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We Recommend: Great Beer Bars in Madison, Denver, and, Washington, D.C.

Here are the three beer bars that we explored in the “Love Handles” column in Issue 4 (Winter 2014/2015).

Nov 26, 2014 - 6 min read

We Recommend: Great Beer Bars in Madison, Denver, and, Washington, D.C. Primary Image

The “Love Handles” department in Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® is devoted to great beer bars. Here are the three beer bars that we explored in Issue 4 (Winter 2014/2015).

Brasserie V (Madison, Wisconsin)

The Badger State’s ode to the Belgian brown café

WHAT IT IS: The world’s most fervent beer lovers are quite possibly Belgians and Wisconsinites, so it’s no surprise that this cozy Madison-based Belgian bistro (pictured at top) has been a huge hit with thirsty locals. With twenty-six constantly rotating taps and an ever-growing bottle list (and vintage cellar) to pair with Midwest-influenced Belgian cuisine, Brasserie V is becoming one of the top spots in this beer-drenched state.

WHY IT’S GREAT: From the spot-on moules et frites (mussels & fries) to the quaint checkered tile flooring, proprietors Matt and Andrea Van Ness have paid attention to every detail to achieve Brasserie V’s unmistakable Belgian feel. The beer selection is Belgian-heavy, and a typical tap list may include selections from De Ranke, Dupont, St. Bernardus, and Val-Dieu, but there’s also variety with top-notch American offerings such as Toppling Goliath and Stillwater. The bottle list hovers around 300 carefully chosen beers and like many Belgian brown cafés, offers Orval both fresh and one-year old. An extensive glassware selection maintains the authentic vibe and bottle coolers are kept at 46°F (8°C), letting patrons enjoy their beers right away. Only about thirty minutes away from New Glarus, Brasserie V is worth seeking out on your next Midwest trip. —Patrick Dawson

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Hours: 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–midnight Friday–Saturday, 4 p.m.–10 p.m. Sunday
Address: 1923 Monroe St, Madison, WI

Hops & Pie (Denver, Colorado)

Denver’s littlest big wild, and sour beer bar

WHAT IT IS: Hops & Pie is a neighborhood craft-beer and pizza joint that eschews huge tap lists for a tightly curated, but killer, lineup of some of the best beer available in Colorado. The pizza is creative and well priced (their pizza dough is made with beer), the beer list spans the craft spectrum, and the service is friendly and unpretentious. Its character changes from a casual family-friendly spot in the afternoons and early evenings to a serious beer bar as the night progresses.

WHY IT’S GREAT: You can find bigger tap lists in Denver, but you won’t find another spot that routinely makes Denver critics’ top beer and top pizza lists. The friendly neighborhood vibe carries through inside Hops & Pie, where they serve a world-class lineup on draft and in bottles. If the twenty or so taps don’t include something you want, open up the “Beer Keeper” on your table and dive into the reserve list of hard-to-find, rare, and vintage beers. High volume means the beer is always fresh and constantly rotating, with new tappings announced on their Facebook page. Their tight relationships with brewers and distributors in Colorado ensure access to all of the hottest new releases (think Russian River, Prairie, Crooked Stave, Jolly Pumpkin, and the like). Hops & Pie is a must for beer fanatics visiting Denver. —Jamie Bogner

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Hours: 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Tuesday–Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m. Friday, 12 p.m.–11 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m.–9 p.m. Sunday
Address: 3920 Tennyson St, Denver, CO

ChurchKey (Washington, D.C.)

The capital’s monument to world-class beer curation

WHAT IT IS: ChurchKey is a top-shelf beer bar whose selection rates among the best on the planet for maximizing the great and the unusual from around the world. ChurchKey and its downstairs restaurant, Birch & Barley, share a cellar of 500 bottles, but eyeballs first go to those fifty draft lines plus five cask handpulls. The menu organizes them by flavor category—Hop, Roast, Tart and Funky, and so on—with an eye toward pairing with the menu’s chef-driven fare. High-quality but unpretentious bar snacks are available upstairs, with more involved multi-course beer-pairing life experiences possible in the dining room below.

WHY IT’S GREAT: Super-geek beer director Greg Engert has that rare combination of deep knowledge and a gift for explaining it in a way that anyone can understand, which is why Food & Wine magazine named him one of the country’s top sommeliers. Notably, he also has the purchasing power to procure the strange and interesting. As partner in the D.C.-area’s Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Engert is filling up the refrigerators of sixteen restaurants and bars, each with unique beer cards with the power to inspire envy. Both Engert and pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac have been nominated for James Beard awards in recognition of their work at Birch & Barley. —Joe Stange

Hours: 4 p.m.–1 a.m. Monday–Thursday, 4 p.m.–2 a.m. Friday, 12 p.m.–2 a.m. Saturday, 12 p.m.–1 a.m. Sunday.
Address: 1337 14th St NW, Washington, D.C.

Find other beer destinations, dozens of beer reviews, and practical advice and tips for getting the most out of your brewing in every issue of Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®. Subscribe today.

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