Bierdo visits Waredaca Brewing Company

Spring has sprung, Bierdos! Craft breweries are springing up everywhere outside of the Beltway, particularly on farms and beautiful scenic properties, rather than the dank industrial warehouses and such we’ve been accustomed to here in the DC area. These unique farm breweries have become the new family-friendly weekend travel destinations to enjoy the sunshine, nature and a pint in a setting that’s more conducive to say, a country winery, than an industrial park nano-brewery – no sketchy vagrants to dodge or towing/scrap yards without parking. Simply put, the craft countryside is your new ambient beer oasis, and Waredaca Brewing Company is no exception. It’s absolutely beautiful.

What started as a Maryland-based camp for boys in 1932, Waredaca Farm in Laytonsville has transitioned into “one of the area’s best equestrian eventing barns and riding lesson facilities…and today, the descendants of Beecher and his family have continued this tradition of kids, horses and family.” And now, the land is home to an environmentally-friendly, self-sustainable farm brewery. All of their delicious beers include “something grown/produced on the farm, and the production schedule is directly related to harvest timing.”

You’ll still see the horses grazing as you enter the farm, and you’ll also notice the creative, farm-inspired beer names once you enter the cool, recycled-material, farm yard tasting room, which is open from 4-8 p.m. Thursday through Friday, 1-8 p.m. on Saturday and 1-6 p.m. on Sunday. But I’ll let them explain the farm intricacies – you’ll have to learn more about Waredaca when you try these beers in person.

• Little Dam Honey Wheat Pale Ale, 5.3 percent: This little wheat ale sounds just like it tastes, and is the perfect beer for your visit. An Americanized version of a hefe, this brew is going to have more of a honey lager taste than the bananas or cloves you may be used to in the traditional wheat ale, but you’ll still enjoy the floury finish. It’s light, with a nice wheaty mouth feel and a slight honey brightness that I enjoyed so much, I ordered a second pint. And yes, the bees on the farm made the honey! Rating: Dam good little beer. Catch the buzz!
• Reveille Coffee Stout, 7.5 percent: Decent stout with a roasted coffee/dark grains taste and some residual kick in the booze department. Enough said. You can drink these all day long since it’s not as thick and creamy as most stouts we’re used to.Rating: A stout to cheers to!
• Maude Dubbel, 6.7 percent: Belgian-inspired malty ale with some spicy booziness to it on the end. This was my fave of their Belgian-style beers. Tasty and drinkable, this one rounded out my top three beers here. Made with Cascade Hop Farm hops, Maude Dubbel was yeasty with a dry finish. Rating: Great farm-style dubbel!