Food trucks have been a hit at Port City Brewing Company (3950 Wheeler Avenue) gatherings, and now the company is hoping to expand on that with a new restaurant operating from an onsite trailer.
The brewery regularly hosts tastings, tours and other events with a rotating cast of food trucks supplying accompanying meals. Port City filed a special use permit (Permit #2024-00014) to operate a temporary trailer at the site, operated by a restaurant, that would serve tacos from 11 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.
“Given the popularity of the food trucks and increased demand, Port City plans to partner with a restaurant operator to open a restaurant at the brewery serving tacos from an onsite trailer,” the permit said.
The permit said the trailer would be approximately 160 square feet and include a kitchen.
“The addition of the trailer will be an additional amenity for the patrons of the brewery and Port City looks forward to attracting even more visitors than they already host, with the addition of a quality restaurant partner in the near future,” the permit said.
The permit is scheduled for review at a Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 7.
Photo via Port City/Facebook
Port City Brewing Company is just a brewery, standing in front of an ALXnow reader, asking them to come to trivia night.
If you’re a fan of meet-cutes and objecting at weddings, Port City has a trivia night for you coming up at the tasting room (3950 Wheeler Avenue) on Thursday, Feb. 15.
According to the Port City website:
Get ready to toast to the most quotable, lovable, and laughable moments in film at Port City Brewery’s Rom-Com Trivia! Pop in as the Tasting Room opens at 3:00 p.m., then pour your heart out for trivia right at 7:00 p.m. Whether you’re seeking the “Hitch” in comic timing or swooning for “The Notebook,” we’re mixing up a cocktail of questions with a twist of “13 Going on 30.” It’s the perfect blend for a “Maid in Manhattan” or a “Pretty Woman” looking to have some fun and test their silver screen smarts.
The trivia night starts at 7 p.m.
Teams are limited to 6 and registration is $7 per team. Slots fill up fairly quickly, so it’s best to register in advance.
Click the link in our bio to sign up! This one is selling out fast! pic.twitter.com/xjBEWIT27e
— Port City Brewing Co (@PortCityBrew) February 6, 2024
Image via Port City/Facebook
All you fancy-pants, book-reading edumacated readers out there mark your calendars: there’s an upcoming trivia contest for you.
The brewery at 3950 Wheeler Avenue is having its first ‘Port City Book Worm Trivia’ on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.
“Friends, for 2024’s first volume of trivia, we plan to compose a virtual encyclopedia of literary knowledge worthy of a Pulitzer Prize,” the event listing said. “File this event under non-fiction because we plan to cover every form of scholarly know-how from front to back cover. Get ready for the very first edition of Port City Book Worm Trivia!”
Teams are limited to no more than six people with a $7 fee to register.
Get ready for the very first edition of Port City Book Worm Trivia on January 18th!
The Tasting Room opens at 3:00 p.m. Trivia starts at 7 p.m. pic.twitter.com/XGe56xiwFl
— Port City Brewing Co (@PortCityBrew) January 3, 2024
The Female Stranger-honoring Long Black Veil isn’t the only Halloween-themed beer from Port City Brewing Company: the Alexandria brewery announced a Tasting Room-only event this Friday for a new pumpkin ale.
The new beer is Optimal Witch, described as a “Belgian-style pumpkin ale brewed with spices”, and a play on the popular Optimal Wit.
The company said there will be five kegs available at a draft-only event, meaning it won’t be available to take home. The draft will be available at the Tasting Room (3950 Wheeler Avenue).
The brewery is also hosting a “Black Magic Trivia” event on Friday with a magic and witchcraft theme.
Coming only to the Tasting Room
Draft only
This Friday 10/20/23
We have five kegs.
Do not wait to try this. pic.twitter.com/fnJJa1CNvy— Optimal Witch (@OptimalWit) October 16, 2023
(Updated 6 p.m.) Who was the female stranger?
It’s a question that’s haunted Alexandria since 1816, when a sick woman arrived by ship and died on Oct. 14, and her husband swore the local doctor to secrecy. Her grave in St. Paul’s Cemetery bears no name but tells the story of her passing.
The mystery is a local legend in Alexandria and the inspiration for a local Port City Ale that returns every year near the anniversary of her death.
Today, visitors still leave flowers at her grave and it’s rumored that she haunts Gadsby’s Tavern. There’s endless speculation about who the Female Stranger was, including suggestions that she may have been Theodosia Burr.
The ale, Long Black Veil, first debuted back in 2014. The 7.5 ABV pale ale is being released this Friday, Oct. 13.
This is one of them. https://t.co/AiCYUp1UE9 pic.twitter.com/DxMtX3GcQP
— Port City Brewing Co (@PortCityBrew) October 9, 2023
Alexandria’s summer will kick off this weekend with the Portside in Old Town Summer Festival. Here’s what you need to know.
The free event, which includes the 45th annual Alexandria Jazz Fest, will be held at Waterfront Park (1A Prince Street) on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m.
“This free festival features an array of live music, local craft beer from Port City Brewing Company and fun for the whole family on the Alexandria waterfront,” said Visit Alexandria.
The musicians were chosen by the 2023 Alexandria Jazz Fest Activation Team, which includes John Hasse, a music curator at The Smithsonian Institution, Suraya Mohamed of NPR Music and Jeremy Castillo, the director of Performance and Contemporary Music at the Levine School of Music.
Food will be provided by Borinquen Lunch Box, Chalkboard Wings & BBQ, Kungfu Kitchen, Dolci Gelati and The Italian Place.
Port City Brewing Company will provide the beer, as well as:
- Lost Boy Cider’s Comeback Kid
- Breaux Vineyards wine
- Hopwell, Port City’s hops-infused sparkling water
The Portside Festival is organized by Visit Alexandria and the City’s Office of the Arts and is sponsored by Ting Internet.
Friday schedule
- 6:00 – 6:10 p.m. — Opening remarks by Master of Ceremonies C. Alexandria-Bernard Thomas
- 6:15 to 7 p.m. — Joe Baione Quintet
- 7:15 to 8 p.m. — Michael Hawkins and the Brotherhood
- 8:15 to 9 p.m. — Sharón Clark
Poetry will be read between sets by:
- Zeina Azzam, Alexandria’s Poet Laureate
- Sami Miranda
- Two poet laureates from Alexandria City Public Schools
During the performances, muralist Aniekan Udofia will paint a new piece from 6 to 9 p.m. Udofia is best known for the mural at Ben’s Chili Bowl in D.C.
Saturday schedule
- 1 to 1:15 p.m. — Opening remarks
- 1:15 to 2 p.m. — Ouros (Flamenco)
- 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. — Kalkidan Meshesha (Ethiopian folk and jazz)
- 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. — Oh He Dead (Indie soul)
- 5 to 5:45 p.m. — The Linwood Taylor Band with special guest Sol Roots (Blues)
- 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. — Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble (Zydeco)
- 7:45 to 9:00 p.m. — Hermanos Galvan y Orquesta (Latin)
Image Via Facebook
Later this month, the outside parking lot at Port City Brewing Company will be transformed into a holiday-themed pop-up market for local artisans.
The Small Business Saturday Holiday Pop-Up Market is a partnership between the hometown-favorite beer company and Made in ALX. The event will feature local artists and creators with their handcrafted products.
“The event taking place on Saturday, November 26 from noon to 5 p.m. will feature over 30 artists displaying their crafts in a diverse family-friendly local pop-up market,” Made in ALX said in a release. “Items available range from jewelry, home décor, woodcrafts, candles, wellness items, gifts for children and much more — to list a few, providing a variety of handmade gift-giving ideas to pick up this holiday season.”
This is the third year for the pop-up market. The full list of artisans scheduled to attend is on the Made in ALX website.
Image via Made in ALX/Facebook
Port City Brewing Company (3950 Wheeler Avenue) is going to the dogs on Saturday, October 1, with their annual Dogtoberfest celebration.
The free outdoor festival goes from 12 to 5 p.m., and will feature dog-friendly activities, including pet portraits, a bulldog kissing booth and an agility course.
Food and drinks will be provided by Haute Dogs & Fries, Pho Wheels and Daddy G’s Chips and Salsa, and Scuttlebutt Bakeshop.
The event is hosted in partnership with Frolick Dogs and the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.
Port City Brewing Company is collaborating with Made in ALX for a pop-up market next weekend featuring around two-dozen local artists and businesses.
The market is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 18, from noon-5 p.m. at Port City Brewing Company (3950 Wheeler Avenue). Admission is free and the market is pet-friendly.
“The pop-up market is a collaboration between Port City and Made in ALX,” Made in ALX said in a release. “The event will be a fun way to welcome fall, and several makers will debut fall lineups of candles and cozy items.”
Parkin gis available on the street and at a lot across the street.
According to the release, participating makers include:
- Alexandra Schmeling
- Apothecary Spices
- Bashford & Pitt
- Blonde Spiritual Millennial
- Blue Lark Designs (by Michelle Wee)
- Bradshaw Sauce Co.
- C&A Soy Candles
- Calming Connections & Wellness
- Chandra Designs
- Cosmic Crayon Co.
- Daniel Horowitz
- Fire in Hand Jewelry
- Garden Home
- Grateful Pup
- Inti Phaxsi Gems
- Isle & Wild Creations
- ISO Candles
- John Adam Wasowicz
- Julianne Woehrle Art
- Passionately Pets
- Samhara Ceramics
- Sophisticate Supply
- Stephen Lally Pottery
- Syd Evans Art
- Teddy’s Turmeric Tamer and Pet Treats
- Victoria Barnes Photography
- Whink’s Coffee Roasters
Image via Whink’s Coffee Roasters/Instagram
Alexandria brewery Port City Brewing is bringing back an ale next week at an event that marks the anniversary of one of the city’s most famous urban legends: the Female Stranger.
The event is scheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 14, from 3-9 p.m. at Port City Brewing (3950 Wheeler Avenue). For every 16 oz pour, the brewery said $1 will be donated to the Gadsby’s Tavern Museum (134 N Royal Street).
Long Black Veil, which first debuted in 2014, makes its annual return at the event to coincide with the anniversary of the Female Stranger’s death in 1816.
Long story short: a woman arrived sick on a ship in 1816 and her husband swore the local doctor to secrecy about their identity — only inscribing “Female Stranger” on her gravestone after she died in Gadsby’s Tavern on October 14, 1816. Today, visitors still leave flowers at her grave and it’s rumored that she haunts Gadsby’s Tavern. There’s endless speculation about who the Female Stranger was, including suggestions that she may have been Theodosia Burr.
The ale, at least in past years, has been described as piney with citrusy hops that mingle with notes of coffee and dark chocolate, according to the kind of people who describe beers like that. The event is also planned to include a Rocklands Barbeque food truck.
“So toast to the Female Stranger, Alexandria’s most famous urban legend, at Port City Brewing Co, Alexandria’s most famous brewery!” the brewery said in a press release. “Staff of the Museum will be there to tell the tale… and perhaps the famous lady will make an appearance at some point in the evening.”