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D.C. Beer Week: The best events to attend

By WTOP Staff

Rob Fink
WTOP Beer Contributor

WASHINGTON — With lots of events on tap for D.C.’s annual Beer Week — from tap takeovers to dinners to educational panels — selecting a few to attend can be a difficult task.

And while it certainly is tempting to tackle the full calendar of events, it’s nearly impossible. So here are my top picks for the remainder of the week.

Wednesday, Aug. 20

Funky Buddha Draft Feature at ChurchKey; 4 p.m.

Straight out of Boca Raton, Florida, Funky Buddha is bringing a flurry of unique concoctions to the District. With beers such as Snowed In — an imperial porter brewed with coffee, coconut, white chocolate and caramel — and Muy Bonita — an apple-brandy barrel-aged imperial brown spiced with cinnamon — this ChurchKey event is sure to satiate your palate and fire up your doughnut cravings.

Atlas Town and Country Release at Pizzeria Paradiso; 5 p.m.

Town and Country is a Belgian strong ale, aged nine months in Boxwood Estate Winery red-wine barrels from Middleburg, Virginia. It will be featured on draft at both D.C. Pizzeria Paradiso locations (Dupont and Georgetown), along with other Atlas favorites such as District Common, Rowdy and NSFW.

Beer Policy at Policy; 6:30 p.m.

Some of the best local and national beer minds will discuss the intersection of government and the beer industry and what consequences current regulations and laws have on its ability to advocate for itself.

Participants include Brewers Association Chief Operating Officer Bob Pease; Right Proper Brewery co-founder and DC Brewers Guild member Thor Cheston; Brewers Association of Maryland Executive Director J.T. Smith; and Christina Henderson, deputy chief of staff to D.C. Councilmember David Grosso and author of the District’s recently passed Pint Law. The evening will be moderated by craft beer lobbyist Mick Nardelli.

This session is free and open to the public.

␎ BeerWeek300.jpg

DC Beer Week is a celebration of the national and local craft beer movement. (Courtesy Kate Fink)

Thursday, Aug. 21

‘Blind and Bitter’ at Scion; 4 p.m.

This year’s Blind and Bitter event at Scion will challenge your palate. Twenty-four hoppy beers will be served in full and tasting pours, with the name and brewery of each beer.

The public will be asked to vote for the best; the winner and the identities of the beers will be announced at 9 p.m. Participating breweries include 3 Starts, Atlas, Bell’s, DC Brau, Dogfish Head, Elysian, Evolution, Flying Dog, Founders, Great Lakes, Lagunitas, Mad Fox, Nebraska, New Belgium, No-Li, Oskar Blues, Port City, Schlafly, Sierra Nevada, Stone, Troegs, Uinta, Union and Victory.

Brewing with Bugs at Right Proper; 6 p.m.

Wild yeast strains, including various forms of brettanomyces and lactic-acid producing pediococcus and lactobacillus, are increasingly prevalent in Belgian- style sour beers produced by American craft brewers who seek sour and tart flavors — and Right Proper wants to talk about it.

Michael Tonsmeire, “The Mad Fermentationist,” will join the Shaw-based brewery for an evening discussing all things funky when it comes to beer.

Snallygaster Preview and Barrel-aged Brews at Bluejacket; 5 p.m.

It’s almost inconceivable, but somehow Bluejacket has managed to brew reputable examples of styles as disparate as Gose and Wee Heavy, all while letting the brewery’s own style shine through. This event will feature the debut of the 2014 Snallygaster Ale, as well as the first sighting of any Bluejacket barrel-aged deliciousness.

Here’s what will be on draft:

  • Bluejacket Snallygaster 2014 Ale
  • Bluejacket Old Scout Bourbon Barrel-Aged Figure 8
  • Bluejacket Grgich Hills Chardonnay Barrel-Aged High Society
  • Bluejacket James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Burning Bush
  • Bluejacket, Cigar City & Funky Buddha Snack Attack Vintage 2012
  • Bluejacket & The Bruery Washington, O.C. Vintage 2012
  • Bluejacket & Pizza Port (Ocean Beach) Burns’ Night Vintage 2012

Friday, Aug. 22

Michigan Beers at The Black Squirrel

The Black Squirrel is hosting a Michigan-only party with beers from the likes of Founders, Bell’s, New Holland and Jolly Pumpkin. The draft list will include the following:

Bell’s

  • Hopsolution Imperial IPA
  • Wedding Golden Ale

Founders

  • Kentucky Breakfast Stout
  • R

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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