Beer Garden 101: Rules, etiquette and where to find them in NoVA

With a slew of new beer gardens in the area, it’s time to learn the difference between a real beer garden and merely drinking outside.

By Stefanie Gans • Posted September 27, 2017 at 12:28 p.m.

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Beer Gardens in Northern Virginia

The Lot
Expected Dec. 2017
Beer: 30 taps, with a combination of local and German beers, plus more than 50 bottles and cans
Menu: Crab-cheese pretzels and comfort bar food with a German twist from the counter; funky tacos, like jerk chicken and coconut shrimp at the on-site food truck Rebel Taco; and in the morning, the space is a coffee garden

BrickHaus
Est. 2017
Beer: 24 taps, rotating selection of four German beers; the rest of the beers will come from within a 250-mile radius: Brooklyn, New York, to Raleigh, North Carolina
Menu: German-influenced gastropub: beer-cheese dip with pretzels from Arlington’s Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe, house-smoked duck breast with duck rilette in a banh mi-style sandwich; Jagermister barbecue glaze chicken wings

Continental Beer Garden
Est. 2017
Beer: 10 taps, three dedicated to German styles and the rest from Virginia breweries, plus cans, sangria, punches and slushies
Menu: Developed by Marjorie Meek-Bradley (Top Chef, James Beard semifinalist): kale-artichoke dip, pigs in a blanket, salads, sausages and deviled eggs

Tysons’ Biergarten
Est. 2016
Beer: 38 taps spread across three floors, mostly German and Belgian, with about 10 dedicated to Virginia beer, plus another 100 bottles and cans
Menu: German plates of pretzels (there’s also a cinnamon version for dessert), currywurst, a slew of sausage and more stateside fare like wings and Caesar salad

Courthaus Social
Est. 2015
Beer: Six beers on tap (and another 24 inside), about 30 beers in bottles, including German weizenbock, Virginia craft beers and Bud Light
Menu: Mix of German classics like sausages and schnitzel along with burgers, “freedom fries,” “bangin’ shrimp” and pulled pork tots

Westover Beer Garden & Haus
Est. 2009
Beer: Six taps outside, usually one is German, like the Bitburger lager (and more beer inside)
Menu: A mix of bar food, like nachos, poutine and fish and chips, with burgers from the in-house butcher, schnitzel and plenty of sausages

Doner Bistro
Est. 2008
Beer: Four beers on tap and about two dozen in bottles representing a deep dive into the world of German beers: kolsch, maibock, kristallweizen, doppelbock, rauchbier …
Menu: A European menu of doner, brats, falafel, currywurst and schnitzel