Finding the Dogfish in D.C.

I VISITED WASHINGTON, D.C. from June 22-25 for business, and finally got to visit one of the arms of one of my favorite breweries — Dogfish Head. The last time I was in D.C. a couple years ago, I wanted to get out to Virginia to check out their Falls Church Ale House… but just didn’t have the time available.

This time around… I had a day where I was done with work before dinner time, so after 9 hours on the clock, I changed into sandals and a t-shirt and headed to the Metro Station.

While some people went off to look at war memorials and the Smithsonians, I headed over to Virginia… to check out one of Dogfish Head’s ale houses! It was a long, sweaty walk from the subway station to here… But a Firefly Ale washed the heat away!  I really wish they bottled that one, but it is only on tap at their ale houses.

I spent a few hours there eating dinner and writing… and enjoying a handful of their brews… dessert was  Dogfish’s Palo Santo Marron – a brown ale aged in Paraguayan wood barrels!

While in D.C., I also enjoyed a big ol greasy burger and a couple Lagunitas Lil Sumpin’ Sumpin’s at RFD, a good bar with lots-o-taps. I also experienced a little of the “crazy” there.

At one point, a thin, well-dressed African American woman came and sat nearby at the bar. I didn’t really notice her, until the bartender was called over to remediate an argument between here and the guy next to her. She claimed he was calling her names, and came and sat next to me, trying to strike up conversation.

I let her know that I was trying to work, but she kept interrupting me… and then insisted on ordering the same beer sample that I did. It was odd, but I kept trying to work… pretty soon she instigated another fight with the other guy, and ultimately, the bar staff called the police on her. She basically got more and more shrill complaining that everyone was against her and picking on her. Definitely some kind of mental problem.

On the next night, I had dinner a block away at Fado’s Irish Pub, one of my favorite chains, which I don’t get to visit enough.  After 12 hours in a suit jacket I flipped open the laptop there and enjoyed some spicy chicken boxtys and Lagunitas while getting in a little writing. And there was the bonus of live music!

But guess who showed up? Yep… the crazy woman again! She sat down right next to me and starts trying to talk again. Worried that another police scene might ultimately happen, I politely but firmly let her know that I was busy working on a book project and needed to keep doing so. She made some weird comments about obscene fiction… and thankfully… moved on. Bizarre.

At the end of the trip, I had a couple hours before I had to leave the hotel for my flight, so I walked around the National Mall and saw a sculpture garden and a barbecue street fest (which was funny, because the last time I was in D.C., I went to the exact same BBQ fest!).

After a long sweaty walk, I stopped for a tasty peach sour from Dogfish Head to close out my trip (Dogfish Festina Peche Berliner) at Iron Horse, a cool motorcycle-themed bar.

Here are some other pix from the trip (starting with a crabcake grabbed at the airport on the way home):