Cheers to This: TheList’s List of Bevvies

Summer drinking season in the DMV looks a little different than the rest of the year. Wine lists get lighter and colder, spritzes return to every cocktail menu in town, frozen drinks make their comeback, and bartenders start leaning into seasonal ingredients like berries and herbs and tomatoes from local farms. Even beer gardens and breweries shift into warm-weather mode with seasonal pours and outdoor events.

Here at TheListAreYouOnIt.com, we’ve rounded up all the can’t-miss cocktails, happy hours and summer sipping events happening around the DMV right now.

- Make a night of it with a show + a great pre or post-theatre cocktail or dinner with our theatre + dining guide (here)
- This week’s list of The List’s favorite food finds is right here
- From cocktail pop-ups and wine tastings to brewery events + summer beverage happenings around the region, we’ve got those covered here
- Looking for outdoor sipping season? Check out our Patio Pleasures + Up On The Roof roundups featuring patios, rooftops, courtyards & outdoor cocktail spots all across the DMV.

So much more glass-raising goodness below:

MARK YOUR CALENDAR 

Snallygaster: The District's beloved craft beer festival returns October 10, taking over 4 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue NW with 450+ beers from 175 breweries around the world. Along with rare pours and appearances by renowned brewers, guests can enjoy cider, wine, cocktails, live music, food from 25+ vendors, a Shop Made in DC makers market, games, and family-friendly activities. Tickets go on sale July 7 at 10:00 a.m., with proceeds supporting Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture and its mission to build a more equitable regional food system; snallygasterdc.com

Oyster Wars: Oyster Wars returns Sunday, October 11, bringing together oyster farmers, acclaimed chefs, and seafood lovers for an afternoon celebrating East Coast oyster culture. Guests can taste freshly shucked oysters from 10 farms spanning Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Maine, alongside dishes from chefs including Kyle Bailey, Gabe Erales, Manuel Perez, Seng Luangrath, Reid Shilling, and more. VIP entry begins at 2:00 p.m., with general admission from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., and a portion of ticket proceeds will benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership and its Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. Early Bird tickets are $90.00 for VIP and $70.00 for general admission; thesaltline.com

Chefs for Equality: One of DC's premier culinary fundraisers returns October 19 with this year's "United Plates of America" theme, bringing together top local chefs, mixologists, and restaurateurs for collaborative dinners benefiting the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Hosted across six venues, the event features chef-driven dinners, cocktail pairings, and a new dedicated cocktail experience at Silver Lyan. Tickets are on sale now; chefsforequality.org

NEW & NOTEWORTHY: 

Oktoberfest Starts in September: Atlas Brew Works is celebrating the release of its seasonal Festbier with 3 days of Oktoberfest festivities across its DMV taprooms September 10–12. The celebrations kick off at Atlas Navy Yard on September 10, followed by Atlas Alexandria on September 11 and Atlas Bridge District on September 12, with $5.00 Festbier pints, $9.99 6-packs, discounted beer, live Oompah bands, and limited-edition Festbier steins. Bridge District will also serve a special Oktoberfest menu featuring brats, sauerkraut, and giant pretzels. The 6.1% ABV Festbier, a lighter and hoppier take on a traditional Oktoberfest beer, is also available at all three taprooms; atlasbrewworks.com

A Manhattan with a Pittsburgh Twist: Pittsburgh-based Wigle Whiskey has released a ready-to-serve Manhattan that brings Pennsylvania rye back to the classic cocktail historically built around the regional whiskey style. The bottled cocktail combines Wigle’s Pennsylvania rye with Little City Sweet Vermouth, a New York-made vermouth crafted with 53 botanicals, and can be served simply over ice with a cherry. At 34% ABV, the 750 ml bottle is priced at $35.00 and features notes of cherry, bitters, and charred orange. It is available at Wigle’s Pittsburgh locations and online for shipping within Pennsylvania and DC; wiglewhiskey.com

Scene and Be Seen: Chef Michael Mina’s flagship restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC has unveiled its newly redesigned Bourbon Lounge, marking the restaurant’s first major renovation since opening in 2008. Inspired by Georgetown’s historic residential salons, the new standalone lounge pairs an intimate setting with inventive cocktails like the Bourbon Steak Rob Roy and Capital City Margarita and elevated bar fare including Mina’s signature Bone Marrow Burger, truffle popcorn, Wagyu skewers, and lamb kafta “pops”; fourseasons.com

Chersevani Pop Up Spritzes: Gina Chersevani’s Union Market pop-up “liquor lair” is serving the Sarti Spritz, the vibrant pink cocktail making waves this summer. Made with Sarti Rosa, the Italian aperitif brings flavors of Sicilian blood orange, mango, and passionfruit for a lighter, sweeter alternative to the classic Aperol Spritz. The Italian-inspired pop-up rounds out the experience with spritzes, Negronis, boozy soft serve, disco balls, and a soundtrack of ’70s Italian tunes, but true to its name, Not For Long won’t be around forever; unionmarketdc.com

NOT NEW, BUT NOTEWORTHY: 

Sake Club at Perry’s: Perry’s latest Sake Club release explores “Effervescent, Unfiltered, & Unpasteurized: The Dynamic Side of Ginjo.” Curated by James Beard Award-winning Chef Masako Morishita and sake expert Devin Sparks, the $98.00 collection includes two 720ml bottles showcasing distinctive ginjo styles, with a premium sparkling nigori available as a $72.00 add-on. Members also receive 10% off their Perry’s check on pickup day, with boxes available September 2 from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.; perrysam.com

Theater Kids’ Cocktails: Kbird Bar is mixing craft cocktails, community events, and local art this August. In addition to weekly Wednesday trivia, guests can browse a vending machine stocked with pocket-sized artwork and handmade goods from DMV artists. The month's lineup also includes a fragrance lab social, board game speed dating, an artist auction reception, a gin and vodka tasting, and a book talk, making Kbird a lively neighborhood destination beyond the bar; kbirddc.com

Cool Off: The North America’s 50 Best Bars #42 spot has added two new frozens to the menu, perfect for sipping on its dog-friendly patio. The Aji Kiwi combines blanco tequila, kiwi, white pepper, whey, lemon, green chile, and cumin liqueur, while the Fresa Traviesa blends mezcal with smoked strawberry, morita chile, fennel, and lime; pascualdc.com

Trilogy of Tonics: Kyojin is cooling things down with 3 new seasonal cocktails designed for summer sipping. The lineup includes the Matcha No Kaze ($21.00), a refreshing blend of herb-infused vodka, citrus, tonic, celery bitters, and matcha; the Scarlet Elixir ($20.00), featuring Cabernet, apple brandy, and amaretto; and the tropical Fifth Element ($20.00), crafted with rum, velvet falernum, passionfruit, orgeat, and citrus; kyojindc.com

Not For Long Pop-Up Bar Opens at Union Market: Gina Chersevani has opened Not For Long, a limited-run Italian liquor lair inside Union Market built around the phrase "cogli l'attimo," seize the moment. Beverage Director Michael Saccone crafted a menu of Negronis, Spritzes, and an Italian Margarita, with seasonal soft serve and gelato to close things out, all under a disco ball spinning Italian '70s tunes. It's open now, but true to the name, won't be for long. Thursday 3–9 p.m., Friday 3–11 p.m., Saturday 12–11 p.m., Sunday 12–9 p.m. 1309 5th Street. NE. @NOTFORLONGDC

Sunset Sensations (Happy Hour Alert): Fiola Mare has introduced a new daily Sunset Happy Hour, available from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., featuring $12.00 cocktails and spritzes alongside a selection of the restaurant’s signature seafood bites. Highlights include the Lobster Donut, Wild Kampachi Amalfi-Style Crudo, and the Marina Platter, offering a taste of the Georgetown waterfront favorite at happy hour prices; fiolamaredc.com