Tour our nation’s capital: the land of the free and home of the beer.
BREWERIES
The nation’s capital mixes American history with current beer culture. Located inside a revitalized Post Office building constructed in 1911, Capitol City Brewing (Capitol Hill, capcitybrew.com) hosts visitors inside a unique piece of history while pouring Bavarian hefeweizens and hoppy Pale Rider ales. Another renovated piece of history: The District Chop House (Penn Quarter, chophouse.com), which was once a turn-of-the-century bank. The upscale brewery pulls a mean Bourbon-barrel oatmeal stout and a rotating Velvet brew on nitrogen. At Mad Fox Brewery (Falls Church, Va., madfoxbrewing.com) famed brewer Bill Madden runs the 15-barrel brewery and 63-foot long bar, pouring nine beers (try The Elixer lager). Hopheads will travel to Franklin’s (Hyattsville, Md., franklinsbrewery.com), where brewer Mike Roy has gathered a following for brews like Rubber Chicken Red Ale. In 2011, a few new upstarts fired up their kettles: DC Brau (dcbrau.com) was first to get beer out; its easy-drinking pale ale is on better handles around town. Named for the D.C. flag, 3 Stars Brewing (threestarsbrewing.com) is just debuting its first suds—District, a smooth American IPA, and Statehood Saison. Watch for its forthcoming Illuminati line of inventive beers like an oat-and-espresso porter. D.C.’s smallest new upstart is Chocolate City Beer, a nanobrewery that pops out just 30 kegs a week. Look for its ESB on taps throughout town, and bombers coming soon. And there’s plenty more brand-new beer beyond DC’s city limits: Baying Hound Aleworks in Rockville, Md., (baying-hound.com) pours regulars and seasonals like the standout Marmageddon Porter; watch for the canine mascot, Wimsey, at the brewery. Across the Potomac, Port City Brewing (Alexandria, Va., portcitybrewing.com) is led by five-time GABF gold medalist, Jonathan Reeves; watch for Optimal Wit (brewed with coriander, dried Spanish orange peel and grains of paradise) on tap around the city.
BARS
In numerical terms, nobody beats the Brickskeller (7th St., lovethebeer.com). With the largest multi-tap in the area, the Brickskeller boasts a 1,000-brand bible, an actual bound book of all its available brews. If that number seems daunting, flock to Brasserie Beck (beckdc.com) and stick to the Belgians. Modeled after a vintage Belgian railway station, the bar offers more than 100 Belgian bottles and 10 on tap. Belgians are also the focus at Granville Moore’s (Atlas District, granvillemoores.com); beyond its 60 bottles and six taps, Moore’s is known for delicious mussels, serving more than 1,200 pounds per week. For years, Black Squirrel (Adams Morgan, blacksquirreldc.com) was DC’s ultimate low-key beer bar; its new one-keg-at-a-time nanobrewery turns the volume up a notch with always-changing taps. At The Saloon (U Street/Cardozo, 202.462.2640), chatty Bohemian owner Kamal “Commie” Jahanbein offers a thoughtful selection of drafts, good company and an authentic European pub feel—plus strict rules including “no standing” and “no loud conversations.”
DINE
D.C.’s dining options are as rich in history as the city itself. The only business allowed to stay open during the 1968 riots, Ben’s Chili Bowl (U Street, benschilibowl.com) has grown into a symbol of community spirit. Try the half-smoke, a mildly spicy cross between a sausage and a hot dog, endorsed by Bill Cosby. Italian cuisine fans gather at 2 Amys’ (Cleveland Park, 2amyspizza.com), where the Amys provide affordable pizzas and small plates that pay homage to Italian simplicity. Get there early to avoid the sometimes-long wait, and take advantage of homemade doughnuts available at lunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Seafood lovers can find a mean crab cake at Market Lunch (Capitol Hill, 202.547.8444), or do happy hour at star chef Jamie Leeds’ Hank’s Oyster Bar (Alexandria, Va., hanksdc.com). There, the beer list is as varied as the oysters served from the ice bar. Eric Ziebold’s award winning cuisine from CityZen Restaurant (southwest, mandarinoriental.com) is some of the most expensive, but the three-coarse tasting menu at the bar is only $50, which provides visitors with premiere flavors at a fair price. For the perfect pairing of pizza and beer, head to Pizzeria Paradiso (Georgetown, eatyourpizza.com). Wooden beams studded with beer taps hang from the ceiling, providing guests with 16 well-rounded taps. Belgian beer tickers simply must sup at Rustico Restaurant (Alexandria, Va., rusticorestaurant.com), which offers 6-ounce tastings of everything from Hopfenkonig to Donnybrook Stout for $3 to $4—and with more than 300 bottled beers, there’s something for everyone.
SLEEP
Reserve a spot at The Tabard Inn (Dupont Circle, tabardinn.com) for a home away from home. The accommodations may look like you’re in your rich friend’s guest room, but the funky asymmetrical spaces are filled with antique furniture and decorations. On the other hand, the modern-spa-sparse Park Hyatt (Foggy Bottom/West End, parkwashington.hyatt.com) soothes with its wooden art on the bookshelves and stone tiles in the bathroom. Plenty of pampering with a heated pool and super comfy beds make this a popular place to lay your head. The lobby at Hotel George (Capitol Hill, hotelgeorge.com) stands out with its bold colors, funky furniture and walls covered in fossilized coral, and the beds are so luxurious, the staff is often asked where people can buy them. History buffs will book a room at the Willard InterContinental (Downtown, intercontinental.com). Just down the street from The White House, the hotel features a gallery that doubles as a mini-museum of the city, and its Round Robin Bar is known as the birthplace of the Mint Julep. The Willard’s Jenny Lind suite may be more than your average monthly mortgage, but its doublewide bath with a perfect view of the Washington Monument through a round window makes it unparalleled. Nearby, the Donovan House (Thomas Circle/Downtown, thompsonhotels.com) boasts mod furnishings that look like something out of “The Jetsons,” and a rooftop bar overlooking this bustling beeropolis.
