It turns out D.C.'s first cider producer will have not one, but two locations in the city. The team behind ANXO Cidery & Pintxos Bar realized their Truxton Circle space wouldn't be big enough to produce the volume of cider they wanted, so now they've signed a lease for a second, larger property at 711 Kennedy St. NW.
The Brightwood Park outpost will not only be a hub for the bulk of cider production—it will also eventually have its own restaurant and bar. The locale will have a new name and concept, although it may also be a Basque-influenced. An ANXO catering operation will also work out of the space.
ANXO recently hired Barcelona native Alex Vallcorba, who has cooked in Basque country, as its chef de cuisine. He'll work under executive chef and partner Brad Walker (of Boundary Road), who will oversee ANXO and develop the concept in Brightwood Park. The business' other partners include bar veterans Sam Fitz, Rachel Fitz, Tim Prendergast, and Cooper Sheehan.
Meanwhile, the expanded production space means that other restaurants, bars, and retailers will be able carry ANXO's cider on draft and by bottle. The team plans to make a Basque-style cider called ANXO at both locations. They are interested in using American heirloom apples and crabapples, much of which they hope to forage themselves. They're looking to work with the city in order to pick fruit from the hundreds of crabapple trees planted in medians, triangle parks, and other government owned-land.
The 300 Florida Ave. NW location is slated to open in February, while the Brightwood Park location aims to be up and running by next September. Fitz says that would mean that they'd be able to enter the market "in earnest" in early 2017.
In the meantime, if you want to try ANXO's cider, they'll be selling "growlettes" of a collaboration cider made with Monkton, Md.-based Millstone Cellars tomorrow at d'Vines in Columbia Heights. A very limited number of the 32-ounce bottles will be available for $26 beginning at 5:30 p.m. The cider—along with around 30 others from other cider producers—will also be available by the glass on Nov. 13 at Colony Club. Find more details here.
CORRECTION: This story initially stated that Brad Walker formerly worked at Boundary Road. In fact, he is still executive chef and co-owner there.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky