Dark Lager, Bright Future

If you know anything about beer history in Washington, DC, it is this: it has all been done before, and it’s all subject to change. What we know about dark lager is that it has been brewed before, but it has gone through some changes.

Lager is enjoying a bit of a moment as a reclaimed craft beverage. Many beer makers in the District are paying attention to its details and are certainly giving it no short shrift. But how have the dark lagers of today changed from the product of the same name a century ago?

Shawbecker Shwarzbier was just recently at Right Proper, but the lineage of brown and black lagers in the Chocolate City is rich. Shawbecker is an original recipe by Bobby Bump, Lead Brewer at the Shaw Brewpub. The historical context of his black beer pays homage to the dark lagers of yore.

By the way, this isn’t an ad. We received no money (or beer) to say, “Go try this lager.” But, if you’re a brewery and have a new beer, you should submit it to us using this form. Maybe we’ll tell