Beer!

[RottingCorpse]

Catching a morning matinee of Zero Dark Thirty on Saturday. An unscheduled meeting with our make-up girl as well.

I forwarded to Missus RC to gauge her interest.

[RottingCorpse]

Missus RC suggested a February dinner crew for this.

[nacho]

Let's fill up that long weekend. The 17th?

[RottingCorpse]

Penciled in.

[nacho]

Flying Dog's Lucky SOB ("made with real four leaf clovers") is out today... And at the two worst bars in Bethesda. Union Jacks and The Barking Dog (known not-so-fondly by locals as The Barfing Dog).

I'm going to have to brave one of them this weekend to try it out... Probably Union Jacks Sunday AM, on our way to morning booze and music at the new Flanagans.

[nacho]

The big news yesterday was that Sweetwater Brewery -- who I consider to be making some of the best beer in the country -- is expanding. Among the new states getting Sweetwater will be our very own Virginia... Good news for RC. And, I guess, for me, if I'm able to convince myself to cross the Potomac Ocean.

I know people who have been taking annual trips to Georgia to fill up the trunk of their car with cases of Sweetwater. The shit is just amazing...

[nacho]

We know half this stuff...but I still enjoy seeing this doing the rounds today.

[nacho]

YES!! I know people who actually make a run to Georgia just to load up their trunk and drive it back up here... I love this beer.

From a press release (emphasis ours). Any Sweetwater fans in the house? I can't be sure, but you have to assume that there will be an excellent launch event at The Black Squirrel given their being a rare (if not the only) source for Sweetwater in DC for the past four years or so. Be on the lookout and be sure to keep an eye on our calendar for launch events as we get them.

SweetWater Brewing Company is finally ready to make the big move North, announcing it will open up distribution to markets throughout Virginia and D.C. Roughly a year after its $19 million brewery expansion, SweetWater – ranked as one of the nation’s top 25 craft breweries according to the Brewer’s Association – will be bringing its lip-smackin’ lineup to the area last week of January.

Virginia marks the ninth U.S. state to be included in the brewery’s Southeastern distribution footprint. Through careful planning and wholesaler assignments with the state, SweetWater proudly announces it will be working with Virginia Eagle in the Northern Virginia and Charlottesville markets; Loveland in the Richmond; Capital Eagle for Washington DC; and Hoffman in Southeastern Virginia.

“It’s always an arduous process assigning our brand to wholesalers, but we felt that the synergies with our new partners best lined up with SweetWater’s vision for our future in Virginia,” said Vice President of Sales at SweetWater Brewery Dave Guender. “We’ve received a boatload of inquiries from retailers and consumers throughout the past couple years asking when we were coming to the market. We took our time to make sure that we dissected the dynamics of both the on-premise and off-premise channels, so our brand could make the best impression possible when we were ready.”

SweetWater is bringing their notoriously hoppy ales to the area starting with its flagship, 420 Extra Pale Ale, on draft at bars and restaurants, alongside six-packs and 12-pack variety packs in off-premise grocery, package and specialty bottle stores including:

420 Extra Pale Ale - SweetWater’s 420 Extra Pale Ale is a West Coast style pale ale with big hops and a crisp finish. First brewed on April 20, 1997, this beer has developed quite the following in the Southeast. 420 is extremely well-balanced which makes it a perfect introduction to a new town…that’s why we say “drink ‘em if you got ‘em!”

SweetWater Blue - SweetWater Blue is a unique, lighter-bodied wheat ale enhanced with blueberries. This brew’ll give folks a good whiff of a blueberry influence, with a subtle taste and an extra clean finish. This ain’t no fruit beer, but it is our breakfast beer, and perfect for hanging on the coast on a warm Virginia day.

SweetWater IPA - This mammoth India Pale Ale (IPA) is dry-hopped to the gills delivering a kick-you-in-the-teeth hop chop. The brew is unfiltered as with all SweetWater brews to leave all the natural flavors intact. SweetWater IPA won first place in a blind tasting against 15 of the best IPA’s in the country held by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

SweetWater Tackle Box - The SweetWater Tackle Box variety pack is a hefty 12-pack collection featuring three of SweetWater’s favorite year round brews, along with a fourth catch and release seasonal specialty in each box.

A crew from SweetWater will taste their way around the area with sampling celebrations and sponsored events January 28-30. For the full schedule and participating locations, visit SweetWater’s dedicated Virginia Facebook page.

Online fans can wet their whistles too by following the Virginia Facebook page for details on how to enter SweetWater’s “Catch a Trout Tap” contest rewarding the first locals to spot their tap handles with free SweetWater Schwag.

To learn more about SweetWater Brewing Company and its full lineup, visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com.

[RottingCorpse]

Did I try Flying Dog's Old Bay beer at the Dish, Nacho?

Because I just tried it again and it's utter shit.

[nacho]

It's horrible. You keep refusing the Bloodline, though.

[Sirharles]

My boss drank some of that Old Bay stuff and said it was so bad he had to pour it out.

[RottingCorpse]

I choked it down which means it's better than the spicy shit I got at some brewery in Bethesda Lifestyle with Nacho.

[nacho]

I choked it down which means it's better than the spicy shit I got at some brewery in Bethesda Lifestyle with Nacho.

Oh! That was horrible!

I pretty much just drink Bloodline exclusively now. Except at Rock Bottom, where it's their beer or the highway. 

[Reginald McGraw]

I love the Old Bay beer. That is all.

[RottingCorpse]

Reggie, are you sure that isn't just the MD apologist talking?