Silver Spring Maryland is a Craft Beverage Destination

Probably because it is not incorporated, Silver Spring encompasses a large area bordered by the DC and PG County lines and extended to Burtonsville, Colesville, and Wheaton. However the business district's heart is the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road and slowly a plethora of craft beverage establishments have opened in that vicinity.

I recently visited a few of these including the neighboring Great Shoals Winery in Takoma Park. This establishment recently moved from their Heyser Farms Colesville location where the delicious Spencerville Red apples mysteriously self- propagated. The winery first made a name for itself producing the Spencerville Red Hard Apple cider which is still a personnel favorite. The Black Twig is another single apple varietal cider but expect more traditional apple and pear cider blends. They also offer a range of wines from dry to sweet as well as local craft beer.

Denizens Brewing Co. enjoys the honor as the first local craft beer producer in Silver Spring and since 2014 has provided a solid selection of core and seasonal beers. Their Born Bohemian Czech-style Pilsner, Southside Rye IPA, Third Party Belgian-style Tripel, and Ponch’s Porter have been staples during previous visits so this time I focused on their seasonals. This included the delicious Cool Breeze Oatmeal Stout, Animal IPA, Ill Cru Mixed Culture Strong Sour Ale, and the Lowest Lord Extra Strong Bitter. This last was an unexpected surprise - smooth but richer than those enjoyed in English pubs. Expect a larger portfolio and increased distribution as Denizens opens a new production\tasting facility in Riverdale very soon.


Just down Georgia Avenue, Astro Lab Brewing opened just a couple months ago and the current lineup is IPA centric with a lonely Moo Milk Stout as the only alternative. This is a delicious beer, soft but packing loads of chocolate flavors. I included the S.P.F. 100 XPA Pale Ale into the IPA category and several years ago that would have been your strongest IPA. This is another well made beer joining the IPAs as approachable offerings. The Nebula Imperial Double IPA is so so smooth and the No Mates - Mosaic American IPA and No Mates - Columbus American IPA are great representation of a single hop varietal beers.


For those seeking wine, The Urban Winery is located very close to Astro Lab and expect a new brewery, Silver Branch Brewing Company to open in the coming months. And as always, theCompass Craft Beverage Finder will show you these destinations. Cheers.

Touring Metro's Red Line Beer Trail

The land along Washington DC's red Metro line is being revitalized - or if you prefer - gentrified and one benefit is the rise of local breweries in these neighborhoods. Silver Spring, Maryland is unrecognizable now from the days when I commuted through that metro stop. And Denizens Brewing Co. has leveraged the new community by opening a brewery\restaurant last year. This Sunday I returned to the brewery and see that they no longer rely on other breweries for stock - there's a wide selection of everyday and seasonal beers. Knowing it was the first stop in the day, I started with a low abv Born Bohemian Pilsner which is characterized by a tasteful hoppy and salty finish. The brewery also was pouring two sours, the Low Country Common and Bocho Bandido.  Both with different levels of tartness and sourness. Give them a try. I also look forward to trying a local winery that just opened close by, The Urban Winery.  The winery\restaurant carries local beer, wine, cider, and mead as well as their own wine produced from American and Maryland grapes. 

Denizen's is adjacent to the DC line and a few miles down the red line sits 3 Stars Brewing Company and Hellbender Brewing Company. I've tasted the former's over the last couple of years at the stadium or other venues. However this was my first visit to the brewery and I arrived on infant day - as there were at least half dozen families with small children playing or sleeping quietly. The facility was also unusually busy for a Sunday with employees cleaning tanks and hoses. And I can see why, there's a large inventory to fulfill. A went with a sampler of Peppercorn Saison, Southern Belle Imperial Brown Ale, Pandemic Imperial Porter, and Madness Old Ale. To be blunt, these beers were phenomenal, especially the Madness. This is a big beer, sweet like chewy dates, but completely dry and smooth at the finish. The Pandemic was next, a bigger more chocolaty beer than your average Porter. Next time I'll stay longer with the help of Uber and also visit on a Saturday so that I can segue a trip to nearby Don Ciccio & Figli and their artisanal liqueurs. Glad to see another DC distillery open.


Hellbender was my final destination and the most fun as I was drafted into an hour long UNO game in a company of strangers. This is a neighborhood brewery and it shows as everyone seems more inclined to talk to whomever is sitting nearby. The beer is attractive as well and the brewery had extra on hand after celebrating their one year anniversary the night before my visit. I went with another sampling ranging from a Kolsch to a Stout with the Compass Coffee Stout being spot on the style. Nice name too. The Paw Paw Wit was also representative of it's style, whereas the Bare Bones Kolsch was a little on the maltier side. Like I said, this is a place to just hangout whether watching a game on TV, playing card or board games, or just talking to strangers. Cheers to that. And theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App will guide you to these locations. 

Maryland's Rock Creek Trail - Two Breweries and a Distillery

theCompass View
of Rockville

I've been riding quite often on Virginia bike trails in the DC suburbs, but there are also miles of connecting trails across the Potomac. One such trail is the Rock Creek Trail, which links Silver Spring with Rockville. theCompass Winery, Brewery, & Distillery Locator mobile app also shows the trail links cyclists to two breweries and a distillery in this easy, but windy route.

I started in Silver Spring where Denizens Brewing Co. opened this summer at the intersection of East-West Hwy and Georgia Avenue.Co-owners Jeff Ramirez and Emily Bruno are planning a rather large facility, eventually brewing 15 barrels of beer at one time. While the brewery is ramping up production, their two current house beers, the Southside Rye IPA & Lowest Lord Extra Special Bitter are being brewed at Beltway Brewing Company. They augment their selection with regional offerings, and if lucky, the Brewer's Art Ressurrection may be on tap. And for food, the BBQ Bus brick and mortal establishment is now open downstairs.

When heading to Rockville, head toward Georgia Ave and turn right onto 13th Street, then a right onto Leegate Rd which turns into Myrtle St after 16th Street, then Kalmai Rd (all rights) until you reach West Beach Drive. Turn left onto West Beach Drive which leads to the Valley Trail and then the Rock Creek Trail. After about 14 miles of winding along the trail, it turns into the Westside Trail and a short distance later make a left onto the Gude Trail.

Once you get to Gude Drive cross over and take a left onto the Carl Henn Millennial Trail. Twin Valley Distillers,  the first distillery in Montgomery County since Prohibition, will be on your right (turn into the collision system and to the back of the warehouse). The distillery was started by Edgardo Zuniga who dreamed of the idea two years ago and after deciding to open in the county, spent a year getting the proper permits from the country and federal authorities. After five iterations he developed his final recipe for a 100% sugar cane molasses - the Seneca Bay Rum. Next came the Norbeck Vodka, a 100% wheat vodka distilled 8 times. Both of these spirits are available for tasting and sales directly at the distillery. Bring a backpack.

When leaving Twin Valley stay on the Carl Henn path for about a mile until you reach Taft Street, where you hang a right to reach Baying Hound Aleworks (back in the second group of warehouses). Operating for 4 years now,  the nano-brewery was started Paul Rinehart who's been homebrewing since he was 14 years old.  The brewery has an interesting lineup, with the most interesting the Ball Lick'r Raspberry Lambic. Don't see many of these outside of Belgium. And after a bike ride, the Dumb Blonde Witbier or Rockville Golden Ale are refreshing choices. 

Also note that Twin Valley and baying Hound are closed on Sundays. And if ready for food in Rockville, Branded 72 Pit Barbecue is available past Twin Valley towards the Gude Trail. Cheers and safe riding. 

Total miles: 36