It's that special time of year where the DMV overflows with brews during the annual D.C. Beer Week.
From Aug. 9 to 16, hundreds of venues in D.C., Maryland and Virginia will host daily events ranging from beer-tasting sessions (such as the Big Hunt's "Craft of Comedy") to educational gatherings (the Black Squirrel's "We Can Brew It! Women in Beer" seminar) to tap takeovers.
Besides your local bars and breweries offering special deals and promotions, D.C. Beer Week also has special events every day of its run.
Monday and Tuesday's signature events are sold out, but you can still enjoy tons of hops starting Wednesday, with RFD's 3rd Annual Coast to Coast Tap Takeover (810 7th St. NW). Sample up to 20 breweries from the around the country.
The event, which runs from 3 to 11 p.m., offers two beers from each brewery represented and the band Free Lobster Buffet will be playing live music -- and we expect nothing less than man-sized lobsters rockin' out.
There is a cover charge of $5 and all proceeds go to support St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
On Thursday, ChurchKey (1337 14th St. NW) is host their own tap takeover, featuring 55 D.C. craft-brewed beers from 4 to 11 p.m. With that many draft and cask lines running, this event will be the largest single tapping of D.C. craft brews ever. Atlas, Bluejacket, DC Brau, Hellbender, Right Proper and 3 Stars are just a few of the names making an appearance.
The Scene
The most fun things to do and places to be in D.C., Maryland and Virginia
On Friday, High Velocity at the Washington Marriott Marquis (901 Massachusetts Ave. NW) will host their takeover from 4 to 11 p.m. Celebrate the end of the week with Atlas Brew Works, Heavy Seas, Hardywood, Sam Adams, 21st Amendment, Schlafly, Flying Dog and North Coast breweries. You can find the specific beers on tap here.
On Saturday, Devils Backbone is sponsoring a German beer showcase, "Deutschland in Dupont," at Sauf Haus Bier Hall (1216 18th St. NW) from noon to 11 p.m. Pretzels and sausages will add to the German experience as you sip on a Scuttlebutt Kolsch or a Turbo Cougar. Lederhosen welcome.
On Sunday, the beer festival culminates in the ultimate grand finale: a local beer scavenger hunt. Hunt for beers from 12 local breweries and other clues around Dupont Circle from noon to 5 p.m.
At your starting bar, you will receive your first clue. The clues unlock the secret beers you must request in order to get your next clue and continue the scavenger hunt. Teams of up to four can compete and costumes are encouraged.
Registration is free, but you must pre-register using EventBrite. After the hunt ends at 5 p.m., head over to Buffalo Billiards (1330 19th St. NW) for the afterparty and award ceremony. Participating locations include Bier Baron Tavern, The Big Hunt, Buffalo Billiards, GBD, Glen's Garden Market, Pizzeria Paradiso, and Scion Restaurant.
You can find the entire D.C. Beer Week schedule here.
D.C. Beer Week was founded in 2008 by local beer distributor Jeff Wells and chef Teddy Folkman. It's grown significantly with each passing year. In 2014 there were more than 180 separate events during the week-long festival.
