My move to DC at the end of last summer serendipitously coincided with the city’s Beer Week. I hadn’t officially moved yet, but I was in town “looking at apartments” and “interviewing for jobs.” (When one learns of a beer week, one cannot simply let geographic challenges get in the way.) The most effort I expended in those few days consisted of poring over the endless selection of beer deals. How are you supposed to choose?? We ended up at a fine place serving every brew in Victory‘s arsenal. It was cheap. It was fun. We left with free glasses and warm, afternoon buzzes.

It was during this overwhelming perusal of Beer Week’s immense bounty that I discovered Bier Baron—or, at least, the name.  Its promise of rare drafts and endless bottles rolled around in my head for months until I finally managed to get myself there last week. A supposed institution, it’s one of the diviest bars I’ve found in DC. Just what I like.

After a quick glance at the chalkboard of happy hour specials, I settled on a beer I had never seen or heard of until I moved to Washington—Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. Though not particularly local (Bell’s has been pumping out brews from Kalamazoo, Michigan since 1985), this town seems to love them, so I decided to take a chance on a beer described at Bier Baron as “malty, hoppy—truly delicious.”

This beautiful, golden amber-filled glass was set in front of me, and though I try not to judge a beer by its color, I knew I would like it before the delightfully carbonated head reached my tongue. Its bright hoppiness hits immediately, mellowing as it goes down. That flavors can still develop in your mouth after swallowing boggles my mind. Taste buds have to be the most underrated features of our bodies.

My knowledge of beer-tasting descriptors is still fairly limited, so suffice it to say this Two Hearted Ale lived up to its succinct characterization. Also…

an empty glass always speaks for itself.