Sometimes non-beer media covers the local scene. Let’s round up and link out!
First up, sad news out of Maryland. Rock Bottom Bethesda abruptly closed over the weekend, first reported by MoCoShow. No local brewer has more Great American Beer Festival medals than Rock Bottom’s Geoff Lively, with fourteen, across four decades. His most recent win was a gold for Rye Barrel-Aged Atom Smasher barleywine in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer category in 2023, and the brewery had one of the most consistent cask ale programs in the area. We don’t know the immediate cause of the closure, but Rock Bottom’s parent company sold the brand to Kelly Companies in December 2024, and Fortress Investment, a private equity firm, had been involved since 2020. We reached out to Rock Bottom about the sale to Kelly in February, but never heard back. RIP.
A special episode of WETA’s Signature Dish focused on drinks, including Streetcar 82 and co-founder/owner Mark Burke talking hazy IPA. Stick around for Tenth Ward Distilling, too. Founder and owner Monica Pearce was part of a Pink Boots Society fundraiser at Other Half in March.
Jasper Yeast gets a page-long article in April’s issue of Northern Virginia Magazine if you’d like to nerd out about yeast from 1903, the 1960s, and from fossilized whale bones.
Henceforth is set to be DC’s newest brewery. The H Street NE brewpub just received their Certificate of Occupancy and health inspection, so they’re set to open later this week. We had them on the podcast, and look for a post from us imminently, but Hillrag’s article from early March should get you excited.
Speaking of new breweries, the Washington Business Journal (WBJ) is paywalled, but should you be able to get through that they’ve got an article on Right Proper’s Eckington location. Construction was supposed to start by now, and any opening won’t happen until the end of October at the earliest. Relevant details include seating for 150 and WBJ reports the brewpub will have a 5 barrel system, not a 7 barrel one. Realistically, the brewery’s third location is probably an early 2026 affair.
Port City’s founder and CEO Bill Butcher has been everywhere talking about the potential impact of tariffs on the beer industry. Any of these are worth a read, listen, or watch. Right Proper’s Thor Cheston has also been making the rounds across the media.
Neighborhood Restaurant Group Managing Partner and Beer Director Greg Engert writes an occasional column for Beer & Brewing. April’s edition focuses on moderation in terms of the amount we’re imbibing, lower alcohol by volume beers, the social role of alcohol, and more. It’s worth a read and worth thinking about.
