Beginnings (Redux)

Image accessed 13 Dec 2012 from http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/2011/11/thursday-think-tank-73-waning-days-of.html 

"...[W]henever you feel urgent or overwhelmed, whenever you feel pressed to figure things out or rethink the unthinkable . . . rest . . . so that the endless beginning--which some call the voice of God--might break through what has happened....

"...And you will wake feeling like dawn." 

                                     --Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening, p. 390 

This passage in Mark Nepo's day book (from the entry for Nov 27) strikes a chord within me. Until now, I have lived life linearly. I have imagined myself moving from beginning, through middle, toward the end. I look to my left and right and compare my progress with others. I am a little ahead of someone, and I feel proud. I see someone ahead of me and I feel jealous. Sometimes, I am so caught up in the race that days go by and I do not even notice the passing of time. I come home to a pile of unfinished projects and unformed ideas and unrealized dreams. I feel overwhelmed.

Perhaps it is time to begin living more iteratively. Perhaps life is more a series of new beginnings than a linear race to the inevitable end. Every morning when I wake up, I realize I have a new day to make the most of--and so do you!


This Ash Wednesday post is a follow up to my earlier thoughts on Beginnings:

A Qualitative Value Map of the President's Agenda

Image credit: Jonathan Newton / THE WASHINGTON POST

I listened to the "pre-game" coverage of the Inaugural address on NPR. What I heard were lots of reasons why we should not expect much from this address. Historically, Inauguration speeches are not meant to inspire much more than a healthy respect for a unique American trademark: the peaceful transition of power. Beyond that, we could expect some thoughts about reaching across the aisle and working together for a better tomorrow, but not much in the way of substance.

 

 

As evidence of these low expectations, some Americans are still wondering whether Beyonce lip-synced. If she lip synced, she synced her lips so expertly as to fool me. And while I admire authenticity, I also value risk management, and I have moved beyond this question.

Speaking of risk management, I will also admit that I had a morbid curiosity about whether Chief Justice Roberts would again muff the oath of office. Armed with a note card and an abundance of caution, he performed perfectly. One day, I hope to learn what flicker of thought momentarily interrupted the President's concentration, but I am prepared to wait for that answer, too. His verbal stumble was evidence of humanity, and nothing to dwell upon.

Of much more significance to me is the skillful way in which the President leveraged the moment. With no concern over his political future now that he's in his final term, he could afford to offer a bolder vision for America, and that he certainly did do. The fact that he gave his address on Martin Luther King, Jr Day was significant as well. He invoked Dr King with great effect. I got caught up on the passion and unexpected specificity of the President's remarks.

As a concerned citizen in middle age, I listened intently to the President's address. I heard a clear Purpose statement, drawn from the Constitution. I heard the compelling language of Ends, Ways, and Means. I also heard a vision for a progressive agenda--a call to action. As a scholar-practitioner of Value-Focused Thinking, I responded to his clear and compelling drumbeat:

Our Journey is not complete until

• Boom, 
• Boom, 
• Boom...

Making a Qualitative Value Map of the President's Agenda: 

 

 

A Value-Focused Thinking look at President Obama's 2013 Inaugural Address

I have applied my VFT craft to the President's words and repackaged them below as if I were going to use them to make a math model of the President's agenda. Here is my breakdown of the Inauguration address in Value-Focused Thinking terms.

Fundamental Objective

aka Purpose, equivalent to the “Ends” in Ends = Ways + Means

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Vision

aka Desired Endstate / How we will know when we have achieved the Fundamental Objective

Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time.  For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. 

Objective Function(s)

aka Ways (we seek to Maximize these functions)

 

• Freedom:
• Equality:
• Initiative: youth and drive
• Transparency: diversity and openness
• Entrepreneurial spirit: an endless capacity for risk (?)
• A gift for reinvention?  (I think this means starting over or re-framing)
• Skepticism of central authority (balance of power, gov’t works for the people)
• Limited government (all society’s ills cannot be cured through government alone)
• Celebration of initiative and enterprise
• Insistence on hard work and personal responsibility
• Being true to our founding documents / creed / principles (a reference to the Constitution, used at least 4 times)

Means Objectives

these are the “Means” by which we will maximize the Objective Functions “Ways” and achieve the Fundamental Objective “Ends”)

For our journey is not complete until (Specified)

• Pay equality: our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts
• Advancing gay rights: our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well 
• Voting reform: no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote
• Immigration reform: showing more tolerance toward illegal immigrants: we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country
• Ending gun violence: all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm
• Preserving the social welfare safety net
• Acting to stop climate change.

For our journey is not complete until (Implied)

 

 

• Infrastructure: a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce

• Education: a modern economy requires schools and colleges to train our workers
• Market regulation: a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play
• Social Safety Net / Emergency Management: a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune
• Diplomacy / Statecraft: A decade of war is now ending (peace dividend)
• Economy: An economic recovery has begun (and must continue)
• Environmental Protection: respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations
• America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class (tax reform)
• We must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes:  tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice
• A little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own
• Remake our government
• Revamp our tax code
• Reform our schools
• Empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher
• We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. 
• Pragmatism: We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect
• We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit
• Citizenship: citizens have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals

If asked, I would make a Qualitative Value Model of the President's vision. The next steps in my process of transforming the President's speech into a tool for strategic communication, math model would be the following:

• Condense the Means Objectives to the collectively exhaustive and mutually exclusive few. Try for 7, plus or minus 2.
• Develop Evaluation Measures for each Means Objective. These Evaluation Measures come in four types: leading or lagging measures, and measures of performance or effectiveness. The best model has a mix of the four types of Evaluation Measures.
• Affirm the data sources for each Evaluation Measure and map the data to the measures.
• In consultation with the Office of the President, develop Value Functions, which are like grading curves for converting data to scores. 
• Add in a capability for Monte Carlo Simulation.  
• Maintain the model by adjusting the weights and thresholds as required. 

I am looking forward to the more policy-oriented State of the Union address, where I hope to hear more details about how the President would implement his agenda during his second term. The odds of his success are not great, given the fact that the new Congress is not a lot different, in terms of party distribution, from the last one. The biggest advantage the President has in promoting an activist agenda is the simple fact that his performance rating has climbed into the 50s while Congress has sunk even lower than it had been before, if that can be imagined.


The President's approval rating has more influence on Congressional outcomes than the clarity of his speeches. Why? Because in this constitutional republic, concerned citizens are still in charge. People are fed up with gridlock in Congress. If the President's vision for the future is not the best, it is no longer sufficient to mock it or block it. someone m?

Anyone can lip sync a good speech.  What really matters is who listens to the words, and what the listeners do in response to them. If listeners continue to focus on delivery, we're doomed to more partisan rhetoric. Let's turn our focus to content. Let's get pragmatic so we can move forward together.

A Qualitative Value Map helps by delivering the following:

• definition of what the objective looks like
• how we will know when we have arrived
• how we will measure success
• how we know where we are relative to the objective
• which investments would likely produce the most favorable impact on the system score.

I wonder why we don't already have such a powerful tool available. If you think a Qualitative Value Map would be a good thing, let me know, and I'll get right on it!


A transcript of President Obama 2013 inaugural address is HERE.

World Map Composed of Flags?

Mosaic World Map

I found this creative world map here.


Hongkiat describes the work as a mosaic of flags, which is an idea that appeals to me. Unfortunately, that is not an accurate description of the work. Fortunately, Hongkiat was careful to cite the original source, Genista.


Genista offers a detailed look at the tiles that compose the world map, as well as a link to the color sorting program that arranged the tiles in an optimal map. Have a look here.


I find the work of Genista and the Long Line collaborators endlessly fascinating and I'm delighted to share this with PhilosFX readers.


But I still want to see a world map that really IS composed of Flags...

Burgeoning Brewing Scene in Our Nation's Capitol

Version 10.2, as of Mar 25, 2013

This is a great time to be a craft beer fan in the Nation's Capitol! And you are looking at my most recently updated compilation of breweries and brewpubs in the National Capitol Region. Have you heard of all the breweries, brew-pubs, and tied houses below? Have you been to a few to sample the wares? Our mantra: think global, drink LOCAL!

>> Comment below about any new discoveries or to share your impressions! <<

One quick introductory note before you dive into the compilation. I am mainly interested in currently "open, local, craft" brewers. I define "local" as those within 100 miles (2 hours) of the US Capitol Building. I use the Brewers' Association's definition of "craft:" small, independent, and traditional.  See http://bit.ly/VgVzeH.

In the interest of promoting the regional brewing scene, the list you see includes some categorized exceptions to the "open, local, craft" rule:

·         Beer brewed locally by non-locally owned chains, e.g., Gordon Biersch, is included for completeness, but listed separately.

·         I have a short list of "tied houses."  These retail outlets, such as the Dogfish Head Ale Houses, have no on-site brewing but they are essentially extensions of a regional brewery's tasting room.

·         To further wet your whistle, I also show a list of breweries and brewpubs that are not yet open but coming soon to a location within 100 miles of the Capitol Building.

·         I added a select group of current and future "road-trippable" breweries and brewpubs. They may be outside my arbitrary definition of LOCAL, yet if you have the time, they are well worth the drive.

·         I mention the region's two large brewers (i.e., those producing over 6 million bbls per year), Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors. Why not? The big boys can make some good beer, too.  More importantly, they employ local brewers, and they brew gateway beers on which most of us craft beer lovers cut our teeth.

·         For reasons of nostalgia and historical completeness, I even include closed breweries and brewpubs (local, non-locally owned, and some further afield).

·         Finally, let's not forget the region's dynamic homebrew clubs! These talent incubators have given rise to many of our area's top brewers. We celebrate home-brewers who have turned pro and encourage all who may follow.

>> Questions or updates are welcome in the Comments section. <<

Note: some brands you can buy are brewed by contract. One cannot visit the Stillwater Artisanal Brewery, for example, because Stillwater beers are currently brewed using facilities at DOG Brewing. "Currently Open" means a physical place you can go and visit, like DOG Brewing. Look for Stillwater under "Coming Soon."

 

A. LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED BREWERIES & BREW-PUBS (Sorted Alphabetically)

1.     3 Stars Brewery, Washington, DC

2.     Adroit Theory Brewing Company, Loudon Co

3.     Antietam Brewing at Benny's Pub, Hagerstown, MD

4.     Appalachian Brewing Company, Gettysburg, PA

5.     Barley and Hops Grill and Microbrewery, Frederick

6.     Barnhouse Brewery, Leesburg

7.     Battlefield Brewing at The Pub, Fredericksburg, VA

8.     Bawlmer Brewing, Baltimore, MD

9.     Baying Hound Aleworks, Rockville, MD

10.  Blue & Gray Brewing Co, Fredericksburg

11.  Brewer's Alley Restaurant & Brewery, Frederick

12.  Brewer's Art, Baltimore

13.  Capitol City Brewing Company, Arlington  (now brews for all Cap City locations)

14.  Center of the Universe (COTU) Brewing Company, Ashland, VA

15.  Chocolate City Brewing Co.,  Washington, DC

16.  Coastal Brewing Dover, DE (Old Dominion and Fordham brands)

17.  Corcoran Brewing Co., Waterford, VA

18.  DC Brau, Washington, DC

19.  Dempsey's Brewpub and Restaurant, Baltimore

20.  DOG Brewing Co, Westminster, MD (DOG and Stillwater Artisanal brands)

21.  DuClaw Brewing Company, Bel Air

22.  DuClaw Brewing Company, Bowie

23.  DuClaw Brewing Company, Hanover

24.  Eastern Shore Brewing, St Michaels, MD

25.  Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, Ellicott City

26.  Firestation 1 Restaurant and Brewing Co.

27.  The Flying Barrel BOP and Homebrew Shop, Frederick, MD

28.  Flying Dog Brewing Regional Brewery, Frederick (Corporate HQ in Denver)

29.  Franklin's Restaurant, Brewery & General Store, Hyattsville

30.  Growler's of Gaithersburg

31.  Gunpowder Falls Brewing, New Freedom, PA

32.  Heavy Seas Beer, Halethorpe, MD (Clipper, Pyrate, and Mutiny lines)

33.  Holy Brew, Leesburg, VA

34.  Lost Rhino Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA

35.  MacDowell Brew Kitchen, Leesburg

36.  Mad Fox Brewery, Falls Church

37.  Mad Hop Brews, Ellicott City, MD

38.  Mad Horse Brewpub, Lovettsville, VA

39.  Monocacy Brewing, Frederick, MD

40.  Mud Hound Brewing Company, Purcellville, VA

41.  Picadilly's, Winchester, VA

42.  Port City Brewing, Alexandria

43.  Pratt Street Alehouse, Baltimore

44.  Red Brick Station, White Marsh, MD

45.  Ruddy Duck, Solomons Island, MD

46.  Sweetwater Tavern, Centreville

47.  Sweetwater Tavern, Falls Church

48.  Sweetwater Tavern, Sterling

49.  Union Craft Brewing Co, Baltimore

50.  Vintage 50 Restaurant and Brew Lounge, Leesburg

B. CHAIN BREW-PUBS AND TIED HOUSES IN OUR REGION (Sorted Alphabetically)

1.     Capitol City Brewing Company, New York Ave

2.     District Chophouse & Brewery, Washington, DC

3.     Dogfish Head Ale House, Fairfax

4.     Dogfish Head Ale House, Falls Church

5.     Dogfish Head Ale House, Gaithersburg

6.     DuClaw  Brewing Company, BWI Airport, Southwest Terminal

7.     Frisco Tap House and Push Brewing, Columbia, MD

8.     Gordon Biersch , Annapolis

9.     Gordon Biersch, Dulles International Airport (IAD-Terminal D, Gate D14)

10.  Gordon Biersch, McLean

11.  Gordon Biersch, Rockville

12.  Gordon Biersch, Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA-North Pier)

13.  Gordon Biersch, Washington, DC

14.  Heavy Seas Alehouse, Baltimore

15.  Hops Grillhouse and Brewery,  Alexandria

16.  Lee's Retreat, Fredericksburg (outlet for Blue & Gray)

17.  Old Dominion Brewhouse, Hyattsville (Outlet for Coastal's Old Dominion line)

18.  Old Dominion Brewhouse, Washington, DC (Outlet for Coastal's Old Dominion line)

19.  Pub Dog Pizza & Drafthouse, Columbia, Maryland (outlet for DOG)

20.  Pub Dog Pizza & Drafthouse, Federal Hill, Baltimore (outlet for DOG)

21.  Ram's Head Tavern, Annapolis (Outlet for Coastal's Fordham line)

22.  Ram's Head Roadhouse, Annapolis (Outlet for Coastal's Fordham line)

23.  Ram's Head Shore House, Stevensville (Outlet for Coastal's Fordham line)

24.  Ram's Head Tavern, Savage (Outlet for Coastal's Fordham line)

25.  Rock Bottom, Arlington

26.  Rock Bottom, Bethesda

C. LOCAL VENUES COMING SOON (Sorted Alphabetically)

1.     BadWolf Brewing Company, Manassas

2.     Bardo BrewPub, Washington, DC

3.     Beltway Brewing, a brewery for hire, coming to Loudon County in late 2012

4.     Bluejacket, aka NRG's Brewery and Restaurant at the Yards

5.     Bluemont Brewery, Purcellville

6.     CasaNoVa Brewing & Sound, Arlington

7.     Charm City Brewing, Baltimore

8.     Crooked Run  Brewery, Waterford

9.     Frey’s Brewing, Mt. Airy, MD

10.  Full Tilt Brewing Co., Baltimore

11.  Gordon Biersch, Washington, DC (Navy Yard)

12.  Hellbender Brewing Company, DC

13.  Leesburg Brewing Company, Leesburg

14.  Logan Shaw Brewing Company,  Washington, DC (will brew Logan Shaw and Wild Goose brands)

15.  Low Brau DC

16.  Mad Science Brewing Company, Thanksgiving Farms, Adamstown, MD

17.  Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm, Mt Airy, MD

18.  Mully's Brewery, Prince Frederick, MD

19.  Peabody Heights Brewing Co, Baltimore

20.  The Raven, Baltimore

21.  Right Proper Brewing Co., Washington, DC

22.  Robert Portner Brewhouse and Beergarden, Alexandria, VA (Portner's great-great-grandchildren plan a revival as a brewery incubator. Coming in 2013).

23.  Ruhlman Brewing Co., Hampstead, MD

24.  Stillwater Artisanal Ales, Baltimore (currently contract brewing at DOG)

25.  VRG's The V Virginia Eatery and Brewhouse, Ashburn, VA

26.  Washingtonian's Brewing Co., Washington, DC

D. REGIONAL ROAD-TRIP WORTHY BREWERIES & BREW-PUBS (Sorted on distance in miles from the US Capitol)

1.     16 Mile Brewing Company, Georgetown, DE (101)

2.     Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE (103)

3.     Beer Hound Brewing, Barboursville, VA (104)

4.     Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Richmond (106)

5.     Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE (107)

6.     Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE (108)

7.     Legend Brewing Company, Richmond (111)

8.     Midnight Brewery, Rockville, VA (114)

9.     3rd Wave Brewery and Tasting Room, Delmar, DE (115)

10.  Evolution Craft Brewing Co., Salisbury, MD (117)

11.  Champion Brewing Co., Charlottesville (117)

12.  South Street Brewing, Charlottesville (118)

13.  Appalachian Brewing Company, Camp Hill, PA (120)

14.  Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats, Rehoboth, DE (123)

15.  MillerCoors LLC, Shenandoah Brewery, Elkton, VA (123)

16.  Tall Tales Brewing, Parsonsburg, MD (124)

17.  Starr Hill Brewing Company, Crozet, VA (129)

18.  Troeg's Brewing Company, Hershey, PA (131)

19.  James River Brewing Company, Scottsville, VA (135)

20.  Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA (136)

21.  Burley Oak Brewing Co., Berlin, MD (140)

22.  Brass Cannon Brewing, Toano, VA (142)

23.  Wild Wolf Brewing Company, Nellysford, VA (147)

24.  Williamsburg Alewerks, Williamsburg (150)

25.  Devil’s Backbone Basecamp Brewery, Roseland, VA (150)

26.  Blue Mountain Barrel House, Arrington, VA (153)

27.  Anheuser-Busch Inc, Pocahontas Trail, Williamsburg, VA (157)

28.  Free Will Brewing Co, Perkasie, PA (164)

29.  Selin's Grove Brewing Company, Selinsgrove, PA (166)

30.  St George Brewing Company, Hampton (176)

31.  Jefferson Street Brewery and Pub, Lynchburg, VA (179)

32.  Devil's Backbone Outpost Brewery, Lexington, VA (190)

33.  O'Connor Brewing Co, Norfolk, VA (193)

34.  Blue Lab Brewing Co., Lexington, VA (193)

35.  Smart Mouth Brewing, Norfolk, VA (200)

36.  Roanoke Railhouse Brewery, Roanoke, VA (244)

37.  Bull and Bones Brewhaus & Grill, Blacksburg, VA (269)

38.  River Company Brewery, Radford, VA (275)

39.  Wolf Hills Brewing Company, Abingdon, VA (363)

E. REGIONAL VENUES COMING SOON (Sorted on distance in miles from the US Capitol)

1.     Archangel Brewing Company, Richmond (107)

2.     Haxall Brewing Co, Richmond, VA (109)

3.     Ajax Aleworks, Richmond, VA (109)

4.     Strangeways Brewing Co., Richmond, VA (109)

5.     Ardent Craft Ales, Church Hill, Richmond, VA (112)

6.     Treehaus Brewery, Charlottesville, VA (117)

7.     Licking Hole Creek Craft Brewery, Goochland, VA (126)

8.     Three Brothers Brewing, Harrisonburg, VA (132)

9.     Fin City Brewing, Ocean City, MD (146)

10.  Shorebilly Brewing Co, Ocean City, MD (146)

11.  Red Beard Brewing Co, Staunton, VA (159)

12.  Shenandoah Valley Brewing, Staunton, VA (159)

13.  Apocalypse Ale Works, Forest, VA (193)

14.  Bedford Alehouse, Bedford (near Roanoke) (206)

15.  Young Veterans Brewing Co., Virginia Beach, VA (210)

16.  Parkway Brewing, Salem, VA (240)

17.  Creek Bottom Brewing, Galax, VA (325)

F. FONDLY REMEMBERED VENUES (Sorted Chronologically)

1.     Consumer Brewery (1896-1904, became Arlington Brewery)

2.     Robert Portner's Tivoli Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA (Closed in 1916--possibly being revived?)

3.     American Brewery, Baltimore (1887-1920)

4.     Arlington Brewery (1904-1920)

5.     Olde Heurich Brewing Company (1872-1956)

6.     Globe Brewing Company (Arrow Beer) (1748-1963)

7.     Queen City Brewing Company, Cumberland, MD (1901–1976)

8.     National Brewing Company (National Bohemian) (1885-1978)

9.     Chesapeake Bay Brewing Co., Virginia Beach (1982?-1989?).

10.  British Brewing Co., Glen Burnie (1988-1992), sold to form Oxford Brewing

11.  Globe Brewing (Key Hwy) (1994-1996)

12.  Dock Street Brewing (later John Harvard DC), (1994-1997)

13.  Oxford Brewing Co., Linthicum  (1992-1998, then part of Clipper City 1998-2009)

14.  Potomac River Brewing Co., Chantilly, VA (1993-1998)

15.  Brimstone Brewing Company, Baltimore, then Frederick (1994-1998)

16.  Blue-N-Gold Brewery, Arlington (1996-1998)

17.  Virginia Brewing Co (Bought by Founders in 2000)

18.  Sisson's Restaurant and Brewery (1979-2002) sold brewing equip to Mountaineer

19.  Founders Restaurant & Brewing Co, Alexandria (Closed 2002)

20.  Virginia Native Brewing Co., Alexandria  (1998-2003).

21.  Baltimore Brewing Co., aka DeGroen's (1989-2004)

22.  Bardo Rodeo Brewpub (Closed 2004). Possibly coming back?

23.  Rock Creek Brewing, Richmond (1996?-2005?)

24.  John Harvard's Brew House, Washington, DC (1997 - 2006)

25.  Capitol City Brewing Company, Baltimore (Closed 2007)

26.  DuClaw  Brewing Company, Fells Point, Baltimore (Closed in 2009)

27.  Fordham Brewing Co (Bought 2009 by Coastal Brewing)

28.  Frederick Brewing (Bought by an Ohio brewery that itself was bought by Flying Dog in 2009)

29.  Old Dominion Brewing Co (Bought 2009 by Coastal Brewing)

30.  Clay Pipe, Westminster, MD (closed 2010)

31.  Clipper City (reorganized in 2010 as Heavy Seas Beers)

32.  Wild Goose Brewery (Cambridge > Frederick > Flying Dog > Closed 2010 and sold recipes to Logan Shaw).

33.  Mountaineer Brewing Co., Martinsburg, WV (Closed Apr 2011)

34.  Calhoun's, Harrisonburg, VA (Closed 2011)

35.  Capitol City Brewing Company, Massachusetts Ave  (Closed Jul 2011--possibly reopening in Union Station?)

36.  Shenandoah Brewing Company, Alexandria  (Closed June 2011)

37.  Shooting Creek Farm Brewery, Floyd, VA‎ (Closed May 2011)

38.  Cabinet Artisianal Brewhouse, Alexandria (2011-2012)

G. NON-COMMERCIAL HOME-BREWING AND BEER APPRECIATION CLUBS (Sorted Alphabetically)

1.     Alexandria Brew Crew (ABC)

2.     Arts District Homebrewers, Hyattsville, MD

3.     Baltibrew

4.     Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)

5.     Chesapeake Real Ale Brewers Society (CRABS)

6.     Cross Street Irregulars (CSI)

7.     DC Homebrewers, Pres. Josh Huber. Home of Brian Barrows of "Your Favorite Foreign Movie" fame.

8.     Frederick's Original Ale Makers (FOAM)

9.     Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Society (FABTS)

10.  Fredericksburg Brewing Insiders  (FBI)

11.  Goddard Zymurnauts

12.  The Killer Ales

13.  Libation Association

14.  Maryland Ale & Lager Technicians (MALT)

15.  Midnight Homebrewers' League

16.  Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood (SPBW)

17.  Wootown Brewers, Northern Maryland

18.  The Wort Hogs, Herndon

CONCLUSION

By this count, there are (50) currently open local breweries and brew-pubs within 100 miles of the Capitol, plus an additional (26) brew-pub chains and "tied house" brewery outlets.  Added to these establishments, we have (43) more breweries and brew-pubs coming soon to the local area. Lots of choice, and more on the way!

Going slightly further afield, I highlight (39) current and (17) future breweries that are not far outside the arbitrary 100-mile radius and well worth a road trip.  And because brewing, like any other business, follows a lifecycle, I list (38) breweries or brewpubs no longer in operation: gone but not forgotten.

And while we're at it, let's not forget to highlight the amateur brewers who meet, greet, and compete in (18) local home-brew clubs.

In all, this list highlights (214) past, present and future fresh beer outlets, each an important part of the lively and growing beer scene in the National Capitol Region. Today's brewers are enhancing and extending the American brewing tradition from our Nation's frothy founding to its foam-filled future.

Support Your Local Breweries!

Join me in hoisting a pint supporting the burgeoning brewing scene in our Nation's Capitol!  Cheers!

Rock on, DC-Area Brewers!  We're thirsty!

Here is a summary of changes from Version 10.1, published Feb 10, 2013:

·         Total venues up to (214) from (208), an increase of (6).

·         Of the (6) additions, (2) are current, (3) are coming soon, and (1) are closed.

·         I updated (2) breweries (changed status or category).

·         I processed (2) comments (corrections, suggestions).

·         These contributors or resources were especially helpful: Tom Cizauskas (2); Scott Nestler (2); Steve Mitchell (1); Paul Milligan (1); and Chuck Triplett (1).

In addition to helpful comments from readers like you, I also use the following references:

·         Ale Street News, www.alestreetnews.com, publishing editor, Tony Forder

·         All We Can Eat http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat

·         American Breweries II, by Dale Van Wieren, and published by the Eastern Coast Breweriana Association, 1995.

·         American Homebrewers Assn (AHA)

·         Arlington Now http://www.arlnow.com/

·         Beer Me! www.BeerMe.com

·         BeerPal.com, where I am an Admin and a Regional Manager

·         Beers In DC Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/beersindc

·         Brewers Assn. (BA)

·         Brewery Collectibles Club of America http://www.bcca.com/services/brewery_listing_virginia.asp

·         DC Beer (listserv moderated by Dan Brown) http://www.dc-beer.org/

·         DC Beer (website) http://www.dcbeer.com/

·         Google Maps, to check distance and travel time to venues

·         Gut Check, Northern Virginia Magazine http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/gut-check, Melissa Lyden

·         Mid-Atlantic Brewing News, published by Bill Metzger and Jamie Magee, and edited by Greg Kitsock

·         The Beer Mapping Project http://beermapping.com/

·         Washington City Paper's Young and Hungry column featuring Tammy Tuck http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/

·         Washington Post's Food column featuring Greg Kitsock

·         Washington Post's Going Out Guide featuring Fritz Hahn

·         What's On Tap? The Entertainment Guide http://www.ontaponline.com/

>>> Questions, Comments, and Corrections are Welcome <<<