Best D.C. Beer Week events

Chocolate City Anniversary Party

Washington, DC  | 8/17

The Brookland-based brewery marks its first year in business at Penn Social, a cavernous new bar that's home to 40 taps and numerous games, including Skee-ball, shuffleboard and giant Jenga. The anniversary party features four Chocolate City beers for $5 each, including the El Segundo Saison. DJ Benny C provides dance tunes all night.

Bier Baron Midsummer Night Barley Wine Festival

Washington, DC  | 8/17

When the Bier Baron took over the landmark Brickskeller beer bar, they inherited the previous owners' large stash of rare and aged bottles. They're cracking them open -- including multiple bottles of Anchor's Old Foghorn, dating back to 1991 -- at a special tasting party.

Evolution and 3 Stars Crab Feast

Washington, DC  | 8/17

Evolution Brewing Company is bringing bushels of blue crabs and six draft beers from Salisbury to Adams Morgan for a special all-you-can-eat-and-drink Beer Week crab feast. D.C.'s 3 Stars Brewing Company offers two beers of its own.

Rocky Mountain Hops

Washington, DC  | 8/17

Sample beers from Colorado's Avery, Boulder, Breckenridge, New Belgium and Oskar Blues breweries -- including some very rare selections -- and pair them with a barbecue of Colorado lamb.

DC Brau Embers of the Deceased Tapping Party

Washington, DC  | 8/17

DC Brau has been busy collaborating with brewers far and near in the past year, and the trailblazing District brewery is set to unveil three new beers during D.C. Beer Week.

On Friday, ChurchKey hosts the first kegs of Embers of the Deceased, a hoppy smoked-wheat ale called a graetzer, which was popular in Prussia until the early part of the 20th century. It's brewed with Bluejacket Brewery, which will open in Southeast Washington next year. Sixteen DC Brau beers will be on tap and cask all night.

Brews, Bikes and Golf

Washington, DC  | 8/17

New Belgium takes over all over the Country Club's taps at a special happy hour. Start practicing your putting: A limited-edition Fat Tire cruiser bike is up for grabs during a special hole-in-one challenge.

DC Brau Fight Club Beer Tapping Party

Washington, DC  | 8/18

The second DC Brau tapping of the weekend is (for me) the most anticipated of the lot. Fight Club Anti-Gravity Lager is a collaboration with Devils Backbone Brewing, and there's a great story behind it: DC Brau brewer Jeff Hancock and DBBC brewer Jason Oliver were regulars at Fight Club, the underground skate park off Blagden Alley. In honor of the much-loved (and now-closed) skater hangout, they've created a Fight Club beer. The tapping party at Breadsoda will feature skate videos, skate-rat-friendly tunes and the first kegs of the 7.2 percent alcohol lager.

DMV Brewer's BBQ and Mid-Atlantic Brewery Night

Washington, DC  | 8/18

Smith Commons' annual celebration of local breweries features $5 drafts and bottles from 3 Stars, Chocolate City, DC Brau and District Chophouse (D.C.); Baying Hound Aleworks, DuClaw, Evolution, Flying Dog, Franklin's, Growlers, Heavy Seas, Oliver Ales and Stillwater (Md.); and Abermarle Cider Works, Devils Backbone, Lost Rhino, Mad Fox and Port City (Va.).

Coney Island Comes to D.C.

Washington, DC  | 8/18

Jeremy Cohen, the founder of Coney Island and He'brew beers, takes over the Jack Rose rooftop with 15 beers on tap ($6 per pint all day), live performers and carney games. Look out for rare aged ales, including the 2006 He'brew Jubilation and the 2010 Rejewvenator.

Sour Saturday

Washington, DC  | 8/18

Aged, funky, sour beers are not for everyone, but if you like tongue-curling ales, you need to be at Smoke and Barrel next weekend. There will be 20 American, Belgian and German sour ales on draft all day, including six from Michigan's Jolly Pumpkin brewery that have been aging in the cellar of sister bar Meridian Pint.

DC Brau and Stillwater Decompression Lunch

Washington, DC  | 8/19

Wind up your Beer Week at Pizzeria Paradiso with DC Brau and Brian Strumke of Baltimore's Stillwater Artisanal Ales. The two recently collaborated on Middle Name Danger, a one-time-only saison that Brau co-founder Brandon Skall says is dry-hopped with "an experimental nameless hop" and brewed with yeast that Strumke brought back from a trip to Belgium.