As a local in Northern VA who loves beer I known my way around the breweries in the area. Aslin Beer Company Herndon is easily one of the best and the perfect spot for beer lovers! The atmosphere, food, energy and events are all great. Their slogan is to “consume life” which speaks to their passion for creating a great experience. š
*This is NOT a sponsored review!
Aslin Beer Company Herndon was first in a smaller space on 257 Sunset Park Drive and now has 4 locations throughout Virginia and DC. Part of what makes this so cool is that the little building then housed Juicy Brewing and now Hawkley Brewing. The new taproom is right in the heart of Downtown Herndon and it’s HUGE! You won’t have trouble finding indoor or outdoor seating except on the busiest days, and even then there’s plenty of tables to go around.
It’s also right on the W&OD trail, which connects Northern Virginia and DC, so you’ll see lots of bikers pulling up for a beer and food break while riding.
The outdoor beer garden between its’ two buildings is the most popular spot at the Herndon taproom. Sometimes they have a live DJ and the space is dog and kid friendly. There’s also a lot of shade around the corner of the building under a large tent.
The parking is also super easy – there’s a big parking lot out back. If the lot is full you can also park along Elden street for free.
We took our new baby to Aslin Beer Company Herndon for the first time when she was just two months old and had a great time! She slept next to us in her bassinet stroller and we had no trouble at all. There are always lots of kids at this one, partially because it’s definitely more of a day spot. It’s never too crowded or energetic at night.
The main building at Aslin Herndon has an indoor tasting room space that usually has the doors open so that it’s indoor/outdoor, corners to cozy into if you want and even a rooftop bar. I’ve never had to wait long for beer at all and the bartenders are super friendly. They even offer sample glasses with their logo on them which I always take advantage of.
A few of the best Aslin beers are their Double Orange Starfish and Triple Orange Starfish (!) citra hops hazy IPAs, Hatch Batch imperial stout and Master of Karate IPA. I personally usually get the Clear Nights IPA.
I tried their Aslin hard seltzers during one of our recent visits and loved it! They also have cider and cocktails which makes it a very group-friendly spot. Beware, the many drink options also makes it easy to stay a WHILE!
Pro tip – they have really comfy chairs in the indoor taproom. Aslin Beer Company Herndon also throws events for the community like trivia nights, comedy shows and even really unique events like a puzzle war. I can’t wait to go for trivia soon (even though I suck at it).
NOW I can’t talk about Aslin without talking about the amazing food. Their food brand is Izzi and it’s all about Italian/Mediterranean food. They have the BEST ricotta dip, it’s actually one of the best appetizers I’ve ever gotten at a restaurant. Partially because they serve it with the absolute best bread which is really just pizza crust. It’s amazing. My mouth is watering.
The ricotta pizza and smash burger are also amazing. They also have specials sometimes like perogis.
Indoors they have a games area that is great for kids. It’s kind of small and you do have to bring cash to use them, but it’s just enough to keep antsy kids happy. There’s also a good amount of space for them to run around.
Lastly, there’s also a big cooler of to go beers so you can bring Aslin back home with you. They even have CBD and THC beers – although I don’t love them. They give me a stomach ache. We always grab a 6-pack to go!
Overall Aslin Beer Company Herndon is absolutely one of the best breweries in Northern VA and should be on everyone’s list as a must-stop while in the area. It could even make a great spot for a long layover at Dulles.
If you’re in the area outside of DC make sure to check out all my blog posts on Northern VA. I’ve lived here my whole life and can help you find the best spots. Cheers!
Lauren Kessel is the author of this blog post and the creator of the Inspired Backpacker travel blog. She is a passionate digital nomad, with the mission to make slow travel a more accessible way of life for everyone. Lauren believes travel is an important means of education and more importantly, a way for people of different cultures to come together and understand each other better. She has a BS in Tourism and has planned countless domestic and international trips for herself, her family and friends, having visited over 12 countries and 30 states so far.
