Virginia Craft Beer - Oct/Nov 2016

Jeff Maisey

ADVERTISING/MARKETING

Jennifer McDonald

Brian Koski

Brenda Mihalko

Diane Catanzaro

Steve Deason

Elizabeth Erschens

Jeff Evans

Lee Graves

Chris Jones

Joshua Learn

Chuck Triplett

PHOTOGRAPHER

Kathy

WEBMASTER Giorgio

Beer festivals and award-winning craft beer abound in Virginia, especially during this time of year. We showcase as many as possible in the current issue.

Speaking of the rise in the number of craft breweries throughout the state (160 and counting and potentially 39 on the horizon), in our cover story, Jeff explores the business side of beer tourism and how it ties into restaurants, hotels, and attractions and the resulting economic impact for the Commonwealth. He shares perspectives from by US Senator Mark Warner, Governor Terry McAuliffe, and Agriculture Secretary Todd Haymore as well as insights from state and local tourism heads and craft brewery owners.

Brew News is packed full of good information including Port City’s expansion in Alexandria, Deschutes’ timeline and plan for Roanoke, a Q & A with Ava Spece who helped to produce the Workhouse Arts Center Brewfest, and Governor McAuliffe’s stout collaboration with Stone, Hardywood Park and Ardent. Plus, Annie Tobey takes a look at a new state law that allows patrons to bring beer from home into restaurants for a “corking fee.” And, Jeff recaps the recent Virginia Craft Brewers Guild’s annual Virginia Craft Beer Cup Awards which were recently held in Richmond.

Brewery profiles include AMMO, Belly Love, Parkway Brewing, Red Dragon, Steam Bell and Oozlefinch. Plus, in addition to our regular Events Calendar, we have a special calendar dedicated to Virginia Cider Week, which takes place November 11-20. The fall season is a great time to explore Virginia! So, get out there and enjoy!

Cheers! Jennifer

Roanoke’s Sense of Community Won Deschutes

By Jeff Maisey

As Deschutes Brewery founder Gary Fish put it, there were several cities seriously in the running to become the brewery’s East Coast home. While all had tantalizing incentive plans on the offering table, it was the people and businesses of Roanoke that sealed the deal – a sense of community that would remind its employees of home.

“When it came to the final five or six choices, my suggestion was to pick the place we’re supposed to be, and then negotiate,” said Fish, while attending the brewery’s late summer Street Pub event in downtown Roanoke. “The economic incentives will be gone within a year or two, but the city we want to be part of is forever.”

Deschutes began as a brewpub in 1988 in the city of Bend, Oregon. With its main brewery located on the Deschutes River, the business – now in its 27th year – remains family and employee owned. And that means major decisions are made by a group.

“The one time I’ve ever seen us agree on anything is in choosing Roanoke,” said Deschutes president Michael LaLonde. “We love how Roanoke has embraced us.”

LaLonde continued to explain the decision making process that included looking at 35 different sites in the Mid-Atlantic region, and a list of 100 criteria, including water quality.

“The recruiting effort made by Roanoke made a difference to us,” LaLonde said. “We also wanted a city like Bend. We wanted an area that was growing in craft beer and had a lot of room to grow.”

The Deschutes team is comprised of a group of deep thinkers. They took two years to select Roanoke. It’ll take five years to open the brewery. Par for course, according to Fish

“I would characterize Deschutes as being a deliberate company,” he said. “We’ve given ourselves two years to design, two years to build, and quite frankly gave ourselves another year to make sure we aren’t wrong. We are designing from a blank canvas. We will build it the right way.”

Deschutes operates its original public house (Brew 1) and main production facility (Brew 2) in Bend, while running an additional public house (Brew 3) in Portland, Oregon.

The Roanoke location (Brew 4) will exceed the production capacity of the 150-barrel brew-house in Bend. Roanoke will have a 200 to 250-barrel brew-house and serve markets east of the Mississippi. That is impressive given the Brewers Association currently lists Deschutes as the 8th largest independent brewery in America. Stone Brewing, which opened its Richmond production plant this spring, is the 10th largest. Green Flash, which will open in mid-November in Virginia Beach, is 41st in output.

Like Stone, Deschutes will focus on matching the flavors of the East Coast beers with the West Coast. They plan on enlisting the help of Virginia Tech as well as their fellow West-goes-East brewer community.

In the meantime, Deschutes is planning to open a tasting room to establish its brand in Roanoke, though they will not be brewing on premise.

The brewery made a great first impression with its 400foot pop-up Street Pub in August, drawing 22,000 people who consumed 241 kegs of beer.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the event went to area nonprofit organizations, totaling more than $81,000. Primary nonprofit partners included Roanoke Outside Foundation, Blue Ridge Land Conservancy and Feeding America Southwest Virginia. Other partners were Pathfinders for Greenways, Roanoke IMBA, Clean Valley Council, Leap for Local Food, Family Promise of Greater Roanoke, and Bradley Free Clinic of Roanoke Valley.

Deschutes flagship brands include Black Butte Porter, Inversion IPA, Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Obsidian Stout.

“We’re looking forward to our next big adventure,” said Fish, “and this is Roanoke. It is our responsibility to become part of the community.”

The Governor’s Stout

By Jeff Maisey

Call him the Beer Governor.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has boldly proclaimed he will visit every one of the 150 and growing craft breweries in the Commonwealth before he leaves office. It’s a tall order for someone who keeps as busy a schedule as he maintains, but the IrishAmerican businessman-turned-politician is just the guy to accomplish the feat.

Any governor who proudly announces he has a keg-erator in the Mansion is a true enthusiast.

Governor McAuliffe, as many know, has a favorite style of beer – stout. And true to his heritage he prefers Guinness Extra Stout, though only if he can’t get his hands on a Virginia-made craft beer. Insert smiley face here, and wink.

The Governor recently popped over to Stone Brewing – the famed California brewery that selected RVA for its East Coast production location – for a tour and collaboration between brewers from Stone, Ardent Craft Ales and Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. McAuliffe posed lots of questions to Stone CEO & co-founder Greg Koch and Peter Wiens, director of brewing operations (East Coast), and was fully engaged in understanding the process. The Governor was also an active participant, pouring hop pellets into the mash.

4% ABV stout. It’s a 9.5% ABV imperial stout to be named Give Me Stout or Give Me Death – a nod to Virginia patriot Patrick Henry – the first governor to live in the Richmond Mansion that bears his name.

The stout will be jam-packed with Virginia-grown raspberries and blackberries, a true tribute to Richmond, and perhaps one reason Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore was also in attendance.

The beer is described officially as “an aggressively hopped imperial stout celebrating the community’s emergent craft beer scene and the craft beer cry for resistance against industrial beer.”

The idea for the collaboration came when the Governor attended the national Craft Brewers Conference in Philadelphia. McAuliffe and brewers from Ardent, Hardywood Park and Stone went so far as to discuss potential ingredients.

“Originally, we were going to use blueberries,” said Weins, “but local blueberries were negatively impacted by the rainy spring.”

“Craft beer is the culmination of agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and entrepreneurship,” said Haymore.

When asked why he liked stout, McAuliffe said, “It has a full, robust taste.”

The occasion marked the first collaboration at Stone, and in honor of the Governor they brewed a stout. But this is no wimpy

“Rural agriculture can now be connected to Richmond and Northern Virginia,” added Steve Wagner, Stone Brewing’s president and co-founder.

Give Me Stout or Give Me Death will be available in stores in early December.

Port City Expansion

By Jeremy Bender

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and the city of Alexandria have put together a $500,000 matching grant (50/50) so Port City Brewing Company can triple its 17,000 barrels per year capacity, and remain in the city.

The funding is part of a $3 million plan to acquire a 6,000-squarefoot warehouse near the current brewery location. The new facility will provide much needed cold storage, a bottling line and more brewing capacity. Twenty-six new employees will be hired.

Port City was named last year’s Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

The brewery buys some 350,000 pounds of wheat from Virginia

farmers as the primary ingredient for its award-winning Optimal Wit.

Because of its notoriety and quality craft beer, Port City is a tourism driver for the city, though many of its customers drive from DC and Maryland on daytrips.

Champion Brewpub in Richmond

Champion Brewing Company plans to open a brewpub in the Arts District of Richmond in partnership with Chef Jason Alley and partner Michele Jones of Pasture and Comfort restaurants. The brewpub will serve beers brewed in-house and other staple beers from Champion, and Alley and Jones will operate ‘Sur Taco and Sandwich’ inside the pub, serving Southern-influenced tacos and tortas. The brewpub will be located on East Grace Street, with an estimated opening by year end 2016.

Champion’s President and Head Brewer Hunter Smith said, ‘“The Richmond market has been very supportive of our beers, particularly our experimental brews, since day one. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Jason and Michele and to produce exciting new beers alongside so many great brewers in Richmond.”

Said Alley, “We are so excited to work with Hunter in this new project. Michele and I both really appreciate what Champion has done in the Charlottesville market, and beyond, and we are so excited to debut our newest concept in this unique venue.”

Comfort was founded in 2002 by Alley and Chris Chandler, and Jones and Alley opened Pasture in 2011. Jones became managing partner of Comfort earlier this year. Alley has been featured extensively in regional and national press, and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Richmond’s Elby Awards in 2016.

Champion Brewing Company opened its Charlottesville 3-barrel Tap Room in December of 2012, and in 2014 built its ‘Missile Factory,’ a 30-barrel production facility recently expanded to 15,000 barrels of capacity. Champion Brewing Company is on pace to brew 10,000 BBLs in 2016.

From Dirt to Glass

Wood Ridge Farm Brewery opened to the public on September 10. The brewery takes its name from the farm where they are located. The property has been in the Wood family for many generations, nearly 200 years. “Wood Ridge is a true farm brewery that grows 100% of the grain used (barley, wheat, oats and rye) in our ales and lagers, explained General Manager Clay Hysell. Woods Mill Malting is on the farm, so they will not only grow but also malt their grains on site. This year they grew 2-row barley, 6-row barley, wheat, rye, and oats. They also have 30

acres of hops under production. RVA Yeast Labs has also harvested a dozen different yeasts from the farm as well. Continued Hysell, “our motto is “from the dirt to the glass” -- our own variation of vinticulture’s ‘terroir’.”

Nicholas Payson will be brewing on the 3.5bbl brewhouse. The initial menu of beers will include a Kolsch, American Pale, West-Coast style IPA, brown Porter, Shandy, and basil Blonde with herbs from the farm. Payson lived in Germany for five years and worked for several breweries there ending as Assistant Brewer for The

Grain & Hop Garden

Norfolk Botanical Garden and O’Connor Brewing Company have created – and planted –the first Grain & Hop Garden. Hops from the garden will be used in future O’Connor beers. Spacemakers and Copper Fox Distillery also contributed materials to the garden.

The grand opening of the garden is planned for Saturday, October 15. It will feature live music, food trucks, lawn games, educational tents and OBC beers. One of the beers that we will featured at the event is Susan Constant Wheatwine--a Virginia Vintage series beer that’s brewed with malts from Copper Fox. It is being released on that date simultaneously at the Norfolk Botanical Garden and at O’Connor Brewing. – JM

Feileing in Freiburg. He was the co-owner and brewer at Winnetou in the WinstonSalem, NC area. “We expect to add a rye IPA and a Marzen in the fall, said Hysell. “We also will be adding an oatmeal stout with oats from our fields.”

The taproom is constructed from wood from the farm that was milled on premises at their own wood mill. Brewery guests will be able to drink beer while overlooking the fields where the barley and other grains originated. Wood Ridge Farm Brewery is located at 165 Old Ridge Road in Lovingston,Virginia. – Steve Marler

Dog Money in Leesburg

Dog Money Restaurant and Brewery has opened in Leesburg. They had a “soft opening” on July 29. The brewery occupies the same space that once housed Thoroughbreds, and for some eight years was Vintage 50. The Town of Leesburg successfully issued currency in small denominations during the Civil War. The currency was known locally as “Dog Money” because it had a picture of a dog on it.

After a few years’ hiatus, former brewer Dean Lake has started brewing again, this time also as an owner. Lake started at Old Dominion Brewing Company. Over the years he has brewed for Thoroughbreds, Rock Bottom Arlington, Sweetwater Tavern Sterling, and Vintage 50. Lake said, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” Lake partnered with Tim Regan, who for the last decade worked for Gordon Biersch.

Lake will be brewing on the same 10-barrel brew-house that was in place when Thoroughbreds opened in 2004. The current line-up of beers includes Dog Money Red, Hostile Extraction IPA, and Loudoun Common Lager, and continues to offer their Belgian-Style Tripel. Lake tapped an Oktoberfest in early September. Dog Money is looking at hosting a grand opening in early October. Dog Money is located at 50 Catoctin Cir NE # 100 in Leesburg. – Steve Marler

Green Flash Brewing Co Sets Opening Date

San Diego-based Green Flash Brewing Company will open its tasting room doors in Virginia Beach on Sunday, November 13, the day after it hosts its third annual Treasure Chest Fest on the site.

Upon completion, the production facility will provide freight efficiencies that will supply fresh Green Flash beer to the east coast, immediately passing the savings from regionalized shipping on to the consumer. The expansive public tasting room and outdoor beer garden will provide customers with an east coast opportunity to experience the Green Flash brand first-hand. The grand opening marks the next chapter for Green Flash, the 45th largest craft brewery in the US, poising the brewery for continued national growth. The brewery opening is generating excitement among locals, who are eager to welcome Green Flash to their growing craft beer community.

“We are so excited to be a part of the amazing Virginia Beach community as we plan to officially celebrate our opening in November,” says Mike Hinkley Co-Founder and CEO of Green Flash. “The new brewery will allow us to offer East Coast consumers fresh Green Flash beers at West Coast pricing starting January 1, 2017. We are also looking forward to connecting with our customers face-to-face in Virginia Beach - allowing them to experience Green Flash beers at the source.”

While the brewery will continue to be headquartered with corporate offices in San Diego, the Virginia Beach facility will serve as the East Coast hub for Green Flash. The tasting room will be family-friendly and feature as many as 30 Green Flash beers on tap, a vast beer garden, food trucks, retail store, extensive brewery tour program and large private-event room and garden. The events taking place during their grand opening weekend will offer visitors a taste of things to come, as Green Flash plans to host a robust brewery events program, planning ongoing activities designed to engage with the Virginia Beach community yearround. – Staff

BYOB to a Restaurant –A New Choice for Virginia Beer Lovers

By Annie Tobey

Anew Virginia law benefits both beer lovers and the restaurants we visit. As of July 1, 2016, customers can tote their own beer and cider to restaurants, a privilege previously given just to wine aficionados. As Virginia ABC explains the new law, HB706 adds “beer and cider to the list of alcoholic beverages that may be consumed by customers on the premises of any restaurant with an ABC license, provided the alcoholic beverage has been lawfully acquired and is brought onto the premises by the patron in a sealed container.”

The Benefits

The benefits for consumers seem evident. As the palate becomes more discerning, we begin to care about enjoying a fine beer with a meal. At home, that’s not a problem, as we pull a favorite from the fridge. Restaurants, however, can pose a challenge – though a few offer both a stellar beer selection and gastronomically delightful food, most force a disappointing choice. Now we can have our beer and eat well, too.

Bottle shares provide another advantage. Imagine meeting friends for dinner out, each one bringing a whale or a high-ABV large-format bottle that’s a bit much for home consumption. In other potential scenarios, you can follow a visit to a brewery with a restaurant meal, enjoying a new-bought beer – bottle – with your meal. (Note the law does not allow for growlers or home brew.) Intrigued by beer cocktails? Tote a bottle to a craft cocktail bar and let the bartender pick a spirit to create an entirely new drink. (A less-recent law change: a bar or restaurant with a mixed beverage license may combine beer with wine and/or spirits as the customer places said order.)

The benefits for restaurants seem equally clear. A small, foodfocused restaurant may not have the storage space or customer base for a large beer inventory nor the knowledge for choosing what will pair and sell. Many ales and lagers are best fresh, so

neglected beers are like money down the drain. What’s more, they and their patrons may be slow to realize the glory of contemporary craft and how marvelously it matches with a meal.

For these reasons, an otherwise reputable restaurant may not carry a wide selection of beer. Allowing a customer to bring their own reduces inventory and waste while still pleasing beer-loving diners. The corkage fee can ensure that the restaurant doesn’t lose money by allowing this privilege.

In early July, I began to explore the new law for myself, especially reaching out to restaurants whose cuisine had received accolades but whose beer menu was, by comparison, lacking.

For my first stab at toting my own, I called Tazza Kitchen in Chesterfield – seasonal fresh dining with a small beer list that features basic flagship beers, none that made my mouth water. Though initially unaware of the law change, they quickly agreed to allow outside beer or cider. I took in a Brothers 3rd Anniversary Belgian Tripel, which made a perfect companion to Tazza’s pasta and vegetables with herbs.

Also, Magnolia’s at the Mill in Purcellville (Loudoun County) is accepting outside beer, charging $10 for 750mL bottles and $5 for anything smaller.

Who’s Playing?

Alas, not all restaurants are allowing outside beer or cider. Some are not aware of the law change and need time to process the possibilities. Some are letting other restaurants test the waters before committing. One restaurateur I talked with was concerned about the inconvenience for servers (though I’ve learned since that patrons can legally open their own bottles). Understandably, one

GM expressed fear that customers wouldn’t tip on the corkage fee (a concern it’s up to us as consumers to alleviate). Another simply doesn’t see a need for allowing any beers beyond their (paltry) list, a sentiment the same restaurant holds for its wine list.

For those restaurants that have decided to participate, the fees range widely – $2 for 12- or 16-ounce containers at Belle & James in downtown Richmond, $20 at Saison in Jackson Ward. Jay Bayer of Saison explained that the $20 fee is equivalent to their wine corkage fee. “We specialize in large format beer that is oftentimes as expensive as wine. We treat the two categories as equals.”

Bayer at Saison and Greg White at Belle & James both encourage customers to bring bottles for beer cocktails, too.

Capital Ale House, with locations in Richmond, Short Pump, Midlothian, Harrisonburg and Fredericksburg, is charging 35 cents per ounce. “Beers come in so many different sizes compared to wine, so we decided a price per ounce was the best way to go,” said Matt Simmons, president of Capital Ale House.

Wegmans Pubs (in Wegmans stores in Alexandria, Short Pump and Midlothian) charge $10 per table for outside beer or cider, unlimited bottles per table. Given the store’s generous bottle selection, the policy seems perfect for the impatient imbiber, directly from shelf to table.

The Rules

Though some beer drinkers express disdain at the idea of, in essence, paying for a beer twice, think of it as a fee for renting the space and services. Relative to previous restrictions, the new law is a privilege, and with privileges come responsibilities and parameters. Some suggestions:

Call first to determine policy and fee.

Whether to allow outside beer or cider and how much to charge is entirely the restaurants’ discretion – respect their decisions.

The law is limited to restaurants – you still can’t take outside alcohol to performing arts facilities, cideries, wineries or breweries.

By law, restaurants can’t serve or allow consumption by an intoxicated patron, regardless of who provides the alcohol – monitor yourself or prepare to be monitored.

Tip generously, considering what you would have paid for your drinks had the restaurant provided.

The new beer and cider corkage fee regulation honors the rights and wishes of customers and restaurants. Thoughtful support can provide benefits for both sides of the bar.

A Day of Cold Beer, Cool Art, and Hot Temperatures

By Jefferson Evans & Chuck Triplett

On August 13, over 30 Virginia craft breweries, along with a number of wineries and distilleries, came together for the first-ever Brewfest at the Workhouse Arts Center at the intersection of Workhouse Road and Ox Road (Route 123) in Lorton, VA. It was a day of record setting heat and humidity, which presented obvious challenges, but attendees generally were complimentary as to the level of organization and number of volunteers present to help make the Brewfest successful given the brutal weather conditions.

Virginia Craft Beer Magazine was able to catch up with Ava Spece, Workhouse President + CEO, and get her take on how the day went and the challenges of a non-beer business putting together a beer-centric festival.

How did the festival go?

Workhouse Brewfest was amazing! We had nearly 2,500 guests enjoying 40 craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries, along with 16 bands and nearly 20 gourmet food vendors. In between tasting some of Virginia’s most exciting craft beers, guests watched Workhouse Artist Martin Cervantez live-paint a 6’x6’ canvas from start to finish, played lawn games, and toured the 12 art galleries, our prison museum, and the 65 artist studios at the Workhouse.

When was a beer fest brought up as a proposed event and when did the final decision to have the event occur and planning begin in earnest?

I had discussions about having a beer festival at the Workhouse in October of 2015

with Patricia Stevens, Executive Director of Fairfax County’s Office of Public Private Partnerships (OP3). Patti was interested in finding a way to highlight the amazing food and beer being produced in the county, and felt that the Workhouse Arts Center would be the perfect place to bring the event to life. Our first serious planning meeting took place in December of last year.

Is the fest being organized and run by in-house workhouse arts center staff or was an outside company brought in to organize and run all or part of it?

Visualizing the Workhouse Brewfest and bringing it to life was a collaborative effort, definitely. With so many creative and operational items on our to-do list, it made sense to tap into some amazingly talented groups throughout the county. The

Workhouse Brewfest was a success because of our collaboration and partnership with Celebrate Fairfax, Visit Fairfax, OP3, and the Fairfax County Park Authority.

Is it expected that this will become an annual event or is it viewed more of a one-off event?

We absolutely expect that Workhouse Brewfest will become an annual event! This year’s inaugural Brewfest accomplished many critical business goals for the Workhouse, Fairfax County, and Virginia. For us, Brewfest introduced the Workhouse to many people throughout the region who had never been to our campus, taken an art class at the Workhouse, or been to one of our free Second Saturday Art Walks. For Fairfax County and for the Commonwealth, Brewfest highlighted the “deep bench” we

have in the county and throughout the state when it comes to craft beer, wine, and distilled spirits, as well as all the money and activity these small businesses generate for tourism, commerce, employment, quality of life, and more. Given all that, we’re already well into the planning stages for Workhouse Brewfest 2017, so be sure to pencil us in for the weekend of August 12!

Who were the first breweries to sign on for the beerfest?

The Workhouse Arts Center is in Fairfax County, which is home to a number of impressive breweries, so the first invitations were sent to our local favorites. Fair Winds Brewing Company was the first to sign on.

Have there been any previous events at the workhouse arts center with an overt adult beverage component, whether beer, wine, spirits, or mixed drinks?

The Workhouse has hosted a number of events throughout the years that have had some focus on wine or beer, but nothing on the scale of Workhouse Brewfest. And of course for the next year, we’ll be featuring Heritage Brewing Company’s American Expedition Honey Ginger Wheat Ale at many of our events – they were selected by Brewfest guests as Workhouse Brewfest Craft Beer of the Year.

Have there been any unexpected challenges with arranging the event, clearing it with Virginia ABC, getting any required permits, etc?

Our goal with Brewfest, as with all our events, was to ensure that the experiences our guests had at the event wildly exceeded their expectations. So while there weren’t really any unexpected challenges, there were certainly lots of details and hard work involved in creating the Hopstar Lounge, recruiting the best breweries and other vendors, booking phenomenal bands, and planning fun activities to further the Workhouse’s creative mission. We received excellent support and guidance from Fairfax County and the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, as well. Based on the feedback we’ve received from beer distributors, breweries, and guests, Workhouse Brewfest has set a new standard in the region for such events. Why August? August is hot.

August is Craft Beer Month in Virginia, so it seemed like a natural time to throw a huge party in celebration of the art, craft, and economic impact of beer on the Commonwealth. Beyond the delicious creations of Virginia brewers, their efforts are key to the economic health of the state; nearly 150 breweries employ almost 10,000 people and generate nearly a billion dollars of economic impact.

Similarly, the Workhouse serves as an economic driver for our region through the many visual and performing arts experiences it provides as well as the many community events it produces throughout the year. We also wanted to make sure all our favorite breweries were available to join us for Workhouse Brewfest; it worked out that August was the best time to have everyone come together on our campus. And while sure, August is generally on the warm side, this year’s heat was very unusual.

Thankfully, we had plenty of buildings with chilly air conditioning and lots of misting fans. The best measure of whether people were having a great time at Workhouse Brewfest is that they stuck with us despite this year’s heat, dancing to the sounds of Herr Metal and Practically Einstein, drinking frosty beers from Forge and Fair Winds, and exploring all the vibrant creativity the Workhouse has to offer.

James River Brewery Wins VA Beer Cup

By Jeff Maisey

Traditional beer lovers rejoiced recently when James River Brewery won “Best of Show” for its British-inspired River Runner ESB (Extra Special Bitter).

“It was totally unexpected,” said Bob Sherman of James River Brewery. “We came here hoping for the best.”

The Virginia Craft Brewers Guild hosted the 2016 Virginia Craft Beer Cup Awards on August 16 at WestRock in Richmond. There were more than 280 brewers in attendance to celebrate excellence in craft beer. The Virginia Craft Beer Cup competition, managed by master Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) judge Tom Cannon, had 378 beers entered for review. The judging took place July 30 at Fair Winds Brewing Company in Lorton.

“This year was about member development, developing quality beer,” said Brett Vassey, President & CEO, Virginia Craft Brewers Guild. “There are breweries that have been open less than a year and they’re winning gold in new and creative categories. That’s what the Cup was always intended to do – give these guys a shot

and a highlight that no one would ever see unless they were in their community.

“One of the advantages of our competition is we have judges that are BJCP certified. We give every competitor their judging sheets so they get to see exactly what 40-plus judges think of their beer. It’s not only a competition, but also a free product analysis.”

While James River Brewery took home the coveted Cup after being crowned “Best of Show,” we at Virginia Craft Beer Magazine did an analysis to independently determine which brewery did the best overall. There’s isn’t an award for this accomplishment, but we hope the Guild will consider this in the future.

For our calculation, we provided the following weights: 3 points for first place, 2 points for second, and 1 point for third place. Our results concluded Back Room Brewery with 10 points was the overall top achiever, followed by Final Gravity (9 points) and Sunken City (8 points). Food – make that beer – for thought!

The 2016 Virginia Craft Brewers Cup winners are as follows:

Best of Show

First Place Best of Show

James River Brewery, River Runner ESB

Second Place Best of Show

Old Bust Head Brewing Company, Oktoberfest

Third Place Best of Show

Backroom Brewery, Lemon Basil Wheat Beer

Light American Beer

First Beer Hound Brewery, Olde Yella

Second Wolf Hills Brewing Company, Carry on Wheatward Sun

Third Beer Hound Brewery, Teddy

Czech Lager

First Port City Brewing Company, Downright Pilsner

Second Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Rhino Chasers Pilsner

Third Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, Pony Pasture Pilsner

Munich Lager

First Fair Winds Brewing Company, Hells Navigator

Second Three Notch’d Brewing Company, Brew Betties Maibock

Third South Street Brewery, My Personal Helles

Kolsch

First Mad Fox Brewing Company, Kolsch Ale

Second Ornery Beer Company, Kolsch

Third Bull and Bones Brewhaus, Kolsch

German Pils and International Lager

First Sunken City Brewing Company, Dam Lager

Second Back Bay Brewing Company, Gringo

Third Escutcheon Brewing Company, John Riggins’ 4th & 1 Pilsner

Marzen and Vienna Lager

First Old Bust Head Brewing Company, Oktoberfest

Second Starr Hill Brewery, Jomo

Third Caboose Brewing Company, Crossroads Vienna Lager

the answer sunken city strangeways

starr hill

German Wheat Beer

First Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Final Glide HefeWeizen

Second Starr Hill Brewery, The Love

Third River Company Brewery, Farmhouse Hefeweizen

British Bitter

First James River Brewery, River Runner ESB

Second Lake Anne Brew House, Lord Fairfax English Pale Ale

Third Port City Brewing Company, Monumental IPA

Old Ale and Wee Heavy

First Backroom Brewery, The Ferminator

Second Heritage Brewing Company, King’s Mountain

Third Redbeard Brewing Company, 221B Baker Brown

Darker European Beer

First Ardent Craft Ales, Schwarzbier

Second Big Ugly Brewing Company, Ghost Rider Porter

Third Bull and Bones Brewhaus, Appalachia Alt

British Dark Ale

First Pleasure House Brewing, No Waves

Second Midnight Brewery, Not My Job

Third Three Notch’d Brewing Company, No Veto Brown Ale

Irish Red Ale

First Dirt Farm Brewing, Red Meri

Second Pale Fire Brewing Company, Red Molly

Third Capitol City Brewing Company, Irish Red Ale

Irish Stout

First Backroom Brewery, Oatmeal Stout

Second Final Gravity Brewing Company, Irish Goodbye

Third Old 690 Brewing Company, Old 690 Chocolate Milk Stout

American Blonde and Brown Ale

First Caboose Brewing Company, Caboose Brown Ale

Second Castleburg Brewery and Taproom, Bishop’s Brown Ale

Third Legend Brewing Company, Brown Ale

American Pale Ale

First Pro Re Nata Brewing Company, Old Trail Pale Ale

Second Three Notch’d Brewing Company, Ghost of the 43rd Pale Ale

Third Beltway Brewing Company, Rain or Shine

American Amber Ale

First Final Gravity Brewing Company, Fire Station 5

Second O’Connor Brewing Company, Red Nun Red Ale

Third Lake Anne Brew House, Reston Red

American Dark Ale

First Old Ox Brewery, Black Ox

Second Sunken City Brewing Company, The Columbian Coffee Stout

Third Port City Brewing Company, Porter

American IPA

First The Answer, Larceny

Second Fair Winds Brewing Company, Howling Gale IPA

Third Old Ox Brewery, Hoppy Place

Specialty IPA

First Sunken City Brewing Company, Red Clay IPA

Second Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Dawn Patrol Session IPA

Third Parkway Brewing Company, Factory Girl Session IPA

Double IPA

First Final Gravity Brewing Company, Venus Rising

Second Pale Fire Brewing Company, Village Green

Third Final Gravity Brewing Company, The Message

Strong Ale

First Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, Virginia Black Bear

Second Triple Crosssing Brewing Company, Black Dolphin

Third Studio Brew, Czardust

Belgian Blond and Saison

First The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Scurvy Dog

Second The Virginia Beer Company, Saison Tournante

Third Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Singel

final gravity

Sour European Ale

First Strangeways Brewing, Uberlin Berliner Weisse

Second Ornery Beer Company, Go Go Gose

Third Corcoran Brewing, Life Gose Round

Belgian Wit, Pale Ale, and Biere de Garde

First Starr Hill Brewing Company, Sublime

Second Bull and Bones Brewhaus, Sun Lit Wit

Third Reaver Beach Brewing Company, Full Broadside

Strong

Belgian Ale

First Apocalypse Ale Works, Brohead Fred

Second Garden Grove Brewing Company, Death

Third Chaos Mountain Brewing, Agents of Chaos

Wild Yeast Specialty Beer

First Triple Crossing Brewing Company, Brett Saison Annivesary Ale

Second Reaver Beach Brewing Company, Reaver’s Salvation

Third Reaver Beach Brewing Company, Reaver en Noir

Fruit Beer

First The Answer, Mami Cereza

Second Midnight Brewer, Watermelon Lime Kolsch

Third Big Ugly Brewing Company, Mango Rockers IPA

Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

First Backroom Brewery, Lemon Basil Wheat Beer

Second Beer Hound Brewery, Snots

Third Steam Bell Beer Works, Tiramisu Stout

Specialty and Experimental Beers

First Parkway Brewing Company, Floyd Fest Hi-Test

Second South Street Brewery, Peanut Butter Cup Soft-Serv

Third Fair Winds Brewing Company, Sirens Lure

Smoked or Wood-Aged Beer

First Legend Brewing Company, Bourbon Barrel Brown

Second Adventure Brewing Company, 2nd Anniversary Barleywine

Third Ardent Craft Ales, Boubon Barrel Aged Honey Ginger

Your beer is artfully crafted. Is your packaging?

As a craft brewer, you understand the importance of details—they add up to a beer that customers savor. When your packaging exhibits the same craftsmanship, you can make that same great impression before they even pop the top.

The superior performance of our paperboard combined with our design expertise and unique enhancements can help your product stand out on the shelf. Our breadth of o erings means less back and forth with di erent vendors—which means more time for you to do what you do best. We can all drink to that.

mugSHOTS

Virginia Craft Brewers Guild Awards Reception Richmond

mugSHOTS

Wahoo Cup Craft Brewers Invitational

Deschutes Street Pub

O’Ctoberfest

These upcycled glasses made from beer bottles from Blue Mountain Barrel House’s seasonal pumpkin beer, Spooky, would be perfect for sipping your crafty brew on Halloween. Each glass is carefully cut and sanded to remove sharp edges and provides a smooth rim for drinking. Set of two, $22.

KaiHinaCoastal

Norfolk etsy.com/KaiHinaCoastal

beer CRAFT

These talented Virginians are getting their craft on in celebration of the beer lover in all of us!

This stoneware chicken roaster is made to order and according to the artist, makes the most delicious chicken ever! Simply put beer (our choice), or wine, lemonade, or broth in the center cup area and place the chicken over the cup. Then, season and cook at 375 degrees according to chicken size. Try this instead of a turkey this Thanksgiving! $50

Ann Manson Pottery, Virginia Beach etsy.com/AnnMansonPottery Cook! For the

Make sure your favorite cook or homebrewer is stylin’ with this custom restaurant quality apron. We love the message: “Brewmaster – Drink All You Want, I’ll Make More” $20

BrewShirts

Lynchburg etsy.com/brewershirts

Perspectives on the Beer Business of Tourism

By Jeff Maisey

Coming of age – legal drinking age that is – in the early 1980s was akin to living in the Dark Ages for a beer consumer in Virginia. Transitioning to an Age of Discovery required an exploration beyond Norfolk, Virginia city limits (my hometown) in a quest for good beer.

The post-prohibition, mass production beers known to all were dominant, of course. I, for one, considered myself lucky to come across a rare Guinness Extra Stout or Bass Pale Ale at a grocery store or restaurant. Imported brands were limited to a handful of Dutch (Heineken/ Grolsch) and German (Beck’s/St. Pauli Girl) lagers/pilsners, as well as those from Canada like Molson, Moosehead and LaBatt.

In the Hampton Roads region, those of us in Norfolk would drive 45 minutes up to the Williamsburg Pottery Factory, located in Lightfoot, where an oasis of great beer was presented on shelves and clustered by country of origin.

Beer +Tourism

Keep in mind these were pre-internet days. Any knowledge of Belgian triples, British ESBs or German dunkelweizen was primarily the result of randomly purchasing a bottle from the Pottery Factory to take home. These store shelves were also the point of entry for American craft beer in the form of Anchor Steam and Yuengling as well as upstart brand Pete’s Wicked Ale.

A few days before Christmas in the late ‘80s, I attended the Palace Green Lighting in Colonial Williamsburg. Just after sunset, a hanging basket of wood was set ablaze in front of each house approaching the Colonial Governor’s Palace. A firing squad shot muskets into the air for each in celebration.

Immediately following on the cold December nigh, I popped into one of the historic taverns – Chowning’s – and

encountered my first Samuel Adams. It was served in a pewter mug along with bite-size Smithfield ham sandwiches.

It was soon after this experience that I concluded the best way to enjoy better beer was to travel to places where beer was an essential ingredient of the culture.

My first real beer travel adventure was in England to drink Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout at the source in tiny Tadcaster. I found very much to my liking the plethora of British pubs, each with a good 8 to 10 hand-pulled taps of beer previously unknown to me.

I’ve since spent a lot of my vacation time visiting beer halls, pubs, cafes and breweries throughout Europe. My travels, though, haven’t been limited to just a quest for beer. In each case, I, along with friends, enhance our experience by taking-in castles, canal rides, live music, museums, art galleries, hiking, biking…you get the point. It’s a lifestyle chosen by what I like to believe are “culturally enlightened” people, and that is to say it’s a mindset, not limited by demographics.

In Virginia, it was also the mid-1980s that modern-day wineries began to appear. Each had a tasting room where patrons could sample, relax and purchase a bottle or case to go. In essence, it was

Beer +Tourism

A bottle of Old Stitch Brown Ale is brewed by Alewerks for Colonial Williamsburg

the beginning of Virginia’s still booming agri-tourism trade. By the mid-2000s, the number of Virginia wineries was in the 200 range.

By contrast, in 2006, craft breweries within the Commonwealth numbered only in the 20s. Unless they operated as a brewpub, serving both food and beer, breweries were considered to be a manufacturing facility and no law existed to grant them the same privilege enjoyed by wineries to allow visitors to sample, consume or walk out the front door with a bottle of beer.

That, as we know, all changed in 2012 thanks to the lobbying efforts of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild and the passage of State Bill 604. A true, organically-grown cultural revolution has been the result with a far-reaching economic impact that ties together breweries, restaurants, hotels, and attractions ranging from outdoor adventures like mountain bike trails, and kayaking to concerts, museums and festivals.

In just four years, craft beer has become big business in Virginia and everyone is taking note.

“One of the 11 foundations of tourism for the Commonwealth is now craft beer,” said Brett Vassey, president of the Virginia Manufactures Association, which oversees the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild. “We’re over a billion dollar industry now. We are a driver of tourism. The Virginia Tourism Corporation is doing advertising as far away as Canada getting people coming through Virginia on the way to the beach, and they stay and play in our breweries. Tourism is as much about craft beer as it was about wine, culinary, mountains and beaches. It’s just going to keep growing.”

“Last year we had 40 million visitors to the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Governor Terry McAuliffe, while at a brewery collaboration at Stone Brewing in Richmond. “It’s a $26 million industry and employs hundreds of thousands of folks. An integral part of that tourism is folks visiting our craft breweries. They come in; they love the beers; love the experience they get. Craft breweries, wineries and oysters are all part of the puzzle. I think craft breweries have really put us on the map and give tourists another reason why they should come to Virginia.”

“Craft beer is a huge driver for travelers, and with more than 160 breweries around the state (and counting), it’s easy to see why Virginia is for Craft Beer Lovers,” added Caroline Logan, Director of Communications, Virginia Tourism Corporation. “Craft beer is one of our core lures, so we work closely with the craft beer industry and our tourism industry partners around the state to promote Virginia as a destination for craft beer lovers. We do this through social media, advertising, special events, and public relations efforts.”

While beer tourism is new and exciting in Virginia, it’s been going strong on the West Coast for some time. As large craft breweries from California and Oregon have sought locations on the East Coast to operate a production facility to better distribute fresher product to consumers from Main to Florida, they also have tasting rooms and bring their tourism strategies.

“In San Diego craft beer tourism is huge,” said Stone Brewing president and cofounder Steve Wagner. “We’ve got 130-plus breweries there now and it’s a big part of our tourism business. We have a San Diego Craft Beer Week. We get financing from the city to advertise because we get tons of visitors. It’s a real shot in the arm for the economy, and it helps us build our brands.”

Stone plans to offer a full service restaurant and outdoor experience in RVA just as it does in Southern California. This may even include a Stone hotel.

“We like to provide a complete experience to craft beer fans when they come to visit us,” said Wagner. “We want them to have a great tour experience. We want them to bring their families and be able to have a great meal and typically sit-down outdoors. That’s something we learned early-on and that’s what we’ll provide here in Richmond too.”

Where Stone Brewery selected Richmond for its edgy, urban vibe and strategically important geographic location at the intersection of I-95 and I-64 smack in the middle of the Mid-Atlantic region, fellow San Diego-area Green Flash Brewing Company will operate in Virginia Beach (opening November 13) for distribution purposes, but especially for the tourism component. Green Flash owner Mike Hinkley wanted a coastal community, a military hub, and area with a dynamic tourism draw. Virginia Beach is ideal.

Brad Van Dommelen is the recently-hired director of Virginia Beach Convention &

Beer +Tourism

Visitors Bureau. Van Dommelen hails from the tourism office of Traverse City, Michigan where culinary tourism is a huge draw, especially for wine and craft beer. He has been please with the recent developments related to breweries opening in Virginia Beach.

“The craft beer industry in Virginia Beach is a newer product in our tourism mix and now we are reaching a scale that truly makes Virginia Beach a viable destination for craft beer tourism,” he said. “We are promoting this experience through our website, social media and also in niche publications that focus on this market segment.”

The folks at Oregon-based Deschutes Brewery selected Roanoke as their future East Coast home for its connection to I-81 and because of the city’s similarity to Bend and the mountains.

Having close ties to the hills for such outdoor activities as rock climbing, mountain biking and hiking the Appalachian Trail is an important lifestyle compliment for many craft beer travelers. Several regional tourism bureaus advertise using such imagery to appeal to active beer-cationers to visit breweries along their designated beer trail.

Arguably the most popular beer trail is Nelson County’s Brew Ridge Trail, which was spearheaded by Starr Hill Brewery founder Mark Thompson. The scenic county was known for its wineries but sought a way to connect the breweries stretching from Arrington to Crozet.

“It was very successful early on, when breweries were still so sparse in the state,” said Taylor Smack, owner of Blue Mountain Brewery, Blue Mountain Barrel House and South Street Brewery. “Having us all clustered together in a county already rife with agricultural- and outdoors-oriented tourism really worked for us.”

Nelson County is a rural area. The main city within an hour drive is Charlottesville. About 90% of Blue Mountain’s customers Monday through Thursday live nearby. That number is 50% Friday through Sunday when tourists hit the road for the weekend getaway. Tourism has played a major role in Blue Mountain’s success.

“Our Afton Blue Mountain Brewery and restaurant sits on the way to Wintergreen resort,” explain Smack. “It’s at the feet of mile 0 of the Blue Ridge Parkway (to the south) and the southernmost entrance to Shenandoah National Park (to the north). The George Washington National Forest winds its way through Nelson. We’ve got

Crabtree Falls, the James River, and as much history as any place in a state that has more history than anywhere in America. We’re 25 minutes from Charlottesville, the University of Virginia and Monticello. There are 14 vineyards, 5 breweries, 3 distilleries, a kombucha brewery and a hard cidery in a county with only 12,000 people and one stop light. We’ve got apple orchards, Fall festivals, the Lockn’ music festival and on and on. We’re basically built to succeed with tourism. This was not at all the case when Blue Mountain opened its doors to a bit of eye-rolling as the first brewery in rural Nelson County in the middle of a hay field in 2007, but hey, we helped to create our own reality. The craft beverage producers here have just added a very lively new dimension to tourism that Nelson County already had. And it really has worked wonderfully.

Much of Virginia is rural with small towns scattered in every direction. Some towns and cities now look to craft beer as a means of revival.

Last year, Senator Warner hosted the Southwest Virginia Craft Beer Summit allowed industry leaders and community stakeholders to discuss the economic development opportunities surrounding craft beer.

“I’ve seen the development of craft breweries over the last decade in Virginia,” said Sen. Warner by phone. “I saw what an impact is has from a tourism standpoint and from a community building standpoint. Back when I was governor we created the Music Heritage Trail in Southwest Virginia – the Crooked Road. It was a great connection between the Crooked Road effort and the craft breweries in Southwest Virginia. To go back now and see downtown Bristol alive in way it hadn’t been in a long time is great. I wanted to know what we could do from a state and federal level to try to encourage more of this. This is both community building and economic development together.”

“Building critical mass is important for any community,” said Catherine Fox, Vice President of Public Affairs & Development, Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge. “For example, Vinton is excited about their new brewery and hopes to attract a hotel development. Their proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway gives them more product to package and attract visitors. The Beerway is a perfect example of connecting the breweries in all areas.”

The trend for today’s travelers is for authentic, experiential travel—they want to experience the destination like a local might, and they’re always on the lookout for local flavor.

“Travelers are also planning their trips in a “hub and spoke” model,” said Caroline Logan. “They are traveling to a destination – like Williamsburg, for example – as the main lure, or hub, for Colonial Williamsburg. But while they’re there, they’ll also visit a brewery, rent a bike and ride the Capital Trail, eat at a local restaurant, and do some shopping. It’s Vacation+ -- and craft breweries definitely fit into that equation.”

Michael Claar, who now works as chief of operations at Alewerks in Williamsburg, was the manager of DoG Street Pub, located in Merchants Square. The craft beer component offered added value to the visitor experience in Williamsburg.

“It’s a reward to the parents of families who still reliably visit and it attracts the sought after non-family adults looking for a mature experience,” said Claar. “If you visit France you drink French wine; when you visit Williamsburg you drink Williamsburg beer. Craft beer allows visitors to get a taste of what it is like to live in a particular region in a visceral and literal way.”

To that point, Alewerks contract brews several beers exclusively for the Williamsburg Foundation. Beer such as Old Stitch Brown Ale

is found in gift shops and in the historic taverns including King’s Arms.

“Frank Clark, Historian with the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Foodways program, performs intensive research in each beer before bringing the recipe to Alewerks Brewmaster Geoff Logan, where they decipher how to translate to modern recipes and methods while remaining authentic,” explained Claar. “The partnership developed out of the friendship and mutual respect between Clark and Logan.”

Alewerks currently brews and bottles Old Stitch Brown Ale, Dear Old Mum Spiced Wheat Ale, Weatherburn’s Tavern Bristol Ale and Toby’s Triplethreads Porter for Colonial Williamsburg.

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced 39 more breweries will open in Virginia by the end of 2016. And if that’s now enough, Secretary of Commerce Todd Haymore expects to bring more from out of state.

“Virginia is going to continue to recruit new business, and craft beer is an important part of that,” Haymore said. “We’ll be going for international breweries coming here, out of state breweries, and also local breweries – to help them expand.”

“Craft beer is big business in Virginia, supporting about 8,900 jobs and with an estimated economic impact of $1 billion,” Logan said. “While we don’t yet have specific data for the economic impact of beer-cationers in Virginia, craft beer is one of our big travel drivers, and we had a recordbreaking year in 2015. Visitors spent $23 billion, which supporting 223,100 jobs and contributed $1.6 billion to state and local taxes. Craft beer definitely had a role in that!”

Ammo Brewing : Community Oasis by Design

By Steve Deason

Breweries and bars have often been called an oasis as an alternative to the term “watering hole.” According to Encarta Dictionary oasis also means “a place or period that gives relief from a troubling or chaotic situation.” Although Ammo Brewery Founders Terry Ammons and Ann Adams don’t talk about Petersburg as chaotic they do talk about how they want to help a city that has struggled. Ammons shares, “We have been working for a long time as a preservation architect, as a planner, a designer - how do we save these small

places, put some life back into them … we have been here for years doing small projects, sort of homesteading, and we are just starting to see things turn a bit with some destination projects” such as Trapezium, Bucket Trade, and Demolition Coffee. Ammons explains that private industry can change the image of a city. “People who visit such places come away saying I go down to that great little coffee shop. They don’t say what are Petersburg’s other problems.”

Architect Ammons grew up in Colonial Heights and returned to the area in 1996

to take care of family after working in Georgetown. Ammons’ firm is called Studio Ammons and in 2004 he set up shop at 235 N. Market Street after renovating a building there that once housed a car dealership. The dealership was hit by a tornado in 1993 which totally destroyed six thousand feet of the building complex and lots of vintage Jaguars which were on exhibit. After years of managing a very busy firm with ten to fifteen employees, Ammons decided to downsize so he could better take care of his 97 year old father. Meanwhile Adams was tired of over thirteen years of driving what she jokingly refers to as “those two little inches on a map” to her job and home in Fairfax. Ammons and Adams are engaged and have been together since 2002.

Ammons has experience designing breweries such as the Trapezium Brewery featured in our last issue. After downsizing, the couple decided a brewery was the best use of the building at this point. They explain, “We want to do smaller more focused things that are meaningful to us and that make a difference in the community, both on the architecture and the brewery business side.” Ammo’s two barrel brewery and its taproom are now located in the front of the building with the smaller StudioAmmons operating out of offices in the rear. There are welcoming tables with umbrellas out front and a beer garden is being developed next to the brewery in the area cleared by the tornado long ago. Ammons says, “We live right around the corner; we walk here; we bring our dogs. We want our world to be centered right here. We see it becoming sort of the living room for downtown, a public square, and a visitor’s center for downtown.” Ammo Brewery has creative signs both inside and outside the taproom showing what is nearby of interest. “There is not a lot of information for those who visit downtown, we want them to stay a little while and see what is going on.” The couple says in some ways this is “more important than the brewing business although we do have a goal of making excellent beer and maintaining a high quality… they all kind of work together.”

Ammons is a detail oriented guy who describes himself as a planner. Therefore he studied brewing from the Siebel Institute of Technology and brewed for three months before opening the doors in June this year. The hoppy beers that Ammo offers are high in alcohol as he strives to balance

out bitterness. Crater Hop Bomb is an 11.5 ABV Triple IPA. The recipe includes five different hop varieties yet is described as “the smoothest hoppy beer you’ll ever have.” Their Little Monster Imperial IPA is 8.9 ABV and uses German Pilsner Malts to add a little sweetness.

Proper conditioning is critical to making a beer to style and letting flavors blend properly according to Ammons. Using a play on an old wine commercial, Adams and Ammons say the small brewery has the luxury of selling no “beer before its time.” As examples Ammons says his “Rosemary’s Baby Saison needed a month of conditioning for the rosemary to blend with other herbs and not be resiny. Or our Fup Duck Smoked Porter, if you pull it out too soon, it’s harsh.” Ammons and Adams both like introducing people to new styles of beer. To date, no two beers are off of the same recipe. Ammons says his brewing studies motivate him “toward making a distinction between making a historical style well and trying something because it might be interesting.” He goes on to say he wants to brew like he designs with about half being new crazy things and the other half focused on tradition and local things. Black Racer is a delicious low alcohol (4.5 ABV) Summer Stout made with cold brewed coffee from Richmond’s Blanchard’s Coffee Roasters. Ammo also offered a Grisette, a Belgian Pale Ale, and a Cherry Gose at opening. Ammons’ son Malcolm assists with brewing and helps Emma White and Kelsey Barnes in the taproom. In addition to their beers, the brewery is developing several non-alcoholic beverages as a homage to the Bain’s Bottling Works that once was located in the same space.

Ginger Ale and Tiny Soda. Their first such beverage is a ginger and hibiscus carbonated beverage named Cockade Ale whose recipe is based on a drink Adams grew up drinking in the Republic of Panama. The name Cockade is also a tip to the history of the area. The Petersburg Volunteers who served valiantly in the War of 1812 wore a rosette on their caps and Cockade City has been a nickname for Petersburg ever since.

Ammons has worked with other communities such as Hopewell and South Boston on redevelopment options and shares “the rise of craft brewery is one thing but the role of the small brewery in a small town is to me something that’s really interesting. I don’t know of anything else people claim as local more than a brewery.” At Ammo Brewery, Adams says they aim to be a place that’s comfortable but will also be dynamic. She says you will want to come back often to see what’s going on. They have added a gallery and expect to host events of all kinds. The taproom music is usually jazz or blues and is played through a tube amp. Ammons adds, “You can paint it anyway you want but the craft industry is a pretty white world. We live in a city that is 80-85% African American. We want to help all Petersburg people have a place to come. We wanted to be part of a process that helps move the city forward a little bit, maybe a lot.” Southern Exposure Food Truck is at the brewery each weekend and fans are already talking on Facebook about enjoying a brunch of their “brisket and gravy” and Ammo’s excellent beers Sunday mornings when they open at ten. There is nary a word about Petersburg’s problems in such reviews.

Red Dragon Brewery: Old World Pub, New World Beer

By Steve Deason

Tom Evans, Co-Founder and President of Red Dragon Brewery, had all employees watch the documentary Irish Pub because he respects the tradition of the pub and what it means to the community. Red Dragon is located in a residential area of downtown Fredericksburg, and Evans says “We want to be like old school English Pubs where the neighborhood just walks in and feel like (they are) at home.” The Red Dragon name and logo derive from the Flag of Wales. Evans’ ancestors are from the area. Co-Founders Dan Baker and Evans are quick to point out that although they respect the atmosphere of Old World Pubs,

the beer is not chasing a theme. The twenty taps at Red Dragon will offer a variety beer styles. Brewer Cody Natale, formally at Blue and Gray / Adventure South Brewery was recruited for the team based on his reputation, training and creativity according to the Founders. Natale says his favorite beers are juicy American IPAs like those from his all-time favorite brewer Shaun Hill of Hill Farmstead Brewery. Sideways IPA with Mosaic, Citra, and Simcoe hops was the Red Dragon’s first release in this style. The co-founders’ focus is squarely on the beer. Although the community space is important to them, they are already

researching a production facility. “We want to be sure we provide a craft product everyone will enjoy, a high quality product. Everything is about the betterment of the beer. We would like to have the best beer in the country or at least the east coast,” proclaims Baker. The owners have confidence in their young brewer and his Siebel Institute of Technology training to deliver on their goals. “We liked Cody (Natale) as a person. We liked he had the education and a good reputation. We firmly believe in him. We will trust and empower him to do the right thing,” says Baker. Though they were concerned about having enough beer for Grand Opening, two batches of IPA were discarded. Evans opines people will forgive you for running out but not for serving crappy beer. Natale says,“That’s one thing I respect about these

guys, if it’s not up to par, it’s not up to par. “ Natale loved working for the guys from Adventure, but moved to Red Dragon for a bigger role in a smaller brewery with new equipment. He said at this size you learn what works and doesn’t quickly Already he has learned the water changes in Fredericksburg with the temperature due to its old pipes. Natale is excited at the opportunity to be creative and to make lots of different beers. When asked about why there were no flagship beers, Natale responded, “You cannot force a flagship beer, the public will dictate this.” This was his first experience with all that is required to open a brewery and he is amazed at the work done by the founders’ families. He adds, “It’s really nice when you work for somebody who cares as much about you and your family as they do their own. It makes you feel like you are part of the family.”

Baker has been best friends with Evans’ brother since childhood. The Co-Founders are part of a local group of friends called the Tankard Society that meet about once a month for fellowship and beer. Evans created a brewery business plan in 2011 with Bakers input. Evans ultimately decided not to open a brewery then because it would pull him away from his family. Instead, he invested in an all-electric stainless steel twenty gallon brewing system at his home. With this system, Evans brewed for the Tankard Society, his brother’s bike racing team, and at the urging of his buddy Mike Walsh for a wedding gift. Last year, Walsh encouraged Evans to rent a small space and open a brewery using his small system. Evans knew that would mean brewing at least twice a day something he didn’t want to do. However with their children now older, Evans and Baker both were ready for something new. They updated the 2011

brewery plans, this time as partners, and opened Red Dragon Brewery on August 15, 2016.

Evans’ homebrews often focus on English Style Beers. His parents took the entire family of fourteen on a two week trip to Wales, England and Ireland to explore the family roots his father had documented in a book. Evans bought several Mild beers while there. Such low alcohol beers are not common in the U.S and Evans wanted to see if he had been brewing them well. Evans was pleased to find he had “nailed it.” Evans however keeps his hands off the brewing at the brewery. Natale has adapted several of Evans’ recipes for the oversized four barrel system such as Kilkenny Kolsch with Jasmine Tea and plans to do more. The system with seven fermenters and seven brite tanks is designed to offer more choices on tap. “Nothing bothers me more than going to a place with the same beer they had six months before, same five or six beers. We want to consistently have something different on tap,” explains Evans. “The beer will be fresh and different with crazy IPAs, sours, barrel aging and some traditional beers too.” To support this variety the owners have already purchased firkins, a beer engine, ten wooden barrels, and are looking for some wine barrels.

Evans happened upon the brewery’s location while on the

way to look at a site in an industrial area but it needed zoning adjustments from the city. The first thing they did was invite the whole neighborhood to a meeting where they discussed their plans and addressed concerns. A nearby bar had been a problem for many in the past. Many of the residents knew Evans from his days as a City Police Officer and trusted him when he assured them he wasn’t opening such a bar. The building had last been a Goodwill Laundry. Baker said an awful lot of work went into the place. He described months of cleaning and vacuuming to remove the built up layers of dryer lint on the steel beams and elsewhere. Baker’s wife designed the taproom and he did the woodwork. “The amount of volunteers was amazing, (they) kept us motivated,” according to Evans. His brother is a teacher and spent the entire summer getting the place ready with the others. Although this was a do-it-yourself project like many other breweries you would not know it. The space holds eighty-five people who can comfortably carry on conversations due to its high ceilings. Evans says there are no TVs for sports because “that would defeat the purpose. We want people to talk and congregate.”

First week visitors included a guy who long ago installed the building’s steel beams. Another visitor remembers the redheaded cashier from when he shopped with his mom at the Safeway that was once there. Opening night was crazy according to Evans. It was raining and the power went out. The registers had battery back-ups perhaps because both owners work in the IT world. The place was packed and the doors were propped open because of the heat. Evans said at one point he was outside and noticed the parking lot was almost empty. It seems the neighborhood had made themselves at home right from the beginning.

Taking the Parkway to Italy

How did you come to launch Parkway Brewing Company?

Some good friends of mine run Breckenridge Brewery out in Denver. They’d been doing it since the early ‘90s.

In 2008, when the economy crashed, I thought it was a good time to branch out. Me and the brewmaster at the time, Ryan Worthington, we wrote the business plan and were able to gather some investors. We were likeminded and took it from there.

I just happened to be driving down the road and saw this building was for lease. I walked in and saw the floors and trench drains, and I said perfect.

Mike “Keno”

Snyder with a glass of Fortification Barleywine

By Jeff Maisey

When I visited Parkway Brewing Company last year, the tasting room was super crowded, and interestingly enough located right in the brewery with only a rope separating patrons from the fermenting tanks.

A new tasting room was under construction at the time, so I wanted to revisit and experience the award-winning brewery as it is today.

Parkway’s tasting room is inviting with its leather crescent-shaped couch positioned in front of a stone fireplace. Large garage doors are open during warm months. Picnic tables are standard brewery seating. A kitschy mural adorns one solid wall and the bar showcases lots of colorful, eye-catching merchandise of Parkway’s flagship beer brands like Get Bent Mountain IPA, Raven’s Roost Baltic Porter, Majestic Mullet Krispy Kolsch and for its popular specialty brews such as The Remedy Brown ale and Factory Girl Session IPA.

A raised stage allows for a variety of live music. Step outside onto a nice patio with a wooden footbridge arching over a tiny stream, belly-up to the outdoor bar and gaze at the crossed-wood fencing designed to emulate those on the nearby scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

Parkway Brewing Company was established in 2012 by owner/manager Mike “Keno” Snyder. Keno suffered a stroke in January, but that hasn’t kept him standing still. While still undergoing rehabilitation, Keno went to Italy for his “mental health,” and to connect with relatives – if he could find them.

During my visit Keno shared a goblet of the brewery’s new Fortification Barleywine, a big yet delicious beer at over 12% ABV that is sure to be sipped and savored during the cooler days of October and November. In fact, I can see myself plopped right down on the leather seat absorbing the fireplace heat as a cold November wind kicks up colorful leaves from the surrounding hills.

Here’s an excerpt from my chat with Keno.

From the beginning Salem has been very pro-business, and the people of Salem have really supported the retail end of it.

What size brewing unit did you start with?

Well, we went big. We started with a 30-barrel brew-house. We had less fermenters then, but we’ve been adding to ‘em. We’re adding another 120 next month.

Were your friends at Breckenridge helpful in getting you off the ground?

Very much so, and they still are. We just did a collaboration for Floyd Fest, which they contributed some hops and yeast.

Parkway’s tasting room is now separated from the brewery by a wall and big glass windows. It also has a large, stone fireplace. How did this get incorporated into the design?

Once we built it a contractor, who lives down the road, said, “Do you want a fireplace?” He is a regular customer and he wanted a fireplace. I said, “Sure.” So he built this fireplace out of cinderblock. Then I had a feeling a stonemason was probably going to walk in the door. And sure enough, about a month later this guy walks in and said, “I’m a stonemason.” I said, “Have at it.”

All of this is Catawba stone from Catawba Mountain. I think this is the end of the Catawba stone.

I understand a greenway will pass right by the brewery. What can you share about that plan?

It’ll be a path for biking, walking, running. The idea is if they open train service from DC to Roanoke, which they’re supposed to do, I think people will be coming down because we have some of the best mountain biking in the country. They’ll be using the greenways. I wouldn’t be surprised if you see some boutique hotels open up all over the place on the greenway.

How have sales grown since you opened the brewery?

We’ve doubled every year. Adding the retail tasting room tripled our revenue immediately.

Outside of the Roanoke Valley region where are Parkway beers distributed?

Throughout the Commonwealth. We’re also talking to some distributors in North Carolina, West Virginia and East Tennessee. And obviously DC and north will be next on the list.

We’re currently waiting on money for a bottling line. The idea is once we get the bottling line I’ll feel more comfortable about expanding distribution. We also want to have a deeper imprint in Virginia. We’ve hired – I call him our international sales rep – Simon Thomas. He’s English but lives in Barcelona. He’s going to concentrate on Northern Virginia, Central Virginia and the Tidewater area.

What are your thoughts on opening a satellite location for Parkway?

As long as it’s not too close to the brewery. We talked about doing it in downtown Roanoke, but there are so many bars down there that sell our beer I don’t want to take away from them.

I was also thinking Northern Italy. The Europeans have bought about $116 million worth of American craft beer last year. Devils Backbone’s over in England. They’re contract brewing over there.

My idea is to put a 5 or 10-barrel system over there and have it be community oriented, sorta like this brewery is. The retail is really the community getting together. This is their home away from home. They’re down here every night.

But do it in Italy or wherever. Train the locals how to run it and just give it to them. Hopefully they’ll welcome us all back for a beer.

I have a heavy interest in Italy because my grandfather was from there. I went over to take Italian lessons, and now I’m taking lessons at Roanoke College. He was from Costacciaro, Italy. I just walked into the piazza downtown and yelled out my grandfather’s last name, and this lady in the square yelled out, “Sarah,” and this girl – second or third cousin – walks across the street and took me to her grandmother’s house. I shared a beer with her and we started sharing family photographs. It was obvious we all had the same features. She noticed I didn’t have a wedding band on and asked if I was married. I looked at my taxi driver and said it’s probably time to go.

What can you share about the upcoming barrel-aged brew called Fortification?

It’s named after Andrew Lewis and Fort Lewis. He was a brigadier general of George Washington’s. He was in prison for a year. This barley wine at 12.5% has been in the barrels for one year. It’ll be available in 22-ounce bottles. They’re in bourbon barrels from Smooth Ambler near Lewisburg, West Virginia. I call this a cigar smoking beer. It tastes like a Sugar Daddy candy.

Steam Bell: An Awesome Family Affair

By Wade Reynolds

Ask Brad Cooper what the best thing about opening Steam Bell Beer Works has been and he is quick to give a one word answer. “Family.” Ask patrons at the bar in Steam Bell’s spacious tap room near Southside Speedway and you get another word. “Awesome.” Steam Bell, which opened June 11 as Chesterfield County’s first solely dedicated craft brewery, has enjoyed an enviable early run as one of the newest members of the Richmond area beer community.

In one sense, Cooper’s story is the same one you’ve heard ad nauseam. Guy gets beer kit, brews small batches in his (in this case parents’) kitchen, gets positive feedback from friends, decides to do it for a living and opens craft brewery. OK, I might have low-balled the obstacles along the way here, but you get the picture. In this case, family support has been one of the key ingredients to the early success Steam Bell has achieved so far.

Cooper had “caught the bug” with the opening of Hardywood Park Craft Brewery as a volunteer and a part-time assistant brewer. Going back to a “bad day” at work in 2014 which led to an unsatisfying end to a previous job in the mining industry, Cooper began thinking seriously of taking his hobby to the next level. Parents Connie and

Tom encouraged him to pursue his dream. Connie Cooper pointed out that if he were going to do it, this would be the ideal time. “If you take another job at this point,” she told her son, “you’ll probably never do this.” Cooper sold his truck, said good bye to a girlfriend who insisted he get a “real” job, and moved in with his folks. Brewing initially on a 20 gallon system he still uses today as a pilot system, Cooper began searching for a location, soliciting funding, and going through the process of securing the various licenses and legalities a start up brewery requires.

In his 6000 square foot industrial space at 1717 Oak Lake Blvd. near Southside Speedway, Cooper has found a niche while satisfying a local need. Even though Extra Billy’s has been brewing beer in Chesterfield County since 2000, the restaurant is just as well known for its barbeque as its beer. More importantly, Steam Bell is eight miles west of Extra Billy’s, filling a void in western Chesterfield County with close access to Brandermill, Midlothian and Woodlake. Just check the parking lot. On a recent Sunday mid afternoon it was full, suggesting positive support from the locals. “It’s awesome” noted Hannah Waters, and her husband Stephen agreed. VCU grads and former

Fan dwellers, they were used to quick access to craft breweries, citing Ardent and Triple Crossing as two of their favorites. The couple bought a house in Midlothian last July. After attending Steam Bell’s soft opening, they now come “all the time” or about three times a month. They are thrilled with the “easy convenience to this side of town.” Will Baum, a home brewer, has lived “right down the road” since 1997. “It’s embarrassing this is my first time here,” he said on a recent August afternoon, “but it’s awesome.” There’s that word again. “Craft beers have been the domain of the city for so long,” Baum continued. “It’s nice to see it coming our way.” I got the idea that it wouldn’t take him six more weeks to come back for his next visit.

Cooper was well aware of the “hole in the market” which he described as “huge and untapped” south of the James. Young professionals, though married and moved to the suburbs, are still going to go out. The early response has been so positive that Steam Bell almost ran out of beer during each of the first three weekends the brewery was open. Planning on opening with a 7 barrel system but switching to a 10 barrel before opening, Cooper noted “I’ve got about the best problem I could ask for as a start up business” with the high

demand for his beer. His challenge now is to keep up, or “roll with the flow” as father Tom says.

Cooper plans to focus on saisons, farmhouse ales and sours but is also open to brewing “unique beers” of every style. “We’re trying not to just do (a standard style). Here’s the base style, what else can we do with it?” Using unique ingredients and yet staying true to the style, Cooper is well on his way to putting Steam Bell on the map. The Time is Money IPA has a nice bitterness to it, and the Tiramisu Stout is the brewery’s first medal winner, taking a bronze this August in the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild’s Spiced Herb and Vegetable category. “I’m normally an IPA guy,” said Stephen Waters, “but the Tiramisu Stout is one of my favorites.” “A lot of customers have told us ‘I don’t like beer, or I don’t like stout, but I like yours,’”Connie Cooper added. Toward the end of September Steam Bell will release two new IPAs—Money is Power, a second IPA to go with Time is Money, and a double IPA—Power Corrupts. Throughout the process an abundance of friends and community members have pitched in. And most notably, the family has stepped up. Connie Cooper is the office manager, in charge of payroll and booking events in the tap house among other duties. Tom Cooper began as a sort of handyman. His initial duties

involved taking re-purposed wood and making the tap room décor. His handiwork includes the main sign in front of the brewery, the large “Beer” sign inside, most of the tap room tables, wooden fixings on the wall, and the bar. As the tap room has taken shape, his duties have morphed into sales and distribution. Even sister Brittany has taken a one year hiatus and moved back to town from New York. Maintaining her job there while working from this remote location, she helps with marketing and promotions. “The four of us each have unique talents that the other three may not have,” says Tom. “We try to pick the best one for each job if it works out. If not, we all pitch in.” Even Blair, the family dog, serves as office watch dog.

“A brewery has a lot of moving parts,” according to Tom, “from production to the business end to the tasting room.” It’s clear that, so far, Steam Bell’s are running smoothly. “We’ve got about ten million options to grow,” said Brad. “We just need to figure out the next steps.” The smart money says they will. And that’s awesome.

Embracing the

Belly Love

By Jefferson Evans and Chuck Triplett

“Ummm…hello, I need to be brought into this conversation…like, right now” or something very close to that was what Kathleen “Katie” Baki was thinking as she listened to her husband Tolga out on their front porch talking to his father Bora about the possibility of opening a brewery in Loudoun County, and basically deciding, over glasses of scotch, that that was something Tolga should do. Some wives might have brushed aside such talk as a spirits fueled pipe dream but Katie didn’t. One, because she knew how serious her husband’s passion for home brewing had become, having already voiced her complaint about no longer being able to park her car in the garage due to all the brewing equipment and supplies inside of it. And two, because running an adult beverages related business was already part of the family legacy. Bora Baki and his family founded and own Hillsborough Vineyards in Purcellville, VA. When Katie moved from North Carolina to Reston, VA she ended up as Tolga’s neighbor and after they became a couple and married, she started out helping out occasionally here and there in the tasting room, with weddings and eventually ended up running the tasting room from 2008-2010.

So there were some trepidations, but Katie came on board and planning began in earnest. Initially they were part of a group of would be brewery owners, along with the folks who opened Old 690 and Dirt Farm, who intended to take advantage of the change to Virginia law that opened the door to farm breweries in the state, however, when in 2014 Loudoun County indicated it might be sometime in 2016 before they finalized county regulations concerning farm breweries, Tolga and Katie realized they weren’t willing to wait that long. They had already had a delay of around a year’s duration due to health issues in the family, and weren’t willing to wait any longer, especially once they saw the location they had picked out early on in Purcellville, VA was still available. The space had a varied history as a Virginia ABC Store, a thrift store, a video store, and even a laundromat, but by the time they took possession of the keys in July 2014, the space was essentially bare, lacking even air conditioning and plumbing.

Katie remembers those hot sweaty early days well, when they approached the build out with gusto, a hot Washington D.C. area summer be damned. Wherever they could, they did the work themselves with Tolga’s father making all the tables and Katie getting so good at

painting she hardly needed painters tape by the time it was all done. She was given full control of the décor and worked hard to achieve an end result that is comfortable yet stylish, with bright colors without being gaudy. She tells me, “there were so many trips to Home Depot, I’m pretty sure some of the staff there thought I was stalking them.” It wasn’t till into November that all the electrical and plumbing work was done and a week of soft opening preceded the official opening on December 13, 2014.

The beer is brewed on a 7 barrel system, the brew kettles having been obtained from nearby Corcoran Brewing when that brewery updated their system, and the other components such as the fermentation

tanks having been purchased new. Tolga does all the brewing with help from assistant brewer Aubrey who initially applied to be a bartender but jumped at the offer to help out with brewing. Tolga’s approach has been to keep things relatively simple in terms of the beers the brewery produces, with a basic goal of having 7 beers on tap at all times, 4 of the beers being the core year round beers (Narcissist Munich Helles style lager, Shut the Fook Up Pale Ale, My Bitter X IPA, Eye of Jupiter Oatmeal Stout) with the other 3 being seasonal releases that are rotated out every month or two (at the time of my visit there were 2 seasonals, being the Flying Unicorn Crotch Kick Double IPA and the Son of a

Dicktator Russian Imperial Stout served on nitro). There have been the occasional hiccup such as the time the glycol system broke, and occasionally the yeast can get a bit temperamental, but overall things have worked out as intended.

Some of the fun things Belly Love has been able to do or be involved in include Brooks Currant Obsession - a blend of an Imperial Brown Ale and an Imperial Porter aged in Smooth Ambler Whiskey Barrels that they brewed in collaboration with Adroit Theory specifically for the 12th annual Brewer’s Ball which raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Another fun project involved the 4 Purcellville area breweries - Belly Love,

Adroit Theory, Corcoran, and Old 690where they all collaborated on a saison at Corcoran and then each brewery aged the beer in a different type of wine barrel. Belly Love presently has a bourbon barrel and a Petit Manseng wine barrel that will be used for aging beer in the future. They participated in approximately 7 festivals last year, and 5 so far this year. Also, early this year Belly Love began bottling their beer. There are no plans for distribution so all Belly Love’s beer, on tap or in bottle, are available just at the brewery. Katie tells me that there remains a serious interest in founding a farm brewery, but nothing has been set in stone in that regard, and any major upgrades at the Purcellville location will likely hinge on what decisions are made as to the farm brewery possibility.

Among the things that set Belly Love apart have been the very positive reviews for the food prepared on site by Karen HarperFuog Catering. The pork belly tacos have in particular received high praise. Other example items include the jerk chicken flatbread, El Cubano sandwich, and classics like the warm German pretzel or the mac & cheese. The caterer provides a dedicated employee onsite and brewery staff help out as the number of food orders dictates. Katie tells me that generally the brewery has reached a good staffing level, to the point where she doesn’t have to be out front all the time and can help with some of the behind the scenes tasks. “It definitely feels like we are getting into a good groove”.

Before leaving Belly Love, I remember to ask about the name, which makes Katie smile, if perhaps a tad embarrassed, although I know she has probably been asked the question many times. After Katie and Tolga became a couple, Katie at one point spontaneously came up with a cute couples thing to help them get past the moments of angst any couple experiences - in such a moment they would each pull up their shirts and rub their bellies together, i.e., share a moment of “belly love.” It always made them laugh and helped get them past whatever the issue of the day was. When they were trying to come up with a name for the brewery, and just couldn’t seem to settle on one, Katie suggested Belly Love and they both new that just had to be the name. Not to mention, for a couple running a business together, “there are lots of belly love moments.” I can’t help but smile when told this story, and I realize that Belly Love has triumphed again.

Oozlefinch

By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones

The long-awaited Oozlefinch Brewing Company has finally opened its doors to the public at historic Fort Monroe in Hampton, and it has been well worth the wait. While Wikipedia says the namesake “Oozlefinch” is a mythical flightless bird first sighted outside the Officer’s Club at Fort Monroe in 1905 by a “possibly” inebriated Army Captain, and later the unofficial historic mascot of the U. S. Army Artillery Air Defense, this Oozlefinch is going to soar. And, because Fort Monroe is no longer an Army base, no one will shoot this Oozlefinch down. Once you sample the beers, meet the “Oozlefinch family,” and enjoy the tasting room ambiance, you too may see the flightless big-eyed bird strolling the grounds of this former Army base. Their grand opening on September 3, in the middle of the rain, wind, and storm surge from almost-Tropical Storm Hermine, was a huge success, with a line out the door and standing room only in the tasting room. Russ Tinsley is the affable owner and founder of the Oozlefinch. He was a

homebrewer and Newport News police officer when he was bitten by the beer bug and decided to make a career change and start a brewery. Austin Shawinsky, head brewer, honed his brewing chops for two years at St. George Brewing Company in Hampton and studied Brewing Science and Engineering at the American Brewers Guild in Vermont. Benjamin Baumann is cellar man. Spacemakers Inc. did the build out to transform this building, once a racquetball facility, into a working brewery. The 15-barrel brewing system is American-built in Nebraska.

A visit the week prior to Oozlefinch’s official opening involved a sampling of six tasty beers; they will be expanding to offer fourteen taps before long. Each beer was delicious, and the curious drinker can also learn about the history of Fort Monroe as each beer’s name relates to the storied past of this Army base. You can drink your way through a history lesson!

Sergeant Patches Grapefruit IPA, is named for a dog who, tethered to artillery,

Opens at Fort Monroe

would fire the big guns on command. Delicious, refreshing, and you get your vitamin C for the day! The Short Fuse Session IPA is clean and balanced, unlike the bad-tempered Civil-War-era Monitor ironclad sailor who inspired the name by flying into drunken rages at the drop of a hat, or an anchor. The Lady in White Hefeweizen is a nice example of this style, with hints of bubblegum and banana in the nose and a cloudy golden-white appearance like the ephemeral ghostly lady said to haunt the vicinity since Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, was imprisoned in the fort. She may be his long-suffering wife, but no one is exactly sure. Bet she’ll be back once she discovers this beer! The Oxcart Imperial Porter has notes of chocolate, pecans, and a hint of roasted grain. We love that it is named for Charlotte White, an entrepreneurial African American woman from Phoebus who rose from slavery to become the “pie woman” selling her fresh baked goods on base from an oxcart. Pair this beer with a slice of pecan

or sweet potato pie! The last beer tasted was the Moat Monster Stout, sort of a dry Irish stout but with less of the bitter roasted character of a Guinness so it is going to appeal to those who like a beer that is dark

and flavorful but not too “burnt” tasting. And yes, there is supposedly a murky monster inhabiting the moat at Fort Monroe. Every beer was balanced, well-brewed, and tasty. They also have an apricot saison that just became available, and you can expect more beers to enter into rotation with the flagships. You can try a flight to sample them at the brewery, of course, and do note the neat wooden serving tray.

The tasting room is directly adjacent to the brewing space, and has some very attractive touches, including a gorgeous bar countertop of polished black walnut from the Eastern Shore. The fourteen taps emerge from antique oak salvaged from the historic Boxwood Inn B&B in Lee Hall, Newport News. Step outside the tasting room and you have an unobstructed view of the bay, glimmering just a few hundred feet away. A planned outdoor seating area will instantly give Oozlefinch customers the most scenic view of any brewery tasting room in the region. It took the Oozlefinch a while to be hatched as the Commonwealth of Virginia, National Park Service, and U. S. Army all had

to approve various design plans, however this unique location on the park-like former Army base is an asset and recreation destination. Visit the brewery and while you are at Fort Monroe you can also take a stroll along a walking path on the bay or nature trails, ride your bike on miles of quiet low-traffic roads, have a picnic along the bay, dock at the marina, cast a line at the fishing pier, plop your beach chair on one of several beaches, or visit the Casemate Museum. Fort Monroe also has a very good, casual, water-view restaurant, the Deadrise, where you can drink Oozlefinch beers to accompany your jumbo lump crabcake, oyster po’boy, cubano, or Doughty’s BBQ sandwich. Other draft accounts are all over the Peninsula, including County Grill, Conch & Bucket, Smoke, Bar Louis, Marker 20, Kismet, Harpoon Larry’s, Schooners, Stillwater Tavern, The Point at Phoebus, and Longboard’s Newport News. Oozlefinch is located at 81 Patch Road, Fort Monroe, Hampton. Google maps will take you there flawlessly. Check the website, Facebook page, or call to get the tasting room hours, currently Thursday-Sunday.

Winning Beer, Locally Inspired Fare, and Live Entertainment

The state of Virginia celebrates its fifth annual Cider Week November 11-20, 2016. The week showcases locally fermented, artisanal ciders crafted by cideries throughout the Commonwealth. In 2012, the Governor’s office proclaimed the first official Cider Week in an effort to bring more recognition to the craft and the ever-growing number of cideries in Virginia. A variety of events including workshops, tastings, and dinners will be held in locations around the state. We’ve compiled a list here. Start filling your calendar and enjoy this historical beverage! Visit ciderweekva.com for a complete list of events.

CIDER WEEK NOVEMBER 11-20, 2016 Virginia

ALL WEEK – NOV,11-20

BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS

Foggy Ridge Flights at Dogtown Pizza

Dogtown Pizza brings many intresting acts to Floyd in its entertainment hall, offers woodfired pizza and much more. Celebrate the best of Virginia cider with special flights of Foggy Ridge Cider all week.

Dogtown Roadhouse

302 South Locust Street

540.745.6836

Floyd

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Cider & Food Pairing at Comfort, 5:30-10:30pm All week long, Comfort will be offering 3 different ciders from Potter’s Craft Cider paired with 3 different varieties of country ham hand selected by Chef Jason Alley. Comfort 200 West Broad St. Richmond

VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS

4th Annual Roanoke Cider

Cocktail Competition

Local Roanoke restaurants and bars vie to see who can make the best cocktail using Foggy Ridge Cider brands. Joining the competition are Local Roots, Lucky, Fortunato, River and Rail, and Blue Apron. The public votes by purchasing cider cocktails from any or all of the Cider Cocktail locations. At the end of Cider Week, the restaurant who sells the most cocktails is declared the winner. Many of these cocktails have gone on to further fame in other competitions across the state and country. It’s a great way to see how versatile cider really is in the masterful hands of our participants. Come out and “vote” for your favorite.

Foggy Ridge Cider. Plus, glass and bottle specials all three days.

Castanea Restaurant 1814 E. Main Street Richmond

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11

Whole Foods Market 1700 Duke St Alexandria

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12

BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS

Foggy Ridge Harvest Moon Tasting, 4:30-6:30pm

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10-

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Small Plate & Foggy Ridge

Cider Pairing, 5-10pm

Castenea will offer $5 small plates paired with a free small pour of

Harvest Moon Foods welcomes Foggy Ridge Cider to kick off Virginia Cider Week! Enjoy a select tasting of Foggy Ridge awardwinning local ciders paired with seasonal cheeses. Harvest Moon Foods 227 N. Locust Street Floyd 540.745.4366 harvestmoonfoods.com

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Albermarle Ciderworks Tasting at Alexandria Whole Foods Market, 5-8pm

Sample cider from Albermarle Ciderworks

CENTRAL VIRGINIA Apple Cider Making

Demonstration, 9am-5pm Apple Cider Making

Demonstration with Tom Burford at Saunders Brothers Farm Market. Tom Burford, the “Apple Professor” and author of several books about apples, will delight you with tales of his experience of establishing cideries around the world. Mr. Burford will explain apple varieties for home cider making. Saunders Brothers Orchard & Farm Market

2717 Tye Brook Highway Piney River 434.277.5455

Courthouse Creek Cider Maker’s Dinner, 6pm

Enjoy a delicious meal paired with Courthouse Creek Cider. $65 1581 Maidens Road Maidens courthousecreek.com

CIDER WEEK

Potter’s Craft Cider Brunch at Lucy’s, 10am-2pm

Chef Jason Lucy will be putting together a menu of brunch specials designed to pair with Potter’s Craft Cider as well as some cider cocktail specials. The perfect way to gear up for the Richmond Cider Celebration in Shockoe Bottom later that day!

Lucy’s Restaurant in Jackson Ward 404 N. 2nd Street Richmond lucys2st.wordpress.com

Richmond Cider Celebration, 11am – 4pm Enjoy cider tastings from VA cideries, food from Richmond area chefs, live music, and educational workshops. Tickets: $20 17th Street Farmer’s Market 100 N. 17th Street Richmond ciderweekva.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15

BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS

Foggy Ridge Dinner at Hardware Bar and Grill, 6:30pm

Hardware Bar & Grill welcomes Foggy Ridge Cider to its first ever cider dinner. Chef Jay will prepare a three course meal featuring seasonal, local ingredients paired with a selection of Foggy Ridge’s finest ciders. Hardware Bar and Grill 508 North Main Street Hillsville 276.728.3141 hardwarebarandgrill.com

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Potter’s Cider Dinner at Southbound, 5:30-10pm

A five course dinner paired with five different ciders from Potter’s Craft Cider, including a cask conditioned pin of Oak Barrel Reserve with cinnamon and vanilla added for dessert. Two seatings available. Call 804.918.5431 for reservations. Southbound 3036 Stony Point Road Richmond southboundva.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Virginia Cider Tap Night at District 5, 5-9pm A chance to try multiple ciders on tap from Potter’s Craft Cider, Buskey, and Bold Rock. District 5 1911 W. Main Street Richmond district5rva.com

Virginia Cider Tasting at Beer Run, 6-8pm Beer Run 156 Carlton Road, Ste. 203 Charlottesville 434.984.2337 beerrun.com

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18

BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS

Republic of Floyd Tasting, 5-7pm

Republic of Floyd showcases local arts, crafts, and a wide selection of snacks, beer, wine and fine cider. Enjoy a select tasting of the season’s best ciders. Call 276.728.3141 for reservations. Republic of Floyd 114-B S. Locust Street Floyd

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Open House Weekend

Sat. & Sun., Nov. 20 & 21 ciderweekva.com

BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS

Gleaning Self-Guided Tours at Foggy Ridge, 11am-5pm

Stroll the Foggy Ridge Cider orchards, glass of cider in hand, and take a look at late fall in a cider apple orchard and pick up the last of the fruit for the year. Self-guided gleaning tour and tasting $7. Gleaning—“to collect leftover crops from farmers’ fields after they have been commercially harvested. Some ancient cultures promoted gleaning as a way to support the local farming community.”

Foggy Ridge Cider 1328 Pineview Road Dugspur

276.398.2337 foggyridgecider.com

VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS

Meet the Cider (& Wine) Maker at Local Roots Restaurant, 4-5pm Visit Roanoke’s home for all things local to chat with representatives from Foggy Ridge Cider and Blenheim Winery. Sample “tree versus vine” pairings of Foggy Ridge Cider blends and Blenheim wines matched with artisan cheese from VA and NC. $15

Local Roots Restaurant 1314 Grandin Road Roanoke 540.206.2610

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Live Music at Albermarle Ciderworkds, 2:304:30pm

Music by Larry Becker & Brett Twitty. Cider and light picnic fare available for purchase.

Albermarle Ciderworks

2545 Rural Ridge Lane North Garden

albermarleciderworks.com

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20

Open House Weekend Sat. & Sun., Nov. 20 & 21 ciderweekva.com

BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS

Cider Making Class at Foggy Ridge Cider, 1-3pm

Our assistant Sammy Malavarca returns from Colorado’s Stem Cidery where she was Cidermaker to help teach a basic workshop on cider making. Join Sammy at Foggy Ridge where she will walk you through the process of how to ferment your own cider as well as the things that make Foggy Ridge Cider so different. $25.

Foggy Ridge Cider 1328 Pineview Rd. Dugspur 276.398.2337 foggyridgecider.com

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Apple Tasting & Tree

Catalog Launch at Albermarle Ciderworks, 11am-4pm Tree planting time is just around the corner! Join the Vintage Virginai Apples team for a very special apple tasting and 2016/2017 Catalog Release! We offer 100 apple varieties through our catalog, and will select some of our favorite cider and dualpurpose apples for this special tasting. Live music at 2:30pm. Cider and light fare available for purchase.

Albermarle Ciderworks 2545 Rural Ridge Lane North Garden albermarleciderworks.com

brew

Sunktoberfest

Sunken City Brewing Company

Hardy

We are pleased to see a strong showing this year of Oktoberfest-style beers in part because, quite frankly, we’re not convinced pumpkin and beer is a long-term match made in heaven. Brewmaster Jeremy Kirby does a spot-on job with this German-inspired Marzen sold in 22-oz bottles. It has a proper head, pleasant malt flavor, and true to the traditional style. 5.6 ABV. Prost!

Berry White Ale

Soaring Ridge Craft Brewery

Roanoke

First of all we love – as in Love Unlimited Orchestra – the soul music reference in the name of this beer, though we’re not quite sure why a wizard-like illustration is used on the can label rather than the singer’s likeness. As for the liquid, as the name suggests blackberries provide a complimentary flavor to the Belgian-style while ale. It’s refreshing and 4.5% ABV.

Last Leaf Maple Brown Ale

Starr Hill Brewery

Crozet

Whether you’re tapping a maple tree or popping the bottle cap of this fall seasonal both are a great compliment to some old fashion beer-tur-milk pancakes. Last Leaf optimizes the malty characteristics of a nice English brown ale. The maple syrup aspect is a unique and unexpected delight. The 12-ounce bottles are included as part of Starr Hill’s Fall Tour Variety Pack. 6.1 ABV.

Oktoberfest St. George Brewing Company Hampton

St. George Brewing Company’s seasonal Oktoberfest is a classic German style Marzen. It is a pale copper color with roasted malt and caramel flavors balanced by mild hop bitterness. It’s a great beer to celebrate the Fall Harvest Season! 6% ABV

Second Ascent Adventure Brewing Company Fredericksburg

Second Ascent is Adventure Brewing Company’s Double India Pale Ale. At 9.2% ABV, it definitely packs a punch. A unique blend of galaxy, citra, and nelson sauvin hops provides a hoppy flavor without the bitterness. If you are looking for an adventure, this would be a good place to start!

reviews

Twisted Gourd South Street Brewery Charlottesville

Twisted Gourd is South Street’s twist on the traditional pumpkin seasonal. This incarnation is an Imperial Chocolate Chai Pumpkin Ale at 8.37% ABV and is part of their Barstools & Dreamers series. As much we like the taste, we like the story behind its name even better! According to historical reference, the year before the Civil War struck the Commonwealth, a pumpkin blight affected crops throughout Central Virginia turning the gourds into “the bleached resemblance of twisted skulls.” The rotting pumpkins fermented in the fields until devoured by livestock who “roamed the countryside mad with delirium.” It was known as the year of the Twisted Gourd!

BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS

Apple Harvest Celebration at Foggy Ridge Sat., Oct. 8, 11am-5pm

Sample a variety of American Heritage and English cider apples from 1-4pm. $10 covers apple and cider tasting.

Foggy Ridge Cider

1328 Pineview Road

Dugspur

276.398.2337

foggyridgecider.com

Blacksburg Brew Do Sat., Oct. 8, 12-5pm

Over 40 craft beers from mid-Atlantic, national craft, and micro-breweries, food from local restaurants and home brewing demonstrations, live music, and the 7h annual Brew Do Homebrew Competition.

VT Corporate Research Center

1600 Innovation Drive Blacksburg 540.443.2008

blacksburgbrewdo.com

Hiker Happy Hour at Right Turn Clyde Thurs., Oct. 13

Hikers receive $1 off pints and growler fills.

Right Turn Clyde Brewery

300 Main Street Narrows

540.921.7283

Thanksgiving Open House at Foggy Ridge Fri., Nov. 25, 11am-5pm & Sat., Nov. 26 12-5pm

Enjoy seasonal homemade soup paired with cider. $10 covers a sample from Cast Iron Catering and cider tasting from 1-4pm. Gift baskets, bags, & boxes available.

Foggy Ridge Cider 1328 Pineview Road

Dugspur

276.398.2337 foggyridgecider.com

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Cards Against Humanity SIN Night at Strangeways

Every Monday, 4-9pm

Good beer, insane laughter, & extreme inappropriateness! Bring a team of 4-7 people and the game. Plus, if you are in the service industry, receive 20% off specials.

Strangeways Brewing 2277A Dabney Rd. Richmond strangewaysbrewing.com

Game Night at Garden Grove Brewing

Every Monday 3445 West Cary Street Richmond 804.918.6158 gardengrovebrewing.com

Rib Night at Wild Wolf

Every Monday, 5-10pm

Wild Wolf Brewing Company 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford wildwolfbeer.com

$2 Tuesdays at South Street Brewery

Every Tuesday until 9pm

$2 draft beers (under 8% ABV) 106 South Street Charlottesville 434.293.6550 southstreetbrewery.com

Pint Specials at Wild Wolf

Every Tuesday, 5-9pm

Wild Wolf Brewing Company 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford wildwolfbeer.com

Brewer Tap Spotlight at World of Beer

Every Wednesday, 6pm

Featuring a handful of carefully selected beers, showcasing the true talents of the featured brewery being represented. Come early and grab yourself a glass with purchase of a featured brew!

World of Beer

852 W. Main Street

Charlottesville 434.760.0771 worldofbeer.com/locations/ charlottesville

Steal the Pint at Starr Hill

Every Wednesday

A different pint glass each week and specials on growler fills on any core brand.

Starr Hill Tap Room 5391 Three Notched Road Crozet starrhill.com

Steal the Pint at Wild Wolf

Every Wednesday

With any $4 pint purchase, receive a pint glass to take home.

Wild Wolf Brewing Company 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford 434.361.0088 wildwolfbeer.com

Trivia Night at Garden Grove Brewing

Every Wednesday 3445 West Cary Street

Richmond 804.918.6158 gardengrovebrewing.com

Happy Hour at Blue Bee Cider

Every Thursday

Featuring new ciders on draft as part of the small batch cider draft program. 212 W. 6th Street

Richmond 804.231.0280 bluebeecider.com

Trivia Night at Wild Wolf

Every Thursday

Tacos & Trivia

Wild Wolf Brewing Company 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford wildwolfbeer.com

Friday Cheers at Blue Mountain Barrel

House

Every Friday, 5-9pm

Enjoy live music from 6-8pm and food trucks 5-9pm 495 Cooperative Way Arrington 434.263.4002 bluemountainbrewery.com

Live Music at Wild Wolf

Every Friday & Saturday, 7-10pm No cover.

Wild Wolf Brewing Company 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford wildwolfbeer.com

VA Beer & Wine Tasting at Michie Tavern

Every Sat. & Sun., 1-4pm Enjoy tastings from VA craft breweries and wineries.

Michie Tavern’s General Store 683 Thomas Jefferson Parkway Charlottesville 434.977.1234

Brunch at Blue Mountain Brewery

Every Sunday, 11am-2pm

Enjoy live music 2:30-5pm 9519 Critzer Shop Rd. Afton 540.456.8020 bluemountainbrewery.com

Brunch at Wild Wolf

Every Sunday

Live Music from 2-5pm; No Cover

Wild Wolf Brewing Company 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford wildwolfbeer.com

Local Bucket Sunday at World of Beer

Every Sunday

Get specials on local beers for the local beer bucket offering on Sundays.

852 W. Main Street

Charlottesville

Oktoberfest at Blue Mountain Brewery

Sat., Oct. 1 – Sun., Oct. 9, 11am-10pm

Special beer releases, menu specials, games, tastings, tours, and live music.

9519 Critzer Shop Road

Afton

540.456.8020

Donktoberfest at Bold Rock Cider Meadow Sun., Oct. 2, 12-5pm

Presented by Virginia Donkey Rescue

Featuring live music, craft & food vendors, cider, games, and a donkey petting paddock.

$1 from each cider sold will be donated to Virginia Donkey Rescue 1020 Rockfish Valley Highway Nellysford

434.361.1030 boldrock.com

OkToader Harvest Festival at Blue Toad Cider

Sat., Oct. 15 12-6pm

Live music, pig roast, fresh pressed cider, fresh picked apples, “Hot Toadies,” candy & caramel apples, face painting, bounce house, and more!

Blue Toad Hard Cider

462 Winery Lane

Roseland

Pumpkin Carving Party at Blue Mountain Brewery

Wed., Oct. 19, 3-7pm

Bring the family for pumpkin carving fun! We provide the pumpkin, tools, and decorations. You can take your pumpkin home!

9519 Critzer Shop Rd. Afton

540.456.8020 bluemountainbrewery.com

Richmond Oktoberfest

Fri., Oct. 21, 6pm-midnight & Sat., Oct. 22, 3pm-midnight

The 48th Annual Richmond Oktoberfest includes authentic German food & drink, music, dancing, shopping, and more! Old Dominion Building, Richmond International Raceway Complex 600 E. Laburnum Ave. Richmond richmondoktoberfestinc.com

Capital Ale House presents HOPS in the Park, a one-of-a-kind harvest festival in Chesterfield County on Saturday, November 12 from 12 to 6pm. It celebrates the farmers, manufacturers, and consumers of food and drink made in and from the soils and waters of the Commonwealth.

Bold Rock Fall Foliage Fest & Seasonal Cider Release

Sat., Oct. 22, 11am-8pm

Celebrate the fall foliage at Bold Rock! Live music, hay rides, apple bobbing, food, and seasonal cider release. Bold Rock Cidery 1020 Rockfish Valley Highway Nellysford boldrock.com

Isley 3 Year Anniversary Party Sat., Oct. 22, 12-10pm

Neighborhood Zombie Walk hosted by Black Dog Events. Live music, food trucks, and special infusions – Blood Orange Porter & Green Slime Plain Jane. Isley Brewing Company 1715 Summit Ave. Richmond

Experience Virginia Wine, Beer, & Cider Festival

Sat., Oct. 29, 12-5pm

Sample some of Virginia’s finest beer, wine, & cider. Live music. Food trucks. Tickets: $20 in advance; $25 at gate

James River Cellars Winery 11008 Washington Hwy. Glen Allen jamesrivercellars.com

Hardywood Trickery Release Sat., Oct. 29, 1-10pm

A limited release milk stout aged in apple brandy barrels for 8 months for

a smooth apple brandy finish. Notes of warm caramel, blackstrap molasses, and chocolate covered cherries.

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery 2408-2410 Ownby Lane Richmond

RVA Pug-O-Ween Sat., Oct. 29, 12-1:30pm

Richmond Pug Meetup will be judging a few costume contests and awarding 1st & 2nd place winners.

Isley Brewing Company 1715 Summit Ave. Richmond

3rd Annual Growl-O-Ween Sun., Oct. 30, 2-5pm

Dogs and owners alike will enjoy a costume contest and carnival style games. Live music, food trucks, and great beer. Proceeds benefit The Friends of Hanover Dog Parks and the Hanover Humane Society.

Center of the Universe 11293 Air Park Road Ashland cotubrewing.com

16th Annual Apple Harvest Festival Sat., Nov. 5, 10am-5pm

Visit with a number of vendors from the local farmer’s market, enjoy hay rides, cider tastings, and more! Live music all day. Apple pie competition. Hosted by Cove Garden Ruritans and

Vintage Virginia Apples Albermarle Ciderworks 2545 Rural Ridge Lane North Garden albermarleciderworks.com

Top of the Hops Sat., Nov. 5, 3-7pm

150+ craft beers, live music, a silent disco, ciders, imports, cornhole tournament, and a collaboration garden. GA: $45 in advance; $50 at door VIP: $80 in advance Sprint Pavilion 700 E. Main St. Charlottesville topofthehopsbeerfest.com

Hops in the Park Harvest Festival Sat., Nov. 12, 12-9pm

Featuring Virginia craft beer and Virginia hops farmers plus, live music, beer tastings, food, art, and more! Proceeds benefit Henricus Children’s Education Fund and Old Dominion Hops Cooperative.

Henricus Historical Park 251 Henricus Park Rd. Richmond 804.748.1611 henricus.org

Beer & Cider Dinner at Wild Wolf Thurs., Dec. 1, 7-9pm Multi-course beer, cider, and food pairing. Reservations required. Wild Wolf Brewing Company

2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford wildwolfbeer.com

COASTAL VIRGINIA

Trivia Night at Wasserhund

Every Monday, 7-9pm Wasserhund Brewing Company 1805 Laskin Road Virginia Beach 757.351.1326 wasserhundbrewing.com

Trivia Night at Home Republic

Every Tuesday, 7pm

Featuring Smartmouth Live Trivia Home Republic 328 Laskin Rd. Virginia Beach 757.226.9593 homerepublicvabeach.com

Big Ugly Running Posse

Every Wednesday

Join Big Ugly Running Posse for a 1, 3, or 5 mile run starting at Big Ugly. Then, reward yourself with a beer!

Big Ugly Brewing Company 1296 Battlefield Blvd. Chesapeake biguglybrewing.com

Trivia Night at Alewerks

Every Wednesday, 7pm

Alewerks Taproom

189-B Ewell Rd.

Williamsburg alewerks.com

Team Trivia at Tradition

Every Wednesday, 7pm

Tradition Brewing Company

700 Thimble Shoals Blvd.

Newport News

757.303.3415

traditionbrewing.com

Weekly Tasting at bottleBOX

Every Wednesday 5-7pm

Join your favorite brewery’s representative as they walk you through a free sampling of new and exciting beers.

325b W. 21st Street

Norfolk

757.918.9932

bottlebox.beer/events

Pint Night & Tap Take Over at Home Republic

Every Thursday

Home Republic

328 Laskin Rd.

Virginia Beach

757.226.9593

homerepublicvabeach.com

Virginia Craft Beer Thursday

Every Thursday

Enjoy local Virginia brewed beers for $3 a pint.

Tapped Gastropub

1550 Laskin Road

Virginia Beach

757.965.5585

tappedgastropub.com

Firkin Friday at Cogans North

Every Friday

A new firkin is tapped each week. 4311 Colley Avenue

Norfolk

757.627.6428

coganspizza.com

Chelsea West Fest

Sat., Oct. 1, 12-6pm

A celebration of what makes this region great: local crafters, talented local musicians, local beer, and the unique eateries just steps away from the festival. Proceeds benefit Hope House Foundation

Chelsea Business District Corner of Orapax St. & Raleigh Ave. Norfolk hope-house.org

Oktoberfest presented by Bier Garden & The Ambassadors Club

Sat., Oct. 1, 12-9pm

Traditional German beer & food, ceremonial keg tapping at 1pm, the original Elbe Musikikanten Band, cornhole, strong man competition, bounce house for kids and more! Proceeds benefit Spikes K9 Fund

The Ambassadors Club 364 Peninsula Ave. Portsmouth biergarden.com

Beer Release at O’Connor Fri., Oct. 7

Sweater Weather Wit – The mixed fermentation of Saison and Abbey yeasts in this pale white witbier create moderately earthy and spicy flavors that are sure to warm you up all winter long.

O’Connor Brewing Company

211 W. 24th Street

Norfolk

757.623.2337

oconnorbrewing.com

Come Run Remember the Cole at Bold Mariner Wed., Oct. 12, 6-9pm

An opportunity for the community to come together and remember the 17 Sailors who lost their lives while in service to their country. This is a 2.8 mile run/walk event.

Bold Mariner Brewing Company

2409 Bowdens Ferry Rd.

Norfolk

boldmariner.com

New Beer Release at O’Connor Fri., Oct. 14

Hoptrick Red IPA – An exciting and unique beer created in collaboration with the Norfolk Admirals and brewed with three different hop varieties. Not too dry, not too bitter, and not too strong, this well-balanced amber ale is just right for any palate.

O’Connor Brewing Company

211 W. 24th Street

Norfolk

757.623.2337

oconnorbrewing.com

New Beer Release at O’Connor Sat., Oct. 15

Susan Constant Wheat Wine & Ironclad

Susan Constant – Susan Constant is part of the Virginia Vintage Series, a showcase of vintage-style ales brewed with natural ingredients from Virginia. This brew is amber in color and has notes of caramel, toffee, and a hint of tropical fruit balance. The Ironclad variant is aged in chardonnay barrels.

O’Connor Brewing Company

211 W. 24th Street

Norfolk

757.623.2337

oconnorbrewing.com

4th Birthday Bash at Smartmouth Sat., Oct. 15, 12-7pm

Celebrate Smartmouth’s 4th Birthday with a street party, 10 different beers on tap, food trucks, live music, and brewery tours.

Smartmouth Brewery 1309 Raleigh Ave.

Norfolk

smartmouthbrewery.com

New Beer Release at O’Connor Fri., Oct. 21

Cloud 9 Winter Coconut Saison –Inspired by the famed Filipino surf break “Cloud 9” and the clear tropical waters there within, coconut is the star ingredient in this saison.

O’Connor Brewing Company

211 W. 24th Street

Norfolk

757.623.2337

4th Annual Virginia Bacon Festival Sat., Oct. 22, noon-5pm

Bacon dishes, bacon samples, and bacon-themed cocktails. Plus, local, regional, and national craft beers and bourbon. Live music.

Portsmouth Pavilion

Portsmouth virginiabaconfestival.com

Cogans Pumpkin Beer Fest

Sat., Oct. 22, 1-7pm

Featuring over 20 taps outside, 10+ brewery tents outside, 20+ pumpkin beers, 12+ Oktoberfest & Fall seasonal beers, live music, and $8.99 pizza buffet.

$15 in advance; $20 at door

Proceeds benefit Hope House Foundation

Cogans North 4311 Colley Ave. Norfolk coganspizza.com

Fall Fest Taste of the Town Sat., Oct. 22, 1-6pm

Featuring over two dozen local restaurants featuring signature items from their menu, craft beer, wine, and top shelf beverages. Live music by Tiki Bar Band.

$50 per person

Proceeds benefit Hope House Foundation

Norfolk International Terminal

Crumbley House 7737 Hampton Blvd. Norfolk Norfolksertomaclub.org/tickets

Virginia Beach Craft Beer Festival

Sat. & Sun., Oct. 22 & 23, 1-6pm

Over 50 craft beers from over 25 breweries and live music.

$25 in advance; $30 at door

Proceeds support Virginia Legends Walk 31st Street Park

Virginia Beach Oceanfront ticketmaster.com

Wasabi werks! at Alewerks Thurs., Oct. 27, 7-9pm

Sushi class with Birmingham Sushi Class. Learn the art of making homemade sushi! Alewerks Taproom 189-B Ewell Rd. Williamsburg alewerks.com

Halloween Party at Tradition Sat., Oct. 29

Live music by The Deloreans

Purchase tickets in the Tasting Room or by phone.

Tradition Brewing Company

700 Thimble Shoals Blvd.

Newport News

757.303.3415

traditionbrewing.com

Smartmouth’s Haunted Brewhaus Sat., Oct. 29, 2-8pm

The brewery is brimming with powerful spirits that will rise from the fermenters. Enter at your own risk as hop-goblins, boo-masters, and killer kegs await you in the darkness! Tours begin at 2pm and run every 30 minutes.

Tickets: $10 and include a cursed Belgian beer goblet and pint of beer.

Smartmouth Brewery 1309 Raleigh Ave.

Norfolk

smartmouthbrewery.com

Williamsburg Harvest Celebration Fri., Nov. 4 – Sun., Nov. 13, 10am-11pm

Experience Virginia’s fines – featuring over 30 culinary inspired events in Williamsburg, Jamestown, & Yorktown. williamsburgharvestcelebration.com

Beers in the ‘Burg Sat., Nov. 5, 4-7pm

Meet the brewer and sample beer from a craft brewery. Live music.

Chownings Tavern Garden

109 East Duke of Gloucester St. Williamsburg 800.447.8679

House of Blues, Brews, & Stews

Sunday, November 6, 1-5pm

Local restaurants compete for best stew, great craft beer, and blues music. Plus, admission to MOCA’s exhibition: “Turn the Page: The First Ten Years of Hi-Fructose.”

General Admission: $35 in advance; $40 at door

VIP: $55 in advance; $65 at door

Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art 2200 Parks Avenue Virginia Beach virginiamoca.org

Learn to Homebrew Day

was established by the American Homebrewers Association in 1999 to encourage homebrewers to introduce their non-brewer friends and family to the most rewarding hobby, obsession and lifestyle since the beginning of time! Stop by Southern Hills Homebrew Supply on Saturday, November 5 from 11am to 4pm for brewing demonstrations, beer tastings, and guest speakers.

7th Annual Roast & Toast

Sunday, November 6, 3-6pm

Enjoy oysters, barbecue, craft beer, wine, live music, and admission to the Museum.

Tickets: $55 members; $65 nonmembers

Hermitage Museum & Gardens

7637 North Shore Rd. Norfolk thehermitagemuseum.org

Veteran’s Day Home Republic Fri., Nov. 11

Veterans and family members receive 10% off.

Home Republic

328 Laskin Rd. Virginia Beach 757.226.9593 homerepublicvabeach.com

Bold Mariner 1st Birthday Celebration Sat., Nov. 12, 12-9pm

Live music & beer. Plus, the release of Nighthawk, a dark saison that pours black followed by fruity, spicy, and peppery aromas, chocolate, and roasted flavors thoughout.

Bold Mariner Brewing Company 2409 Bowdens Ferry Rd. Norfolk boldmariner.com

New Beer Release at O’Connor Sat., Nov. 12

Winter Pecan Porter – A traditional English-style Porter infused with toasted pecans.

O’Connor Brewing Company 211 W. 24th Street

Norfolk 757.623.2337 oconnorbrewing.com

Ibrik Day on Black Saturday at O’Connor Sat., Nov. 26

Ibrik is an Imperial Stout that brings together light roasted coffee with dark roasted malts. This year, there are 3 barrel-aged variants of Ibrik – bourbon barrel-aged, rum barrel-aged, and maple syrup barrel-aged.

O’Connor Brewing Company

211 W. 24th Street

Norfolk 757.623.2337 oconnorbrewing.com

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Public Service Night at Bad Wolf

Every Monday, 4-8pm

Police, EMT, Fire – Happy Hour pricing with valid ID

Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle

Manassas

Team Trivia at Ornery

Every Monday, 7:30pm

Happy Hour extended to 9pm. Weekly prizes!

Ornery Beer Company 14389 Potomac Mills Road Woodbridge

Trivia Night at Bad Wolf

Every Tuesday, 6-8pm

Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle

Manassas

Flight Night at Bad Wolf

Every Wednesday

Happy Hour pricing on flights. Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle

Manassas

Open Mic at Bad Wolf

Every Thursday

Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle Manassas

Trivia Night at Belly Love

1st & 3rd Thursday

Belly Love Brewing 725 E. Main Street Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com

We’re Firkin Nuts

Every Thursday, 3:30-10pm

Featuring one of our firkin cask ales made with fresh ingredients unique to Adventure Brewing.

Adventure Brewing Company

33 Perchwood Dr., Unit 101

Stafford 22405 540.242.8876

facebook.com/adventurebrewing/

Justin’s Flavor Infusion Night

Every Friday, 3:30-10pm

We combine off the wall ingredients with one of our beers to create a one-of-a-kind beer.

Adventure Brewing Company

33 Perchwood Dr., Unit 101

Stafford 22405

540.242.8876

facebook.com/adventurebrewing/

Lupus Fundraiser at Bad Wolf

Sat, Oct. 1, 5-10pm

Casino, Band, Beer, & Food.

Bad Wolf Brewing Company

8420 Kao Circle Manassas

Paint & Sip at Bad Wolf

Sun, Oct. 2, 1-3pm

Bad Wolf Brewing Company

8420 Kao Circle

Manassas

Bad Wolf Fall Festival

Sat, Oct. 8, 2-8pm

8 Breweries, Local Vendors, Food Trucks, Bands, and Beer!

Tickets: $10 in advance; $15 at the door

Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle

Manassas

Starr Hill Tap Takeover

Tues., Oct. 11, 6pm

Featuring some the of the latest and great Starr Hill beer releases!

Greenhouse Bistro & Tea Lounge 2070 Chainbridge Rd.

Vienna

Whiskey & Beer Pairing at Monk’s BBQ Wed., Oct. 12, 5pm

Unique whiskey and Starr Hill beer pairings.

Monk’s BBQ 251 N. 21st St. Purcellville

Stoneridge Petoberfest

Sat., Oct. 15

Brew Republic Bierwerks 15201 Potomac Town Place Woodbridge brewrepublic.beer

Northern Virginia Fall BrewFest

Sat. & Sun., Oct. 15 & 16, 11am-7pm

Enjoy fall, winter, and seasonal beers from local and regional craft breweries, food vendors, live music, and arts & crafts vendors.

Tickets: $25

Bull Run Regional Park 7700 Bull Run Drive Centreville novabrewfest.com

Brewing History: Beer Tasting & Dinner

Fri., Oct. 21, 6:30-10pm

Private tour of mansion, 18th century beer brewing demonstration, beer tasting, and 4 course dinner paired with beers from Mount Vernon Inn.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy. Mount Vernon

703.780.2000 mountvernon.org

Beer 101: Brewery Tour & Tasting Sat., Oct. 22, 12pm & 2pm

Learn all about your favorite beer from production to taste characteristics. Tour & tasting with our brewers Bill Madden and Matt Ryan.

$15 includes tour and beer sampler. Mad Fox Brewing Company 444 West Broad Street Falls Church

703.942.6840 madfoxbrewing.com

Rock the Block!

Fri., Oct. 28, 6:30-9:30pm

Featuring live music by Gonzo’s Nose, food vendors, beer, and more!

Old Town Square 3999 University Drive Fairfax 703.385.1710 fairfaxva.gov

3rd Annual Old Bust Head 5K Sat., Oct. 29

Start at the brewery and end with a cold beer! Proceeds benefit Finley’s Green Leap Forward.

Brothers Craft Brewery’s much anticipated release of Resolute, their Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout, takes place Saturday, November 12 in Harrisonburg.

Old Bust Head Brewing Company 7134 Lineweaver Rd. Warrenton 540.347.4777 oldbusthead.com

Annual Halloween Party Bad Wolf Sat, Oct. 29, 6-10pm

Costume Contest with $100 prize!

Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle Manassas

Hallowe’en Costume Party at Brew Republic Sat., Oct. 29, 7-11:30pm

Ghoulish Halloween themed menu, live music, and free appetizer for best costume.

Brew Republic Bierwerks 15201 Potomac Town Place Woodbridge brewrepublic.beer

Food Drive at Bad Wolf

Nov. 4-6 & Nov. 11-13

Bring in 4 cans of food and receive a beer ticket.

Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle Manassas

Cask Ale Festival Sat., Nov. 5, 12-6pm

Celebrate authentic cask ale outdoors in our Market Square! Event will feature top cask beers from breweries around the region, live music, grilled fare, and children’s activities.

Mad Fox Brewing Company 444 West Broad Street Falls Church 703.942.6840 madfoxbrewing.com

Starr Hill Tap Takeover Thurs., Nov. 17, 5pm

Featuring some the of the latest and great Starr Hill beer releases! Blackfinn Ameripub 2750 Gallows Rd. Vienna

Metal Band at Bad Wolf Sat, Nov., 19, 5-10pm

Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle Manassas

SHENANDOAH VALLEY

Cards Against Humanity at Pale Fire Every Monday, 8pm

Team-style game in all its inappropriate glory! Prizes for winning team!

Pale Fire Brewing 217 S. Liberty St. Harrisonburg palefirebrewing.com

Virginia Craft on Draft Every Monday, 3-5pm

Enjoy all Virginia pints for $4 and all Virginia Belgians for $5

Brew Ridge Taps 11 E. Nelson Street Lexington 540.461.8012 brewridgetaps.com

Think & Drink

Trivia @ The Lab

Every Thursday, 6pm

Blue Lab Brewery

123 S. Randolph Street Lexington bluelabrewing.com

Live @ The Lab

Every Friday, 6-9pm

Enjoy live music every Friday.

Blue Lab Brewery 123 S. Randolph Street Lexington bluelabrewing.com

540.896.4992

Blue Mountain Tap Takeover Thurs., Oct. 13, 5-8pm

Enjoy Blue Mountain brews at this tap takeover!

Roma Pizzeria 21 N. Loudon St. Winchester 540.667.2743

Anicira’s Walk for the Animals Sat., Oct. 15, 10am-5pm Alumni Parade, doggie activities and vendor village, beer from Brothers Craft Brewery and Pale Fire Brewing, wine from Country Vinter, food trucks, and live music. Tickets: $15

Proceeds benefit Anicira Rockingham County Fairgronds 4808 S. Valley Pike Harrisonburg

Apple Harvest Celebration Sat., Oct. 15, 10am-5pm

Large variety of already picked apples, pick-your-own apples, many Virginia made items, food trucks, craft vendors, live music, Old Hill Cider sales/tastings, children’s activities, and more!

Old Hill Cider 17768 Honeyville Road

Timberville oldhillcider.com

WMRA Books & Brews Tues., Nov. 1, 7-8pm

A collaboration between WMRA Public Radio & Pale Fire. Chuck McCutcheon will talk about two different books.

Pale Fire Brewing

217 S. Liberty St. Harrisonburg palefirebrewing.com

Shenandoah Seasonings Hard Cider Dinner Fri., Nov. 4, 6pm

Multi-course dinner featuring entrees such as Bison Filet, Rack of Venison, Smoked Sea Trout, and Veal Roulade paired with Old Hill Cider. Skyland

Mile 41.7 & 42.5 on Skyline Drive Luray 877-847-1919

Capital Ale House 3rd Annual Barrel-Aged Tap Takeover Fri., Nov. 11

Featuring an amazing barrel-aged draft line-up!

Capital Ale House 41 Court Square

Harrisonburg

Resolute Release Party at Brothers Craft Brewery

Sat., Nov. 12, 10am-11pm

With bottle sales, food trucks, music, cornhole, and guest taps. Brothers Craft Brewery 800 N. Main St. Harrisonburg brotherscraftbrewing.com

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA

Brewster Walk Sat., Oct. 8, 1-7pm

60+ craft beers, live performances by Steep Canyon Rangers, The Trongone Band, and Relacksachian.

GA: $30; VIP: $50

In front of the Rivers Theatre

215 E. Church St. Martinsville

Bugs, Beer, & BBQ Sat., Oct. 8, 5-9pm

Enjoy a variety of beer, amazing barbecue, live music, and corn hole tournament.

$20 in advance; $25 at door

Virginia Museum of Natural History 21 Starling Ave. Martinsville vmnh.net

Bluegrass, Barbecue, and Brew Festival Sat., Nov. 5, 11am-5pm

The festival combines a love of history with a love of music, barbeque, and Virginia craft beer.

$20 in advance; $25 at gate

Patrick Henry’s Red Hill 1250 Red Hill Road Brookneal redhill.org

VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS

Oktoberfest & 5K Trail Race at Smith Mountain Lake Sat., Oct. 1, 10:30am-5pm

5K race followed by Oktoberfest with live entertainment, children’s activities, German food, and beer from Sunken

City Brewery. 84 Westlake Road

Hardy

540.721.5288 smloktoberfest.com

STEM at Soaring Ridge Craft Brewery Wed., Oct. 12 & Nov. 9, 5:30-7:30pm

Monthly STEM Tavern featuring a fascinating science presentation plus good beer!

Soaring Ridge Craft Brewery 523 Shenandoah Ave. Roanoke smwv.org

Awards Ceremony for Star City Homebrew Throwdown Sat., Oct. 22, 6-9pm

Winners of the Star City Homebrew Throwdown will be announced. Plus, there will be a raffle for fantastic beer and brewing prizes.

Chaos Mountain Brewing 3135 Dillons Mill Rd. Callaway

Learn to Homebrew Day 2016 Sat., Nov. 5, 11am-4pm

Brewing demonstrations, beer tastings, and guest speakers!

Southern Hills Homebrew Supply 5342 Franklin Rd., SW Roanoke

Brew-HaHa!

Sat., Nov. 15, 2-8pm Stand-up comedy plus beer from 20 craft breweries.

General Taster: $25; VIP: $35

Salem Civic Center 1001 Roanoke Blvd.

Salem salemciviccenter.com

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

7 Hills Brewing Company

115 S. 15th St. Richmond 804.716.8307

AMMO Brewing Company

235 N Market Petersburg 23805

804.722.1667 facebook.com/ammobrewing

Apocalypse Ale Works 1257 Burnbridge Rd Forest 434.258.8761 endofbadbeer.com

Ardent Craft Ales

3200 W. Leigh Street Richmond

804.359.1605

ardentcraftales.com

Blue Mountain Brewery 9519 Critzer Shop Rd. Afton

540.456.8020

bluemountainbrewery.com

Blue Mountain Barrel House 495 Cooperative Way Arrington 434.263.4002

bluemountainbarrel.com

C’ville-ian Brewing Company

705 W. Main Street Charlottesville 434.328.2252 cvillebrewco.com

Castleburg Brewery & Taproom 1626 Owenby Lane Richmond 23220

804.353.1256 castleburgbrewery.com

Center of the Universe Brewing Company

11293 Air Park Rd. Ashland

804.368.0299 cotubrewing.com

Champion Brewing Company 324 6th St SE Charlottesville 434.295.2739 championbrewingcompany.com

Devils Backbone Brewing Company - Basecamp 200 Mosbys Run Roseland 434.361.1001 dbbrewingcompany.com

Extra Billy’s 1110 Alverser Dr. Midlothian 804.379.8727 extrabillys.com/ ExtraBillysBarBQ2.htm

Final Gravity Brewing Company 6118 Lakeside Ave. Richmond 804.264.4808

Garden Grove Brewing 3445 West Cary Street Richmond 804-918-6158 gardengrovebrewing.com

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery 2408 Ownby Ln. Richmond 804.420.2420 hardywood.com

Isley Brewing Company 1715 Summit Avenue Richmond 804.499.0721 isleybrewingcompany.com

James River Brewery 561 Valley St. Scottsville 434.286.7837 jrbrewery.com

Kindred Spirits Brewing Company 12830 W. Creek Parkway Goochland 804.708.0309 kindredspiritsbrewing.com

Legend Brewing Company

321 W. Seventh St.

Richmond 804.232.3446 legendbrewing.com

Lickinghole Creek

Farm Brewery 4100 Knolls Point Dr. Goochland 804.314.4380 lickingholecreek.com

Loose Shoe Brewing Company 198 Ambriar Plaza Amherst 434-941-7345 looseshoebrewing.com

Midnight Brewery 2410 Granite Ridge Rd. Rockville 804.356.9379 midnight-brewery.com

Montross Brewing Company 15381 Kings Highway Montross 804.452.7394 montrossbrewery.com

Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke. Crozet 434.823.4878 prnbrewery.com

Random Row Brewing Company 608 Preston Avenue Charlottesville 434.284.8466 randomrow.com

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery 11800 W. Broad Street Richmond 23233 804-237-1684 rockbottom.com

South Street Brewery 106 South Street Charlottesville 434.293.6550 southstreetbrewery.com

Starr Hill Brewery 5391 Three Notch’d Rd. Crozet 434.823.5671 starrhill.com

Stone Brewing Company 4300 Williamsburg Avenue Richmond 23231 760.294.7899 facebook.com/ stonebrewingrichmond. Strangeways Brewing 2277 Dabney Rd. Richmond 804.303.4336 strangewaysbrewing.com

The Answer Brewpub 6008 West Broad St. Richmond facebook.com theanswerbrewpub.com

The Veil Brewing Company 1301 Roseneath RoadRichmond 804.355.58515 theveilbrewing.com

Three Notch’d Brewing Company 946 Grady Ave Charlottesville 434.293.0610 threenotchdbrewing.com

Three Notch’d Brewing Company RVA Colab House 2930 W. Broad St. Richmond threenotchdbrewing.com

Trapezium Brewing Company 423 Third Street Petersburg 23803 571.758.2738 trapeziumbrewing.com

Triple Crossing Brewing Company 113 S. Foushee St. Richmond triplecrossingbeer.com

White Rock Brewing Company 2117 Bruno Drive Goodview 24905 540.890.3359 whiterockwines.com.

Wild Wolf Brewing Company 2461 Rockfish Valley Highway Nellysford 434.361.0088 wildwolfbeer.com

Willow Sprung Brewery in The Light Well Restaurant 110 E Main Street Orange 540.661.0004 thelightwell.com

Wood Ridge Farm Brewery 165 Old Ridge Road Lovingston 434.422.6225

COASTAL VIRGINIA

Alewerks 189-B Ewell Rd. Williamsburg 757.220.3670 williamsburgalewerks.com

Back Bay Brewing Company 614 Norfolk Ave. Virginia Beach 757.531.7750 backbaybrewco.com

Big Ugly Brewing Company 1296 Battlefield Blvd. South Chesapeake 757-609-2739

biguglybrewing.com

Bold Mariner 2409 Bowdens Ferry Road Norfolk boldmariner.com

Brass Cannon Brewing Company 5476 Mooretown Road Williamsburg 757.566.0001 brasscannonbrewing.com

Coelacanth Brewing

760 W. 22nd Street

Norfolk

757.59.UGLY.1

coelacanth.com

Commonwealth Brewing Company

2444 Pleasure House Rd.

Virginia Beach

757.305.9652

Gordon Biersch

4561 Virginia Beach Blvd.

Virginia Beach

757.490.2739

Home Republic Brew Pub

328 Laskin Road

Virginia Beach

757.226.9593

O’Connor Brewing Company

211 W. 24th Street

Norfolk

757.623.2337

oconnorbrewing.com

Oozelfinch Craft Brewery

81 Patch Road

Fort Monroe

757.224.7042

oozelfinchbeers.com

Pleasure House Brewing

3025 Shore Dr. Virginia Beach, VA 23451

757.647.8597 pleasurehousebrewing.com

Reaver Beach Brewing Company

1505 Taylor Farm Road

Virginia Beach

757.563.2337

beachbrewingcompany.com

Red Dragon Brewery

1419 Princess Anne Street

Fredericksburg 22401

540.382.4342

reddragonbrewery.com

Rip Rap Brewing Company

116 E 25th Street

Norfolk riprapbrewing.com

Smartmouth Brewing Company

1309 Raleigh Ave., #300

Norfolk

757.624.3939

smartmouthbrewing.com

St. George Brewing Company 204 Challenger Way Hampton

757.865.7781

stgeorgebrewingco.com

Steam Bell Beer Works

1717 E Oak Blvd. Midlothian

804.728.1875 facebook.com/steambellbeer

The Virginia Beer Company

401 Second Street Williamsburg

757.378.2903

virginiabeerco.com

Tradition Brewing Company

700 Thimble Shoals Blvd.

Newport News

757.303.3415

traditionbrewing.com

Wasserhund Brewing Company

805 Laskin Rd. #102

Virginia Beach

757.618.6051

Wharf Hill Brewing Co. 25 Main Street

Smithfield 757-357-7100 Wharfhillbrewing.com

Young Veterans Brewing Company

2505 Horse Pasture Road, Ste. 104

Virginia Beach

757.689.4021 yvbc.com

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

1781 Brewing Company 11109 Plank Rd. Spotsylvania 804.823.2598

Adroit Theory Brewing Company

404 Browing Ct., Unit C Purcellville 703.722.3144 adroit-theory.com

Adventure Brewing Co 33 Perchwood Dr. Fredericksburg 540.242.8876 adventurebrewing.com

Aslin Beer Company 257 Sunset Park Drive Herndon, VA 20170 703.787.5766 aslinbeer.com

BadWolf (Big) Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle Manassas, 20110 badwolfbrewingcompany.com

BadWolf (Little) Brewing Company 9776 Center St. Manassas 571.208.1064 badwolfbrewingcompany.com

Barnhouse Brewery 43271 Spinks Ferry Road Leesburg 703.675.8408 barnhousebrewery.com

Battlefield Brewing Company 4187 Plank Rd Fredericksburg 540.785.2164 chancellorpub@msn.com

Beer Hound Brewery 201 Waters Place Culpeper 22701 540-317-5327 beerhoundbrewery.com

Belly Love Brewing Company 725 E Main Street Purcellville, VA 20132 540.441.3159 bellylovebrewing.com

Beltway Brewing Company 22620 Davis Dr. #110

Sterling 571.989.2739 beltwaybrewco.com

Black Walnut Brewing Company 210 S King Street Leesburg facebook.com/ blackwalnutbrewery

Blue & Gray Brewing Company

3300 Dill Smith Dr. Fredericksburg 540.371.7799 blueandgraybrewingco.com

BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS

Foggy Ridge Cider 1328 Pineview Rd. Dugspur 276.398.2337 foggyridgecider.com

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Albemarle CiderWorks 2545 Rural Ridge Ln. North Garden 434.297.2326 albemarleciderworks.com

Blue Bee Cider 212 W. 6th St. Richmond 804.231.0280 bluebeecider.com

Blue Toad Hard Cider Pub 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Afton 434.996.6992 bluetoadhardcider.com

Bold Rock Hard Cider 1020 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford 434.361.1030 boldrock.com

Buskey Cider 2910 W. Leigh Street Richmond buskeycider.com

Castle Hill Cider 6065 Turkey Sag Rd. Keswick 434.296.0047 castlehillcider.com

Courthouse Creek Cider Maidens Road Goochland facebook.com/ courthousecreek

Potter’s Craft Cider Charlottesville potterscraftcider.com

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Corcoran Vineyards Hard Cider 14635 Corky’s Farm Lane Waterford 540.882.9073 corcoranvineyards.com

Mount Defiance Cidery & Distillery 207 W. Washington St., Middleburg 540.687.8100 mtdefiance.com

Wild Hare Hard Cider 33735 Snickersville Turnpike Bluemont 703.216.8630

wildharecider.com

SHENANDOAH VALLEY

Cobbler Mountain Cellars 5909 Long Fall Lane Delaplane 540.364.2802 cobblercellars.com

Old Hill Cider 17768 Honeyville Rd. Timberville 540.896.7582 oldhillcider.com

Winchester Ciderworks 2502 N. Frederick Pike Winchester 540.550.3800 WinchesterCiderworks.com

VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS

Big Fish Cider Co. 59 Spruce Street Monterey 540.468.2322 bigfishcider.com

Brew Republic Bierwerks 15201 Potomac

Woodbridge

703.594.7950

brewrepublic.beer

Caboose Brewing Company

520 Mill Street NE Vienna 703-865-8580

caboosebrewing.com

Capitol City Brewing Company

4001 Campbell Ave.

Arlington 703.578.3888

capcitybrew.com

Corcoran Brewing Company

205 E. Hirst Road, Suite 105 Purcellville

540.441.3102

corcoranbrewing.com

Crooked Run Brewing

205 Harrison St. Leesburg

571.978.4446

crookedrunbrewing.com

Dirt Farm Brewing Co.

18701 Foggy Bottom Rd. Bluemont

540.554.2337

dirtfarmbrewing.com

Dog Money Brewery

50 Catoctin Circle Leesburg

703.687.3852

Fair Winds Brewing Company

7000 Newington Road, Suites K&L Lorton

703-372-2001

fairwindsbrewing.com

Far Gohn Brewing Co.

301 S Main Street Culpeper

Forge Brew Works

8532 Terminal Rd., Ste. L Lorton

703.372.2979

forgebrewworks.com

Gordon Biersch

Tyson’s Corner Mall McLean

703.388.5454

gordonbiersch.com

Growling Bear Brewing Company 14051 Crown Court

Woodbridge, 22193

571.535.1965

growlingbearbrewing.com

Heritage Brewing Co. 9436 Center Point Lane Manassas

800.432.1792 heritagebrewing.com

Hopkins Ordinary Ale Works

47 Main St. Sperryville 540.987.3383 hopkinsordinary.com/ale-works

Jack’s Run Brewing Company

108 N. 21st Street Purcellville 540.441.3382 jacksrunbrewing.com

Lost Rhino Brewing Company

21730 Red Rum Dr., Ste. 142 Ashburn 571.291.2083 lostrhino.com

Lake Anne Brew House 11424 Washington Plaza West Reston 571.758.2739 lakeannebrewhouse.com

Lost Rhino Retreat 22885 Brambleton Plaza Brambleton 703.327.0311

Loudoun Brewing Company 310 E Market St. Leesburg 703.350.8553 loudounbrewing.com

MacDowell Brew Kitchen 202 Harrison St. SE Leesburg 703.777.2739 macdowellbrewkitchen.com

Mad Fox Brewing Company 444 West Broad St., Ste. I Falls Church 703.942.6840 madfoxbrewing.com

Mad Horse Brew Pub 34 E Broad Way Lovettsville 540.436.0669 madhorsebrewpub.com

Maltese Brewing Company 11047 B Pierson Drive Fredericksburg maltesebrewing.com

Mustang Sally Brewing Company 14140 Parke Long Court Chantilly 703.888.6447 msbrewing.com

New District Brewing Company 2709 S Oakland Street Arlington 22206 703.888.5820

Ocelot Brewing Company 23600 Overland Drive, Ste. 180 Sterling 703-665-2146 ocelotbrewing.com

Old Bust Head Brewing Company 7134 Lineweaver Rd. Warrenton 540.347.4777 oldbusthead.com

Old 690 Brewing Company 15670 Ashbury Church Road Purcellville old690.com

Old Ox Brewery 44652 Guilford Dr

Unit 114

Ashburn 703.729.8375 oldoxbrewery.com

Ornery Beer Company 14389 Potomac Mills Drive Woodbridge, 22192 703.490.6400 ornerybeer.com

Pen Druid Brewing 7 River Lane

Sperryville, 22740 540.987.8800 pendruid.com

Port City Brewing Company 3950 Wheeler Ave. Alexandria 703.797.2739 portcitybrewing.com

Quattro Goombas Brewing Company 22860 James Monroe Highway Aldie 703-327-6052 goombabrewery.com

Rusty Beaver Brewery 18043 Jefferson Davis Hwy Ruther Glen (Ladysmith Exit off I-95) 855.478.7892 rustybeaverbrewery.com

Sehkraft Brewing Company 925 N Garfield Street Arlington 22201 703.786.5174

sehkraftbrewing.com

Spencer Devon Brewing Company 106 George Street Fredericksburg 540-999-6253 spencerdevonbrewing.com

Sweetwater Tavern 14250 Sweetwater Ln. Centreville 703.449.1100 greatamericanrestaurants.com

Sweetwater Tavern 3066 Gate House Plaza Falls Church 703.645.8100 greatamericanrestaurants.com

Sweetwater Tavern 45980 Waterview Plaza Sterling 571.434.6500 greatamericanrestaurants.com

Tin Cannon Brewing Co 7679 Limestone Dr. #130 Gainesville 571-248-0489 tincannonbrewing.com

Vanish Brewing 44624 Leelyn Farm Lane Leesburg 20176 vanishbeer.com

Water’s End Brewery 12425 Dillingham Square

Lake Ridge 571.285.1997 watersendbrewery.com

Wild Run Brewing Company 3071 Jefferson Davis Hwy Stafford 540.659.3447 wildrunbrewing.com

SHENANDOAH

VALLEY

Alesatian Brewing Company 23 N. Loudoun Street Winchester 540.667.2743 alesatianbrewing.com

Backroom Brewery 150 Ridgemont Rd. Middletown 540.869.8482 facebook.com/BackroomBrewery

Blue Lab Brewing Company 123 S. Randolph St. Lexington 540.458.0146 bluelabbrewing.com

Brothers Craft Brewing 800 N Main Street Harrisonburg 540.432.8940 threebrosbrew.com

Devils Backbone Brewing Company - Outpost 50 Northwind Lane Lexington 540.462.6200 dbbrewingcompany.com

Escutcheon Brewing Company 150 W. Commercial Street Winchester 540.391.8713 escutcheonbrewing.com

Pale Fire Brewing Company 217 S. Liberty Street Harrisonburg 540-217-5452 palefirebrewing.com

Queen City Brewing 834 Springhill Road Staunton 540.213.8014 qcbrewing.com

Redbeard Brewing 120 South Lewis St. Staunton 804.641.9340 redbeardbrews.com

Seven Arrows Brewing Company 2508 Jefferson Hwy. Ste 1 Waynesboro 540-221-6968 sevenarrowsbrewing.com

Shenandoah Valley Brewing Company 17 Middlebrook Ave. Staunton 540.887.2337 shenvalbrew.com/

Stable Craft Brewing at Hermitage Hill

375 Madrid Road Waynesboro 540.490.2609

stablecraftbrewing.com

Swover Creek Farm Brewery 4176 Swover Creek Rd. Edinburg 540.984.8973 swovercreekfarms.com

Three Notch’d Brewing Co. Harrisonburg Taproom 241 E. Market Street Harrisonburg 540.217.5939

Winchester Brew Works 320 N Cameron St. Winchester 540.692.9242 winchesterbrewworks.com

Wolfe Street Brewing Company 120 W. Wolfe St. Harrisonburg

Woodstock Brewhouse 123 E Court Street

Woodstock 22664

woodstockbrewhouse.com 540-459-2739

SOUTHERN VIRGINIA

2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company 209 Trade St. Danville 434-549-BREW (2739

VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS

Big Lick Brewing Company

135 Salem Ave. Roanoke, VA 24011 540-562-8383 biglickbrewingco.com

Chaos Mountain Brewing Company 3135 Dillons Mill Rd. Callaway 540.334.1600 chaosmountainbrewing.com

Flying Mouse Brewery 221 Precast Way Troutville 540.992.1288 flyingmousebrewery.com

Parkway Brewing 739 Kessler Mill Rd. Salem parkwaybrewing.com

Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers 523 Shenandoah Avenue Roanoke 540.529.2140 soaringridge.com

Sunken City Brewery 40 Brewery Dr. Hardy 540.420.0476 sunkencitybeer.com