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.

Beer-Music-Mash-Ups in D.C. During Craft Brewers Conference

Starting the week of March 25th, the D.C. metro area will be inundated with craft beer as the city hosts the annual Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). Now the CBC is primarily focused on beer professionals - particularly the craft brewer's themselves -so why should laymen really care? Well for starters, dozens of craft brewers are ready showcase their beers at area bars and restaurants. That means RFD, Churchkey, Birch & Barley, Jake Rose, The Black Squirrel, Smith Commons, Meridian Pint, and all the rest will be hosting tap takeovers and beer dinners each night after the conference. Check out DCBeer for a complete schedule. But most importantly, craft brewers are pairing with local music venues to showcase their brews during several Beer-Music-Mash-Ups. Alright! And many of these are regional pairings like the Cris Jacobs Band with Heavy Seas Brewing Company and The Infamous Stringdusters with Devils Backbone Brewing Company.

9:30 Club
3/27: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery presents The Feelies
3/28: Flying Dog Brewery presents "Festival De Cans" with Escort
3/29: Devils Backbone Brewing Company & All Good present The Infamous Stringdusters

The Hamilton
3/25: New Belgium Brewing Company presents Elephant Revival
3/26: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company presents The Mother Hips
3/27: Abita Brewing Company presents The Revivalists 
3/28: Heavy Seas Brewing Company  presents Cris Jacobs Band
3/29: Brooklyn Brewery  presents Here We Go Magic

The Back Cat
3/27: DC Brau Brewing, Ska Brewing Company, and Country Malt Group presents: The Pietasters