City-State Brewing Co. Introduces Collab with Anwan “Big G” Glover

Speak with James Warner for five minutes and he’ll make you excited about calling D.C. home. His energy and commitment are infectious, and it’s a big part of why his company, City-State Brewing Co. has become a hit so quickly. It’s about more than just good beer and a great atmosphere, it’s city pride and identity.

Even before the brick-and-mortar location opened this past June, Warner and his team put their best foot forward to make City-State a brand that’s synonymous with the city.

“Our mission at City-State is to celebrate the history and culture of the city,” Warner says. “We want to be a potent and unifying brand for people who are new to the city.”

Many of the beers they churn out at City-State are locally inspired, like the Blossom Kolsch, or rooted in D.C. history, such as the Lost Laws Pilsner which “salutes the civil rights heroes who beat Jim Crow in DC in 1953 using laws we passed in 1873.”

The newest creation takes it to the next level, blending many aspects of local culture for a truly historic release. Big G’s Flavor From the Pocket, a co-brand with local legend Anwan “Big G” Glover, is an easy-drinking Golden Ale that celebrates go-go music and football.

Glover is known on a national level for his portrayal of Slim Charles on HBO’s The Wire, among other roles, and locally as a founding member of the Backyard Band.

“Anwan is an icon in DC, a true living legend,” Warner says. “We want to elevate stories from DC and go-go has a long history. It’s still the sound of the city. We met at the Kennedy Center in 2019 and Anwan said, ‘We need to make a beer together…No, we’re going to make a beer together.’”

The can design prominently features Glover holding both a microphone and a football with a burgundy and gold background, honoring the Washington Football Team. The name, Big G’s Flavor From the Pocket, is a call to both go-go and football, as well. Pocket, in football, is where the quarterback throws from, while in go-go, it’s where the band starts getting in rhythm.

“I asked Big G what Go-Go meant to him when we were designing the beer,” Warner says. “Anwan focused on when and where people would be drinking it, and that was on the dance floor and at a Sunday morning tailgate before a game.”

During a promotional video for the beer, Glover revealed that Warner “made him go to beer school” during the making of the brew, and that it wasn’t just a company slapping his face on the can.

“What’s so dope about this situation, was that it’s made in Washington, D.C. and the people that are making it are from D.C.” Glover says. “We’re trying to build the economy right here and we want people to come out and experience the taproom.”

City-State is all about the city and this beer definitely brings the good vibes. In fact, it’s already been a good luck charm to the DMV area. The beer’s release party was centered around the Washington Football Team’s Week 10 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While everyone popped tops on Big G’s Flavor From the Pocket, Washington surprised everyone and beat the defending Super Bowl champs handily, right here at home.

City-State Brewing Co.: 705 Edgewood St. NE, DC; citystatebrewing.com // @citystatebrewing

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