May 16, 2016

Bluejacket Brewery in Washington, D.C.

Bluejacket Brewery Seating Area

photo by: Eric Laignel

Bluejacket Brewery is housed in the Washington Navy Yard's 1919 Boilermaker Building.

Look south as you cross the elevated section of I-395 in Washington, D.C.’s Southeast quadrant or pop up out of the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro Station on your way into a Nationals game, and one of the first things you notice is brand-new buildings, pretty much everywhere.

This part of the nation’s capital—one of the few (at least formerly) industrial sections of this white-collar city—hasn’t been left out of the District’s development boom; construction cranes rise like a grove of urban redwoods around these parts.

But nestled among the luxury apartments and sleek new sports stadiums (D.C. United’s new soccer venue is coming soon), you can still find some holdouts from the years when this section of town was a fully operational naval manufacturing plant pumping out pieces of some of the nation’s great warships.

Bluejacket Brewery, in the Navy Yard’s Boilermaker Building, is one of the most attractive reminders of that era.

The 1919 structure was built to boost capacity of the city’s Navy Yard during WWI, and (big surprise) originally housed the manufacture of boilers for warships and installations. At its peak, the yard employed 25,000 workers and produced the entirety of the Navy’s ordnance (artillery) in 188 buildings on 126 acres of land along the city’s lesser-known Anacostia River.

Manufacturing on the site ceased by 1961 and by 2003, the General Services Administration sold the property to Forest City Enterprises who, with the help of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation, secured more than $9 million in federal Historic and New Market tax credits to restore the space.

By the time the regionally renowned Neighborhood Restaurant Group (which also founded Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture on the grounds of Woodlawn Plantation, a National Trust Historic Site) discovered the building, they had been working on the idea of a showcase brewery for five or six years. The combination of a historic structure with lots of space, great natural light, and a neighborhood that was rapidly growing in popularity was too good to pass up.

Though the building itself is relatively bare-boned and had been cleaned of most artifacts by the time the brewery opened in October 2013, there’s still no mistaking its historic character.

Its walls of windows, exposed metal frame, and Foundry-style Department of Public Works construction give it an unmistakable look. The brewery’s moniker, too, is a nod to the nickname for the Navy’s enlisted sailors while its bar and restaurant operation is referred to as the Arsenal.

Even the use of the building’s space gives a nod to history; the brew house is located on the second and third floors where boilers used to hang during their construction. The crutch of the original crane that held them can still be seen out third-story windows.

Downstairs, customers can enjoy 25 beers on tap, a modern American food menu with everything from oysters to falafel burgers, and about as open and airy a space as you’ll find in any brewery in the country.

Location: 300 Tingey St. SE, Washington, D.C. 20003

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.

You’re Having: In the summer, try a pint of the Forbidden Planet dry-hopped kolsch. In the cooler months, go with a Mexican Radio spiced sweet stout.

Best Yelp Review: “This place is fantastic. Old factory vibe is cool, and the 5 beers we tried were all amazing. Our server Brian was friendly, knowledgable and gave us a sample beer at the end insisting we had it for dessert on the house.”—Todd O.

Bluejacket Brewery Bar Area

photo by: Eric Laignel

Bluejacket Brewery's walls of windows provide a dramatic backdrop for guests.

David Weible headshot

David Weible is a former content specialist at the National Trust, previously with Preservation and Outside magazines. His interest in historic preservation is inspired by the ‘20s-era architecture, streetcar neighborhoods, and bars of his hometown of Cleveland.

Looking for a meaningful way to support the historic local eateries you love? Nominate your favorite spots for a Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant.

Learn More