www.vbcf.org
Photo by Tarun Sinha & Priyen Khamar
THIS ISSUE 5—6 corn heaven
w w w. v i rg i n i a c r a f t b r e w s . o rg
www.vbcf.org
Virginia Craft Brews is a publication dedicated to a cause, while extending the stories of the people immersed in craft beer culture. This community shares their experience on homebrewing, local hops, Virginia breweries and regional music. We attend various craft beer festivals and events to promote the publication and collect donations, and it can also be found at all 5 Capital Ale House locations in Virginia with a donation lock box. Ad dollars are used to print hard copies for a separate release each season and we donate 5% of ad sales to the cause. We grow organically as more people get involved providing local beer and small businesses with a unique voice. Each publication’s success is dependent on community support. Get involved today and tell your local brewer you support Virginia Craft Brews!
With our sponsors and readers help, we provided over 1,250 meals to needy persons through Feed More during Fall and Winter! Thanks to everyone for your support. Spring is here! We know you will go out and enjoy all that these small businesses have to offer with the ones you love! Don’t be afraid to tell small business owners and craft brewers thanks for all that they do. They are the backbone of our communities. Thanks to all the small businesses that supported the spring edition and our efforts to raise money for the new spring and summer cause, The Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation! For more information visit our website at www.virginiacraftbrews.org or contact Matt Goodwyn at matt@virginiacraftbrews.com The Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia and exists thanks to its many generous individual donors and volunteers. VBCF’s mission is the eradication of breast cancer through education of and advocacy for Virginians. Our goals are to establish the end of breast cancer as a state and national priority, to advocate for the collective needs of people affected by breast cancer, and to educate all Virginians on the facts about breast cancer. Over the last 20 years, The Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation has successfully advocated for national and state legislation that ensures funding and access to screening and treatment of breast cancer for all. National accomplishments include increased federal funding for breast cancer research and treatment and bills mandating insurance coverage for treatment and procedures—including the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act. www.vbcf.org
6 spring brew recommendations 9 Before there were breweries, there were brewers 11 So Fresh 13—14 An Apocalypse! The end is only the beginning... 15 Virginia Beer Trail: Tracking the Trends of Virginia’s Craft & Micro Breweries 17 A Parkway into the Future 19 our story 21 spring beer pairings 21—22 Local Music Review Our Team Matt Goodwyn—Creative Director Peachu Mahant—Design Tarun Sinha—Photography Christie Jett—Writer Jeff O’Donnell—Writer Griffin Johnson—Writer Robert Martin—Writer Sarah Moore—Music
Corn Heaven Article & Photo By Jeff O’Donnell You see it everywhere: in backyards, at picnics, at barbeques, by the pool, at birthday parties, at local restaurants and bars, on college campuses, at company functions, in the parking lots of major sporting events. Cornhole. The game of bags and boards that challenges your tossing accuracy and scoring strategy. A game with its own unique terminology and culture. Whenever a group of people have gathered for some laid back, outdoor leisure time, chances are cornhole will be there to bring some friendly fun and competition to the scene, and it is highly likely that you, at some point, have tried your hand at this entertaining and exacting game. It seems little is known about the origins of cornhole, with theories ranging from it being a game played by Native Americans to one enjoyed by 14th century Germans. What is clear is that cornhole’s popularity has soared in recent years, spawning companies that manufacture bags and boards to competitive cornhole tournaments being played all around the globe. I have played some cornhole before around my in-laws’ pool and at backyard parties. So when Matt Goodwyn, the Creative Director of this publication, called me to ask if I wanted to enter the Spring Fling tournament at the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery in Richmond, I didn’t hesitate. Sure, why not? Heck, I’m pretty good at that game. What’s so difficult about it? Certainly we will be competitive and just as good as most folks there. Shoot, we’ll probably win the whole thing! Right? Well, not exactly. The Spring Fling tournament, sponsored by RichmondCornhole.com, was held on April 5 under a beautiful blue sky. 44 doubles teams were entered in the tournament, and the temperature was mild and the sun was
shining brightly when Matt and I walked up to Hardywood to find the place packed with smiling, laughing people who were ready for some cornhole. Now, Matt and I had game-planned during the ride downtown: we wanted, at the very least, to make the “competitive” bracket of the tourney as opposed to the “social” bracket, all of which would be determined after three preliminary games to place the teams according to their results and abilities. We really felt this was a modest and attainable goal; the top cash prize of $260 was there waiting for us. So we each got a beer (Matt had a Great Return while I had a Hoplar) and strolled over to where the sign up area was. RichmondCornhole.com had a great set up, with a large TV showing the teams and results, as well as the cornhole courts and schedules, all easy to reach. Our team was Virginia Craft Brews and first up we faced Frank and Rocky of team Box Elder. We had noticed that Frank and a Rocky had been practicing quite a lot during the warm-up time, and that they looked good, but we weren’t too concerned. Matt and I didn’t even bother warming up, we were just ready to start the games and work our way to the top spot. So the call came to begin the tournament, and Matt and I went to our court to play Box Elder. Frank and Rocky were the consummate gentlemen, friendly and helpful (since Matt and I weren’t all too familiar with cornhole scoring and rules) while also taking the game seriously. As the bags began to fly, Matt and I quickly came to the realization that we were far, far from being at the level of our competitors. Frank and Rocky made quick work of us, tossing bags in the hole and gathering points in bunches. Before Matt and I could fully take in the game and get comfortable with the surroundings it was over: Box Elder- 21, Vir-
ginia Craft Brews- 2. We shook hands with Frank and Rocky and wished each other good luck the rest of the way. You know that humbling, slightly mortifying feeling you get when you just know, for certain, that something is going to go a certain way, but doesn’t? Well, team Virginia Craft Brews was feeling that in a big way as they wandered over to a picnic table to settle down and regroup. Matt and I discussed strategy, tactics, what we had done wrong, and what we needed to change. It was still early in the tournament; it had only been one game; we could turn this around; our chances of winning it all were still alive even after this small setback. After a lot of talk and planning Matt finally came up with our overall philosophy moving forward: “I think the more beer we drink, the better we’ll do.” Now that’s what I call a winning formula. Next up for us was team Flappy Bags, consisting of Ryan and Bailey, two super-nice guys who were having a great time. These fellas were a little less intense and serious as Frank and Rocky, and as the game began, Matt and I felt good about our chances. Well, same game, same result: Flappy Bags- 21, Virginia Craft Brews- 2. We really did have a good time with Ryan and Bailey, talking and laughing about the day and all that was going on, and we also wished them the best of luck in the tournament. Once again, Matt and I looked at each other, searching for solutions and the reasons for our pitiful performance thus far. We decided to each get a Singel and mull over our prospects. Our main objective had now changed to winning at least one game. Our third and last qualifying game was against Brandon and Will of team Oh Yepp. Once again these guys were a lot of fun and we had a fantastic time playing them. I am sure they enjoyed playing us, too, since they won 21-4. Matt and I shook their hands and headed off to see where we would end up in the “social” bracket. Going 0-3 in anything is tough. Even in the
most friendly, congenial atmosphere you still like to have just a little success. By this time our hopes and dreams of a big cornhole trophy were gone, but even with that, we were still having a blast. All the people we played, all of the other contestants, all the spectators, the gorgeous day, the refreshing Hardywood beer, the delicious food all around…it would have been extremely difficult for anyone not to have a good time at this event. So Matt and I headed into the “social” bracket with smiles for our opponents: Mark and Pinkaj of Team Mother Truckers. These two were having a wonderful time at the tourney and their happiness was contagious. Unfortunately, their cornhole skills weren’t and they defeated Matt and me easily, although we did hit a double-digit score for the first time. We enjoyed the game and conversation with Mark and Pinkaj; I asked Mark what made him such a big cornhole fan. His reply was as simple as it was true: “The beer. The social aspect. It keeps people coming back to cornhole.” By this time, Matt and I had to leave. We were able to take some comfort in the fact that team Box Elder, who ended up winning the entire “competitive” bracket, had to endure 2 points from team Virginia Craft Brews. Losing to the eventual overall winners was something we could at least talk about to make us feel somewhat better about our cornhole skills. Matt and I took a lot away from The Spring Fling tournament. First, although our game needs a lot of work, cornhole is tremendous fun. The folks in the competition couldn’t have been more friendly, warm, and courteous. Second, RichmondCornhole.com puts on a great tournament.Check them out on the web for all your cornhole needs and upcoming tournaments. Third, Hardywood brews some fantastic beers (but we’ve known that for a long time now). And lastly, Matt and I will certainly do this again.
Spring Brew recommendations by Kevin Kopf
All of our tournaments have competitive and social brackets so they are for all skill levels and ages. Come out and throw some bags at our next one on Saturday, June 28th, 2014 Join us at our next tournament K95 CountryFest Cornhole Tourney @ Meadow Event Park (near K-D) Cornhole, Live Country Music, and more! Saturday 6/28/14 @ 12n You must register in advance online Registration will end @ 64 teams or @ 8pm on 6/26/14 Cash & Prizes awarded You Must Pre-Register! What: Doubles cornhole tournament. Guaranteed at least 4-5 games. All skill levels encouraged to play. Tournament play is divided into social & competitive brackets when we have fields of 32 or more. Team fees include tickets to the festival which will have live country music acts plus more. K95 CountryFest details can be found at http://www.k95countryfest.com When: Saturday, June 28th, 2014 11am—Warm-up
12pm— Tournament Starts
Where: Meadow Event Park - 13111, Dawn Blvd Doswell, VA Format: Doubles format so you have a team of two people. There will be a 3 game round robin pool play. After pool play, there will be two tournaments, Competitive & Recreational (assuming 32+ teams). Each Tournament will be single elimination but every match will be the best 2/3. The Competitive Tournament will consist of the teams with the best records during the pool play and it will be awarded the bulk of the prizes. The Recreational Tournament will consist of the teams with the worst records in the pool play and will be awarded prizes on a smaller scale than the Competitive Tournament. Cost: Every team will be guaranteed a minimum of 4-5 games. Team entry fees include tickets to the festival and will be at will call: $50 per team if registered by 5/16 $60 per team if registered by 6/20 $70 per team if registered by 6/26
follow him on instagram @virginiaisforcraftbeer
Spring is here, and summer is not too far behind. It’s a great time to experience some low-ABV, crisp, refreshing beers you may not ordinarily seek out. Here are four craft beers that fit the bill. Enjoy these after a day of working in the yard, hiking, biking or barbecuing with friends. Corcoran Brewing Company, Purcellville, Virginia
Beer: Wheatland Style: American Hefeweizen ABV: 5.25% Wheatland pours a straw color with a white head and a nice amount of lacing. Banana and bubblegum aromas are dominant with hints of spice and bread. A slight hop profile keeps Wheatland true to the hefeweizen standard. A light, creamy mouthfeel followed with a dry finish hits the spot on a warm afternoon.
Triple Crossing Brewing, Richmond, Virginia
Beer: Element 79 Golden Ale Style: Golden Ale ABV: 5.0% Triple Crossing, Richmond’s newest brewery, hit the market with Element 79, their Summer Golden Ale based on a British Summer Bitter style. As the name suggests, it pours a pale gold with a white head that quickly disappears. Aromas of fruit and malt are prominent with a touch of citrus. The malt and slight fruitiness are followed by a nice bite that hop heads will enjoy making for a nice sessionable ale you can enjoy for an entire afternoon.
Strangeways Brewing, Richmond, Virginia
Beer: Wallonian Dawn Style: Saison ABV: 4.0% Strangeways’ Wallonian Dawn is brewed with pale malts and a good dose of honey. The beer pours a deep honey color with an earthy, yeasty aroma and a hint of sweetness. The expected earthiness and spiciness/peppery saison character are there with a touch of honey sweetness. A good dose of hops follows with a dry finish. If you haven’t tried saisons, this is a great place to start.
Pizza Port Brewing, San Clemente, California
Beer: PONTO S.I.P.A. Style: American IPA ABV: 4.5% This is one for hop heads. It pours a golden yellow with a white head that leaves a nice lacing. This is a sessionable west coast IPA all the way. Floral, pine and hops dominate the aroma, and citrus, fruit and pine notes hit your palate as you would expect from the style. The carbonation and crisp finish make this easily drinkable. It is easily one of the best session IPAs on the market.
Before there were breweries, there were brewers. article by Robert Martin
photos by The Weekend Brewer
Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting with Bob and his wife for a beer and a sandwich at the Bucket Trade in Chester. He’s one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and he’s overflowing with knowledge of beer, brewing, and Virginia’s brewing community. It was immediately obvious to me that if there is good (ahem, craft) beer being served in the greater Richmond area, you’re in Bob’s territory. Not surprising since this has been his scene for the better part of 30 years. In 1972, Bob got into the business of delivering and installing beverage equipment by way of his father-in-law who was a brewmaster engineer. As time went on, the demand for home kegging supplies was becoming more obvious and Bob was making more of an effort to cater to that demand. By 1988, he sold his share of the distribution company to start the Weekend Brewer. Since starting the Weekend Brewer, Bob has been a part of the brewing community in Virginia as much as he can be. MASH, James River Homebrewers, and several other organizations that have since come and gone have had roots in the Weekend Brewer. Every year local brewers participate in JRHB’s Dominion Cup, the Clusterbrew, and even national competitions. Brewers from as far as 75 miles away come to Chester regularly to buy supplies from the Weekend Brewer. 27 years of brewing experience lends itself to the expertise and assistance that Bob and Jean offer their customers. Blue & Grey, Hardywood Park, Triple Crossing, and many other breweries have been going to the Weekend Brewer for ingredients, equipment, and inspiration since they were basement operations. By the end of 2014, Virginia will be home to more than 70 breweries, and Bob can tell you about almost all of them. One thing that sets the Weekend Brewer apart is that they buy many ingredients in bulk so that home brewers can buy as little or as much as they want at a time. Another thing that sets them apart is the program they use to help you figure out what you need to make a recipe. Say, for example, you just had the best chocolate porter that you’ve ever had and you want to make it at home. Bob can help you figure out what you need to make a clone. At this point, he says, they have over 30,000 recipes in their collection. In addition to the sheer variety of supplies, the Weekend Brewer is going to be one of the first shops to buy from the two malt houses opening in Virginia later this year. The word is that there will be 4 varieties of hops and two or three varieties of malts from Virginia. Bob says he is extremely excited to sponsor the first Virginia Pale Ale with ingredients all grown in Virginia. Regardless of your level of experience, the Weekend Brewer is an excellent resource for all things brewing. As Bob says, “Brewing is as simple or as complicated as you make it.”
CHESTER,VIRGINIA SINCE 1988 Virginia’s Largest Beer Virginia’s LargestHome Home Beer & Wine supplier & Wine suppLier
We stock maLts By tHe Bag, By tHe pound or ounce Briess grains, raHr, Weyerman, aVangard maLz, dingmann, muntons, simpsons are just a feW miLLed on sigHt. BuLk Briess Liquid maLt extract By tHe ounce dry maLt extract 72 Hop Varieties. WHite LaBs & 14 otHer Varieties of yeast. Beginner to adVance aLL grain BreWing kits & equipment. extensiVe fuLL Line of kegging HardWare.
SERVING AmericA HOME BREWERS Serving FOR 25 OVER 25 YEARS for YeArS 4205 West Hundred Road,Chester, VA. 23831(Just 5 lights from I-95) 804.796.9760 Q 800.320.1456 www.weekendbrewer.com Q info@weekendbrewer.com
So Fresh Article & Photos by Tarun Sinha
“Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.” For RVA, Triple Crossing Brewing Company (TCBC) carries that potential. Having its grand opening just last week, Triple Crossing is Richmond’s latest addition to the craft brew scene. Its historic building sits comfortably in the neighborhood, with its location close to the Fan, downtown and Virginia Commonwealth University. Located near the corner of East Cary and Foushee, Triple Crossing is a few walking blocks from many restaurants such as Chez Foushee, Africanne on Main and Beauregards Thai Room as well as being 2 blocks from the VCU School of Business/Engineering and the nationally recognized VCU Brandcenter. With an open floor plan and a 3000 sq ft. tasting room, Triple Crossing Brewing Company has serious potential. A breeze is blowing on a pleasant spring day and within a brick building with an open black garage door, an idea is being brought to life. As you walk in your eyes immediately catch the sun shining down on the fermentation tanks in the back. The tanks and the front end of the building are illuminated by the sunlight pouring in from the treated skylights above, accenting brick walls and steel beams, delivering a historical yet modern feel. The opening is comforting; with the tanks situated directly behind the bar without any walls. So comforting, in fact, you may feel as if you are in your friend’s kitchen. Your beer here is tapped directly from the tank and delivered to your table, without any intermediaries (kegs, etc.), providing customers with some of the freshest beer in Richmond. Similar to the Farm to Table trend erupting in Central VA, TCBC has applied this idea to craft brews. The Tank to Table (T2T) concept should prove successful to many locals and even to city visitors. Sitting at your table, with your friends, listening to music, or enjoying the outdoor patio, you can see your beer’s lifecycle from start to finish. The 3 owners, Jeremy Wirtes, Adam Worcester and Scott Jones are longtime friends who shared a dream of brewing beer. Triple Crossing is not only a nod to Richmond’s historical downtown landmark, but also to the friendship between the 3 owners. While they come from different backgrounds, Jeremy specializing in brewing, Adam working in marketing and Scott being a software developer, they share the same passion for craft brew. This passion helped ignite their idea to start their own brewery in March of 2012. Within the past two years, they were able to establish a brand that was being talked about back in the summer of 2013, decide on a location ideal for those who commute downtown or to the fan, and most importantly, purchase, gut and rebuild a historic building in order to deliver the newest set of IPAs to Richmond. The mentality behind this brewery is that Richmond is becoming a close knit beer city, and Triple Crossing Brewery wants to share what they love with the city. Their main focus is on IPAs with some personal, creative twists on the India Pale Ale, there are sure to be some memorable brews on the way. “It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a community to build a brewery,” said Worcester, referring to the number of people ranging from family and friends who helped them lay the foundation and build this brand. This is a brewery for the community and by the community! View the daily pours live online at www.t-cb.com!
1 ANNUAL LAKE ANNA BREWFEST ST
May 17th, 2014 at The Cutalong Coming in the Spring of 2014 is the 1st Annual Lake Anna Brewfest brought to you by Travel Lake Anna, a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote Lake Anna, it’s community and businesses. Kick off the summer at Lake Anna while enjoying great Virginia craft beer and cider brewed by local Virginia breweries. Situated at the Cutalong, Lake Anna’s only golf course community, with spectacular views of Lake Anna and breath taking sunsets. At the Lake Anna Brewfest, you will be able to sample some of the best Virginia micro and nano brewerie's craft beer and cider. You will also be able to sample Lake Anna's great food from local restaurants, browse local businesses and what they offer as well as enjoy beautiful Lake Anna at its finest.
Volunteer! Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Brewfest and we need your help. Volunteers work in two shifts and gain free entery to the event. To find out more
information, please visit our website.
Become a Vendor! Are you a local Lake Anna business who would like to showcase your business at the Lake Anna Brewfest? Become a vendor! Each vendor recieves a space at the event plus free tickets to the event. For more information, please visit our website.
www.LakeAnnaBrewfest.com info@LakeAnnaBrewfest.com
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An Apocalypse!
the end is only the beginning…
An apocalypse is commonly thought of as the end, a climactic event filled with fire and brimstone. However, in the little town of Forest, Virginia, in Bedford County, that Apocalypse was instead the beginning of something new and grand. Rewind to several years ago. Lee waits impatiently for Doug to get off from work. She has already downed several margaritas at the local Mexican restaurant that they frequent on a regular basis. When Lee and Doug first met he was a happy, vibrant plant manager of an international business. Due to an unfortunate turn of events, the plant closed its local doors and Doug was forced to take a similar role at another large corporation. However, instead of being inspired and invigorated by this new role, he is being strangled and losing his “zest for life.” He is the unfortunate subordinate of a man that believes the best policy in handling your employees is to, “put your foot on their throat and watch them gasp for breath until they’re within an inch of losing their lives, then remove your foot, let them catch enough breath to survive, and then put your foot back on their throat.” Needless to say, Doug is very unhappy, which in turn is making Lee unhappy, and the strain on their relationship is palpable. Perhaps emboldened by the margaritas, or perhaps knowing something has to give, Lee tells Doug, “You need to make a change, one of two things is going to
Article by Griffin Johnson
happen. You are going to end up dead on the side of the road from exhaustion or we are going to end up divorced.” This is their Apocalypse, the end of one phase and the beginning of another. Lee and Doug decide to take a leap of faith, to end one period of their life and will each other to a more fulfilling existence. It is a dream laced with hops and barley, a dream to make beer a viable part of their lives. Doug has been brewing beer for nearly 25 years. In 1995 he started a home brewer’s store called Pints o’ Plenty. Because the store was located at an antique store, he was able to run the business while working his full time job. He is a brilliant brewer, winning numerous awards at American Homebrewer’s Association competitions, as well as the Dominion Cup. He is passionate about beer and truly enjoys sharing that passion with his clients |and friends. Lee and Doug liquidated their assets, sold company stock, consolidated their debts, and Doug went to work full time at Pints o’ Plenty. Within a year they were selling “plenty” of craft beer and began looking for real estate for what would become their future dream brewery. One of their friends, Tony Grachan (now a part owner), came to them with the knowledge that just two doors down the local fire department was looking to move. Not only was the fire department available, but also another adjacent building. With a little imagination they
Photos by Alex Wells
saw the perfect location for their future brewery and an independent location for Pints o’ Plenty. Bedford County is a conservative county in the Old Dominion and there was no law prohibiting a brewery in the county, but there was no law allowing a brewery either. For the next eight months they navigated the process of rezoning the buildings, as well as working on changing the laws to specifically allow for the existence of a brewery. With little to no resistance from the local government, the laws were changed and the local fire department vacated the building. On February 1st, 2013 Apocalypse Aleworks opened its doors for the first time and the journey continued. The brewing operation is located in the old bay of the fire department. Around back, in an old meeting room, the tasting room can be accessed by a long wheelchair friendly ramp that winds halfway around the building. An impressive deck overlooks the property and a large area below has a spattering of tables and seats for patrons to enjoy the recipes Doug has been perfecting for nearly 25 years. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and this space is ideal for future festivals or even just a warm, summer afternoon with a picnic basket and a few cold beers. Currently, the brewery has four, 30 barrel brew tanks, as well as one bright tank and in 2013 they produced approximately 1000 barrels of beer. Within the first
month of operation the brewery exceeded all expectations. By the end of the year they were at a point they believed initially would take a minimum of two years to achieve. They are in the process of purchasing three more 30 barrel tanks and securing the equipment to begin canning and bottling. Expect to start seeing their cans on shelves as early as this summer. With the plan to grow slow and within their means, the hope is to be distributed all over Virginia by the end of the year. Their artwork (labeling and logos) are stylistic and symbolic of the journey they’ve embarked upon. With a very masonic feel and theme, each label displays the alpha and omega, orion’s belt, 72 barley corns as a symbol of purity, and the broken chains of their past. It is very fitting with the bold moniker of Apocalypse Aleworks! This is a story not uncommon to many Virginians. A story of a couple that is struggling to find happiness in our modern society. However, this couple made the bold choice to seek happiness, to follow their passion and dreams, and to seek out the end for a new beginning. Thank you Doug and Lee for the hospitality and allowing me to share your journey to this point and may your Apocalypse never end! The brewery is located at 1257 Burnbridge Road, Forest, VA 24551 Their taproom hours can be viewed at www.endofbadbeer.com
Their current beer offerings Glorious Dead, English Amber Ale
Made with the finest English malts and hops. Maris Otter and crystal malts give this rich mahogany ale mouth watering caramel maltiness. The English Challenger and Kent Goldings hops impart herbal flavors and aromas that finish gloriously smooth and mellow.
6th Seal, Chocolate Stout
A rich sweet chocolate stout brewed with orange peel and fermented with cacao nibs to enhance the rich chocolate presence. Nose includes chocolate, hints of orange, toffee and coffee. Gold Medal VA Craft Brewers Cup 2013.
Golden Censer, Honey Wheat Ale
Unfiltered American wheat, golden in color with a rich, white head. Aroma rich with orange, citrus and honey. Hop bitterness is mild and in balance with sweet honey malts.
Lustful Maiden, Belgin Dubbel
This unfiltered Lustful Maiden displays a deep chestnut color and creamy head. She is a dirty girl and is rich and full bodied with notes of malt, caramel, roasted almonds, toffee, and honey with a bit of lingering hop bitterness on the finish. Winner of 1996 Virginia Dominions cup as best
Belgian. Also that year it took the silver medal in the Canadian Amateur Brewers Association. In 2012 this recipe won the Heavy Seas National Competition and was brewed at Clipper City and released to 19 states as the Letter of Marque. Gold Medal US OPEN international Competition 2013, Silver Medal VA Craft Brewers Cup 2013, Best of Show at Microfestivus 2013.
Heavy Red Horseman. Scottish Ale
This Scottish Style “Wee Heavy” exhibits three words: BIG, SMOOTH AND MALTY! This ale is deep copper in color with ruby highlights and a creamy head. While you will not pick up any noticeable hop flavor or aroma, your tongue will be thrilled with malty sweetness and a hint of smokiness.
Hoppocalypse, Imperial Red Ale
Aroma explodes with citrus hops and does not stop! Hops in the beginning, middle and end. Hopped as much as a double IPA but perfectly balanced with Munich malt to give both hopheads and malt lovers the best of both worlds.
Cenful Blonde, Belgian Blonde
A smooth Belgian blonde ale with aromas of honey, banana and citrus. Dry hopped with American Citra hops for a unique blend of CENFUL proportions
Virginia Beer Trail Tracking the Trends of Virginia’s Craft & Micro Breweries
Hello Everyone! My name is Kory Mohr. I’m originally from Pennsylvania and moved to Virginia in the early 90’s when the Navy brought me to Norfolk. I came to love Virginia so much that I decided to stay permanently. Eventually, I grew to enjoy most craft beer, not just Virginia craft beer, which was still fairly in its infancy in the mid to late 90’s. I’d enjoy a Richmond based Legends Brown Ale from time to time when I started to witness a growth in the Virginia craft beer market. At the time I didn’t think much of it until a few years had passed and I came across Hardywood Park’s offerings (also located in Richmond). That was about the same time Virginia craft beer growth started to take off. I love interacting with those who appreciate Virginia craft beer as much as I do, often bumping into old friends and meeting new friends at various breweries, restaurants, pubs, etc. across the state. This helped me realize a need for a centralized resource where craft beer lovers could go to find out where the various Virgin-
ia craft breweries are located. This led to the creation of the Virginia Beer Trail at http://www.vabeertrail.net/ The Virginia Beer Trail includes a directory of breweries, restaurants, pubs, stores, etc. serving and offering Virginia craft beer and related supporters and groups such as homebrewers, fans, etc. At the time of this writing, we have almost 80 operating breweries and 20 upcoming breweries in the directory. All in all, we have a total of 215 directory participants and are adding more and more on an almost daily basis. The site receives almost 1,000 unique visitors a day and averages almost 360k unique pageviews a month (not including search engine spiders that work hard to index our content), which only helps to keep us going! The site additionally offers daily news and info from related bloggers and other sources, including YouTube videos, photo galleries, etc. A Virginia craft beer related calendar of events, with festival info, weekly events, etc... is updated on an almost daily basis, as well.
Finally, the site is designed to be collaborative and community feeling in nature. Visitors are more than welcome to register/sign up for free and leave reviews on their favorite Virginia craft beer breweries and related spots, share pictures, add events of their own for consideration, etc. Additionally, related business and organizations, e.g. breweries, restaurants, stores, etc... are also encouraged to register on the site and submit their own listings for consideration. We’re working on a few additional enhancements and features we hope our visitors will appreciate, as well as a few partnerships which will provide additional data and content to the site. In the near future, our logo will be featured on tshirts, and possibly, other merchandise such as glassware, etc... The Virginia Beer Trail is truly a labor of love and is really our way of saying “thanks” to those whom enjoy Virginia craft beer as much as we do. We really enjoy bumping into people who’ve heard of the site at local breweries, pubs and stores all over the state. Although we’re pret-
ty shy about introducing ourselves at these locations, we are always so thankful to receive the wonderful compliments and appreciation for the hard work we put into the site. Our visitors, Twitter account and Facebook page followers really are the best, as we always feel like we’re part of one big happy family! Thanks so much for taking the time to read our story and to learn a bit more about us. We hope to see you on our site with your registrations and reviews, interact with you via our various social media accounts, and especially, meet you in person!
View Virginia craft beer related events & info Twitter http://twitter.com/VABeerTrail Facebook http://facebook.com/VABeerTrail Google Plus https://www.google.com/+VABeerTrail. Untappd https://untappd.com/user/vabeertrail Instagram http://instagram.com/vabeertrail.
n o s t e k c i t w o n e l a s Coming July 15-20, 2014, Richmond, Virginia greater richmond convention center + nearby venues
nationalbeerexpo.com Craft Beer from the U.S. ~ For Consumers & the Trade ~ National Brewers Market Grand Tastings, Dinners, Lunches, Brunches, Seminars ~ TACO THROWDOWN ~ farm country feast+ More
A Parkway into the Future Article & Photos by Christie Jett
Charlottesville has been my home for over a decade, and I have been spoiled by the abundance of local craft breweries that have popped up in that time. My “original” hometown of Salem didn’t actually have a craft brewery to call its own, which made me sad - UNTIL NOW. Enter Parkway Brewing Company in late 2012. I have been a loyal fan since their opening but only recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mike “Keno” Snyder, owner and manager at Parkway. As a long-time fan of craft beer and a Virginia native, Keno had been dreaming about opening his own brewery for years. He remembers how drastically the beer landscape changed in Richmond after Legend Brewing Company first opened in the mid-90’s and wanted to bring that same change to southwestern Virginia. Keno joined the Roanoke Railhouse Brewery team in 2010 for some hands-on experience in the brewing business. There Keno met Ryan Worthington, the current brewmaster at Parkway, and in 2012 Keno and Ryan left to start Parkway Brewing Company. I watch as the tables and benches in the tasting room start to fill up on a Friday afternoon and ask Keno about the reception they’ve gotten from the local community. “I would expect that beer drinkers in this part of the state wouldn’t be as ready for some of these big, flavorful beers that you are making, as compared to more craft-friendly beer drinkers in the northern or central parts of the state”… (and maybe that assumption makes me a jerk, fair enough). Keno shakes his head at that and answers with a touch of pride. “You know, we were very pleasantly surprised,” he says with a grin. “We were expecting to have to do a lot more education to introduce people to our beers, but that just wasn’t the case. I think people were ready for something like this, and the reception has just been fantastic.” The Parkway tasting room has even turned into something of a local community gathering place. The brewery is situated at the end of a narrow industrial strip surrounded by homes and neighborhoods. Shortly after they opened, Keno started hearing stories about people “meeting” neighbors for the first time over a pint of Parkway beer, despite having lived on the same street for years. I can relate to the friendly, communal atmosphere – if you’ll remember, Sam and I enjoyed several pints of free beer with a Parkway local who needed some assistance finishing his pitcher. We were only too glad to help. To an extent, Parkway has been a victim of its own success. Although the brewery has been growing steadily since they first opened, fully two-thirds of their tank capacity is taken up by brewing their incredibly popular flagship beer, the Get Bent Mountain IPA, which leaves little space for experimentation. Keno will be adding additional tanks soon and is looking forward to adding additional styles, including some barrel-aged beers, to their line-up. Sam and I were lucky enough to walk away with a “complete set” of their core beers: the Get Bent Mountain IPA, the Bridge Builder Blonde, the Raven’s Roost Baltic Porter, and the Magella Belgian Dark Abbey Ale. Ryan is a very talented brewer (having trained at both Siebels in Chicago and Doeman’s in Munich) and it shows. These are all wonderfully, incredibly delicious beers – in fact, if I had to pick only one IPA to drink for the rest of my life, it might be Get Bent. I have seen the Get Bent IPA and Bridge Builder Blonde at various C’ville locales, and I would highly encourage you to pick up a pack the next time you are out. You won’t be disappointed!
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Center of the Universe Wild Wolf Brewing Isley Brewing Legend Brewery
Wed. May 21 @ 6:30pm & Sat. August 30 @ 4pm
Sat. May 24 @ 8pm & Sat. Sept 27 @8pm
Fri. May 30 @ 6:30pm & Fri Aug 29 @ 6:30pm Fri June 27 @ 8pm & Fri Aug15 @8pm
James River Brewery SAt. June 28 @ 6pm & Sat. August 16 @ 6pm Strangeways Brewing Sun. July 13 @1pm & Sunday Sept 14 @1pm
Our Story by Daddy G
My name is Chris Galiffa and I am now known around town as Daddy G. I was born and raised in RVA’s Fan and during my short attempt at college in the early 80’s at VCU, I fell in love with a restaurant called The Texas-Wisconsin Border Cafe on West Main St. They had this unique and killer salsa that was put out on the table with chips, and as a poor student this was a complete meal for me and my buddies. Many days and nights I was there chowing down that incredible goodness and washing it down with a tall cold Lone Star. It was the perfect, I mean perfect compliment and I just could never get enough. The Border had a great run for many years, but sadly closed in 1999. NOW WHAT was I going to do without that salsa? Seriously, I was in total shock and disbelief thinking I may never taste that incredible stuff ever again. Or so I thought... Fast forward a couple years and I’m hanging with neighbors, one of which was a waitress at The Border, and we start to get nostalgic about that old place. I’m sure she can sense my anguish and then it happens! She says the magic words, “Well I have the Border salsa recipe if you’d like to goof around with it.” Oh man, I literally fell out of my chair with joy and after some major hugging she presented the recipe. It was like having the secret map to the Holy Grail for me. The excitement that I could finally taste that salsa again! Yuck! Blech! And, well, yuck again for about the first few attempts as I tried and tried to replicate the original 50 gallon recipe flavor down to a manageable 2 gallon batch. I tweaked and tweaked it and after about 10 years, I finally had it right where it was similar to the flavor and consistency, but with my own spin. 2 gallons at a time was way too much for me to eat so I was just giving it away to friends in jelly and pasta sauce jars. Over the years I had to increase the frequency and batch size just to keep up with all my friends. Now, the friends-of-friends demand keeps growing! My new friend-of-friend and owner of Midnight Brewery, Trae Cairns, became a big fan of the stuff. One day while we’re at the brewery snacking on the salsa and enjoying a pint he says “Man, you’ve got something here and if you can find a nice container we could probably sell it here at the brewery with a bag of chips as a snack for my customers.” And that’s how it started. That was September of 2013, and since then we are soon to be in a 5th local craft brewery, 10 specialty markets, and the house salsa and regular menu item at Hurley’s Tavern. We now have two versions, Rockin’, which is the original, and Smokin’, which has apple wood smoked jalapenos and has become a huge favorite. It’s surreal to walk into Isley’s or Strangeways and see a group of people around a table enjoying delicious craft beer and digging into one of our tubs of salsa, kinda like it was at The Border. We are honored to be called “The Official Salsa of RVA Craft Breweries” by our brewer buddies and also to be included in the community of beer enthusiasts. We will be out and about this Spring and Fall cranking upon a marketing tour of all of the local festivals that include VA craft brewers, including VA Hops and Barley Beer Festival, Lake Anna Brewfest, and The National Beer Expo. Stop by our red tent for a visit and taste what the fuss is all about.
We won a Silver Medal in the World Beer Cup for the Heavy Red Horseman ! Also we will be canning the Golden Censer Orange Honey Wheat and Hoppocalypse Imperial Red Ale by September!
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DesignByWatermark.com (434) 295-5625
Spring Beer Pairings Endive/Gr apefruit Sal ad topped with a Roasted Pistachio Vinaigrette and pickled red onions This salad is great with smoked trout, wood fired shrimp and duck prosciutto paired with Seasonal IPA’s, farmhouse style ales, subtle saisons and imperial IPA’s. Ingredients: Pickled Red Onions ½ Cup Rice Wine Vinegar ½ Cup Water ½ Tsp Sugar 1 Red Onion, Julienned Bring vinegar, water and sugar to a quick boil, pouring over red onions. Seal and let cool. Pistachio Vinaigrette: 2 Tbsp. Grapeseed Oil 1 Tbsp. Pistachio Oil 1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar 1 Tsp Dijon Mustard 1 Tbsp. Crushed Pistachios 1 Tsp Chives, Chopped Whisk together oils, pistachios, vinegar and chives. Salt and Pepper to taste. Set Aside. Sal ad: 1 Large Ruby Red Grapefruit 2 Belgian Endives, Julienned ½ Cup Parsley Leaves, Chopped 1 Tsp Tarragon, Finely Chopped Toss salad ingredients with pickled red onions, and pistachio vinaigrette Like us on Facebook and follow us on twitter @chefbeckles Chef Becky Jordan, Leesburg, VA Becky@chefbeckles.com
Local Music Review Articles by Sounds of RVA Sarah Moore-Lindsey http://soundsofrva.org/ It’s almost a no-brainer: beer plus music equals a good time. Some central Virginia breweries are creating a new niche in the music industry as well as tying some great brews to some great sounds. We had a chance to speak with Kerry Anderson, Certified Cicerone® Hospitality Manager of Hardywood Brewery as well as Ben Pruett, Kitchen Manager, Assistant General Manager, and Entertainment Manager of Legend Brew Pub to find out how this special relationship comes about, what sorts of music goes best with craft brews, and describe a few memorable sets accompanied by some premium associated hops and barley. VCB: How do you choose the bands which play at your brewery? Kerry Anderson (Hardywood): I love to present a variety of genres throughout the season. Hardywood’s audience is as varied as the styles of beer that we are producing, so I want to find something
for every taste while modifying the mood of the tasting room a bit each day. I hope there is one day of the year for every person in Richmond to enjoy visiting the brewery, and that they will come back and learn about something new on their next visit. The musicians play a role as ambassador to Hardywood when they are performing, so I love to invite Richmond acts that have strong ties to the community, understand our role in Richmond and are terrific at engaging the guests that came for the beer and didn’t realize that they would stay all night for the music. Ben Pruett (Legend): I choose bands based on demo CDs, websites [including] reverbnation, and word of mouth. I am also a musician so I have a lot of connections in the music scene here in Richmond. VCB: How have you been able to make the music mix so well with your beers? Kerry (Hardywood): We’re not a traditional venue, there are a lot of components to an event in the tasting room, and it’s early, so the bands don’t necessarily get the privilege of having the guests’ full attention - a sense of humor goes a long way (a la Shangri-Lords and Tribe of Soul). When it comes to Gingerbread Stout, bigger is always better (Zep Replica and Samson Trinh and the Upper East Side Big Band). VCB: Do musicians tend to have a particular favorite beer? Kerry (Hardywood): Musicians can always get behind a session beer, Cream Ale, Singel, Heavy Roller - with the exception of Goldrush, who rely on Sidamo Coffee Stout for an unforgettable performance. I’ve never seen anyone turn down a pitcher of GBS [Ginger Bread Stout]. Ben (Legend): As odd as it may sound, some musicians don’t even drink, or if they
do, it’s not until after they play. However, a lot of them do drink and I would say Lager and Brown Ale are their favorites. VCB: Do you have a particularly memorable show? Kerry (Hardywood): There’s not much that I love more than a rock show. Having followed music in Richmond for the last ten years, I was elated to have RPG, Canary oh Canary and the Awesome Few all in the house on the same night! The audience for these bands cares so deeply for them and for Richmond. It’s an incredible current of energy. VCB: What are you looking forward to most in the spring and summer of 2014? Kerry (Hardywood): We’ll play host to the “A Good Day in RVA” festival on May 17th, welcome RPG back with Kepone (!!) and Diamond Center(!!) on May 31st, and hold the 2nd Annual Richmond Bluegrass Festival on August 23rd, and of course a little something for 4th of July, to be announced. Capital Trail Pale Ale is out this season to pair with these great shows, and Virginia Blackberry will be released in early July. VCB: Are you sponsoring any music festivals this year? Ben (Legend): On the beer end, we help sponsor, and attend a lot of festivals in the area. Brown Distributors (one of our main distributors) sponsors some music festivals in the area but Legend, especially this time of year, just doesn’t have the time. Kerry (Hardywood): I can officially announce to you that we’ll be sponsoring the Fall Line Fest this year (with Brown Distributing and Starr Hill) and will brew a Fall Line Fest beer collaboratively with Starr Hill! Look for the collaboration both at Fall Line Fest venues and restaurants this September, as well as retailers!
Photos by Tarun Sinha & Priyen Khamar, shot at Legend Brewing 20th Anniversary Party
Black Girls—Claire Sinclaire While the band name suggests one thing, Black Girls have proven to take the route of the unexpected. The five white guys call their brand of music “snuff rock” which could either refer to snuff films in which a person dies (couldn’t you just die after listening to this album?) or something so finely ground that it can be inhaled easily. The latter could refer to incorporating such a wide array of influences while keeping the sound simple, approachable, and digestible. The band’s third album was just released this spring, and Claire Sinclaire forges that unpredictable road with sounds of
80s new wave, disco, and garage rock. Reminiscent of The Black Keys, “Banging LA” combines a bluesy, low and grungy guitar with a straightforward beat and Drew Gillihan’s occasional falsetto, conjuring thoughts of Dan Auerbach. For some reason, the initial tones bring to mind “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” if only for a second. The drums (Stephen Farris) simulate hand claps while saxophone injects itself into the open section. The organ rounds out the sound with some soulful accenting chords. I build my coffin out of everything I can/My microphone, it’s my garbage can. . . “
The next song, “Soul Tornado” catches the breeziness and smoothness of yacht rock (say, Steely Dan). The Hawaiian-paradise suggested by the lengthy, bright guitar strums helps add to the loose ambiance. There are also some changes of rhythm and difficult jazz vocal melodies, sung by a backing chorus. Don’t forget to check out the surfiness of other tracks like “Buyin’ Time” or b-side “Surf Engine.” Also watch out for the Stevie Wonder-piano goodness of “Lover,” which sounds straight lifted off Songs in the Key of Life. Settle down for slower tracks like “Waltz” and “Kaleidoscopes” and still get the Black Girls fix of catchy melodies and snuff rock.
r o s n o p s o Proud t
MOUNTAINS TO SEA WE POUR MORE VIRGINIA BEER THAN ANYONE
July 15 – 20, 2014 Greater Richmond Convention Center and Nearby Venues @NatBeerExpo #CAHNBE2014
www.NationalBeerExpo.com
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