March means two things in DC Beer Land: stouts and cherry blossom-themed beers. Here’s our 2024 roundup, which we’ll add to as more come in!
Dry stouts are so named because of dry-roasted barley to create that color; a healthy dose of hops, often English in origin, for a nice bit of herbal bitterness; and well-attenuated yeast for a dry finish. As a bonus, Irish-style stouts are often under 5% alcohol by volume, perfect for a proper session.
With temps in the 60s, we’ve already seen a few cherry blossoms starting to peek, if not peak. Right Proper’s Bobby Bump has the right idea, writing “Like it or not, Cherry Blossom beer is what DC should be known for. Not half smokes, not mambo sauce, not ramps, and not Michelin stars. I mean, every brewery makes a riff of one every year and it’s unique to DC….even if it is just pale beer blended with cherry juice/purée.”
In rough alphabetical order, let’s go!
Atlas Do or Die Irish Stout is available on tap and in cans at both locations, with their club members getting first crack at it. “This velvety elixir, rich with roasted malt, chocolate undertones, and a hint of smokiness, promises a taste adventure like no other.” We love that it’s 3.6% alcohol by volume. Also, Atlas knows a thing or two about stouts, with the medals to prove it.
You’re not going to find Cedar Run Emerald Fields Dry Irish Stout (4.3%) in DC, but you can at the Nokesville, Virginia brewery, and perhaps on tap at better beer bars and restaurants in the Commonwealth. The farm brewery is well worth the trip. “Medium bodied, with a coffee-like aroma. Maris Otter base malt, flaked barley, and a healthy dose of roasted barley malt combine for a robust, rich, yet easy drinking stout.”
Like Atlas, Crooked Run’s Wishing Well stout (4%) is available in cans throughout DC and Virginia, and will be served on nitro at all Crooked Run locations. “A simple grist of barley, roasted barley, and flaked oats,” Jake Endres, co-owner and production manager told us last year.
Last March Denizens Cool Breeze Oatmeal Stout (4.5%) was draft-only. Now it’s in cans throughout their distribution footprint. It’s one of Brandy’s favorites. As a bonus, Big Red Norm (6.5%) is back, too. They’ll be plenty to celebrate on Sunday, March 17 at Pizzeria Paradiso Hyattsville for St. Denizens Day, which includes happy hour pricing, free pizza for the kids, and more!
If you want to party the week before, Dynasty has you covered. The 838 Irish-style dry stout (4.9%) release party is on March 9 at Ashburn and this year there are some fun variants, including nitro, chocolate and coconut, coffee, hot pepper, and barrel-aged. Purchase a 4-pack of cans from either location and get an 838 glass while supplies last. Lost Rhino used to employ Dynasty’s co-founder and brewer Favio Garcia. Lost Rhino took home Great American Beer Festival medals in 2018 and 2019 for Shooter McMunn’s Irish-style dry stout (4%), which shouldn’t be hard to find, especially in Virginia.
But back to Maryland, you know that Guinness, on the “correct” side of Baltimore for most of us, is going to have some events, as well as the classic stout. Check their social media and website for information. If that’s too far how about hitting Sapwood Cellars, halfway there? O’Postrophre is 4.5% and draft only at the Columbia brewery. Closer still is Silver Branch–more on them below–tapping Black Banshee Dry Stout on March 14. Pair it with Pi(e)!
Want something that’s Irish, but more obscure? Churchkey has you covered on March 16, with Ireland’s Brehon Brewery in the house. Pay as you go, all on draft while they last. The list:
Gaithersburg’s Saints Row is, like many breweries, throwing a party on March 16, which includes a twist: this dry stout is made with rye as well. We think they’ll have a few cans, too.
If you’d like a little more heft to you stouts, Oliver has Drink Me, I’m Irish, a 7% stout with Irish cream or Irish cream flavoring added. Cans are available. Aslin is set to drop a barrel-aged stout with Irish cream and marshmallows that we bet is somewhere north of 12% ABV; look for it starting on March 15th at their DC and VA locations.
Cherry blossom beers are here as well, starting with City-State Sakura Ale. There’s a release party on March 15, and you’ll see cans and draft around the DMV. A few miles up the Met Branch Trail, Hellbender’s In Bloom (4.7%) is draft-only, here for a limited time. Would now be a good time to mention that DC Beer is having a bottle share at Hellbender on Sunday the 10 from 2-5pm? Open to all, and please RSVP. We’d love to see you.
Old Ox Festivale saison (5.5%) is the official beer of DC’s Cherry Blossom Festival, and is widely available. “The saison yeast adds herbal and spice notes that are a perfect complement to the sweetness of the ripe cherry that is added to this brew during fermentation. The bubbly effervescence, pink hue, silky mouthfeel and dry finish welcome spring to the Nation’s Capital.”
Oliver’s Cherry Wheat out of Baltimore is the other OG area cherry beer. It’s a 5.5% wheat ale fermented with dark sweet cherry juice and tart red cherry puree. Draft and cans available.
Red Bear is celebrating an anniversary this weekend, see above, and they’ll have Peak Bloom (5.4%) available both in cans and draft. Check their socials for party info. Also in cans and on tap is a cherry variant of Silver Branch’s Squeegee Master series. It’s 4.7% and is identifiably a gose, with hints of salt and coriander complimenting the cherry juice. Silver Branch’s anniversary party will be March 21-23, save the date.
Lastly, we have a cider with cherries this year, courtesy of Alexandria’ Lost Boy. Cherry Blossom cider is 6.9% with cherries and jasmine added to their apple base. Cans and draft available.
Plenty of places will have green beer. For green beer that tastes good, we recommend anyone with bottles of Fantome Vertignasse–looking at you, Neighborhood Restaurant Group–and Maryland’s Crooked Crab. Shelter will have the Fantome spiced green saison along with Tripping Animals El Green Crippy, a green pilsner. Keeping it NRG, Bluejacket will have their dry stout, North Strand Road, on cask for $5 from March 15-17. Cans will also be available.
In addition to St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, Boundary Stone hosts St. Baldrick’s on March 10. They’ll be good beer, including some mentioned above, for a good cause.
This is a non-exhaustive list; we’re sure that other area breweries have stouts and cherry beers on tap, and we’ll gladly update this post as we hear from them. Cheers!
