DC Beer Guide
From DC-Beer Wiki
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Welcome To The Washington, DC Metro Area Beer Guide
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About | Microbreweries | Brewpubs | Pubs | Rumours | Homebrewing
Contents |
Welcome to the new new home of the Washington, DC Beer Guide!
===== Brauhaus.org is now hosting the DC Beer guide. ===== Things are still a bit rough as the text is getting Wikized and updated. Please bear with us through this transition. Even better, if you want to help, send an email to the admins here! Thanks!
WebTrek was previously the host for these pages.
If you have any comments or problems with these pages, please let us know.
Intro
The Washington, DC metro area includes the District of Columbia itself as well as Suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia. Although outside of the actual metro area, Baltimore is an easy 45 mile drive north of DC, and Richmond is a doable 100 mile drive south. The entire Baltimore to Richmond stretch has plenty of places to visit for the serious (and not-so-serious) beer drinkers. This site, however, will concentrate on the area inside and immediately surrounding the Washington, DC beltway.
Laws
In Virginia and Maryland, bars and restaurants can continue serving alcohol until 2:00 am. DC allows bars to continue serving alcohol until 3:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays but only 2:00 am the rest of the week.
Retail purchase of beers is slightly more complicated. Virginia allows commercial retail sales of beer and wine until midnight. Beer and wine can be bought at almost any grocery or convenience store in Virginia, as well as at specialty beer retailers. Virginia limits the sale of hard liquor to its state run ABC stores, which rarely if ever have beer. In the District of Columbia, beer can be bought at grocery stores, convenience stores and private liquor stores. Maryland has the strictest regulations regarding retail sales of beer. In Maryland, beer can only be bought at privately owned liquor stores. Most of these stores close at 9:00 pm, but the law allows for sale of retail beer until 2:00 am.
As in all of the United States, the legal drinking age throughout the DC area is 21.
Actually the law reads all alcohol must be off the tables and taken from the patons by 2am Sunday thru Thursday and 3am friday and saturday so most establishments give last call a half hour before, allowing them time to finish their drinks. Most also only allow one drink to be ordered at last call as well.
DC-Beer
For those interested in keeping up with the Washington, DC beer scene, we highly recommend joining DC-BEER, an internet mailing list of local beer enthusiasts and professionals. If you are interested in learning more, please see DC-Beer and the DC-Beer FAQ.
Navigation
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About The DC Beer Guide
- Info about the DC Beer Guide itself
- Brewpubs
- These pubs and restaurants brew their own beer. Some also offer other brewery's products, and some sell their own beer to go.
- Homebrewing
- Homebrewing retailers, clubs, and Brew On Premises.
- Microbreweries
- The metro area has quite a few small breweries, many of which offer tours. Even if you don't get out to visit one of them, you will do well to ask for their products at pubs and retail establishments.
- Public Houses
- These establishments offer a wide variety of beer. Whether you are looking for a nice dinner with a good selection of beer, or just to go out drinking for a night on the town, you will find something here.
- Retailers
- Pointers to a few retailers who have a selection worth a look.
- Rumours
- Keep a look out here for planned, rumoured, or just hoped-for additions to the DC beer scene.
- Other Guides to Beer in Washington DC
Last updated:
Copyright 
1995-2005 by Thomas H. Aylesworth and others.
