Capital Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in Washington, D.C.

by Garrett Peck

An effervescent history of beer brewing in the American capital city.

Imagine the jubilation of thirsty citizens in 1796 when the Washington Brewery--the city's first brewery--opened. Yet the English-style ales produced by the early breweries in the capital and in nearby Arlington and Alexandria sat heavy on the tongue in the oppressive Potomac summers. By the 1850s, an influx of German immigrants gave a frosty reprieve to their new home in the form of light but flavorful lagers. Brewer barons like Christian Heurich and Albert Carry dominated the taps of city saloons until production ground to a halt with the dry days of Prohibition. Only Heurich survived, and when the venerable institution closed in 1956, Washington, D.C., was without a brewery for fifty-five years. Author and beer scholar Garrett Peck taps this high-gravity history while introducing readers to the bold new brewers leading the capital's recent craft beer revival.

"Why'd it take us [DC's brewing culture] so long to get back on the wagon? Capital Beer will answer all your questions in the endearing style of your history buff friend who you can't take to museums (in a good way!)." --DCist

"In brisk and lively prose Peck covers 240 years of local brewing history, from the earliest days of British ale makers through the influx of German lagermeisters and up to the present-day craft breweries. . . . Richly illustrated with photographs both old and new, as well as a colorful collection of her art, Capital Beer is almost as much fun to read as "sitting in an outdoor beer garden and supping suds with friends over a long, languid conversation."" --The Hill Rag

Genres: Nonfiction, Beer, History

115 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 24, 2014

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Lots of good research and info for DC history buffs. It’s obvious that this book was well-researched. But what it could have used was a good editor.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garrett Peck has a knack for bringing to life nuggets of cultural history, and he has struck pay dirt again with his delightful new book on the history of beer making and beer drinking in the Nation's Capital. Peck begins with the very earliest brewers making English-style ales and porters in the late 1700s, covers the rise of the Germans and their lagers in the 1800s, and recounts the dramatic death and rebirth of D.C. beers in the 20th century. You'll find fascinating portraits here of the great brewers of the past, like Robert Portner and Christian Heurich, as well as a vivid look at how and why the city's great breweries went extinct for such a long time. But it's not all a sad story. Peck seems to know all the exciting craft brewers that have flocked back to D.C. with delicious new beers, and he offers as knowledgeable a glimpse of where beer is headed now and in the future as he does of its storied past. Highly recommended for beer lovers and local history aficionados alike!

[Scott Salmonsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent read for anyone who lives in the DC area, and is a beer geek, like myself. Garrett Peck has again done his homework. Also, this book is not a "dry" history book (pun intended). Garrett writes in an entertaining, at times humorous, style, while passing along his knowledge of the brewing industry.

This is a new book, as of 2014, so the information on breweries and brewpubs in the DC area is very helpful as reference material. Also, I agree with the author in the opinion that DC (and the US in general, as far as I'm aware) needs more beer gardens, please!

[Chris Chester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most books on local history, Capital Beer is a little dry at points and doesn't quite plumb the depths like one might like. Even so, it's a pretty interesting read for those like myself who are really into the city's burgeoning beer business and want to know where it all came from, however indirectly.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not the best written book in the world, I truly enjoyed this one. The author highlights a part of local history most DC residents don't know. I recommend this to all DC area residents that enjoy a cold beer.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed learning the history of the local brewing industry in Washington DC. I ripped through this book in just under a week which is rare for me. The author kept me engaged and I had trouble putting the book down. The chapter on the current beer scene was a real treat as well.

[Chris Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, thorough, and timely read for any DC-area beer lover. It will leave you thirsty.

[Jeff Hancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting stories. it got a little tedious for me at times though. I did learn that DC Brau's brewer is also named Jeff Hancock. I look forward to meeting him one day.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the history however not the author's writing style

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative if you are interested in the history of beer in DC, but not much of a narrative - more of a string of facts.