Like most businesses, Virginia Craft Beer Magazine has been impacted by the global pandemic. For us, pushing the “pause” button on our print version for a few months seemed most appropriate given the state government mandated restrictions.
With a weary eye on rising positive COVID test results as August approached, we cautiously pressed forward with the paper pages you now hold in your hands.
Reflecting on Virginia Craft Beer Month celebrations, I must say how impressed I am with the resiliency displayed by breweries and cider and mead makers since mid-March.
Early predictions by click-baiting media and financial “experts” forecasting a cataclysmic result, where more than half of independent beer producers might go belly-up, did not come to pass. If anything, breweries rolled up their collective sleeves, tightened their creative thinking caps, and expeditiously adjusted by providing much needed beer to-go with touchless payment options and delivery services. Many breweries took a wartime-like approach, switching part of their production to making hand sanitizers, and some even sold protective masks when general supplies were scarce.
This can-do attitude exhibited by our craft beer community is truly inspiring.
During these challenging times, it was nice to see consumers seek out and support their local beverage makers. As breweries continued to produce limited release products, enthusiastic customers were eager to lineup curbside.
As we mark the official beer month in August, be sure to add some currency to the tip jar when visiting a Virginia brewery and let the hard-working employees that kept the beer flowing know how much you appreciate their dedication, innovation, and for providing some normalcy to this unparalleled crisis of our lifetime.
It’s good to be back.
Cheers,
Jeff Maisey Publisher/Editor
Virginia Craft Beer Magazine
Jeff Maisey jeffmaisey@yahoo.com ADVERTISING/MARKETING
Jennifer McDonald
Brian Koski CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Brenda Mihalko CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jefferson Evans
Michael T. Jarvis
Greg Kitsock
Chuck Triplett
Jennifer Waldera
WEBMASTER
Giorgio Valentini
Copyright 2020 Ghent Media, Inc.
Virginia Craft Beer Magazine is published bi-monthly by Ghent Media, Inc. PO Box 11147 Norfolk, VA 23517 For advertising and subscription inquiries: 757.403.5852
Black is Beautiful Collaboration
Compiled by Staff
Some 972-plus independent craft breweries across America and 19 countries have signed up to participate in an awareness/fundraising collaboration brew called Black is Beautiful.
Virginia beer makers are well represented with 33, including Main Line Brewery (RVA), House 6 Brewing Co (Ashburn), Front Royal Brewing Co (Front Royal), Smartmouth Brewing Co (Norfolk), Rocket Frog Brewing (Sterling), Alewerks (Williamsburg), Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet), Pleasure House Brewing (Virginia Beach), Ballad Brewing (Danville), Random Row Brewing (Charlottesville), and The Garage Brewery (Chesapeake).
The collective beer, branding, and recipe are the idea of Marcus Baskerville, the head brewer/owner of Weathered Souls Brewing Company in San Antonio, Texas.
Virginia Craft Brewers Cup in August
The Virginia Craft Brewers Guild will present its annual Cup and Gala on August 31 at Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center in Richmond. The event is a highly anticipated competition where gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded in a broad category of beer styles. The best-in-show beer and brewery is awarded the coveted Virginia Craft Brewers Cup. Following the awards ceremony, an invite-only gala for the brewing industry allows brewers to celebrate their successes.
New this year is a trade show mirroring, on a much smaller scale, the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.
Look for the complete results on our website virginiacraftbeer.com.
Participating breweries like O’Connor Brewing Co were encouraged to add their twist to the recipe and include their logo to the Black is Beautiful collaboration release.
Baskerville, who is African American, developed the 10% ABV Imperial Stout to “showcase the different shades and hues of black.” Participating breweries were invited to add their own twists to the recipe, which includes chocolate, black, and chocolate rye malts.
The mission of this collaboration is to bring awareness to the injustices that people of color face daily.
Jethro Tull Approved
Small businesses in Virginia received a major endorsement for their hand sanitizer project from progressive rock and roll legend Ian Anderson, founding member of the band Jethro Tull for their efforts producing an all “made in America” hand sanitizer.
“The Virginia Manufacturers Association and Virginia Craft Brewers Guild are honored that Ian Anderson is branding a special edition of the Virginia Hand Sanitizer Consortium’s hand sanitizer,” said Brett Vassey, VMA & VCBG President & CEO. “His generosity will help us reach thousands of critical infrastructure workers access locally manufactured hand sanitizer today.”
The Virginia Hand Sanitizer consortium coordinated by the Center for Applied Innovation (CAI) in Yorktown has been coordinating formulation and sales of 80% of the World Health Organization hand sanitizer to government agencies as well as donating thousands of gallons to first responders, healthcare workers, local charities and others during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Group continues to work diligently with a Virginia Service Disabled Veteran-Owned CAI and the non-profit Partners International Foundation’s Helping the Heroes project in a consortium to help produce and distribute volume production of sanitizers to regional health and emergency workers by leveraging Virginia distilleries, breweries, beer distributors, cider makers, and wineries to support this effort.
Ian Anderson is lending his support to the effort by making it the “only officially sanctioned Jethro Tull sanitizer hand rub.” Jethro Tull hand sanitizer is sold exclusively through the “Helping the Heroes” website with the proceeds helping small businesses remain open and funding the groups’ donation programs.
“A wee drop of the strong stuff,” said Anderson. “Of course for the hands only. Keep yourself safe, and by doing that, you keep others safe, too. All in a good cause so choose this.”
More at helpingtheheroes.org.
Covid-19 Affects 2020 Plans, Operations for NoVA Breweries
By Michael T. Jarvis
It’s been a long strange trip for the breweries of Northern Virginia since March. Between the changes in procedures, practices and personnel, the breweries have had to pivot multiple times amidst changing government health regulations.
Some breweries have leaned on their roots to help them make it through this difficult time. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), continues to be a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from farm breweries throughout the state.
“We are passionate with agriculture for our CSA and our brewery customers,” says owner Kevin Powers, who, with his wife Melody, own the 2.5-acre Powers Farm & Brewery located in Midland, just outside Warrenton in Fauquier County. “Pre-Covid we integrated the farm and the brewery by doing things like growing elderberry flowers and using it for Kolsch.”
The Powers grow most of the hops they use, and raise bees, herbs, fruits and veggies for use in their 2.5-barrel brewhouse. “It’s more work but one nice thing is that the weather has been incredibly cool and sunny this spring and not a lot of rain, so the crops look good.” The Powers found an unexpected benefit going between the brewery and cars for curbside pickups. Kevin says, “Once we were stuck outdoors-only, we did crowlers and we have a covered porch. It’s a lot better for our health. I went from walking 100 yards per day to 8 miles.”
Loudoun County is seeing some expansions and a few new breweries but with one exception: Dragon Hops closed its doors permanently in March after opening
in June of 2018. The eclectic brewery, bar and restaurant had a mixed following that drew heavy metal fans, drag queens and defense/intelligence community types.
On another front, brewer and firefighter Rolando Rivera is getting strong reviews for his beer at House 6 Brewing Company in Ashburn. House 6, which opened to the public around the same time as Dragon Hops, features firefighter themes including a Pilsner named Hop, Drop, and Roll as well as the El Bombero Kolsch.
Notaviva Craft Fermentation owners Steven and Shannon Mackey not only had to shift to porch-side purchases for their bucolic, laidback facility but they also started using local caterer C’est Bon by Savoir Fare to help distribute their products in nearby Round Hill. The satellite spot for beer was due to a separate-than-Covid obstacle to their winery, cidery and brewery -- the construction that started on Virginia Route 9 and has blocked traffic in both directions at nearby Hillsboro for months.
Just south of Hillsboro, Old 690 Brewing Company has managed to keep the beer flowing thanks to some basic ingenuity and marketing. “Home delivery was a very big success for us,” says Shannon Grey, Old 690’s manager. “It kept us on the radar as a local source for beer. We gained a lot of new customers.”
Old 690 offered various stickers and free merchandise to keep their followers happy. Frequent buyers increased their chances to win prizes while others received pint glasses. “Every time they got a delivery, they got a ticket,” says Grey. “We gave out an Easter Basket for an egg hunt with the kids that had some toys. It was really fun.” The deliveries became so successful that Grey started getting calls from some of the competition. “We had larger breweries who were calling us asking how we did it.”
The popular brewery, which celebrates its six-year anniversary August 14-16, has been strictly following state guidelines (at one point going with reservations only) for visitors, adding extra staff for cleaning tables and relying on singleuse plastic utensils and cups. Grey says it is just a sign of the times. “We modified hours for the convenience of beer lovers and are following regulations. We’re following all the guidelines. We did some modifications and we have a new brew system. We’re working on more natural carbonation system.” There’s a very special new beer just released, Harley chocolate oatmeal stout, that is named for a dog that disappeared at the brewery yet surprisingly was found two weeks later. Several new beer spots are on the
horizon in Loudoun County while others are expanding or already open. The mammoth Flying Ace Farm in Lovettsville is opening at the end of summer with a brewery, a distillery, a Monk’s famous barbecue restaurant and a bridal estate for large weddings or corporate events. One of the buildings has a large replica of an airplane hanging from the rafters.
This spring, the always popular Loudoun Brewing Company in Leesburg finished its brand new brewhouse and got its beer even more dialed-in. In addition to the larger new brew system, owner Phil Fust says he expanded his sprawling patio called “The Sunny Side,” a grassy area which is bigger and more comfortable for people to listen to live music. “We are doing well,” says Fust. “We are brewing at least one new beer every week, like before, and now we will be canning seltzer with fun flavors like margarita, mojito and mimosa.
Just up the street, Dynasty Brewing of Ashburn has emerged with a second location in Leesburg. Dynasty has set up in Leesburg across from the Loudoun County parking garage in the former home to Bike TrAle Brewing. The genesis of the name is the Virginia Dynasty of four of the first five U.S. presidents who were natives of Virginia. Dynasty’s operations partner Favio Garcia is something of a legend in NOVA beer circles, going back to his work with Old Dominion, Lost Rhino and Beltway breweries, among others.
About a hundred feet away from Dynasty is the most anticipated spot for food and beer this summer in Loudoun County. Buford’s Biscuits in Leesburg is a restaurant specializing in Southern cuisine but definitely will offer a very interesting assortment of beers in the former home of Senor Ramon’s.
A FAB Trail
By Jeff Maisey
Working with their local tourism divisions, nine Fredericksburg Area Breweries (FAB) have worked together to create the Fredericksburg Beer Trail, also known as the FAB Trail.
The participating breweries include 6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Co., 1781 Brewing Company, Adventure Brewing, Barley Naked, Highmark Brewery, Maltese Brewing Company, Red Dragon Brewery, Spenser Devon Brewing, and Strangeways Brewing. The trail encompasses Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania.
“So far, 72 people have completed the trail since Jan. 11,” said Danelle Rose, Fredericksburg Visitor Center manager. “We’ve even had a few repeats.”
Beer adventurers can pickup a printed passport at any of the breweries or tourism offices. Get stamps from five breweries, the tourism visitor center will present you with a special award. Show them the stamps from all nine breweries, you receive two prizes.
I recently caught up with Jim Toler, Director of Wholesale Distribution at 6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Company and a Fredericksburg Area Breweries board member, for the following Q&A to learn more about the FAB Trail.
Can you share the overall viewpoints of the breweries in the Fredericksburg area regarding the need to rebrand the Historic Hops Trail to FAB Trail?
The founders of the area breweries began meeting in 2018 to see how we could work together to promote the unique experiences our breweries offer to area residents and tourists. Because we’re between all the great craft beer producers in Northern Virginia and Richmond, we felt like “Fredericksburg Area Breweries” would clearly identify us regionally. So the FAB Trail was born and we can tap into the beer tourists heading to breweries to our north and south.
How is FAB an improvement from HHT?
While Historic Hops is a great concept, it didn’t tell beer lovers where to find us. Face it, there’s a lot of history in the D.C. area, Richmond and throughout the Commonwealth. With all the people traveling on the I-95 corridor, we need to capture our market potential. The beer trail gives visitors another reason to stay longer or come back again.
How did the brewers approach the tourism departments about pitching the change?
When we began meeting in June 2018, Neil Burton, founder of Strangeways in Richmond and Fredericksburg, pointed out how Richmond Brewers United formed their trail with the help of tourism officials in the Richmond region. It seemed like a natural partnership with our tourism/economic development officials as well.
Do the three participating tourism offices work well together and with the brewery FAB organization?
Our area has a regional tourism partnership. Representatives from the economic development departments in Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania work with FAB. The prizes for visiting five breweries or all nine area breweries are on hand at area visitor centers. The brewery staffers just put the stickers on the FAB Trail passport when people visit and the tourism officials handle the swag. It gives tourism people a chance to pitch other places for brewery aficionados to see in the area.
What is the feedback thus far (I know it’s early) from consumers?
Because there are nine breweries, FAB did a “First 9 Contest,” to kick off the trail. Each brewery provided special swag to the first nine customers to go to all the breweries. A couple of intrepid beer lovers showed up at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center at the end of the first day, with their DDs, of course, to claim their prizes.
Beertenders say the trail definitely helps bring in first-time customers. At this early stage, many of them are local or new to the Fredericksburg area, though we are seeing more tourists coming off the interstate.
What is the significance of the bridge in the logo?
That’s the iconic railroad bridge over the Rappahannock, which links Stafford to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania. The Rappahannock is the water source for the region, and the breweries. That’s why the hop is under the bridge.
How is FAB funded — including swag?
FAB is a 501(c) (6) IRS nonprofit business league funded by dues. Special shout out to attorneys Brandon Carter and E.G. Allen, who helped us through the process.
The swag and trail passport printing costs are covered by the regional tourism alliance.
How is the trail being promoted both within the Fredericksburg area, statewide, and out of state?
We have a robust social media presence. All breweries are encouraged to share their events on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ FABeerTrail/ and disseminated from there. There are plans to advertise the FAB trail in tourism publications and websites on the East Coast.
Any additional thoughts to share?
Some of the FAB breweries are spread out geographically. While seven breweries are in or within five miles of downtown Fredericksburg, it’s nearly 30 miles between Barley Naked in North Stafford and 1781 Brewing in western Spotsylvania. Working on the trail has brought the brewery people together. FAB meetings are actually fun.
FAB is creating great partnerships that will benefit the community. For example, Adventure Brewing is putting together a brewery kickball this spring with proceeds going to local charities.
One Ride: A Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer with a Conscience
By Greg Kitsock
Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery in Goochland is a trendsetter.
“We were the first farm brewery in Virginia,” says Lisa Pumphrey, brewery CEO and co-founder. “Now there are over 30 in the state.”
One wonders how many breweries in the Old Dominion will pick up on Lickinghole Creek’s latest innovation: a non-alcoholic craft pale ale.
As of late February, the latest batch of One Ride was rolling out in four-packs of 16-ounce cans and kegs. By federal law, a beer must clock in below 0.5% abv to be labeled non-alcoholic. “We sent our first batch off to be analyzed and it came back as 0.3% alcohol,” says head brewer John Banks. The golden brew is wellbalanced between citrusy hops (Banks uses Cascade, Columbus and Nugget) and fresh, bready malt.
It might help dispel the sentiment—often credited to journalist Philander Chase Johnson—that “whoever called it near beer was a bad judge of distance.”
There are several ways to make a nonalcoholic beer. You can start with a fullstrength brew and remove the alcohol through a process like vacuum distillation or reverse osmosis. The machinery for dealcoholization, however, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, beyond the range of most small breweries. “We do not have any special equipment to produce One Ride,” says Banks. Instead, he manages the fermentation to ensure that no significant amount of alcohol is produced.
Lickinghole Creek will sell the canned version in Virginia, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania; the brewery even plans to ship some to the Netherlands. The draft version will only be available in the Old Dominion, however. “We are still trying to understand the shelf life of these products,” admits Banks. “My guesstimate would be 120 days,” adds Pumphrey. The NA category is undergoing a revival thanks to an infusion of new customers: health-conscious millennials who suffer through “dry Januaries” and keep careful track of their calories, carbs and alcohol.
A recent visit to Total Wine in Arlington revealed over 20 NA beers on the shelves, from megabrewery offerings like Heineken 0.0 to punchless porters, pale ales and IPAs from dedicated NA brewers like Bravus Brewing Co. in California, Wellbeing Brewing Co. in St. Louis and Colorado’s Ceria Brewing Co.
Pumphrey believes that One Ride is the only NA offering from a Virginia brewery, though she admits, “We can’t be sure.”
Regardless, the beer has a very personal meaning for her. The motorcyclist on the label riding out of darkness into the light honors Pumphrey’s brother, whom she lost to suicide.
“His death is why Lickinghole Creek disappeared from the craft scene in 20162017,” explains Pumphrey, who was hit hard by the tragedy. She adds, “I make a point to truly see people now and look out for the silent suffering around us no matter how busy I am.”
Lickinghole Creek originally brewed the beer for the Ride to Stop Suicide, an annual
event staged by the Pipe Hitters Union (a motorcycle club founded by special operations combat veterans). “My brother was not a veteran, but used to bike and was a recovering alcoholic and I want options to be inclusive and welcoming for everyone,” notes Pumphrey.
The can label cites statistics from 2018 that “20 U.S. veterans die by suicide daily.” (More recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs downgraded that number to about 17, but it’s still 1.5 times the rate of civilians who never served in the military.)
Pumphrey – whose philosophy is “we’re all in this together” – has included on the label the phone number of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (800-273-8255).
Moreover, Pumphrey believes that a nonalcoholic option is “a good fit” for a farm brewery in rural Goochland (population: 861) that often hosts all-day events.
“Sometimes you want to be part of the social scene of craft beer without the alcohol.”
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Mosaic Goat
2 Silos Brewing Co. Manassas
This Double IPA was crafted to showcase a sticky blend of Cashmere, El Dorado, and Mosaic hops. Double dry-hopped to enhance the already pungent aromas, taste a balance of overripened tropical fruit, citrus, and stone fruit with a slightly sweet finish. 8.5% ABV, 52 IBUs.
P.O.G. Gose
Big Ugly Brewing Co. Chesapeake
A tart thirst quenching gose with a hint of salt and bursting with the flavors of passion fruit, orange and guava. At only 4.8%, this beer won’t fill you up and is the perfect refreshment to bring to the beach.
Stone Tangerine Express Hazy IPA
Stone Brewing Richmond
Compiled by Staff
As a nod to Virginia Craft Beer Month, we selected 20 independent brews either scheduled for release in August or hitting their seasonal stride. Tour the Commonwealth or seek these out from your favorite retailer and enjoy a fresh taste of what’s happening.
The list is in no particular ranking. Enjoy.
Same recipe as when it debuted in 2017, just new packaging and exceptionally brewed, Stone Tangerine Express Hazy IPA pours light golden in color with an aroma that’s bright, juicy and tropical. Stone’s brewers used whole tangerine puree to capture the essence of the bright flavors of the fruit with the addition of whole pineapple for a subtle, yet lingering tropical backnote. Neither the hops nor the fruit dominate, yet together they create several complex fruit layers, which can only be achieved by brewing with the entire fruit. Eight different hops give this beer its marked dankness overtones and refreshing bitterness. 6.7% ABV, 75 IBUs.
Festie Oktoberfest Lager
Starr Hill Brewery Crozet
This award-winning lager (Won Bronze at GABF 2019) is smooth and malty with a clean finish. It’s a nod to the German tradition of Märzen lagers. Available late-August through October. ABV 4.8%
Commodore
Brothers Craft Brewing
Harrisonburg
A refresh on an old favorite, Commodore commands respect with an authoritative addition of hops throughout the process. Tropical fruit flavor and aromatics from choice New Zealand hops shine through a balanced and softer malt base.
Smith Mountain Lager
Big Lick Brewing Company
Roanoke
Something totally new: The folks at Big Lick are exclusively using an experimental hop — Contessa — which provides floral, light pear, lemongrass and green tea flavor profiles. Then, how about 94% of TN Pils malt supplied by Riverbend Malt House and a dash of Vienna. Forecast: 5.2% ABV, 20 IPUs. Release date in second half of August.
Save The Galaxy IPA
Parkway Brewing Co.
Salem
A solid malt backbone complements the copious use of Citra and Mosaic hops in this India Pale Ale. Tropical fruit, citrus, berry and pine notes intermingle to deliver a nicely balanced but assertive experience. ABV is 8.3%, 90 IBUs.
Mile Marker 8
Hawksbill Brewing Co
Luray
This Belgian wheat is a sweet spot for Shenandoah River fans because it’s where they start or end their floats. From sunrise to sunset, Mile Marker 8 will keep your toes puckered to the sky with a tangy, yet slightly bitter ride. Typical of other Belgian styles, Hawksbill uses orange peel and coriander while brewing it. Ask for an orange slice for an extra boost. The ABV is 5.5%, IBU 15.
the bucket list
Oktoberfest
Port City Brewing Co.
Alexandria
Port City Oktoberfest is a Märzen style lager brewed with German malt and hops, and served in the “Keller” or “Zwickel” style — meaning unfiltered and naturally carbonated. This beer is a brilliant amber with gentle flavors of crusty bread, leading to a clean, dry finish punctuated by just a touch of noble hops. 5.2% ABV.
Mango Kolsch
Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co
Hampton
Head brewer Todd Emr added 220 pounds of mango puree to their House Beer to create a tropical beer that tastes exactly as the name suggests. 5% ABV.
Drive-By Juice
Three Roads Brewing Co Farmville
Living up to its name, this beer is fruit juice in beer form. Hopped almost exclusively in the dry-hop with a ridiculous amount of juicy Vic Secret and pithy Citra and dank Mosaic hops, this double IPA has huge notes of papaya, mango and fresh oranges with big dank undertones. A silky smooth, creamy mouthfeel and very low bitterness make this big beer approachable to the hop head and non-beer drinker alike. ABV – 7.6%, IBU – 15.
Bär Hafen
6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Co
Fredericksburg
An elegant, malty German amber lager with a clean, rich, toasty and bready malt flavor, restrained bitterness and a dry finish. Situated along California’s lost coast lies Bär Hafen, or Bear Harbor, settled by enterprising German immigrants in the late 1800s. Though the harbor was treacherous to navigate, dauntless sailors expertly maneuvered schooners in and out, loading their decks with lumber destined for San Francisco. Inspired by both these bold German settlers and our daring nautical forbearers, the brewery presents its Märzen Oktoberfest-style beer. A fusion of European heritage and American ingenuity, this elegant German amber lager has a rich, toasted malt flavor, and a dry, spicy finish. 6.2% ABV, 22 IBU.
Dragon’s Maiden Wit
St. George Brewing Co. Hampton
What a great way to cool off on a hot day. Brewed by Maria Miller with hints of vanilla, chamomile, coriander and bitter orange peel combine for a refreshing summertime brew. Try it with Larry’s hard lemonade for a twist on a summer shandy.
There Gose Summer
Center of the Universe Brewing Co. Ashland
A lot of tangerine flavor and extremely low bitterness — 1IBU. This traditional German-style brew is refreshing and light on the sourness, making it a late summer winner. 4.3% ABV.
Deadbolt DIPA
The Virginia Beer Company Williamsburg
This American hop bomb is chock full of Citra, Amarillo, Simcoe, Mosaic, and Columbus. Clocking in at 83 IBUs and 9.2% ABV, this Double IPA focuses on tropical fruit aromas along with a touch of dank pine. Deadbolt finishes dry and crisp with a clean, lingering bitterness.
the bucket list
Imperial Satan’s Pony
South Street Brewery
Charlottesville
One of Virginia’s longest-running beers has undergone a rebuild to create a unique, high-end drinking experience. Classic Satan’s Pony has been doubled up — twice the malt, twice the hops — and then aged for two months in freshly emptied bourbon barrels. Still smooth, still easy, but now one hell of a ride. ABV: 9%, IBU: 19. Now in 12-oz 4-packs, too.
Surf Veza Mexican-style Lager
O’Connor Brewing Company
Norfolk
When the summertime temps are in the mid-90s and typical Virginia humidity pulls the sweat out of your body, few beer styles rival highly sessionable Mexican-style lagers. This newbie from O’Connor provides a little sea salt and lime to the mix. Great for surf ’n’ sand, poolside, or casting a line in the water consumption.
Honey Ginger
Ardent Craft Ales
Richmond
Honey Ginger is a spiced ale brewed with locally sourced honey and fresh, hand-peeled ginger. This medium-bodied beer pours a deep copper color, balancing mild honey sweetness and a spicy ginger bite in a refreshing summer seasonal. 7.8% ABV, 18 IBU.
Southern Tee Berliner Weisse
New Realm Brewing Company
Virginia Beach
A zesty blend of half tea, half lemonade making use of lemon juice, lemon-drop hops, black tea and milk sugar. 4.8% ABV.
Tradice Czech Pilsner
Tradition Brewing Co.
Newport News
It’s a 6% ABV, 31 IBU Czech Pilsner. Brewed using 100% Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner malt and Czech Saaz hops. Available in 4-pack 16oz cans and on draft in the taproom.
Why Just Do One Thing Well?
By Jefferson Evans and Chuck Triplett
Virginia is blessed with an ever growing list of breweries, each unique and each having particular strengths that make that brewery special in one way or another. In the case of some it is the basic fact of how well received their beer is. Others offer good beer combined with a complimentary factor that helps set them apart such as lovely décor, great views, convenient location, particularly welcoming staff, or tasty food options. But, then there are those that are the true multi-faceted rock stars of the Virginia beer scene, those that really stand above in multiple ways that contribute to their ability to offer a really special beer drinking experience to their customers. This article celebrates some of those breweries, with a focus on Northern Virginia and Richmond.
Crooked Run (Sterling)
Ok people, you just have to face the facts that the other places didn’t really stand a chance ‘cause, you see, at Crooked Run, you not only get a variety of innovative and well made beers, you also get tacos and chicken and biscuit sandwiches. And, that doesn’t even mention the cocktails. The three headed innovative beast behind this new food hall type experience in
Loudoun County are Jake Endres and Lee Rogan of Crooked Run and Damian Dajcz of Senor Ramon Taqueria (which has had a location within the Crooked Run Sterling location from the beginning). When the neighboring Potomac Flight School left a large space adjacent the original brewery and taproom, they jumped at the opportunity to upgrade an 80-seat capacity to a 300-seat capacity and open the daybreak Daybreak Kitchen & Biscuit Company and the Nectar Cocktail Bar in an open yet comfortable industrial space that also includes a stage for live bands. And as a bonus, finding a parking spot is usually generally easy so, winner winner chicken and biscuit dinner.
Triple Crossing (Richmond)
If this place served good biscuits it would be so “on” … but seriously there is so so much to like about the Fulton Hill neighborhood location of this top notch Richmond brewery. Great beer, large open space inside and out, really good pizza made in-house, easy parking, and a laid back Bohemian vibe that is warm and welcoming and creative. And, it doesn’t hurt that the Stone Brewing tap room is just a few minutes away by car. Between Triple Crossing and Stone, IPA lovers of all
Crooked Run’s Daybreak Kitchen & Biscuit Company, located next door to the brewery in Sterling
sorts are absolutely guaranteed to find beers in their sweet spot, whether that sweet spot is juicy and hazy, or clear and West Coast-y. A definite bonus is that both breweries have demonstrated an ability to brew excellent big stouts and thus provide both the yin and the yang that beer drinkers enjoy. Along with The Veil and The Answer, Triple Crossing is one of the breweries that people in the know like Greg Engert, beer director for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group which includes well regarded beer destinations such as Churchkey and Rustico, consider to have taken the Richmond beer scene to the next level.
The Answer Brewpub (Richmond)
Where “Beer is the Answer” and one of the great beer people ever, An Bui, has created an amazing place with beer products of the sort you just don’t see anywhere else. An wasn’t satisfied with having opened his family owned Vietnamese restaurant Mekong that quickly became the stuff of beer nerd love and legend with its combination of great food with one of the best beer list, on tap and in bottle, on the East Coast. No, he decided he would compliment Mekong with The Answer, a brewpub featuring great beer brewed on site, tasty Vietnamese dishes like “Pork Yu So Crazy,” and a lineup of crazy innovative beers on tap including the Andall Stouts which blend big tasty stouts with all sorts of amazing flavors ranging from Tahitian vanilla to Kona coffee to caramelized marshmallows. On the flip side of the beer coin are the low ABV but very popular low ABV “Joose”
beers such as the Blackberry Raspberry Boysenberry Puffsicle or the Pineberry Double Swirlsicle. If you live in Virginia and haven’t been to The Answer, I have a whiffle bat filled with angry bees with your name on it. Seriously.
Ocelot (Dulles)
So there is this brewery and you have been there once or twice, and you know it’s good, but then you process over time that people keep mentioning they went there — or they check in there on social media. Or, their beers keep showing up on tap at events where bars are featuring “the best of what’s brewed in NoVa.” And, finally, it sinks in the degree to which this place is special and consistent and always doing good beer well combined with a variety of fun events. And, the parking is easy. And, the staff are friendly. And, the owner is like that big brother who maybe jerks your chain a little but who you know always has your back. The place is Ocelot Brewing Company, not far from Dulles Airport, and the owner is Adrien Widman. Here you will find great beer, plenty of elbow room, a love of music, and a great list of events ranging from fantasy football drafts to amazing anniversary parties to home-brewer events. An added bonus is Ocelot’s proximity to other really good breweries such as Solace, Lost Rhino, Old Ox, Dynasty, Beltway, and the previously mentioned Crooked Run; breweries that compete with each other but also support each other in the amazing Loudoun County beer scene.
More Efficiency for Pleasure House at New Location
By Jeff Maisey
When Drew Stephenson was just days away from opening his long-awaited new location for Pleasure House Brewing Company at 2032 Pleasure House Road in Virginia Beach, global pandemic fears spread nationwide and Virginia’s governor issued stay-at-home orders for most citizens. As things slowly evolved allowing breweries to begin curbside service for beer togo, Stephenson looked at the bright side.
“When you have a new place, you have a lot of new twists to service. So on the plus side, it allowed us to work those things out before a big crowd showed up,” he said. “We have had a
surprisingly high demand for to-go beer.”
Among the many fan-favorite Pleasure House beers are Shark Tears (gose), Liquid Communication (Belgian Tripel), Saison 2032 (Farmhouse ale), Just the Sip (IPA), O’Brien Clan (Irish red ale), and Aloha Snacks Bohemian Pilsner.
An aspect of the new brewery Stephenson was projecting to be beneficial was space for a bottling line. Bottled beer quickly became a necessity.
“We went back and forth on whether to do a bottling line and now I’m glad we did,” he said.
Pleasure House Brewing has seating for 70 on its rear, outdoor patio. Photo courtesy of the brewery.
Though Pleasure House has more square footage in its brewhouse — the designated space where all brewing/fermenting equipment is placed — the brewing system remains a 7-barrel system. What the brew team focused on was increasing efficiency.
“It used to take us between eight to ten hours to brew one batch of beer and now we can do two batches in eight hours. Most of that has to do with the improvement in our burner.”
Pleasure House has an automatic keg washer now, reducing the amount of time from 16 hours to four hours to ready kegs for refilling.
“For me as a head brewer, the biggest change is we have a legitimate glycol system now that allows me to chill the beers, get them clear and carbonated in about 36 hours as opposed to four to five days at the old place,” Stephenson said.
Pleasure House Brewing is selling bottled six-packs to-go of all the draft beers served in its now-open tasting room and outdoor patio bar. It has been a challenge as the brewery’s sales have soared in recent weeks. They expect to have 15 different beers available by mid-June.
In addition to brewing more beer, increase packaging for each brand in 12-ounce bottles has also demanded a need for newly designed labels.
“We had six core beers and they had pretty detailed labels,” said Stephenson. “We stuck with those, but since we switch beer so often we’ve come up with much more simplified or streamlined labels so that they’ll just have the Pleasure House logo and (beer) name and description. The labels are color-coded where our lagers have all blue labels and our hoppy beers will have teal.”
Pleasure House Brewing will continue to focus on selling limited draft beer selections to be distributed in local restaurants while increasing both draft and packaged beers for its tasting room retail operation. Stephenson isn’t enthusiastic about bottled beer distributed to retailers like grocery stores. He views it at best as a promotional opportunity more than one of profitability considering the plethora of beer brands vying for shelf space.
Currently, Pleasure House Brewing is serving customers in its interior tasting room with tables and chairs appropriately spaced. The rear patio bar with gas fire pits has been expanded onto the employee parking space.
“We have seats for approximately 70 people and then we have tables we put on our covered front porches as well,” said Stephenson. “We just put up shade sails in the back.”
The brewery is offering table service for customers to minimize movement of people.
“We cut an extra hole in the wall in the back and put a staircase there so our servers can go up and get the requested beers more quickly.”
In The Kitchen: Blue Mountain Brewery’s Cole Gibson
By Jennifer Waldera
While it may sound cliche to announce that you can’t throw a stone without hitting a brewery in Central Virginia these days, it’s not that far from the truth. However, finding a solid brewery with equally enticing in-house food options can be a struggle.
about the food he made and loved making others happy with his cooking.”
That same passion inspires Gibson and contributes to the uniqueness of the brewery’s food through the local sourcing and dedication to ingredients.
Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton has sported a top-notch selection of beers on its taps paired with a tremendous view of the Blue Ridge Mountains since its inception in 2007. However, it’s also drawn crowds thanks to its diverse food menu created craftily with ingredients sourced from local producers.
The brewery’s kitchen has most recently been led by Cole Gibson who has been cooking professionally for ten years with most of that time spent between Boar’s Head Resort and Blue Mountain Brewery. Gibson describes the menu at Blue Mountain Brewery as hearty, locally sourced pub food. Dotted with pub grub favorites like nachos, wings, burgers, and dips and enhanced with specialty sandwiches like a unique Greek take on grilled cheese or pizzas like the pulled Pork and Peach, as well as solid desserts including the chocolate and caramel drizzled aleinfused bread pudding, the menu is as approachable as it is interesting.
Born and raised in Afton himself, just four driveways down from the brewery, Gibson attributes his love of cooking to his family influences.
“Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandfather. I have enjoyed cooking since I was young. My grandfather raised me and was always very passionate
“Our ingredients are local and all of our food is made with passion. Our ingredients come from as many local sources as possible. All of our sausage and brats come from Double H Farms, our bread from a bakery right down the street, Goodwin Creek, and our ground beef from Seven Hills Farm in Lynchburg,” says Gibson.
Just as Gibson and the brewery are attentive to food sources, he is attentive to preparation as well.
“Good food takes time and you have to put your love into the food you are preparing,” Gibson says.
While Gibson most enjoys working with fresh herbs and meats, with rosemary and lamb at the top of his list, his favorite menu item is the sausage pizza. Many of the brewery’s guests would likely agree - on any given night at Blue Mountain Brewery, the pizzas are clearly the star of the show, being ushered out of the kitchen to table of couples, families, and friends, on the regular.
Cooking in a brewery naturally requires utilizing the brews themselves, or finding particular ways to pair ingredients with the dishes being prepared in the kitchen. Gibson works in tandem with brewers to create an experience for diners that intertwines food and brews.
“We try to get with the brewers and use the beers in our ingredients as much as
possible. Our bratwursts are boiled in the lager that is brewed here, we put the brews in the soups when possible, and every Tuesday we have Full Nelson battered fish tacos,” explains Gibson.
When asked about pairings, Gibson suggests strong beers with strong foods, considering the alcohol content, hop content, bitterness, and richness of the brew. He suggests that if ever in doubt, opt for the brewery’s Full Nelson. However for his own personal pairings, Gibson hails back to that sausage pizza.
“I enjoy the local sausage pizza with a Red Zeppelin and for dessert a Dark Hollow bundt cake with a Mountain Mule stout.”
Owner Taylor Smack speaks to Gibson’s dedication and contributions to Blue Mountain Brewery as well, noting that Gibson has worked hard as part of the team for over a decade to become the head of the kitchen that he is now.
“Cole was recruited by our previous head chef the better part of a decade ago. He has climbed through the ranks of the back of the house at Blue Mountain, while also having stepped away to gain experience in other excellent kitchens, but always coming back to us pretty quickly,” Smack reflects. “Cole is serious, focused, level-headed, extremely professional and just a no-drama type of chef. It’s that last characteristic that makes him my favorite!”
While Gibson may have been recruited by a previous chef, he and the owners share a vision and philosophy that Smack articulates with enthusiasm: offering the gift of great beer and local food surrounded by the beauty of Virginia.
Hard seltzers are all the rage, promising low calories, low carbs, zero sugar and offering 5% or more alcohol by volume. Hard seltzer is a clear, bubbly, lightly flavored alcoholic beverage which consumers are craving. According to Nielsen, in 2018, hard seltzer sales were a mere $210 million and in 2019, sales sky rocketed to $1.2 billion with no signs of slowing. This year is on pace to crush the 2019 hard seltzer category sales total. Where does this leave Virginia?
Breweries such as Bear Chase Brewing Company in Bluemont, VA and Bold Rock Hard Cider in Nellysford, VA (a winery) has joined in on the hard seltzer craze. As of July 2020, there were over 130 different hard seltzers registered in Virginia.
Generally speaking, the Federal TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau), Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control and FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) all regulate hard seltzer products.
Hard seltzer is mainly produced from either a brewed sugar base or a brewed clear malt base. Depending on which is used determines the federal labeling and adverting requirements. Under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, “IRC” for short, code 27 CFR Part 7, A malt based hard seltzer is considered a malt beverage which is subject to TTB Labeling and advertising regulations, while a sugar based hard seltzer is considered “beer” and is NOT subject to TTB COLA (Certificate of Label Approval) and advertising requirements.
will be sold across state lines. A brewery must obtain a COLA approval on malt beverages before they can sell outside of Virginia. The COLA approval process is required to ensure that wineries, breweries, distilleries and importers comply with federal regulations when designing labels and marketing their alcoholic beverages.
What exactly does this mean for your brewery?
If hard seltzer is produced using a clear malt base, TTB COLA and advertising rules apply. A majority of hard seltzer manufactured by breweries are produced using a fermented sugar base with no malt derivatives. When a sugar base is used, the product is no longer considered a malt beverage but a beer. In this case, the brewery is not required to obtain a TTB COLA to sell over state lines and advertising the product is not as restrictive.
However, this means that the sugar based hard seltzer would now be subject to FDA’s labeling regulations, 21 CFR Part 101. Yes, you heard that right. Your sugar based hard seltzer now falls under FDA labeling regulations and not TTB’s labeling and advertising regulations found in 27 CFR Part 7.
What is a COLA you ask? A COLA (Certificate of Label Approval) is the approval of the physical label on a can, bottle, box, keg or other container holding an alcohol beverage at the federal level. There are various requirements such as the Surgeon General warning statement, city and state of manufacturer/bottler, and beverage class to name a few. A TTB COLA is required when the alcoholic beverage product
Yikes! Now that your hard seltzer falls under FDA labeling guidelines, things get a little sticky for brewers who are not familiar. Unlike the TTB, the FDA does not require pre-market approval of food and hard seltzer product labels. Your new FDA label will require a Nutrition Facts Label and statement of ingredients. If you do not have experience with FDA labeling, it’s highly recommended to hire a professional. One final consideration, if you’re adding flavor or color to any hard seltzer, which most brewers do, you are now required to obtain a TTB formula approval per 27 CFR part 25. Even if you only sell the hard cider product in your tasting room, you must obtain a TTB formula approval.
