Bikable Brews Along the W&OD and the Custis

[lordofthemark]

So, beltway brewing is right beside the trail, and about MP 22? Ditto for Old Ox, at MP25? Sounds like some good targets for a long ride (for me) up the trail and back, to incent me toward a 45 mile and then a 50 mile ride. Will have to wait till after Passover though, but that’s fine. It will be a while before I can do the same with Adroit Theory, I think.

[Sunyata]

@lordofthemark 112766 wrote:

So, beltway brewing is right beside the trail, and about MP 22? Ditto for Old Ox, at MP25? Sounds like some good targets for a long ride (for me) up the trail and back, to incent me toward a 45 mile and then a 50 mile ride. Will have to wait till after Passover though, but that’s fine. It will be a while before I can do the same with Adroit Theory, I think.

FYI… Beltway is no longer open except on Friday evenings. They have advised that they may eventually change back to being open on Saturdays and Sundays once the weather warms up, but as of now, no go.

I highly recommend Old Ox, though. They have pretty decent beer, are extremely bike friendly, and have a big corporate foe. What more could you ask for?

[jrenaut]

I haven’t had Old Ox, but they’re launching their DC distribution at Meridian Pint next week. Meridian Pint simply does not serve bad beer. Doing a launch there means you make good beer.

[Boo Boo]

Stopped at Old Ox on a ride two weekends ago and got a sampler flight.

I thought their Rye Porter was extremely good. I also really enjoyed the Mexican Hot Chocolate Porter – took home a half growler of that. Great after-dinner sipper.

The two IPAs I tried – the session and the West Coast – were decent, but nothing special. Both extremely quaffable, but nothing I’d rush to get.

They’re about to introduce a Jalapeno Pale Ale. I’m very much looking forward to trying that one once they tap it.

[lordofthemark]

I am psyched to go to Old Ox, but the longest ride I have done in a day was about 33 miles. Making the jump to 50 (actually close to 54, considering the need to get to and from the W&OD from home) is intimidating. I am thinking combine a bike ride with a partial metro ride, between Wiehle-Reston and either EFC or Ballston, which would shave about 10 miles from the round trip.

But do that on the outbound segment, or the return? It is kind of cheating to do that on the uphill part, and on the outbound section I will be rested and have the incentive of getting to the brewery. OTOH it would be nice to ride that long downhill.

[GB]

@lordofthemark 112801 wrote:

I am psyched to go to Old Ox, but the longest ride I have done in a day was about 33 miles. Making the jump to 50 (actually close to 54, considering the need to get to and from the W&OD from home) is intimidating. I am thinking combine a bike ride with a partial metro ride, between Wiehle-Reston and either EFC or Ballston, which would shave about 10 miles from the round trip.

But do that on the outbound segment, or the return? It is kind of cheating to do that on the uphill part, and on the outbound section I will be rested and have the incentive of getting to the brewery. OTOH it would be nice to ride that long downhill.

The metro from Reston to Ballston crops 14 miles from the ride (assuming you are going east past Ballston) And 100% take it on the way back, AFTER having your beers.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Do the whole thing. You’ll have beer courage in your favor.

[lordofthemark]

@GB 112805 wrote:

The metro from Reston to Ballston crops 14 miles from the ride (assuming you are going east past Ballston) And 100% take it on the way back, AFTER having your beers.

I live in NW Alexandria, about a 1.5 miles from MP Zero on the W&OD, so I would be heading back to the W&OD from Ballston, ergo it does not save me much more than going to EFC instead. OTOH if I use the metro in the uphill direction, I could stop for coffee in Ballston, not so many places right by the metro in EFC (I mean I could go to downtown Falls Church, but that is yet MORE miles)

[ShawnoftheDread]

See, it’s all very confusing to plan out. Just ride the whole thing.

[GB]

@lordofthemark 112808 wrote:

I live in NW Alexandria, about a 1.5 miles from MP Zero on the W&OD, so I would be heading back to the W&OD from Ballston, ergo it does not save me much more than going to EFC instead. OTOH if I use the metro in the uphill direction, I could stop for coffee in Ballston, not so many places right by the metro in EFC (I mean I could go to downtown Falls Church, but that is yet MORE miles)

I think you think the “hill” is more noticeable than it is. It nets about 200 ft elevation change over the 14 miles between Reston and Ballston with a hump in the middle at Virginia lane. If you want to stop for coffee on the way, cafe amori in Vienna is a flat 100ft from the trail.

Plus if you ride there, you will have the option of biking the whole thing as Shawn suggests.

[vvill]

So other than Old Ox, what spots up around Reston to Leesburg (and Purcellville even) are worth visiting? One of these days I plan to make a trek up there and metro back from Reston (or get my wife to pick me and the bike up).

[brendan]

@vvill 112815 wrote:

So other than Old Ox, what spots up around Reston to Leesburg (and Purcellville even) are worth visiting? One of these days I plan to make a trek up there and metro back from Reston (or get my wife to pick me and the bike up).

I rode DC->Purcellville (and back) to pick up four bottles of liquor from Catoctin Creek distillery last fall.

Ok, I rode to ride, but I picked up the bottles to brag (and to drink). Plus, it was a warmish day and they had some nice cocktail samplers for the halfway point…

B

[Rockford10]

DKel and I hit up Old Ox on a beeneuring trek during freezing saddles. It was a nice place and literally a few steps off the trail. Lost Rhino was a mile or so off the trail, but it was a more enjoyable stop. Lost Rhino had some food and plenty of beer to sample, while (if I remember correctly) Old Ox only had six beers on tap and an almost empty-of-food food truck in the back. Old Ox did have the “game” on and corn hole, but I would prefer to return to Lost Rhino. (We did metro back home from Vienna to EFC, but we did that partially because we didn’t have enough time to get home when expected.)

Herndon and Green Lizard coffee is a nice stop to or from if you like.

[lordofthemark]

Stopped at Caffe Amouri, lovely place, though bike parking was primitive. Now at Green Lizard where bike parking is – different.

[sjclaeys]

@vvill 112815 wrote:

So other than Old Ox, what spots up around Reston to Leesburg (and Purcellville even) are worth visiting? One of these days I plan to make a trek up there and metro back from Reston (or get my wife to pick me and the bike up).

Adroit Theory in Purcellville is very good, but the beers are also usually strong.

[Author]

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