Continuing my Winter 2013-14 DC Brew Tour…

Part 4: The Beer Garden and Beer Haus at the Westover Market, Arlington, Virgina

When Visited: December 19, 2013

Occasion: A well-earned after-work beer. After a long day at the office, I made a pit-stop at Westover Market on the way home from work. This cozy neighborhood beer store/beer bar is best known for the live music in its outdoor Beer Garden. But on this winter day, I bypassed the roaring fire bowls in the Beer Garden and saddled up to the bar inside.

Beers Sampled: While I was tempted to order a pint, Westover offers half-pints, and I took advantage of the small pours to sample a few different brews on the menu:

• The Mad Elf, Tröegs Brewing Company, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a strong ruby red ale brewed with honey and cherries that clocks in at 11% ABV. I love Mad Elf and was thrilled to find it on draft!
• Loose Cannon Hop³ IPA, Heavy Seas Beer, Baltimore, Maryland (7.25%), so named because the beer is hopped 3 ways – in the kettle, in the hop back, and dry hopped.
• Christmas Ale, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland, Ohio (7.5%), a holiday ale brewed with honey and spiced with fresh ginger and cinnamon.
• Black Perle, R.J. Rockers Brewing Company, Spartanburg, South Carolina (9.5%), a dark, roasted twist on the traditional IPA that is “octo-hopped” with the German Perle hop.

I only work two miles from Westover Market, but don’t get there often enough. Westover offers plenty to make it a beer destination:

• A huge take-home beer selection on the self-proclaimed “Great Wall of Beer” in the Westover Market grocery store
• The Beer Haus, which boasts 10 draft lines of hard-to-find brew
• The Beer Garden, which I plan to enjoy come springtime
• And the food! Westover makes all of its delicious pub food from scratch — I loved my Cuban Sandwich and side of Sweet Potato Fries. It’s not easy to find a decent traditional Cuban outside of Florida!

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