Washington, D.C. — Nestled amid urban decay and artistic chaos, Bardo once stood as a bastion of craft beer culture, pushing the boundaries of conventional brewing and bar aesthetics to extreme limits. In a journey spanning over two decades, this eclectic brewery evolved through multiple reincarnations, reflecting not just a founder’s vision but also the unpredictable waves of the craft beer market.
The story of Bardo began in 1993 when restaurateur Bill Stewart, frustrated by the limited beer options in his establishments, leased a former car dealership in Arlington, Va., to create one of the nation’s first brewpubs. The space, with its blend of automotive relics and repurposed brewery equipment, quickly gained a reputation for both its innovative beers and its unorthodox décor.
Stewart’s approach was nothing short of radical. From inserting the front end of a 1965 Plymouth through a window to using a sound system as a makeshift jukebox, the venue was a visual feast steeped in a sense of rebellion against the brewing norm. This flair for creativity was not limited to aesthetics; Bardo’s beers, like the Marion Berry Lambic, garnered attention for their unique profiles and locally-inspired recipes.
Jonathan Reeves, who joined Bardo in 1995 as one of its earliest brewers, recalls the trial-by-fire nature of his early brewing days, where survival seemed as much a part of the job as beer making. The initial team was a motley crew, often leading to precarious situations that tested the limits of safety and sanity in the brewing environment.
Despite these challenges, Bardo’s concoctions won several awards, highlighting the potential within its wild and risky endeavors. Specialty brews like their ginger beer and barleywine received accolades at national competitions, setting the brewery apart in an increasingly crowded craft scene.
In 1999, Stewart relocated brewing operations to Rappahannock, Va., aiming to streamline production. However, regulatory hurdles thwarted his efforts, leading to a temporary cessation of operations. After several stops, including a brief stint in Australia and later India, Stewart returned to the U.S., faced with a craft beer industry that was markedly different from the one he left.
The resurrection of Bardo in 2013 on a somewhat desolate plot in Northeast D.C. brought with it new challenges, including city zoning issues that initially prevented brewing on site. The space, characterized by Stewart and patrons like local actress Mary Myers as a ‘land of forgotten things,’ continued to serve as a peculiar oasis amid the city’s rapidly gentrifying landscape.
As the craft beer market began to wane, with sales dropping and competition from new beverage categories increasing, Bardo’s unconventional model seemed more an artifact of a bygone era than a blueprint for future success. The subsequent move to a riverside location near the newly minted Nationals Park in 2015 offered a brief resurgence in foot traffic, yet failed to permanently revitalize the brand.
The narrative of Bardo’s decline is reflective of broader trends within the craft brewing industry, where innovation often grapples with market realities. The final shift came in 2021 when Stewart sold the lease to a local restaurant group that rebranded the space, moving away from the distinctive identity that had defined Bardo for years.
Reflecting on their time at Bardo, former employees like Jonathan Reeves and Favio Garcia, who have since moved on to other brewing ventures, see the brewery’s history as a mix of innovation and inevitable entropy—a place where creativity and chaos brewed in equal measure.
Bardo’s legacy, with its blend of cultural impact and commercial struggle, offers a poignant insight into the complex dance between pioneering spirit and market viability. As the craft beer scene continues to evolve, the story of Bardo serves as a compelling chapter in its turbulent history, reminding us that in the world of brewing, sometimes the wildest ideas have the most enduring influence.