With the weather warming, the nights shortening and the flowers in bloom, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of beer.  Yes, spring is here, and as such, so are your domestic brewers' annual summer releases.

As odd as the previous statement may sound, take a look at your favorite bar's draught selection and see if this is not the case. Brewers are perennially ahead of the curve, with their Oktoberfest beers released in late August, winter beers before the Solstice, spring beers amidst the February frosts, and summer ales in early spring. Whatever the reason for the premature release, eager beer drinkers should presently rejoice, as most brewers' summer beers are some of the most eminently drinkable of the year!

Though there are certainly several still in the pipes, many of the nation's finest summer beers have started appearing on shelves and tap lines. Here are my impressions of the this year's batch of early summer releases thus far.

Bell's Brewery Oberon

Relative newcomer to the DC area, Bell's brewery of Kalamazoo, MI, has made a giant splash in the last two years with its amazing collection of ales, stouts, and lagers. Though the whole line is almost invariably great, arguably the brand's most successful ale is its summer release, the Oberon. This American wheat ale is an opaque yellow-orange in color, with a good deal of foam to the head. The nose is all citrus and wheat, leading to a very full body flavored of cloves, orange, yeast, and a bit of hops, with a slight sweetness on the finish uncharacteristic of the brewery's typical offerings. This one is a crowd pleaser, and though it weighs in at a relatively hefty 5.8% abv, it is surprisingly easy to drink. In recognition of this brew's popularity, its release has been extended and may now be enjoyed clear through the month of October.

Anchor Summer Beer

From one of America's first microbreweries comes the Anchor Summer, a crisp, filtered wheat ale, first produced in 1984. Where the Oberon is thick and orange, the Anchor is lucid and golden, with the nose a subtle combination of grainy citrus and loam. A slight limey/skunky character asserts itself on the palate, giving way to a surprisingly neutral mid palate and a bracing, almost off-putting dry finish. A bit of a disappointment given the brewery's amazingly flavorful steam lager, this beer is best served ice cold around the barbecue, and would likely be well replaced by a German or Czech Pilsener in this capacity.

Troegs Sunshine Pils

Based in Harrisburg, PA, Troegs, founded by brothers Chris and John Trogner in 1997, has been providing the greater Mid-Atlantic area with its unique line of ales and lagers for nearly a decade. Troegs' addition to the summer beer pantheon is the uniquely labeled Sunshine Pils, a German style Pilsener made with a healthy dose of American hops. In appearance this beer is almost indiscernible from Miller Lite: pale straw yellow, with a very meager head. The nose gives the faintest whiff of dry hops and malt, with a slightly grassy note. The beer hits your front palate with a sharp hoppy note carried by firm carbonation, followed by a slightly green and floral finish. In spite of, or perhaps because of its watery, almost "light beer" body, I could see this beer as an ideal outdoor "session" drink for the newbie and beer dork alike. Though not nearly as interesting as some of the beers on this list the Sunshine is well made, and at 5.3% abv, accidentally plowing through a sixer by the pool won't leave you unfit for work the next day.

Sam Adams Summer Ale

Because there remains yet a good amount of Sam Adams' perpetually mediocre spring released White Ale still in distributor warehouses, this beer can't technically be called "on the market": that said, a few bars have seen fit to start pouring this summer classic just the same. Yet another American wheat ale, the Sam Summer is somewhere between the Oberon and Anchor in appearance: hazy, but not opaque, with a hue of yellow ocher. The nose makes evident the various spices used in the ale's brewing, delivering ample lemon with a bright peppery edge courtesy of the much touted "grains of paradise" used in its brewing. Bright fruit mingles with the spice on the palate, with a touch of hops bringing the whole affair into balance on the finish. The Sam Summer is a well done medium-bodied summer beer, and in my opinion, the best of Sam Adams' annual releases, year in, year out.

Anderson Valley Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema

Founded in northern California as a simple brewpub, Anderson Valley is now one of the nation's most widely distributed producers of handcrafted ales, each recognizable for its depiction of the infamous Boonville Beer. This all-malt cream ale pours a dense but clear dark reddish-brown with a full two-finger head. The nose is redolent of berries and orange with slightly malty overtones. On the palate this beer is almost pure Creamsicle: orange and vanilla mingle on a palate as smooth as silk. Combine this with a slightly honeyed but dry finish and you get one of the most decadent, yet drinkable, beers of the season.

Before I begin, DCFoodies.com would like to congratulate Samantha Cummings, winner of our Savor trivia raffle! We got a great response with over 100 entries, just about half of whom responded with the correct answer, California Common. Samantha's entry was picked at random from amongst all the correct responses. Thank you all for playing!

In 1912 the mayor of Tokyo made a gift to our fair city of 3,000  Japanese Cherry Trees, initiating a local love affair with the trees' annual blossoms for which this town, after corruption and humidity, is most well known. In time with the flowers' height, DC hosts a surfeit of Japanese cultural events, including bonsai displays, kabuki theater, productions of The Mikado (because few people know that Gilbert and Sullivan were born in Okinawa), and the like. I don't know about you, but thoughts of Japan immediately turn my mind to that most esoteric of beverages, sake. This unfortunate drink is oft misunderstood and mischaracterized, relegated to the bottom of wine shop shelves and abused by many a sushi joints' microwave. In point of fact, sake is a fantastic beverage as diverse in style and as nuanced as any wine, and as significant a cultural touchstone as any product of Japanese art.

The most prevalent misunderstanding as regards sake is its characterization as "rice wine," which is an egregious misnomer. Unlike wine, whose base ingredient is possessed of enough simple sugar to allow easy fermentation, sake's main ingredient, rice, needs be broken down by outside agents before it may be set upon by yeast. In this, sake is actually a much closer relation to beer, though where the grain that makes the base of our favorite brews needs only a simple malting (or, partial germination), sake rice requires a further helping hand.

For fermentation to occur in any circumstance, simple sugar must be present. Where barley and other beer making starch bases are rich in enzymes which aid in breaking down the complex sugars, rice grains are not so pliable. Legend has it that in olden times, entire Japanese villages would gather together near feast days and chew copious amounts of rice and other grains, which they would then spit into large tubs left open to the elements — though they could not have known why, the hypothetical Nipponese primitives had discovered that the chewing action plus saliva and air equaled a kick-ass harvest celebration! In fact, the enzymes in human saliva are some of the most powerful in the animal kingdom, and the villagers' expectorate was interacting with wild yeast in the air to make alcohol! So, it is said, sake was born. (Neat, huh?)

Contemporary producers, of course, are far more gracious when it comes to making sake: they use mold. The wonder spore, when placed in the presence of rice, heat, and water, will begin to break down the starch into dextrose, upon which the yeast is free to act.

The other major inaccuracy harming sake's reputation is the misconception that it is always served hot. In fact, heating sake serves the same purpose that spawned mulled wine and food seasoning — that is, to transform something nasty into something consumable. Before and during World War II, the Japanese were experiencing shortages even greater than those on our own home-front. In the interest of keeping their troops fed and the populous well supplied, sake breweries began adulterating their product with copious amounts of grain alcohol. As the amount of "sake" was often trebled in this process, the result came to be known as "triple sake."  Though this innovative beverage might have been good for the bottom line, it was not exactly palatable, and in order to cover up the foul odor of straight booze, Japanese drinkers would heat the "sake" to the point where it didn't smell like much at all! While triple sake is not easily found on these shores, a low grade, partially augmented product known as futsushu, or "ordinary sake," is legion, and also requires some double-boiler action before it may be choked down.

Most quality sake is made from just four ingredients: rice, water, mold, and yeast. These sakes, called junmai, take on an array of unique flavor characteristics derived from production method, minerals in the water, type of rice and so forth. As such, in order to get the most out of a junmai's ample bouquet, it is best served between slightly cold and room temperature. Junmais may run from intensely sweet to mouth puckeringly dry, and flavors cover the spectrum from berries to grains, vanilla to pepper. Prices vary depending on method and quality, but just as with wine, price does not dictate your level of enjoyment. Also, though sake has not the body to stand up to, say, a porterhouse, food pairing options go far beyond the tuna roll.
 
Look for more on sake down the road. In the meantime, for the novice seeking an intro to sake without a huge initial investment, I suggest picking up a carton of Kuromatsu Hakushika Junmai. Though a bit off-putting in it's 900ml carton, this sake is one of the best I've found for the price, being widely available for less than $15! Chill the carton to near ice cold, then sip the sake as it warms up and evolves, expressing notes of rice pudding, vanilla and umami. Oh, and feel free to invite some friends — I mean, no one can be expected to drink 900ml of sake alone on his first try.

The American beer and food renaissance is here, folks! Gone are the days when the "Big Three" (Coors, Miller, and Bud) held complete sway over the domestic beer market, when the most exotic American beer at your local grocery store was Red Dog, and when the most interesting pairing was Tequiza on taco night. Where once the American macro-brew Pilsener — fizzy and flavorless, with a large dosage of cheap corn and rice — was the only game in town, the US is now the home of some 1,400 craft breweries replicating and experimenting with the full rainbow of beer styles. In celebration of this burgeoning industry and 'American Craft Beer Week' (May 12-18), The Brewers Association is proud to present Savor- An American Craft Beer & Food Experience on May 16th and 17th.

In an event unprecedented in this or any area, Savor will bring together 48 of the nations finest craft brewers at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium to present some of their favorite food and beer pairings. Each brewery will feature two of its beers alongside a sweet or savory app courtesy of Federal City Caterers, with pairings ranging from Allagash White with Carrot Ginger Curry Soup to Great Divide's Oak Aged Yeti with Fudge Stout Brownies. For those that have ever doubted beer's food enhancing potential, this event will surely yield a new outlook given the full width and depth of beer styles on display.

On top of the treats in the main hall, Savor will feature two one-hour seminars per session, hosted by luminaries of the craft beer world. Ever wonder how Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery feels about cheese? Think you can learn a thing or two about beer and food from Sam Adams founder Jim Koch? Here is your opportunity to find out.

The event will span two days over three, three-and-one-half hour sessions, with each session limited to just 700 people. Tickets are $85, all inclusive, and must be purchased in advance.

48 brewers, 96 beers, dozens of beer-world celebs —And we've got two free tickets.

We at DCFoodies.com have been fortunate enough to receive a pair of tickets to Savor and want to pass them on to you. Whether you're a new visitor or old friend, email the correct answer to the following brewing question to jason@dcfoodies.com with the subject Savor Contest and you will be entered into our drawing for two tickets to the session of your choosing. Entering is free, though do please take a moment to peruse our advertisers' links.

Ready?

Question: What is the official name of the uniquely American, warm-fermented style of lager of which Anchor Steam is the best known example?

Answers are due by midnight on Tuesday, April 8th. For more details on the Savor event, including a full list of participating breweries, foods, and beers, visit www.beertown.org.

Over the past two years, the stretch of H Street between 10th and 14th Streets, NE, has seen quite a bit of activity.  The Atlas District, as it is known, is becoming a destination for theater, live music, and one of the more eclectic bar scenes in Washington.  With the opening of Dr. Granville Moore's at 1238 H Street, NE, last year, the Atlas District gained its first honest-to-goodness dining destination.  Since its opening, Granville Moore's has been joined by Napa 1015, an upscale dining establishment that shares GM's commitment to fresh, local ingredients, and a reinvented Argonaut, a neighborhood pub that shares GM's culinary inspirations thanks to a chef who came recommended by GM's executive chef, Teddy Folkman.  But Granville Moore's remains the highlight of the Atlas District, and the crowds are a testament to their continued popularity.

Granville Moore's is, first and foremost, a tribute to some of the best things that Belgium has contributed to international cuisine - mussels (moules), beers of every conceivable body and style, and golden fried potatoes (frites).  Though it is certainly not the first place in the District to mine this particular territory - Belga Cafe on Barracks Row offers a similarly inspired menu of mussels as well as a wide range of Belgian-influenced dishes and Chef Robert Wiedmaier's Brasserie Beck boasts a beer list of equally impressive pedigree - Granville Moore's offers their food and beverages in a laid-back pub atmosphere that demystifies the various dubbels, tripels and lambics that populate the menu.

Granville Moore's is named after the neighborhood doctor whose practice was based in the building that the pub now occupies.  He is commemorated by a plaque on the door and his old practice sign that still sits in the second-story window, but these memorials are easily overlooked at night.

Upon entering the narrow townhouse, visitors are likely to be struck by the (intentionally) unfinished look - exposed brick and beams, lots of dark wood and a slightly dusty haze - and by the din of multiple conversations competing with each other along the length of the space.  With almost half of the ground floor occupied by the rustic-looking bar, there are only six booths and tables available for seating at any given time.  Another half a dozen booths and tables can be found upstairs (along with a second bar and the kitchen), and there is an outdoor beer garden with more seating that will see quite a bit of use as the weather continues to warm up.  The staff does their best to accommodate everyone, maintaining a waiting list where guests can provide their cell phones to receive a call when a table is available - allowing them to visit another nearby bar like the Pug or the H Street Martini Lounge until they can be seated.  They also accept reservations for parties of six or more Monday through Thursday nights.

Over several visits, my wife and I were fortunate enough to be seated on several occasions, though we did enjoy a meal at the upstairs bar and found the service no less attentive there.  The bartenders and the servers alike are well-versed in the virtues of the beers they serve, and they seem happy to provide recommendations based on what a guest has previously tried and liked (or disliked).  With a beer menu that runs to the dozens, that's no small feat - and their help can be crucial if you arrive late on a weekend night and find your favorites erased from the chalkboard where the beers are listed (indicating that they are sold out).  Sometimes service can be spread a bit thin on busy nights, resulting in inconsistencies and oversights - a dining companion had to repeat her request for water several times despite the rest of us receiving our beers quickly; sauces for frites are occasionally delivered long before the frites themselves, as they are stored behind the bar and not in the kitchen; overlooked silverware had to be requested.  And although most of what comes from the kitchen is delicious, there are some missteps there, as well, such as a bison burger that came with unevenly warmed cheese, resulting in a cool, chewy mass of cheddar atop the center of the patty.  On the whole, however, there are few causes for complaint. 

We tried several of the mussel preparations over our visits, and there are definitely standouts among them.  Despite their higher cost, Granville Moore's features rope-grown mussels from Prince Edward Island.  This sustainable cultivation practice results in bigger, meatier mussels with less grit while allowing for faster maturation.  The classic Moules Mariniere give off a fragrant steam of white wine and herbs.  Though not the best version of this dish I've ever tasted, it was definitely well executed.  More enjoyable is the Moules Au Pesto, which features a rich walnut-arugula pesto that is offset by an acidic note of lemon.  A third mussel dish that features blue cheese, bacon and spinach was a bit too thin for my taste - I would have preferred more of a noticeably smoky, salty flavor.  All of the mussel dishes sell for $14, but the portions are large enough to serve as an entire meal on their own so they don't feel overpriced.  A recent innovation, Moules Mondays, knocks the price down to $10 on Monday evenings as a further incentive to give them a try.

The menu offers a range of appetizers, including a bison chili, several salads, and the requisite charcuterie platter, but none of them really stood out enough to warrant our attention on our previous visits.  Sandwiches and entrees, however, are another story.  The menu features several presentations of bison meat sourced from New Frontiers Bison in Madison, Virginia.  Their brisket sandwich, served with cheddar cheese, sauteed onions and horseradish cream, was tender and tangy, a great combination of heat and meat that required the use of a fork and knife to truly appreciate.  Although a gastropub may not be the first place one would think to try fish specials, several of the options have been tempting enough to make us rethink our commitment to mussels and frites.

And those frites are truly outstanding.  Hand-cut and twice fried, they are light and crisp with just the right amount of peanut oil lingering on them as they make their way from the kitchen to the table.  They are topped with sea salt and fresh herbs, giving them an aroma and a flavor that is enjoyable on their own.  The six house-made dipping sauces you can choose to accompany them seem almost superfluous - until they are tasted.  A Dijon-flavored mayonnaise is rich without being heavy, and the horseradish cream that topped the bison sandwich is equally appropriate as a dip for the frites.  Garlic ranch is not to be missed.  Unfortunately, each small order of fries ($4) only comes with one sauce - further incentive to spring for the large ($7) which comes with two - additional sauces can be had for $1 each.  If you're planning to order a sandwich or an entree, it should be noted that they all come with a side of frites (and one sauce).

All of this is accomplished in a kitchen the size of most people's bathrooms.  Despite the lack of a stove and the cramped quarters, two or three chefs (including Folkman) work the line on any given night.  Over the course of a week, these guys turn out more than 500 pounds of mussels and closer to 1000 pounds of frites.  Add in the numerous burgers, sandwiches and entrees that an average dinner service commands and you get a pretty good idea of just how hard (and how effectively) this kitchen staff is working. 

Chef Folkman has recently been hinting at a forthcoming spring menu that will continue to focus on local produce (from an Amish farming community in Pennsylvania) and that delicious Virginia bison in even more creative presentations - a bison tartare studded with capers and black truffles and dressed with first-pressed Spanish olive oil was delicious and unctuous despite the lack of egg ("I don't always trust raw eggs," said Folkman, "but I know I can trust my bison!").

Beers run the gamut from the well known Stella Artois ($4 on tap) and Chimay ($7.50 for red, $9 each for white and blue) to labels that are likely to surprise even the most knowledgeable beer drinker.  And, as is de rigeur for discerning Belgian beer purveyors, they pride themselves on serving every beer in the appropriate glass - many of them branded with the logo of the beer they are meant to be paired with.  Four beers are offered on tap downstairs, where they tend to come and go pretty quickly.  Make sure you check the board to see what's on hand when you visit, and don't hesitate to ask questions.

It came as no surprise to learn that the Food Network is highlighting Granville Moore's wonderful moules and frites in a segment of their upcoming series "America Eats."  Camera crews filmed the early part of the dinner service on Monday, March 17th.  The YouTube clip of Teddy Folkman I linked to in the first paragraph was actually his audition tape! 

UPDATE:  As suspected, the "America Eats" story was a cover for a "Throwdown with Bobby Flay."  On Tuesday, Teddy and his crew set up at the Argonaut (another local establishment in the 1400 block of H Street) to put on a mussel-cooking demonstration, only to be surprised by Bobby Flay showing up and issuing a "moules and frites" challenge.  Watch for it sometime in late May or early June on the Food Network!

If you've been meaning to check out the emerging bar scene on H Street, NE, you owe it to yourself to make Granville Moore's part of the trip.  It's worth the wait.

Dr. Granville Moore's
1238 H Street, NE
Map
(202) 399-BLGM (399-2546)
www.granvillemoores.com

Details:
Dress Code: Casual
Parking: Street parking is available throughout the nearby neighborhood, but it can be difficult to find on busy weekend nights.
Closest Metro: Union Station, but be advised that it's a 12-block walk from Union Station.  You would be better off grabbing a cab or riding the X1 or X2 bus, both of which follow H Street.
Reservations: Only taken for parties of six or more, and only a few per night.  Staff maintains a waiting list for tables on busy nights and will take your cell phone number to call you when your table is ready.
Baby-Child friendly Rating: 1 diaper (to borrow Jason's system).  The loud and boisterous atmosphere coupled with the two small restrooms make this a less-than-ideal choice for families with small children, but they are certainly not discouraged.
Bathroom Rating: Two small bathrooms on the ground floor.  Clean, but with few amenities to speak of.

Last year Marcel's esteemed chef/owner Robert Wiedmaier opened Brasserie Beck to great fanfare and accolades. A welcome addition to the growing McPherson square neighborhood, the Brasserie works to be to beer and bistro fare what Marcel's is to wine and haute cuisine. Having only been in once before, my girlfriend and I decided to swing by the other night on a jaunt downtown.

This particular evening the bar was packed, an unusual occurrence at most DC bars on a Tuesday. Pressing in as close as possible to the small marble bar, we did our best to take a look at the much touted beer list. As I remembered from our previous visit, Beck is indeed heaven for the aficionado of Belgian beer. Buyer/Beer Guru Bill Catron has put together a fine and comprehensive collection. Belgium is to beer what France is to wine, and the menu here certainly does the motherland proud. With a selection of 11 drafts and over 100 bottles to be had, the list is kind of overwhelming; even given the care taken to describe each bottle, by page 12 you will have likely forgotten where you'd begun. I would almost certainly have asked the bartender for his advice, if only I could get within two yards of him. On my previous visit, though, we sat at a bar table, where service was extremely spotty despite the bar being empty, and the waitress offered little help with our questions.

Being a bit set adrift I went with a beer with which I am quite familiar, the Brouwerij Bavik Pilsener. I have to admit that given the full house, bar service was prompt, and I quickly received my beer in a proper, branded glass. The importance of serving beer in the proper vessel cannot be overstated, and Beck certainly has taken this truth to heart, as every beer I saw being served featured its own esoteric piece of glassware. My Bavik was nice, with a body not unlike the more well known Stella Artois, but with a more pleasing nutty, yeasty character. Unfortunately, my Bavik was also tiny, maybe 10 oz at the most, and at $7 a glass without any apprisal, that is unacceptable.

During the brief period between our first and second drinks, we espied the raw bar display, which appeared to feature a fine selection of oysters and other fresh seafood. Being on a bit of a shellfish kick, and having by then staked out a meager bit of bar space, we figured we'd indulge. Our half dozen came out quickly, but I found it hard to believe that what we were given bore any relation to those bivalves on display. Up close, these oysters looked dry, shriveled, and like my beer, tiny. Hoping appearances might have been deceiving we dove in, but these sad little shellfish tasted exactly as they appeared— dried out, flavorless, and hardly half a mouthful. As I'd said, we ordered on a bit of a lark, so when we were presented with the bill, which included a sixteen dollar charge for the underwhelming oysters, I was irritated.

Having read so many great things about Brasserie Beck, not the least of which on this very website, I have to say I am surprised that my experiences have been so mediocre. I have seen none of the exquisite service for which the restaurant is so acclaimed, and though I have to give the beer list its due, the prices across the board are inexcusably high. Add to that the level of frustration I experienced with the restaurant's Flash-heavy website, and I have to surmise that Brasserie Beck, like many a downtown eatery, emphasizes style over substance in order to justify their prestige pricing. I hope that I am wrong (and am sure that I will hear a word or two to that end), but even with a beer list as impressive as theirs, I cannot echo the predominate praise.

Brasserie Beck
1101 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Map
(202) 408-1717
website

The M Street drag in lower Georgetown has long been a bastion of the hip and cool in DC — yet somehow, certain establishments manage to fly just under the radar. Pizzeria Paradiso, a longtime institution is well known, and deservedly so, for the quality of its wood-fired pies. However, relatively few people know of the other great stuff that lurks down below.

The DC craft beer scene is a relatively new development compared to those in other major metropolitan areas. Yes, I know, we have the Brickskeller, which has held the world's record for most beers in one location for several years. But the 'Skeller, by its very nature (i.e., huge), is lumbering and static. Maintaining a list such as theirs, some 1000+ beers strong, necessitates that the status quo reigns; sure, there is bound to be the occasional change in the lineup, but when placed among its hundreds and hundreds of brethren, who is bound to notice the newbie?

To the Brickskeller's behemoth, Birreria Paradiso offers an elegant counterpoint. Small and dynamic, it represents the very quintessence of a proper latter day spirits program, so lacking in the District. Housed in the cozy downstairs area of the Georgetown location, the Birreria is a welcoming space, featuring a 10 seater bar, a fireplace lounge, and table seating for about 20.

Well, I guess calling the beer program "small" only works in comparison to the Guinness record holder.  In fact, the Birreria's selection is quite impressive, being some 80+ strong in the bottle department. Selections run the gamut from the $5.50 Austrian Pilsner to several $50 Belgian Bieres Brut (the closest thing any beer lover is going to find to the glories of vintage Champagne). The bottle menu is extremely well laid out, oriented by category with general descriptions, with each brew identified with its own pithy couple of lines. Given the specificity, you are very unlikely to end up with something unexpected. The selection features a wide array of both domestic and imported novelties; if you are a fan of rare bottle-conditioned ales, be aware that Paradiso is near the top of the allocation list, and you will find things there you may never see in any other bar or retail store. In addition they regularly stock the full compliment of Belgian Trappist beers (at least, those that are available) and local favorites from Dogfish Head and Victory.

While the bottle list is well appointed, it is in the draft department where I think the Birreria really shows its stuff. Their draught selections are constantly rotated, featuring some of the best and hardest-to-find beers in the country. Do not come here if you are looking for Miller Lite or Coors— if your idea of a complicated wheat beer is Blue Moon, you may be a bit put out. What you should expect is a full complement of beers you've never heard of, and assume that nearly all of their 16 taps will be different than the last time you'd visited. Paradiso is also one of the few venues in town where you can experience real cask ale: served unpasturized and unfiltered, unadulterated by CO2 or nitrogen, at room temperature, this stuff is the closest you will find to those served in the British pubs of yesteryear. If you’d like to know what you are getting into before you go, rest assured that the list on the website is kept very up to date despite the disclaimer.

Sampling the Paradiso draft lineup is a great way for both the expert and the neophyte to learn a thing or two. Bartenders are keen to let you taste new offerings, and Manager/Buyer Greg Jasgur, a one-man beer encyclopedia, is usually running in and out of the place. Tuesday and Wednesday the Birreria features half-priced drafts and pizza specials from 5 to 7 pm. This happy hour is easily one of the best in town, and as such the space becomes packed with in-the-know regulars. I heartily suggest you go, but expect to stand and have your personal space a bit encroached. Bartenders tend to be very competent, but given the crowds and the Birreria's commitment to serving their beers in the proper glassware, you may have to wait a bit for your next drink. Be patient, and don't rush: many of the beers on draft are 10% abv or higher, so resist the urge to get as many in as possible, especially if you are driving. If you can find a spare bit of flat space, have a pizza, too. Beer has the same food pairing potential as any beverage, wine included, and with the breadth of choices available you are sure to find a match for your favorite toppings.

Birreria Paradiso
3282 M Street NW, downstairs
Washington, DC
202.337.1245
eatyourpizza.com
Map
Dress Code: Casual
Parking: Garage nearby. Street parking is hard to find.
Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom or Rosslyn

Once again, Super Bowl Sunday is upon us. As improbable as it may have seemed a few months back, the New York Giants will be taking on the New England Patriots this Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona for the NFL Championship title. Thanksgiving notwithstanding, this Sunday is the biggest drinking day of the year, and whether you watch for a great game, a rout, or just for the ads, chances are you'll be doing it at a party with a cold drink in your hand. With all the chips on the table in the biggest sporting event of the year, shouldn't your choice of beverage reflect your loyalties? Let your friends and family know just where you stand by picking the perfect brew to support your team.

Cowboys Fans:
Ah, it could've been you out there! Should have been: 13-3 sure is a great record! Well, you guys have a right to be put out, so why not revel in that by drinking a great English Bitter? These beers have just the right amount of hops to leave a pleasant bitter aftertaste, but not so much as to make you choke like Tony Romo when Jessica's in town. Coniston's Bluebird Bitter is my personal favorite; with just a hint of malty sweetness balanced by clean wheat notes its the perfect "session" beer, and a relatively low alcohol content lets you drink all night without saying something that will give you even more to regret! If you are one of those particularly invested fans who is drinking to forget, pick up a bottle of Tito's Handmade Vodka. This five-times distilled, heavily filtered spirit from deep in the heart of Texas is as smooth and drinkable as a vodka of twice the price. At about $18 a bottle you can drink all night until you're crying like Terell Owens at a press conference.

Redskins Fans:
We've had a rough time this year guys, Lord knows. Despite the injury of our quarterback and the tragic death of our star safety Sean Taylor we made the playoffs-- this, in and of itself, is reason to celebrate. For cocktail lovers out there, raise your glass at kickoff in honor Miami native Taylor with an ice cold Miami:

1/2 oz White Creme de Menthe
1 1/2 oz Light Rum
Dash of Lemon Juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into martini glass.

If you happen to score big money on the game, do further honor to #21 and donate some of your winnings to the Sean Taylor Memorial Fund, a trust established by the team to benefit Sean's infant daughter, Jackie.

Patriots Fans:
Well damn, Pats fans, way to go! With a perfect season behind you and a record winning streak in the works, you've got a lot to feel good about. The obvious advice to celebrate your good fortune would be to have a Sam Adams. Yes, the Boston Beer Company makes many a fine beer, but I cannot say in good conscience that this is "always a good decision." In fact, the football fan from down east has any number of fine if less familiar beers with which to celebrate his good fortunes on the gridiron. Smuttynose Brewing Company of Portsmouth, NH offers a full line of well made craft beers that will appeal to any taste. The Old Brown Dog Ale is a particularly appetizing take on the classic British brown ale, offering a great malty-chocolate nose offset with a healthy dose of hops on the finish. Widely available at about $8 a six-pack, this makes an interesting departure from the same old ‘Boston Ale.’ If the weightier Belgian-Style brews are more your style, Allagash Brewery out of Portland, ME may be just your speed. This relatively young brewery (est. 1995) has quickly cemented itself as one of the finest makers of Belgian style beers in the Western Hemisphere. Though they produce a full line including a Dubbel, a Tripel, and several barrel-aged offerings, Allagash is probably best known for their White-- a crisp, spicy, refreshing take on the classic Belgian wheat beer. As a counterpoint, see if you can get your hands on their new Black, a wonderful Belgian-style stout. Unlike its more American-styled counterparts, the Black is possessed of a lovely roasted coffee/yeasty nose, a silky (but not creamy!) texture, and a finish as dry and dark as Bill Belichick's soul.

Giants Fans:
Segueing a wild card berth into an NFC Championship is no mean feat, and New York fans should be proud-- but let's not kid ourselves here: come Sunday night you will likely find yourselves crying in your  cups. Fortunately, few states in our great union produce the breadth of native inebriants that New York has to offer, so there'll be plenty to help you forget all about that pretty boy quarterback, Tom Whatshisass. For you ex-pat city folk, seek out one of the many beers from the fabulous Brooklyn Brewery. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver has taken this producer to new heights, introducing amongst other things the brewery's first bottle-conditioned ale, the Local 1. Utilizing a special form of secondary fermentation, the Local 1 is an American beer of unique complexity, exhibiting notes of bread, citrus, wheat and spice, hung on a body both firm and crisp. For those that prefer their beer more quaffable, try the classic Brooklyn Lager, whose "dry-hopped" heritage shows in a floral nose unusual in an American Amber.

If you don't dig the suds but want to share in the NYC vibe, pick up a six pack of Original Sin Hard Cider. Founded by a couple of city boys sick of the prissy, sickly-sweet ciders that were once all to be had, this cidery produces nothing but real, dry, European-style ciders made from less sweet varieties and containing no artificial flavors or sweeteners. Their cider is a bargain at about $9 a six, and in true Super Bowl spirit, their ads are... eye-catching and memorable.

Though firmly in the shadow of its western counterparts, New York State is actually one of the largest producers of wine in the United States, releasing some of the finest Rieslings and Gewurztraminers this side of the Atlantic. If the fruit of the vine is more to your liking, toast Tom Coughlin and the Boys in Blue with a glass from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in Hammondsport, NY. Founded by the Russian scientist who made cold climate grape cultivation possible,  DKF produces a wide range of crisp, acidic, dry and semi-dry whites and reds on its sizable estate on Keuka Lake, not far from Coughlin's home town of Waterloo. Their Salmon Run line makes for a wonderful value party wine ($10-$16), offering a superb dry Riesling and a surprisingly good Meritage red-- and rest assured, both go great with nachos and wings.

Here's wishing you and yours a safe and happy Super Bowl Sunday. May all your passes be completions, your celebrations be excessive, and your beers be cold ones. And yea, should things not go well for your team, remember this: there's always next year. the refs were totally out to get them.

On the 27th of January the doors will close forever on what is certainly one of the most unique and intriguing bars in all of Arlington County-- Dr Dremo's Taphouse. Located on Clarendon Boulevard between Courthouse and Rosslyn, Dremo's unique location on top of a hill affords it one of the most unobstructed views of Washington DC in Arlington County-- I fondly remember its parking lot as one of the best ground level locations to watch the July 4th fireworks over the Mall. It is this great view I fear which sealed the bar's fate. After years of harassment from the Arlington County government and other local groups, the owners, the Stewart family, have finally had the land sold out from under them to real estate developers. This location will soon be home to 141 brand new luxury condos. To be fair, the closure may have been inevitable as the building is falling apart and has been doing so since the bar opened as Bardo Rodeo back in the early Nineties: but that's the real charm of the place! Dr Dremo's is one of the best examples of an endangered species in the DC area, the dive bar, and as such it will be greatly missed.

Dremo's occupies a sprawling space that had once been a Oldsmobile dealership, and it utilizes every square inch. The potential reveler is greeted in the main room to a sprawling beaten copper bar, high ceilings, concrete floors, and a massive mish-mash of eclectic kitsch the likes of which may only be seen in a liberal, long lived-institution like Dremo's. Second-hand furniture litters the darkened barroom, where patrons sit amongst old arcade machines surrounded by graffiti and Christmas light covered walls. Towards the back wall a retrofitted fermentation tank houses a private little eight-top set apart from the smoke and noise of the rest of the bar. Downstairs is another massive room featuring the area's cheapest pool, darts, and shuffleboard, and which is frequent host to the most raucous open mike comedy and music you are likely to find. In the warmer months customers could retreat out the back door and into the bar's massive open-air seating area and what I believe to be the metropolitan area's only 'sandbar.' Patronage ranges from the elderly local to the underaged college student and everyone in-between, and while the tattooed and pierced staff may intimidate some at first blush, I have never received rude service or attitude regardless of dress or company.

While I would never describe the food as haute cuisine, Dremo's offers a nicely priced and well prepared  selection of bar favorites such as burgers, wings and nachos, and a few unexpected specialty items like vegetarian chili, hummus, wraps, and one of the best quesadillas in town for the price. The wine list is poor-to-nonexistent, and they haven't a license to serve hard alcohol so cocktails are right out-- but when it comes to beer, Dr Dremo's really shines. The bar's twenty seven taps host a frequently circulating selection of classics, micro-brews and imports. From PBR to Delirium Tremens (in proper glassware!), Dremo's taps run the gamut at prices ranging from $10 to $17.50 a pitcher. Also featured is a selection of house beers; once made on premise, these specials are now contract brewed using the owners' decade-old recipes at the Shenandoah Brewing Company out of Alexandria. Dremo's label is the only one I've ever tasted offering a self styled "Chocolate Donut Beer"-- it was absolutely undrinkable, but I had to appreciate the attempt. That beer notwithstanding, and in defiance of the dive bar atmosphere, the beer is almost always fresh and I've never tasted that unpleasant and worrisome "dirty line flavor" that haunts the bars of the apathetic and lazy.

Ownership plans to reopen and is currently searching for another location in the area, and here's wishing them the best of luck-- but either way, I can't help but feel a pang of sorrow for the departure of yet another independently owned and operated, successful business, especially one such as this. Dremo's embraced its status as a dive bar without wallowing in its trappings. While the bathrooms might have leaked and the air conditioning was practically nonexistent, commitment to quality was never left by the wayside. Despite the smoke and torn upholstery there was a certain cozy, homey atmosphere that is rarely found in the corporate chain-bars of today. Whether out of nostalgia or morbid curiosity, try to make some time this Restaurant Week to pay one more visit Dr. Dremo's, one of the last of the dinosaur dive bars. I can't imagine we'll see its like again.

Dr Dremo's
2001 Clarendon Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
703-528-4660
drdremo@msn.com
www.drdremo.com

Hours:
Sunday through Wednesday
5:00pm-Midnight-ish
Thursday, Friday & Saturday
5:00pm-2:00am
Doors Close Forever: Sunday, January 27th, 2 AM

Dress Code: Casual... Super-Casual.... Just don't forget your pants, okay?
Parking: Adjoining parking lot on Clarendon Blvd, plenty of street parking. (Don't park in the Hollywood Video lot-- you will be towed)
Closest Metro: Walking distance from both Courthouse and Rosslyn.
Children: Can get pretty smokey and the language is 'colorful,' so not advised after 8 PM.
Bathroom: Reasonably clean, if malfunctioning.

Living in the world of the continually diminishing dollar, we've all gotten used to the occasional price increase. But watch out beer fans, as you are about to see the prices of your favorite brews climb faster than the price of gas!

By now many of you have probably heard about the international hops crisis -- in short, simultaneous crop failures at several key growers in Europe and the United States this year have made the price of hops quadruple over the course of the past few months.

For the uninitiated, hops are derived from the flowering buds of Humulus lupulus, a slow developing bine (like unto a vine, but with more sturdy adhesive infrastructure) which reaches sexual maturity and starts producing buds within three to five years. When used in brewing, hops provide that bitter taste so exclusively associated with the brew, and when used in a particular way, they also yield that unique green spice characteristic most well represented by the new generation of American brewers. (Fun Fact: In addition to being the primary flavoring component of beer, the hops plant is a close relation to cannabis, which incidentally is used as beer flavoring in certain nations more liberal than our own.)

So okay, the prices go up, but surely supply and demand will yield a compensation! If only. Humulus lupulus' slow development means that viable replacement stock (particularly of high grade 'noble hops') may be as much as half a decade in the growing! Add to this a recent warehouse fire which consumed a good 4% of the domestic hops stockpile, and we've got ourselves a major problem.

A crisis such as this was inevitable and has been a long time coming. This latest manifestation is symptomatic of an American agriculture contrary to the production of craft beer. The only reason that failures at a small number of growers have affected prices so dramatically is that so few producers remain! For the small farmer, the siren's song of government subsidy must be nearly impossible to resist; if the government says it will pay them to let their land lie fallow or grow the much more tractable corn, then why shouldn't they? In the last decade, when hop prices had been relatively low, many producers found the lure irresistible. For this reason the crisis is actually twofold, as the same option had been presented to the Midwest grain grower, resulting in a dearth of maltable grains, the very foundation of all things "beer."

What this means to the consumer in the short run is higher prices-- and we are talking as much as 25% in the case of some of your more heavily hopped, lower production beers. Expect your favorite IPAs to go up as much as $3 a six pack, and don't be surprised if less hopped but well established microbrews like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Anchor Steam cost an extra buck or two within the first months of the New Year. Imports should also see a marked price increase as European and Aussie producers are also feeling the pinch.

Looking a little further down the line, you will likely see your favorite brewers curtail their offerings so as to get the most out of their diminished hops supply. In order to keep their primary money makers going, infamously hop-mad producers like Dogfish Head and Stone may very well cull the less efficient but wildly popular high-end brews from their portfolios in order to focus on the simple lagers and ales that will keep them financially afloat.

But the real tragedy here is in the long term, as not every brewery is going to weather this storm. Vying for a cut of the dwindling supply of grain and hops are some 1,400 domestic microbreweries-- not even taking into consideration the gargantuan needs of the Macros (Miller, Bud, Coors, et al) there is not nearly enough to go around. As current farmers' afflicted supply rehabilitates and (God willing) new producers begin production, many small but beloved producers will be left high and dry. If the names Weyerbacher, Southern Tier, Great Divide, or Anderson Valley ring any sort of bell, be forewarned: just as an artist is destitute without canvas and paints, so too are these specialty brewers and their ilk (artists in their own right!) left vulnerable without a steady and sustainable supply of material.

Word on the street is that the Macros were well aware of the tough times ahead and as such will not be increasing their prices in the foreseeable future, thus making the life of the small brewer even more difficult. If you are an avid beer fan, a supporter of small business, and possessed of regional pride, now is the time to use your power as a consumer to make good on those beliefs. The Mid-Atlantic region is a hotbed of brewing activity, occupied by many an honest brewer in need of your support: do yourself a favor and seek out some of the great beers they have to offer. Clipper City Brewing Company out of Baltimore offers a fantastic line of beer which is widely available and appropriate to any palate. In Hampton, VA The St George Brewing Company produces an impressive lineup which includes a stout that would give Guinness a run for its money. The ales and lagers of Starr Hill Brewery are very impressive, and being brewed in Crozet, VA, they are the closest thing a DC native is going to get to a local microbrew since the sad departure of Foggy Bottom Brewery. Finally, though they likely need no introduction for even the novice beer connoisseur, Dogfish Head Brewery of Milton, Delaware, proud producer of some of the strongest, hoppiest beers on the planet, would certainly appreciate your continued support of their innovative, esoteric endeavors.

With the belt tightening well on nigh, now is the time to start voting with your wallet. If you love the hop monsters, make it known so that their masters may have the confidence to keep them coming. If your tastes are more run of the mill, consider a locally-made beer over one backed by a well-heeled corporation. And even if you are drinking on a budget, don't balk at spending that extra dollar, not only for the benefit of your taste buds, but for the continuation of the American, nay, International tradition of quality, low-production craft beer, a tradition in great danger and in need of your attention.