Editor’s Pick: The 2022 RAMMYs Sip, Swig, and Sample Promotion
Several RAMMY beverage finalists are showcasing what makes them stand out in their crowded fields.
Next month, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington will present its 40th annual RAMMY Awards in a ceremony at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
But ingeniously, several finalists have decided to help spur greater interest in the top beverage categories by showcasing what makes them stand out in their crowded fields, all as part of a special promotion running from Monday, June 27, to Friday, July 1.
If an establishment were to win solely based on its offerings as part of this special “Sip, Swig, and Sample” promotion, the 2022 Wine Program of the Year Award would go to Northside Social (www.northsidesocialva.com). All week long at both Northside’s Clarendon and Falls Church locations, you can opt for a flight of rosé for $25 — and all of it offered as a benefit for The Trevor Project.
Additionally, the Clarendon location is offering a “Taste the Rainbow” dinner featuring winemakers and vineyards from the LGBTQ community on Thursday, June 30, with tickets starting at $70. Northside’s Clarendon is at 3211 Wilson Blvd., while the Falls Church location is at 205 Park Ave.
Other participating 2022 Wine Program of the Year finalists include Slate Wine Bar (2404 Wisconsin Ave. NW, www.slatewinebar.com), which will offer a Beverage Week Wine Flight with four samples for $35, with the option of upgrading up to two samples by swapping for a special bottle-only selection, such as Domaine des Hâtes Premier Cru Fourchaume ($8 more) or Ehlers Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($15 more); and Queen’s English (3410 11th St. NW, www.queensenglishdc.com), where select bottles from the restaurant’s natural wine list will be available for $45 each during the daily two-hour Natty Wine Hour from 5 to 7 p.m.
Solely based on its promotional offerings, the 2022 Cocktail Program of the Year Award should go to Serenata, located in La Cosecha Market (1280 4th St. NE, www.serenatadc.com). Three take-home cocktail kits are offered through the Serenata Summertime Sips! promotion: the Best Ever Margarita 2.0, Mojito con Chinola, and Paloma. Each kit features all the necessary ingredients to mix and serve up to six drinks, and includes a QR code to access how-to videos from Managing Partner Andra “AJ” Johnson ($50).
Another participating Cocktail Program finalist is Bresca (1906 14th St. NW, www.brescadc.com), which is offering “a selection of four contemporary classics as they were imagined by bartenders from the past,” a dynamic Cocktails of the Future evening set for Monday, June 27, with reservations starting at $95.
Finally, the 2022 Beer Program of the Year finalists participating in the Sips promotion are the three locations of Sweetwater Tavern, including Merrifield (3066 Gate House Plaza, www.sweetwatertavern.pub), offering a Round of Samplers with five beers currently on tap; Quarry House Tavern (8401 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, www.quarryhousetavern.com), serving $4 brews of Peabody Heights Old Oriole Park and $6 rotating IPA drafts from neighboring AstroLab Brewing all week; and Caboose Tavern (520 Mill St. NE, Vienna, www.caboosebrewing.com), offering special brewery tours starting at 6:30 p.m. each night the entire week, followed by a guided tasting with a brewer.
Visit www.ramw.org for more on the Sip, Swig, and Sample promotion. Visit www.therammys.org for more on the 2022 Rammys.
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