If it’s August, it is officially Craft Beer Month in Virginia.
As has become tradition here at Virginia Craft Beer Magazine, we are featuring the newly crowned Virginia Craft Beer Cup Best in Show winner on our front cover as part of our feature with the complete results, category by category, and with comments from Brett Vassey, the President and CEO of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild.
We were honored this year to be selected as the official media sponsor of the 2019 Virginia Craft Brewers Cup competition and gala by the Guild.
In addition to our craft beer awards feature, this issue includes award-winning beer author Lee Graves’ expanded historical research into the role slaves and indentured servants played in harvesting hops and in the brewing process, as the City of Hampton and Fort Monroe commemorate the 400th anniversary, in August, of the arrival of the first Africans to the New World.
Also in this issue, Annie Tobey shares Vasen Brewing Company’s Nordic roots and connection to the great outdoors; Michael Jarvis shines a light on Old Ox Brewery’s satellite touch-down in downtown Middleburg; Jefferson Evans and Chuck Triplett turn us on to Front Royal Brewing Company; Diane Catanzaro and husband Chris Jones report on the Precarious Beer Hall in Colonial Williamsburg and interview three “local” Virginia bands tapped to perform at Lockn’.
Plus, Greg Kitsock explains how Copperwood Tavern’s two NoVA locations are promoting Virginia’s craft beers.
Ironically, as we hail and celebrate the growth, enhancements and achievements of the Commonwealth’s independent brewing industry in this August/September issue, we also bring the sad news of Mad Fox Brewing Company’s closing in Falls Church, leaving Northern Virginia beer enthusiasts in complete shock.
Bill Madden, the hands-on brewer/owner of Mad Fox, was an encouraging supporter early on of our magazine as well as one of the pioneers of the modern craft beer revolution. Let’s hope we’ve not seen the last of Madden in our beer scene.
In the meantime, raise your pint glass, goblet or aluminum can in a toast to the great independent craft beer made right here in Virginia.
Cheers, Jeff
Mad Fox Closes
By Jeff Maisey
In July, craft beer enthusiasts in Northern Virginia were shocked to learn Mad Fox Brewing Company was closing its doors. The news came via a social media post from the brewpub’s founding CEO and Executive Brewer, Bill Madden.
“The decision to close has been an extremely difficult one to make,” Madden shared with patrons. “We have witnessed restaurant competition in the 2.2-square-mile Falls Church City become fierce since our opening in 2010 with multiple businesses opening in the last year alone. As much as we tried to compete, there are an overwhelming number of choices for the local population. Sales have been on a slow decline over the last several years and, unfortunately, staying open is no longer sustainable.
“On the brewing side of our business, we continue to see more breweries opening in Virginia with two new Taprooms setting up shop within a mile of Mad Fox in the last year,” Madden continued. “When we opened in 2010, there were 40 breweries in Virginia. Now there are close to 250. The Brewpub business model is a tough one to maintain compared to a Brewery Taproom with little overhead, lower rents and outsourced food trucks. Our draw from the surrounding areas has dwindled in what has become an extremely competitive craft beer market, which has resulted in this final decision.
“We attempted to work with our bank and our landlord for more favorable terms, and while both were willing, we ultimately could not come to an agreement that would allow Mad Fox to be breakeven or better.”
As his official biography notes, Bill Madden moved to Northern Virginia after graduating from the Master Brewers Program at the University of California-Davis in 1995. Since then, the Gettysburg College graduate developed his skills by opening and operating seven brewpub locations in Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland while at Capitol City Brewing Company, Founders Restaurant and Brewing Company, and Vintage 50 Restaurant and Brew Lounge. He also worked at AC Beverage where he built and serviced beer systems at the highest volume brewpubs and restaurants in the Washington, DC region.
Mad Fox – derived from the first three letters of Bill’s last name combined with his wife’s maiden name, Fox –operated a large brewpub situated in the heart of Falls Church. The space was warm and inviting, with dark wood, large windows, visible oak barrels and a view of the brewery. Among the many awards earned by the brewery winning a Gold Medal at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival for its Kellerbier Kolsch instantly established Mad Fox as what Zagat labeled one of the “Best gastropubs in the DC area.”
“I’ve always been a brewpub brewer,” Madden told Virginia Craft Beer Magazine in 2016. “Being a brewpub brewer is different than a packaged brewery in that you’ve got a connection with the guests.”
Sadly, that connection has been lost.
Bill Madden behind the bar at Mad Fox Brewing Company in 2016.
• RECIPE COLLABORATION WITH THE
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The Return of Richbrau
Richbrau, a Richmond beer brand that had been popular from the 1930s through the ‘60s, and that had been revived in the early 1990s before being shuttered in 2010, has been brought back from the dead by a new group of owners — Hank Schmindt, Brian McCauley and Matthew Mullett — who purchased the trademark in 2016.
The new Richbrau operates in a former auto shop in RVA’s Shockoe Bottom. Among Richbrau’s first beers to be released are Psychic Horse (hazy IPA with citra hops), King of Strays (sour ale with strawberry and pink guava), and 4th Street Horribles (sour tart lemon ale with lactose=sweetened tea).
Could the third time be the charm?
Get back: Starr Hill Downtown C-Ville
As The Beatles sang in 1969, “Get back to where once belonged,” Starr Hill Brewery, which got its start in 1999 in a music hall, is returning to its downtown Charlottesville roots in the spring of 2020.
“We have wanted to get back downtown for a long time as the beer market in Charlottesville has exploded since we left our original downtown location,” said Duke Fox, Starr Hill’s Vice President of Sales. “Charlottesville is our home and we want to play a role in making Charlottesville one of the premier craft beer markets in Virginia.”
According to Fox, Starr Hill’s Crozet location will remain open and continue to be its primary production brewery.”
Starr Hill has expanded its brand footprint in markets throughout Virginia by opening a satellite tasting room micro brewery in Roanoke, a Starr Hill bar in the center of downtown Norfolk’s Waterside District (an indoor venue), and it will unveil its Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop in Richmond’s popular Scott’s Addition.
Is there more to come?
“We are looking at opportunities in Virginia all the time but at this point we do not have any further plans as we have plenty on our plate with Scott’s Edition and the new Downtown Charlottesville location opening in the next 9 months,” Fox said.
Liquid Escape Goes Year-Round
For the first time since opening in March of 2016, The Virginia Beer Company is adding a new recipe to its portfolio of Year Round offerings. Liquid Escape – a Tart Ale brewed with Lemongrass and a touch of Australian Sea Salt – is available on draft and in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans.
“This Tart Ale brewed with Lemongrass and Sea Salt was really popular when we released it as a taproom-only offering,” reflected Brewmaster Jonathan Newman. “It’s just tart enough so you know it’s Kettle-Soured without being overpowering. We loved the way it could diversify our other offerings and complement any occasion, and at 4.4% ABV we know it’s a crusher.”
Ribbon-cutting celebration in RVA with the return of Richbrau
NOW AVAILABLE IN RICHMOND AND IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA SOON!
INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FEMALE OWNED
Non-Traditional Financing Helps Brewers
With all due respects to the Reinheitsgebot, craft beer requires one more important thing beyond water, malt, hops and yeast: money. To launch his Purcelville, Virginia brewery, Stephen Mackey skipped the banks and best friends routes and turned to Brewery Finance.
The nation’s first craftbeer-focused equipment lender, the Coloradofounded company provided Mackey with funds for a pilot system that will enable him to add beer to the fermented beverage lineup at his established Notaviva Vineyard winery.
“We’ve been a vineyard for 12 years now,” Mackey says. “But there’s a real passion for farm breweries here in Northern Virginia, so we’re adding beer to our mix and re-shaping our company.”
Brewery Finance was started in 2005 by longtime homebrewer and craft beer fan Rick Wehner. Mackey says he chose the company for funding help for his new brewing system (manufactured by Ruby Street Brewing in Fort Collins, Colorado) for several reasons.
“What made it attractive to us,” Mackey says, “was Rick’s deep understanding of brewing and the gear we need. He knows the brewing business and the equipment -- unlike a bank that would ask, ‘What is this stuff you want to buy?’” The company also enabled Mackey to get his equipment in quick fashion and with a few needed extras. “The approval time was fantastic, everything happened in just a couple days,” Mackey says. “Brewery Finance also helped us purchase an eighttap kegerator, kitchen equipment, and outdoor seating for our patio. We couldn’t do that with a bank.”
In these tightening and more competitive times, access to funding is harder to come by. Especially for brewers that have maxed out their other options or that lack the credit history and time in business required for bank funding.
“What separates us from traditional lenders,” Wehner says, “is we take into account more than your credit score and your bank balance. Your background and business plan, the beers you make, how they match up with the current craft beer trends - we factor in those things, too.”
Wehner and his company can also get a brewer’s gear in place without large down
payments or tying up funds while awaiting approvals or slogging through the red tape of traditional funding.
“It took two days for the funds to be approved and the process was easy,” Mackey says. “A couple days later the equipment was at my door and we put into action. I could quickly monetize the gear right away.”
Brewery Finance’s customer list includes such American craft beer icons as Russian River, Oskar Blues, Maui Brewing, Surly Brewing and hundreds more. The company finances everything from brewing equipment and canning systems to kegs, forklifts, software and much more.
The brewery also has a Better Beer Now program that enables craft brewers to quickly and affordably get quality control gear. “The biggest challenge a brewery has is gaining a customer’s trust,” says Mary Pellettieri, Quality Instructor for the Brewers Association. “That trust is lost and hard to gain back if there are quality problems up front. The Better Beer Now program,” she says, “could save a brewery from so many losses it is hard to even quantify how high its value can be.”
“Best of all,” Wehner says, “we make it possible for brewers to hang onto their hard-earned bucks and spend them on other important things like marketing and promxceptional beer and feeble promotion are over.” otion. The days of being successful with une
Mackey expects his music-themed winery to reap the bennies of adding small-batch beer and gear through the equipment-funding route. “With the excitement the brewery is already creating,” Mackey says, “I’m going to be calling Brewery Finance again very soon to get more equipment.”
Rick Wehner started Brewery Finance in 2005.
Slaves and Indentured Servants Were Vital to Virginia’s Colonial Beer-Making
By Lee Graves
I
n late August 1619, the British privateer White Lion arrived at Point Comfort, near present-day Hampton. Its cargo included scores of Africans who had been captured that summer from a Spanish vessel, the San Juan Batista.
Thus began slavery in Virginia.
A month later, in September 1619, another British vessel, a bark called the Margaret, set sail from England for Virginia. The passenger list included more than a dozen indentured servants, men who would ply their trades for a set number of years and then be granted land and freedom. Among the cooks, carpenters, sawyers and coopers was a man named Thomas Perise. His purpose? “For hops,” the record reads.
These events four centuries ago might seem to have little in common. Yet slaves and indentured servants played an important role in growing hops and brewing beer in early Virginia, and their story adds a rich chapter to American history.
Beer had already made its debut. The English settlers who landed at Jamestown in 1607 carried ale, long considered a staple for its nutrition and as a safeguard against drinking contaminated water. That first crew, however, did not include any brewers, an error soon remedied in subsequent arrivals.
Brewing good English ale required hops, and despite the species being native to Virginia, the founding farmers gave a high priority to cultivating the crop—just as they found good use for slave labor. “There were in Virginia, in 1648, about fifteen thousand English, and of negroes that had been imported, three hundred,” according to one agricultural report. “The abundant crop of barley supplied malt, and there were public brew-houses, and most planters brewed a good and strong beer for themselves. Hops were found to thrive well.”
Indeed, hops were regarded as a staple commodity. The Virginia legislature passed a law in the session of 1657-58 providing premiums for several crops, including “hopps at twenty shillings per hundred.”
The City of Hampton and Fort Monroe will commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in America August 23-25.
The reference to planters brewing “good and strong beer for themselves” begs clarification. It was generally the planters’ wives who made sure ale and cider were readily available, and often their role was supervisory. Slaves did the actual mashing and fermenting in the kitchen, we can assume, although few records exist because enslaved people were regarded as property being bought and sold. An ad in the June 6, 1745, Virginia Gazette, though, includes brewing among desired skills: “To be sold to the highest bidder: A Valuable young Negro woman, very well qualified in all Sorts of Housework, as Washing, Ironing, Sewing, Brewing, Baking.”
Just as slaves did the hands-on brewing, they bent their backs among the hop bines on Virginia’s plantations. Landon Carter, son of Robert “King” Carter and one of Virginia’s gentry in Revolutionary times, wrote a 16-page treatise on hops cultivation in the mid-1700s. His essay describes soil preparation, cultivation, picking, drying and bagging. Was he actually in the fields doing the hoeing and harvesting? Unlikely, as his estate had some 500 slaves.
Because hops were a prevalent crop and slaves were the backbone of field labor, it’s easy to assume that enslaved workers learned not only the value of hops but the art of growing them as well. No wonder they began turning their knowledge and skill to their own advantage, in their own gardens.
Indeed, numerous records show plantation owners and brewers purchasing hops from African Americans. A ledger for the brewery at the College of William & Mary shows “Paid
Nottoway Negroes for Hops” in a December 1775 entry. George Washington’s accounts show a payment in 1798 for six pounds of hops to one Boatswain, a “ditcher” at Mount Vernon’s Mansion House farm.
The records of Thomas Jefferson, and his wife, Martha, provide more details. An avid and highly regarded home brewer, Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson bought hops from Monticello’s slaves. She bought hops from neighbors’ slaves. She bought hops from slaves in Williamsburg. “Hops was among the most frequently purchased product from the slave community by Martha,” wrote author Peter Hatch, former director of gardens and grounds at Monticello. In one journal entry, Martha notes trading seven pounds of hops for “an old shirt.” While she doesn’t name the seller, it takes only a small leap of curiosity to ask, “Who would want an old shirt?”
The most eye-opening transaction occurred in 1818. Thomas Jefferson paid $20 to Bagwell Granger, a notable figure in Monticello’s slave community, for sixty pounds of hops. Sixty pounds! Wet or dry, that’s a lot of hops, and one wonders if it might have included some wild hops in the bargain. And $20! In today’s economy, that would equal about $800.
It is at Monticello that we also find perhaps the most notable intersection of beer and slavery in Virginia. Though known widely as a wine lover, Jefferson was also a beer geek. He grew hops. He built a malt house. He designed a brew house, though no record of its construction exists. He sought books about brewing. Because barley was expensive to import and did
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not grow abundantly in Virginia (despite the 1648 report), he experimented with brewing beer with corn and wheat.
After his two terms in the White House, circumstances afforded Jefferson the opportunity to up the ante on brewing at Monticello. During the War of 1812, a former professional London brewer named Captain Joseph Miller returned from England to his native America to claim family estates. A series of misfortunes— and suspicion about his English ties during wartime—left him stranded in Albemarle County. Jefferson befriended him and asked him to share his brewing expertise with one of his slaves.
That man was Peter Hemings, son of Elizabeth Hemings, brother of Sally Hemings and half-brother to Martha Jefferson herself. Peter Hemings was already a skilled tailor and chef. Miller and Hemings began brewing at Monticello in September 1813, and Peter proved a quick study. Jefferson described him as possessing “great intelligence and diligence both of which are necessary.”
Brewing was seasonal, and the quantities dwarfed Martha’s 15-gallon batches. “We brew 100 [gallons] in the fall & 300 [gallons] in the spring,” Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1821 to James Barbour, a former governor of Virginia and a U.S. senator at the time. “Peter’s brewing of the last season I am in hopes will prove excellent. At least the only cask of it we have tried proved so.”
Jefferson invited others, such as James Madison, to send slaves to learn from Hemings. “Our malter and brewer is uncommonly intelligent and capable of giving instruction if your pupil is as ready at comprehending it.”
A sadder tale at Monticello serves as a reminder of slavery’s harshness. Nance Hemings, the third daughter of Elizabeth Hemings and kin to Peter, worked there as a weaver, cook and brewer, according to the estate’s records. She and her two children, Billy and Critta, were given to Jefferson’s sister as a present in 1785. However, 10 years later Jefferson needed a weaver, so he bought Nance Hemings back for sixty pounds; he did not, however, buy either of her children. Thomas Mann Randolph, Jefferson’s son-in-law, did purchase Critta. When Jefferson’s estate was auctioned in 1827 to repay debts, Nance Hemings was listed as “Worth nothing” and became the property of Randolph.
At the same auction in 1827, Peter Hemings was purchased by Daniel Farley, a free black man in Charlottesville who allegedly was his nephew. Farley also was a hops grower—he sold an unknown quantity to Thomas Jefferson in 1812 for $1.33.
Thanks to the labor of slaves, Virginia was the leading hops producer in the South in the decades leading to the Civil War. The 1862 report of the Department of Agriculture shows the Old Dominion producing 10,015 pounds of hops in 1860, the most by far among the “disloyal” states in the report.
That war led to emancipation, and nearly a century later federal legislation codified civil rights. Yet our nation still struggles with racial issues. Acknowledging the roles of enslaved people in our history is a step toward deeper understanding, and what better way to do that than over a beer.
Lee Graves is an award-winning beer writer and author of numerous books including Virginia Beer: A Guide from Colonial Days to Craft’s Golden Age.
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brewNEWS l restaurants
Copperwood Shines Spotlight on Virginia’s Beermakers
By Greg Kitsock
Northern Virginia’s Copperwood Taverns – farm-to-table restaurants with locations in Arlington and Loudoun County, and a third set to open in Falls Church in 2020 – are a showcase for the state’s produce, its spirits and, above all, its beers.
Scan the menu and you’ll find that all 20 draft selections are from small breweries and cideries in the Old Dominion. The list, as we went to press, ranged from Sessions in the Abyss (a 4.5% session IPA from Fair Winds Brewing Co. in Lorton) to Blue Mountain’s formidable bourbon-barrel aged imperial stout Dark Hollow (10% abv).
That beer list is lovingly assembled by Jody Hessler, beverage director for the Copperwood Taverns and several affiliated bars. Hessler has been in the hospitality business for nearly a quarter century, working at The Hamilton and Chef Geoff’s in Washington, DC prior to his current gig. He’s hard to pin down. “I’ll log 15 to 20,000 miles a year visiting breweries and distilleries,” he estimates. Recent pit stops included Bear Chase Brewing Co. and Dirt Farm Brewing Co. (both in Bluemont), and Quattro Goombas Brewery in Aldie.
What impressed him? He cites several fruit beers, including Dirt Farm’s Tart 31, a sour ale made with the farm’s own Montmorency cherries, and Resistance, a mango passionfruit wheat ale from Quattro Goomba.
Hessler is picky. He won’t tap beers from out-of-state breweries like Stone, Ballast Point or Deschutes, even though they have outposts in Virginia. But he’s not
averse to occasionally carrying Striped Bass Pale Ale from Devils Backbone Brewery, even though that company is now owned by Anheuser-Busch. Devils Backbone, he explains, is a homegrown operation, and the company donates a slice of the proceeds from Striped Bass to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
The Copperwood Taverns serve a house pale ale currently being brewed by Lost Rhino Brewing Co. in Ashburn. They also do their own barrel aging. As Hessler explains, Copperwood sends an assortment of wooden casks (some of which held wine, some beer, some even maple syrup) to the Catoctin Creek Distillery in Purcellville. Catoctin gives a portion of its whiskey a final 2-6 months of conditioning in the barrels, after which the limited run is bottled and sold under the Virginia Heritage Cask label. The empty barrel then gets sent to Adroit Theory Brewing Co. (also in Purcellville) for one of their experimental one-offs. Expect an imperial stout aged in a Cabernet barrel to hit the taps this August or September, Hessler promises.
Hessler also oversees the taps at two other Arlington bars: Quinn’s on the Corner, a comfy dive between the Rosslyn and Court House neighborhoods; and Dudley’s Sport and Ale, a sprawling sports pub in the Village at Shirlington. Neither
is Virginia-centric.
This fall, though, the company plans to open the Pinemoor catercorner from the Clarendon Metro. Hessler describes it as “like Copperwood, but a little more relaxed.” The six taps will dispense large domestic drafts, while twenty Virginia craft beers will be available in cans. (It’s exactly the opposite from Copperwood, which stocks a few cans of mass-market brews like PBR and Miller Lite.)
Beer lovers have another reason to thank Copperwood. It rescued the Village at Shirlington’s annual Oktoberfest (one of the region’s longest-running beer events, dating back to 2000) after original sponsor Capitol City Brewing Co. folded in April of last year. The Capitol City Oktoberfest morphed into Shucktoberfest, as Copperwood partnered with the Northern Neck’s Waverly Point Oyster Company and recruited about 20 Virginia breweries to pour beer.
Said Hessler: “We want to do it again this fall – we’re just waiting for the powers-that-be to give us a date.”
The Copperwood Tavern-Shirlington is at 4021 Campbell Ave. in Arlington (703-552-8010) and the Copperwood Tavern-Loudoun is at 20465 Exchange St. in Ashburn (703-724-4006).
Copperwood Tavern in Loudon County promotes Virginia-made beers.
Courtesy photo
MUG SHOTS
O’Connoroo - O’Connor Brewing Co., Norfolk
Sean Chagnon, Eye of the Storm Photography
ValleyFest ‘19, Massanutten
MUG SHOTS
Coastal Virginia Brewery Alliance Beer Festival, norfolk
Sean Chagnon, Eye of the Storm Photography
Virginia Brewery Alliance Beer Festival, cont’d
Coastal
hops
Fall is almost upon us, and who deserves an after school treat more than your
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“Blanco is all about service…Nobody beats their service.” Chris Buckley, Brewmaster, Red Oak Brewery
New Realm Wins 2019 VA Craft Beer Cup
By Jeff Maisey
In late spring, independent craft breweries from around the Commonwealth gathered for the 2019 Virginia Craft Beer Cup competition presented by the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild.
This year, a record 342 beers were entered in 35 categories. Each brewery was limited to three entries in categories of their choosing.
James River Homebrewers president Anna Shore led a crew of 39 certified beer judges in scoring each entry.
As Virginia beer historian Lee Graves noted in his blog post, “Breweries in the Tidewater area took home 21 medals. In the Richmond area, the count is 14 medals; in Central Virginia (Charlottesville and beyond), 13 medals; in the Roanoke area and Southside, nine; in the Shenandoah Valley, 10; in Loudoun County, eight; in outer Northern Virginia (including Fredericksburg), 10; in inner Northern Virginia (Alexandria, Arlington, etc.), also 10.”
New Realm Brewing Company’s Euphonia Pilsner was crowned Best in Show, which then earned the Virginia Beach brewery the coveted 2019 Virginia Craft Beer Cup.
“It means a lot,” said New Realm CCO and co-founder Bob Powers, noting the brewery opened in Virginia Beach just last year. “We’ve really been welcomed in the Virginia community and we’re excited to be here.”
The Best in Show victory for a pilsner represents a trend with lighter style beers — lagers — taking the overall top honor for three consecutive years.
“It is amazing,” said Virginia Craft Brewers Guild CEO and President Brett Vassey. “Eight years ago, when we started the Cup, folks thought that it would be IPAs and more IPAs. The very interesting thing is that people are getting excited about pilsners and lagers. We see it in our tasting rooms.”
Past Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners are as follows:
2018: Brothers Craft Brewing, Lil Hellion Helles Lager
The Center of the Universe team won a trio of medals
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SCOTTISH ALE
1st 80 Shilling Scottish Ale
7 Dogs Brewpub
SMOKED BEER
1st Secretly Smoked Lager
Bald Top Brewing
2nd Pancake House Stout
Alewerks Brewing Company
3rd Smoke Eater
House 6 Brewing
SPECIALTY BEER
1st Soft-Serv Ice Cream Porter
South Street
2nd Mount Up
Smartmouth Brewing Company
3rd Raspberries on Acid
Blue Mountain Barrel House
SPICED BEER
1st Little Red Rooster Coffee Cream Stout
Starr Hill Brewery
2nd “Just-In” Time for Breakfast
2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company
3rd Coffee Blonde Ale
Caiseal Beer & Spirits Company (The Vanguard Brewpub)
STANDARD AMERICAN BEER
1st House Lager
Reaver Beach Brewing Company
2nd United Craft Lager
New Realm Brewing
3rd Mexican Lager
Trapezium Brewing Company
STRONG AMERICAN
ALE
1st Changing Lanes
beltway Brewing Company
2nd Hopsneeze Gen2 IPA
Alesatian Brewing Company
3rd Wind’s Eye
Rip Rap Brewing
STRONG BELGIAN ALE
1st Barnfire Saison
Maltese Brewing Company
2nd Strongman
Bike TrAle Brewing Company
3rd New Year’s First Place:en Ale
Lake Anne Brew House
Double gold for Starr Hill Brewery
STRONG BRITISH ALE
1st Black Sail Scotch Ale
Adventure Brewing Company
STRONG EUROPEAN BEER
1st Inked
Restless Moons Brewing
2nd Accelerator
Big Ugly Brewing
3rd K�nig Fruhling
1781 Brewing Company
TRAPPIST ALE
1st Monkeys Uncle Center of the Universe
2nd Brohead Fred apocalypse Ale Works
3rd Belgian Dubbel
Skipping Rock Beer Company
WOOD BEER
1st Old Dominion Barrel Reserve Series
2 Silos Brewing
2nd Chocolate and Coffee Dark Hollow Blue Mountain Barrel House
3rd Cooper’s Cloak Bourbon Barrel-Aged Quadrupel
Old Ox Brewery
St. George struck early gold for its Honey Mead Lager
Three silvers for 2 Witches Winery & Brewing
3 Babies, 3 Years, 1 Brewery
By Jeff Maisey
It’s hard enough running an upstart craft brewery in a town known for its apple
Patsy Cline, but when Bonnie Landy and Holly Redding gave birth to Winchester Brew Works in 2016, they soon discovered
the plan as makin’ beer.
the wee ones crawling around the kitchen floor at home.
So what option works best for Redding and Landy?
“We started planning the brewery back in 2014,” explained Holly Redding, whose primary focus is on marketing and the was certainly not part of the plan, but families, we knew it was probably going into the business plan.”
sauce products and country music legend making babies would be as much a part of whose primary focus is on marketing and running the tasting room. “Having babies based on our ages and our desire to start to end up being the case. It wasn’t written Redding had her first child in 2016 just
three weeks before the brewery’s soft opening.
“We were scrambling to open at the end of my pregnancy and trying to do everything ourselves,” she said.
Child care is a big part of any working mom’s concerns. Some women have while seek-out locally from their local church or
family members to call upon, while others seek-out locally from their local church or often costly professional daycare centers.
Babies in a production brewery, as you
Others — especially if self-employed — can have their infant at work with them. can imagine, is not the same as having
“When we were opening, I had a premature baby,” said Redding. “I had to spend more time with him at home. I was still living in Harrisonburg at the time, which is an hour away from the brewery, so I wasn’t coming back and forth too often with the baby. My husband helped out a lot at home with the newborn.”
Redding made a point to work special events behind the tasting room bar.
Once her child was a few months old, she had a nanny come to the house a couple of days a week. At five months, she enrolled her child in full-time daycare.
Holly gave birth to her second child in April 2019 and implemented a similar process for childcare.
Bonnie Landy had her first child in August 2018 and ended up bringing the baby to the brewery. She started full-time daycare in April of this year. For the sake of running a business, it was important for the dynamic women not to give birth at exactly the same time.
because there’s never really maternity leave when you have a business — but when I was doing a lot less for the brewery, Holly had to pick up the slack.”
Landy began as the only brewer for Winchester Brew Works for its first two years. Among the nano brewery’s beer selection are Paddle Boat Pils, Coconut Canoe Love (cream ale), #glamping Key Lime Shandy, Winchester Wheat, Over Look Double IPA, Old Rag Rye, Cascade Falls IPS, and Stargazing Black Lager.
When Landy became six months pregnant, the daily brewing responsibilities were passed on to an employee.
“I’m not physically doing much of the brewing anymore,” said Landry, “but I’m still shepherding along the batches and making sure everything is coming out the way we want it to and organizing the brewing schedule.”
While Landy is still considering another child sometime in the future, Redding has made a proclamation.
“I have no plans for any more children,” said Redding.
“We kind of joked with Holly and her husband that we had to stagger them no matter what because while I was ‘on maternity leave’ — if you can call it that
Both Redding and Landy said they’d be thrill if their children follow in mom’s boot-steps and make Winchester Brew Works a longtime, multi-generational family business.
Bonnie Landy and Holly Redding
New Old Ox Makes Middleburg a Hoppy Place
By Michael T. Jarvis
Earlier this summer, about 60 fans of Old Ox Brewery in Ashburn paid $50 to be taken to the police station in Middleburg. They weren’t arrested at the former police station because it’s now home to the new Old Ox Brewery and subterranean beer garden.
It was hard to tell who was more anxious about the bus tour to the new Middleburg brewery: the passengers getting off the bus — which included the non-secretive members of the Order of the Ox, or the host, Old Ox President Chris Burns, who held court in the subterrestrial pub.
“We’re excited to use Middleburg as our lab, tasting room and to show our brewer’s creativity,” said Burns, an affable guy with a great sense of humor. A former federal contract manager, Burns and
company opened Old Ox in Ashburn five years ago during the great Loudoun County Beer Rush that grew from two breweries in 2012 to more than 30 today.
This is a game changer for the town of Middleburg, population less than 1,000, which bills itself as “The Nation’s Horse and Hunt Capital.” Established in 1787 at the halfway point between Alexandria and Winchester, the town of Middleburg is home to high-end horses, trust funders, blue bloods, polo players, fox hunts, wineries and shops that sell, among other sundries, postcards of Jackie Kennedy riding her horse English style along with her two young children in the early 1960s.
some craft beer fans in the area seeing red, due to their limited options. Other than King Street Oyster Bar and the very ritzy Salamander Resort and Spa, the town offers the Red Fox Inn and Tavern, established in 1728, a regal restaurant with a small bar; the Red Horse Tavern with fast and late night food, a patio and full bar; and also the Red Bar Sushi, which serves saki and beer with a full bar.
The new Old Ox brew house is located in a separate building behind the tap room. It once served as a preschool and still has the hieroglyphics of finger paint and chalk from students who now are old enough to drink. Beer from the five-barrel system is pushed through a large pipe that runs across an alley and along the fence line back into the tap room.
While there are plenty of dressy clothing and home decor stores, Middleburg does not contain a lot of places to pop in for a beer. That’s left
“The five-barrel system is the closest
Old Ox Brewery is a welcomed addition to Middleburg.
Photo courtesy of Old Ox Brewery
to keep everything rotating and fresh,” said Burns. “We found that when you get smaller than five barrels, it doesn’t replicate well with the 30-barrel system in Ashburn.”
Burns has made plenty of new friends in Middleburg. During construction, it seemed as one curious beer lover after another would stop by and ask about the opening. “A lot of locals are really supportive,” Burns said. “When you open a business, your concerns are about public perception and everybody has been so supportive.”
That includes endorsements from some unlikely places. “Middleburg is a little bit of both the super high-end locals and the people like us, who work the farm,” said Melanie Natoli, the winemaker and vineyard manager at Cana Vineyards & Winery of Middleburg. She heartily welcomes the brewery to town. “If you look at the Loudoun County map, this whole south-east corner has had no beer breweries. I’ve been making wine in a
beer desert.”
The brewery is located on Madison Street in the heart of town, just off Main Street (AKA John Mosby Highway or US 50). Across the street is the bustling King Street Oyster Bar restaurant which already carries Old Ox on tap. Burns calls Oyster Bar co-owner Rick Allison “a great resource” who has helped him with insights on the opening of his new location.
Working with the Town of Middleburg on the planning and construction permits was a pleasant surprise, Burns admitted. “You have to follow the process and they helped me navigate it and were helpful to get it off the ground. The Middleburg town streetscape committee was great to work with. It’s a historic town and they want to keep the look and feel. It’s a charming town.”
It also is very different from the Ashburn flagship brewery, Burns said. “Ashburn is more industrial and the main focus was cranking out beer. It’s
in a warehouse built in 1985. We think more about the customer services in Middleburg. It’s nice to express the look and feel that we want and to reflect the community.”
The original Old Ox in Ashburn faced a very different environment. After 10 months in operation, the company was accused of trademark infringement from the heavyweight energy drink company Red Bull. Old Ox was told to never use the color red, silver or blue; never use red with any bovine term or image; and never produce soft drinks. Despite the obvious differences between bulls and oxen (castration), the issue was resolved and Old Ox lives on. “We came to an amicable agreement,” Burns said with a grin, in reference to his beef with Red Bull. “It’s behind us.”
Burns said he has spent a lot of time at local businesses in Middleburg getting a feel for what will work for his menu, which was still being solidified. “Hanging out and getting to know the town, there’s a real robust lunch and happy hour and dinner,” he said. “We think to capitalize on that, it’s important to have food with other options.”
Burns will continue to tweak the new brewery for events and acoustic music for the beer garden, which can seat 80 people. “We’re seeing how we can best amplify the vibe in the community. We need to reflect the community and its needs.” The brewery already has completed the landscaping, a walk up window in the beer garden, a pet-friendly environment inside and out, and its access for wheelchairs.
The hardcore Ashburn patrons who took the bus tour definitely are sold on Middleburg. “We get consistent regulars because our growler fills are cheaper and the beer prices are better,” said Ashburn veteran Ward Seymour.
One local, who asked to be identified only as Dave, said the new Ox will be his regular stop. “It’s great. There hasn’t been anything like this in Middleburg. The town took a hit with the road widening a few years ago. This will help bring people in. We like taking our dogs to Salamander and we will stop here for a beer.”
Old Ox is now neighbor to a Pilates studio and doctors office. Although it once housed the Middleburg PD, Burns said he hasn’t had any strange encounters at the new Old Ox. “We haven’t experienced any ghosts ... yet.”
Photo courtesy of Old Ox Brewery
Welcome to Front Royal
By Jefferson Evans and Chuck Triplett
His name is Welcome.
No, really, Jerry Welcome, and the president and co-owner of Front Royal Brewing Company lives up to his name.
Welcome exudes a great combination of friendly optimism with the air-of-a-man used to working with people and getting things done.
Welcome extends his good intentions via the way station the brewery
established for hikers taking a break from their expedition along the Appalachian Trail (Front Royal is roughly halfway along the trail which extends 2,200 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine). Hikers can shower, wash clothes, store stuff in lockers, and get good food and beer.
Jerry noted a lot of hikers decided to take advantage of the service (and the
TVs above the bar) during the recent Women’s World Cup.
So, how was Front Royal Brewing Company conceived? Jerry’s son, Andrew, worked in the restaurant business. When he became involved with homebrewing, the connection to the business of brewing beer was born.
Andrew Welcome met Tim Arndt (President of the Shenandoah Valley
(L-R) Front Royal Brewing co-owner/ president Jerry Welcome, head brewer Tim Arndt and co-owner Kerry Barnhart.
Homebrewers Guild from 2012-2017 and a certified Beer Judge and Cicerone) and then introduced him to his father.
While helping Pave Mint Smokin’ Taphouse open, with Jerry providing carpentry work and Tim helping to put in tap lines, the two began to talk seriously about opening a brewery together in Front Royal. They looked at potential spaces, but found the early options too cost prohibitive.
Enter Kerry Barnhart, a woman with a background in consulting, managing large staff, and strategic planning. Kerry had retired from working with companies like Aetna and had launched a commercial landlord company and gotten involved in the Main Street revitalization project and in doing so had helped win an award from the American Institute of Architecture. And, a certain building is at the heart of that – Boyd’s Garage.
Built in the 1920s, the Boyd’s building was once home to the fanciest cars around and at various times served as a pool hall, a furniture store, and an auction house.
Kerry decided she liked the idea of a brewery taking up residence in at least part of the building, and in April of 2017, a lease was signed and so began the arduous transformation of Boyd’s Garage into Front Royal Brewing Company.
The brewery tasting room retained some really cool details like license plates from 1917-19 embedded in the ceiling of the main bar. With entrances from both Main Street and the parking lots on Peyton Street, the brewery surprises with its spaciousness, including a main bar with space for bands to play, a full restaurant dining area, and multiple outside seating areas.
As for the beer-making, Tim Arndt brews on a 10-barrel system, which includes a 3-barrel brewhouse, six 10-barrel fermenters, a 10-barrel bright tank, and six 7.5-barrel serving tanks. All the tanks are named after 1980s pop culture references such as Andre (the Giant) and R2D2. The brewery has its own canning machines and primarily cans its flagship beers for on-site sales.
Tim believes in brewing to style and German-style beers in particular are near and dear to his heart and are reflected in the Linden Lager Vienna Lager (2019 Virginia Craft Beer Cup medalist), Friendly Confines, Czech Pilsner, and Hauptstrasse, a historic German Kottbusser style beer. IPAs get solid recognition with the Tenfold Double IPA, The Major’s Rye IPA, Not Responsible New England IPA and Canoe Capital American IPA. Stouts, Porters, Belgian Blondes, Irish Reds, Wheats, and English Bitters also find their places at times on the Front Royal Brewing Company on-tap lineup. Tim brews exclusively with yeast obtained with Jasper Akerboom of Jasper Yeast.
Front Royal didn’t need any more reasons to be worth a visit, but how great that the town can now boast an award-winning brewery with great atmosphere in a cool space that regularly hosts live music and delicious food.
Precarious Beer Hall –Ale, Arcade, and Americana
What are the sounds you associate with Colonial Williamsburg?
Words & Photos by Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones
Pumpa-rum pumpa-rum twee twee tweeee…that’s a fife and drum corp as they march through the pedestrian area. Jolted by a deep ka-BOOM! at noon? Must be the iron cannon being fired outside the armory. Bloodthirsty jeers and cries of “hang the scallywag!!!” That’s the trial of pirate Israel Hands, brought to justice for the dastardly deeds he purportedly perpetrated as a member of Blackbeard’s crew in the early 1700s. An oxcart, led by a man in period costume, crunches dry earth and kicks up dust as it bounces along a rutted road. You are getting parched and thirsty from this trip back in time. The Colonial-era feel is so realistic,
you are wondering if the water is safe to drink. In Colonial times, water was often polluted and so your everyday drink was not water but table beer or cider, which had the benefit of a solid boil to kill impurities.
All of a sudden you walk into a building and hear sounds you don’t associate with Colonial Williamsburg. A WHA-WHA-WHA that sounds like electronic weapon fire. WHOOSH WHOOSH, a carousel-like musical beat, and then electronic fingernails across a chalkboard. Thunk-a-dunk clunk. What’s all this about? You’ve stumbled into a time warp and the “noisy amusements” of Space Invaders, Pac-Man Battle Royale, and Skee-Ball jolt you back into
the modern era. And, you realize that your thirst can indeed be slaked in the way approved by the early Colonists, with fresh locally brewed beer and cider. You have discovered the new Precarious Beer Hall on South Henry Street, a revolutionary addition to the Colonial Williamsburg action, where a pint and sustenance make both locals and visitors compatriots.
The Precarious Beer Hall is a modern brewery and tasting room with twenty arcade games, eighteen taps, and the “Electric Circus Taco Bar.” Commodious, community picnic-style tables crafted of blond wood, ample bar seating, lots of light streaming through large windows, and a friendly staff create
Brewmaster Greg Fleehart
an inviting atmosphere. A neon sign and funky graffiti-adorned corrugated steel frame surround the street-style taqueria kitchen window. These colorful touches and the beckoning of the arcade games add to the vibrancy and entertainment value of the Precarious Beer Hall. An outdoor patio with firepit, lounge and bar seating overlooks the green lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg (where Bruce Hornsby held his Fun House Fest, on hiatus this year). The Precarious Beer Hall will offer live music most Friday and Saturday evenings beginning at 9 pm. The Grand Opening celebration on Saturday June 15 featured the No BS! Brass Band.
The Precarious Beer Hall is the brainchild of Andrew Voss and Chris Cook, founders of The Amber Ox Public House, Williamsburg’s first brewpub and a fine restaurant in its own right. Brewmaster Greg Fleehart’s beers, under the Precarious Beer Project moniker, have been winning fans and awards since the Amber Ox opened in 2017. Having a second outlet for these in-demand beers seemed a natural progression, and hence the idea of the Precarious Beer Hall was born. Tricking out the brewery tasting room with arcade games and street tacos seems like a winning formula. Parents can
enjoy a beer, wine, or cider while the kids play air hockey, arcade basketball, pinball, or another game. And, there are multiplayer games to engage a family or group.
The Precarious Beer Hall has a 10-barrel brewhouse, augmenting the 7-barrel brewhouse at the nearby Amber Ox, and a canning machine to package beery goodness to take home with you when a growler just won’t do. With two breweries and the expanded capacity, Greg has two new brewers to keep things humming. Megan Kersting most recently brewed at Boulevard Brewing in Kansas City, MO, and Matt Fantz hails from Noble Ale Works in Anaheim, CA. The Precarious Beers at the Beer Hall’s soft opening included a nice range from the quaffable to the heavy-duty. Here are some examples of the beers offered, but realize that these offerings can change as creative inspiration strikes.
-HAWK pale Mexican cerveza style lager, made with 50 lbs of house-made tortillas, 4.7% ABV.
-Kool Beans Hefeweizen, a German style wheat beer with Rogue Elephant coffee in the mash, 5.1% ABV.
-Everywhere You Look There’s Something, a Flander Oud Bruin brewed with Bergamot sugar, 6.9% ABV.
-Kung Fu Kittens, an award-winning hazy American IPA, 6.6% ABV.
-Ethically Flexible, a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout, 12% ABV.
In addition there were several other IPAs (including double and triple IPAs), a pilsner, a saison, a tomatillolime gose, a Mexican dark lager, a barleywine, and a 4% ABV American lager that is under 100 calories, in case you want to save room for dessert. Potter’s craft cider will also be available. There were four wines, including an Oregon pinot gris. For nondrinkers, designated drivers, and youngsters there are fruity Mexican sodas, Mexican coke, cold brew coffee, and self serve ice water.
The tacos are a perfect accompaniment, and reflect the culinary roots of the Amber Ox. This ain’t your daddy’s taqueria! (Unless your daddy was aiming for Michelin star status). Examples are cola braised shortrib, smoked pork carnitas, Korean pork belly, fried oyster, Nashville hot chicken, ground bison, and blacked local fish. There are two great veg options, fried zucchini with jalapeno and corn relish, and crispy avocado with preserved citrus and cilantro. All tacos have tasty accouterments and are served on a pair of corn tortillas made fresh daily in house. Snacks include nachos, chips and dips, street corn, black bean and corn salad, and a quesadilla. Dessert offered at opening was electric churros, with ancho chili, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and sugar. You order and pick up your food at the Electric Circus window.
The Precarious Beer Hall is located at 110 South Henry Street, in the Henry Street Shops in Merchant’s Square, at the corner of South Henry and Francis Street 757-808-5104. Bring quarters! (Or use the change machine to turn your cash dollars to quarters).
Spacious Precarious Beer Hall is fun, fun, fun
NORTHERN EUROPEAN STYLE WITH AN OUTDOOR FLAIR
Consistency and changes at Väsen Brewing in Richmond
Breweries, like people and other businesses, adapt and change. You may drop in to a brewery from time to time – or see a friend around town –but unless you go deep, you may miss significant changes.
I first interviewed Väsen Brewing co-owners and cousins Joey Darragh and Tony Giordano in July 2017, just before the Richmond brewery opened. I’ve visited Väsen Brewing in Richmond multiple times since then, but I wondered how much had changed behind the scenes.
I met with Darragh in early July to catch up.
As a little background, Giordano and Darragh grew up in Northern Virginia. Giordano moved to Colorado, where he worked for Boulder Beer Company, and Darragh to California. When they decided to scratch the itch to move
back, closer to family, they decided to open a brewery.
“In visiting Virginia over the years, it seemed like all of the beers that we were enjoying out west were eventually going to make it to Virginia,” recalled Darragh. “It was just a matter of time before things like sours and farmhouse beers grew in popularity, so we saw it as an opportunity for us to get ahead of that and try to become one
of the breweries that is most closely associated with those styles of beer in the state.”
The branding at Väsen has a Scandinavian focus to celebrate the cousins’ heritage: “väsen” means essence or spirit in Swedish, and the beers were to have a Northern European väsen: farmhouse beers and sours, plus Belgian and German styles.
THE SPIRIT OF VÄSEN BEERS
But popular beer styles don’t stay static; nor has the Väsen line-up. “We’ve branched out a bit since we first opened,” said Darragh. They still use two 80-barrel wooden foeders, visible from the tasting room, but they’ve expanded the selection, too.
The tap list includes darker beers and lagers year-round. By volume, crowd favorites have been the Läger, the house double IPA and the Norse double IPA. “But in terms of excitement, it’s beers like Smoked Blood Peach Sour, a very unusual and very strange flavor combination that works," Darragh said. “The sours in general stir a lot of excitement because we’re trying to do unique flavor combinations.”
The Triple Berry Sour is another crowd favorite, especially among the bar staff. “A lot of these beers that we bring back for a second or third round, it’s usually because our bar staff asks for it, and sometimes they’re the proxy for the customers.”
Väsen’s biggest change is the addition of IPAs. “We opened with no IPAs,” Darragh said. “We told ourselves, we’re never going to make a traditional IPA … on a large production scale.” Customers would ask for a hoppy beer, but bartenders would suggest something similar.
Then they discovered kveik, a Norwegian yeast passed down from generation to generation in traditional farmhouse brewing. “It was different enough that we felt like we were branching out into our own version of IPAs … It had that Scandinavian connection, and the Norwegian kveik yeast is a farmhouse yeast strain, so it checked all the boxes for us and ended up making incredible hazy IPAs.”
From the start, Väsen has had an inhouse scientist, Jon Warner. Given the brewery’s dozen-plus strains, Warner spends much of his time propagating yeast. Darragh said they hope to bring on additional staff in the next year or two so Warner can pursue other experimental avenues, including more cultivation of wild yeast and bacteria.
“We’ve already done a few trips around town and into the mountains and collected random samples,” he said, “and we got some things that seem like they have potential. They’re sitting in storage waiting for us to have
the bandwidth and resources to really experiment with them.”
In the brewery, additional small fermenters have been added for use with the small-batch pilot system and wild beers, and the brewery still has room for growth. Väsen began canning in May, which expanded its distribution beyond kegs, festivals and limitedrelease bottles. Besides Richmond, beers now reach Charlottesville, Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, D.C. and Fredericksburg.
A PASSION FOR THE OUTDOORS
From its inception, an important component of Väsen was an environmental focus, in practicing sustainability and in promoting the outdoors. The 20-barrel brewing system was designed to be environmentally friendly, and they’re looking for opportunities to become even greener.
The tasting room, which hasn’t changed much in two years, reflects the outdoor theme. In the center sits a faux tree and boulder with bar seating. One side of the room contributes a beer hall feel, with tall ceiling, communal tables and a wall mural by Emily Herr of a caribou, plants and petroglyphlike symbols. The other side houses the service bar and cozier seating, with a cabin-like feel.
Väsen’s initial intent was to connect with local individuals and small organizations related to their mission. Accordingly, they’ve homed in on partners such as Keep Virginia Cozy, Blue Sky Fund and James River Outdoor Coalition and sponsored clean-ups and outdoor competitions.
Väsen also initiated the Vagabond program, enlisting outdoor sports enthusiasts as brand ambassadors. “We’ve got an amazing group of folks participating in that right now,” said Darragh, including an ultra-runner, climber, triathlete, guide and hiker. The program continues to evolve, as the athletes carry the Väsen name out on their adventures and onto social media and volunteer at brewery events.
“Now that we’ve put our beers into packaging that’s a little easier to take,” said Jamie Frieling, Väsen brand director, “we’ve had some groups take our cans to Colorado and Idaho states we might not be able to [reach].” Väsen is also ordering new branded stickers and patches featuring outdoor activities. “Sometimes you’re not able to drink a beer when you’re climbing a very intense wall,” she laughed, “but you can have a sticker on your water bottle.”
Whether a close friend or a business, it’s nice to catch up. And it’s gratifying to hear, as with Väsen Brewing, of positive adaptations and continued growth.
Väsen’s 2nd Year Anniversary Festival
This year’s block party presented more than 25 guest beers, ciders, and mead, plus games, live music and food trucks. Väsen scaled the festival down from last year, capping the number of tickets and breaking the event into two sessions (noon to 3 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.). This year’s festival was held on Saturday, July 27, at the brewery, spilling into the street but allowing access to the airconditioned tasting room.
b r e w r e v i e w s
Cucumber Melon Hard Seltzer
Bold Rock Nellysford
In June, Bold Rock Hard Cider released two new all-natural hard seltzers crafted from real fruit and fresh Blue Ridge Mountain water – Grapefruit and Cucumber Melon. We tried the Cucumber Melon. It combines a burst of melon balanced by crisp cucumber. It’s very refreshing and perfect for these blazing hot days of summer. And, we’re not the only ones to think so – hard seltzers are appearing at pool parties and at beaches throughout the state. It’s naturally gluten free and at 82 calories, 1 gram of sugar, and 4% ABV, you can have more than one and not feel guilty!
batch no. 4
Three Notch’d Brewing Company Charlottesville
Three Notch’d Brewing Company’s Nephology Series is a little experiment in juicy, cloudy deliciousness. They will be brewing up 12 beers and we the people get to say who’s King! This is Batch #4 brewed with Zythos, Mandarina Bavaria, and Mosaic hops. The combination of the three makes for an insanely cloudy IPA deserving of the description: Juicy Hazy IPA! These words get thrown around all too often without the actual backing by the beer itself. This is not one of those beers. Is it enough to be crowned King? We shall see. This is your chance to #LEAVEYOURMARK at Three Notch’d Brewing Company.
8.0%
Compiled by staff
Orange Crush IPA
Back Bay Brewing Company
Virginia Beach
Orange Crushes have become a staple in Virginia Beach. So, it’s no surprise that one of Virginia Beach’s oceanfront breweries, Back Bay Brewing Co., has created its own version of this beach goer’s much loved cocktail of choice! This IPA is brewed with 22 pounds of sweet orange peel creating a crushable orange and vanilla bean flavor. It’s only available for a limited time. So, grab a six pack and crush it on the beach, on a boat, or in your own backyard. Just crush it!
abv: 6.1%
choosy mother
Isley Brewing Company
Richmond
Isley Brewing Company has a Choosy Mother that even at our most rebellious state of mind... we’d be like, yes Mom! This Peanut Butter Porter is filled with, you guessed it, peanut butter amazement! From the moment you crack the can (by the way, if it’s Pink, Isley will be donating a portion of the sales to Amy’s Army of Cancer Warriors, a nonprofit that benefits The Massey Cancer Center in Richmond.), you can smell the peanut aroma fill the air around you as the first sips give way to a roasted oat, chocolate maltiness. Dark, smooth, and sweet with a slight hint of bitterness, this beer will not disappoint.
abv: 6.6%
Big Pippin Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom
Castle Hill Cider Keswick
In January, the creative team at Castle Hill Cider launched a new line of ciders, Big Pippin. There are now four flavors in the line-up - Ginger, All Hopped Up, Elder Cherry Rosé, and Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom. These unique ciders are crafted with fresh pressed apple juice fermented with select non-GMO yeast and blended with an array of fruits and botanicals. We tried the Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom. Southwestern prickly pear is fused with pressed apples and features an orange aroma. It’s effervescent and revitalizing! This line of canned ciders was founded upon the motto, “Big Pippin. Big Adventure.” The cans make transport easy and enjoying them on your next adventure even easier!
all shall perish
Adroit Theory Purcellville
Adroit Theory dropped a crushable DIPA on the Commonwealth that made the rounds for a few months. If you were lucky enough to enjoy a can or two of All Shall Perish, your taste buds were thanking you. Brewed with 100% Mosaic Hops, this DDH DIPA left you wanting more. The mango and citrus burst through the golden haze giving way to a slight bitterness that you’d expect form an Imperial IPA. This beer is truly one to remember.
Audacity Brass Band
Rock’n to Lockn’
Virginia beer and bands highlighted at Lockn’ Festival in August
By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones
The Rockn’ to Lockn’ is a battle-of-the bands-type contest sponsored by the organizers of the four-day Lockn’ Music Festival to highlight some of the finest local bands spawned in Virginia. While Lockn’ features many national recording artists, Lockn’ founder Dave Frey ensures that local music, food, and beer are integral parts of the festival experience. Virginia-based bands apply to the Rockn’ to Lockn’ competition, and based on several rounds of live performances and fan voting, three talented bands are selected to play on the grand main stage at the Lockn’ Festival, held August 22-25 at Infinity Downs in Arrington, Virginia. This year’s winners are Audacity Brass Band, Surprise Attack, and Free Union.
Audacity Brass Band is composed of a group of musicians and friends whom met at Longwood College as music students. The
ten members of this boundary-spanning New Orleans style funkforward brass band are Tyler Gage, Sam Andrews, Dean Pollard, Cody Lenard, Josh Golub, Michael Velez, Colleen Trempe, Michael Eidson, Nick Gammon, and Nate Irving. If this band was a beer, they’d be an imperial stout, with complex layers of brass, jazz and hip hop that get your attention and deep flavorful notes that stir the soul. Audacity Brass Band will play on Thursday August 22, opening day.
Surprise Attack consists of Tom Casey, Jeremy Begun, Jay Rowe, Dan Durazo, and Ian Frye. The band is unabashedly jam-oriented, with optimistic uptempo songs flavored by mountain bluegrass, swirling improvisations, and psychedelia that will make you want to get up and dance. If they were a beer they’d be a raspberry wheat ale, as they have a refreshing, quaffable appeal and plenty
of sweet, jammy notes that will bring a smile to your lips. Surprise Attack plays Lockn’ on Friday August 23, early afternoon.
Free Union features Michael Coleman and Rob Dunnenberger at its core, with Carrie Coleman, Jacob Ungerleider, Chris Speasmaker, Ryan Lee, Parker Hawkins, Rachel Smith, Becca Bauer, and Michael Pressel contributing. Free Union’s first EP features radio-friendly smooth vocal blends and strong R&B roots, while their live shows demonstrate energetic showmanship and a soul-pop sensibility that will funk you up. Their message is one of unity rooted in Virginia’s complex sociocultural history. If they were a beer they’d be a homebrew, created by people who care more about creativity than fitting some style guideline or genre, eschewing established recipes in order to create a unique combination of flavors with indigenous ingredients. Free Union plays Lockn’ on Saturday August 24 from 1 to 2 pm.
National acts at this year’s Lockn’ include Bob Weir and Wolf Brothers, Trey Anastasio, Tedeschi Trucks, Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, Gary Clark Jr., Jason Isbell, Old Crow Medicine Show, Moe, Steel Pulse, the Revivalists, the Allman-Betts Band, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and lots of collaborations among these artists, which is just one of the things that sets Lockn’ apart from most music festivals. Check the schedule to see the lineup for each day at http://www.locknfestival. com and purchase tickets.
Lockn’ single-day tickets range from $69 (Thursday only) to $139, and multi-day tickets start at $259. Student and military discounts are available. There are on-site camping options at a variety of price points including tent, car, and RV camping. Multi-day VIP tickets start at $899 and have lots of groovy benefits
We recently reached out to Farmville-based Audacity Brass Band trumpeter Tyler Gage, Surprise Attack guitarist/singer Tom Casey of Arlington, and Charlottesville’s Michael Coleman, who plays guitar and sings in Free Union to get their take on music and Virginia beer.
What are the major influences on the band’s musical style?
Tyler: All ten members write music and bring their style to the band, so we draw from rock, blues, hip hop, jazz, you name it. That being said, some of my influences are Dave Matthews Band and the Grateful Dead. We might be the first jam band brass band.
Tom: Lockn’ is one of the main reasons why we do what we do! The collectivism of our music and improvisational style was inspired by that first Lockn’ in 2013 with bands like Further, String Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio Band and the whole collaborative aspect.
Michael: Singer-songwriters and soul singers, the music of Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, and Steely Dan. More recently Prince has been an influence. I studied jazz at the University of Richmond, and also listened to a lot of rock. Our music has a lot of diverse influences so it’s hard to pigeonhole our sound.
Surprise Attack
Courtesy Photo cont'd
Courtesy Photo
What are major influences on your beer style preferences?
Tyler: I’m an old school guy, and love easy-drinking lagers and amber ales.
Tom: Starr Hill for sure, with their Northern Lights India Pale Ale. Devil’s Backbone Vienna Lager is a classic, and their Eight Point IPA is delicious. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is the first beer I fell in love with. The initial Lockn’ was shortly after I turned 21 and there I discovered a diversity of beers that opened my eyes. I tend to favor the pale beers, in summer festival season. These are ideal to quench a thirst. Pale beers and saisons are my favorites, although I am starting to enjoy some of the darker beers like stouts.
Michael: I feel like you can’t live in Charlottesville or Central Virginia and not drink beer. I don’t drink a ton of IPAs, I’m more of a lager guy. Right now in my fridge you’ll find Devil’s Backbone Vienna Lager and some of my wife’s Bold Rock ciders.
Do any of your songs have beer references in the lyrics?
Tyler: Not beer specifically, but we have a song “Raise Your Glass” about any form of alcohol. It’s about going through a rough breakup, going through the stages of grief. And saying, in spite of that, I’m still out here having a good time and partying so raise a glass and kiss that #@$%& goodbye!
Tom: One of our songs, “Pitted Crew,” is titled as a reference to what we obliquely refer to as “getting pitted” based on a friend having a few too many and the misadventures he got into.
Michael: No, maybe we should write one! However at any given show we’re likely to be sipping beers, along with water.
Free Union
What does your band drink at practice?
Tyler: We don’t drink at practice because we practice on school grounds where I work! (Tyler is Fuqua School Band Director).
Tom: Lately we’ve been into the juicy, hazy IPAs, like the ones from Lickinghole Creek. Starr Hill always is around during practice.
Michael: Usually I’ll pick up a Starr Hill Variety Pack, as all the players have different preferences. I’m having the lager, others are into IPAs, so the variety let’s everybody choose what they like.
What are some of your favorite Virginia beers?
Tyler: I’m a diehard Harley rider and on a recent really hot day was riding and came upon a brewery not far from the Surry ferry, called Billsburg. They had a red ale that was amazing. I would have liked to drink another but I was riding. Also, Hardywood’s Richmond Lager and Devil’s Backbone Vienna lager are two of my favorites.
Tom: Hardywood’s beers are killer, and I enjoy drinking their bourbon-barrel aged beers. Ardent and the whole Richmond brewing scene is fantastic. Fair Winds has brewed several saisons that I really like.
Michael: I used to live a couple of blocks from South Street in Charlottesville, and love Satan’s Pony. Actually I tend to drink whiskey, and like trying the craft spirits although I haven’t visited any of the distillery tasting rooms…yet.
Beer Geek Night at Wolf Hills Brewing
Every Thursday, 5-9pm
New firkin or small batch beer released every Thursday.
350 Park Street. Abingdon 276.451.5470 • wolfhillsbrewing.co
Wolf Hills Brewing Co.’s 10th Anniversary Party Sat., Aug. 10, 6-9pm
Join us for our 10th Anniversary party show with Unknown Hinson and opening act Adam Bolt. $20 pre-sale; $25 day of show.
350 Park Street. Abingdon
276.451.5470 • wolfhillsbrewing.com
BinGO with the Flow at Creek Bottom Brewing
Thurs., Aug. 29 & Sept. 26, 7-9pm
Anyone can play - $3 per card and every player gets a prize. Wing specials all night and happy hour from 4-7pm. 307 Meadow Street, Galax 276.236.2337 • cbbrews.com
Fiesta on The Farm at Bold Rock
Every Tuesday, 11am-8pm
A full day of Flamenco music, delicious taco specials, Bold Rock-a-ritas, and a free chips and salsa bar.
Bold Rock Hard Cider
1020 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford 434.361.1030 • boldrock.com
Trivia Night at World of Beer
Every Tuesday, 7pm
District Trivia hosts trivia. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
852 W. Main St., Charlottesville 434.760.0771
worldofbeer.com/locations/charlottesville
Trivia Night at Garden Grove
Brewing
Every Wednesday
3445 West Cary St., Richmond 804.918.6158 • gardengrovebrewing.com
Geeks Who Drink Trivia at Pro Re Nata Brewery
Every Thursday, 7-9pm
50 Days in 2019 – Beer Lovers Day – Steal A Pint!
Sat., Sept. 7
Pub Quizzes & Trivia 6135 Rockfish Gap Turnpike, Crozet
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 St., Richmond 804.231.0280 • bluebeecider.com
Trivia Night at
Coyote Hole Ciderworks
Every Thursday 4-8pm
Featuring trivia by Mixed Entertainment and Catch the Chef food truck.
225 Oak Grove Drive, Mineral 540.894.1053
Trivia Thursday at Castleburg Brewery & Taproom
Every Thursday, 7-9pm
Teams of 1 to 6 compete for league points on a quarterly basis. Prizes are given out each week for 1st & 2nd place and Best Team Name.
1626 Ownby Ln., Richmond castleburgbrewery.com
Friday Cheers at Blue Mountain Barrel House
Every Friday, 5-9pm
APPALACHIA
Oktobrewfest
Sat., Oct. 5, 5-10pm
Held on historic Main Street, this event showcases the craft beer industry in Southwest VA, featuring craft beer, wine, and ciders from around the region plus live music and entertainment for all. Main Street, Tazewell 276.988.5091 • ttownoktobrewfest.com
BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS
Tacos & Troubadours Night at Wolf
Hills Brewing
Every Tuesday, 6-9pm
Featuring delicious tacos by Toni’s Hawaiian Tacos & open mic night hosted by KT Vandyke.
350 Park Street, Abingdon
276.451.5470 • wolfhillsbrewing.com
Trivia Night at Wolf Hills Brewing
Every Wednesday, 6-8pm
350 Park Street. Abingdon 276.451.5470 • wolfhillsbrewing.com
Rising Silo Brewery in Blacksburg and Sinkland Farms Brewery in Christiansburg will serve the purchased beer of your choice in a souvenir pint glass that you can take home to remember your visit and the 50 years of love celebration! Limited to the first 100 patrons at each establishment. 540.394.4470
Oktobrewfest
Sat., Oct. 5, 3-10pm
Featuring local and regional craft beer, cider, and wine, a homebrew competition, food vendors, crafters, artisans, and games and activities for kids. Main Street, Tazwell 276.988.5091 • tazewellchamber.com ttownoktobrewfest.com
Enjoy tastings from VA craft breweries and wineries.
683 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy., Charlottesville 434.977.1234
Beer, Bingo, & Bloodies at Center of the Universe
Every Sunday, 2-6pm
Enjoy a beer bloody and try your luck at hourly bingo for a chance to win COTU swag.
11293 Air Park Rd., Ashland cotubrewing.com
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
Local Bucket Sunday at World of Beer
Every Sunday
Get specials on local beers on the local beer bucket offering.
852 W. Main St., Charlottesville
Trivia Night at Random Row Brewing Co.
Every Sunday, 5-7pm
Hosted by Geeks Who Drink with prizes awarded to the best teams. 608 Preston Ave., Charlottesville randomrow.com
IPA Weekend at World of Beer
Thurs.-Sun., Aug. 1-4
Celebrate IPA Day all weekend long. Featuring IPA’s from Hardywood, Kindred Spirit, Center of the Universe, O’Connor, Ardent, Devils Backbone, and even Bold Rock!
World of Beer
11600 West Broad Street, Richmond
Annual Hop Harvest at Blue Mountain Brewery
Fri., Aug. 2, 11am-6pm
It’s time to pick the hops and you can help! Volunteer for two hours and get a free lunch. Enjoy live music while you pick.
Festival Fridays at Bold Rock Fri., Aug., 2 & Sept. 6, 5:30-8:30pm
Kick off the weekend and enjoy live music!
Bold Rock Hard Cider
1020 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford 434.361.1030 • boldrock.com
Brewhaha Virginia Craft Beer Festival
Sat., Aug. 3, 6-9pm (VIP: 4:30-6pm)
Featuring beer selections from Virginia breweries, live music, and food options. Free after-hours admission to special museum exhibitions.
Virginia Museum of History & Culture
428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond 804.340.1800 virginiahistory.org
Gose Fest at COTU
Sat., Aug. 3, 12-10pm
Featuring the release of There Gose Summer, a traditional German-style sour brewed with tangerine and a dash of salt. To celebrate the release, there will be 7 variants! Enjoy food from Freakin Rican and live music.
Center of the Universe
11293 Air Park Rd., Ashland cotubrewing.com
Summer Bluegrass Series at Bold Rock
Sat., Aug. 3 & Sept. 21, 5-10pm
Enjoy live bluegrass, food trucks, and Bold Rock Hard Cider!
Bold Rock Hard Cider
1020 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford 434.361.1030 • boldrock.com
Cider Cinema at Bold Rock
Sat., Aug. 10 & 31, Sept. 14, & Oct. 5, 6-10:30pm
A unique cinematic experience featuring Bold Rock Hard Cider, food trucks, movie themed activities, and a movie screening in our main meadow on our jumbo 30 foot screen!
Bold Rock Hard Cider
1020 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford 434.361.1030 • boldrock.com
Cider Under The Stars
Sat., Aug. 10, 5-10pm
Enjoy local Virginia ciders, regional ciders, music, food, and fun all in a beautiful outdoor setting. Live music by Jack Ryan Music.
Stony Point Fashion Park 9200 Stony Point Pkwy, Richmond rivercityfestivals.com
Farmville Pride Sat., Aug. 17 & Sept. 21, 2-4pm
Come on out LGBQ+ friends and allies and join us to share the love!
Third Street Brewing
312 W. Third Street, Farmville LOCKN’ Music Festival
Thurs.-Sun., Aug. 22-25
A four day music festival, with an emphasis on stellar music, camping, outdoor activities, regional food, beverages, and artisans.
Come on out to the ALL YOU CAN EAT Crabs & Beer Festival on Brown’s Island. Vendors all day. Live music by Southern Soul Artist, R&B Artist, GO-GO Artist, and 6 DJS playing all day. Tickets: $10-$40. Brown’s Island Richmond
Field Gay at Coyote Hole Ciderworks Sun., Aug. 25 & Sept. 29, 12-7pm
A family-friendly field day for the LGBTQ community. Featuring games, BBQ, and more!
Coyote Hole Ciderworks 225 Oak Grove Drive, Mineral coyotehole.com
There Gose Summer Kings Dominion
Soak City Pop Up Party
Sun., Aug. 25, 12-6pm
Join the Center of the Universe crew for an epic There Gose Summer Pop-Up Beach Party. COTU will have a giant beer garden and will be sampling out their delicious canned offerings including “There Gose Summer.”
Kings Dominion
16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell kingsdominion.com
Un-Barrel-ble 5K and 10K at Blue Mountain Barrel House
Sat., Aug. 31, 7:30-10:30am
This summer 5K & 10K will run from Blue Mountain Barrel House and the surrounding streets. Come for the race, but stay for the beer.
495 Cooperative Way, Arrington 434.263.4002 • bluemountainbrewery.com Car Show at
Coyote Hole Ciderworks
Sun., Sept. 1, 12-5pm
You’ll be able to browse a wide variety of antique cars, classic cars, muscle cars, imports, modern cars, trucks, and jeeps. Plus, there will be a 50/50 raffle and outdoor, evening movie after the car show. Coyote Hole Ciderworks 225 Oak Grove Drive, Mineral coyotehole.com
BINGO, Brews & Brewhaha at Starr Hill
Thurs., Sept. 5, 6:30pm
Join us for BINGO, hosted by Carly Crickenberger! There will be prizes, laughs, and more!
Starr Hill Brewery & Tap Room 5391 Three Notch’d Road, Crozet starrhill.com
Down on the Farm 5K
Sat., Sept. 7, 8am-12:30pm
Featuring a 5K and half mile Kids Fun Run. Benefits the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. Wood Ridge Farm Brewery 165 Old Ridge Road, Lovingston 434.422.6225
B’Dam Brew Jam Craft Beer Festival
Sat., Sept. 14, 12-6pm
Featuring live music, an amazing selection of craft brews and ciders, eclectic food vendors, food trucks, games, and a beer garden. Ruritan Park
We’ll be celebrating the last two weekends of September. New steins will be available. Deals on pours if you purchase an Oktoberfest Stein. Fine Creek Brewing Company
2425 Robert E. Lee Road, Powhatan St. Benedict Oktoberfest Fri.-Sun., Sept. 20-22
One of the largest Oktoberfest events in Virginia featuring over 50 craft and German beers, German and Austrian wine, authentic German food and desserts, German music and dance, a children’s area, and Christkindlmarkt, a unique shopping experience.
St. Benedict Catholic Church 300 North Sheppard Street, Richmond 804.254.8810 stbenedictoktoberfest.com
Lynchburg Beer, Wine, & Cider
Festival
Sat., Sept. 21, 12-7pm
Enjoy over 75 different options of craft beer, ciders, and wine from Virginia. Artisans, food vendors, and live music round out the event.
Tasting Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. Non-Drinking: $15
Lynchburg City Stadium
3176 Fort Avenue, Lynchburg 434.473.7319
lynchburgbeerandwinefestival.com
Oktoberfest at Blue Mountain Brewery
Fri., Sept. 27-Sun. Oct. 6, 11am-9pm
Celebrate Oktoberfest at Blue Mountain Brewery! German food specials every day, live music, special activities, games, and prizes.
It’s Oktoberfest and COTU is throwing a party! Start off with the Das Bier Run. Grab your buddies and make a team of either 2 or 4 people. Teams receive a stein, t-shirt, and more!
Center of the Universe
11293 Air Park Rd., Ashland cotubrewing.com
The Festival of Grapes and Hops
Sat., Sept. 28
Join us in historic downtown Petersburg for shopping, live music, wine and craft beer tasting, and more!
Old Town Petersburg 9 East Old Street, Petersburg festivalofgrapesandhops.com
Off the Rails Beer Festival
Sat., Sept. 28, 1-7pm
Taste the finest craft beers Central Virginia has to offer in the Center of the Universe, historic small town Ashland. This family friendly event offers food truck fare, great music, and beer. All proceeds benefit the Hanover Arts & Activities Center. Tickets: $15. 500 South Center Street, Ashland hanoverarts.org
Wahoo Cup Craft Brewers
Invitational
Sat., Sept. 28, 1-7pm
C’Ville takes on Richmond! The Wahoo Cup pits top breweries in Richmond versus their rivals from Charlottesville. The winning brew will be selected by beer lovers and a panel of judges. Proceeds benefit Richmond Cycling Corps. Presented by The UVa Club of Richmond & Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery.
Featuring live music combining a mix of country, folk, and top 40 selections, beer and wine samples, and food and craft vendors. Tickets: $25 in advance; $30 at gate.
Uncle Kracker at The Vanguard Sat., Aug. 10, 9pm-midnight
Advance Tickets by Aug. 4: $20; General Admission Tickets: $25
The Vanguard Brewpub and Distillery
504 N. King Street, Hampton thevanguard757.com
Food Truck Rodeo at Big Ugly Sun., Aug. 11 & Sept. 8, 12-6pm
Presented by Hampton Roads Food Truck Association. Fantastic food trucks, great beers and music to get you moving.
Big Ugly Brewing Company
845 S. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake biguglybrewing.com
Jazz Brunch at Commonwealth Brewing Co.
Sun., Aug. 11 & Sept. 12-4pm
Featuring a rotating set of local Jazz artists and some of the tastiest food pop ups and trucks in the area.
2444 Pleasure House Road, Virginia Beach commonwealthbrewingcompany.com
New Realm Pints & Pilates
Sun., Aug. 11, 11am-2pm
Indulge in both Pilates and a pint of New Realm beer! Bring your mat/towel along with your thirst.
New Realm Brewing
1209 Craft Lane, Virginia Beach
BBQ on the Terrace featuring Smartmouth
Wed., Aug. 14, 5:30-9pm
Enjoy BBQ, local seafood, grilled meats, seasonal market vegetables and homemade signature desserts. Plus, enjoy live music while sipping on a beer from Smartmouth.
The Founders Inn and Spa
5641 Indian River Road, Virginia Beach
757.366.5777
Food Truck Rally at Back Bay’s Farmhouse
Wed., Aug. 14 & 28 & Sept. 25, 5-8pm
Featuring some of the area’s finest food trucks, live music, beer, cider, wine, and yard games.
1805 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach
Beer Releases at O’Connor Brewing Co.
Fri., Aug. 16, 12-9:30pm
Two beer releases: Golden Pear Belgian Tripel and Shi Shi Beach Cranberry Lemon Sour Saison. 211 W. 24th St., Norfolk oconnorbrewing.com
Busch Gardens Bier Fest
Fri.-Sun, Aug. 16-18 & 23-25 and Fri., Aug. 30-Mon., Sept. 2
More than 200 years of Oktoberfest traditions come to life at Busch Gardens with craft beer from around the world, traditional German food, and live music. Busch Gardens
Jubilee 2019 at Alewerks Fri. Aug. 16, 4pm – Sun., Aug. 18, 8pm
Join us for our 13th Anniversary for 3 days of music, amazing food, and delicious Alewerks beer! And, we’ll be releasing the 2019 edition of Jubilee, the Belgian dark strong ale brewed annually to mark our anniversary, aged in bourbon port barrels this year!
189-B Ewell Rd., Williamsburg
1619Fest – A Reggae Concert at Billsburg Brewery
Sat., Aug. 17, 12-10pm
1619Fest is an event to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of Africans to America. Join us as we recognize this historic time. Events highlighting Jamestown Island include a visit to the “Angela Site” where archaeologists will share information about details and artifacts that they are discovering where one of the first Africans lived. Music begins at 5pm with opening performances by Mighty Joshua and Cultivated Mind and headlined by Akae Beka. Advance Tickets: $30 ($40 at the door) for access to all activities at Billsburg and James City County Marina. 2054 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg 757.926.0981
Full Moon Festival at Commonwealth Brewing Co.
Sat., Aug. 17, 4-10pm
Break out your glow sticks and tiedye shirts and join us for a fun night of dancing, tie-dye, face painting, and dancing to celebrate the full moon.
2444 Pleasure House Road, Virginia Beach commonwealthbrewingcompany.com
Warehouse Show #5 at Smartmouth
Sat., Aug. 17, 5-10pm
Featuring The Evening Attraction, Ladada, and Suburban Living.
1309 Raleigh Avenue, Norfolk
Vinyl Night at Commonwealth Brewing Co.
Wed., Aug. 21, 4-9pm
Third Wednesday of every month, bring your own or jam to our all-inclusive staff collection of records. Each month, we will have a different music theme – Rock, Oldies, Jazz, Punk, and more!
2444 Pleasure House Road, Virginia Beach commonwealthbrewingcompany.com
Comedy Night at Alewerks
Thurs., Aug. 22, 7pm
Laughs are on tap for this nationwide tour.
New York and Los Angeles-based standups are currently on the road, sampling the local fare, local brews, and providing the finest and funniest in comedy entertainment.
189-B Ewell Rd., Williamsburg
Neptune’s Coastal Craft Beer Festival
Sat., Aug. 24, 1-6pm
Enjoy over 65 beers from 30 breweries, live music, food trucks, and more! Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 day of 31st Street & Oceanfront, Virginia Beach neptunefestival.com
Pints for Parkinson’s at Brick & Mortar
Sat., Aug. 24, 1:30-5pm
Help raise awareness about Parkinson’s Disease and local resources in Hampton Roads. Great raffles to help support the mission of American Parkinson Disease Association/Hampton Roads. Brick & Mortar Brewing Company
212 E. Washington Street, Suffolk
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Citizen’s Choice Randall Beer
Infusion Night
Every Monday, 3-7pm
Brew Republic Bierwerks
15201 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge Guerilla Series Release Night at Brew Republic Bierworks
Every Monday 12-10pm
The Guerrilla Series is Brew Republic’s pilot/experimental program — with a new release every Monday in the tap room. These beers are brewed in extremely small batches, so no growler fills, no keg sales, and no distribution.
15201 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge Pint Night at Fair Winds Brewing Co.
Each week, flavor-enhancing ingredients are infused into one of the beers on tap. You get decide what those ingredients will be.
15201 Potomac Town Place, Ste. 120, Woodbridge 703.594.7950
Happy Hour & Growler Night at New District Brewing Co.
Every Thursday, 3:30-7:30pm
Happy Hour specials and 64oz growler fills are $2 off.
2709 S. Oakland Street, Arlington 703.888.5820
Indoor Putting League (Disc Golf)
Every Thursday, 6-9pm
Meet interesting people, throw frisbees, and drink beer with them! $5 entry with teams drawn at random.
Vanish Farmwoods Brewery 42245 Black Hops Lane, Leesburg vanishbeer.com
Open Mic at Bad Wolf
Every Thursday
Bad Wolf Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle, Manassas
Teacher Appreciation at The Farm Brewery at Broad Run
Every Thursday
Teachers receive pints of Blonde for $4.50.
16015 John Marshall Highway, Haymarket
Trivia Night at Belly Love Brewing
Every Thursday
725 E. Main Street, Purcellville bellylovebrewing.com
Trivia Night at The Farm Brewery at Broad Run
Every Thursday
Happy Hour specials from 3-8pm. Trivia starts at 6pm. $25 gift card for winner. 16015 John Marshall Highway, Haymarket Firkin Friday at Fair Winds Brewing Co.
Every Friday
A new firkin is released every Friday. Rotating food truck.
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 540.242.8876 facebook.com/adventurebrewing
Live Music at Adventure Brewing Co.
Every Friday 8-10pm
33 Perchwood Dr., Unit 101, Stafford 540.242.8876 facebook.com/adventurebrewing
Live Music at Lost Rhino Retreat
Every Friday, 7-10pm
22885 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn lostrhino.com
Food Truck Saturdays at Solace Brewing Company
Every Saturday, 12-10pm
42615 Trade West Drive, Suite 100, Sterling
Live Music at Lost Rhino Brewing Co.
Every Saturday, 7-10pm
21730 Red Rum Drive, #142, Ashburn
Hangover Brunch at Lost Rhino Retreat
Every Sunday, 11am-2pm 22885 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn lostrhino.com
Solace and Food on Sundays at Solace Brewing Company
Every Sunday, 12-8pm
42615 Trade West Drive, Suite 100, Sterling Sunday Funday at Brew Republic
Every Sunday 12-10pm
Join us every Sunday for football, board games, hot and BBQ chicken wings, $5 mimosas, and of course, beer!
15201 Potomac Town Place, Ste. 120, Woodbridge 703.594.7950
Yoga at Wort Hog Brewery
Every other Sunday; 11:30am-1pm 41 Beckham Street, Warrenton 540.300.2739
Science on Tap – Unique: The Science of Human Individuality
Tues., Aug. 6, 6:30-7:30pm
Science lovers can enjoy a beer during Old Ox’s Science on Tap series. The Aug. 6 event features a professor of neuroscience from John Hopkins University.
Old Ox Brewery
44652 Guilford Drive, #114, Ashburn 703.729.8375
Pig Roast & Luau at Adventure Brewing
Sat., Aug. 10, 6-10pm
Join us for a fun evening featuring a pig roast, live music, and tropical brews!
33 Perchwood Dr., Unit 101, Fredericksburg adventurebrewing.com
Taste Leesburg
Sat., Aug. 10, 5-10pm
Showcasing restaurants, beverages, food trucks, artists, merchants, and businesses of Leesburg. Enjoy live music as you stroll the streets. Food vendors will be set up throughout and breweries and wineries will be serving their finest libations.
Historic Downtown Leesburg
E. Market and N. King Street, Leesburg 703.669.2202 tasteleesburg.com
2nd Annual Oysterfest at Solace Brewing Company
Sat., Aug. 17, 12-8pm
Enjoy oysters, great beer, and good company plus live music by Albino Rhino! 42615 Trade West Drive, Suite 100, Sterling
The Lindsay VW Summer of Love Music Festival
Sat., Aug. 17
Jam out to a lineup of local musicians, singers, and songwriters. Try our 50 Years of Love beer and wine and snag some Summer of Love swag. Family-friendly events and games plus food and local artisan vendors.
B Chord Brewing Company
34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill 571.474.9191 visitloudoun.com
Beer & Culture Viking Edition at The Farm Brewery at Broad Run Fri., Aug. 23
16015 John Marshall Highway, Haymarket Cigar, Bourbon, and Beer Festival Sat., Aug. 24, 4-9pm
Featuring cigars from Hogshead Cigar Lounge, bourbon from across the country and some from Virginia, craft beer from Fredericksburg Breweries and regional breweries, Virginia wines and ciders, and live music. The event supports Community Outreach Inc. Fredericksburg Fairgrounds 2400 Airport Avenue, Fredericksburg cigarbourbonbeer.com
Annual Herndon Labor Day Festival Mon., Sept. 2, 11am-5pm
A fun outdoor street festival featuring unlimited samples from Virginia wineries, local craft brews, a craft show, sponsorship gallery, food vendors, and musical performances.
Herndon Town Green 777 Lynn Street, Herndon 703.787.7300 herndon-va.gov
Band, Brews, & Barbecue
Sat., Sept. 7, 12-6pm
Featuring award winning craft beers & distilled spirits for sampling, some of Northern Virginia’s best barbecue, and incredible live music.
Manassas Museum Lawn 9101 Prince William Street, Manassas 703.361.6599
visitmanassas.org
Beer Release at The Farm Brewery at Broad Run Fri., Sept. 13
Beer Release: Pumpkin Drublic –Pumpkin pin in a glass!
16015 John Marshall Highway, Haymarket
Oktoberfest at Adventure Brewing
Sat., Sept. 14, 12-10pm
Join us for a fun-filled day of live music, dancers, vendors, food, events, competitions, and beer.
33 Perchwood Dr., Unit 101, Fredericksburg adventurebrewing.com
Virginia Cider Festival Sat., Sept. 14, 11am-5pm
Sample ciders from all across the country plus favorites from Virginia and enjoy live music and food from local Fredericksburg food establishments. Select distilleries will be on-site too. Fredericksburg Fairgrounds
Featuring live music, savory regional BBQ, a kids corner, specialty foods, local artisans, lawn games, prizes, a selection of wine, cider, and of course great brews all available for purchase.You won’t want to miss CRI’s NEW signature Block Party, happening in Downtown Culpeper, winner of the Great American Main Street award! Cost: $10 in advance; $15 at the gate. Downtown Culpeper 540.825.4416 culpeperdowntown.com
SHENANDOAH VALLEY
Team Trivia at Winchester Brew Works
Every Monday, 6:30pm Teams of 6 compete for gift certificates and prizes!
320 N. Cameron St., Winchester winchesterbrewworks.com
Virginia Craft on Draft Every Monday, 3-6pm
Enjoy all Virginia pints for $4 and all Virginia Belgians for $5. Brew Ridge Taps 11 E. Nelson St., Lexington 540.461.8012 • brewridgetaps.com
Backs to Basic Yoga Night at Basic City Beer Co.
Every Tuesday, 6-7pm
$10 includes yoga and a pint. 1010 E. Main St., Waynesboro basiccitybeer.com
Taps & Apps at Union Jack’s
Every Tuesday, 11am-11pm
Enjoy 1 select specialty draft from a local brewery and 1 specialty appetizer for $10.
101 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester 540.722.2055
Trivia Tuesday at Redbeard Brewing Company
Every Tuesday, 8-10:30pm
Hosted by Trivia Factory. Prizes awarded to the first and second place teams.
120 S. Lewis Street, Staunton redbeardbrews.com
Randall Night at
Wolfe Street Brewing
Every Tuesday
Enjoy a specialty beer we infuse using our randall!
120 W. Wolfe St., Harrisonburg wolfestreetbrewing.com
Bingo Night at Wolfe Street
Brewing
Every Wednesday
Winners of each bingo round receive $15 gift cards to the tasting room.
120 W. Wolfe St., Harrisonburg wolfestreetbrewing.com
Open Mic Night at Queen City Brewing
Every Wednesday
834 Spring Hill Rd., Staunton qcbrewing.com
Live Music at Woodstock Brewhouse
Every Thursday, 6pm
123 E. Court St., Woodstock
OM Brew at Seven Arrows Brewing Co.
Every Saturday, 10:30-11:30am
$10 includes yoga and a beer after class. 2508 Jefferson Hwy., Waynesboro sevenarrowsbrewing.com
Sunday Funday Karaoke at Redbeard Brewing Company
Every Sunday, 8-10pm
Hosted by TellAplay Entertainment!
120 S. Lewis Street, Staunton 540.430.3532
Summer of Love Tour
Through August 10
Break out the flower crowns and bell bottoms because it is about to get groovy as Loudoun County turns back time to 1969 for the Summer of Love Tour. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Virginia is for Lovers brand, Loudoun will be home to more than a dozen events and festivals between June and August that are inspired by the people, events, music, and iconic moments of 1969. Tour stops will be in both Loudoun’s historic towns and urban destinations and include everything from concerts and blastfrom-the-past movie nights to vintage shopping experiences, artisan pop-ups and release parties for the new 50 Years of Love branded wine and beer. Loudoun visitloudoun.org/summeroflove
Brewstock
Fri. & Sat., Aug. 2 & 3, 2-9pm
The spirit of Woodstock is alive at Backroom Brewery. Brewstock music and craft beer festival takes place on 25 acres at the brewery and features bands who pay tribute to the original Woodstock performers. Plus, guest breweries, food trucks, and overnight camping available. Backroom Brewery 150 Ridgemont Road, Middletown 540.869.8482 • brewstockbrb.com
Hop Harvest Party at Stable Craft Brewing
Sat., Aug. 10, 8am-4pm
Join us for hop harvest time and help us bring in our hops! We will provide beverages while you pick plus the smoker will be full of smoked meats and terrific side dishes.
375 Madrid Rd., Waynesboro stablecraftbrewing.com
Toga Dance Party at Stable Craft Brewing
Sat., Aug. 17, 6:30-10pm
Toga inspired dance party with music by Prime Time Sound & DJ Services. Tapping of Et Tu Brut IPA. Prizes given for best toga.
375 Madrid Rd., Waynesboro stablecraftbrewing.com
Run, Sweat, & Beers at Brothers Craft Brewing
Fri., Aug. 23 & Sept. 20, 5-8pm
Brought to you by VA Momentum, this event is free, low stress, and 100% fun. There are 1, 3, and 5 mile running options - you pick what you’re feeling that day. Plus, there will be discounted brews in the tasting room.
800 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg
Craft Brewing Doormat Workshop at Brothers Craft Brewing
Thurs., Aug. 29, 6-8pm Ticket includes doormat, stencil, paintbrushes, paint, and instruction.
800 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg
Appaloosa Music Festival
Fri., Aug 30-Sun., Sept. 1
The Appaloosa Roots Music and Great Outdoors Festival is Labor Day weekend at the Skyline Ranch Resort nestled among the beautiful backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Skyline Ranch and Resort
751 Mountain Road, Front Royal appaloosafestival.com
25th Annual Rockbridge Beer & Wine Festival
Sat., Sept. 7, 12-7pm
Enjoy craft beer and cider, regional wines, and local food while listening to live music on two stages all afternoon!
Lime Kiln Theater
607 Borden Road, Lexington lexrockchamber.com
Cask for a Cause at Brothers Craft Brewing
Fri., Sept. 20, 5-8pm
Proceeds benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Virginia Chapter. Purchase a pint from the cask and participate in the silent auction to help raise money!
800 N. Main Street, Harrisonburg
Craft Beer Tasting at Big Meadows Lodge
Fri., Sept. 20, 4:30-5:30pm
Beer tasting featuring Shenandoah Private Label Beers plus light snacks and a handcrafted glass to take home. $20 per person.
Big Meadows Lodge Shenandoah National Park Mile 51, Skyline Drive, Luray 877.847.1919 goshenandoah.com
River & Brews Festival
Sat., Sept. 21, 12-6pm
Enjoy a day of fun, delicious food, great live entertainment, and beer with 50+ varieties of beer from breweries all over Virginia and elsewhere.
Village Commons
Main & Chester Streets, Front Royal 540.635.3185 brewandblues.com
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
Live Music at Ballad Brewing
Sat., Aug. 3, 10, & 24, 6-9pm
8/3 – Troy Breslow; 8/10 – Matt Walsh; 8/24 – Wamp Show
600 Craghead St., Danville balladbrewing.com
Adoption Day with the Pittsylvania Pet Center at Ballard Brewing Sun., Aug. 4, Sept. 1, & Oct. 6, 1pm
Adopt your next brewery buddy at Ballad! We’ve teamed up with the Pittsylvania Pet Center for a monthly adoption day! Every first Sunday of the month, you can see a few of the dogs up for adoption in the taproom!
600 Craghead St., Danville balladbrewing.com
VIR Craft Beer Fest
Sat., Aug. 3, 3-8pm
The Virginia Craft Brewers Guild in partnership with VIRginia International Raceway presents this unique craft beer tasting event which will take place in the VIR Gallery building. The event will feature 64 different craft beers from Southern Virginia breweries and 2019 Virginia Beer Cup medalists plus music and outdoor games. Attendees can also watch the Sports Car Club of America time trials and have access to the VIRginia International Raceway facilities. Tickets: $30 in advance; $40 at gate: $10 designated driver.
VIRginia International Raceway 1245 Pine Tree Road, Alton virginiacraftbrewers.org
Family Yoga at Ballard Brewing Sun., Aug. 25, 4pm
This is a yoga class open to all ages! Please, bring your own yoga mat.
600 Craghead St., Danville balladbrewing.com
Live Music at Ballard Brewing Sat., Aug. 31, 6-9pm
Live music from our Battle of the Bands Winner! This artist competed at our Battle of the Bands in July and was voted by customers as the winner!
600 Craghead St., Danville balladbrewing.com
festival
Brewster Walk Craft Beer Festival
Sat., Sept. 7, 12-7:30pm
Featuring more than 50 craft beers and live performances from great bands (TBA).
215 E. Church Street, Martinsville 276.403.0872 roosterwalk.com
Beer & Hymns at Mountain Valley Brewing
Wed., Sept. 11, 6-8pm
Join us as we welcome back MVB Brent Levy and some of his crew. Listen to some of your favorite hymns as well as some of today’s secular music that speaks to our hearts today.
4220 Mountain Valley Road, Axton mountainvalleybrewing.com
Live Music at Ballard Brewing Sat., Sept. 14, 21, & 28, 6-9pm 9/14 – Paris Avenue; 9/21 – Matt Crowder Band; 9/28 – Brooke McBride 600 Craghead St., Danville balladbrewing.com
VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS
Body by Parkway Runner’s Club
Every Thurs., 6pm Parkway Brewing 739 Kessler Mill Road, Salem 540.483.9293 parkwaybrewing.com
Shine Runners Club
Thurs., Aug. 1, Sept. 5, & Oct. 3, 6pm
3 miles, 5 miles, or just walk and then socialize at the brewery.
Featuring regional and local breweries and wineries, local bands – 360 Band, Blue Mule, and Medicinal Americana, food trucks, and Kids Zone. Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 at the gate; $10 Designated Driver.
Green Hill Park
2501 Green Hill Park Road, Salem 540.387.0267
Microfestivus
Sat., Aug. 10, 12-6pm
Featuring over 70 breweries and 180 beers, food, and live music. West Side of Downtown Roanoke 540.224.1217 microfestivus.squaresociety.org
6th Annual Squatch Sighting Party at Chaos Mountain Sat., Aug. 17, 4-9pm
Every year, we gather to celebrate all things Squatch, Sasquatch…but mostly we love to celebrate the beer!
Celebrate our partnership with regional farmers, craft brewers, artisan distillers, and Virginia wineries. Sample a variety of locally sourced dishes along with some of the finest the region has to offer in beer, cider, spirits, and wine. Enjoy live music too.
The Omni Homestead
7696 Sam Snead Highway, Hot Springs 540.839.1766 omnihotels.com/hotels/homesteadvirginia
Franklin County Humane Society & Planned Pethood Dog Adoption Day at Chaos Mountain
Sat., Sept. 7, 12-4pm
Come meet your new BFF and give a deserving pup a forever home!
Celebrate our 5 year anniversary with live music throughout the day, food trucks, great beer including rare and limited editions plus, we’ll have limited edition five year anniversary glassware. Big Lick Brewing Company
409 Salem Avenue, SW, Roanoke
Big Lick Murder Mystery
Sun., Sept. 29, 2-5pm
Big Lick and Jump Into Mystery present an interactive mystery event and live action clue game. $36 per person. Big Lick Brewing Company
409 Salem Avenue, SW, Roanoke
Sinklandfarmsbrewery.com Studio
CENTRAL VIRGINIA
Meagan greets you with a smile and a flight at Brewing Tree Beer Company in Afton.
Antioch Brewing Company Palmyra 434.249.6727
antiochbrews.com
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
Bald Top Brewing Co. 1830 Thrift Road Madison 540.999.1830
baldtopbrewing.com
Beale’s 510 Grove Street Bedford 540.583.5113
bealesbeer.com
Bingo Beer Co.
2900 West Broad Street, Richmond 804.386.0290 bingorva.com
Black Narrows Brewing Company 4522 Chicken City Road Chincoteague blacknarrowsbrewing.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
Brasserie Saison 111 E. Main Street Charlottesville 434.202.7027
brasseriesaison.net
Brewing Tree Beer Company 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Afton 540.381.0990
Canon & Draw Brewing Company 1529 West Main Street Richmond canonanddraw.beer
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 Co 324 6th Street Charlottesville 434.295.2739
championbrewingcompany.com
Champion Brewing Company
401 Grace Street Richmond
804.344.5108
championbrewingcompany.com
Colonial Beach Brewing 215C Washington Avenue
Colonial Beach 540.226.2114
colonialbeachbrewing.com
Cooling Pond Brewery 4411 Zachary Taylor Highway Mineral
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
Fine Creek Brewing Company 2425 Robert E. Lee Road Powhatan 804.372.9786 Finecreekbrewing.com
Garden Grove Brewing and Urban Winery 3445 W Cary Street, Richmond 804.338.6029 www.gardengrovebrewing.com
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery 2408 Ownby Ln. Richmond 804.420.2420 hardywood.com
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery West Creek 820 Sanctuary Trail Drive Richmond hardywood.com
Hardywood Pilot Brewery & Taproom 1000 W. Main Street Charlottesville
Intermission Beer Co. 10089 Brook Road Glen Allen 804.585.0405 intermission.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 Spirit Brewing 12830 W. Creek Parkway Goochland 804.708.0309 kindredspiritbrewing.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
Lickinghole Goodwater 1717 East Franklin Street
Richmond lickingholecreek.com
Loose Shoe Brewing Company
198 Ambriar Plaza Amherst 434-941-7345 looseshoebrewing.com
Main Line Brewery 1603 Ownby Lane Richmond 804-387-9670
Sly Clyde Ciderworks 207 E. Mellen Street Hampton slyclyde.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Cobbler Mountain Cellars 5909 Long Fall Lane Delaplane 540.364.2802 cobblercellars.com
Corcoran Vineyards Hard Cider 14635 Corky’s Farm Lane Waterford 540.882.9073 corcoranvineyards.com
Hinson Ford Cider & Mead 379 Hinson Ford Road Amissville 540.219.8397
Lost Boy Cider 317 Hooffs Run Drive Alexandria 703.868.4865 lostboycider.com
Mount Defiance Cidery & Distillery 207 W. Washington St., Middleburg 540.687.8100 mtdefiance.com
Wild Hare Cider 106A South Street, SE Leesburg 833.675.WILD
SHENANDOAH VALLEY
Halcyon Days Cidery Company 4135 S Lee Highway Natural Bridge 540.291.1340 halcyondayscider.com
Old Hill Cider 17768 Honeyville Rd. Timberville 540.896.7582 oldhillcider.com
The Winery at Kindred Pointe 3575 Conicville Rd
Mt Jackson, Shenandoah County 22842 540.477.3570 kindredpointe.com
Winchester Ciderworks 2502 N. Frederick Pike
Winchester 540.550.3800 WinchesterCiderworks.com
VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS
Big Fish Cider 59 Spruce Street Monterey 540.468.2322 bigfishcider.com
BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS
BLACKSNAKE MEADERY 605 Buffalo Road Dugspur, VA 24325 540.834.6172 blacksnakemead.com
CENTRAL VIRGINIA
BLACK HEATH MEADERY 1313 Altamont Ave Richmond, VA 23230
703.582.0856 blackheathmeadery.com
Garden Grove Brewing and Urban Winery 3445 W Cary Street, Richmond 804.338.6029 gardengrovebrewing.com
Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery
2800 Berry Hill Rd
Nellysford, VA 22958 434.361.1266 hilltopberrywine.com
Honey Grail 525 E. Market Street, #135 Leesburg 202.455.5520 honeygrail.com
SAGA MEADERY Madison Heights, VA 339.221.3115 sagameadery.com
The Thistle and Stag Meadery 2053 E. River Road Fork Union 434.842.2200 thethistleandstag.com
Skjald Meadworks 621C Broad Street Altavista, VA 434.515.2482 skjaldmeadworks.com
COASTAL VIRGINIA
Melo Lion Meadery Yorktown, VA 757.713.4885 melolion.com
SILVER HAND MEADERY 224 Monitcello Ave, Suite C Williamsburg, VA 23185 757.378.2225 silverhandmeadery.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
STONE HOUSE MEADERY 36580 Shoemaker School Rd Purcellville, VA 20132 571.512.0763 stonehousemeadery.com
Maidstone Meadery 9364 Justice Lane Delaplane, VA 20144 703.303.2090 maidstonemeadery.com
SHENANDOAH VALLEY
MISTY MOUNTAIN MEAD WORKS 1531 Pack Horse Road Winchester, VA 22603 540.888.4420 mistymountainmead.com
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