Whether you like it hoppy or malty, light, or dark – with more than 200 breweries across the Capital Region to choose from, there are plenty of places to raise a glass. Here are some of our favourite brewpubs, brewery tours and beer trails to watch for 2019:
Virginia
Toast Virginia’s Capital on the Richmond Beer Trail – Richmond’s award-winning craft breweries have joined forces to create the ultimate capital beer tour. Visitors can sample craft brews from over 30 local produces and collect stamps to exchange for collectible prizes.
New Breweries for the Shenandoah Valley – Strasburg’s Box Office Brewery opened in July 2018. The building features historic murals of the Shenandoah Valley that were uncovered during renovations. In Lexington, Heliptrope Brewery will open in the downtown in early 2019. Heliotrope is a farmhouse-style brewery committed to the production of small-batch, artisan ales and lagers, utilizing Virginia malt, farm-fresh produce, and their own house culture of locally foraged, native Rockbridge County microflora. Now that’s a Virginia-only craft beer!
Also in Shenandoah, visitors to Virginia can sip their way along the Shenandoah Valley Beerwerks Trail which features 13 craft breweries in Staunton, Augusta County, Waynesboro, Rockbridge, and Harrisonburg.
There is more to Loudoun County than wine – The LoCo Ale Trail will continue to expand, with seven new breweries added to its roster for 2018. With these new openings, Loudoun County will be home to almost 30 breweries – the most for any county in Virginia.
Maryland
Pull a pint at Baltimore’s brand-new Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House; the first Guinness presence on US soil since 1954! Visitors can take a brewery tour, shop for merchandise and even whet your whistle in the tasting room where exclusive US-only brews like Guinness Blonde American Larger are available.
UNION Collective opening soon in Baltimore. A curated assembly of independently-owned, Baltimore-based businesses set under one roof and anchored by one of Baltimore’s favourite beermakers – UNION Craft Brewing Co. The 10.5 acres of warehouse space will include local hot sauce brand Huckle’s, Baltimore Whiskey Company, The Charmery ice cream, Vent Coffee Roasters among other local suppliers.
Mt. Vernon’s new Hotel Revival has partnered with Baltimore brewers to create an authentically local experience. At Executive Chef Wilbur Cox’s year-round rooftop restaurant Topside, located at the Hotel Revival, diners can sip on Thirstay, a specialty brew crafted by Baltimore’s own Peabody Heights Brewery. Topside emphasizes unique beers, with 13 taps and more than 60 bottles and cans, as an ode to the strength of the Maryland craft beer movement.
Washington DC
Washington, DC’s newest cidery will make West Coast style hard apple ciders with craft beer sensibilities. Supreme Core Cider is located near the National Arboretum and invites visitors to enjoy flights of local ciders made onsite pair with a bite from local food trucks.
Raise a glass in one of DC’s best biergartens. Whether it’s beneath a 20ft mural of Elizabeth Taylor at Dacha Beer Garden in Shaw, at Sauf Haus Bier Hall’s rooftop beer garden or at the distinctly European Biergarten Haus on H Street NE, there are plenty of patios and public houses where visitors to Washington DC can enjoy a cold brew.
DC’s Urban Breweries have something to shout about. Raise a glass at Northeast DC’s DC Brau or sit back and relax and let DC Brew Tours be your designated driver as you sample 18 craft brews across four local breweries. A Brew Tour comes complete with food pairings and a pick-up and drop-off service.
For more information on the Capital Region USA visit: www.capitalregionusa.co.uk