The DC Beer Show

Every beer scene needs people willing to teach others and walk them through the beer business. Julie Verratti is this person in the DC Beer community.   Richard, Jordan, and Brandy ventured out to Denizens Brewing the other night to talk with Julie, Chief Beer Officer at Denizens. Julie is incredibly generous with her time and helps people learn how to navigate the beer industry. We shower her wit...

Stroop, There It Is! While it’s our current favorite catchphrase, it’s also the title of one the best beers of the season, a collaboration masterpiece from Black Viking Brewing and Red Bear . We’ve been noticing that Black Viking is crushing it in the DC Beer scene, so Brandy got the scoop with owner Shaun Taylor. To Shaun, the beer business is what someone might call a “cool” business–everyone is...

You may have heard about Urban Garden Brewing’s collaboration beer with City State Brewing , Roses Aren’t Dead. But that’s not the only exciting news from UGB and City State. Mike gets the scoop with Eamoni Collier of UGB and James Warner of City State to hear the exciting news coming down the pike. Eamoni and James also discuss the challenges and victories they experienced in the last year and th...

We’re talking Pink…Pink Boots, that is! The Pink Boots Society DC Chapter works daily to make beer more approachable and inclusive. Brandy talks with Pink Boots leaders Bri Turner and Paulette Palacios about how Pink Boots is creating a more inclusive beer community in DC and embracing people from all backgrounds and fermentations. They share how they’re empowering students to get into beer, their...

Crooked Run Fermentation is leaping over state lines and coming to the District. Jake talks with Jake Endres of Crooked Run to get the details on their expansion into Union Market, the legal process for transporting beer over state lines, their upcoming pairing of pizza and beer, and their journey entering the wine and cider space. In other news, we talk about the increase in lagering amongst loca...

Liquid Intrusion Brewing Company , also known as LIBCo, is indeed intruding – in the best way possible. As the first black-owned brewery in Prince George’s County, founders Andrew and Jasmine Dill are looking to disrupt the brewing market in Southern Maryland.  Andrew Dill lost his job at a beer bar when the COVID-19 lockdown began, and he was left with a lot of time on his hands. What came next w...

We’re wrapping up a year of beer, so we recount the beer happenings we loved most in 2022, the ones we loved least, and the ones we can’t wait for in 2023.  Then, Mike celebrates anniversaries with Thor Cheston of Right Proper Brewing Company . Right Proper Shaw is turning nine, while their Brookland location turns seven. Huzzah! Thor shares the accomplishments of Right Proper he’s most proud of a...

Well, there’s good beer news, and there’s bad beer news. We’ll start with the bad news. And that is, beloved Rocket Frog Brewing is closing their doors this weekend.  Richard Hartogs joins the show to tell us about the last few years for Rocket Frog , the highs, the lows, and the difficult economics of brown ales. Richard and Jake discuss: if brown ales are hard to sell off the shelves, what can y...

We love when Maryland gains a new brewery, especially in Prince George's County. We’re so excited to welcome Black Beauty Brewery, PG County’s second Black-owned brewing company. Jordan sits down with Sheldon Goins, founder of Black Beauty Brewery , to hear how a setback during the pandemic led to starting a brewing company. Sheldon graduated with a criminal justice degree and found himself workin...

Mike remembers years ago when Hellbender was just a new brewery in town. Today, Hellbender is now one of our elders in the DC beer scene as they celebrate their 8th anniversary this weekend.  We’re jazzed that Hellbender has been around for us all these years, so we have co-founder Ben Evans on the show. Ben and Mike look back on the first story DC Beer wrote on Hellbender’s opening and reflect on...

It’s a competitive time to be a brewery, and Hugh Sisson knows this well. Hugh started Heavy Seas Brewing (formerly Clipper City) 27 years ago and has watched the craft beer scene evolve. In this episode, he shares his wisdom and insights on navigating the craft beer market and making the best damn tasting beer you can.  You might know of Hugh Sisson, but you might not know that the Maryland craft...

We may be recovering from DC’s biggest beer weekend, but we’re gearing up for more festivities. In this episode, we check in with some favorite DC breweries about their recent victories and triumphs. First, we talk with Daniel Vilarrubi of Atlas Brew Works about their recent bronze medal for best American Pilsner at the Great American Beer Festival and what it means to be a true American-style pil...

American Latinos have long been a part of America’s beer history. Today, they’re pushing the beer industry forward with beers brewed with unique ingredients (hello, piloncillo), generations of brewing families, and inclusive taprooms. Mike got to pick hops with Dr. Theresa McCulla, curator of the American Brewing History Initiative , and heard more stories about the role of American Latinos in our...

In Mike Stein’s stein was Reasonably Corrupt, a Schwarzbier from Great Raft Brewing . So it was only fitting that we talked with former DC resident, DC Beer editor emeritus, and co-founder of Great Raft, Andrew Nations.  Jake and Andrew talk about why seasonal beers come out earlier and earlier every year, the hectic race breweries must endure to be the first pumpkin beer on the shelves and why th...

It’s September. Some would say fall has arrived, but that’s up for debate. More importantly, we’ve entered DC’s biggest season for beer.  DC beer lovers are getting jazzed for one event in particular – Battle of the Barrel-Aged Beers, the event that sets off DC Beer Week. Woop woop! Jake sits down with Colin McDonough of Boundary Stone to hear what the 2022 throwdown holds for our favorite local b...

It may be a scary time for breweries in DC right now, with closings and partners parting ways. But one team isn’t afraid. DC, welcome your newest neighborhood brewery, Lost Generation.  Brandy sits down with co-owners Annie and Jared and lead brewer Cody to hear all about what Lost Generation Brewing has in store for us. They tell us the story behind the name, what beer styles they’ll be focusing...

Brandy was roaming the Maryland Beer Festival when she overheard people raving about an Italian pilsner. She followed them to Landmade Brewing’s tent, the DC Beer Crew tasted the pilsner, and it quickly became the favorite beer of the day.  Landmade opened six months ago and completely flew under our radar! So today, Brandy sits down with owner Gabe Scott and head brewers Matt and Kyle to hear the...

For a lot of us at DC Beer, there’s nothing like finishing up the work week, heading to the local brewery for a fine brown ale, and headbanging to your local favorite heavy metal band. Years ago, the DIY metal scene of DC was looking for a place that metal fans could call home. Where did they find it? DC's beer scene. The DC Beer ecosystem goes far beyond the brewers and taprooms. In this episode,...

It’s July in DC AKA it’s hot and muggy. So grab your most refreshing beer and slip slowly with us as your neighbors light off their leftover fireworks. In this episode, we’re sharing what beers are quenching our thirst driven by summer’s heat and catching up on the most exciting things that are going down in DC’s beer scene, including a beautiful collaboration between Soul Mega and 3 Stars , the o...

50 episodes ago, beloved hosts Brandy, Jake, and Mike took the microphones and relaunched the DC Beer Show. Since then, it’s fair to say that the DC Beer scene has gone through a lot 一 a global pandemic, fighting to keep each other safe while keeping our businesses afloat, and confronting discrimination in our local industry 一  it hasn’t been easy. But together, we’ve overcome much. And in this...

Slowly but surely, our favorite annual beer events of the past are making a comeback after taking a pandemic pause. What are we especially excited about? Savor .  Savor is an experience for beer lovers and foodies that pairs flavor-forward, independent craft beer with small-plated culinary delights. Jake sits down with Bill Butcher of Port City Brewing to get the story behind Savor and hear why it...

It’s patio season. Dunkels and tripels are overflowing. But you know what we’re most excited about? One of our favorite neighborhood breweries is back. Mike sits down with Ben Evans and LT Goodman from Hellbender Brewing Company after the brewery’s period of intense trials. Back in March, Hellbender lost their ABC license and was unable to operate. But they are back!  Ben and LT tell us about the...

‘Twas the day before the Maryland Craft Beer Festival, and all throughout the DMV, DC Beerists were getting restless, waiting to travel for beer and Maryland’s finest yeast. Brandy ventures outside the DC border to get a sneak peek taste of Maryland’s delicious beer, and talks with Earl Holman from Crooked Crab . Crooked Crab beer has been booming in the DC area over the last year. But the last ti...

Carly and Brian Ogden met on a blind date that started going south quick. Until beer saved the day. And along came beloved Attaboy Brewing . Brandy sits down with Carly and Brian, founders of Attaboy Brewing in Frederick, MD. Carly and Brian recount that fateful night of their first date and share how they made it from the Bay Area to Maryland, and how Frederick became the unexpected surprise of a...

There are towns where everything feels right. Sperryville is the little town tucked in the Shenandoah mountains where you run to when you need to escape the city. Yet a trip to Sperryville is only made whole when you taste the goodness of the native beer, natural cider and wine of Pen Druid Fermentation .  Mike sits down with Jennings Carney, co-owner of Pen Druid Fermentation . Jennings is one of...