New at Brasserie Beck: happy hour

My biggest gripe about D.C.'s best beer bars? The lack of happy hours. ChurchKey, the Brickskeller and the Black Squirrel all have great selections, but you can't drop in for a discounted beer after work.

So when news of a new happy hour crosses my desk, it's worth letting everyone know about it. Starting Wednesday, Jan. 6, Brasserie Beck will sell half-price draft beers every day -- including weekends -- between 5 and 7. This means Bavik lager will be $2.50, malty Kasteel Rouge will sell for $4.25 and Beck's own Antigoon, a strong blonde ale custom-brewed by Belgium's Brouwerij de Musketiers, is $4.50 a glass.

For the next few weeks, this is also a chance to try some of those strong seasonal specialties without breaking the bank. The slightly fruity Scaldis Noel ale is $7 a glass instead of $14, and the snifter of Gouden Carolus Noel will only set you back $6 instead of $12.

-- Fritz Hahn