Indie Beer & Music at the 9:30 Club

During this week, hundreds of craft brewers have invaded Washington D.C. for the 2013 Craft Brewer's Conference and many of these individuals and other members of the Brewer's Association were on hand Wednesday night when the The Feelies played at the 9:30 Club. Sam Calagione, owner of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, is a fan of the band and sponsored the show by supplying about a dozen of their unique brews at a nice price - $5 a beer. And before the show Calagione gave a short speech, first thanking the 9:30 Club for being one of the brewery's first clients in DC, and then encouraging and thanking the audience in support of the craft beer industry. Even with the industry growing, they still only represent 6% of total beer sales, with the mass produced breweries taking 83% (imports represent the remaining 11%).  He also discussed the common characteristics between indie music and indie beer: the self promotion, self distribution, word of mouth marketing.... The music and show were great. Awesome rhythms and guitar paired with 60 Minute,  Raison D'être, and Burton Baton, a 10% abv bomb where the ale is aged in oak. But so, so smooth. Probably had one or two too many......cheers to indie beer and music.