Lions and Tigers and Beers

A long line never let up at the Clipper City Brewing Company booth at this year's Brew at the Zoo. Festival Manager Nicole Popovich said over 1700 people enjoyed beer and food from local brewers and restaurants (and beers from farther afield), to benefit the National Zoo.

This year, the event was expanded, neatly spread out over two meadows near to the Lion/Tiger Field. As we were setting up our booth, a lion was bellowing, very insistently and loud, in the area just behind our tent! Did he want beer?

Many brewpubs in DC area either cannot distribute their beer outside of their restaurants, or logistically choose not to. Thus it was great to see them represented here: Gordon-Biersch, Rock Bottom, Capitol City, Sweetwater, District Chophouse.

Here's the complete list. It was interesting to see Fordham and Dominion as new buddies, side by side. West coast Widmer, also being in the Anheuser-Busch network, was right there as well.

Capitol City Brewing Company, The District Chophouse and Brewery, Wild Goose Brewery, Clipper City Brewing Company, Great American Restuarants (Sweetwater), Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery, Hook & Ladder Brewing Company, Shenandoah Brewing Company, Gordon Biersch Brewery and Restaurant, Fordham Brewery, Old Dominion Brewery, Widmer Brothers Brewing, Boston Beer Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Harpoon Brewery, Brewery Ommegang, Magic Hat Brewing Company, Anchor Brewing Company, Dogfish Head Brewery, F.X. Matt Brewing Company (Saranac), Abita Brewing Company, Allagash Brewing Company (represented by Global Brewers Guild), Victory Brewing Company, Rogue Ales, North Coast Brewing Company, Belekus Imports (Chimay) , and some international style lagers, such as Peroni, Nastro Azzurro, Cristal, Cusqueña, Aguila, Pilsner Urquell.

Food is not neglected at this festival. Restaurants and their chefs are present. The menu choices are so much better than the usual festival grub:

The Reef Restaurant, Tryst, The Diner, Open City, Cabot Creamery, Lebanese Taverna, Chef Geoff’s,Lia’s, La Tosca, Best Buns Bread Co., Crystal City Sports Pub, Perrys Restaurant, PS 7, Java Green, Café Deluxe, Zengo, and Tonic.

Greg Jasgur of Birreria Paradiso (l) and Tim Schliftman of the Wine Specialist (r) stopped by the booth and helped pour Clipper City's Oxford Raspberry Wheat and Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale.

Between the two is Kristin Orr of Legends, Ltd., our wholesaler in D.C. She graciously assisted for the entire festival. Thanks!

• More 2007 photos.
• 2006 festival here.