As the 45-mile Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail winds its way from the Shirlington area of Arlington County to rural Purcellville, Virginia, it passes within a mile of Altor’s Sterling, Virginia home base.  Brewpubs and tasting rooms abound along the busy bike and pedestrian thoroughfare, making a Northern Virginia bike-and-beer outing a breeze. To reach any of the seven establishments below, one need scarcely venture off the trail...

New District Brewing Company, the first production brewery in Arlington in a century, has a tasting room a stone’s throw from the W&OD trailhead in Shirlington. Outside food is permitted and in-person trivia night relaunched in May. There’s a designated dog hitch out front, but join the New District Dog Club and Fido can accompany you inside Sunday through Wednesday. 

website | Google maps | beer selection

Caboose Brewing Company derives its name from the W&OD’s rails-to-trails roots. And Caboose Tavern’s location right off the trail near mile 12 in Vienna means—to quote the brewpub’s website—“guests can walk, run, bike, skate, or even arrive by horse to enjoy a fresh beer.” The patio is open year-round and food offerings feature farm-to-table ingredients and Appalachian cuisine.
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Perhaps the ultimate bike-and-beer twofer, Bike Lane Brewing & Cafe is sited directly on the W&OD (at mile 16.5, two blocks from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station) inside Reston’s The Bike Lane bike shop. Besides beer brewed by Bike Lane co-owner Todd Mader, cyclists in need of sustenance and/or caffeine can enjoy local food and coffee. 

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Beltway Brewing Company prides itself on helping start-up and growing breweries expand their operations, but its Sterling taproom serves up its own award-winning brews—there are always ten different beers on draft. Right off the W&OD—between mile 22 and 22.5—Beltway boasts a redesigned patio and inside seating with striking views of the brewhouse.

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At Crooked Run Brewing’s Sterling location you’ll find a brewhouse, a taproom, and an outdoor biergarten. Enticements include—besides its location near W&OD mile 22.5—a dozen beers on tap, live music on weekends, and all-day brunch. And did we mention the tacos?  

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Founded by twin brothers and named in homage to the amphibian that made news for going airborne alongside an unmanned NASA spacecraft in 2013, Rocket Frog Brewing Company rounds out the trio of breweries clustered around W&OD mile 22.5. 
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The website for Old Ox Brewery’s Ashburn tasting room includes an “Arriving by Two Wheels” section. “Look for our sign between mile marker 25 and 25 1/2 of the W&OD Trail,” it reads. “We’re cycle friendly: beer – bike rack – air – bike tools – food – H20. OH YES, AND REALLY CLEAN RESTROOMS.” What more could a cyclist ask for?

website | Google maps | beer selection

Be sure, of course, to enjoy any bike-and-brew combo responsibly. Know your limits. Eat. Hydrate. Be mindful of other trail users. And, please—please—secure your bike. 

For more ideas, and additional breweries, check out the LoCo Ale Trail from our friends at Visit Loudoun along with another great article on the Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Take Your Next Beercation in Loudoun.

Give Dad peace of mind—this Father’s Day—with 20% off any APEX or APEX Ti purchase. Cyclists ride more and worry less with an Altor in their kit.