A Beer a Day, locally: #3 (Rock Bottom)

I'm celebrating American Craft Beer Week with one beer —one local beer— each day during the week of 11 - 17 May. Local for me is the Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia area.

Day Three (13 May):

I went to the Rock Bottom brewpub in the Ballston Mall in Arlington, Virginia yesterday evening. And, boy, was it crowded: standing room only inside and out. Wednesdays are special pricing on beers ... and the Capitals vs. Penguins hockey game was soon to start.

Standing out at my age among the crowd of beautiful 20-somethings (or lost in the crowd), sipping on a Ballston Brown ale, I realized I was watching a success story of American Craft Beer Week.

Here in a quintessential 'American' setting, a mall, the next generation of good beer consumers were drinking craft beer, not necessarily because it was 'craft' beer, but because it was the normal thing to do (and the price was right).

Craft beer goes mainstream.

Ballston Brown contains 5.5% alcohol by volume; it's chestnut-brown in color and has a pleasing caramel sweetness.

And, oh yes: the march of the curse of the Penguins continues. Pittsburgh defeated Washington, eliminating the Capitals, yet again, from the National Hockey League playoffs.

• Day 1: Gordon-Biersch Maibock
• Day 2: Starr Hill Amber Lager
• Day 4: V-50 Red Ale (cask)
  
• Day 5: Capitol City Organic Saison
• Day 6: Clipper City Heavy Seas Big DIPA (cask)
  
• Day 7: Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA
  
• My take on American Craft Beer Week: Support American LOCAL Beer.