by Marley McKenzie
Greetings from Washington, DC! In addition to scandalous politics and absurdly high rents, one of DC’s more redeeming qualities is its craft beer scene. Like the city’s residents, this new scene is young, ambitious, and constantly changing. DC is a fast-paced city, and three new breweries have opened up in the last two years alone.
The first on my list was one of DC’s older brewers: Port City.
Despite DC’s big city attitude, very few Washingtonians actually live in Washington. Most of DC’s “residents” really live in Virginia or Maryland. Port City sits right outside Washington in historic Alexandria, an old port city (get it?) on the Potomac River. In an effort to convince his wife that craft beer was serious business, owner Bill Butcher founded Port City Brewing Company in 2011. Their mission is to break down the stereotypes surrounding beer, and transform its image from frat guys crushing cans on their heads to beer connoisseurs creating quality and craft from local ingredients. Hence the brewery’s slogan: “Elevating craft beer.”
Innovation is one of the brewery’s strengths, especially when it comes to sustainability. For example, all the bottles are made from sea glass from Virginia beaches. Additionally, the brewers invented the trademarked Hopzooka. This device uses CO2 to force hops into the fermenter without exposing the beer inside to oxygen – a big coup for the brewing industry at large.
I also suggest a seasonal called Long Black Veil. This is a dark beer full of dark malt, hops, and an even darker backstory. It was inspired by a local ghost story about a bizarre woman called the “Female Stranger.” In 1816, a ship arrived from the West Indies in the port of Alexandria with a man and his wife aboard. The couple had fallen ill, and for an unknown reason, the woman wore a thick black veil to hide her face. The couple moved into the town’s inn, and for two whole months, the husband never left his wife’s bedside. When she died, the husband fled in the night, without a soul ever knowing the woman’s true identity. There is a rumor that she was actually a he – Napoleon Bonaparte to be exact – escaping exile. However, the truth remains a mystery. The Female Stranger’s grave lies in St. Paul’s Cemetery, a stone’s throw away from the brewery. Have chills yet? If that doesn’t give it to you, the bite in this hoppy beer will!
Beers & Breads just two women, behaving badly around the world. Marley and Elizabeth have been drinking, traveling, and writing together since 2010, when they met in Dublin, Ireland. Together, they co-founded beersnbreads, a blog dedicated to finding the best craft beers and local bakeries on this little planet. Marley is currently based in Washington, DC, and Liz covers things North of the border in Montreal. We invite you to come along while we discover new cities, new craft beers, and new ways to stuff our faces with carbs. Cheers!