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Sour beer in Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland (stores and bars)

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Ekdrm2d1

Member
I'm taking a trip soon and was wondering where's the best place to score sour beer.

A quick Google search for "Washington, DC sour beer" reveled both ChurchKey in Lorgan Circle and Meridian Pint.

ChurchKey seems more beer-snobby with a 42-page .pdf bottled beer menu!
http://churchkeydc.com/documents/BBCKONLINEBOTTLELIST1-30-14.pdf

Curious to ChurchKey's reserve and blends options.

Dulcis Succubus 2010 | Le Trou du Diable | Canada | 7% | 25.4 oz.
- Matured w/ Brettanomyces in Californian Dolce Dessert Wine (Noble Rot) Barrels
$60
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TROU-DU-DIABLE-dulcis-succubus-new-web.jpg


Is it really $60 for a 24z beer? Something like that worth a try?

Here's one of the blends (I think.)
Love Child #3 | Boulevard Brewing Company | Missouri | 7.5% | 25.4 oz. | 48º | Tumbler
Blend of Barrel-Aged Ale (Aged from 16 Months to 6 Years) & 11 Month-Old Tank-Aged Sour Ale
$40
Click to expand...

The local store I usually go to is Norm's Beer and Wine in Vienna, VA. It's a small-ish store, I wonder if they'll have any sour beers.
Norms002.jpg
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Give me advice, DMV-GAF
First thread on GAF
 
V

Vlad

Member
If I'm ever looking for something in particular, I usually hit either one of the local Total Wine or Wegmans locations, as those have a pretty huge beer selection. For Wegmans, you have to go to a VA location, as you can't get alcohol in grocery stores in MD.
 
E

Ekdrm2d1

Member
Vlad said:
If I'm ever looking for something in particular, I usually hit either one of the local Total Wine or Wegmans locations, as those have a pretty huge beer selection. For Wegmans, you have to go to a VA location, as you can't get alcohol in grocery stores in MD.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yeah, thinking about Total Wine. Haven't been there in like 4 years. IIRC they had a good selection.
 
S

samus i am

Member
Wait... you live in Vienna and you are taking a trip to DC? Can't you just bring the beer with you? That is a twenty minute drive once you hop on 66.
 
E

Ekdrm2d1

Member
ChurchKey's Sour Session Volume 7
http://www.dcbeer.com/event/churchkeys-sour-session-volume-7

Nothing counters the ungodly swelter of summer like the funky pucker of a good sour. And boy howdy, does ChurchKey have a lot of sours coming your way.

Monday, July 15th, 2013 brings the seventh edition in our series...and this will be the biggest Sour Session yet!

The Sour Session Volume 7 Draft List [UPDATED 7/8]

Cantillon Kriek
Cantillon Gueuze
BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien - Zymatore
Alvinne Cuvee Freddy - Zymatore
Hofstetten Granit Bock - Zymatore
Bitter & Twisted - Zymatore
De Struise Weltmerz
De Struise Ypres 2010
Sam Adams Kosmic Mother Funk
Jester King & Freigeist Sauer Power
To Øl & Mikkeller Fuck Art - Let’s Dance (Red Wine barrel-aged)
Half Acre & Perennial Plan B Black Currant Sour Dark Ale
Magic Rock & Kissmeyer Beer Salty Kiss Gooseberry Gose
Boulevard Saison Brett 2013
Vicaris Tripel-Gueuze
Freigeist Geisterzug Gose
Freigeist Pink Gose
De Proef Flemish Primitive #3 (Surly Bird)
Bayrischer Bahnhof Berliner Weisse (Barley Malt & Oats)
Bayrischer Bahnhof Berliner Weisse (Barley Malt & Potatoes)
The Bruery Hottenroth
Oxbow Funkhaus
Evil Twin Femme Fatale Brett
BFM SqRt 225 {15th Anniversary} Sour Historical Saison
White Birch Berliner Weisse
Silly Sour
Boon Kriek
Jolly Pumpkin IO Saison
Del Borgo Maledetta – Zymatore
BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien

That's amazing! I want to try them all!
It's old but I'm sure they'll still have them
 
S

samus i am

Member
Ekdrm2d1 said:
No no. I'm in Texas but I'll be staying in Vienna. Norm's is the staple beer store.
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Ohhhh, I see. My suggestion is go to any place with a large assortment of beer. RFD, Beer Baron, Churckey (as mentioned). Also World of Beer however it is in Virginia but in between Vienna and DC.

Edit: Westover Market in Arlington might also have what you are looking for
 
Nicktendo86

Nicktendo86

Member
What is sour beer? US version of bitter?

Edit: not to worry, looked it up. Interesting, never had it before, will have to search some out!
 
E

Ekdrm2d1

Member
samus i am said:
Ohhhh, I see. My suggestion is go to any place with a large assortment of beer. RFD, Beer Baron, Churckey (as mentioned). Also World of Beer however it is in Virginia but in between Vienna and DC.

Edit: Westover Market in Arlington might also have what you are looking for
Click to expand...

Thanks!

Went to their websites. Beer Baron's sour selection isn't that great. I've had the majority of those beers.
 
P

Phobophile

A scientist and gentleman in the manner of Batman.
Nicktendo86 said:
What is sour beer? US version of bitter?

Edit: not to worry, looked it up. Interesting, never had it before, will have to search some out!
Click to expand...

You're a stone's throw away from the continent and never had a Franco-Belgian ale, lambic, or gueuze?
 
D

distantmantra

Member
Granville Moore's is a good place in DC.

Ekdrm2d1 said:
Also Cascade Brewing Barrel House has a ton of sours. All they make is sours? lol
http://www.cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com/
cascade-barrels.jpg


Hoping to find the above beers on my trip. I already found several stores that sell Bruery's Sour In The Rye beer
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Cascade makes more than just sours (IPAs, stouts, etc.), but the only beers they bottle are the sours. They're not distributed on the East coast, but DC doesn't have distribution laws meaning everything could potentially be there. If you do stumble on a bottle there, expect to pay above market price.
 
E

Ekdrm2d1

Member
distantmantra said:
Granville Moore's is a good place in DC.



Cascade makes more than just sours (IPAs, stouts, etc.), but the only beers they bottle are the sours. They're not distributed on the East coast, but DC doesn't have distribution laws meaning everything could potentially be there. If you do stumble on a bottle there, expect to pay above market price.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I couldn't find any Cascade at any of the online beer stores I looked at. I did not know they made more than sours.

Granville Moore's looks cool. I like their slogan " A gastropub with a health Belgian fetish"
 
T

The Albatross

Member
I generally only like sour blends with Boulevard's Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale / Saison and Pretty Things Jack d'Or being my favorites. Although, I've had Cantillon's Gueuze in 2012, first time poured in the states. Would never drink it out of preference, but it was nice to try.
 
M

mcfrank

Member
Love Child # 3 is fantastic. I am a huge sour beer drinker, so if you ever find yourself in LA let me know and I will tell you where to go.
 
Y

Yaboosh

Super Sleuth
distantmantra said:
Granville Moore's is a good place in DC.



Cascade makes more than just sours (IPAs, stouts, etc.), but the only beers they bottle are the sours. They're not distributed on the East coast, but DC doesn't have distribution laws meaning everything could potentially be there. If you do stumble on a bottle there, expect to pay above market price.
Click to expand...


Cascade is in Florida, at least it was a few years ago.
 
G

Grifter

Member
Outside of buying lambic, I've only had sour beer in good bars. Anyone know of some that'd be distributed in upstate NY?
 
E

Ekdrm2d1

Member
The Albatross said:
I generally only like sour blends with Boulevard's Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale / Saison and Pretty Things Jack d'Or being my favorites. Although, I've had Cantillon's Gueuze in 2012, first time poured in the states. Would never drink it out of preference, but it was nice to try.
Click to expand...

I'd love to try Cantillon's some day.
 
E

Ekdrm2d1

Member
ChurchKey's blends are not really house-blended beer.

Looking on their menu and see the Timmermans Oude Kriek
Timmermans Oude Kriek | Timmermans-John Martin | Belgium | 5.5% | 25.4 oz. | 48º | Tumbler
- Blend of Timmermans-Brewed Lambics Matured in Oak Barrels with Cherries
timmermans-oude-kriek.jpg
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They sell it for $36/bottle.

In Houston, Texas a liquor store sells it for $20! Why do you think the huge price increase? Is it because of the bar vs. store? Or is it location, DC vs. TX

Should I steer away from ChurchKey? All the good beers are $25 - $60 LOL
:(
 
E

Ekdrm2d1

Member
I'm hyped up! Calculated my ChurchKey bar tab and it will be $277 for six beers :lol
:(

Look.. Sour beer from Norway!!
Haand_SweetSour.png
 
E

Ekdrm2d1

Member
I didn't go to any bars as my friend cancelled the meetup. I instead focused on stores that I can buy sour beer to take back home to Texas.

My score. Left to right:
Evolution Craft Brewing Company's Nouveau Rouge
The Bruery's Tart Of Darkness
The Bruery's Sour In The Rye
Weyerbacher Brewing Co's Riserva 2012
New Holland Brewing Company's Incorrigible

V3VspaC.jpg
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My "cellar" collection. I'm not providing any temperature ranges or anything special. Just in the kitchen pantry. All the above beers plus:

Cascade Brewing's Cascade Sang Noir
Two Beers Brewing Co's Oak Aged Flanders Brown Sour Ale
New Republic Brewing Company's Astrolabe
HaY9R8A.jpg
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I found a very cool, small independent, beer store in the heart of Downtown, DC which I scored a few sours. The store is called Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits located at 3423 Connecticut Ave NW.
F2UyDiG.jpg
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Total Wine & More in Chantilly; Fairfax, VA was huge! Isle after Isle of beer singles, six packs, and cases! Seemed bigger than anything we have in Houston :wow:

Unfortunately, Norms Beer & Wine in Vienna didn't have anything different. I already bought all the sours at the above places.

______

Now I have a question. Should I expand my "sour beer collection" with products that are available through-out the year? Just the typical Belgium sours. Monk's Cafe, Petrus Aged Pale, Petrus Aged Red, Duchesse De Bourgogne, La Folie, etc. As of now, my collection was collected from out of town trips. Boston, Seattle, Washington DC, etc. Buying stuff locally in Houston sorta defeats the purpose. The beers I have in the "cellar' were all bought on vacations. They're special per se, history behind them.
 
L

Lv99 Slacker

Member
Sour/salty wheat ale is where it's at. South Carolina brewery, Westbrook, made me a lifelong fan. I don't even care about anything else, really.
 
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