Navy Yard is quickly becoming the destination for local breweries and will add another to the list when Atlas Brew Works, the Ivy City based brewery, expands to the neighborhood in Spring of 2020. First opened in 2012, Atlas Brew Works recently made national headlines by suing the federal government during the shutdown, when furloughed inspectors could not approve the “keg collars” of an apricot draft beer named The Precious One.
The expansion to Navy Yard means that Atlas Brew Works will become the first manufacturing brewery to have multiple locations within the District. For Nationals fans, the expansion will bring a familiar face to the neighborhood, as Atlas has a great relationship with the Nationals, thanks to the 1500 South Cap Lager, which has been brewed exclusively for the team since 2014.
The Navy Yard location will also continue the company’s reputation for being environmentally conscious. Unfortunately, unlike the Ivy City location, which as of August 2015 runs on 100% solar power, the use of solar panels was not an option. Instead, the team plans to purchase carbon offsets to mitigate their energy usage. Atlas Brew Works also packages their beer in cans rather than bottles, as the aluminum cans are 100% recyclable. The cans are also lighter to transport, even further reducing the usage of fossil fuels.
The new location at 1201 Half St., SE, is directly across from the Center Field Gate. It will have a total of 4,500 square feet, nearly double the size of its current location and will have a production capacity for 2,000 barrels, a tap room with 12 lines coming in at twice the size of the Ivy City location, outdoor seating, and a kitchen with a limited menu. In addition to the well-known brews like Blood Orange Gose, District Common and Dance of Days, the Navy Yard location will also have special releases that will only be available at the 1201 Half St. address.
By Katelynd Anderson