07 01 2016 growler 09

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j u l y a u g u s t

the

Insatiable Appetite

Big Beer of

and what it means for the craft industry

2016

H a m p t o n

R o a d s

hrgrowler.com I #hrgrowler Vol. 3, Issue 4 adVertIsIng dIrector/ publIsher Kelly Till kelly.till@pilotonline.com edItor Clay Barbour clay.barbour@pilotonline.com creatIVe dIrector Sherri Holland sherri.holland@pilotonline.com contrIbutIng Illustrator Wesley Watson contrIbutIng photographers Chrystal Culbert, George Culver, Jessica Shea, EJ Toudt contrIbutIng WrIters Irvin B. Harrell, Mark Harris, Paul Lawson, Pete Newell, Malia Paasch, Robin Sidersky, Ben Swensen creatIVe consultants Jennifer Fenner, EJ Toudt eVents coordInator Laura Hess To advertise, call 757-222-5538 Editorial inquiries, call 757-446-2379 For more copies, call 757-446-4631 HR Growler is published bi-monthly and distributed within The Virginian-Pilot and authorized distributors. Distribution of this newspaper does not constitute an endorsement of information, products, or services. Copyright 2016 HR Growler. All Rights Reserved.

150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va 23510

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BEEr BEaT

Beer Tourism is

Found Money A small investment of maps, perhaps a free ride service such as the F.R.E.D. on weekends or even a bike share with racks at the breweries would reap great benefits.

I

By Mark harris

have a love/hate relationship with tourists. I hate the crowds, but love the economic impact they deliver. Out-oftown money is found money. We have beaches and history driving people to Hampton Roads, but we’re missing an opportunity with beer tourism. Our lack of a cohesive marketing strategy is costing us. Visitors who come for other reasons rarely have any idea of the scope of craft beer in the region. To most people the idea of “beer tourism” sounds laughable. The concept falls under a new and rising arena known as the “experience economy.” A recent study commissioned by a marketing group in Grand Rapids, Mich., found some surprising statistics: The economic impact of beer tourism for the city was just over $12 million, with 42,000 beer tourists visiting an average about four breweries per visit. Twelve thousand of those visitors went to five or more of the city’s 23 craft breweries. Getting all Hampton Roads cities to work together on marketing our beer scene is a pipe dream, I know. What we should focus on is our beer sub-regions: the Peninsula, Virginia Beach and Norfolk. The obvious place to start is Norfolk, which boasts an ideal density and has had the foresight to create an arts district. But the time has come for us to have a beer district in Norfolk. Within a 3-mile radius we have five craft breweries, one of the nation’s top-rated beer bars (The Birch), two great bottle shops – bottleBOX and Exception(Ale) – and scores of beer-focused restaurants. The hard work has already happened organically; it just needs to be tied together.

4 JULY AUGUST 2016

thirstY for Beer: oCean View There has been a lot of discussion about the need for a brewery in Portsmouth (which is still what I consider the city with the best potential for a new operation), but there are certainly other underserved markets in the area. For example, Ocean View is pretty eager to have its own brewery. The people I meet from OV are fiercely loyal to their neighborhood and don’t like having to drive so far for good beer. Both Commonwealth Brewing Company and Pleasure House Brewing are not far away, but a brewery would do well to serve the OV market and their disposable income. We should definitely keep it on the radar. PrePare for Battle One of this area’s best beer festivals is the Battle of the Beers. The event, which is a fundraiser organized by Beach Ambassadors, has been getting better every year. This year’s event features only Hampton Roads breweries, and will be one of the few times we get the opportunity to enjoy all of our local beer in one place. There will be three categories for awards: IPAs, a brewer’s choice (to be judged by the brewers themselves), and a people’s choice. The event venue has also changed to accommodate the growing crowd. It will be at Hunt Club Farm in Virginia Beach on Aug. 6, and early-bird tickets are on sale now at beachambassadors.com. the loCal Beer we alwaYs forget aBout Gordon Biersch is celebrating 10 years at Virginia Beach Town Center this summer. I’m as guilty as anyone of forgetting the valuable and continuing contributions the brewpub has made to our craft beer scene. But wait, is Gordon Biersch, a corporate chain, really local craft beer? I mean, it is not a “small” brewer, is it? I can tell you,

after spending time with head brewer Adam Gurtshaw, that the brewery most definitely does make craft beer. Like most people, I assumed that Gordon Biersch sends out specific beers to be made and dictates at the corporate level what is brewed. I was incorrect. Beyond making sure the flagship offerings are made, Gurtshaw has a lot of creative freedom. As luck would have it, he also happens to be a very gifted brewer who is making some great stuff. I’m going to make an effort to cover Gordon Biersch a little more. As a part of its 10th anniversary celebration next month, the past brewers for Town Center’s Gordon Biersch collaborated on a beer. Gurtshaw was joined by Allen Young (now with BSG, a brewery supply company), Jimmy Loughran (head brewer for Smartmouth Brewing Company), and Cory Maggerd (brewer at Devils Backbone Brewing Company). I am really looking forward to trying this beer, which promises to be something special. Maker’s MoVes on A major source of buzz in the beer community late last year was the announcement that a new brewery, Maker’s Craft Brewing, was going to open in that great empty warehouse at 22nd Street and Colonial Avenue in Norfolk. That building has long been considered a perfect fit for a brewery. Late last month I noticed the building was for lease again and sources have confirmed that the Maker’s deal fell through. No word on whether the brewer plans to open at a different location; the company’s Facebook page hasn’t had a post since last October. While it may very well be the perfect spot for a brewery, that building will require a lot of work and a large investment. I’ve been inside and marveled at both its vastness and its need for repairs. I know of at least two other local breweries that have looked at the building and passed. We’re just going to have to keep hoping that another brewery can make it happen there.

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Only time will tell whether big beer’s buyout trend lures craft lovers

Anheuser-Busch has been part of Virginia’s landscape since 1972, when the beer giant opened a 1.2 millionsquare-foot brewery in Williamsburg, employing hundreds of people. There it makes the world’s bestselling American beer, Bud Light, along with other wellknown labels. Some 250 trucks a day ship those beers throughout the eastern United States. The brewery is a good neighbor, supporting local causes that fight poverty. Still, in April, many looked at the company as an outsider when it gobbled up Devils Backbone Brewing Company, probably the state’s best known craft brewer. Some lauded the development as indication of the small brewer’s quality. Others considered it just another case of corporate greed. One thing was for sure: The buyout was more proof that Big Beer sees value in craft brewing. The taste of beer drinkers is changing and macro brewers don’t want to be left behind. Anheuser-Busch, a subsidiary of the Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest beer maker, has been on a shopping spree for American craft breweries the past several years. Devils Backbone was its eighth acquisition since 2011 and its fourth in the past year, including Colorado’s Breckenridge Brewery and Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Company. The company’s craft labels belong to a portfolio of brands called “The High End.” The nation’s second-largest brewery, MillerCoors, is also cultivating a stable of craft brewers, including the popular Blue Moon brand of beers and San Diego’s Saint

By Ben Swenson Illustrations by Wesley Watson

HRGROWLER.COM 7

Archer Brewing Company. Bart Watson, chief economist of the Brewers Association, says craft beers are growing in popularity. While sales of major brand names have been flat or declining in recent years, craft labels have flourished. According to Brewers Association statistics, beer sales in the U.S. are down 0.2 percent overall. Sales of craft beer, on the other hand, are up 12.8 percent. While Anheuser-Busch maintains a commanding 46 percent of market share in the United States, diversifying its brands appears to be a hedge against waning demand. “Craft is one of the growth engines of the beer industry,” Watson says. “The large brewers have been losing volume, and they’re looking to offset some of those losses.”

But there may be another reason for expanding craft labels. Watson says ownership of a popular craft label helps Anheuser-Busch muscle distributors into carrying their brands, and not carrying others. According to Watson, the company offers incentives to distributors based on factors such as the proportion of Anheuser-Busch brands they carry. For example, the company gives an “A+” rating to those that carry 98 percent of Anheuser-Bush brands. But few distributors would bite on such incentives if all they could carry were lagers and light lagers – the part of the market that’s shrinking. Buying up craft beers solves that problem. Another concern of Watson’s is a merger between Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller. A new, mega-brewery created by the union of these former competitors would create unrivaled leverage to compel distributors to carry Anheuser-Busch brands at the expense of craft labels. Officials at Anheuser-Busch did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

S

teve Crandall co-founded Devils Backbone with his wife, Heidi, in 2008. The brewery maintains two Virginia locations: Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows in the foothills outside of Charlottesville, and Outpost Brewery & Taproom in Lexington. Last year, the brewery underwent a $2 million expansion. Among the enhancements was the addition of six 960-barrel outdoor fermenters and a brite tank in Lexington. At the Basecamp location, Crandall and his team developed outdoor areas for dining and recreation. Even with all the improvements, Crandall is eyeing more growth. He wants to add tent and RV camping sites and cabins to the Basecamp, expand the Outpost’s brewing capacity to 250,000 barrels per year, and widen the brewery’s distribution beyond five states (and Washington, D.C.). Crandall says that financial institutions and private equity lenders generally need assurances that they will begin to see returns on their investments quickly. But a brewery such as Devils Backbone might go through many months of trial and error on beer recipes before it finds a winner. “So I’ve gone from one bank to what I call the 8 JULY AUGUST 2016

Bank of Bud,” Crandall says. Anheuser-Busch has the financial wherewithal and appreciates the timeline needed to achieve long-term goals in brewing, he says. Crandall’s perception about AnheuserBusch has evolved over the years. He remembers having a conversation eight years ago with his head brewer, Jason Oliver, and expressing concerns that the corporate giant couldn’t possibly care much about craft or quality. “But Jason said, ‘Wait a minute, I know

While sales of major brand names have been flat or declining in recent years, craft labels have flourished. ...Beer sales in the U.S. are down 0.2 percent overall. Sales of craft beer, on the other hand, are up 12.8 percent. those brewers. They love beer, and they know what they’re doing.’ And I began to see them in a new light,” Crandall says. That was the first step in a 180-degree turn in Crandall’s thinking about his future corporate partner. Now Crandall looks forward to working with the resources Anheuser-Busch has at its disposal. He hopes to experiment with some of the hundreds of strains of yeast Anheuser-Busch keeps in its ultra-secure Corporate Culture Yeast Center in St. Louis. He wants to begin the process of barrel-aging certain Devils Backbone beers. And he hopes his team can learn from the other craft brewers under Anheuser-Busch’s wing. “We have access to a family of nine brewers, and we can rely on one another for guidance,” he says. That’s not to say that Crandall expects to change the recipes for the beers that have

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garnered acclaim since 2009. Most recently, Devils Backbone Schwartz Bier and Reilly’s Red took home gold medals in their respective categories at the 2016 World Beer Cup held this year in Philadelphia. And Vienna Lager, which made up 60 percent of the brewery’s sales in 2015, is identified as one of several commercial examples of the Vienna Lager style in guidelines established by the Beer Judge Certification Program. “Why would we change these?” Crandall says. Crandall is aware the sale to AnheuserBusch was a source of indigestion among loyal patrons. “For a brewer to change the course of action like we did, it causes shock and awe,” Crandall says. “It’s a totally understandable reaction. People love their craft breweries and are upset by change.”

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recent Nielsen survey found that 61 percent of craft beer purchasers consider the size of a brewery when they purchase craft beer, preferring small, independent labels. That’s perhaps why the announcement of the buyout was met with skepticism. Social media teemed with promises never to touch Devils Backbone again. When HRGrowler posted on its Facebook page the statement by Anheuser-Busch and Devils Backbone detailing the deal, many people weighed in. “So long D.B.,” wrote commenter Jeremy Bayse. “Well, guess it’s time to burn all of my DB hats, shirts, koozies, etc.,” wrote Justin TheStork Hauser. “I don’t rep sellouts.” But others are taking a wait-and-see approach. Chase Grogg and Chase Harper, both of Williamsburg, spoke of the sale recently as they enjoyed drinks at the Virginia Beer Company. “It’s clear that Anheuser-Busch isn’t buying craft brands for the sake of generosity, or to give them handouts,” Grogg says. “My guess is that they bought Devils Backbone for the Vienna Lager, because it’s so popular.” “I’ll continue to drink Vienna Lager until it tastes different,” Harper says. “If they go the route where it’s mass produced and they begin using inferior ingredients to save costs, there are plenty of other brands out there to

10 JULY AUGUST 2016

For a brewer to change the course of action like [Devil’s Backbone] did, it causes shock and awe. It’s a totally understandable reaction. People love their craft breweries and are upset by change. - Steve Crandall, Devil’s Backbone co-founder choose from.” Crandall is aware of those apprehensions and hopes he can win back craft beer fans soured by the deal. “It comes down to what’s in the can,” he says. “We will stay on the path we’ve been on so far, which is making great beer. I believe that will make people come around.” Reaction from local brewers has been measured. Kevin O’Connor, president of O’Connor Brewing Company, said deals like this are a natural progression. “Seeing Devils Backbone’s enormous growth over the past few years and how the big domestics have been gobbling up craft brewers, it would seem almost inevitable that this could happen,” he says. And O’Connor doesn’t begrudge Crandall’s decision to sell, because he knows that each brewer has his own goals and takes different paths to achieve them. O’Connor favors “steady, regional growth.” “This was a business decision that they needed to make based on their own growth strategy,” O’Connor says. “I get the whole ‘selling out to Big Beer’ stance, but I will not judge them for their choice. All I know is Devils Backbone makes good beer and they are good people.” Even though many in the industry won’t take sides, there’s a movement afoot among insiders to offer options for financing without turning to the corporations’ deep pockets. In May, Stone Brewing co-founder Greg Koch unveiled a company called “True Craft,” which will invest in craft breweries and small food producers. Koch said $100 million has already been pledged with more commitments

on the horizon. But most people expect that the rise of craft beer will see more deals, as large companies have the ability to make offers too good to refuse, as with Constellation Brands’ buyout last November of Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits for $1 billion. Ultimately, consumers will decide with their wallets whether Big Beer’s foray into craft beer yields the dividends.

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avOIdInG a By Irvin B. Harrell Photos by Chrystal Culbert

12 JULY AUGUST 2016

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Coast Guard buddies Liam Bell and Ben McElroy have set a clear course for navigating the sometimes choppy waters of craft beer: Start small and offer variety. “With a small brew house size and no distribution, we can do new stuff all the time,” says Bell, who along with McElroy will leave the military this summer and redirect their energies toward the business. The 27-year-olds created Rip Rap Brewing Company, which opened in April in an industrial area off 25th Street in Norfolk – thanks, in part, to a $13,000-plus Kickstarter campaign and a Craigslist rental posting. The brewery’s capacity is 50 people. In a quest for more room, Rip Rap recently received the city’s approval for partial use of the front sidewalk. Bell says he is trying to get additional space for customers behind the brewery. “On opening day we were pretty packed,” he says. “So some people had to wait outside (where you couldn’t drink at the time). They didn’t

LEFT to RIGHT: Owners Liam Bell and Ben McElroy

i

i n O l d e To w n e P o r t s m o u t h

Liam BeLL, owner

like that very much.” Rip Rap started with four taps: cream ale, Scotch ale, red IPA and saison. Within a month the beers were switched to wheat, stout, West Coast IPA and Belgian pale. Coming soon the brewery will offer a blonde, a red ale and a Cascadian dark. “We’ll rotate everything for a while, and if people keep asking for something, we’ll eventually make it part of a permanent lineup,” says Bell, Rip Rap’s brewmaster. The plan is to expand to at least eight taps in the near future. The cream ale, which Bell says was his most popular of the first batch, was smooth, summery and Kolsch-like. The Scotch ale was smooth as well, but heavier and fuller with a 7.8 ABV. The saison was not as memorable as others available locally. Rip Rap’s Fresnel red IPA, though, was a personal favorite. Bell happily admits he is a big hop-forward fan and the Fresnel – named for a lens in a lighthouse – was tasty. Bell says he and McElroy started homebrewing after transferring from a Coast Guard cutter to a land-based assignment. Using tanks repurposed by McElroy, they went with a three-tier, gravity-fed brewing system in McElroy’s garage. The two chose a historic lighthouse – the Thomas Point Shoal Light in northern Chesapeake Bay – for their logo. “Rip rap,” rocks used to armor shoreline structures against erosion became their name for several reasons. “Rip rap is a very nautical term and is it sounds cool,” Bell says. “This area has a lot of rip rap. And besides, with so many breweries out there it was hard to find a name that wasn’t taken.” Rip Rap is open Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 10 p.m. The drafts are in the $5-$6 range, with growlers going for $10 to $12. There is also some limited merchandise. Bell and McElroy also have hosted some local food trucks, among them Karnage Asada, Your Pie and Grilled Cheese Academy. In addition to more space for patrons, you can expect some expanded hours in the next two months, Bell says. “We also plan to get a distributor in 12 months or so,” he said. “We’ll get some bigger tanks and start pushing out more beer.” Rip Rap Brewing Company: 116 East 25th Street, Norfolk, Va. Hours: Thursday and Friday: 5-10 p.m.; Saturday: 12-10 p.m. The brewery is dog-friendly, and occasionally hosts food trucks. It sells growlers and there is an assortment of board games to choose from while you’re having a brew.

14 JULY AUGUST 2016

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gROWLIN’ aROUND with George Culver

HAVE A BEER EVENT? LET US KNOW!

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For the

love of beer pico Brew Want to make all the homebrewers jealous? Try the Pico Brew, which allows you to brew name brand beers on the counter at home. Each Pico brews one 5-liter mini keg at a time. Total brewing time takes 2 hours. The machine is Wi-Fi connected for automatic recipe download and brew-tracking. Included in the kit: • Pico brewing machine • User manual • One (1) brewing keg • One (1) dispensing keg • Brewing keg seal and keg lid • Dispensing keg plug • Transfer tube for transferring wort from brewing keg to dispensing keg • CO2 regulator attachment for dispensing keg • Cleaning tablets for deep cleaning It ain’t cheap. $999.

What’s jeramy biggie of commonWealth breWing co. DrinkinG | WatChinG | hearinG DrinKing: Abricot Du Fermier by Side Project Brewing, love Cory King’s barrel work!

Watching: I’m addicted to Peaky Blinders. Glad to see Alfie back in the new season. At the brewery, we call everyone “Auwfah”.

hearing: Gary Clark Jr vinyl. tOP: the brewers at Common Grounds Brewers Collaboration Festival, best beerfest so far this year! MiDDLe (L to r): Stevie and Geo having fun behind the bar at Commonwealth Brewing Co. Lewis Mosier and two Marine volunteers at the revolutionary Beer Festival. BOttOM: a great turn-out for this year’s O’Connoroo, a festival at O’Connor Brewing Co.

ArcticAn Koozies are for losers. You wanna really keep you beer cold, get an Arctican. It keeps 12-ounce beers cold with freezing your hands. Just freeze the cooling core and twist it on. $19.95

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cAn cooler sleeve Want to bring your beer without hauling a cooler? Check out the cooler sleeve. It costs $7.95 and comes in Royal Blue with a black trim

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Local crafts reign at the Whiskey Kitchen. We have Virginia Beach’s largest selection of local crafts on tap & local breweries serve up their latest creations during our Tap Takeovers. Drop in. Enjoy a pour and sample our gastropub eats. We’re locally brewed, grown and owned. TheWhiskeyKitchen.com

Our love of beer, it seems, is nothing new. Sure, the local craft beer scene has exploded the past several years. More than 15 breweries now call this region home, including O’Connor and Smartmouth brewing companies. But really the region has a long history with breweries, especially Norfolk. More than 80 years ago a newspaper photographer toured Southern Brewery (located at the corner of Church Street and Washington Avenue) in Norfolk. Southern Beer ran the advertisement featured in this photo collection April 26, 1934. Good taste is never out of style. Photos courtesy of The Sargeant Memorial Collection (The Norfolk Public Library).

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HoME BREw

M

aking ead at home

By paul lawson

Probably the oldest alcohol-based beverage, mead dates back to 9000 B.C. The popularity of this wine made from honey, water and yeast is on the upswing lately. Home brewers have embraced the style and created some interesting recipes.

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There are many varieties, but most meads fall into two categories: dry or sweet. Dry mead has a balance of sweetness, acidity and alcohol. The sweet varieties usually have dominant honey flavors and much fuller bodies. Think dessert wine. It used to take about two years to finish a batch, but with the introduction of yeast nutrients, you can produce one in three to four months. It’s an old-world style that has found a home in the new world. Buy local honey and enjoy.

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CheRRy ChOCOlAte MeAd A Sweet Mead

By Norm Strimel and Rob Stewart O.G. 1.138: S.G. 1.013: ABV 16.4% • 24 lbs of local blackberry honey • 4 lbs of dark sweet cherries (crushed & pressed) • 1 cup cocoa powder • Wyeast – Extreme Ferment (Wyeast 4347) • 4 teaspoons Super Ferment 22 JULY AUGUST 2016

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Dissolve honey in 5 gallons of water. add cocoa, bring to a simmer (not boil) and stir often to create “must.� add to primary fermenter. Crush and press cherries. add juice and cherry skins to primary fermenter. Top off to 6 gallons with water. add yeast and nutrient. Ferment in primary, stirring twice daily. after three to four weeks, transfer to secondary fermenter leaving behind sediment. sit for three months, then bottle.

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next Beer Scene BeeR the

Hampton roads

(requires a trip through the tunnel) By Robyn Sidersky I Photos by Jessica Shea

A cluster of characters – some on their second or third careers, some just savvy entrepreneurs – are finishing the job started years ago by St. George and Alewerks brewing companies: They’re giving Southside beer drinkers a reason to brave tunnel traffic.

R

ichmond, South Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains have established craft beer scenes over the past few years. Now the Peninsula is getting in on the action, with at least half a dozen breweries in various stages of opening in Hampton, Newport News, Fort Monroe and Williamsburg. Virginia Beer Company opened in Williamsburg in the spring and is already immensely popular. The brewery has two systems: one 30 barrels for its more popular beers, and a five-barrel system for one-offs, seasonals and experiments. Owners Chris Smith and Robby Willey are both graduates of the College of William & Mary. Opening in the college town made sense to them because of personal connections and an overall sense of community there. “We were checking out the places we didn’t have a connection to. There was no authenticity,” Smith said. “The reason a lot of people drink craft beer is because it’s authentic.” They both recently moved back to the area after pursuing other careers. It took a few years to find the right location, get funding, get the right permits, and overcome other obstacles. They had skills in finance and marketing, but they needed a professional brewer so they hired Jonathan Newman, an experienced brewmaster. In Newport News, Dan Powell is one of the five partners behind Tradition Brewing Company, which opened in late June. After being a corporate recruiter for 20 years, he needed a change. So he turned to his 25-year hobby. Tradition has a 20-barrel system, with a 6,000-square-foot brewing space (enough to grow into when it’s time to expand) and

a 4,000-square-foot tasting room, with a large rectangle wooden bar as its centerpiece. Through glass windows, customers can see the shiny tanks where the beer is made. Russ Tinsley is poised to open The Oozlefinch Craft Brewer in Fort Monroe by the end of the summer. The brewery, in the planning stages for three years, will have a historical feel because of its location on a recently active military installation with roots that go back centuries. Tinsley, a former undercover narcotics detective in Newport News, plans to weave stories – some true, some folklore – into the brewery through its beers. One example: the brewery’s name. There’s a story of a captain reportedly seeing a largeeyed, flight-challenged bird outside the Fort Monroe’s officer’s club. The mysterious creature became the mascot of the club. Officers dubbed the bird the Oozlefinch and made a statue of the funny bird on a shelf behind the bar. It became legend, and a fun drinking story. Oozlefinch will have a 15-barrel system, with a 5,000-square-foot tasting room, and plenty of room to grow. Hampton residents will have at least two homegrown breweries within their borders: Bull Island and The Vanguard brewing companies. Bull Island will be downtown, on the water. The 4,500-square-foot space used to be a spa and a dock master’s office. The brewery’s name comes from a nickname for Poquoson, where owner Doug Reier lives. He has hired a brewer from Great Basin Brewing, the largest and oldest brewery in Nevada. Down the road, Randy Thomas hopes to offer a different experience for craft beer fans

ABOVE: Like Commonwealth Brewing Company in Virginia Beach, and Smartmouth Brewing Company in Norfolk, Tradition Brewing features a large outdoor area for activities.

HRGROWLER.COM 27

Tradition has a 20-barrel system, with a 6,000-square-foot brewing space (enough to grow into when it’s time to expand) and a 4,000-square-foot tasting room, with a large rectangle wooden bar as its centerpiece. Through glass windows, customers can see the shiny tanks where the beer is made.

The Place for Every Pace

Come out and run with the Tidewater Striders at one of these great events: >> Tuesday Nights in July - SUMMER SERIES at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens

>> August 14th - STRIDER 10 MILER in Chesapeake >> Turkey Trot 10k and One Mile on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24th (sorry no beer, but we do have doughnuts!)

SUMMER HOURS

ABOVE [left to right]: Tradition Brewing Company owners Zack Wittkamp, Dan Powell, Andy Beale and Gray Bowditch (not shown - Marti Caldwell). LEFT: Tradition has a 20 barrel system, with a 6,000-square-foot brewing space and a 4,000-square-foot tasting room.

To find out more, go to tidewaterstriders.com

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at The Vanguard. In the 80-year-old Hampton Armory building, he plans to build a brewery, distillery, restaurant, and entertainment venue. Thomas’ construction company, Norfolk-based Spacemakers, Inc., built several Hampton Roads breweries, including Commonwealth, O’Connor and Tradition. When he couldn’t find a client for the armory building, Thomas decided to take a leap of faith and take on the project himself. Though he has brewing experience, he hired Conor Halfpenny to run his brewing and distilling operations. Halfpenny’s roots go back nearly 200 years in the beer business. Thomas wants the 14,000-square-foot space to be an artisan’s venue. It’s first and foremost a brewpub, but it also fills a need for an 800to 1,000-person entertainment venue. Thomas hopes to bring in local bands also spur other development in that area of Hampton. He says his brewery likely won’t open until Labor Day 2017. The next logical step – after the breweries all open – is for someone to create a Peninsula Beer Trail, connecting them.

28 JULY AUGUST 2016

Featuring beer from local craft breweries!

WED. 5-9 • THURS 5-9 • FRI. 4-10 • SAT. 12-10 • SUN. 12-6 2409 BOWDENS FERRY ROAD, NORFOLK, VA 23508

28 taps

Alwayss offering ng a local al andd seasonal sselection.

Newport News 621 J Clyde Morris Blvd Newport News, VA 23601

(757) 827-0600

36 taps Fe Featuring the bbest aassor assortment of AAmerican m microbrews.

Hampton Yorktown 26 E Mercury Blvd 1215 George Washington Mem. Hwy. Hampton, VA 23669 Yorktown, VA 23693

(757) 723-0600

(757) 591-0600

Welcome to 1608 We offer an extensive extensive craft craft beer beer selection focusing focusing on on local local and and regional offerings offerings along along with with aa variety of small batch batch bourbons bourbons and whiskeys. To satisfy your appetite, appetite, 1608 1608 offers offers a menu built with with sustainable, sustainable, local local products from the the Chesapeake Chesapeake Bay Bay // Mid Atlantic region. region.

BrEWEriEs OpEn Or sOOn TO BE OpEn On ThE pEninsulA: Alewerks

197 Ewell Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23188 (757) 220-3670 I alewerks.com

St. George

204 Challenger Way, Hampton, VA 23666 (757) 865-7781 I stgbeer.com

Virginia Beer Company 401 2nd St, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (757) 378-2903 I virginiabeerco.com

Brass Cannon

5476 Mooretown Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23188 (757) 566-0001 I brasscannonbrewing.com

Oozlefinch

(Coming Soon) 81 Patch Rd, Hampton, VA 23651 oozlefinchbeers.com

Tradition

(Coming Soon) 700 Thimble Shoals Blvd, Newport News, VA 23606 (757) 303-3415 I traditionbrewing.com Hours: Mon - Thurs 3pm - 10pm • Friday 3pm 3pm -- 11pm 11pm Saturday 12pm - 11pm • Sunday 10am -- 7pm 7pm

1608 Pleasure House Rd. #103 Virginia Beach, VA 23455

(757) 965-4510

The Vanguard

(Coming Soon) 504 North King Street, Hampton, VA 23669

Bull Island

(Coming Soon) 758 Settlers Landing Rd, Hampton, VA 23669 (757) 788-9489 I bullislandbrewing.com ABOVE: The Virginia Beer Company opened in Williamsburg this spring and has already become quite popular.

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* Special previews at The American Theatre in Hampton on Saturday July 16. For tickets and info please call: 757-722-2787

The Hurrah Players, Inc., a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, is funded in-part by: The National Endowment for the Arts; The Virginia Commission for the Arts; Norfolk Arts and The Business Consortium for Arts Support.

Craft on Draft at Harbor Park

Only $59 a person and just 12 spots!

Sometimes it Pays to

Be a Joiner By Pete Newell I Photos by EJ Toudt

Here’s how it goes: A craft beer enthusiast buys a homebrew kit, and immediately catches the bug. He brews for friends and neighbors, before entering (and winning) several homebrew competitions. 34 JULY AUGUST 2016

Next step? Open a brewery, of course. OK, so maybe that’s an idealized version, but odds are your favorite local brewery can trace its roots back to a similar story. And the one thing that can make this process easier and more fun is if the neophyte brewer has the foresight to join a homebrew club. While most homebrewers do not make the leap from bottling in the garage to opening a business, many find homebrewing a rewarding, and oftentimes addictive, hobby. However, challenges can often outnumber rewards early on. Homebrewing takes precision, patience and discipline. Newcomers can be confused or overwhelmed.

ABOVE: Hampton Roads Brewing and Tasting Society

Featured Venuntesat: Winston’s Cottage

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BEER ACADEMY TOUR

Tautog’s Restaura s and Curated Provision Esoteric Craft Beer et Inl e de Ru at nt Rockafeller’s Restaura i Saloon Restaurant and Sush Mahi Mah’s Seafood

4-STOP TOUR IN OUR EXECUTIVE COACH!

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23 6PM-9PM

Pairing Local Brews with Coastal VA Seafood with guest aficionado, Chef/Author Patrick Evans-Hylton.

www.obbrewing.com 252-449-BREW Contact 757-340-8687 or TasteTidewater.com to purchase tickets.

Want to see how your brew stacks up against everyone else’s; home brew clubs often hold competitions.

Homebrew clubs are typically local organizations that aid, educate and enhance the homebrew experience. Most charge a nominal annual membership fee, but the return on investment can be enormous. Meetings allow members to mingle with other homebrewers and learn from their wealth of knowledge. At these meetings, the young brewer can discover tricks, shortcuts and pitfalls without having to spend years making common mistakes. Beers of all varieties are brewed at meetings, exposing members to unfamiliar styles. Going through the process with brewing veterans gives novices the confidence to try new things. Brew club members typically relish sharing their know-how. Spend any time with a homebrewer, and you’ll quickly find they enjoy talking about beer almost as much as they enjoy brewing and drinking it. Sampling other members’ batches allows for instant feedback from knowledgeable beer drinkers. Members are able to refine their palates and take steps toward improving their own beer. Want to see how your brew stacks up against everyone else’s; home brew clubs often hold competitions. Whether you’re competing or simply judging, the experience can be enlightening. Being a member also can be practical. Having contacts within your local brewing community can be helpful when needing certain ingredients for your recipe. Clubs often order supplies and ingredients in bulk, affording its members discounts not available when buying for one. But the greatest benefit to joining a homebrew club is probably the camaraderie. You make friends, share beer, swap stories and just have a good time. Connections are made, and a hobby becomes a way of life. What more could you want from a club?

Interested In joInIng a home brew organIzatIon? here are some In the area. • Colonial Ale Smiths and Keggers (CASK) • Seven Cities Brewers • Hampton Roads Brewing and Tasting Society (HRBTS) • Smithfield Hops And Malts Society (Smithfield HAMS) • James River Home Brewers (JRHB) • American Homebrewers Association (AHA) • Outer Banks Home Brew Club

Will Walker, Hampton Roads Brewing and Tasting Society

Newly expanded cafe! handcrafted coffee • over 30 craft beers • fresh eats weekend brunch • live music • beautiful historic views

cure coffeehouse and brasserie 503 Botetourt Street, Norfolk curenorfolk.com • 757-321-0044

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Your Craft Beer Adventure Awaits! Check out our event listings and Virginia Beer Trail map on HRGrowler.com to start planning your summer craft beer adventure today! Have a craft beer related event you’d like to add to our list? Email us at hrgrowler@gmail.com. H A M P T O N

R O A D S

BREW VIEW

Anchor SteAm

Glutiny

AppeArAnce:

This classic pours an amber color with golden highlights. The cream-colored head is persistent.

AppeArAnce: Pours a pale straw yellow, with

AromA: Faintly sweet with hints of syrup, malt,

AromA: Slightly sweet with notes of honey, citrus, and a hint of lemongrass.

TAsTe: Overall this is a well-balanced beer; it has

TAsTe: Notes of lemon, cream, and cereal. mouThfeel: Soft and smooth with a low car-

Anchor Brewing compAny cAliforniA common | ABV: 4.9%

resin, and honey.

a maltiness that gives way to a bitter aftertaste.

mouThfeel: Smooth but with a bit of a carbon-

ation bite.

DrinkABiliTy: This is a classic example of the California Common/Steam Beer Style, if not the first. It is definitely one to try for its historical influence on the craft beer market.

By MalIa Paasch

fooD pAiring: Ribs or Manchego cheese.

ABCs of Ordering Beer A

sking for a beer seems a simple enough process, but what happens if you just don’t know what you like? This happens more often than you might think. Craft beer’s growing popularity has led to more people trying it; not all of them are even remotely aware of what they want. The key is understanding flavors and being aware of the ones you like. I’ve heard some crazy descriptions: types of candy, exotic seasonings, nail polish remover, vinegar, and even dirt. But don’t be shy. Anything can help give the bartender a starting point to your palate. Here are a few of the most common scenarios my staff and I encounter when we’re trying to find someone their perfect beer. Scenario 1: You tell the bartender you like (or dislike) hoppy beers. Most beers have hops, but that doesn’t mean all

38 JULY AUGUST 2016

new Belgium golDen Ale | ABV: 5.2% golden highlights and an excellent clarity. Its bright white head quickly diminishes.

bonation

DrinkABiliTy: This beer may be an option for gluten-intolerant craft beer lovers. New Belgium uses a technique that reduces the gluten, so it is not entirely gluten-free, but it’s close. fooD pAiring:

Thai Curry or Vermont Butter and Creamy Cremont cheese.

Options for the

beers taste like an India Pale Ale. There are 124 named hop varieties and each has its own special flavor. There are hop varieties that aren’t even bitter. If you like hops, tell the bartender what other IPAs you like. This provides a clue as to what kind of hops you already enjoy. Common hop descriptors in IPA include pine, spruce, grapefruit, and citrus. Otherwise, explain why you don’t like hoppy beers. Is it because the hops are bitter or is it the aftertaste? It could be that you enjoy fruity hops and not the piney ones. Scenario 2: You ask the bartender for something light. Do you mean light in color? Light in alcohol, or body? Does that mean tart or are you looking for a wheat beer? A diehard IPA fan might consider a 7 percent IPA to be light,

end of Summer

while others are looking for a more traditional interpretation and want a pilsner. Again, the simplest way is to give an example of a beer you like, even if it isn’t a craft beer.

hennepin

SeA to SeA

AppeArAnce: Pours a hazy light yellow with orange highlights. The ivory-colored head is fluffy and persistent.

AppeArAnce: From the sea-green can, this beer pours a pale hazy yellow with a bright white head. It is a Zwickelbier, which is an unfiltered lager.

Brewery ommegAng sAison | ABV: 7.5%

Scenario 3: You don’t really like beer. It’s not often you’ll find yourself in a position where a bar doesn’t have alternatives to beer, but in some cases it does happen. Tell the bartender what alcoholic drinks you like. If you like margaritas, you might like something crisp, slightly tart, and a bit fruity. A red wine drinker might enjoy a mild sour beer. White wine lovers usually like a witbier or Belgian tripel. Of course the best way to learn more about beer is to drink some. But don’t be shy about chatting up a knowledgeable bartender. You never know what you might discover.

AromA: It smells like orange sherbet. TAsTe: A full tropical fruit basket with

hints of mandarin oranges, pineapple, and banana. It also has that distinct Belgian bite that saisons are known for.

mouThfeel: High carbonation that lingers on

the tongue.

DrinkABiliTy:

Although this beer may sound like it is super fruity, it is well-balanced and not too sweet.

fooD pAiring: ster XO Gouda.

Photo by chrystal culbert

All beers on this page available locally.

Orange creamsicle or Beem-

green flAsh Brewery ZwickleBier | ABV: 4.0%

AromA: A bit floral with hints of sweet grain. TAsTe: This tastes like the perfect beach beer. It is refreshing with a hoppy bitterness in the finish.

mouThfeel: Medium body and medium carbonation hold up the can’s statement that this beer is “crisp.” DrinkABiliTy: This brand new offering (celebrating Green Flash’s San Diego/Virginia Beach connection) certainly makes my Top 10 Summer Beers list. fooD pAiring:

Salty snack foods on the beach or a robust vintage cheddar.

HRGROWLER.COM 39

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