Bavarian Washington
We have been focusing a lot on local wine in recent months, but of course the DC area is a great place to find delicious beers as well. Fans of German beer (like myself) have been very excited about the new H street spot, Biergarten Haus. Finally, there is a place to buy liter pitchers of Franziskaner and Warsteiner Dunkel, not to mention a generous menu of hearty Teutonic foods like spätzle and a variety of sausages - although sadly, they don't carry Käsekrainer, a staple of my Munich beer garden memories. I forgive them, though, because their Jägerschnitzel sounds tasty.
Naturally, this makes for the perfect environment for watching this Saturday's World Cup match between Germany and Argentina. All games will be screened on huge HD TVs and outdoor projection screens, and it should be a great game.
I am very excited to try this spot, so check back soon for a more comprehensive review.
BrewDog Tasting at ChurchKey
If any beer lovers you know aren't familiar with BrewDog, they should be. This Scottish brewery is famous for having some of the most insanely strong beers ever - at 41 percent ABV, their Sink the Bismarck is more alcoholic than rum. But they also make some incredibly tasty beers, and this Wednesday (the 9th), brewmaster James Watt will be visiting ChurchKey at Birch & Barley in Logan Circle to show off ten of his best-sellers, including their famous Paradox, aged in whiskey(!) barrels. These beers are hard to come by in the Washington area, and for serious beer lovers, this will be a rare treat.
More Virginia Wine
Given the huge number of wineries in the state of Virginia, it may not be practical for the average connoisseur to visit each and every one. This is why this weekend's (June 5th and 6th) Vintage Virginia festival is such a treat. Fifty of the state's top wineries will be presenting their offerings, showcasing a wide variety of wines from Virginia's five distinct growing regions. In addition, local artists and craftsmen will be selling their wares, and there will be a variety of local foods - you'll want something to eat after all that wine.
If you can't make it to the festival, the Washington Post also has a great guide to the best wineries and vineyards to visit in Virginia. We've already written about Chrysalis, but until we get to write about more, we encourage you to check out the places on the list.
