Owners Andrew Kelley and Kai Leszkowicz have more in common than a passion for craft beer. After marrying sisters Georgia and Claudia Aslin, Kelley and Leszkowicz became brothers-in-law and teamed up with Richard Thompson, the brother of their third brother-in-law, to open a craft brewery named for the women who brought them together.
Aslin Beer Company (257 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) opened to the public Sept. 19 with a lineup of beers including IPAs, stouts and sour beers. However, Aslin’s eventual goal is to be known as a hop house specializing in IPAs. Kelley says they will use hops from a distributor as well as hops they grow themselves. More specifically, Kelley’s father-in-law grows the hops in Delaware, keeping it a family affair. “By using local hops that we grow, we want to encourage other brewers to grow their own hops,” he adds.
Another area Aslin will shine is with creative kölsch-style suds they’ll flavor according to the seasons. They launched with In Memoria, a lime and lime zest-spiked beer brewed over Memorial Day weekend. The next edition will be brewed with cranberries for fall.
The microbrewery, positioned a mile from Reston Town Center, is open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays when they offer tastings, pints and the opportunity to fill up a growler to take home. Additionally, they plan to introduce a customized mug club for 100 loyal patrons. Aslin’s interior features a 40-foot bar; long, communal tables; televisions for game days; and steampunk decor with bright-colored pop art.
Kelley says the team is looking forward to being a part of the Herdon community. They’ll pay it forward in the form of sending their spent grains to the nearby Frying Pan Farm Park for livestock to snack on. Another percentage of spent grain will be used to make pet treats for animals in shelters.
Laura Hayes hails from Philly (but don’t hold it against her). She’s been covering the local dining scene for three years, and her work has been published in the Washington Post, Food Network, Washington City Paper, Arlington Magazine and more. Having lived in Japan for two years, she finds herself in a constant state of craving sushi. Laura always orders her favorite savory dish again for dessert and keeps her gut in check through lots of CrossFit classes.
