HOH’s One-Minute Recess: On Tap
Few things are more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cold beer, so it’s rather fitting that D.C. Beer Week arrives just as the temperatures outside spike.[IMGCAP(1)]This is the inaugural year for the festivities, which will include beer tastings all over town. Twenty-five bars are slated to open their doors, including such Hill haunts as Belga Café (514 Eighth St. SE), Granville Moore’s (1238 H St. NE) and Capitol Lounge (229 Pennsylvania Ave. SE).The week will kick off with a “Unity Jam— at the Rock & Roll Hotel (1353 H St. NE) on Sunday. This all-day concert will feature beer specials and live music. Those who buy VIP tickets will have the opportunity to taste a selection of rare beers on the second floor of the bar.According to the planners, consumers will also meet brewers and learn about the history of brewing at the event. During happy hour on Monday, Brasserie Beck (1101 K St. NW) will be pouring three different brews from Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales. The beers will be discounted, and glassware from the brewery will be available.“The East Coast representative will be on hand to answer all questions,— general manager Thor Cheston says. Capitol Lounge will host an event Wednesday called “Belgian Beer Invades the Capitol.— The event will feature discounted beer as well as mussels and fries prepared by chef Teddy Folkman.“We want to give our patrons a better opportunity to learn about and enjoy the emergence of beer in the culinary landscape,— says James Silk, spokesman for Capitol Lounge.D.C. Beer Week will end Thursday with the fifth annual “Brew at the Zoo.— Those in attendance will be able to sample a wide array of beers while enjoying live musical performances by Gonzo’s Nose and the Batala Percussion Band.An event schedule and information about ticketed events is available online. If participants haven’t upped their beer literacy by the end of the week, they just haven’t been trying enough.Emily Heil and Elizabeth Brotherton are hiking the Appalachian Trail this week. They will return Aug. 17.