The team from RaR Brewing presented four beers at Snallygaster 2017. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)
Thousands of beer enthusiasts poured into The Yards in DC for Snallygaster 2017 to enjoy more than 350 beers and a stageful of bands under a very hot sun on Saturday, Sept. 23.
Here are some pictures and observations on the Snallygaster 2017.
Beer!
We were cheered indeed to see one of our favorite rising brewers strongly represented at Snallygaster! RaR Brewing, based in Cambridge, Maryland, turns up in more and more DC bars of late, and for good reason. Their consistently delicious beers are easy to drink.
At Snallygaster, RaR’s team brought four beers: Double Dry-Hopped Marylan, a blonde ale; Double Dry-Hopped Hyde, an IPA; 10 Layers, a sweet stout with cocoa nibs; and their well-regarded Nanticoke Nectar IPA.
The longest lines at Snallygaster were undoubtedly for Jolly Pumpkin, the Michigan-based artisan alemaker and its barrel-aged saisons Bamarillo (with pineapple) and IO Saison (with rose petals and hibiscus), and for Vermont’s Hill Farmstead Brewery, which served up its saisons Florence and Arthur.
Popular food trucks also saw long lines as hungry beer drinkers queued up for pizza, BBQ, lobster, empanadas, and more.
Bands!
DJ Aaron Sparks
DJ Aaron Sparks, co-founder of Alphabet Music, kicked things off on the Snallygaster main stage with house and electronic music.
Spirit Animal
Steve Cooper and his bandmates in Spirit Animal reminded us that they are a band best experienced *live.* And live music jumped off to an energetic start with Spirit Animal’s set on the main stage.
Spirit Animal rocked Snallygaster with their signature psych/funk songs like “Regular World,” “Saturday Night,” and “Best One.” The quartet visit from Brooklyn to perform in DC regularly, so we will surely see them again soon.
Rare Essence
Go-go legends Rare Essence broke beats and shuffled feet to roughly 45 minutes of their hits, including “Overnight Scenario,” “Rock This Party,” and “Lock It.” Founding member, guitarist, and vocalist Andre “Whiteboy” Johnson led his merry band of musicians through some funky territory and the band’s peerless horn section helped to keep the attention of beer drinkers in the mood to boogie.
Brothers Brau
If a beer festival is going to engage a DJ to provide music, what better DJ than one who is also a brewmaster? As luck would have it, DC Brau’s founders also spin music as Brothers Brau. DC Brau founder and brewer Jeff Hancock stepped up to the main stage last Saturday to drop drum ‘n bass, inspiring dancers to take to the field with beers in hand.
The Pietasters
Stephen Jackson and his collective The Pietasters wrapped up the Snallygaster’s mini-music festival with a high-energy set of favorites. The gents ripped through crowd favorites like “Something Better,” “Out All Night,” and “Girl Take It Easy.”
The Pietasters were indeed in great form, as predicted! They smashed expectations by drawing quite a large crowd at the end of the day. We’ve seen similar events where those who have had their fill of beer or wine wandered away prior to the end of the program but not at Snallygaster 2017! The Pietasters kept their fans around for a nonstop hour of skanking in the sun.
What a day! Beer guru Greg Engert and his colleagues at the Neighborhood Restaurant Group always work hard to ensure Snallygaster is the most interesting beer festival around, and they ensured a good time for all once again this year. Snallygaster undoubtedly will return in 2018. Keep your eyes on its website at http://snallygasterdc.com for more info.