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Tables, chairs, and a set of Connect 4 inside Red Bear Brewing Co
The game-filled setup at NoMa’s Red Bear Brewing Co.
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

20 Essential Breweries Around D.C.

Where to drink craft beers in and around the District

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The game-filled setup at NoMa’s Red Bear Brewing Co.
| Rey Lopez/Eater DC

The D.C. region is beefing up its credentials as a craft beer destination, with breweries pouring ales and lagers at taprooms throughout the District proper and in the surrounding suburbs.

Pioneers like Atlas Brew Works, DC Brau and Port City Brewing have been at for a decade or more and are now household names in the District. Newcomers in the city include City-State Brewing and Lost Generation, as well as several new locations of Northern Virginia favorites. Visitors can experience everything from tours and tastings at full-scale production warehouses to sipping a flight or a pint at a neighborhood pub.

Here are 20 essential breweries for local beer fans.

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Silver Branch Brewing Company

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The downtown Silver Spring brewery’s four flagships are inspired by brewing traditions in Belgium, the British Isles, Central Europe, and the Americas. Visitors can saddle up to its biergarten fire pits to sample its beloved gnome-themed Saisons, Glass Castle Pilsner, Dr. Juicy IPA, and much more.

Silver Branch’s Quantum Shift flagship IPA.

Crooked Run Brewing

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Crooked Run, which started with Virginia taprooms in Sterling and Leesburg, opened a D.C. taproom near Union Market in early 2023. The inventive brewing program categorizes beers into categories like new releases (lucky customers might encounter Sticky Rice, a Berliner Weisse made with mango, coconut and rice milk), traditional, hoppy and fruity and sour. The kitchen operates as Pizza Serata, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Chris Morgan (Maydan). 

Denizens Brewing Co. - Riverdale Park

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A longtime member of the local brewing scene, Denizens just closed its original Silver Spring location in October and moved operations to its Riverdale Park beer garden and barrel house. Beer lovers who aren’t afraid to get weird can always find some experimental and interesting drafts on the Denizens list. For a more accessible pick, go with the Southside West Coast IPA or the Born Bohemian Pilsner. 

Hellbender Brewing Company

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Hellbender takes its name from the endangered aquatic salamander. It also helped inspire the brewery toward conservation through its use of a Meura mash filter, which improves brewing efficiency by using less energy. The Ignite IPA and Bare Bones Kolsch are both mainstays in the tasting room. Events include open mic nights, trivia, and food pop-ups from locals like Bun’d Up and Cider BBQ. Tours are on hold for now, but customers can still enjoy pints on the patio with a dozen drafts to choose from.

Now pouring Panda Strike Force IPA in the VIP area at Brew at the Zoo. 7% ABV IPA dry-hopped with El Dorado, Amarillo and Aurora. #dcbrews #madeindc #acreativedc #panda

Posted by Hellbender Brewing Company on Thursday, July 19, 2018

Franklins

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Franklins is a Hyattsville destination, serving a slew of homemade beers in just about every style. The small size of the operation means you can expect super fresh beer on its draft tap list, from Bombshell Blonde to the Twisted Turtle Pale Ale to a potent Matryoshka Imperial Stout (9.0% ABV). The food menu changes frequently to fit the season, with schnitzel and pulled pork featured for fall. A cool patio setup sits under a graffiti-covered bridge.

Solace Brewing Company

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Solace is another Loudoun County that recently put down roots inside D.C. proper. Its Navy Yard taproom is a destination for hop heads and sports fans, with ample space both inside and outside — with bonus views of the riverfront. The Sun’s Out Hops Out Session IPA (4.7 percent ABV) is good for all-day drinking, and the Crazy Pils is a popular pick. Food centers around burgers, tots, brats (vegetarian options, too) along with some healthier grain and salad bowls. Solace has two other locations — one in Sterling and another in Falls Church. 

DC Brau

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When D.C. Brau opened in 2009, it claimed the honor of being the city’s first packaging brewery since 1956. DC Brau is perhaps best known for its flagship hoppy brews: The Public American pale ale, the hazy Joint Resolution IPA and The Corruption IPA. Brewery visitors can get tastes of the rest of the standard lineup as well as seasonal and one-off creations. Swing by the 50,000-square-foot mega facility’s taproom and outdoor beer garden from Fridays to Sundays, with curbside pickup available starting on Thursday.

The Public Option

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This unassuming brew pub doesn’t make many headlines. The roster touches the spectrum of flavors and body. Sip a pint, half-pint, or 4-ounce taster of Oat Pale, Cream Ale, American Amber, or another one of the bar’s featured drafts. Its bar operates Thursday to Saturday night.

Lots to do on a freezing weekend: Nomad Dumplings on Friday - detail: https://mailchi.mp/2eb02f0235da/nomad Capital...

Posted by The Public Option on Thursday, February 13, 2020

City-State Brewing

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Ambitious beer startup City-State Brewing Co. unveiled its Edgewood facility right off the popular Metropolitan Branch Trail in 2021. The 13,000-square-foot microbrewery and taproom, almost six years in the making, comes from neighborhood resident and former congressional aide James Warner. The bar deals in D.C.-themed brews, such as the 8 Wards IPA, Equal Marriage hefeweizen, and the Trainspotter pub ale. 

Right Proper Brewing Company (Multiple locations)

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This brewpub is known for its rotating selection of artful and experimental brews. Styles tend to be on the lighter side of the spectrum – expect to see plenty of farmhouse ales, saisons, and other rustic styles. Food fits the gastropub model with options like burgers, pastas, salads, and appetizers like beer battered cheese curds and baked mac and cheese. Right Proper also operates a production house in Brookland that includes a taproom with a dozen rotating drafts.

Nathan Zeender, Right Propper Brew Pub’s brewmaster Kate Patterson for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Atlas Brew Works

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Atlas Brew Works is part of the growing number of reasons to eat and drink around D.C.’s Ivy City neighborhood. Notable beers include the Ponzi IPA, the Blood Orange gose, and the Dance of Days pale ale. The taproom is open for beer fans to tour on Saturdays at 2 p.m. (reserve tickets here). There’s a vending machine with some local snacks and food trucks are a frequent sight as well. Its newer Half Street brewery and taproom in Navy Yard features fifteen taps, food from Andy’s Pizza, and a huge outdoor beer garden.

Other Half Brewing

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The beloved Brooklyn brewery with a cult NYC following for its hazy IPAs, lagers, and barrel-aged stouts opened its first D.C. taproom and production facility in 2020 at the Hecht Warehouse. The 5,000-square-foot indoor tasting and taproom offers 20 draft pours at a time. Al fresco beer drinkers have 7,500 square feet of outdoor space to work with, between a patio with a covered pavilion and roof deck. Cans double as take-home art, labeled with wildly eccentric and cartoon-ish designs of everything from food to animals. Curbside pickup and delivery are available, too.

Other Half’s silver tanks
Other Half’s shiny new production facility.
Other Half Brewing/official photo

Lost Generation Brewing Company

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This husband-and-wife-owned brewery is approaching a year in business in D.C.’s Eckington neighborhood. The adventurous draft list here is anchored by Shift - a hopped lager, and its darker, roasty counterpart, Grave Shift. Other picks include a range of ales, lagers, and seasonal brews. Lost Generation is an easy stop for anyone enjoying a walk or ride along the multipurpose Metropolitan Branch Trail, and a rotating schedule of food trucks provide food to hungry visitors.

Sip a beer while paging through Faulkner.
Lost Generation

Red Bear Brewing Co

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This gay-owned, game-filled brewery became a huge boon to the NoMa neighborhood when it opened in the spring of 2019. The partners relocated from Seattle, bringing along a penchant for West Coast-style ales and ciders. Try a Skookum, a Pacific Northwest-style red ale, or a DC Dirt, a roasty and silky American-style porter. Regular events include drag bingo and trivia nights conducted in sign language.

The wraparound bar serving Red Bear Brewing
The wraparound bar serving Red Bear Brewing
Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Valor Brewpub

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Part of the main stretch of 8th St. SE in Barracks Row, this veteran-inspired pub is a casual stop for enjoying small-batch, low-key brews. Options from the tap include the Purple Heart Hazy IPA, the Capitol Keller Pils, and the Pollywog Porter. The menu has everything from stuffed pretzels to smash burgers.

Audacious Aleworks Brewery

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As the name might imply, the team at Audacious Aleworks has brewed more than 100 different beers since opening in Falls Church in 2018. Colorfully drawn name boards hang above the bar and signal the rotating drafts (beers here are produced in small batches and come and go quickly). The taproom hosts weekly events like half-priced food on Mondays, with pub classics like brats, grilled cheeses, and pretzels. Audacious expanded in 2022, with a location in Fairfax City.

Settle Down Easy Brewing Co.

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This 36-seat nanobrewery in Falls Church, at a youthful five years old, is already a destination in Northern Virginia. Standby brews include a dry-hopped kolsch and a jalapeno honey ale. A taco stand inside comes from El Tio Tex-Mex. The brand expanded to a 4,000-square-foot taproom and a petite, one-barrel brewhouse in Oakton last fall. 

Bluejacket

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Bluejacket comes from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the local hospitality company that stocks all of its bars and restaurants (the Sovereign, Church Key, Iron Gate) full of outstanding beer. Bluejacket always has a staggering number of drafts to choose from, from IPAs to stouts. It’s also a favorite hangout before and after Nationals games. The Arsenal is the on-site restaurant, serving up hearty plates of fish and chips, homestyle meatloaf, and fried chicken sandwiches. Tours are not currently offered, but the bar does host occasional special events. 

Bluejacket Brewery DC interior

Port City Brewing Company

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Alexandria is the place to savor Port City’s lineup of well-made, straightforward beers. After more than a decade in business, the easy-drinking Optimal Wit remains a highlight. The same goes for the hoppy and fruity Integral IPA, and the malty Port City Porter. It plays a strong seasonal brew game too, with options like Oktoberfest and the holiday Tidings Ale. The tasting room is open daily, with a regular rotation of food trucks.

Aslin Beer Company

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Virginia’s Aslin Beer Company moved into D.C. in 2022, setting up along the bustling 14th street corridor with a 211-seat indoor and outdoor beer garden. The bar is decked out with Aslin’s signature neon-styling. In addition to pouring Aslin’s flagship ales and lagers, the space houses a one-barrel brewing system that produces experimental and one-off beers exclusive to D.C. Aslin also has area locations in Alexandria and Herndon.

interior of aslin brewery with a colorful, abstract, geometric back-drop on the wall and black chairs situated around white tables. Katharine Manning/Aslin

Silver Branch Brewing Company

The downtown Silver Spring brewery’s four flagships are inspired by brewing traditions in Belgium, the British Isles, Central Europe, and the Americas. Visitors can saddle up to its biergarten fire pits to sample its beloved gnome-themed Saisons, Glass Castle Pilsner, Dr. Juicy IPA, and much more.

Silver Branch’s Quantum Shift flagship IPA.

Crooked Run Brewing

Crooked Run, which started with Virginia taprooms in Sterling and Leesburg, opened a D.C. taproom near Union Market in early 2023. The inventive brewing program categorizes beers into categories like new releases (lucky customers might encounter Sticky Rice, a Berliner Weisse made with mango, coconut and rice milk), traditional, hoppy and fruity and sour. The kitchen operates as Pizza Serata, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Chris Morgan (Maydan). 

Denizens Brewing Co. - Riverdale Park

A longtime member of the local brewing scene, Denizens just closed its original Silver Spring location in October and moved operations to its Riverdale Park beer garden and barrel house. Beer lovers who aren’t afraid to get weird can always find some experimental and interesting drafts on the Denizens list. For a more accessible pick, go with the Southside West Coast IPA or the Born Bohemian Pilsner. 

Hellbender Brewing Company

Hellbender takes its name from the endangered aquatic salamander. It also helped inspire the brewery toward conservation through its use of a Meura mash filter, which improves brewing efficiency by using less energy. The Ignite IPA and Bare Bones Kolsch are both mainstays in the tasting room. Events include open mic nights, trivia, and food pop-ups from locals like Bun’d Up and Cider BBQ. Tours are on hold for now, but customers can still enjoy pints on the patio with a dozen drafts to choose from.

Now pouring Panda Strike Force IPA in the VIP area at Brew at the Zoo. 7% ABV IPA dry-hopped with El Dorado, Amarillo and Aurora. #dcbrews #madeindc #acreativedc #panda

Posted by Hellbender Brewing Company on Thursday, July 19, 2018

Franklins

Franklins is a Hyattsville destination, serving a slew of homemade beers in just about every style. The small size of the operation means you can expect super fresh beer on its draft tap list, from Bombshell Blonde to the Twisted Turtle Pale Ale to a potent Matryoshka Imperial Stout (9.0% ABV). The food menu changes frequently to fit the season, with schnitzel and pulled pork featured for fall. A cool patio setup sits under a graffiti-covered bridge.

Solace Brewing Company

Solace is another Loudoun County that recently put down roots inside D.C. proper. Its Navy Yard taproom is a destination for hop heads and sports fans, with ample space both inside and outside — with bonus views of the riverfront. The Sun’s Out Hops Out Session IPA (4.7 percent ABV) is good for all-day drinking, and the Crazy Pils is a popular pick. Food centers around burgers, tots, brats (vegetarian options, too) along with some healthier grain and salad bowls. Solace has two other locations — one in Sterling and another in Falls Church. 

DC Brau

When D.C. Brau opened in 2009, it claimed the honor of being the city’s first packaging brewery since 1956. DC Brau is perhaps best known for its flagship hoppy brews: The Public American pale ale, the hazy Joint Resolution IPA and The Corruption IPA. Brewery visitors can get tastes of the rest of the standard lineup as well as seasonal and one-off creations. Swing by the 50,000-square-foot mega facility’s taproom and outdoor beer garden from Fridays to Sundays, with curbside pickup available starting on Thursday.

The Public Option

This unassuming brew pub doesn’t make many headlines. The roster touches the spectrum of flavors and body. Sip a pint, half-pint, or 4-ounce taster of Oat Pale, Cream Ale, American Amber, or another one of the bar’s featured drafts. Its bar operates Thursday to Saturday night.

Lots to do on a freezing weekend: Nomad Dumplings on Friday - detail: https://mailchi.mp/2eb02f0235da/nomad Capital...

Posted by The Public Option on Thursday, February 13, 2020

City-State Brewing

Ambitious beer startup City-State Brewing Co. unveiled its Edgewood facility right off the popular Metropolitan Branch Trail in 2021. The 13,000-square-foot microbrewery and taproom, almost six years in the making, comes from neighborhood resident and former congressional aide James Warner. The bar deals in D.C.-themed brews, such as the 8 Wards IPA, Equal Marriage hefeweizen, and the Trainspotter pub ale. 

Right Proper Brewing Company (Multiple locations)

This brewpub is known for its rotating selection of artful and experimental brews. Styles tend to be on the lighter side of the spectrum – expect to see plenty of farmhouse ales, saisons, and other rustic styles. Food fits the gastropub model with options like burgers, pastas, salads, and appetizers like beer battered cheese curds and baked mac and cheese. Right Proper also operates a production house in Brookland that includes a taproom with a dozen rotating drafts.

Nathan Zeender, Right Propper Brew Pub’s brewmaster Kate Patterson for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Atlas Brew Works

Atlas Brew Works is part of the growing number of reasons to eat and drink around D.C.’s Ivy City neighborhood. Notable beers include the Ponzi IPA, the Blood Orange gose, and the Dance of Days pale ale. The taproom is open for beer fans to tour on Saturdays at 2 p.m. (reserve tickets here). There’s a vending machine with some local snacks and food trucks are a frequent sight as well. Its newer Half Street brewery and taproom in Navy Yard features fifteen taps, food from Andy’s Pizza, and a huge outdoor beer garden.

Other Half Brewing

The beloved Brooklyn brewery with a cult NYC following for its hazy IPAs, lagers, and barrel-aged stouts opened its first D.C. taproom and production facility in 2020 at the Hecht Warehouse. The 5,000-square-foot indoor tasting and taproom offers 20 draft pours at a time. Al fresco beer drinkers have 7,500 square feet of outdoor space to work with, between a patio with a covered pavilion and roof deck. Cans double as take-home art, labeled with wildly eccentric and cartoon-ish designs of everything from food to animals. Curbside pickup and delivery are available, too.

Other Half’s silver tanks
Other Half’s shiny new production facility.
Other Half Brewing/official photo

Lost Generation Brewing Company

This husband-and-wife-owned brewery is approaching a year in business in D.C.’s Eckington neighborhood. The adventurous draft list here is anchored by Shift - a hopped lager, and its darker, roasty counterpart, Grave Shift. Other picks include a range of ales, lagers, and seasonal brews. Lost Generation is an easy stop for anyone enjoying a walk or ride along the multipurpose Metropolitan Branch Trail, and a rotating schedule of food trucks provide food to hungry visitors.

Sip a beer while paging through Faulkner.
Lost Generation

Red Bear Brewing Co

This gay-owned, game-filled brewery became a huge boon to the NoMa neighborhood when it opened in the spring of 2019. The partners relocated from Seattle, bringing along a penchant for West Coast-style ales and ciders. Try a Skookum, a Pacific Northwest-style red ale, or a DC Dirt, a roasty and silky American-style porter. Regular events include drag bingo and trivia nights conducted in sign language.

The wraparound bar serving Red Bear Brewing
The wraparound bar serving Red Bear Brewing
Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.

Valor Brewpub

Part of the main stretch of 8th St. SE in Barracks Row, this veteran-inspired pub is a casual stop for enjoying small-batch, low-key brews. Options from the tap include the Purple Heart Hazy IPA, the Capitol Keller Pils, and the Pollywog Porter. The menu has everything from stuffed pretzels to smash burgers.

Related Maps

Audacious Aleworks Brewery

As the name might imply, the team at Audacious Aleworks has brewed more than 100 different beers since opening in Falls Church in 2018. Colorfully drawn name boards hang above the bar and signal the rotating drafts (beers here are produced in small batches and come and go quickly). The taproom hosts weekly events like half-priced food on Mondays, with pub classics like brats, grilled cheeses, and pretzels. Audacious expanded in 2022, with a location in Fairfax City.

Settle Down Easy Brewing Co.

This 36-seat nanobrewery in Falls Church, at a youthful five years old, is already a destination in Northern Virginia. Standby brews include a dry-hopped kolsch and a jalapeno honey ale. A taco stand inside comes from El Tio Tex-Mex. The brand expanded to a 4,000-square-foot taproom and a petite, one-barrel brewhouse in Oakton last fall. 

Bluejacket

Bluejacket comes from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the local hospitality company that stocks all of its bars and restaurants (the Sovereign, Church Key, Iron Gate) full of outstanding beer. Bluejacket always has a staggering number of drafts to choose from, from IPAs to stouts. It’s also a favorite hangout before and after Nationals games. The Arsenal is the on-site restaurant, serving up hearty plates of fish and chips, homestyle meatloaf, and fried chicken sandwiches. Tours are not currently offered, but the bar does host occasional special events. 

Bluejacket Brewery DC interior

Port City Brewing Company

Alexandria is the place to savor Port City’s lineup of well-made, straightforward beers. After more than a decade in business, the easy-drinking Optimal Wit remains a highlight. The same goes for the hoppy and fruity Integral IPA, and the malty Port City Porter. It plays a strong seasonal brew game too, with options like Oktoberfest and the holiday Tidings Ale. The tasting room is open daily, with a regular rotation of food trucks.

Aslin Beer Company

Virginia’s Aslin Beer Company moved into D.C. in 2022, setting up along the bustling 14th street corridor with a 211-seat indoor and outdoor beer garden. The bar is decked out with Aslin’s signature neon-styling. In addition to pouring Aslin’s flagship ales and lagers, the space houses a one-barrel brewing system that produces experimental and one-off beers exclusive to D.C. Aslin also has area locations in Alexandria and Herndon.

interior of aslin brewery with a colorful, abstract, geometric back-drop on the wall and black chairs situated around white tables. Katharine Manning/Aslin

Related Maps