DC Beer Week: Lost Rhino at Fire Works

I wasn’t expecting anything to be going on at Fire Works when I showed up on Tuesday. I was just getting some dinner after work as I often do at my favorite neighborhood beer bar. When I walked in I noticed Dave Engbers from Founders who I recognized from the previous night. He was with what appeared to be some distributors by their shirts. I talked to Dave for a few minutes before I sat down at the bar. He seems to be a pretty cool and nice guy. He said he has enjoyed DC and the dinner last night at Birch and Barley. He seems genuinely happy about introducing his beer to new customers and introducing new beer to existing customers that hasn’t made it out to DC yet.

Although I ran in to the Founders co-founder the promotion at Fire Works that night was for a new local brewery called Lost Rhino. They took over the Old Dominion location and have just recently gotten their three beers out on the market: Face Plant IPA, New River Pale Ale, and Rhino Chasers Pacific Pilsner. I had one of each and got a Lost Rhino glass to take home. Sitting at the bar I talked to both brewers and owners at Lost Rhino. They are previous Old Dominion brewers. They seemed to be happy and busy. There is a great chance in a few years from now they will be sitting back and enjoying the profits of a successful business. A local wholesaler named Jeff was also there who Matthew from Lost Rhino gave some credit to. Favio, a Lost Rhino brewer, said they want to do bus tours from DC to the brewery. When he ordered a Face Plant IPA I asked if he usually drinks his own beer. He said he liked to try the Face Plant because it is unfiltered and different at each place. Both co-owners were excited about the local keg competition at Mad Fox tomorrow. About five local breweries are each having a keg tapped at 6:00 tomorrow at Mad Fox and the first one kicked wins. Favio said they made a “Brewer’s Cup” out of some beer keg or something that looks like the Stanley Cup. They are hoping to take it home but they don’t have a chance against Orange Whip IPA. We’ll see if I can show up for that tomorrow and at least get a growler of my current favorite beer.