In this article we will go through the definitive top 10 best breweries in Washington DC and the greater Washington DC metro area. When most people think of Washington DC they think politicians and lobbyists, lawyers and corruption. But the nation’s capital is home to some 6 million people in the greater metro area.
The DC region is also home to some great craft breweries among many amazing restaurants. This article is an in-depth dive into the best breweries in Washington DC and the metro region. I’ll first cover how the ranking criteria and how the list was formed, as well as my “research” program, and finally divulge the best breweries in the area. So let’s get down to it!
- A Quick Intro to American Craft Beer
- Research Program for Determining the Best Breweries in Washington DC
- Best Brewery Ranking System and Criteria
- Qualifying Breweries
- #10) Settle Down Easy Brewing
- #9) Honor Brewing
- #8) Hellbender Brewing
- #7) Silver Branch Brewing
- #6) Lost Generation Brewing
- #5) Caboose Brewing
- #4) Other Half Brewing
- #3) Aslin Beer Company
- #2) Solace Brewing
- #1) Bluejacket Brewery
- Top 10 Breweries by Beer Alone
- Washington DC Breweries – FAQs
- Best Breweries in Washington DC – Final Word
Disclaimer: Aroundtheworldwithme.com is in no way affiliated with any of these breweries and was not influenced in any way in the creation of these rankings. This article also contains affiliate links, which means that should you purchase something or get a quote through them I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the site running with up to date information. I do not represent Booking.com, Viator, or Discovercars. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy the product mentioned in this article.
A Quick Intro to American Craft Beer
While the rest of the world might think Budweiser and Miller Lite when they think of American beer, those within the country know that the surge of craft breweries in the last 20 years has really put the United States at the forefront of global beer making.
Let’s face it, America’s “traditional” beers are downright awful. They’re like if you took a Bavarian lager and made it taste like crap. But beer behemoths like Anheuser Busch and MillerCoors have seen tanking sales over the last decade. Why? Because we have something much better now!
The concept of the craft brewery is an American creation. For hundreds of years, no one really got creative with beer recipes. It stayed that way until the 1960s when a Californian was looking for ways to make Anchor Steam taste better and started experimenting with different ingredients. Just like that craft brewing was born.
Through the 1970s, after some federal brewing laws were changed, many Americans started home brewing. As home brewing became more popular, some people started to open their own little breweries, with limited production and limited sales.
While many of the original craft brewing pioneers didn’t make it, many did. And you likely know these brands today. Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams both got their starts in the early 1980s. Abita in Louisiana and Wasatch in Utah followed. In the years to come many of the well known (these days) microbreweries would open across the US.
Fast forward to today and there are thousands of microbreweries scattered across the US. There’s even a new term for tiny breweries that don’t distribute their beer outside the brewery: nano-brewery.
The one thing all these breweries have in common is that they don’t suck. US brewers make the best beer in the world and a tour around the craft breweries of the Washington DC metro area will have you convinced of that in no time!
Research Program for Determining the Best Breweries in Washington DC
If you’re wondering if I literally went to every brewery in the Washington DC area to do my research for this article, well… you’re right. I live just outside of Washington DC and did go to every brewery, nearly 40 in total. It took about 8 months but was probably the most fun “research” one could have writing a blog article.
If you don’t believe me, feel free to add me on Untappd at “Heckmantis” and see my checkins! Many flights of beer were ordered and many Bavarian pretzels were consumed. Thank god for flights of beer, as this would have been incredibly difficult – and expensive – if I would have had to order full pours for each beer!
Best Brewery Ranking System and Criteria
The rankings are based on the following scoring system. There are five categories as discussed below.
Category 1: Google Reviews
As simple as it sounds. Just the brewery’s rating out of 5 stars on Google as of summer 2023. These are taken with a grain of salt though, as the more food a brewery serves the more likely it is to have a lower rating on Google, as people go online to complain about food they don’t like.
Category 2: Beer Quality
The most important factor in the brewery scores is the main product that the brewery sells, the beer. Beer quality is essentially how tasty the beer is and is derived by the average of individual beer ratings on Untapped – not just my own personal rating but the global average as well.
Ratings are weighted at 50/50 personal/global. For example, if I rated a beer 4.5 and the global average on Untapped was 4.0, the final rating would be 4.25 for said beer. Brewery overall beer ratings are the average of 7-10 beers as recommended by the bartender on the day I visited. An imperfect system, but still pretty good.
Category 3: Food
Americans love to eat, so food is an important factor in your overall brewery experience. Food options vary greatly from brewery to brewery. Some breweries have gourmet meal options while others have food trucks in the parking lots. Some just let you bring whatever food you got somewhere else.
Either way it’s important to eat when downing IPAs so overall food experience is factored into the brewery ratings.
Category 4: Location
Where a brewery is physically located can improve accessibility and increase customer satisfaction. The location category is based on how accessible the brewery is with public transportation and the overall feel of the neighborhood it is located in.
Many breweries are located far outside of downtown in industrial neighborhoods, whereas some are near Metro lines in hip, up and coming neighborhoods or historic districts. Location is considered to boost your beer tasting experience.
Category 5: Atmosphere and ambiance
This category rates the quality of the brewery itself, regardless of the beer, food or location. It’s based on the number of tables, outdoor space, music, live music, décor, and service, among other things.
Weighted average
The total rating of a brewery is calculated by a weighted average of the categories above. As beer is really the most important factor here, it’s given by far the highest weight in the calculation. The weighted averages are as follows:
- Google reviews – 10%
- Beer quality- 55%
- Food – 10%
- Location – 10%
- Atmosphere and ambiance – 15%
Qualifying Breweries
There are about 40 independent breweries operating in the DC region. Though this number totally depends on where you draw the boundary of the DC region and what you consider a “brewery.”
For the purpose of this article, the DC metro region was said to extend as far west as Dulles Airport, to the eastern edge of Ashburn, VA. On the Maryland side, we considered as far as Gaithersburg and South Laurel.
Importantly, we did not consider anything that would be described as a “farm brewery.” These are massive breweries on giant lots of land well outside the city that are extremely popular with DC region residents on nice summer days. There are tons of farm breweries in Virginia and Maryland, but they were considered too far outside the city to be included in the top 10 DC breweries rankings.
There are also some restaurants and other establishments that brew their own beer, like Sweetwater in Vienna, VA and the District Chophouse in Chinatown. Places like these were excluded since brewing is not their primary business. Though plenty of these places make solid beer.
Capital City Brewing Company, which has an awesome location downtown and solid food, was also excluded as they only offer two of their own beers on tap, and seem to be more of a restaurant than a brewery these days.
Lastly, brewpubs of breweries that don’t make beers on site are not included. An example of this would be the Starr Hill Biergarten in Tysons Corner. Starr Hill is a fantastic brewery in Charlottesville, VA that opened a beer garden in the DC area. But it’s not a separate brewery, so it was not considered.
And now, without further ado, let’s unveil the list of the top 10 breweries in Washington DC!
#10) Settle Down Easy Brewing
Established in 2018, Settle Down Easy has been serving fantastic beer at their small brewery in Falls Church, VA since their inception. The brewery itself is tucked away behind some Tex-Mex restaurants in an inconspicuous location. The feel inside the brewery is pretty cool and it gets a diverse crowd, everything from beer yuppies to big families.
Total score: 3.85/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.8/5
Beer Quality: 4.0/5
Settle Down Easy makes some of the top ranking brews in the DC region. They have a seasonally rotating draft selection and are always experimenting with new concoctions. They offer numerous IPAs but also have unique styles like peanut butter porter and rauchbier (smoked lager).
You can’t go wrong with anything on their beer list. Their beers are not sold in stores but they do offer growlers and takeaway 6-packs.
Beer to be sure to try: Fire on the Mountain smoked lager
Food: 5/5
For a brewery, it doesn’t get much better than Settle Down Easy. They have an agreement with the Tex-Mex restaurant next door that is pretty unique. On top of being able to order anything from the menu of the restaurant, they have two employees from the restaurant at a taco station within the brewery. They make various fresh tacos, burritos, and some appetizers. The food is excellent and will leave you stuffed.
Location: 2/5
Settle Down Easy is in the suburb of Falls Church just off of Lee Highway. It’s not accessible by metro, but a local bus does run down Lee Highway and stop near the brewery. You’ll likely have to drive to the brewery though. The area itself is not so great, but has a few other good Mexican restaurants.
Ambiance: 3/5
As usual, the brewery is in an industrial building. It’s a small brewery but the taproom has plenty of space to spread out. There is a large bar and some high top tables. They have a few TVs if you’re trying to catch a game and overall it’s a laid back environment. There is limited outdoor seating and it’s basically in a parking lot. Inside has a better feel.
#9) Honor Brewing
Honor Brewing Company was founded in 2014 by US Army veteran Allen Cage. The brewery has expanded rapidly in recent years and now features 3 locations. At Honor Brewing, veterans (and teachers) get a discount on their bill. The concept of the brewery is to honor those who have served while making damn good beer at the same time.
Total score: 3.86/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.5/5
Beer Quality: 4.0/5
Honor has dozens of options on tap and most are pretty damn good. They make one of the best standard German Kolsches you’ll ever try, but also delve into heavy IPAs, much like other breweries in the DC area.
Beer to be sure to try: Dress Blues fruited sour
Food: 4/5
Honor Brewing operates a full service restaurant at their Loudon Brewery and at their Fairfax brewpub. The menus are similar but not totally the same. Each offers sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and a few entrees. The food only gets a 4 out of 5 and not a 5 because the food is not quite as good as some other local brewery food. It’s not bad, but it’s not worth coming to the brewery just for the food, if you catch my drift.
Location: 2/5
Honor Brewing has three locations, which include their main brewery and restaurant in Loudoun County, as well as a brewpub in Fairfax City, and a tasting room and private events center in Chantilly. Unfortunately, none of the locations are easily accessible from public transportation. They are all strictly suburban Virginia locations and require a car to get you there.
Ambiance: 4/5
While you might have to drive a bit, once you’re there Honor Brewing is a fantastic place to spend a sunny afternoon. The Loudon brewery has an industrial setup, with large sitting areas, a fully stocked bar, and a massive outdoor area complete with an outdoor bar as well. The tap room and brewpub are smaller, but nicely setup and fun for all ages.
#8) Hellbender Brewing
Hellbender Brewing is a new brewery in a residential area of Northeast DC that makes a lot of IPAs and interesting lagers. They don’t delve too much into the dark beers, but they offer plenty of other variations to make up for it. The brewery is very popular among local residents and many people come just to buy a growler to take away.
Total score: 3.94/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.8/5
Beer Quality: 3.9/5
Hellbender scores pretty high on the beer quality rankings. Nothing they make will blow you out of the water, but at the same time nothing will leave you wanting more. Every beer they make is just a damn good brew.
Beer to be sure to try: Unidentified Hazy Object IPA
Food: 3/5
No food is served by the brewery but they rotate various food trucks in and out in their beer garden and they are pretty good. There is something for everyone in the food trucks, so they get a decent score here.
Location: 4/5
Hellbender is sort of at the end of the road on some train tracks, but also within walking distance of the Fort Totten metro station. It’s a quiet area that makes you think that you’re not really in DC, though you’re close to the happening parts of the city.
Ambiance: 4/5
Hellbender has a decent sized outdoor beer garden as well as large Bavarian style tables in the tasting room. The ambiance is relatively basic, but they have cornhole setup indoors and lots of room to spread out. They also have a mascot, Hellbender Harvey, a real, live cat who roams the brewery looking for snuggles.
#7) Silver Branch Brewing
Silver Branch is essentially across the street from the Silver Spring metro station in Maryland. The brewery is on the ground floor of an office building and offers tons of beer options to choose from and an extensive food menu.
Total score: 3.95/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.7/5
Beer Quality: 3.6/5
Silver Branch makes a ton of beers. There are really too many to choose from. Most are really good, but some leave much to be desired. The overall average of their beers is on the high side though. You won’t be disappointed with a flight of Silver Branch beer on a warm summer day.
Beer to be sure to try: Sisyphus IPA
Food: 4/5
Silver Branch has an extensive menu of salads, sandwiches and tacos, as well as typical brewery snacks like Bavarian pretzels. The food is good and reasonably priced. In lieu of servers, you order and pay on your phone and someone brings you your order. It’s super easy and convenient, but not for everyone.
Location: 5/5
For a DC area brewery it’s hard to find a better location. It’s in central Silver Spring, just across the Maryland border from DC, and right next to the Silver Spring metro and train station.
Ambiance: 4/5
The theme in the brewery is a Bavarian beer garden. They have a decent beer garden in front – spelled in German Biergarten – and some German decorations on the wall. There are a couple of small televisions at the bar for anyone who wants to watch the game, but the setup encourages you to sit and talk like you would in a European bar. If talking isn’t your thing, there are board games and card games to entertain you.
#6) Lost Generation Brewing
Lost Generation is a new brewery in a great location in northeast DC. Trendy with local young professionals, it’s set up for medium sized groups of 4 to 6 friends. All beer is brewed on site and the name of the brewery is a throwback to the prohibition days, where people unfortunately missed out on all that great beer.
Total score: 3.95/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.6/5
Beer Quality: 4.0/5
Lost Generation makes good beer. They’re still working some kinks out but they have a lot of excellent brews. Their sour beers are their best, and if you’re not afraid of interesting sour beers that’s what to try.
Be sure to try: raspberry sour
Food: 2/5
There is no food other than a few snacks but they do have a solid rotation of food trucks in the parking lot, though just one at a time. As it’s in central DC though, the food trucks are a bit pricey. Might as well go to a sit down restaurant. You can also bring whatever food you want into the brewery so bon appetit!
Location: 5/5
Lost Generation is about a 10 minute walk from NoMu – Gallaudet metro station, so it’s easily accessible by public transport. It’s in an up and coming neighborhood of DC full of new apartment buildings and restaurants. They even have a few designated parking spots for those driving. For breweries, it’s about as good as it gets in terms of location.
Ambiance: 4/5
In typical DC brewery manner, it’s in an old industrial building that has been revamped. There are about 25 large tables but no outdoor area. The high ceilings and exposed brick wall behind the bar gives it a hip vibe though. There is a mural on the other wall but other than that pretty standard. Popular with local young professionals.
#5) Caboose Brewing
Caboose Brewing is a popular brewery and restaurant with two locations in northern Virginia, both just outside the Beltway. Visitors come for more than just tasty beers, as both locations are fully functioning – and delicious – restaurants as well. Caboose is a small brewing operation and you won’t find their beer at supermarkets. For a taste of their sweet brews you’ll have to come in for a visit.
Total score: 4.05/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.4/5
Beer Quality: 3.8/5
Caboose makes a lot of good beers and some OKish beers. They specialize in IPAs, yet experiment with a lot of other varieties. They offer flights to sample their beers or during happy hour till 6 on weekdays you can get a pint for $5, a remarkable deal these days.
Beer to be sure to try: HOP-SEC Pale Ale
Food: 5/5
Caboose has an extensive menu and everything is delicious. Stop by on a Tuesday for Taco Tuesday. They also have an amazing brunch menu if you’re coming in on the weekend.
Location: 4/5
Caboose has two locations in Northern Virginia. One is in the Mosaic District of Fairfax and the other is on the WO&D bike trail in Vienna. Neither is particularly close to a metro station (though the Fairfax location is about a 20 minute walk), but the unique location on Fairfax County’s main bike path earns extra points on this list. The brewery is a popular place for cyclists and bike commuters (like myself) to stop after work or on a weekend bike ride.
Ambiance: 4/5
Caboose has a great feel. Laid back and chill, it attracts people who love to bike but also love a great craft brew. With a large seating area outdoors, they also have a large grassy area on the banks of the bike path if you ask for a plastic cup. The Fairfax location also has a massive outdoor beer garden. It’s not as great in the colder months, but the great outdoor vibe in the summer all but makes up for it.
#4) Other Half Brewing
Other half is actually a satellite brewery of a brewery that opened in Brooklyn in 2014. The NYC brewery took off and led to the DC satellite. It’s open 7 days a week from 12 till 9 (or 10 depending on the day) in a hip newly revitalized part of Washington DC. The beers are not sold in stores so if you want to taste the Other Half brews you’ll have to come into the brewery.
Total score: 4.16/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.7/5
Beer Quality: 4.3/5
Other Half tops the brewery ranking in the beer quality category. It’s hard to imagine a brewery that makes better beer than Other Half.
They have a variety of beers, mostly on the strong side, and just about everything is delicious. They really know how to make a tasty brew, but they are most known for their IPAs, which are light in color but heavy in hops.
Other Half is not a place to drink if you’re planning on driving home! Or if you want to try a bunch of beers because they charge a premium for 4 ounce tasters. They really want you to get a full pour, which is on par with other bars and breweries in the region. But tasters will cost you, about $1 per ounce. So choose wisely!
Beer to be sure to try: the Raspberry Crunchee, a fruited sour beer that literally tastes like fresh guava, raspberry mango juice (one of very few beers I’ve ever rated 5 stars on Untappd).
Food: 3/5
Other Half does not offer food other than packaged snacks like popcorn and chips. But on Fridays and Saturdays they have food trucks in the loading dock behind the brewery, so you won’t go hungry.
On top of that they allow outside food so you can order or bring whatever you want and you can order directly from Maria’s Kitchen, a nearby Mexican restaurant and have it delivered directly to the brewery.
If you want food while you’re at Other Half, though, go across the street to Giza Middle Eastern Food. It’s a takeaway Egyptian restaurant with great prices and lovely people. Their stuffed grape leaves are simply to die for!
Location: 3/5
The brewery is in an old industrial zone in Northeast DC that has recently been gentrified. The old warehouses have been revamped with hip restaurants and coffee shops. For DC though, it’s sort of a public transport dead spot. There is no metro station within walking distance, although a bus route does run right by the brewery. Parking can also be difficult to find, and outside the immediate area, the neighborhoods get real sketchy real fast.
Ambiance: 5/5
The brewery taproom is massive with a significant beer garden. It also has a rooftop terrace and indoor seating area too. The bar stretches half the length of the building and the ceiling is open to the mechanical and electrical lines above, giving it a real industrial feel. You truly feel like you’re in an ideal beer drinking setting when you’re having a beer at Other Half.
#3) Aslin Beer Company
Aslin was founded in 2015 and has expanded extensively since then. There are now three Aslin brewery locations in the DC area (Herndon, Alexandria, and DC) and one in Pittsburg, PA. You can find Aslin beers at local supermarkets, but their breweries are the best place to get the full Aslin experience.
Total score: 4.18/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.7/5
Beer Quality: 3.8/5
Aslin has a large selection of beers and brews just about every style you could want to try. Everything they make is good and will quench your thirst on a hot day, though nothing they make is jaw dropping amazing.
Beer to be sure to try: Double Orange Starfish IPA
Food: 4/5
Aslin operates a pizza restaurant at their breweries. They serve more than just pizza, but a delicious pie is what most people choose to chow down on when visiting Aslin.
Location: 5/5
The original brewery is in central Herndon, which is well outside the city, but with the addition of their Alexandria and central DC breweries, visiting Aslin is convenient for just about anyone. The DC location is not super close to any metro station but is easily walkable from Shaw-Howard on the green line or DuPont Circle on the red line.
Ambiance: 5/5
Aslin’s breweries have large seating areas and are designed to entice you to stay for more than just one beer. The original brewery in Herndon has a lovely outdoor beer garden and a garage-style roll up door setup at the bar. The Alexandria location has a large indoor seating area with televisions galore. Lastly, the DC location has an awesome outdoor beer garden and is the perfect place to relax with a tasty brew on a nice warm day.
#2) Solace Brewing
Solace makes some of the best beer in the country, let alone the DMV. Founded in 2017 in Sterling, near Dulles Airport, Solace has taken off and become extremely popular in the region. Once you taste their beer you’ll quickly realize why it’s become such a hit. They’ve expanded beyond their main brewery to brewpubs in Falls Church and DC, so a Solace experience is never too far away.
Total Score: 4.25/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.5/5
Beer Quality: 3.9/5
Solace’s beer is top notch. They are known for making unique brews as well as multiple variations of IPAs. Literally everything they make is delicious and will please the palate of any beer connoisseur. And as they’ve become pretty popular, their beers are available at supermarkets in the area.
Beer to be sure to try: Partly Cloudy IPA
Location: 5/5
The main brewery is located in an industrial region of the northern Virginia suburbs out past the airport. It’s not a super great spot and not possible to reach on public transportation.
Due to its success, however, Solace has been able to open two additional brewpubs in more attractive locations. They call these Solace “outposts” and there is one in Falls Church, VA and one in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington DC.
The Falls Church location is a bit too far from East Falls Church Metro Station to take public transport, but the Navy Yard location is close to a metro station and right next to Nationals Park, where the Washington Nationals play.
Food: 4/5
The Solace outposts offer a full menu of burgers, bratwursts, and harvest bowls, among other bar snacks. The food is good quality and even has healthy options (with the harvest bowls). The main Sterling brewery doesn’t have its own food but has a rotating selection of food trucks in the parking lot.
Ambiance: 5/5
Solace is one of the best breweries when it comes to having a good time on top of good beer. The brewery and the outposts are set up like sports bar beer gardens, with German style tables and plenty of TVs to catch the game. Each location has a large outdoor seating area as well as significant indoor seating for cold winter nights. They also have various arcade games and pinball machines at the outposts.
#1) Bluejacket Brewery
In a trendy revitalized part of southeast DC you’ll find the Bluejacket brewery. Popular on Washington Nationals game days – as it’s very close to the baseball stadium – Bluejacket excels in amazing beers, quality food, and a lively and welcoming scene at the brewery.
There is an outdoor beer garden as well as a gorgeous interior to go along with the great food and beer. Anyone visiting Bluejacket is in for a treat, so long as it’s not too crowded. Avoid Nationals game days if you can!
Total score: 4.31/5
Google Reviews Rating: 4.1/5
Beer Quality: 3.9/5
Bluejacket makes great beers. The 20 drafts on tap rotate seasonally but they have a few staples of the beer menu. Everything on the beer menu is delicious, many of them making you think “holy $%&^, I didn’t know beer could taste so good!” You won’t find Bluejacket beers in the supermarkets so you’ll have to stop by the brewery for a taste of their incredible brews!
Beer to be sure to try: Sugar Snow Imperial Porter
Food: 5/5
Bluejacket has a full menu of salads, sandwiches and entrees. The food is top notch and not as expensive as you’d expect for its prime location in DC. You have the choice to order from a server or just order and pay on your phone. The phone option is nice not having to deal with asking for the check and signing a receipt and all that nonsense. However, many people do not like this system as the service is nothing more than dropping your food off at the table.
Location: 5/5
The brewery is in the Navy Yard district of DC, about a 5 minute walk from the Navy Yard metro station. For a DC brewery you really can’t get a better location. There are tons of restaurants, shops and residences in the neighborhood, and it’s also only two blocks from the Potomac River.
Ambiance: 5/5
Bluejacket is in an old refurbished factory building that was originally built in 1919. It has an industrial vibe with exposed structural steel and even more exposed distillation tanks. There is a sit down restaurant with two levels as well as a happening bar area and an outdoor beer garden. The tall ceiling adds to the atmosphere and really gives you the vibe that you’re drinking in an old train factory.
Top 10 Breweries by Beer Alone
While beer quality was by far the most important factor in the beer rankings, it wasn’t the only factor. Taking everything away and just focusing on beer alone, we get different results.
The top 10 brewery rankings in the beer quality category are below. You will notice that some new names appear. These are breweries that make amazing beer, like Juicy Brewing in Herndon, VA at number 2, but struggle in the other categories.
Other Half is the clear winner, with Juicy, Streetcar 82, and Settle Down Easy not far behind. After that the numbers get really tight, with a lot of breweries falling between 3.90 and 4.0, making them all pretty similar when it comes to the beer itself.
Top 10 DC Breweries by Beer Quality:
- Other Half: 4.25
- Juicy Brewing: 4.14
- Streetcar 82: 4.11
- Settle Down Easy: 4.04
- Honor: 4.02
- Lost Generation: 3.98
- Ocelot: 3.96
- Mustang Sally: 3.93
- Hellbender: 3.93
- Bluejacket: 3.92
Washington DC Breweries – FAQs
What beer is Washington DC known for?
Washington DC is not known for any particular style of beer. As is typical with most American microbrews, IPAs reign king. You can typically find anywhere from 2-10 different IPA styles at DC area breweries. You’ll also find a lot of sour beers, which seems to be the craze in the 2020s.
What is the oldest DC brewery?
The oldest continuously operating brewery in DC is actually the District Chophouse, founded in 1996. As mentioned before, the Chophouse was excluded from the list as its main business is a restaurant that has its own beer and not a brewery that has food.
What beer did the Founding Fathers drink?
The Founding Fathers notoriously drank significant portions of Hare’s Porter. The beer was made by Philadelphia brewer Robert Hare, who was trying to replicate dark porters that were shipped from the UK at the time. He did even better, producing a beer that was incredibly popular in the Colonial era and 100% American.
What is the Obama beer?
White House Honey Ale was the first beer home brewed in the White House. In 2011, President Obama basically said he wanted to brew his own beer and bought a homebrew kit. White House staff helped him brew a beer in the White House and White House Honey Ale was born. It was a one-time thing, but the recipe for the beer is online in the National Archives.
Best Breweries in Washington DC – Final Word
We’ve now gone through the top 10 breweries in Washington DC and the surrounding metro area. By now you have a pretty good idea of where you want to visit if checking out breweries is a priority for you when visiting a new city. After a day exploring the national mall, there’s nothing better than an ice cold beer at one of DCs awesome breweries!
