Birthday in Beer: Greg Engert

Greg Engert is the Beer Director for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG) of Washington, D.C. and northern Virginia. A past English literature major at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Engert now oversees the beer program for seventeen restaurants and retail shops.

Already successful by 2009, Engert, and NRG's principal, Michael Babin, really hit their stride when, that year, they opened their first Washington, D.C. properties, the beer-centric restaurant Birch & Barley, and —just up the stairwell— Churchkey, its accompanying beer bar. There, Engert arranged a beer list —500 in bottle, 50 on draught, and 5 served from cask via handpumps— by weight and flavor, a practice often thought (more for exclusive snobbery) exclusive to wine. His categories are Crisp, Hop, Malt, Roast, Smoke, Fruit & Spice, Tart & Funky.

In 2010, Food & Wine Magazine selected Engert as one of seven Sommeliers of the Year: the first time the magazine has brought beer on-board its list.



In October 2013, the group opened Bluejacket, a brewery and restaurant in southeast Washington, D.C., in the now-bustling neighborhood near to Nationals Ballpark. Engert presides there as brewmaster and beer director.

A young man in a hurry to success, Greg Engert celebrates his 35th birthday, today.