2023 Beer in Review

LOST GENERATION BREWING

ANNE CHOE AND JARED PULLMAN (CO-FOUNDERS)

BEST LOCAL BEER

Jared: I got to have some phenomenal stouts at Dynasty’s Stoutfest. There were so many good ones from heavy hitters like Sapwood Cellars and Hardywood… But my favorite of the day was Ocelot’s My Only Friend. Just a killer beer that sat in barrel for 24 months. But, really, you couldn’t have gone wrong in that whole event.

Anne: I loved Black Narrows’ Salts, a sour made with oysters. I just think they did a beautiful job of making a balanced, delicious beer with a hint of umami.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEERS
Jared: I had the pleasure of meeting Daniel and Jeremy from Everywhere Brewing out in LA when they came into town for Snally. We have some mutual fans, so I get a bunch of their stuff brought over to me from California, and I have to say: I am continually blown away by how good their beers are. Of course, with their pedigree, their barrel stuff is amazing, but I had A New Day, their New Zealand Pale Ale, and it was just a perfect iteration of what I’d want for that style.

Anne: Halfway Crooks‘ 10˚P Černé Pivo on a side pull was almost a religious experience for me. 

FAVORITE LOST GENERATION BEER

Anne: We were lucky enough to have some amazing collaborations this year with the likes of Sapwood Cellars, Cerebral, Henhouse, Resident Culture, Crooked Run, Bluejacket, and more… And while I loved all those beers, the one that speaks closest to my heart is Tiger Spirit, a charity collab that we made with Bluejacket and chefs Kevin Tien and Tim Ma representing Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate. It’s a witbier with 50Hertz Sichuan peppercorns, chrysanthemum tea, orange peel, and coriander. We made it in honor of AAPI month, and the title is named after a line out of Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club. What puts this one over the top for me is that Amy Tan herself magically got her hands on the beer and took a photo of her drinking it and sent it to us. As she wrote in the email “Release your Tiger Spirit!” 

Jared: The book nerd in me was in utter delight. I may have done a Ron Swanson giggle of joy, but a gentleman never tells.

FAVORITE PLACE TO DRINK

Jared: This year, we got to participate in Black Narrow’s OktoberForest Fest, and though I had met Josh Chapman multiple times and knew how awesome of a person he was, I had never been out to his spot in Chincoteague. It is one of the coolest places and locations of any local brewery. Really, if you haven’t been there, you need to go. Just a dope, dope place with amazing people and great beer, to boot.

Anne: I’m still jealous that Jared got to go without me. And I missed all the oysters!

POSITIVE 2023 TREND

Jared: I feel so damned trite saying this, but the public’s embrace of craft lagers continues to impress me. We opened with a plan of having two to three lagers on because I thought that’s what the market would allow me to sustain. Now we regularly have five or six on tap. People love lagers, and I am totally here for it.

Anne: Attention everyone: Please keep drinking lagers so he can make me more German Pilsners.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

Jared: I’ve been saddened in noticing a little bit of a decline in beer festival attendance. These events are awesome chances for the entire community – brewers and imbibers alike –to come together and raise a glass, as well as the opportunity to try rare and out-of-market beers. So, I really, really hope I’m wrong and these continue to go strong. 

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

Anne: Coming from a hospitality background, I feel we’re really lucky that our taproom focused model has worked very well for us. It allows us to connect with guests directly, brew based on public opinion, and get inspired by what guests want to see on tap. My hope is that this trend keeps growing so the beer experience can become more localized – even a destination – like winery tasting rooms. There’s something romantic about drinking something in a place where it was made and appreciating all of the aspects that go into what’s in your glass.

Jared: It’s romantic up until you lay eyes on the brute who made it.

PEN DRUID FERMENTATION

JENNINGS CARNEY (CO-FOUNDER & BREWER)

BEST LOCAL BEER

Josh Chapman makes an exceptional corn lager from Black Narrows! He grows his own corn on the Eastern Shore, and I had a glass this year while at Snallygaster. Of note, he had rigged his jockey box with a side pour, so he definitely gets style points. I also really love all the lagers Bingo Brewery makes. At the end of a day climbing or going out into the mountains, I love crushing a couple cans. 

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN WINES 

I recently received a care package from my good friend Tim Gormley, who is one of the founders of Burial down in Asheville. Tim’s new project Visuals focuses on wine and cider, and he included a few bottles that really blew me away. Their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were both outstanding, well balanced and expressive.

FAVORITE PEN DRUID BEER (AND WINE!)

This fall, we released our first wine! It is a Cabernet Franc that was carbonically macerated and spontaneously fermented. The fruit was grown over the valley, which I think is the best in the state. Our wine is 2019 vintage and aged in oak for a year and then stainless for three more before bottling. I was also really happy with our 2022 Vinis, which is our traditional method spontaneous beer aged with native Norton Grapes.

FAVORITE PLACE TO DRINK

In June, Pontiak (my band with my brothers) went back on the road again for ten shows in Europe. It was mostly the fact that I was able to spend a vacation with my partner Kelsey, who came along for the last three shows. We drank Bayerisher Banhof Gose in Leipzig, pilsners from Dva Kohouti in Prague, Saisons and Lambic blends from Brasserie de La Senne and Cantillion; and farmhouse-made slivovitz, which we drank outside a barn after a show at this amazing DIY festival in the Czech countryside near the Slovak border that I hold close to my heart. It was all about the people I was with and being able to share those experiences. 

POSITIVE 2023 TREND

2023 overall felt mostly like an emergence from the last few years after COVID. In a way, I felt as if more people were able to metaphorically lift their heads up and take a deep breath despite all the crazy and fucked up things happening in the world. I think it’s super important we, as humans, celebrate what we have despite whatever else is going on.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

What the hell is with beer lists at super expensive restaurants? I know there are a lot of places out there that really pride themselves on having stellar beer lists. And there are many, many, many of them in DC, and so I’m not saying they are not out there. But let’s think about this relative to a wine list. There isn’t a restaurant in the metro area that would carry a certain kind of wine… I don’t have to list those wines, just go to a supermarket and look down at the bottom shelf with its large gallon containers. The beer equivalent of that is consistently available at some very well-respected places, and I just don’t get that. Some places will have DRC available for an entry price of a couple thousand dollars and then also have a macro lager in a green bottle but no local beer or even world-class standards of a style. Huh?

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

I’m looking forward to it all!

SAPWOOD CELLARS

MICHAEL TONSMEIRE (CO-FOUNDER)

BEST LOCAL BEER

Jailbreak’s Barleywine Is Beer Reserve Double Barrel Bourbon. I’ve always been a big fan of Rob Fink and what he does with the barrel program over there, but this one really stands out! It’s got some serious age and (Willett Family Estate) barrel on it. I got marshmallow, sherry, vanilla, and almonds. 

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER

Fresh Hop Donut from Nebuleus. It’s a fun combination of mixed-fermentation saison, white donut peaches, and fresh Strata hops. 

FAVORITE SAPWOOD CELLARS BEER

I think this year’s batch of Growth Rings is the best barrel-aged sour we’ve made. It’s a blend of four barrel-aged mixed-ferm beers aged between one and three years. It’s our interpretation of a gueuze, but our goal isn’t to mimic the flavor of the Belgian originals. It’s bright and tart, with hay and lemon notes, along with some fresher hop character from a barrel with a substantial whirlpool addition of American finishing hops. 

FAVORITE PLACE TO DRINK 

This year’s Snallygaster was great. Less for the beers (which were excellent as always) but as an excuse to see old friends and meet new ones. 

POSITIVE 2023 TREND

Untappd finally seems to be dying. As nice as it is as a marketing tool driving people to drink highly rated beers (we do have the second-highest-rated Roggenbier in the world according to them), I’ve never been fond of the gamification of alcohol consumption.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

My love for mixed-fermentation barrel-aged sour beers seems to be melding less and less with consumer spending habits. We recently added more lines partly as a way to have more of them on-tap so folks don’t have to “commit” to a bottle in order to try them more regularly. 

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

I’m hoping our kitchen at the brewery opens up smoothly in 2024! I always hope more regionality and seasonality will emerge in brewing, but it’s unlikely to happen quickly!

ANDY’S PIZZA

EMILY BROWN (BEVERAGE DIRECTOR)

BEST LOCAL BEERS

I had a low-ABV event the night before Snallygaster, and I asked several brewery owners what they wanted their peers to try. Garrett Chambers said he was really proud of 56 Nights, Cushwa’s Dunkel, which isn’t a style I think of normally for them. But it was a smash hit! It got tons of compliments from beer’s best (like Widowmaker and Human Robot). It became so beloved at our Andy’s Pizza Bethesda location that I thought we were going to have a guest protest when Cushwa was out of it for the season! Seriously, the GM was begging me to keep it on permanently for our regulars.

I loved so many other beers: the Crooked Run and Thin Man collab Ya Dingus (an earthy and thirst-quenching Pils brewed with beets); THE SCOTCH ALE COCKLE CREEK FROM BLACK NARROWS (I did mean for that to be all caps); and all dark lagers from Lost Generation. 

I like an Atlas Dance of Days with the ballpark in view before heading to a game and seeing if Teddy will finally come in first. Special shout-out to cans of ice-cold Natty Boh before witnessing the Orioles dominate all season! Bring brewing Boh back to Baltimore! Who’s with me? 

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEERS

Too many, fuhgeddaboudit! 

This summer, I finally made it to Brussels – a dream I’ve had since my first Orval. It was too short a trip, but I met Yvan de Baets of Brasserie De La Senne. Imagine the sheer joy him handpicking everything he wanted me to try. Heaven, he is fascinating, resolute, and principled. His stout Stouterik was new to me, and I loved it. This trip reinvigorated my love for real lambics and tradition. I was lucky to have Christian from Drie Fonteinen as a guide around town for a day. I am a nostalgic person by nature, and the trip really cemented that I do love this beer world of ours. Drink more saison and lambics! 

Domestically, I loved Wayward Lane from New York. Their black pilsner… I need to hook a keg of it up in my apartment. (That would be a healthy life choice for me.) 

FAVORITE ANDY’S PIZZA COLLABS

I have two favorites, and they’re the only two in the books. 

Urban Sombrero (a Mexian-style pale lager) is being brewed again for spring. It was a real collab because it started a friendship. Instead of just swapping emails and slapping an Andy’s logo on the can, I went to Salisbury and spent the day at Burnish. I admired Randy Mills’ story, and Shawn (who co-owns OtherSide Beverage) set everything up. Collabs are the sort of thing I always wanted to do but felt like I couldn’t ask as a non-brewery entity. The beer is great. I always tell people to stop by Burnish on their way to the Maryland or Delaware beaches. Get their steamed shrimp and stock up on some cans for the vacation. 

Separately, Bluejacket kindly brewed a beer with me in honor of the Girls Inc. charity event that Andy’s held during Women’s Month last March. They pledged to donate 10% of proceeds from the beer to Girls Inc., and the charity’s director, Dr. Heather Hairston, joined me for a personal Bluejacket tour led by Tim Liu. She was delighted to learn the brewing process. What a fantastic cause. 

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK 

Snallygaster. And definitely the Snallygaster after-party. No, I’m not going home! I’m staying out! Try and stop me! My Mom doesn’t understand why I haven’t brought her to Snally… You all know why!

High Side. Jinson is my BFF. 

Lost Generation. Anne and Jared are the best. 

While not a beer destination, I gotta shout out Virginia’s Darling in Old Town. Google Tom Sietsema’s review and you’ll book right away. I went for a pre-Thanksgiving martini and champagne pop-up with Andy. We had a blast. The wine selection is unexpected and well-curated (all female owners or winemakers), and the food is tremendous.

Is it too cheesy to say that I also like having a beer at Andy’s? I like to get the staff pumped on our beers and to see how the guests are interacting with the selection.

POSITIVE 2023 TREND 

The continued and growing sense of community I experience in beer, amongst the professionals who work in it and the beer-loving customers who support it. I think this is an essential element to the health of the industry and the human experience. The mental and emotional well-being associated with community is so important. What makes a beer or brewery or distributor or bar a favorite? The taste and quality for sure, but the memory and the people associated with it are just as important.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND 

I got nothin. Most of my issues in beer are my own fault because I can’t make a proper Excel spreadsheet. If I bring in a style that I don’t personally enjoy but I know others do, I just make sure it’s from someone first in class in that sector. Everyone is just trying to make some money to support their families and spend more time with loved ones. Sometimes they hop on a trend that I don’t love, but it’s not worth calling out. If someone isn’t supportive of me or Andy’s beer programs, or if they’re mean to my friends, I just don’t do business with them and move on. I’ve had my feelings wounded, sure, but when that happens, I just listen to a “this will fix your whole life” type of podcast and try to get some direct sunlight. 

2024 HOPES AND WISHES 

I want to visit more breweries, get to know people better, work smarter, and do a few more spotlights and tap takeovers. I am hoping Burnish Randy finds a deep-sea fishing hook-up for me (not a joke). And I hope Orioles Magic doesn’t fade in the postseason. It turns out that crying while drinking National Bohemian does in fact change its taste.

Overall, I’m getting after a real positive attitude for 2024. 

PORT CITY BREWING

JON HARAHAN (BREWER & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER)

BEST LOCAL BEER

My favorite non-Port City local beer is the There are Always Hops series from Lost Generation. 

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER

Surly’s Darkness, a Russian Imperial Stout, is tasty every year. The Minneapolis brewery also does different variants each year. 2023’s cola-barrel-aged Darkness by their brewer Francis Willette was a great standout for me!

FAVORITE PORT CITY BEER

Every year, I can’t get enough of our Kellerbier, and this year was no different! Although not a “new beer,” it’s a small once-a-year run, and I get as much as I can while it’s available. Also, Pizza Night has been a dream come true. A delicious dark Czech-style lager that’s year ‘round? Yes, please!

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

The answer is always either the PCBC tasting room or at home. If not at home or at PCBC, it’s usually Boundary Stone. To add to that list this year, I found myself enjoying a pint or two at Lost Generation on the occasional Sunday afternoon.

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

I hope that more breweries wake up to the fact that the old ways aren’t working. If we want to thrive, we need to innovate, not just on the liquid side, but with the sales and marketing aspects of the business, too.

ELDER PINE BREWING & BLENDING

PAUL DAVIDSON (CO-FOUNDER & HEAD BREWER)

BEST LOCAL BEER 

Waredaca released a lager called Cultivar that was made with 100% Maryland-grown barley, corn, and hops. Considering Maryland isn’t a state known for growing and malting barley, I was very impressed by how much character such a simple, local-ingredient lager could have.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER 

Bierstadt Lagerhaus has been a long-time favorite brewery of mine, as well as a massive source of inspiration for the beers I make at Elder Pine. I was finally able to get my hands on their Dunkel, and it completely blew me away. The rich melanoidin and bread crust character of that beer is out of this world.

FAVORITE ELDER PINE BEER

2023 was the first year we offered a year-round core beer, EP Pils, and as we approach the end of the year, I believe we’ve really got that beer dialed in to its max potential. About halfway through 2023, I made a couple small changes to the recipe including blending different high-quality German pilsner malts and increasing the hot-side hop additions. Those changes really cranked the dial up to 11 on that beer, and I’m very happy with where it is for a highly approachable and affordable locally made craft Pilsner. 

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

Waredaca Brewing, Sagamore 1909 Whiskey Bar, and McClintock’s Back Bar are the places I tend to gravitate toward. I also spend a fair amount of time at home making cocktails, sipping whiskey, and drinking Elder Pine lagers through a side-pull Lukr faucet on my home kegerator. 

POSITIVE 2023 TREND

The increased love for lagers among consumers makes my heart happy. We’ve always been fairly lager focused, but it’s increased so much the past couple years. I’m finally able to brew styles of lagers that I personally want to drink but wouldn’t have even considered producing in the market ten years ago. Keep it up! DRINK LAGER!

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

The heavily flavored ice cream sours that I normally poke fun at seem like low-hanging fruit at this point; so, I have to go with the behind-the-scenes trend of brewers using ale yeasts – specifically kveik – to make “lagers”. These pseudo-lagers are horrendously bad, and the brewers doing it aren’t fooling anyone but themselves.

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

I hope consumers have a great year and are able to continue supporting their local craft breweries in 2024. Having people come directly to our taproom to enjoy a pint in our forest and buy cans to-go is what allows us to brew the unique and obscure styles of beer that we (and hopefully you) enjoy drinking so much.

BLUEJACKET

GREG ENGERT (PARTNER & BEVERAGE DIRECTOR)

BEST LOCAL BEVERAGES

In 2023, I had a slew of outstanding local beers from the likes of Sapwood Cellars, Ocelot, and Wheatland Spring, and I particularly enjoyed Tiger Spirit, a collaborative witbier from Lost Generation and our very own Bluejacket. The incorporation of 50Herz Sichuan peppercorns took this spiced wheat to the next level, adding complexity without affecting drinkability, and pushing the chili pepper pop without overwhelming with heat (the chrysanthemum addition gave the beer a subtle floral character we also loved). Even better, a portion of proceeds from the sale of Tiger Spirit were donated to Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate to spread awareness about anti-AAPI violence and AAPI racism.

I had some tasty beers from Pen Druid as well, but it was their 2019 Cabernet Franc that really blew me away. Spontaneously fermented with Shenandoah Valley grapes then matured in oak followed by stainless for four years total, this wine tastes like it could be from the Loire Valley. It’s low intervention in the best way – clean and focused, with complexity born of natural practices.

I was also reminded of just how impressive our local cider scene is, especially with producers that fully embrace the apples of our region. I had some memorable examples from Lost Boy and Old Town Cidery, as well as ANXO and Potter’s that reawakened my interest in the category.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEERS

I tasted some incredible beer in DC this year, as well as in New Orleans (as we built out and began to operate Brewery Saint X) and in NYC at The Grand Delancey.

Brewery Saint X’s cask program – the only of its kind in New Orleans – is really singing right now. From Trouble (our 3.5% dark mild) to Raindog (a super smooth oatmeal brown at 3.4%), we’re combining bold, ingredient-driven flavor profiles with imminent drinkability.

We were lucky to host Pierre Tilquin at The Grand Delancey for a very special tasting, and sharing a bottle of Cuvée Paul with him and our guests was spectacular. Blended in 2022 from choice barrels of 30% one-year-old, 40% two-year-old and 30% three-year-old lambics, then aged for a year in bottle, the beer was as good a Gueuze as I’d had from him or really anyone else in some time.

FAVORITE BLUEJACKET BEERS

We’ve produced a roster of really tasty beers across a wide spectrum at Bluejacket this year. Our lager program continued to grow and evolve, incorporating more and more local malt (Virginia’s Murphy & Rude and Massachusetts’ Valley Malt, for example), along with small batch German-grown hops from Tettnang (Bentele Farms) and Hallertau (Seitz Farms). Two standouts were Code Orange, a collaborative dry-hopped doppelbock brewed with Bierstadt Lagerhaus (that drinks like a crisper version of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot) and Yellow Diamonds, an export lager aged for eight weeks in tank that delivered the flavor profile of a stronger, hopped-up Helles.

Barrel-aged stouts were showing nicely from the brewery as well this year, especially Nashville to Kentucky (blending Tennessee and Kentucky barrel-aged non-adjunct stouts), Band of Outsiders (a mix of 8-12 month old stouts from various bourbon barrels (like Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey and Wilderness Trail) and Pyramids, a Magnanimous collab that tastes like liquid fudge (due to aging in Prichard’s Double Chocolate Bourbon then getting further dosed with a massive helping of cocoa nibs).

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

I loved drinking fresh Monkish haze (smuggled in from their Anaheim location) at Disneyland. I loved putting down liters of German lagers (especially Ayinger and Stiegl) at old school classics like Resi’s Bierstube and Laschet’s Inn in Chicago. I became obsessed with biodynamic
Rhône-style wines coming out of Los Olivos, CA (particularly those from Demetria and Saarloos & Sons).

But my favorite beer of 2023 was a hyper-fresh bottle or Orval sipped from the brewery’s classic goblet on the grounds of the Belgian Ambassador’s Residence in DC. This beer was served to me after the knighting ceremony of The Knighthood of the Brewers’ Paddle, where I was honored to be inducted into their ranks.

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

I’m hoping that 2024 sees a resurgence in draft beer sales. With brewers, distributors and retailers slimming down offerings, in part due to competition from non-beer categories and the preponderance of packaged products served on-premise, it looks like drinkers are valuing kegged products far less than they have in decades. As an industry, we will need to double down on the innumerable benefits to drinking draft beer on-site. From the freshness and stability that kegged beer can offer to the sheer variety and social nature of gathering around a draft tower for an evening, draft beer and on-premise drinking has so much to offer. When the better taprooms, restaurants, and bars layer in attention to detail – including proper faucet dispense, side-pull taps, squeaky clean and proper glassware, and more – the experience becomes exceptional.

WHEATLAND SPRING FARM + BREWERY

BONNIE BRANDING AND JOHN BRANDING (CO-FOUNDERS)

BEST LOCAL BEVERAGE

Our favorite local beverage this year is from Troddenvale, an estate cidery in Warm Springs. Virginia cider has a long history, and Will Hodges is shaping its future. He’s a pioneer, making some of the most intentional and compelling cider that we’ve had the good fortune to enjoy. 

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEERS

Fox Farm in Connecticut makes some of our favorite beer anywhere. Across styles, their beers carry a humble confidence and are delightful. They’re a small family business with a big impact. As if that weren’t enough, the crew up there are wonderful people. 

FAVORITE WHEATLAND SPRING BEER

We released Overlook to celebrate Land Beer Fest this year. Like every beer in our Estate line, we regeneratively grow 100% of the grains in Overlook next to our brewhouse. Our cereals are mashed with water from a natural source below our grain field and fermented with native yeast we captured from that same field. It’s a direct expression of our land, and we love sharing this with people. 

FAVORITE PLACE TO DRINK 

We celebrated our anniversary at Oyster Oyster this year. Such a treat! Rob Rubba is a visionary creator with food as his medium. Rob and his amazing team offer an environment where sustainability is tangible and delicious. It’s an inspiration. The focus on local food and drink is so ingrained in the ethos and experience that you walk away convinced this is the path forward.

POSITIVE 2023 TRENDS

Moving beyond style guidelines written for another time and place continues its positive momentum. The best is yet to come for truly local beer, wherever your local is. We’re seeing progress experimenting with ingredients from here and methods responsive to them. Local beers will be different than predecessors from afar – even if they share a similar style name – and that’s something to celebrate. 

Sourcing local can come with obvious benefits like expressive and unique flavor, lending regional identity. Buying local ingredients also means the money you spend on beer goes to small businesses in the area, and it promotes environmental sustainability. Sure, there’s additional cost with more effort… just like anything of lasting value we can think of.

Nearly all U.S. beer is made with commodity grains from across the country and globe. Changing the status quo will take a willingness for people to jump over their shadows. There’s a path for breweries to offer truly local beer and consumers to make it an everyday thing. The first step is local grain. How quickly we meaningfully advance hinges on consumers supporting this progress and breweries articulating why it matters. We continue to be hopeful. 

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

We’re looking forward to our barley harvest this year. It marks a couple of milestones. 

• Six years of regeneratively growing and harvesting grains for your beer next to our brewhouse. This began as a leap of faith, but it’s now a proof point that the approach is possible. 
• We’re increasing acreage of new types of malting barley. This is based on our work with the Virginia Tech small grains program where we grew rows of experimental barley under real world conditions.

Regeneratively growing malting grains at our scale for our purpose has been a steep learning curve. Mistakes are better teachers than success: suffice it to say, we’ve learned a lot about growing grains over the last half decade. 

Based on our experience with them, we’re more hopeful now than ever that these new grains represent a transformation in the availability of high quality, flavorful, local barley for our region’s breweries. The future is now for people who want it.

CROOKED CRAB BREWING

EARL HOLMAN (CO-FOUNDER & GENERAL MANAGER)

BEST LOCAL BEER

Sapwood Cellars is always one of my go-to local breweries. My favorite from them this year was their Growth Rings 2023 gueuze. So freaking good.

Elder Pine’s EP Pils was also heavily in rotation. Having it on side pull from the source was heavenly.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEERS

There were a couple out-of-town breweries I got to dive into during 2023 that really impressed me.

Hidden River is cranking out some amazing haze right now. We were lucky enough to go up and visit them earlier this year. Amazing people, and all of their IPAs were absolute flames.

Twin Elephant came down to our place to brew a collab, and we got to sample a number of their beers while they were here in Maryland. Again, all of the hazy stuff they produced was incredible.

Shoutout to Dewey for making some of my favorite lagers. Their El Trono and Taco Dealer were in heavy rotation in my fridge this year.

FAVORITE CROOKED CRAB BEERS

We continue to innovate and dial-in our IPAs. Gathering Claws IPA (a collab with Twin Elephant, hopped with Nectaron, Citra Incognito, and Pacific Sunrise!) was one of my favorites. It won a gold medal at the Maryland Craft Beer Competition in the Hazy IPA category!

We brewed our very first Festbier this year, called Das Crabbe, which might be one of my all-time favorite beers we ever made. Super crushable with just the right amount of breadiness. Perfect for fall.

I also would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fantastic beers we’ve been pumping out of our barrel aging program. In particular, I was in love with the BA Pumpkin Spiced Beast (I am a sucker for all things pumpkin spice lol), but the 18-year Knob Creek Eternal Deathslayer was a pure expression of barrel character that was heavenly.

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

I got to visit a lot more breweries in 2023. From the source is always my favorite way to experience a brewery. As you know, the beer is fresh and served as the brewers intended it. Two of my favorite locations I experienced this year was Schilling out of New Hampshire (great lagers; awesome vibe on the patio overlooking the river) and Hidden River in Pennsylvania (very vibey and eclectic space located literally in a haunted ghost house).

But, as always, I enjoyed the majority of my beer here at Crooked Crab along with some amazing pizza!

POSITIVE 2023 TRENDS

There has been a lot more focus on core beer this year – more than any in recent memory. Consumers are getting overwhelmed with options, since there are a multitude of breweries available on local shelves, all putting out new release after new release. Having a staple, core beer that consumers know and trust is something that has been gaining steam.

I also continue to enjoy the refocusing on traditional styles and lower-ABV drinkers. Give me all the well-made lagers. More and more breweries are instituting Lukr side pull faucets as well, which is amazing and also an opportunity for educating the uninitiated.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

Seasonal creep. Pumpkin beers in June and Oktoberfests in July/August just needs to stop. It feels like an arms race to see who can get on shelves first. That has a tendency to leave the smaller breweries that use real, quality ingredients and release beers at the appropriate seasonal time holding the bag.

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

It feels like there were more brewery closings in 2023 than ever before. I hope that we don’t see any other dominos fall in that department. Just hoping for health and happiness and success for not just ourselves but for the industry as a whole!

OTHER HALF DC

BEN LITTLE (HEAD BREWER)

BEST LOCAL BEERS

I can think of a couple immediately that stand out. Misha, a Keller Kolsch by Landmade, is one. It really had every great character that I want in a Kolsch plus a little more. Biscuity, crisp, but with just an extra touch from being a little young, without anything out of place.

The other would be Dying Moons & Shadows from Lost Generation. It felt like this was the year that folks started really refining what a dark lager can be. Tons of roast without being acrid, and a good amount of dark fruit and chocolate behind it. Light and easy, yet super satisfying, with just enough dryness to keep you sipping more.  

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEERS 

At the brewery’s third anniversary celebration, we were able to tap a keg of Tmave 10º, brewed by Schilling in collaboration with Human Robot. This beer was everything that I wanted in a dark lager. It came in sub 4% ABV and had absolutely loads of flavor, complexity, and drinkability. It’s rare that a beer that is so “small” drinks with such power and satisfaction. This one was a masterpiece.  

Also, I fell back in love with Dale’s Pale Ale.  

FAVORITE OTHER HALF BEERS

I’ve only been at Other Half for just over six months, but I’ve been admiring and drinking the beer here for years. So, this is a tough question for me, honestly, and probably has a few different answers. 

I’m proud of the continued evolution of our lagers. My predecessors did a great job getting this program going, and the team just keeps dialing them in every single brew. 

I’m proud of the consistency and progress we’ve been able to develop in our “core” lineup. It’s something that we’ve worked very hard at, and being able to take cans home that constantly live up to and surpass previous batches is quite satisfying. 

And, finally, I’m proud of a lot of the collabs that we’ve brewed here. It’s a daunting task knowing the names that are going on the can alongside ours. Some are friends and/or folks that I’ve looked up to for a long time. I don’t want to let them down, so seeing the public reaction and knowing that they’re just as happy as we are with the final product, it’s really a great feeling.  

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

This is a tough one for me. I’m quite varied in my tastes here. I’m all for an Aperol Spritz on the water in the summer, or neat whiskey at home in the winter. Locally, I love Jack Rose and Barrel for whiskey. ChurchKey and The Roost are a couple of my favorite DC spots, while Downtown Crown closer to my home is where I’ll grab beer out. I love visiting Human Robot in Philly – it just feels right. Or Good Word in Duluth. It is such a cool brewery that fits seamlessly with the spaces around it in that cool little town. Also, their cask program is top notch.

For festivals, it’s always Snally for me. Greg, Tim, Bruno, and the rest of NRG run such a great show with a selection of beer that’s unmatched. Being close to home doesn’t hurt that. But I also had a blast at Drekker’s Foolers Ball in Fargo, North Dakota. Seeing their marketplace/hotel concept, Brewhalla, was incredible. It was the structural embodiment of a brand and was just so impressive. Plus, I got a little frog wizard tattoo just before the fest there.  

POSITIVE 2023 TREND

I really think that the consumer is really starting to consciously drive a lot of the current innovations and trends, and that’s not a bad thing to me. There is such a diverse segment that spends their dollar in the craft beer market, and so there are a ton of different folks asking for different things. And with so many quality choices, we seem to see them spending their dollar similarly, in terms of amount, but with a much finer eye on quality. Just being local doesn’t cut it. There’s a ton of super fresh beer of high quality regionally and nationally. But there’s also a ton of product past its prime and still sitting on shelves. I see a ton of breweries listening and keeping the pulse of their consumer. It often means changes in mentality and sometimes changes in model. Craft beer is a fun business, but at the end of the day it is a business, and we are seeing folks adapting to that. Or not.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

Although it was most likely inevitable, I don’t like to see spots closing shop. I don’t think we are in a bubble burst scenario, but we are seeing a reckoning, at least in some sense. In most industries, there is change and evolution, and ours is no different. Changes in how folks consume our product and where they do has put some in bad financial scenarios and difficult decisions have had to be made.  I do hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that we can come to some sense of equilibrium in our industry sooner than later.

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

I hope to see our local market continue to improve the quality and consistency of the beer entering the area. I hope to see all of our consumers hold us to higher standards as we all grow.  A rising tide raises all ships. 

Personally, I hope to see more British-style beers show up and for folks to attach themselves to them. Not much beats a Best Bitter to me.

For Other Half, I’m excited to be here to help the brewery celebrate its tenth anniversary. We made some great internal strides as a company this past year (and the previous nine), and I think those will show and continue to elevate our product. I was also lucky enough to be involved in our hop selection this year. I’m very excited to see those choices find their way into our beer. That’s an experience that I’ve never been a part of. Being able to meet the folks responsible for the agricultural products that we built this brewery on really humanizes things and lends a much deeper perspective. 

SOJOURN FERMENTORY

JINSON CHAN (CO-FOUNDER)

BEST LOCAL BEER 

There’s an abundance of fantastic local beers to choose from, making it quite a challenge to decide. Yet, Vibrissa’s Scout, a 7.5% ABV milk stout, really caught my attention. Its delightful mouthfeel, rich roasted flavors, and overall drinkability set it apart. Refreshingly, amidst stouts often exceeding 10% ABV, Scout strikes a perfect balance without compromising on taste. 

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER

A 3.1% lager by Cohesion! Cohesion 8° is low ABV with full flavor, citrusy, cracker, balanced maltiness, and amazing head retention. I definitely drank most of the keg by myself! We need more of this type of lager! 

FAVORITE SOJOURN FERMENTORY BEERS AND HIGH SIDE COLLABS

Sojourn Fermentory brewed quite a few collaborations in 2023, but one of the riskier ones was a collaboration with Black Narrows. All That’s Left was a 5% ABV gose fermented with Virginia peaches and barrier island sea salt. The ingenious idea of Josh Chapman and Mike Pawley, it was not only a culinary delight but also incredibly delectable. 

At High Side, we celebrated our fifth anniversary with two amazing collaborations that brought culinary inspiration to our beers, making them an absolute delight to enjoy. 

U-Bae – a 5% ABV sour crafted with ube, Mexican vanilla, and caramel – was a collab with Crooked Run Fermentation. Inspired by our delicious ube cake at High Side, this sour received fantastic feedback, and we’re thrilled to bring it back in 2024 due to its overwhelming popularity. 

Longevity is an 8.88% ABV Imperial stout conditioned with freshly roasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, and Madagascar vanilla beans. Collaborating with Benchtop, we drew inspiration from my cherished childhood snack, Sesame Peanut Brittle. Benchtop brilliantly captured the flavors, resulting in a stout that’s not just delicious but absolutely irresistible. When this beer was on draft, it was my go-to snack – the one thing I couldn’t resist. 

FAVORITE PLACE TO DRINK 

I really enjoyed Snallygaster this year even though it was raining! It’s like a massive family reunion with all my buddies in town for this awesome event. We hang out, enjoy some fantastic beer before, during, and after the event. Shoutout to the NRG team for killing it with their hosting skills! 

POSITIVE 2023 TREND 

The trend is shifting away from heavily fruited sours, with consumers leaning more towards enjoying lagers and West Coast IPAs lately. Dealing with the aftermath of fruit purees clogging our draft lines was definitely not a pleasant task. So, I welcome more lagers and West Coast IPAs. 

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND 

The closure of numerous small craft breweries this year has been truly disheartening for me. 

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

Sojourn kicked off construction for our tasting room and brewery in late 2023. Our indoor space is pretty spacious and perfect for families, while the outdoor area welcomes both families and pets! We can’t wait to share our excitement for our upcoming lager program and the delicious addition of Roman-style pizza in the tasting room. Keep an eye out – we’re aiming to open our doors in 2024! 

Also, more good news: Starting in 2024, small breweries will be able to self-distribute their beer through the Virginia Beer Distribution Company. I am hoping small breweries can take full advantage of this opportunity to showcase their beer in restaurants, bars, or beer festivals. 

DENIZENS BREWING

JULIE VERRATTI (CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF BRAND OFFICER)

BEST LOCAL BEERS

If I’m not drinking Denizens beer, you will usually see me having something from Port City or Atlas. We are lucky to be in an area with a wide range of great beer made by local breweries.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER

I don’t really drink a lot of out-of-town beer because we have so many locally made delicious beers available, and I’d much rather support our local small businesses. However, if I had to drink an out-of-town beer, then I would pick anything made by Maine Beer Co. 

FAVORITE DENIZENS BEERS

I have two answers for this question. 

First, I think the team really dialed in our Hike the Alps series this year. The series is a collection of beers inspired by centuries-old breweries along the base of the German and Austrian Alps that Denizens’ co-founder Jeff Ramirez got to experience while finishing brewing school in Bavaria 15 years ago. Using technique, ingredients, and passion, Jeff and his team try to emulate these simple, yet incredibly complex beers. The Hike the Alps beers are increasing in popularity across our distribution footprint, and in our taproom they are the third-most-ordered pint (if you add all the varieties together). The whole series is filled with classic, easy-to-drink styles that consumers have loved for centuries across the world. You can’t really go wrong with that. 

The second beer I am really digging is our Cool Breeze Oatmeal Stout. We’ve been making this beer since 2015 and we finally launched it in package format this year, which we had been planning and putting off since COVID came around and broke everything. This beer is everything I want in a cooler-weather situation. It’s got tons of roasty and chocolatey flavor, but is only 4.5% ABV, which means you can sip throughout the day. I am particularly a fan of doing so in front of a fire outside while hanging with friends and family.

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

I am always going to say 4 Corners Pub and Stained Glass Pub for my neighborhood spots. (I live in Silver Spring.) Especially on a Monday evening. Near Denizens in Riverdale Park, I love Hyattsville’s Pizzeria Paradiso. If I am going into DC, you will find me at Brookland’s Finest or the Pug. But really, as long as there are friendly vibes and no bullshit hype or snobbery going on, then I’m going to be enjoying myself no matter where I am.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

Wholesaler consolidation is a trend that I am definitely not happy about.

2024 Hopes and Wishes

I am very hopeful that 2024 brings back the mundanity of folks just grabbing a beer at the local bar on any given day of the week without there having to be an event that brings people out.

RIGHT PROPER BREWING

CHRIS BROOME (HEAD BREWER)

BEST LOCAL BEERS

Lost Generation has been making great beers across the board this past year. I have really been enjoying their lagers, Shift and Grave Shift. Most recently, I really liked their Italian Pilsner He Whispered This Last and their cold IPA Beautiful Illusion, which I thought was one of the better examples of the style I’ve had locally. 

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER 

Not too far out of town, but not available anywhere I regularly grab beer, so I need to venture out of the city occasionally for a pint: Eric has been brewing great beer at Liquidity Aleworks out in Olney. In particular, their recent cream ale, Three Minutes Later, knocked it out of the park.

FAVORITE RIGHT PROPER BEER 

After 10 years, Right Proper has decided to go out on limb and introduce a year-round West Coast IPA, Big Tomorrow. The beer turned out great, a classic West Coast with just a bit of a modern twist. Pale in color and relatively light in body, the beer uses just a touch of Carahell in the malt bill, and the hopping is driven by loads of Centennial (pellets and concentrates) in the kettle and dry-hop, with just a touch of Cryo Mosaic in the dry hop. This beer turned out to be a great balance between bitterness and juiciness and just dry enough to leave you reaching for another. 

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK 

Typically, my favorite place to drink has been either the back of the brewery or in my living room. We recently got a Solo Stove, so even despite the cold, sitting out back with my fiancée and our dog around a nice fire has jumped up to the top of the list. Especially since I have a quickly dwindling stash of Sagamore barrel staves that make for an absolutely delicious smelling fire! If I do need to venture out and be social, as I’m told is the normal thing to do, Slash Run in Petworth would be up at the top of my list. 

POSITIVE 2023 TRENDS 

The continued reemergence of beer-flavored beers. It’s great to see IPAs come full circle with more and more balanced West Coast IPAs that are bitter but still not total palate-wrecking IBU bombs. 

I also really love that I’ve been seeing more and more dark lagers such as Schwarzbiers and T’mavés, not only at breweries, but also at retailers. Finally, I’m loving that Italian Pils seems to be an increasingly popular style.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

Pastry stouts and smoothie sours are still a thing?

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

That people keep drinking beer and start going out more…maybe finally start seeing life truly resemble pre-pandemic times. By the time this is published, maybe we’ll know for sure, but I am very much hoping everything I heard today about the Caps and the Wizards leaving DC for Virginia is all just a lie! For me, it would be sad to see two teams I grew up watching at the Phone Booth leave the District, but more significantly, it would also surely be a disaster for so many great bars, restaurants, and venues that we all rely on to sell beer!

OCELOT BREWING

JACK SNYDER (HEAD BREWER)

RICH SNYDER (BREWER)

BEST LOCAL BEER 

Rich: Bingo Beer Co.’s Black Lager. Rich, bready and smooth, yet balanced and drinkable. Not overly roasty. Would I have another? Absolutely, I would.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER

Jack: Golden Age Beer Co.’s. Smoked Helles. I had this beer at the source in Pittsburgh, and it certainly made a positive impression. Rauch Helles is a tricky style to execute well – Golden Age’s approach has a delicate, deftly-balanced smokiness that keeps calling you back to it. Their Polish Lager and Kölsch were also outstanding pours.

FAVORITE OCELOT BEERS

Jack: Twice. We make dozens of hop-forward beers throughout each year, and many of them are new explorations. Some of them stick; some do not. Twice stuck out to me because it felt like a special convergence of raw materials and execution. We were fortunate to work with three New Zealand hop varieties from Freestyle Hops – gorgeous expressions of Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and NZ Cascade that all came together beautifully in concert. I look forward to its return in 2024.

Rich: Bliss Quest, an English-Style Best Bitter and a new addition for us at Ocelot. It’s made almost entirely with domestic ingredients – Epiphany Craft Malt and Sonnet, a new varietal for us that’s essentially East Kent Golding grown in the Pacific Northwest. The balance in this style can be tricky to execute, as neither the hops nor the malt should drastically outshine the other. I think we managed to pull it off. It certainly seems to be escaping our taproom at a faster rate than anticipated for such an unsexy style.  

FAVORITE PLACE TO DRINK 

Rich: My partner and I recently moved to Arlington, and Galaxy Hut has been a great discovery for us. It’s a cozy spot that has a lot of charm and a lot of great beers on tap, regional and otherwise. Go pay them a visit if you’re in the area!

POSITIVE 2023 TREND 

Rich: It seems that lower-ABV beers are picking up some steam. And I’m not just talking about lagers. Not long ago, we released a Dark Mild at a whopping 3.8% ABV. We thought a malty beer sitting below 4% would imply it lingering in our taproom for some time. That just wasn’t the case. A bit later, we released an English-Style Summer Ale at the same ABV… and the same thing happened. Now, this trend is probably not correct if you look at a larger dataset that encompasses, say, all US beer drinkers. But at least in our local sphere, we’re seeing some positive evidence in that direction. I’ll take what I can get.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

Jack: This narrowly made the cut for 2023, but I’m almost positive that more examples are on the horizon: White Claw’s straight-faced introduction of a 0% NA seltzer line might be the most absurd development across the industry. In another strange year, nothing like saving the best for last.

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

Jack: In our own house, I’m looking forward to more one-off lagers in 2024. We added a horizontal lagering tank, which should help to facilitate that increase without taking away from our overall barrelage. Additionally, we maintained a robust calendar of collaborations with bands in 2023 – creative partnerships that produced some of my fondest beer experiences of the year. The new year should be similarly memorable on that front.

JAILBREAK BREWING

ROB FINK (HEAD BREWER)

BEST LOCAL BEER

Other Half DC’s Riwaka Snaps. This beer was the swan song of good friend Daniel Terrones, before he and his family moved back to southern California. It’s hard to imagine a much better beer on a warm day – just a well-executed, exceedingly crisp, wonderfully hoppy beer. I still think about how good the beer smelled, and have immutable memories of that moment. 

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER 

Dovetail’s FEW Rye BA Rauch Doppelbock. As a fan of Rauchbier in general, being gifted this incomparable beauty of a beer affords an indulgence few beer drinkers take advantage of, and that is just fine by me, because I would like it all for myself. Dovetail double decocts this beer with a direct fire kettle, further intensifying Maillard reactions, which have the tendency to ironically subdue smoke character, despite that the beer is 95% rauchmalz! The beer is just a beguiling amalgam of chocolate-covered toffee, fruitcake, and rounding barrel-derived vanillin, all enveloped by thick clouds of beechwood smoke. This was easily the smokiest beer I’ve ever had, and I want more.   

FAVORITE JAILBREAK BEER

Barleywine is Beer Reserve: Double Barrel Bourbon. I have worked with barrel-aged beer the entirety of my almost nine-year brewing career, and no singular experience during that time, nor the cumulative impact thereof, taught me as much as the blending sessions for this beer did.

For me, the process of learning to blend high gravity barrel-aged beers is an endless experiential enterprise, that, in some ways, hinges upon two pivotal prerequisites: one, realizing that texture and body are not simply platforms for the presentation of flavor, but are of equal qualitative consideration; and two, the development of a blending philosophy. Successful blending is the intended purpose manifesting itself at the confluence of texture and flavor, and for the final product to be meaningful, the relationship between the two must be inextricable.

The initial blend was composed of barrel stock highlighting several higher-rye bourbon barrels, namely 13 year 1792, and Wilderness Trail, with the resultant blend averaging over 2.5 years in barrel. Without wanting to necessarily intensify a pre-existing flavor, I chose 8 year Willett Wheated bourbon barrels for double-barrel aging, which ultimately provided an entirely new depth of flavor, adding notions of cotton candy, crème brûlée, and toasted marshmallow. This is my favorite new beer because, at least with respect to blending, it is a clear articulation of my intended purpose. 

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

Not necessarily a favorite place, but my most memorable beer experience of the year has got to be crushing a Narragansett tallboy immediately after completing a wet and muddy 10k Spartan Race.

My favorite place to drink this year has been the taproom at Sapwood Cellars. While I moonlighted there for a few months, Mike Tonsmeire and I would occasionally find ourselves at a table in the taproom on a Friday afternoon, beers in hand, discussing philosophy, brewing techniques, or any number of other things. The conversation was always joyful and exhilarating – what a guy!

POSITIVE 2023 TREND

As Tomme Arthur put it: “growing down.” For most industries, post-COVID (whatever that means) economic landscapes are sullen, dreary places, and craft beer has certainly been no different. Thankfully, there have been a fair number of breweries who have smartly decided to scale down in some appreciable way, and my recent experience at Jailbreak has largely reflected this idea. Specifically, we now are self-distributing all of our beer, and retaining that lost margin otherwise going to a distributor. We are still making a lot of beer, but we’re keeping it only within nearby counties (used to be DC and NOVA too) and taking care of home. Despite knowing that not every brewery can just start self-distribution, I encourage folks to critically engage with their position in the current marketplace and to develop ways to not overextend themselves.     

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

I have not seen enough attention paid to QA/QC. I’ve had too many beers this year that were either underweight, high in dissolved oxygen or both, or possessed just obvious fermentation flaws like diacetyl or acetaldehyde. Wallets are growing ever tighter, and as an industry, we must demand more of ourselves. Dump a bad beer before you eventually sell it, then potentially recall it – please. Folks need to remember that honesty is an integral component in QA/QC. 

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

In terms of trends I would like to see emerge, the popularization of coffee in non-traditional styles would be a wonderful thing. My unbridled enthusiasm for all things nerdy coffee has been at a fever pitch for 20 years, but this year has been a learning year unlike any other. I’ve been doing deep dives into various processing and fermentation methods, and have had opportunities to drink some amazing coffee, as well as brew some beers with coffee too. Growers at the base of the supply chain are utilizing available flavor dials in wholly unique ways, sometimes borrowing techniques from winemaking, like carbonic maceration.

Beers with expressive yeast character (Belgian trappist-style beers, specifically) are great platforms for the inclusion of coffee, as are hoppy beers that aren’t particularly bitter, like hazy IPA. There are a multitude of other examples too. Either way, please do not relegate yourself to just porter or stout (even though I just made a coffee stout with Ocelot!) when considering potential coffee beers.

Also, and most importantly, let us please continue to improve our ability to provide safe spaces for marginalized folks of every kind, and take good care of one another. That’s it.

THE BREW SHOP

BETH HELLE & JULIE DREWS (CO-FOUNDERS)

BEST LOCAL BEERS

Ocelot’s Golden Years English-Style Summer Ale. There aren’t many beers that I buy repeat 4-packs of, but Ocelot’s Golden Years was on my constant rotation this summer. Ocelot nailed this no-frills style with so much nuance and flavor packed into a very sessionable 3.8%. A bit of nostalgia for me too as it brings back memories of sipping an English Summer Ale at Mad Fox’s bar circa the 2010s.

A couple of other locals we’ve been drinking a lot of are Strange Fruit’s Approachable Guys (a great, clean German Pilsner) and Crooked Run’s Alora (a super crisp, dry-hopped Italian Pilsner).

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEERS

Eredita’s Gratitude Practice. I had this beer way back in February, and I’m still thinking about it. Just a beautiful porter with great balance between roast and chocolate, a body that’s full without being heavy, and a really easy finish for 7.4%

A couple of other out-of-the-area brands that we’re loving: Forest & Main (making great beer across the board style-wise), Live Oak (splashed into VA this summer and hasn’t looked back), and Long Live (flying a bit under the radar with some of the best IPAs we get in the shop).

FAVORITE BREW SHOP COLLAB 

We’re amped for our upcoming collaboration Wonder with Crooked Run, which is a triple-decocted Pilsner made with 100% Virginia malt and what we’ll call a somewhat unconventional dry hop that I think is going to play a lot like Crooked Run’s Coast. We’re always game for something esoteric like a three-step mash, but the real magic here is getting to collaborate with Jake Endres, who is truly one of the best in the industry. We’ve been fans of Crooked Run since day one, and we were the first retail shop to ever carry bottles of Crooked Run (2015 Shadow of Truth).

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

We have to say Galaxy Hut and Spacebar here. Laid-back, no-nonsense places with great taplists that span all styles of beer all the time. Not many places do as great a job as Galaxy Hut and Spacebar do with such a good spread of styles – multiple options for light beer, dark beer, wheat beer, and more all year round. Yes, they have IPAs and fruited sours, too, but also so much more. Plus their tots are top notch and irresistible. 

But to answer where is the place we most often drink, we need to shout out our houses. For me, it’s while I’m cooking or prepping to cook, just relaxing in the kitchen with my husband, recapping our days. For Beth it’s outside on the front steps, catching up with neighbors, wrangling kids, being part of the community. A lot of times our biggest enjoyment of beer is an internal and peaceful thing that almost necessarily feels best at home or places that feel like home (such as each other’s houses!).

POSITIVE 2023 TREND 

The rise of classic styles! Brewers have been saying for years (forever!) how much they love brewing classic styles and the appreciation they have for them, but in 2023, we finally saw the market catch up. Beers like Czech Pilsners, ESBs, non-adjuncted Stouts, English Porters – these have all seen huge growth this year. Of course, the last few years have seen consumers develop a real appreciation for the nuance in a good lager, and this year that also crossed over to not just light lagers. We saw lots of demand for Polotmavy, Doppelbock, Dark Czech Pilsners, and more.  In many cases now, we’re selling more of a brewery’s ESB than the IPA.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND 

Virginia is an incredibly chain-focused state when it comes to retail. Some breweries have seen this as an opportunity to remove sales reps from the market and just go big into the chains. This not only removes some great people from the local beer scene, by taking away reps, but it also leaves control in the hands of the distributors whose incentive is often to sell beer in the easiest way possible, which usually means pumping just a couple of SKUs into the big box stores on repeat. This collapses the brewery’s portfolio down to a handful of SKUs, and, of course, we’re not fans of taking away innovation and experimentation in beer making. The whole thing also commoditizes beer in a way that just seems anathema to what the whole industry was born out of – that sense of joy in creation, the wonder, the playfulness, it’s all just gone. We’ve seen it happen to so many brands that were making great beer and challenging the market and people’s palates. In most cases, those places are still making great beer, but they’re just making the same few beers over and over and selling it in Costco. To the extent that was the goal for the brewer or the owners, then great, but as the owners of a bottle shop and as beer drinkers and consumers, it’s a trend we’ve seen in 2023 that we don’t love.

2024 HOPES & WISHES

First and foremost, we hope that the collegial atmosphere of the beer industry will continue, and that those brands and shops with the best beer and the best people will be where people choose to distribute and patronize, respectively.  

The second wish is a bit of a longshot thanks to Virginia’s three-tier system, but we hope to have some more local favorites distributed into Virginia.  The DMV faces a unique challenge with three different jurisdictions all with different distribution laws. It makes some local beer so close, but, in reality, so far away from our store front.  We’re only a mile away from DC, so we often have customers come in looking for things they’ve seen “nearby” but that we can’t get in our shop.  We’re dreaming of Urban Garden, Elder Pine, and Sapwood Cellars, among many others!

BLACK NARROWS BREWING

Josh Chapman (FOUNDER & HEAD BREWER)

BEST LOCAL BEERS

Any chance I have to get my hands on beers from off the shore is a win. It’s tough to get Virginia or DC craft out our way.  But there were so many great beers I got to enjoy this year.  Here were a few that stood out.

Two Way Mirror from the crew at Bluejacket. An exceptional lager with local rose grape must.

Schwaz from Elation Brewing. An all-too-perfect schwarzbier.

Benchtop’s Fuego Pickle. A cucumber and eastern shore fish pepper gose from Benchtop. Erik is someone I admire the hell out of. He’s always had such a deft hand with ingredients in his beers and is able to meld seemingly disparate components into something so harmonious.

Meadow from Landmade. We were graced with this beer at our OktoberForest Fest, and it was across the board the visiting brewers’ favorite. Such a perfect example of what a mixed-culture saison can be.​

Mirror Sisters (hot side iteration). This one was the Ocelot-brewed side of a “home and away” collab between Ocelot and the impeccable John and Bonnie at Wheatland Spring. A perfectly balanced Waimea-and-Nectaron IPA with malt from Jeff at Murphy & Rude, plus some corn and Wheatland Spring’s estate triticale.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER

Fracture Brewing’s West Coast Pils. Jen and I got to run away to Portland, Oregon for a few days in April, and we happened upon the recently opened taproom of Fracture Brewing. Pilsner is my go-to at any brewery that has one on tap, but I’d never before come upon a West Coast iteration. It was stunning, all the crisp and crackery body of a pils with such beautiful tropical citrus notes from additions of Citra, Mosaic, and Strata.   

FAVORITE BLACK NARROWS BEER 

All our beers are on their own journey in one way or another. None more so than Salts, the tart oyster wheat ale we had in our minds before we even had a location for the brewery. Its profile has always ebbed and flowed, the oysters showcasing a varying seasonal spectrum of salinity and umami. What changed this year was our brewing procedure. Previously Salts had been treated with a fairly traditional kettle souring process. In an attempt to both streamline the process and lean into the life within this beer, we abandoned killing off the lactobacillus cultures in the kettle and shifted to using temperature and a subtle dry-hopping to subdue the lacto’s effects but retain its vibrancy. It’s by far the best Salts we’ve ever made, and it brings me so much joy as it continues to find new ways to embody the eastern shore.

FAVORITE PLACE TO DRINK

Gotta be Lost Generation.  I had the pleasure of hanging out for the better part of a day with Jared and Cody earlier this year. As soon as I walked into the space, I felt at home. There’s a crossover between the spirit and quality of the beers and the gravity of the space that have such a unique personality. It’s a place that I long to end my day at, sharing the events of the day with neighbors and staff alike. It’s everything that’s right about craft beer.

POSITIVE 2023 TRENDS

Local. Corn. Beer. Truly, seeing brewers embrace a win-win of such a uniquely American ingredient and at the same time break down the old gatekeepy stigmas of “adjunct” beers is incredibly heartening. 

More than that, though, is the growing expression of local beer. We often talk on the shore about the difference between “beer made locally” and “local beer.” It’s something we’re passionate about. The more we lean into beers that are born of time and place, the more we lift up the spaces and faces that make up our communities and the environments they thrive in. I’ve especially seen much more adoption of local malt in the last year. A few things have helped that become a reality, and certainly the shrinking gap between the cost of large conglomerate malt and local malt is a big part. However, it’s no shock to me that we’ve seen such an uptick in Virginia with the malt that Jeff and his Murphy & Rude malthouse team are producing. It’s truly world class.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

Great breweries closing! We’re starting to see the aftereffects of COVID on small business across the country, and breweries are certainly not immune. The friends we’ve lost in the industry are numerous. They also previously seemed invincible. Spots like Birds Fly South in Greenville and Metropolitan Brewing in Chicago didn’t just produce great beer but were community hubs that mattered deeply to their regions. It’s a scary time for many of us. There’s a lot to adapt to as we navigate rising costs, a market that’s only getting more crowded, and a consumer base whose tastes are more varied.

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

The next chapter. Looking back on now six years of Black Narrows I’m blown away by all we’ve been a part of. Projects like OktoberForest with incredible DMV breweries and the team from the Nature Conservancy. Collaborations with luminaries like Rob Rubba at Oyster Oyster. A staff Christmas party where we held our own “Nailed It!” inspired gingerbread house competition. So many moments where we were able to deepen relationships with like-minded folks. It’s the “why” that lured so many of us into craft brewing as an occupation, and I’d wish for all of us that, no matter what we do, we’re able to grow deep roots with the folks around us.

SOUL MEGA

ELLIOTT JOHNSON (CO-FOUNDER & CEO)

BEST LOCAL BEERS

The beers cranking out from Lost Generation remain to be some of my favorites, specifically Dying Moons & Shadows at the moment. I appreciate the palatability of the portfolio: excellent malt-forward styles that are easy drinking and various styles of IPAs (both traditional and hazy), along with sours and a seltzer option if that’s your thing. Essentially something for everyone.

Also rocking with Wheatland Spring’s offerings.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEERS

I might be a bit late to the game (oops) but have been rocking with Grimm lately out of NY. Everything I’ve grabbed from Wardman Wines has been money

FAVORITE SOUL MEGA BEERS

This year we did an amazing double hazy collab that we featured at MEGAFEST with New Belgium in their SF taproom. That was definitely my favorite, as it was our first time producing a hazy IPA. We stepped into the cider realm with a hopped cider collab with ANXO, which turned out phenomenal. We brought back version 2 of our hoppy brown ale, Bison Blood, that we brewed on Right Proper’s system for Howard Homecoming and poured at our annual Kegs & Eggs event at Metrobar. We also hosted the 2023 DC Brewers Guild Solidarity Beer with our friends over at Lost Generation.  

Over 1,000 people from both MEGAFEST and Kegs & Eggs got to experience new Soul Mega beer this year, and I’m very grateful for the feedback and proud of the opportunity. We’ve got more beers in the queue, and we’re looking forward to 2024s releases. 

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

Pub and the People and Bar Chinois remain my favorite places to grab both beer and cocktails –  great people and definitely the dynamic vibes I to tend to go for. Lost Generation is also a favorite place to drink some amazing beers.

POSITIVE 2023 TRENDS

One positive trend is the continued increase in awareness of the lack of diversity in the beer industry nationally.  I think it’s important to continue the conversation not just within brewers but with every role involved in the industry. 

Other positive trends include the return of traditional beer styles compared to some of the “novelty” styles. 

I understand some of the various economic factors that go into packaging, but I also appreciate 12oz cans making a return in craft beers offerings instead of 16s.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TRENDS

For me, one of the less-desirable trends is wavering consumer preferences when it comes to alcohol consumption and the types of alcoholic beverages consumed (i.e., a decline in beer). I’m also noticing that draft currently isn’t carrying the same weight it once did. 

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

I’m very excited about 2024 for Soul Mega. We’re looking forward to growing the team, expanding our offerings, and showcasing more of our recipes for the DMV audience while expanding our distribution. I’m also looking forward to MEGAFEST Vol. 3, which will be our five year anniversary! I would also like to do more collabs with my friends and peers in the local/regional/national beer space,

CROOKED RUN FERMENTATION

JAKE ENDRES (CO-FOUNDER & PRODUCTION MANAGER)

BEST LOCAL BEER 

I’ve sadly not been out and about as much this year due to an exciting new project, but I really enjoyed Lost Generation’s pre-prohibition pilsner Call the Owl. If that’s what our great-grandparents drank, good for them!

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEVERAGES

Can it be a cider?  I love Eden cider, and I got to try Queen Mab, an ice cider aged seven years in French oak barrels. It’s the best thing I’ve had in recent memory. Sweet, with flavors of apple pie, cinnamon, and tannins. Just an unbelievably complex and appealing drink – almost ruby red from years in barrels. A work of art!

Also, Cerebral is a standard visit for me visiting family in Denver, recently enjoyed their hazy IPA Incognito Mode, a collab with North Park featuring a lot of newer hop products. Super mellow and flavorful.

FAVORITE CROOKED RUN BEERS

There was a lot of pressure on our ten year anniversary releases, but particularly Young and Aspiring, a hazy IPA collab with Ocelot, Cushwa, and Widowmaker made with Super Motueka, Nectaron, and Peacharine. We split the base and fermented 2/3 with London ale yeast and 1/3 with thiolized yeast, and blended them together before dry hop. Not something we can do on every IPA, but it was great. Also, the stout we did with Barreled Souls, Finback, and Tripping Animals called Sentimental Education. Two-year bourbon barrel-aged stout with toasted hazelnuts and walnuts, Ceylon cinnamon, three kinds of vanilla, and maple syrup.  All of the adjuncts were in perfect harmony. Our best stout to date.

FAVORITE PLACES TO DRINK

High Side hanging out with their owner Jinson Chan! Also, Camden Yards.

POSITIVE 2023 TRENDS

The offerings at so many breweries are just so dialed now, as craft breweries mature and refine their existing offerings and processes.  I’m totally fine with swinging for the fences and missing sometimes, but you can safely pick a more straightforward offering and know it’s going to be good most of the time.  Also, new hop products are being used to make some really incredible IPAs, something we are working on incorporating more ourselves.

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

I don’t really see anything undesirable now. Seems like people know what they’re about.

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

I recently have been reading The 80/20 Principle, and I’m more focused on improving what we do well.  Hopefully that will lead to a better work/life balance, but if it doesn’t, it will lead to a better performing company. Breweries pick a lot of extra-curricular stuff that seems desirable in the moment but just has a way of making sure you work all the time. I admire people who have it mostly figured out and hope to be one of them one day! I hope this for everyone, too.

JASPER YEAST

TRAVIS TEDROW AND JASPER AKERBOOM (CO-FOUNDERS)

BEST LOCAL BEER

Travis: The whole lineup (specifically the lager program) at Full Distance Brewing in Quantico is really impressive. Bo Elliott is a veteran of the northern Virginia brewing scene, most recently manning the helm at Fredricksburg’s Strangeways Brewing prior to opening Full Distance. He also brewed for a number of years at Sterling’s Beltway Brewing in and Arlington’s Capital City Brewing Co. Blame the reverse osmosis water treatment system or the years of quality experience, but Bo has put together a really unique lineup of balanced classic styles at the recently opened Full Distance Brewing. They struck gold at the Virginia Craft Brewers Cup with Yucatan Sunrise in the International Lager category in 2023. For a great Saturday outing, check out the National Museum of the Marine Corps and then visit Bo.

BEST OUT-OF-TOWN BEER 

Jasper: I had the Gulpener’s Ur-Hop IPA when I traveled to the Netherlands last week. It’s actually an IPL, but with a very classic fresh-hop character. Very well-made beer that let the ingredients really come through, unadulterated. Gulpener is a large regional craft brewery in the Netherlands, and I really liked how this beer came together.

FAVORITE JASPER YEAST COLLABORATIONS

We really enjoyed the two iterations of Particle Wave IPA brewed with Dynasty Brewing in Ashburn. The latter one was a three-way collab with Azvex in Liverpool, UK, as well. Fermented with JY303, our non-GMO Thiol strain, it was really interesting to see how the yeast responded to different hopping regimens and local varietals. Very much citrus and orange character. We also brewed a collaboration with the same yeast strain with Troost, a Dutch brewery that turned out fantastic – very punch tropical fruit aroma, with a smooth finish.

FAVORITE PLACE TO DRINK

Travis: All the European brewery tents at Snallygaster. Why? Sometimes the shorter lines translate into the finest gems at the festival. The hype train might have passed them by, but they’re almost always a guaranteed stunner on Pennsylvania Avenue. Specifically chosen by the discerning team at NRG,  they’re always fantastic German lagers, Belgian tripels, sours, or hybrid styles that you would normally not see on tap at your favorite craft beer bar, unless you’re at ChurchKey or Rustico of course.

POSITIVE 2023 TREND

Travis: Breweries producing higher-ABV seltzers as a base to make a brewer’s version of a craft cocktail. Seltzers are already a great way for breweries to diversify and expand their customer base. Using a seltzer base to produce “mixed drink” cocktail flavors just seems smart. In a time when breweries are looking to pull in a larger, more-diverse demographic, using seltzers to pull in fans of mixed drinks is a fun way to have additional offerings that are not traditionally an arrow in the brewer’s quiver. 

LESS-DESIRABLE 2023 TREND

Jasper: The stress that breweries are under, and the resulting closures of good breweries last year We all kind of knew that the growth was unsustainable, but it is still sad to see breweries, from very small to very large, close their doors because of the changes in the market and the economy. 

2024 HOPES AND WISHES

Craft brewers are both creative and resilient. We’re looking forward to seeing how craft breweries redefine their niche, whether that’s with a unique location, restaurant partnership, or delving into a specialization to stand out from the crowd. One model doesn’t fit with every region and customer base, and it will be fun to see how innovative brewers redefine their craft and business.  

As a business, we’re looking forward to organizing more international and domestic collaborations as we expand our reach and spend more time learning what works well for brewers in different parts of the brewing community. Similar to local craft breweries, we want to spend quality time in our local area, assisting brewers on fun projects while reaching out to new areas and expanding our presence in the craft brewing community.