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Your Beermonger: Celebrating IPA Day

Published August 3, 2012 at 12:35PM

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)

By the time you read this, the second annual IPA Day will have already come and gone. Started last year, the idea of IPA Day is that every August 2nd, craft beer lovers everywhere get together and celebrate the humble hop flower and all the joy it brings us through its use in the venerable India Pale Ale style. Since this column runs the day after IPA Day and because it’s a relatively new event, I’m going to go ahead and say take the weekend to enjoy your favorite hophead treats. If you need a few suggestions, I’ve got some right here:

News

World of Beer Opens Next Week

By Katie Pyzyk

Published July 30, 2012 at 1:45PM

Owner Evan Matz and his wife recently moved to Arlington from Florida. He enjoys the area and thought it would be the perfect place to launch Virginia’s first location for the Florida chain.

“I love Arlington. I think it’s a great area,” said Matz. “World of Beer looks forward to being Ballston’s neighborhood social scene, while being dedicated to the beer enthusiast.”

Feature

Your Beermonger: Why I Don’t Have What You’re Looking For

By ARLnow.com

Published July 27, 2012 at 1:15PM

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)

As a retailer, the question I hear the most in my day-to-day conversations at work is “Do you have…?” Sometimes my answer is no. There are a few reasons why that would be the case, and I do try to explain why I don’t have something available. Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve always tried to be uniquely open with customers about some of the behind-the-scenes of our business; even within the world of retail the alcohol industry is weird and I believe educating consumers demystifies some of the vagaries that can confuse and frustrate buyers. So for those of you heading out to stock up on beer, here are some reasons I or any other retailer may not have the specific brew you’re looking for:

Events

Crystal City To Host Dog-Friendly Beer Festival

By Aaron Kraut

Published July 26, 2012 at 1:45PM | Updated July 26, 2012 at 3:57PM

The inaugural “Pups and Pilsners” outdoor beer festival will be held on Sept. 23. The Crystal City Business Improvement District and Washington Wine Academy is stocking the event, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 1405 Crystal Drive, with a beer garden of 10 craft brews and food from Crystal City restaurants.

Entry to the “dog-friendly festival” is free — and bringing Fido is optional. The beer garden will cost you, though. Tickets will be available at washingtonwineacademy.org.

News

ACPD Looking for Beer Pong Bandits

By ARLnow.com

Published July 23, 2012 at 5:15PM

One or more suspects broke into a locked house on the 5500 block of 7th Street S., in the Forest Glen neighborhood, at some point on Sunday. According to police, the suspects played beer pong while inside the house. They then allegedly stole two cars parked outside, leaving the residence “in disarray” with empty beer bottles strewn about.

The crime was reported Sunday afternoon by an adult female house sitter — a friend of the family that owns the house and the vehicles, according to police.

Feature

Your Beermonger: Beers of the Year, So Far

By ARLnow.com

Published July 20, 2012 at 1:45PM

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)

We’re already well past the halfway point of 2012, which I didn’t even realize until the other day. That got me thinking about the new beers I’ve had the opportunity to try and in some cases stock this year. Between new brews arriving at Arrowine, random bottles brought by friends and customers, and festivals like SAVOR I get to try more different beers than the average bear. Here are my top five for the first half of 2012:

News

Your Beermonger: The Spirit of Collaboration

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2012 at 12:00PM

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)

If I may toot the horn of the craft beer movement a bit: there’s a camaraderie and sense of community amongst the beer geeks, from the drinkers to the brewers and everyone in-between, that is truly unique. Competitions are almost always healthy, entered with the knowledge that at the end of the day, we’re all going to sit down and enjoy a couple cold ones regardless of the outcome. The most notable result of this brother/sisterhood is the collaboration beer, where two or more breweries get together and see what happens when ideas starting being bandied about.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 10, 2012 at 9:15AM

Undocumented W-L Valedictorian “Still Kind of Scared” — This year’s Washington-Lee High School valedictorian, 17-year-old Nataly Montano, is one of the young people impacted by President Obama’s recent policy decision to pull back on the deportation of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Montano, a 4.3 GPA student, says she is “still kind of scared sometimes because things could happen to get me deported.” [Sun Gazette]

New Washington Blvd Trail to Impact Trees — A new trail extension planned for Washington Boulevard between Columbia Pike and Route 50 will result in the removal of “about 350 trees.” The plan has, on some level, pitted bicycle advocates against tree huggers, according to a blog post. [Commuter Page Blog]

Feature

Your Beermonger: The Maturation of the Beer Geek

By ARLnow.com

Published July 6, 2012 at 1:30PM

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway

Having gone through the process of buying (and recently moving into) a home, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about maturity, responsibility, and growing up. I feel that all of us, as beer geeks, are coming of age right now, and that all of our changing palates and preferences are poised to make the craft beer scene more open and accessible than ever before.

Around Town

Grateful Red Wine Store Now Open in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published July 3, 2012 at 3:00PM

Located at 2727 Wilson Blvd, in the old Shoefly space, Grateful Red will carry (the store is still building its inventory) 500-600 bottles of wine, primarily from lesser-known independent producers, including local Virginia wineries. The store also offers beer, gourmet snacks and cheeses, and gifts.

While Screwtop will continue to operate its small retail wine shop, owner Wendy Buckley says she opened Grateful Red in order to offer more variety to customers. Many of the wines at the store can’t be found elsewhere in the immediate area, she said.

Feature

Your Beermonger: Lawnmower Beer

By ARLnow.com

Published June 29, 2012 at 2:45PM

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway)

Mrs. Beermonger and I are moving into a new home this weekend, and it has completely taken over our lives. We’ve always heard of the “joys of homeownership,” but we were blindsided by the sheer amount of work that needed to be put into the place before we officially move in.

Around Town

Westover Market Granted Amplified Music Permit

By ARLnow.com

Published June 25, 2012 at 1:55PM

Market manager Devin Hicks says Arlington County, at long last, granted an amplified music permit to the beer garden on Saturday, June 16. This past Saturday, June 23, about 90 people came out to see the Front Porch Rockers play the first full amplified set at the beer garden since 2010.

It has been an arduous journey for music at the beer garden, according to Hicks. The Market has “bent over backwards” to fulfill the county’s requirements for a live music permit — including building a restaurant within the Market, since only restaurants are allowed to have live music permits in Arlington. The beer garden was allowed to have non-amplified music this past April and May, but Hicks said it doesn’t compare to the full experience of amplified music.