Old Ox Brewery had so much success with the first run of its bitter brew “Bye Dan” that it is taking pre-orders for its next 100-barrel batch.
The Ashburn brewery created the beer to mark the end of the Dan Snyder era with Washington’s football team. A group led by businessman Josh Harris wants to buy the Washington Commanders for a proposed $6.05 billion, and the NFL is now reviewing the deal, according to The Athletic. The sale would need to be ratified by NFL team owners.
“We were overwhelmed and overjoyed by the response to the release of ‘Bye Dan.’ It really speaks to how thrilled Commanders fans are at the prospects of new ownership and brighter days ahead,” says Chris Burns, president of Old Ox Brewery, in an email.
“Old Ox is honored to be a very small part of something so important to our community. We certainly can’t think of a better reason to raise a celebratory pint than to say ‘farewell’ to Mr. Snyder.”
While Old Ox Brewery regularly makes specialty beers, like its “FestivALE,” a cherry saison for the cherry blossom season, Burns says “Bye Dan” is a bit different.
“This … is the first beer we’ve created to commemorate [and] celebrate the departure of a specific individual,” he says.
On the can’s label, you see the Commanders’ hog mascot Major Tuddy waving goodbye to the team owner with the message, “Tastes like 23 years of bitterness.”
Burns describes the beer as a “hazy IPA with wonderful tropical fruit notes. It’s like a vacation for your mouth. It tastes like new beginnings.”
He says the 100-barrel batch that Old Ox is making is the equivalent to 3,100 gallons or 6,000 four-packs. When the IPA debuted Friday, its first batch of more than 8,000 beers sold out within an hour and 15 minutes.
In announcing the new run on its Facebook page, the brewery said, “We clearly did not make enough beer to properly honor this momentous occasion. We are fixing that immediately. We’ll be releasing more as soon as it’s ready. We’re shooting for a 5/12 re-release.”
Those who pre-order the four-packs of 16-ounce cans of “Bye Dan” will need to pick up their orders at the brewery’s tasting room.
Feature image courtesy Chris Burns
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