3 Stars Brewing Company and Roscoe's Pizzeria

Here's another brewery excursion report. 3 Stars Brewing Company may be the last stop on the DC beer tour that my friends and I have embarked on this summer. That is, until the highly anticipated Atlas Brew Works and Bluejacket open their doors. Our local Citypaper has an upcoming event where hired limos will shuttle beer enthusiasts around to all the DC breweries and to two Virginia breweries. To me that feels like cheating. I've enjoyed the journey of getting to each local brewery afoot and by public transit. The beer tastings taste better when you've properly "earned" them in DC's sweltering summer heat. 

Another nondescript brewery entrance

Located at 6400 Chillum Place NW, 3 Stars Brewing Company is a solid mile walk from the Takoma Park Metro station. It's mostly a residential path, along Eastern Avenue, a boundary street that divides the District from Maryland. The exterior of the brewery's warehouse is rather nondescript except for a small banner. Inside is a cavernous space, filled with brewing equipment (although far less than DC Brau). 3 Stars self-distributes its beer in kegs (sixtels) only, so there is no canning operation or bottling works. The building also houses a small homebrew shop, which was very inviting and inspirational.

Interior mural

In addition to four tastings, 3 Stars Brewing Company offered free water stations and snack-size chips when we visited. To me, this was ample proof of their genius. The brewery tours happen on Saturdays at 2 and 3pm. My friends and I caught the early tour, given by co-owner Dave Coleman. It was an entertaining, humorous tour that included a restaging of the original homebrew operation that started the company. From Coleman, we learned that 3 Stars uses no fining processes, which is great news for vegans.

As for the beer itself, my favorite was Two The Dome, a hoppy Double IPA. The Citra & Lemon Peel Saison and Peppercorn Saison were both unique and nicely spiced. The Movement was a tasty and flavorful American Pale Ale. You can find 3 Stars brews all over the District.  

The Vegan Roscoe

We followed up this brewery tour with some pizza. Above is a pizza from Roscoe's Pizzeria, located in Takoma Park, Maryland, not far from the Metro station. We ordered the "Roscoe," an excellent pie made vegan with Daiya cheese, spinach, mushrooms, and red peppers. Sadly, because it is in Maryland, Roscoe's doesn't sell 3 Stars' beers. It would be cool if the Takoma Park's City Council could bend that rule, seeing as how the brewery is so close.

Chocolate City Beer

Today's A.Word.A.Day is zymurgy, which is where this blog has been focused of late, as DC has been too hot and humid for cooking. How about we continue the study of fermentation instead? By drinking beer and eating pickles, natch.

While conducting our "highly scientific" summer tour of DC breweries, some friends and I recently visited Chocolate City Beer. Located at 2801 8th St NE in the Brookland neighborhood, this brewery is actually convenient by Metro! It's about a 10-minute walk from Brookland-CUA Station. It is also handy by bus and by bike, if you can brave the Metropolitan Branch Trail.

Wow, this is a small brewery, located in the basement of an old railside industrial building. Chocolate City is larger than a homebrew operation but tiny compared to DC Brau. It almost feels like visiting a friend's garage, although it smells more malty than musty.

Because of the size of the operation, Chocolate City doesn't bottle or can their beer. It is only available in barrels, kegs, and sixtels. And, of course, in to-go growlers. Chocolate City's constant batch turnover means that the brewery always has fresh products.

There is no official tour but you are free to roam about as you enjoy a free tasting. When we visited some of the brewers were on hand to answer questions too. They had only one beer ready to taste, the Cornerstone Copper Ale. This "foundational beer" is a mild amber ale, which is not really my bag. I'll be on the lookout for their other offerings.

Luckily, you can find Chocolate City beer on tap, all around town. Growler sales are every Saturday, from 12:30pm-4:30pm, at the brewery proper. I do love the Chocolate City Beer logo, which also adorns the glassware and other merchandise available at the brewery store.

DC Brau Brewing Company

The Corruption IPA

Last month some friends and I began a slow summer tour of Washington, DC breweries. The District of Columbia has had its share of antiquated and downright Draconian laws, what with the struggle for statehood and the lack of basic political rights for its denizens. Happily, things are starting to change on the beer law front, thanks largely to DC Brau.

Founded by Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock in 2009, DC Brau Brewing Company was the first local brewery to exist in the District since the 1950s. DC Brau's motto is "Fermentation Without Representation"and they promote DC Statehood and going green. These beer champions have paved the way for things like tasting tours and growler sales. Clearly, DC Brau had to be the first stop on our tour.  

Strip mall that houses DC Brau's brewery 

Their small but rapidly expanding brewery, located at 3178-B Bladensburg Rd NE, is well-worth a visit. We took public transportation to the nondescript New Town Center. (The handy B2 bus from Stadium Armory Metro is a direct 20-minute ride and avoids Maryland). However other thirsty folks were arriving via bicycles and cars. The entrance to the brewery is around back of the strip mall. Look for a loading dock area and people with growlers.

The free tours happen on most Saturdays at 1, 2, and 3pm, during the brewery's 12pm - 4pm hours. When we visited co-founder Brandon Skall led the brief, informative tour himself. As is standard with brewery tours, Skall covered Brewing 101 topics and showed off their new walk-in refrigerator and the shiny and impressive canning system.

Canning system

My favorite part of the tour, besides the colorful murals throughout the brewery, was that Skall said DC Brau's beers are all vegan! The brewery doesn't use isinglass (fish bladders) or other animal based fining agents. He said that just didn't fit with their style of beer. Plus they didn't want to "give vegans a complex." (Please take note, Magic Hat and other unnecessarily "fishy" beers.)

As part of the visit, the brewery gives you four tasting tickets for their brews. We sampled the Penn Quarter Porter, The Corruption India Pale, The Public American Pale, and The Citizen Belgian Pale. The Corruption was my favorite as I enjoy hoppy, bold beers but all the beers were tasty and unique.

Free tastings held under US and DC flags

The brewery sells growlers and six-packs to-go. They also sell all sorts of cool merch, including stemware. DC Brau is currently brewing a beer for our local football team, DC United, which will be available at RFK Stadium. You can find their brau all over town--at restaurants and bars, at our art house movie theater, and in many a summer picnic basket.