What’s On Tap: December 2017

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6

The After Hours DC Beer Tour
City Brew Tours DC is a tour company that offers daily behind-the-scenes access to DC and the surrounding area’s top breweries, brewpubs and beer bars. Their tours are all-inclusive with beer-focused tastings for brew lovers visiting and living in the metropolitan area. Every brewery tour includes up to 15 different craft beer samples, a beer pairing dinner, VIP visits to four breweries and round-trip transportation from downtown DC. You drink, they drive! 5:30-10:30 p.m. $99. Meet at National Portrait Gallery: 801 F St. NW, DC; www.citybrewtours.com/dc

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8

Friday Night Beers & Bites Tour
The Bluejacket Friday Night Tasting Tour is a special brewery tour that is offered weekly. Upon arrival, guests will be treated to one of their signature drafts, followed by a full tour of the brewery and operations with three tasters throughout the tour. At the conclusion, guests will head to the Bottle Shop & Tasting Room to enjoy a flight of three additional tasters, each expertly paired with a snack from the talented culinary team led by Chef de Cuisine Marcelle Afram. 7-10 p.m. $35. Bluejacket Brewery: 300 Tingey St. SE, DC; www.bluejacketdc.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9

Craft Fair and Beer Tasting Lounge
Don’t get stuck at crowded malls this season buying generic gift sets for your loved ones. Instead, come to the Brentwood Arts Exchange Holiday Craft Fair and Beer Tasting Lounge. Craft artisans from the DMV community will display their items for sale inside this warm and cozy gallery environs. A wide selection of unique craft items will be available, including pottery, jewelry, textiles, glass, ornaments and much more. While you finish your holiday shopping, stop by the beer tasting lounge. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Free entry. Brentwood Arts Exchange: 3901 Rhode Island Ave. Brentwood, MD; www.arts.pgparks.com

Hops for Hope
Ocelot Brewing Company in Dulles, Virginia is hosting the second annual Hops for Hope to benefit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Ocelot Brewing Company, which is owned by a former NCMEC employee, will offer Hope beer from December 9 until it runs out. With every glass of Hope, a donation is made to NCMEC. Specialty pint glasses and NCMEC merchandise will also be available for purchase. 1-10 p.m. Free. Ocelot Brewing Company: 23600 Overland Dr. #180, Dulles, VA; www.missingkids.org/hopsforhope

Year of Beer Sampling Series: Winter Edition
Join On Tap Magazine for a winter beer sampling at Crafthouse’s Fairfax Corner location. As always, there will be complimentary appetizers and a raffle for a Crafthouse gift card, plus full pours of the beer will be available for purchase. There will be holiday brews from Devils Backbone, Bold Rock, Tröegs, O’Connor and Starr Hill. This is a free event, but you must RSVP at http://tickets.ontaponline.com as the event fills up fast! Please bring valid ID. Must be 21+. 6-8 p.m. Free. Crafthouse: 11861 Palace Way, Fairfax, VA; http://tickets.ontaponline.com

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10

Burpees + Beer
Tough workouts reap instant rewards when you join Fitbit Local Ambassador Chris Perrin for an all-levels boot camp workout at DC Brau Brewing Company. We’re talking free tasty treats and free beer for the first 200 people who show! Be sure to bring ID. All fitness levels are welcome. Stick around for a chance to win a Fitbit tracker. 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Free. DC Brau: 3178 Bladensburg Rd. #B, NW, DC; www.dcbrau.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13

Mad Fox Holiday Beer Tasting
Join Mad Fox for a holiday beer tasting where you can meet the brewers and brewery/brewpub owners from across the region and taste their wonderful winter selections. Each brewer/owner will discuss their beer and answer any questions that you have; they will be focusing on 12 local brewers and special, seasonal holiday beers. Doors open at 6 p.m. $55. Mad Fox Brewing Company: 444 West Broad St. Suite I, Falls Church, VA; www.madfoxbrewing.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14

Noche Buena Fiesta: Mexican Beer Dinner at Tico
Honoring the Latin American tradition of Nochebuena or Christmas Eve, Tico is hosting a special holiday dinner with a menu paired with Noche Buena beer! As beer lovers know, Noche Buena beer is only available for a limited time around the Christmas holiday each year. It’s a must-have at holiday gatherings and fiestas in December. 7:30-9:30 p.m. $65. Tico DC: 1926 14th St. NW, DC; www.ticodc.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16

Ugly Sweaterasana: Holiday-Themed Yoga at the Brewery
Join New District Brewing Company to get your ugly sweater season started! Flow through an all-levels vinyasa yoga class with a special soundtrack of the season, followed by drinks. The ticket price includes the class and your first pint of refreshing craft beer. BYO mat. Ugly holiday sweaters highly encouraged. The beer voucher is good for any beer, excluding limited release beers. Tickets for beer will be given day of the event. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. $15. New District Brewing Company: 2709 South Oakland St. Arlington, VA; www.newdistrictbrewing.com

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19

Sauf Haus Open Mic Night
Sauf Haus Bier Hall and Garten hosts open mic night every Tuesday. Musicians, poets, comedians and other artists of all types are welcome, as long as they want to share their craft. 8-10 p.m. Free. Sauf Haus Bier Hall & Garten: 1216 18th St. NW, DC; www.saufhausdc.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29

Holiday Beer Bar Takeover
Come on out and enjoy some adult fun after the holidays are over and let the Imperial Court of Washington DC help you kick off your New Year’s weekend with Jell-O shots, beer, baked treats and raffle prizes! #ICWDC. Starts at 10 p.m. Free. DC Eagle: 3701 Benning Rd. NE, DC; www.dceagle.com

Coming Soon! The Bruery Store
California’s acclaimed Bruery is coming to DC just in time for the holidays. You may already be familiar with their award winning Belgian style and sour beers, but now you can experience a broader range of their brews and get expert insights at their new store at Union Market. You can get bottles and cans to go, and members of their Society can order online and pick up in person. Beat that Amazon! Need a gift for a homesick Californian or a beer nerd? They’ll have you covered. Opening is targeted for December 8, but be sure to check their website at www.thebruery.com or follow them at thebruerydc on social media to confirm.

Q&A with Denizens Brewing Co.

Julie Verratti, Co-founder

On Tap: What beers do you consider to be classic winter brews?
Julie Verratti: Ones that are going to keep you warm while you’re drinking. Obviously, a lot of higher alcohol ABVs tend to be winter beers. Darker beers for sure. Belgian-style beers tend to be pretty popular in winter as well – even if they’re light in color – because they tend to be a little bit boozier.

OT: How will Denizens celebrate the holiday season?
JV: Anytime there’s holidays coming up, we do growler sales. We [also] open up ticket sales to join our annual regulars club membership. Then for New Year’s Eve, we do an open bar party.

OT: What beers are you releasing this season?
JV: We’re going to be releasing our Russian imperial stout that we do every year, which is a pretty high alcohol, dark beer. We have a brett dubbel that we aged in rum barrels that’s going to be coming out as well, which is darker, but not super dark. We also have what we call [our] Ill Cru, which is kind of our version of grand cru, which is a very big Belgian quadrupel.

OT: What’s your idea of the perfect beer to bring to a holiday party or give as a gift?
JV: I think anything that you can buy from your local brewery is important. And then I think something that’s approachable to everyone on your guest list. Also, Belgian styles are perfect for the holiday season because they’re higher in alcohol, they tend to have a fruitiness character to them and they tend to be really approachable for people – even people who don’t drink beer that often.

Pick up Denizens beer from their tap room or a number of bars and restaurants in the DMV including Republic in Takoma Park, BlackSalt in Palisades and Midlands Beer Garden in Park View, or grab a pack at either Glen’s Garden Market location in the city.

Denizens Brewing Co.: 1115 East West Hwy. Silver Spring, MD; 301-557-9818; www.denizensbrewingco.com