Beer gardens capture a certain atmosphere that’s not typical of your average brewpub or bar. They give a neighborhood a welcoming, inclusive place to hang out, to see and be seen. It’s no surprise people frequently search for “outdoor beer gardens near me” when they’re looking for a place to hang with friends or meet new people.
What Exactly IS a Beer Garden?
A loose definition of a beer garden is an outdoor space where alcohol and food are served and consumed. There are elements to beer gardens that will make them a more traditional style, such as outdoor beer garden tables with long bench-style seating interspersed with bar-height tables for smaller groups. This encourages mingling among different parties, and contributes to the social aspect of a beer garden.
The menu is the star as much as the design of the beer garden. Typical beer garden menus showcase a diverse selection of local craft brews and international lagers. There’s also an unspoken expectation of higher alcohol-by-volume choices. For those who would choose a drink something other than beer, there are often hard seltzers and ciders, wines, and cocktails to round out the drinks menu.
Food is just as crucial to attract the “outdoor beer garden near me” crowd. Those options that pair nicely with beer are staples, such as wings, sliders, and pretzel breads.
Popular beer gardens are catching on that people might like something a little more flavorful or traditional to the biergartens of Germany, from whom the US got our version of beer gardens. Items like a schnitzel sandwich or bratwurst may hit the spot while patrons enjoy their beer in the garden.
A History of Beer Gardens
We could spend quite a lot of time going into the history of beer—and what fun that would be!—but for this history, we’re looking specifically at the German lager, which required different fermentation for its yeast than traditional ales of the mid-19th century.
Lagers relied on slow, cool fermentation at temps ideally between 45° and 56° F. Once the fermenting process is finished, lagers must be stored and aged for months at even cooler temperatures.
Before refrigeration, Bavarian brewers stored their lagers in barrels in large underground cellars, above which they scattered gravel and planted leafy trees to shade their cellars from the sun. These brewers were located just off the banks of the Isar River, an idyllic location for some benches and tables to catch the cooling breeze. Tap into those barrels when they’re ready and the biergarten is born.
When Germans began immigrating to the US in the middle of the 19th century, they brought their beer gardens along as part of their culture, which bar goers in America eagerly adopted. While some of the early American versions of the beer garden were simply long tables in an indoor hall, many more adhered to the traditional style of outdoor seating shaded by plants with a social neighborhood vibe.
They became neighborhood destinations with their own flair, turning out unique combinations of cuisines and curating eclectic drinks menus to please a wide variety of palates. It’s no wonder people often search for “outdoor beer garden near me” to find a unique style of relaxation that can be found nowhere else.
Reason #1 to Open an Outdoor Beer Garden Near Me
The original Dacha Beer Gardens in the Shaw and Navy Yard locations in Washington D.C. became neighborhood destinations when they first opened. Dmitri and Iliya, the co-founders, were determined to bring to life captivating outdoor spaces that captured the distinctly “local” flavor of these particular neighborhoods, and they succeeded.
The Dacha Beer Garden franchise perfectly conveys Gemütlichkeit, the German word for warmth, good cheer, and belonging. We’re proud to be an inclusive place with a wellspring of acceptance and peace of mind among friends, even those who’ve only just met.
When we opened the Shaw location of Dacha Beer Garden—what locals refer to as The New Dacha—we did it again, bringing the community together in a space where people were happy to come together, see and be seen, and become the destination of the neighborhood that draws people in without the need for gimmicks.
Opening a Dacha Beer Garden franchise is the key to how to have a great outdoor beer garden.
Reason #2 to Open an Outdoor Beer Garden Near Me
Atmosphere is critical to the beer garden’s popularity, and Dacha Beer Gardens have cracked the key elements that inspire people to love their “outdoor beer garden near me” the most.
How do we know this? Because Dacha Beer Garden has landed the #5 spot on USA Today’s List of 10 Best Beer Gardens in 2022. The Shaw and Navy Yard locations are Dacha Beer Garden flagship locations in Washington D.C., and both are considered hot spots, beyond the top search results for “outdoor beer garden near me.”
We’ve accomplished this by making our beer gardens accessible to everyone with plenty of seating at long tables that encourage mingling. It’s not just spring and fall when we’re at our busiest. Heaters during the winter and cool misters during the summer keep our guests comfortable no matter the time of year.
Dacha Beer Garden franchises are social places where, no matter what’s happening, people are having a great time in a relaxed but lively environment where everyone is welcome. The crowd is diverse and amicable, and it’s easy to meet old friends or make new ones.
There’s a magic at Dacha Beer Gardens that makes them a special place to be, and we’ve got the recipe for franchisees to create that inclusivity and excitement at their locations, too.
Reason #3 to Open an Outdoor Beer Garden Near Me
There’s more to opening an outdoor beer garden (near me) than making money—though that’s always an important piece. Beer gardens promote good health.
Fresh air and time spent outdoors is always an improvement to the mood over being cooped up and staring at a screen.
Socialization is important for human connectedness, which is also a mood stabilizer. Laughter is good for the soul, and people function better when we have social time with others.
Dacha Beer Garden franchises are pet friendly, and interaction with pets is a known method of lowering blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol. Petting animals can also reduce anxiety and boost the mood.
Having such a relaxed atmosphere attracts regular customers to Dacha Beer Garden franchises, making them the perfect “outdoor beer garden near me” where people can routinely count on finding ways to de-stress and reset their mind and spirit.
This benefits investors with a regular stream of revenue and builds a top notch beer garden that anchors a neighborhood’s vibe and attractiveness. Opening a beer garden franchise like Dacha Beer Garden is a smart career move for people oriented investors.