June fundraiser on Capitol Hill!

The looks on these fantastic faces tell the whole story. Savor was a huge success!

Need more proof? Here's a list of our favorite sightings and beer event activities from the night;

The Craft Brew Trifecta

Greg Koch; Sam Calagione, and Tomme Arthur. Visible within ten minutes of entering.

Beer enthusiasts akwardly dressing in business casual attire.

The cute girl attempting to ignore the unavoidable glares from 1700 dudes.

Sam Calagione attempting to ignore the unavoidable glares from 1700 dudes.

A noticeable correlation between male pattern baldness and a passion for beer related careers.

Our thoughts wander, but the event was truly eye-opening for us and numerous craft beer fans as to the ever increasing profile and support for American craft beer.

In other news, Postal Square head brewer Ryan Curley is hosting a fundraiser for Bright Beginnings, a non-profit organization dedicated to infant and toddler care in the D.C. area. The event will be held on Postal's patio at 5pm on June 24th. Look forward to light apps and live music. All proceeds and tips will be donated to Bright Beginnings. Check out the flyer for more information or email us at brewer@capcitybrew.com.

See you then!

Attending Savor? Don’t miss Capitol City Brewery’s Savor Pre-Party!

When:

May 29th from 7 to 10 pm

Where:

Capitol City Brewery’s Downtown Location
1100 New York Ave NW
Washington DC, 20005

What’s To Eat: `

A wide selection of our crowd-pleasing appetizers

What’s To Drink:

We’ll be pouring a selection of 10 different beers comprised of our core brews and favorite seasonals

Who can attend:

All Savor participants including Brewer’s Association Members, Brewers and Representatives, Media Personnel, and Savor Volunteers.

What Does it Cost:

Nothing, Nada, Zilch, Zero, Free, Gratis

Last year, the inaugural SAVOR was a huge success. This year, the festival is going to be even bigger and better. Capitol City Brewing Company wants to help kick off the weekend with a bang by inviting all SAVOR participants to join us at our Downtown location for an evening of delicious food and hand-crafted beers.

For the whopping price of absolutely nothing, Cap City will be offering a variety of tasty appetizers in addition to pouring 10 different brews including but not limited to our Capitol Kolsch, Amber Waves Ale, Pale Rider Ale, Organic Saison, and Nut Brown Ale.

Be sure not to miss this great opportunity to talk shop with industry colleagues and beer aficionados! For more information about the event, please email any questions to brewer@capcitybrew.com, or call us at (703) 578-3888. See you there!

Come Join us this Friday for the Ales and Tails Tapping Party!

"A Dog is the Only Thing in the World that Loves You more than he Loves Himself."
-Josh Billings

Hello Fellow Animal Lovers!
Come join us this Friday at our Shirlington location for an Ales and Tails Tapping Party! Brewers Travis and John will be on hand pouring $2.00 cask pints of our new Red Ale and Dry Stout. Both brewed in the Irish tradition, the red is a moderately hopped beer with slightly sweet toasted biscuit notes while the Stout coats the pallet with its full body and roasty flavor. We'll tap the casks at 5:00 pm on the dot and won't stop pouring 'til they run dry.

Instead of tips, the brewers will be encouraging and collecting donations for the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. At the end of the night, all donations will be matched dollar for dollar by Capitol City Brewing Company. So come on down for what should be a doggone (sorry, couldn't help myself) good time full of tasty beer all for a great cause!

Capitol City Brewery Responds to its First-Round Tournament Loss

"Victory is an Illusion of Philosophers and Fools"

-William Faulkner

Those of you who have been following the 2009 edition of the Washington Post's Beer Madness feature may have noticed that Capitol City's own Amber Waves Ale was ousted in the first round of the single-elimination tournament by Troeg's Hopback Amber Ale, a finalist from the 2008 competition. The mood at the brewery this past week has certainly reflected this stunning loss. Capitol City brewers, previously full of so much enthusiasm and excitement over their chances of emerging victorious, have had to have the crushing and demoralizing reality of a first round tournament exit. Excuses for the loss are many.

"Yeah, I don't really know what hit us," Director of Brewing Operations Mike McCarthy said. "I mean, we came into the competition feeling prepared, feeling loose. And then, things just really didn't go our way. Obviously, all the credit goes to Troegs. They came out with a heck of a game plan and just executed. We wish them all the best through the tournament."

Lead Brewer Travis Tedrow was not feeling quite as diplomatic.

"This is seriously messed up, man. I mean, I'm really not trying to accuse anyone of anything, but it seems obvious to me that the referees were clearly in Troegs pocket. They got every foul call and we couldn't catch a break. I'm not sure who's sleeping with who over there but....wait, this is all off the record, right?"

Assistant brewer James Nicholson had a different take on the defeat.

"Look, I don't think Cap City has anything to prove. We worked hard to get here and we belong here. Things just didn't work out in our favor. Nothin' else to say. Right now, all I can do is thank God-almighty Jesus Christ for the opportunity to compete and for the blessings of mind-blowing brewing talent that he has bestowed on me. That's all I got to say."

Perhaps most affected by the loss is Capitol City General Manager Robert Rivera who, hoping to give the brewers apt fanfare during the triumphant return as champions, purchased twelve civil war-era cannons, set to be fired off during a stirring rendition of the 1812 Overture.

"What the hell am I going to do with 12 civil war cannons now?" asked Rivera. "I guess I could invade Canada...yeah, that's it! Screw Canada. Here I come!"

After this proclamation, Mr. Rivera promptly tripped over his own shoe-lace.

Events and Goings-on

As spirit-crushing and soul-pulverising as the first-round defeat was, Capitol City brewers have managed to pick their heads up and commit to making great seasonal beers celebrating the upcoming Spring Holidays. In honor of Saint Patrick's day, Capitol City will be tapping a duo of delights: a Red Ale and a Dry Stout. Both traditional Irish Ales, the Red offers a caramel malty sweetness with low hop-bitterness, while the Stout will wow drinkers with its robust body and roasted flavors.

On Friday March 13, starting at 5pm sharp, brewers John Dykstra and Travis Tedrow will be pouring casks of these two Irish beauties for all to enjoy. Only $2 per pint while the casks last. Come enjoy Travis try out his new poetry powers that he acquired with his new set of hip, rectangular glasses and John rip some more quotes from literary greats such as James Joyce.

As eager as the cherry blossoms are to awaken and attract the droves of tourists to DC, so too are the Cap City brewers to introduce our Cherry Blossom Ale at all locations on March 23. The subtle Vienna malt flavor and cherry color of this ale will be complimented by the 300 lbs. of aseptic Oregon cherry puree added post fermentation.

Looking ahead to April you can expect the premiere of Cap City's new line of organic Belgian beers. Our saison will feature all organic malts and hops and will remain on tap for your earth-friendly conscience for three months until the next organic creation awakens.

Cheers,

Cap City Brewers

Belgian Chocolate and Biere de Garde!

Howdy Cap City Fans!






We hope you're doing well and settling into the new year with a sense of ease and relaxation. If you live in the metro area and stayed in town for the month of January, you're probably suffering from at least one of two things; a terrible towel hangover, or post-inauguration depression. To be honest, the thought of Jay-Z and P. Diddy swapping high fives with our new Prez is pretty cool, but it's over now and we must come to terms with Beyoncé going back to L.A. and Pittsburghers talking incessantly about bleeding black and gold.

If this all sounds a bit too overwhelming and you're having trouble finding your happy new year, Cap City has brewed several winter delicacies worthy of any exhausted Washingtonian.

First up, our Belgian Chocolate Ale is a perfect Valentine's Day pint. Brewed with kilned coffee malt, cocoa beans, and cocoa shells, this medium bodied ale rolls in at 4.8% abv, making it a very quaffable dark ale.


Our French style Biere de Garde (beer for storage) is an unfiltered, copper colored ale brewed with black pepper and fresh ginger. Full bodied with a fruity aroma and a light spicy flavor, BDG is a fun yearly seasonal at Cap City. This French ale is 8% abv and served in 10oz goblets at our Shirlington and 11th & H street locations.


Later this spring we'll brew the voluptuous Double D, our ever popular ramped-up version of our Amber Waves, and in April we'll celebrate the annual Cherry Blossom Festival with an amber-colored, medium-bodied ale brewed with sweet cherries.


CASKS IN REVIEW

Like the sloth falling from its steady perch, our cask ales were slow to pour, but recently experienced a surge in popularity, due in large part to cask master James's flirtatious creations and an unheard of commitment to self-discipline and brewhouse spirituality. In the midst of combining the pieces and parts used to create a cask, James often refrains from talking or acknowledging those around him. "Casking," as James calls it, "is an exercise in relaxation and meditation. A true cask is always greater than the sum of its parts," he confides. "And to do this, I must got to my happy place..."


We call it, "The cask zone," says head brewer Mike McCarthy. "To be honest, it's a little weird, but we deal with a lot of unique personalities here, and it could be much worse."


Currently on cask, Ginger Beer! A light ale with 1/2lb of fresh ginger to impart that sentimental ginger ale freshness. After the ginger kicks, we'll have a Porter Molé, casked with cocoa powder, molasses, and chiles. Down the road, we'll try the currently conditioning Cherry Belgian Black.

News from Capitol Hill Capitol City

Head brewer Ryan Curley is recouping from the Inauguration craziness and is preparing the release of two specialty beers. The first is a longtime favorite, Hefeweizen. A German wheat ale that is fermented with a traditional Hefe yeast which produces a great combination of banana and clove flavors, this beer is served unfiltered and lemon wedges are traditionally not used to garnish the glass in Germany, so we choose not to either. The second is a mellow English Pale Ale, or ESB. This version uses Pale malt as the base along with Munich, Aromatic and a tiny percentage of dark malts to produce a nice light/medium body, orange in color ale. The addition of the English hop, Fuggle, adds a nice earthiness to this already smooth and delicate classic.

CASK NIGHT IS BACK!
On February 19th, starting at 4pm, Ryan will be pouring his ESB at the bar. So stop by and grab a pint or three and be ready to challenge him to a freestyle rap off/beer chug! See you there, and remember…most people check there closet for the boogeyman, the boogeyman checks his closet for Chuck Norris and Ryan Curley!!


Cheers,



Capitol City Brewers

InaugurAle!

Inauguration is nigh at hand and we're positively ecstatic about the upcoming week and all the festivities surrounding the celebration. As you may already know, the Cap City brewers have prepared for the last month brewing, along with our core beers, a choice variety of seasonals, namely the Inaugurale. Available at all of our locations, this crisp, dry-hopped ale has the character to impress and the drinkability of a session beer. And don't forget our commemorative Inaugurale pint glasses; $5.00 empty and a deal at $8.00 when you buy the glass filled with your favorite Cap City pint. Also, all three stores will open at 9:00am on Jan. 17-24 serving breakfast for all the early risers girding themselves for fun-filled hours standing on the mall.

Other notable tappings include our deliciously hoppy IPA. A year of conservative hop usage and the outcries of numerous hop-heads has led to one thing, an unfiltered, dry-hopped ale with a citrus aroma and flavor that will redefine your palate for this popular beer style. Dancing next to 7%abv and 68IBU's, our IPA is reckless and yet right on, and most importantly, on tap at our Shirlington and Downtown location.


If you find our seasonals as seductive as we do, make sure to try the Fuel (Imperial Coffee Stout) and our GABF gold medal winning Honey Lager before you leave town for the weekend. In other news, our psychic Head Brewer Mike McCarthy has looked into the future of the brewery and, in a moment of clairvoyance, predicted the arrival of an organic Saison, the return of the Bier de Garde, and the creation of a Belgian Black Ale.


The Belgian Black will be available just before Valentines Day and feature a daring combination of kilned coffee, cocoa mulch, cocoa nibs, and chocolate malt. Brewed with Rochefort yeast on loan from Geoff Lively at Rock Bottom, Bethesda, this beer should intrigue the amateur and the connoisseur alike. For long time Cap City customers, the Saison will be reminiscent of previous batches, only this round we'll be using all organic ingredients. A nicely aged, French farm-house style ale, this dry, effervescent brew will have a light fruit aroma and flavor which becomes more pronounces over time. Our Biere de Garde, or "Storage Beer," is brewed with peppercorns and crystallized ginger to impart an herbal spiciness to this roughly 7% ale.

Let us know of any beer related thoughts or musings at brewer@capcitybrew.com. Otherwise, we'll look forward to seeing you next week!

Cheers,

Capitol City Brewers

Holidays and Beers!

December is upon us and we have much to celebrate! First up, the Honey Lager is selling fast and is as smooth as ever. Our 32oz mason jars of this award winning lager have been very popular and there are a few cases left before we run out, so stop by and give the gift of fresh beer.



Next, the InaugurAle is pouring at all three locations and will be on tap through the inauguration. This light, dry-hopped pale ale is closely related to our Election Ale, with the addition of a bit of honey during the whirlpool to lend a hint of sweetness in the nose. We hope you'll join us to celebrate the inauguration of the 44th President with this festive and highly quaffable ale. Commemorative InaugurAle Pint glasses will be on sale at all locations-$5.00 empty or $8.00 filled with beer.



Cask Maestro James is hard at work fine tuning the dark art of natural carbonation and charming us with his winter cask creations. Most recently, a Mint-Chocolate Porter received intrigue and approval from many guests, while an upcoming GingerBread Cask Ale pushes the limits of excessive cuteness. A proprietary blend of molasses, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon were dissolved to prime the work in progress. A student and budding teacher of real ale techniques, James has endured severe criticism and public disapproval for what an anonymous source called, "A myopic view of brewhouse priorities." Much maligned and never satisfied, James continues to work hard.



Head Brewer Mike McCarthy has created an exciting schedule for upcoming beers for Capitol City. At the top of the list is a disturbingly smooth Belgian Trippel arriving at 8.5%ABV. Unfiltered and the color of a setting sun, this beer will warm the spirit and soothe the soul. Hop Heads rejoice! A double IPA is in the not too distant future for the Shirlington and 11th and H Street locations. Coming in at 7%, this beer will include a heavy hop schedule during the boil, as well as the use of dry hops and hop oils to impart a rich, floral aroma and flavor.



Resuscitating his deep passion for Belgian ales, the currently available Dubbel and upcoming Trippel are warmup laps for a marathon of unique ales; to include a Belgian Black brewed with real Cacao just in time for Valentine's day, a well-seasoned French farmhouse-style Saison for late spring, and a masterfully crafted low-alchohol Belgian table beer. If you too have found yourself similarly aroused by the rustic beverages of peasants from18th century continental Europe, check back for news of a Belgian themed beer dinner hosted by Head Brewer Mike and the Chef de Cuisine at the Postal Square location.



In other news fit to print, Shirlington has just procured ten NTN trivia terminals to enhance any dining and beer sampling experience. We'll most likely organize a dedicated trivia night, but until then, ask your friendly server about a keypad and enjoy.

Ryan, Head Brewer at the Postal Square location is organizing a cask night and showcasing some of his latest creations, so check the website to see what's pouring. Wednesdays will be dedicated to cask ale at Postal Square and Ryan will perform his classic sketch comedy routine while he pours.

Cheers
Capitol City Brewers