Northern Virginia Brew Fest - Harvest Time is Here in DC’s Beer Country

Fall in Northern Virginia is filled with countless harvest festivals and seasonal entertainment, mixed in among the demanding schedules of school academic and athletic events. It’s hard not only to find a spare moment to relax and enjoy the Oktoberfest-influenced, pre-holiday season, but to also choose among the myriad offerings of Northern Virginia’s best outdoor venues – including farms, restaurants, wineries and vineyards, parks, rural and suburban communities. For those seeking the perfect mix of outdoor entertainment in great Fall weather, seasonal harvest brews and local food, plus a great mix of fun-loving residents, families and visitors – make plans now to visit DC’s Beer Country out in the Loudoun County/Dulles South region for the great 3rd annual Northern Virginia BrewFest.

The World Beer Experience on October 24th and 25th, at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, VA, will feature more than 40 of the world’s best breweries, plenty of delicious food to complement the craft beers and outstanding local and regional bands providing entertainment. Bull Run Regional Park includes huge, spacious fields, scenic woodlands and trails, and is a quick trek about 30 minutes to the west of DC, off of Rt. 29 in Centreville - an easy ride from Rt. 66.

Musical entertainment on the Main Stage will include genres such as rock, classic rock, blues, and folk - and all are included with the price of admission. Great local and regional bands will be joining us all weekend long, including Road Soda (rock/hip hop/classic rock quartet from Fairfax, Virginia), Gonzo’s Nose (80’s and 90’s rock covers, from Arlington), Gypsy Sons (classic rock, from Alexandria), The Cheaters (rock, southern and classic rock, from Baltimore), Backseat Betties (Northern Virginia female trio, 80’s through today’s rock and country covers), and Klepto Radio (classic/modern rock to old school/modern Hip Hop).

For those ready to sample the very finest and world-renown beers, here’s the lineup of over 40 breweries expected – some especially fabulous and award-winning breweries featured along with local champs:

Vintage 50, Abita, Allagash, Ballast Point, Bear Republic, Beck’s, Bells, Birra Peroni, Bitburger, Blue Grass, Boston Brewing Company, Boulder, Brooklyn, Budweiser, Capitol City, Clipper City, Dogfish, Flying Dog, Fordham, Franziskaner, Het Anker, Hofbrau Munchen, Hook Ladder, Huyghe, Kona, Kostrizer, Lagunitas, Lancaster Malt, Brewing Co., Leinienkugel, Mad Fox, Magic Hat, New Holland, Northcoast, Old Dominion, Oskar Blues, Otter Creek/ Wolavers, Peak Organic, Plzensky Prazdroj, Raven, RedHook, Sierra Nevada, Spaten, St George, Starr Hill, Van Housebrouck, Victory, Weihenstephaner, Widmer, Wild Goose, and Woodchuck.

Just because it’s a BrewFest, don’t think that the kids aren’t welcome as well. There’s an area dedicated to entertainment for the children including moon-bounces, face-painters, and other hands-on activities. Local Virginia crafters and artisans will also be on hand to provide unique, handmade products and some early shopping for the holidays this year. There’s even a local vineyard or two representing, for the Virginia wine lovers in all of us.

As an entirely family-friendly, safe, fun local arts, crafts, music and brew festival, the Northern Virginia BrewFest in DC’s Beer Country offers a full slate of early and late entertainment for everyone – and represents one of the very best, professionally managed and most anticipated outdoors fall events in all of Northern Virginia. Free parking’s available, and lots of great hotels are very near, with special rates available to festival attendees.

DC - Northern Virginia Beer Festival/BrewFest - Bands and Music Announced!

This summer's Northern Virginia Brewfest|Beer Festival "A Celebration of American Beer" just announced their VA beer festival music/band lineup.

This Loudoun County beerfest, June 27-28 in Morven Park, near Leesburg, VA, features an incredible lineup of local, regional and other US-based beers, breweries and even some crafters.

The great collection of DC area bands and musicians includes:

Saturday

1:00 - Reverend Hookems

2:45 - Miguel Aubertin

4:30 - REW

6:15 - The BlackJacks - winners of the 2008 DC101 Chili Cookoff Last Band Standing

Sunday

12:45 - Smylin Jack

2:30 - Lloyd Dobler Effect

4:15 - Jah Works


We'll be there, for sure - along with several hundred of our friends and thousands of our fellow Virginia beer lovers...isn't Virginia for Lovers (of beer), after all?

Northern Virginia, DC's Beer Country Earth Day Green Events - Plus a Summer Beer Festival!

Happy upcoming Earth Day, April 22nd! Have a beer - it's the Beer Festivus.

From Beerutopia - "You may not think of beer as a particularly Earth-friendly product but in many ways the world's oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage is very green. These days, the best beer is produced by craft or "micro" breweries. These small operations are inherently more sustainable because of their size. They are to the macro breweries (Anheuser Busch, Miller) what a local farmer is to the agricultural mega corporations. They often use locally available ingredients and only deliver their beer within a small geographical area. This cuts down on transportation which in turn cuts down emissions".

In short, beer is green, and beer fests are veritable fields of greenery.

Here in Northern Virginia and Loudoun County, otherwise known as "DC’s Beer Country" (nestled among the vines of DC’s Wine Country), local micro-breweries and brew pubs are very popular, though sparse, with some clear leaders and favorites. While "Old Dominion" long served as the region’s mainstay – it’s now gone the more "macro" route, bought last year by Coastal Brewing Company (out of Annapolis, 49% owned by Anheuser Busch), and some of the very best titles including "Tupper’s Hop Pocket" are no more. The new favorites, in our book, revolve around Leesburg, at Vintage 50 and Fireworks Pizza.Vintage 50’s Loudoun beer list as a micro-brewery and restaurant is fantastic, with weekly and monthly specials ranging from Extra Special Bitters to our favorite, Point of Rocks Pale Ale – "not for the hop impaired, and is known to induce hophead hysteria".

Earth Day (April 22nd) brings with it lots of great family events, including "Earth Day at Loudoun" (in Brambleton near Clyde’s – itself not without a decent beer menu). Rebounding from Earth Day, seek hop-stimulated conversations regarding "green or sustainable businesses in Loudoun County", over at the Loudoun "Green Enterprise and Beer – Loudoun Green Drinks" gathering in Broadlands, May 1st.

Rounding out a very green and enjoyable spring beer season in Virginia, it’ll be time to head over to the very popular Northern Virginia Summer BrewFest – the very best summer gathering of beer lovers and beer makers in the entire DC metropolitan region.

The Northern Virginia Summer BrewFest "A Celebration of American Beer" will be held at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA June 27-28, from 11am-9pm Saturday, and 11am-7pm Sunday. As a "microbrew festival", the Brew Festival in Loudoun County will feature over 40 of America’s best breweries, a variety of food to complement the craft beers and great local and regional bands to entertain you.

The following Breweries participated in 2008. The Northern Virginia Summer BrewFest expects many will return – the actual list of 2009 participating breweries will be posted on or about June 1.

• Abita Brewing Co.
  
• Allagash Brewing Co.
  
• Anheuser Busch
  
• Baltimore-Washington Beer Works
  
• Bear Republic
  
• Bells Brewing Inc.
  
• Boston Beer Co.
  
• Brooklyn Brewing Co
  
• Callys
  
• Clipper City Brewing Co./ Oxford B.C.
  
• Dogfish Head Brewing Company
  
• Fordham Brewing Company
  
• Harpoon Brewing Company
  
• Hook and Ladder Brewing Company
  
• Lagunitas Brewing Company
  
• Lancaster Malt Brewing Company
  
• Mad River Brewing Company
  
• Magic Hat brewing Company
  
• Mendocino Brewing Company
  
• New Holland Brewing Co.
  
• Old Dominion Brewing Co.
  
• Otter Creek Brewing Co./ Wolavers
  
• St. George Brewing Co.
  
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
  
• Stone Brewing Company
  
• Stoudt Brewing Co.
  
• Starr Hill Brewing Company
  
• Victory Brewing Co.
  
• Vintage 50 Restaurant and Brew Lounge
  
• Wild Goose
  
• Flying Dog
  
• Williamsburg Ale Works
  
• Yuengling Brewing Company
  
• North Coast Brewing Company
  
• Kona Brewery
  
• Lexington Brewing Company<
  
• Smuttynose Brewing Co.
  
• Oskar Blues Brewing Co.
  
• Fisherman Brewing Co.
  
• Coors Brewing Co.
  
• Blue Moon Brewing Co.
  
• Miller Brewing Co.
  
• Leinenkuegals Brewing Co.
  
• Pyramid Brewing Co.
  
• Mad Fox Brewing Co.
  
• Anchor Brewing Co.
  
• Spoetzl Brewing Co.