Reason for Visit: Bardo Rodeo was a favorite hangout for an extended group of friends. This was one of the most amazing brewpubs ever. It is sorely missed.
October 2008. I happened to be walking up Wilson Boulevard in October 2008 when I noticed demolition taking place at the site of the old Bardo Rodeo. Bardo was long gone by then but the building remained largely unchanged in its new incarnation as Dr. Dremo's Tap House. At Bardo, a car was constructed through the wall on the left front (as if it had wrecked there) with a juke box built into it. The right side of the structure was a cavernous beer hall and the location of the brewing equipment. My heart almost broke when I saw the destruction. Yet another office building will rise here.
Front of Coaster. This oversized coaster from Bardo Rodeo commemorated their Dreamo Tibetan Big Foot beer. A similar design could be found on many of their promotional items.
Glassware - Front: The front of the Bardo Rodeo growler continues with that same design, with blue and red ink on glass.
Glassware - Back: The back of the growler contains the name of the brewery, address information, the usual government warnings, and the slogan, "I will recognize whatever appears as my projection and know it to be a vision of the bardo."
Apparel - Front: The familiar design appears over the left front pocket of this shirt for the Dreamo Tibetan Big Foot beer, in a single color
Apparel - Back: While on the back it appears in large size in multiple colors across the entire back. It also includes the slogan, "largest brewpub on the continent." I don't have a way to verify that claim, but I can honestly say it was the largest brewpub I've ever personally seen.
Apparel: This was the Bardo Rodeo t-shirt for their Buffalo Stout. It features a black-and-white photograph of a child in a field with buffalo, and lots of cryptic messages bordering the image.
Apparel: This Bardo Rodeo shirt could only be earned by getting a punch on a card for trying each of their beers. Since they didn't have all of their beers on tap at any given time it generally took awhile to earn one of these. Fortunately I was up for the challenge.
Sample list of beers formerly produced by Bardo Rodeo
Abbey Ale
Berliner
Black Watch Scotch Ale
Bubba's
Bundaberg Ginger Beer
Centennial IPA
Buffalo Stout
Chili Beer
Chinook
Dreamo Tibetan Big Foot
Dillon's ESB
Headlight
Imperial Stout
Jame Brown Ale
El Jefe Hefeweizen
Marion Berry Lambic
Pale Ale
Oil Can Porter
Red Ice
Russ' Raspberry
Beat my Wheat
Vincent's Black Shadow
White Lightnin'
Bardo Rodeo may no longer be open but there are plenty of other reasons to visit Arlington, VA.
Items featured on these breweriana pages are personal souvenirs of my visits to these locations, and an expression of the events and travels leading to their collection. They are not for sale or for trade.