 20s allowed me to experience the revolution of the craft beer industry before it really blew up in the area. The beer pioneers I was able to meet while working under their generation of the Brickskeller was amazing! If it wasn’t for Dave meeting Diane and seeing the potential of what craft beer could be back in the day, there are many us that would not be where we are now.
Simon: His love for Diane Alexander, the most bestest half of that duo’ was always present as his paternal presence. He was a father to Shawn, Josh, and Kimberly, and often to us. As with any father, he was not without his faults, but had great moments, bringing together great people, (allowing me to have met the legendary Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter lost so many years ago) and always being a part of what made us ‘us.’
There was always something new he would bring in and it would excite us. We became ‘thirsty’ to learn and that was from his efforts in reaching out to the global community of beer to fill his halls, adorned with olde times cans and an archaic jukebox, with beers a plenty.
Favio Garcia, Director of Brewing Operations and co-founder of Dynasty Brewing: Dave Alexander was a wonderful host. He would have delightful nervous energy before the Brickskeller/ RFD tastings. Smiling, greeting all the brewers who made it the event, made sure you got food and drink.
Early on in my brewing career I attended a single hop beer tasting at the Brickskeller with Bob and Ellie [Tupper, the brewers of Hop Pocket] as the emcees. Local breweries brought over beers that were made with a single hop variety. Nobody at Bardo wanted to go so I went to represent the brewery and talk about the beer even though I had just started working as a brewer. After the audience had voted, the Bardo Imperial Stout with all Columbus hops barely beat out Old Dominion’s Saaz Bock.
I went home with a Brickskellar jean jacket as the prize!
That was my first time meeting Dave and I would see him a few times a year at the Brickskeller or RFD. He was always kind and open. Made you feel special.
Simon: From his eccentricities to his boasting of being ‘the first in craft beer’ he is a man that will always stay with us, through memories, through laughs and through incredulity that at a time, there was a place that had beers never heard of, with food that was something to behold, and two floors which would have lines out the door come the weekend.
Dave, thank you for taking a chance on me and what you shared with us all: a legacy unlike any other.
