Washington DC Breweries Complete Guide | DC Craft Beer Scene
Being a beer lover with Northern VA and Washington DC as my home town, the breweries here are some of my favorite spots to hangout and have been ever since I came home after college.
Most of the DC breweries are in the neighborhoods of Shaw, Navy Yard and NoMa, and all are easy to get to with the DC metro. This is your guide to Washington DC Breweries and where to drink craft beer in the nation’s capital, which I’ll keep updated as I continue visiting as the years go by.
- DC Breweries Map
- Traveling to Washington DC Breweries
- 15 Washington DC Breweries
- More Ways to Drink Beer in Washington DC
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Washington DC Breweries Map
Use this map of Washington DC breweries to explore the best spots to taste craft beer in DC and also nearby in Northern VA, largely concentrated in the Ivy City and Navy Yard neighborhoods but also in other areas of the city.
Traveling to Washington DC Breweries
Metropolitan Beer Trail
The Metropolitan Beer Trail is a series of breweries and local craft beer spots along the Metropolitan Branch Trail, organized by the NoMa Business Improvement District. Join via email and/or text for discounts at each spot and for a chance to win prizes. Breweries with a 🟢 symbol in this blog are a part of this trail.
Where to Stay
If you’re coming in from out of town and want to explore the DC breweries there’s a few places I recommend staying at above all the rest. The NoMa neighborhood is probably the best place to stay since it’s close all the breweries, on the Metropolitan Beer Trail and close to the center of the city. The Hilton Garden Inn US Capitol is the best midrange hotel in NoMa in the area I’ve found that will put you in the perfect spot. The citizenM is another great choice.
The U Street Capsule Hostel is my first choice for a very cheap stay in the city, and it’s right on the Union Street metro stop so you can easily get around the city without a car or having to use Uber.
Other Ways to Get To DC Breweries : Metro, Parking & RideShare
If you aren’t going to use the trail to brewery hop, the metro is an excellent choice of transportation! I include the closest metro stop and how far away each one is in my guide below. You can also use the DC Metro Planner tool to navigate which I use all the time.
Outside of the Beer Trail and Metro, using RideShare apps like Uber and Lyft are the best options for groups where everyone will be tasting beer. Most Washington DC breweries also have either free or paid parking nearby, so parking is another great option. I included info on parking for each craft brewery below.
15 Washington DC Breweries
Atlas Brew Works Ivy City
- Food: Sometimes
- Closest Metro Stop: Rhode Island Ave + 1 Mile
- Parking: Street
- Events: Live Music, Trivia, Misc. like Craft Nights
- Other Drinks: No
- Dogs: Allowed Inside and Outside
- More Info: Atlas Ivy City
Atlas Brew Works Ivy City Brewery & Taproom is Atlas’s original location and one of the best Washington DC breweries and the only one which is completely solar powered – amazing!
Although there’s no in house kitchen they do typically have food trucks each day which you can confirm on their site.
They’ve also got tons of events like weekly Tuesday trivia, tarot card readings, craft nights and live music which you can check out at their website linked to above.
P.S. You can easily brewery hop over to Other Half Brewing after your stop here right next door, and if you like playing games make sure to check out Throw Social Washington DC which is also right here.
Atlas Brew Works Navy Yard
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: Navy Yard
- Parking: Street
- Events: Trivia
- Other Drinks: No
- Dogs: Yes Outside
- More Info: Atlas Navy Yard
Atlas Brew Works Navy Yard can be your first stop before a Nationals Game or your last stop after they win.
With a convenient location, huge outdoor patio, Andy’s pizza available any time you want and of course excellent beer on tap, this one should definitely be a stop on your list if you’re in the Navy Yard area!
They don’t have as many events as other breweries farther out in DC but they do have weekly trivia, and they make up with it with their dog-friendly patio.
Growing up in the DC area I’ve been out to DC many times and this particular brewery sticks out to me for being a great place in the city to grab a beer under an umbrella on their patio on a nice day. Plus there’s great people watching.
DC Brau Brewing Company
- Food: Sometimes
- Closest Metro Stop: Brookland-CUA + 2.5 miles
- Parking: Free Parking Lot
- Events: Half Off Beer Nights, Open Mic Nights
- Other Drinks: No
- Dogs: Allowed Outdoors Only
- More Info: DC Brau
DC Brau Brewing Company is absolutely one of the best Washington DC breweries.
The facility itself isn’t huge, but the beer carries the weight and makes DC Brau more than worth a visit despite it being a little farther out in the city than the other DC breweries. There’s also a seasonal beer garden where pups are welcome, perfect for a sunny DC afternoon.
Make sure to try the Corruption or the Imperial IPAs if you’re an IPA fan or the well loved Pilsner, and maybe even take a Growler to go.
They usually have some sort of food Friday-Sunday so you can make an afternoon of it. Come here on Fridays for half off tap beers, or to their once monthly Open Mic nights.
Red Bear Brewing Co 🟢
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: NoMa-Gallaudet
- Parking: Paid Parking
- Events: Trivia, Drag Brunch, Drag Bingo
- Other Drinks: Yes lots! Cider, Wine, Cocktails
- Dogs: Allowed Outdoors Only
- More Info: Red Bear Brewing
Somehow I had never heard of Red Bear Brewing Co before we stumbled in one day while walking around NoMa, which was a cool little surprise.
I love this brewery especially because I’ve always loved bears, and their cups even have a bear on them which is awesome. Try one of their Ciders for something different, or the well loved DC Dirt American Porter.
They have board games at Red Bear as well as food for sale from their in-house kitchen – including really delicious chicken tenders everyone likes. One thing I didn’t love at Red Bear is that the day I visited which was a Saturday afternoon there was only light music happening and it was a little quieter than I would prefer, but obviously not a deal breaker and some people may prefer this type of atmosphere!
The space overall is great and spacious with plenty of seating and TVs too. Outdoors there is a smaller courtyard area (seats 40) where dogs are welcome.
One special thing about Red Bear Brewing is it’s very LGBTQ+ friendly as they have weekly RuePaul’s Drag Race watch parties, drag brunches, a drag competition and even drag bingo. You can also come for weekly trivia nights and more.
Red Bear Brewing Co. is in NoMa, right next to the two best midrange hotels I’ve found in DC which are the Hilton Garden Inn and the trendy citizenM hotel in case you’re trying to find somewhere to stay!
City-State Brewing Co 🟢
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: Rhode Island Ave
- Parking: Some limited parking on site & Street
- Events: Live Music, Trivia
- Other Drinks: Cocktails
- Dogs: Allowed Indoors and Outdoors
- More Info: City-State Brewing
City-State Brewing Co is a must-stop in DC for all beer lovers, for both the fantastic beer and the really great atmosphere both inside and outside. You can tell they pay attention to detail here and everything is crafted with excellence in mind.
My favorite things about this brewery is definitely the big deck and outdoor space, and the arcade style games like pinball and skeeball. Both of these make this place a great spot for families and it’s great for kids!
Their beer list is smaller but great with a good variety of different types like their District Juice Hazy IPA and Equal Marriage Hefeweizen. They also have board games, rotating food trucks and occasionally some other events too at City-State.
If you love games, make sure to check out Kraken Pickleball and Skates right next door, which I’ve written a review for because of how much fun we had.
Other Half Brewing Washington DC Ivy City : One of the best Washington DC breweries for hanging outdoors
- Food: Sometimes
- Closest Metro Stop: Rhode Island Ave + 1 Mile
- Parking: Paid Parking Garage & Street Parking
- Events: Trivia Night, Misc. like Cooking Classes
- Other Drinks: Cider, Wine
- Dogs: Allowed Everywhere Except Rooftop
- More Info: Other Half Brewing DC
Other Half Brewing is a relatively new addition to the Washington DC breweries. There are multiple locations throughout the country but their Ivy City location is their largest!
The brewery itself is huge with an indoor and outdoor space including a gorgeous patio with cabanas, located a little farther out in Ivy City but still close to everything in the city.
Other Half Brewing Washington DC is known for their hazy IPAs, like the Broccoli which thankfully does not taste like broccoli lol, and for their stouts.
They also have sours, low ABV beers, lagers and even wine, making Other Half Brewing a really well rounded out brewery.
Every Wednesday is trivia night here, and keep an eye out for events to pop up like cooking classes (yes please!).
They also have food trucks some days which you can check before you go on their website linked to above. Like I said earlier in the blog, Atlas Brew Works Ivy City and Throw Social for games are right here, so you can easily make a day of your outing!
Bluejacket Navy Yard
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: Navy Yard
- Parking: Street
- Events: Game Day Specials
- Other Drinks: Wine, Cocktails, Spirits
- Dogs: Yes Outdoors
- More Info: Bluejacket Navy Yard
Bluejacket Navy Yard is a full service combined brewery & restaurant, and the first brewery I think of when I was brainstorming all of the best DC breweries. There’s definitely more of a day vibe here, and it’ll be packed before or after any Nationals game. Baseball and beer pair perfectly!
Perhaps dine here before or after a Nationals game – but beware they don’t take reservations, so you’ll most likely need to walk in and hangout for a while.
Bluejacket Navy Yard is perfect for groups because they have spirits, wine and cocktails along with their extensive beer selection, and also delicious food which a lot of local breweries lack. You can easily spend hours here, and I often see big group or families posting up.
I’ve been here countless times and every time is a good one. They have a covered patio which is a beautiful spot on a nice day, and a multi-story indoor taproom and restaurant, plus a full bar.
The last time I was here I ordered the tater tot poutine and OMG. These were so amazing I’m still thinking about them and will be going back soon. I even went to Montreal about a year ago and never had anything even close to as good as these. Highly recommend.
Some other favorites are the chicken sandwich and soft pretzel, while some of their top beers are the Lost Weekend IPA along with the Mexican Radio stout.
Solace Outpost Navy Yard : One of the Washington DC Breweries with the best views
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: Navy Yard + .5 Miles
- Parking: Street
- Events: Trivia
- Other Drinks: No
- Dogs: Outside Yes
- More Info: Solace Navy Yard
Solace Outpost Navy Yard is a big DC craft brewery right on the water in Navy Yard with a full service kitchen and a weekly Trivia Night.
They have a whole tots menu to check out! There’s also a big outdoor patio where dogs are welcome and which overlooks the water, making it one of the most pretty of the DC breweries and perfect for birthday parties and events.
Solace’s most famous beers are their IPAs, and they even have their own hard seltzer.
Solace Navy Yard is a great stop to watch the big game too as they often have watch parties with lots of TVs and a great atmosphere. Make sure to check out Dacha Beer Garden just nearby on nice days.
Aslin Beer Company DC Logan Circle : DC’s Beer Garden Brewery
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: U Street/African-Amer
- Parking: Street
- Events: Yes Misc.
- Other Drinks: Coffee Bar, Wine, Cider, Cocktails, Juices (All House Brewed!)
- Dogs: Yes Outside
- More Info: Aslin Logan Circle
Aslin Logan Circle is very unique and a must-stop of all the Washington DC breweries, especially during the nice weather seasons. This Aslin location is primarily a large beer garden, some of which is covered.
There is a partial enclosure for the winter season or for inclement weather, but they do close for inclement weather sometimes. You can check their Facebook page to make sure they’re open the day you want to visit and also to see all the cool events they have going on.
So what makes Aslin unique? Alongside their specialty craft beers they also offer their own hard seltzers, hot ciders, wines, sangria and even nitro cold brew on tap. In fact, they have a full coffee bar on site, which is the indoor part of the photos you see below.
The Passion of Johann IPA and Old Town lager are two of their most loved beers. You can check out their online menu with great pictures to see for yourself before you go also.
Capitol City Brewing Company
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: Metro Center
- Parking: Street
- Events: No
- Other Drinks: Full Bar
- Dogs: No
- More Info: Capitol City Brewing
Capitol City Brewing Company is DC’s first brewpub and a great full service combined brewery and restaurant in DC. There’s definitely more of a restaurant vibe here and for good reason – the food is delicious.
Some favorites on the food menu are the crab cakes and onion rings, while the Capitol Kolsh is one of their flagship beers.
You can come here to watch the big game too, as Capitol City Brewing calls themselves a sports bar as well. This local favorite is perfect for families looking for casual dining in a more lively atmosphere.
Lost Generation Brewing Company DC 🟢
- Food: Sometimes
- Closest Metro Stop: NoMa-Gallaudet + .5 Miles
- Parking: Street
- Events: Trivia, Jazz Nights, Misc.
- Other Drinks: Cocktails
- Dogs: Yes Indoors & Outdoors
- More Info: Lost Generation Brewing
Lost Generation is considered one of the best Washington DC breweries by many.
The taproom is placed in a beautiful old Nabisco factory, with a Speakeasy theme and a huge indoor space welcoming both humans and dogs.
Sometimes they have giant Jenga out on some of the tables for you to play. Not only can you bring your dog, but you’re own food as well! It doesn’t get better than that.
Stop by for one of their many event nights like their Jazz nights, Trivia or even a cooking class.
Crooked Run Fermentation DC 🟢
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: NoMa-Gallaudet
- Parking: Street
- Events: Movie Night, Trivia, BYOV (Bring Your Own Vinyl)
- Other Drinks: Hand Pressed Juice Cocktails, Wine, Hard Seltzer
- Dogs: Yes Outdoors
- More Info: Crooked Run Fermentation
Crooked Run Fermentation is a brewery and pizza shop in the NoMa / Union Market area with fantastic beer and relaxed atmosphere.
Their Sticky Rice beer is their flagship, often out of stock due to high demand, and they also have cider, all natural wine and seltzers. Another thing that makes this one stick out is their awesome events including Movie Nights and BYOV (Bring Your Own Vinyl) sessions.
In addition to being an all around great brewery, they also have a very unique selection of drinks to choose from including pressed-juice cocktails and wine, making it a great place for groups. Try the Mirth, which is a double imperial stout (!), one of their sours or IPAs.
What makes Crooked Run Fermentation so unique is that they also offer hand-pressed juice craft cocktails, all natural wine, and slushee-style hard seltzers. You could come here every weekend of the month and have something completely different to drink each time! Perfect for groups and adventurous travelers.
Hellbender Brewing Company
- Food: Sometimes
- Closest Metro Stop: Fort Totten + 1 Mile
- Events: Trivia, Open Mic Night
- Other Drinks: No
- Dogs: No
- More Info: Hellbender Brewing
Named after an amphibian, Hellbender Brewing Company is special for their dedication to brewing in a more sustainable way. I love a small business with a cause and I find this really charming.
This DC Brewery is small and quaint, with a rotating list of food trucks and lots of great beer in a tasting room with dart boards and TVs.
A few of their year-round beers to check out are the Helles Bender lager and the Ignite and Turtle Frog IPAs, and they have weekly events too.
Right Proper Brewing Co. Brookland Production House 🟢
- Food: Sometimes
- Closest Metro Stop: Rhode Island Ave + .5 Miles
- Parking: Street
- Events: Live Music, Trivia, Artisan Markets
- Other Drinks: Wine
- Dogs: Allowed Outdoors
- More Info: Right Proper Brookland
Right Proper Brewing Co. is a classic DC brewery and indoor/outdoor hangout spot. Their tasting room has windows into the brewery which I always like and a big mural.
When it comes to beer, Raised by Wolves is one of their most popular ones which is an American pale ale, and I personally love their Big Tomorrow IPA which is also a mainstay.
People also love the Porter here, which is called HÄXAN and based off a Scandinavian silent film on witchcraft. 🧙♀️ Right Proper Brewing does offer wine as well but it’s definitely beer-focused.
Right Proper Brookland is also one of the best DC breweries for kids and families are always welcome. Sometimes they even have events catered toward the little ones, along with events for adults like live music and more.
Right Proper Brewing Company Shaw
- Food: Yes
- Closest Metro Stop: Shaw-Howard
- Parking: Street (May be difficult)
- Events: Open Mic Night
- Other Drinks: Cider, Wine, Cocktails
- Dogs: Allowed Outdoors
- More Info: Right Proper Shaw
Along with the Brookland taproom, Right Proper Brewing also has a location in Shaw which is combined restaurant/brewery with a rustic-chic, casual vibe.
Try the chicken sandwich and the Brussel sprouts to try some of the menu favorites. For somewhere to stay right next to Right Proper, the Union Street Hostel is one of my go-tos.
More Ways to Drink Beer in Washington DC
Take a DC Beer Tour
The DC Original Brew Tour is a great way to experience the best breweries in the city. You’ll stop at four breweries and you’ll be treated like a VIP. Also make sure to book ahead of time because there’s a waitlist typically weeks out.
Visit the Best Beer Gardens & Beer Bars In DC
Outside of the Washington DC breweries, there are several award-winning beer bars and halls for brew lovers visiting DC.
ChurchKey is known to be a connoisseur of craft beer and a haven for beer lovers in Logan Circle. The Sovereign is a cozy pub in Georgetown known for their Belgian-style craft beer. Brookland Pint is another great place to go for craft beer and amazing food.
In addition to the best beer bars in DC, there are also the beer gardens which are perfect for nice DC days. Dacha Beer Garden is probably the biggest of the DC beer gardens, and there are locations in both Navy Yard and Shaw.
Wunder Garten is another beer garden, close to Red Bear Brewing, with fun events and a more unique atmosphere. Midlands is also great, although it’s a little farther North out of the way.
Once you’ve explored the craft beer scene, there’s so much more to see in the nation’s capital for travelers. Check out all of my Washington DC travel blog posts to find more things to do in the city here. Enjoy!!
Lauren Kessel
Lauren Kessel is the author of this blog post and the creator of the Inspired Backpacker travel blog. She is a passionate digital nomad, with the mission to make slow travel a more accessible way of life for everyone. Lauren believes travel is an important means of education and more importantly, a way for people of different cultures to come together and understand each other better. She has a BS in Tourism and has planned countless domestic and international trips for herself, her family and friends, having visited over 12 countries and 30 states so far.
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