2025 Beer in Review
What beer did you love drinking over the past twelve months?
For a decade, that’s the question I’ve asked the people who make, buy, and curate my favorite beers.
To read the full article by DC Beer, click HERE.
For the 2025 edition of this retrospective, I reached out to 20 breweries and beverage programs in DC, Maryland, or Virginia. There are many, many wonderful places in the area creating or curating fantastic beer – these are just 20 of them. (Full disclosure: I now assist one of these breweries, Ocelot, with their social media and some special projects.)
While participants in this survey change annually, the questions have remained more or less the same.
I start with what local beers impressed them. “Local” can be defined however they like. And these beers could be brand new or just new to them.
Another question: Looking outside of the DMV (or perhaps just outside the Beltway), what beers did they fall in love with in 2025? These could be beers they tried while visiting other cities or beers distributed in these parts (but produced elsewhere).
And since these folks make their own beers, I’m always curious to hear what beers they’re most proud of and why. Who knows those beers better?
We all need to consume beer somewhere, so I ask them about their favorite places to drink. It could be a neighborhood joint, an out-of-town establishment, a festival, or, most likely, Eebee’s Corner Bar.
Lastly, I posed three big-picture questions: What were some encouraging trends they noticed this year? What were some “less-desirable” trends? And what do they hope to manifest in 2026?
As always, what emerges from these answers is a snapshot of where our beer scene – locally and perhaps nationally – finds itself at the end of 2025. They also feature some fantastic recommendations for beers to drink and places to visit.
Eebee’s Corner Bar - Emily Brown (owner)
Best Local Beers
Well… I’ve got a couple, typical of me. I finally tried Mieza Blendery – it was on tap at High Side – and Alex Lynch is doing the real thing, the real work. I’m a huge fan of blended sours and would love to see them get hot, hot, hot again. Let’s all pilgrimage to Brussels for a sour trip.
Shout-out as well to Lost Generation and Sojourn Fermentory, whose dark lagers have been absolutely ripping as part of the Light & Dark combo at Eebee’s.
Best Out-Of-Town Beers
I’ve been loving what Everywhere is making in California. I had them on at my Andy’s Pizza pre-Snally pizza party, they’re crushing it, and I crushed several pints.
Favorite Eebee’s collab
I basically consider the Eastern Shore and beaches “local,” though I know not everyone agrees. When that salt life stays in your heart year-round, it’s easier to stretch the definition.
Randy [Mills] at Burnish makes Eebee’s house beer, and it’s perfect: easy-drinking, crispy, and endlessly crushable. The can art is my dented, down-on-its-luck 2008 Toyota Corolla, which still makes me laugh every time I see it.
That car has real sentimental value. When I moved back from NYC, I had no car and no money. COVID hit, I didn’t want to take public transportation, and a family friend gifted me the Corolla when they no longer needed it. It was a total lifesaver – and I’ll be keeping that car as long as possible.The beer is called Immaculate Whip. Get it?
Other Favorite Eebee’s Beverages
I’m very into the Manhattan we’re making at Eebee’s, and the Old Raj classic gin martini is one of the best deals on the menu – beautiful vermouths.
But I’d be remiss not to mention that the actual second-best selling item at Eebee’s – across everything – is an ode to McSorley’s, poured off Czech LUKR faucets: Light & Dark. Schilling Alexandr for the Light, rotating Sojourn Fermentory and Lost Generation for the Dark.
I’m selling so many of these that I’m pretty sure Light & Dark will be instrumental to achieving my goal of taking my mother to Cabo next winter to thank her for her decor help!
Favorite Place to Drink
When I’m specifically seeking out beer, I go to events at Shelter or ChurchKey. I also love Lost Generation locally – the people are incredible, the space is comfortable, and they always hype me up. What can I say, I love ‘em.I’m forever a sucker for old-school spots. You’ll catch me having a Guinness at The Tune Inn, Exiles, The Dubliner, or Old Ebbitt any day.
Positive 2025 Trends
I have to be honest – I’ve been grinding. I’ve been building out Eebee’s, running out of money, gluing baseball cards to a bathroom wall, and figuring out permits. I’ve done a terrible job of keeping up with my usual obsession of knowing everything that’s happening in beer.
I’ve been getting pummeled, and if it’s not the Light & Dark, I barely know about it. Maybe people are milk-tubing smoothie sours? Fun? Maybe they’re dumping Underberg into stouts? I can’t lie and say it’s on my radar.
Less-Desirable 2025 Trends
I’ve been hearing a lot of complaints about how people drink their beer – or what they drink.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m particular too. I edge low or high. EeBee’s sells a lot of limited-release, wonderful small-batch beer, but we also sell a lot of Guinness. People roll their eyes at splitting the G, at snakebites, at a shot with a Diet Coke back.
I can’t express how little I care what anyone orders. Yes, I’ll always support nuanced product – but when someone orders a burger and asks, “Is it okay if I get it well done?” and they have this embarrassed look on their face, T.I. starts playing in my head: You can have whatever you like.
Less customer judgment. I am so happy for anyone giving me business!
2026 Hopes and Wishes
I’ve worked really hard for a really long time. I want to operate a wonderful bar and restaurant where people make new friends and connections, where stories are shared – triumphs cheered and hardships eased. I want to stay busy, pay off my loan, and splash my mom out, as aforementioned.
