Dram & Grain 2.0 Will Serve Cool Cocktails Fireside in the Fall

Cocktail lovers will be able to able to curl up by the fire with inventive drinks once Dram & Grain moves into its new, snazzier home this fall.

The owners of Adams Morgan whiskey den Jack Rose are moving the basement bar to their next neighborhood gathering place, the Imperial (2001 18th Street NW). Dram & Grain 2.0 will remain a subterranean hideout, occupying the bottom of the new three-floor, 5,500-square-foot establishment that also includes a restaurant and year-round rooftop bar.

While the next Dram & Grain is nearly three times the size of the original — management says seating capacity should be around 50 people, while 75 customers can squeeze into the space if standing — the owners are introducing a semi-private fireplace room to keep things intimate. The flame-lit destination will also be available for private events.

Rather than replicate Jack Rose’s stunning collection of whiskies, management has decided to limit the Imperial’s whiskey list to under two dozen bottles — a roster designed to reflect “the best curated selection of 20 whiskeys.” The go-to drinks at the Imperial will be the vintage rums, vodaks, gins, madeiras, and more that management has been amassing for years — including bottles of Scotch from defunct whiskey maker, Imperial Distillery. The Imperial will also mix up vintage cocktails featuring spirits that are at least 100 years old.

The new Dram & Grain, which will offer a cocktail tasting menu as well as a la carte options, is now scheduled to open this fall, along with the Imperial’s rooftop bar. The Imperial’s restaurant is projected to arrive before the end of winter.

The Jack Rose Team Is Opening a New Restaurant, Cocktail Bar, and Rooftop in Adams Morgan [Washingtonian]