DEC/JAN 2019/20
we crushed 2019.
what’s on tap for 2020? RAUCH BEERS | BOLD MARINER | ASLIN VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM IRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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PUBLISHER/EDITOR
ingredients 8 News Briefs 12 2020 Craft Beer Forecast 16 Pretty Ugly Distribution 20 Rauchbiers Made in VA 22 A Christmas Tree with That Beer? 26 Mug Shots 28 Profile: Bold Mariner 32 Profile: Vibrant Shore 34 Profile: Aslin 36 Profile: Final Gravity 37 Profile: Tap 29 38 Brew Reviews 40 Events Listings 46 Brewery/Cidery Guide
Jeff Maisey jeffmaisey@yahoo.com ADVERTISING/MARKETING Jennifer McDonald Brian Koski CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brenda Mihalko CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Diane Catanzaro Jefferson Evans Lee Graves Sam Hedenberg Greg Kitsock Chris Jones Wade Reynolds Jim Roberts Mark Thompson Annie Tobey Chuck Triplett WEBMASTER Giorgio Valentini Copyright 2019 Ghent Media, Inc. Virginia Craft Beer Magazine is published bi-monthly by Ghent Media, Inc. PO Box 11147 Norfolk, VA 23517 For advertising and subscription inquiries: 757.403.5852 jennifer.mcdonald@hotmail.com For editorial inquiries: 757.237.2762
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publisher’s NOTE In December of 1981, I was a freshman in college — Old Dominion University. The legal drinking age was 18 in the Commonwealth of Virginia, but finding a quality beer to enjoy during the holiday season was akin to searching for the Holy Grail in southeastern Virginia. Luckily, there was one beer oasis — the Pottery Factory — on the outskirts of Williamsburg. American craft beer was a long ago memory for the most part. Rebirth craft brands like Pete’s Wicked Ale and Boston Beer Company (makers of Samuel Adams) were still a few years in the future. The Pottery Factory had expanded its number of buildings and one of the new additions housed gourmet food, wines and beers from around the world. A plethora of beer bottles were organized by country of origin. I had no idea what any of these tasted like, so I’d gather a variety of different styles from mostly European sources. There was everything imaginable from Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout and Old Peculiar to Weihenstaphaner Hefe Weissbier and Pilsner Urquell. Admittedly, I purchased a four-pack of Ayinger’s Celebrator Dopplebock because of the plastic white goat roped around each bottle. It didn’t disappoint. I wondered why there were so few American-made options of equal quality. I could read the beer labels and learn some of the Euro brews originated long before the US was a country. Those were pre-internet days, mind you. I still love those traditional beers that got me through my college years and well into the 1990s, but I’m awfully delighted the past decade yielded the craft beer revolution in America, particularly in Virginia and my hometown of Norfolk. As we look ahead to 2020, our maturing and evolving beer community remains vibrant, positively inspiring and innovative. I encourage each of you to support your independent craft brewery friends this holiday season. Be safe on the roads! Happy — and hoppy — New Year! Jeff Maisey Publisher/Editor VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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brewNEWS
ALL SMILES AT CHAMPION: J.R. Hadley and Hunter Smith
Champion Adds Development Director Compiled by Staff
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hampion Brewing Company announced that J.R. Hadley has joined Champion as its first Director of Development. Hadley made a name for himself in Charlottesville as the founder of Boylan Heights Burger Bar, a popular restaurant on The Corner near the University of Virginia. He sold the restaurant earlier this year and will now be operating the newly formed Champion Restaurant Group to develop projects such as Champion Grill, opening in The Shops at Stonefield in November 2019, Camp Champion, and Champion Lynchburg in 2020. Champion Grill will be a full-service restaurant and sports bar; Camp Champion will
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be an outdoor venue, restaurant and bar with a summer camp vibe; and a Champion taproom is in the works for Lynchburg, Virginia. “We’ve seen the incredible growth of the Champion brand in our first seven years of business. Now that we’re distributing to thirteen states and have several restaurants in the works, it’s time for Champion to expand our team to reach the next stratosphere,” said Champion CEO Hunter Smith. “We’re thrilled to have J.R. on board. He’s the perfect fit for our vision of the future.”
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brewNEWS l briefs
Starr Hill to Open in Lynchburg in early 2020 Starr Hill Brewery will open a new location in downtown Lynchburg in early 2020. Starr Hill on Main will be located at 1300 Main Street. Just one block from the Community Market and easy access to the Bluffwalk, the brewery is centrally located in Historic Downtown. The brewery and taproom will lease nearly 4,000 total square feet, housing a 5-barrel brewing system. Beers brewed on-site will feature local collaborations as well as unique brews only available in the Lynchburg location. The taproom area will have an open-concept seating layout that will incorporate a brewhouse lounge area and traditional bar seating. Starr Hill will also propose an outdoor seating area that will create a vibrant urban atmosphere, extending the comfortable indoor space. “We believe in the vision for Downtown Lynchburg and that Main Street is the right location for our pilot brewery and taproom. This community’s enthusiasm to work together to create a vibrant and dynamic city is fantastic,” says Brewmaster Robbie O’Cain. “We are anxious to begin brewing in Downtown Lynchburg and will showcase exclusive beers for the Hill City as well as our expansive beer lineup from our other outposts.” “We are so pleased to welcome Starr Hill to Downtown Lynchburg,” says Downtown Lynchburg Association Executive Director Ashley Kershner. “This brewery will be a new and exciting attraction for locals and visitors alike, helping to further solidify Downtown Lynchburg as a destination. Starr Hill has also shown themselves to be an excellent community partner in all of their brewery locations, and we look forward to the impact they will have on our city.”
Sell The Team How bad are the Washington Redskins this football season? Horrible enough to inspire Harpers Ferry Brewing to release Sell The Team IPA, a 9.5% ABV bitter brew demanding team owner Daniel Snyder to give up the once competitive sports franchise. - 10 -
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thirteen
Medals in Denver Compiled by Staff
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reweries from the Commonwealth of Virginia won 13 medals in the 2019 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. Crozet-based Starr Hill Brewery was the state’s top performer with a gold medal for its Jomo Lager and a bronze for Festie, a German-style Marzen. Our 2019 Virginia medalists are:
Gold
Bronze
STARR HILL BREWERY (Crozet) Jomo, Vienna-style Lager Category
BULL ISLAND BREWING CO (Hampton) Oyster Jalapeno Porter, Chili Beer Category
BEAR CHASE BREWING CO (Bluemont) Oktoberfest, German-style Marzen PORT CITY BREWING CO (Alexandria) German Pilsner, Kellerbier Category
Silver PRECARIOUS BEER PROJECT BEER HALL (Williamsburg) Leicht, Pro-Am Comp LOST RHINO (Ashburn) Shooter McMunn’s, Classic Irish-style Dry Stout Category BINGO BEER CO, (RVA) Black Lager, German-style Dark Lager Category
6 BEARS & A GOAT BREWING CO (Fredericksburg) O’Dark Thirty, Classic Irish Dry Stout Category THE VANGUARD (Hampton) Red Ale, Extra Special Bitter Category STARR HILL PILOT BREWERY (Crozet) Festie, German-style Marzen Category HARDYWOOD WEST CREEK (RVA) Pils, German-style Pilsener Category PALE FIRE BREWING CO (Harrisonburg) “Red Molly Irish Red, Irish-style Red Ale Category DEVILS BACKBONE (Roseland) Eis Vienne, German-style Doppelbock Category
20 Years of New River Pale Ale Two decades ago, Blacksburg home brewer Kenny Lefkowitz developed a tasty recipe for a beer he called New River Pale Ale, pitching it to the then independent Old Dominion Brewing Co in Ashburn to produce as a contract product. It won a bronze medal in the 2000 Great American Beer Festival, shortly before Lefkowitz passed away, in 2003, and Old Dominion was sold to AB-Inbev and moved to Delaware in 2007. With the recipe’s brewing rights up for bid, the surviving Lefkowitz family members granted Lost Rhino Brewing Company permission to bring New River back to life in 2011. As pop star Prince once sang, “…party like it’s 1999.”
VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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brewNEWS l looking ahead
2020 Vision By Jeff Maisey
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t has become an annual tradition where we sit down with Brett Vassey, President & CEO of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild and Virginia Manufacturers Association, to get his knowledgeable insights and analysis of the current year and the upcoming 12 months of the Commonwealth’s independent craft beer industry. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation. VCB: Looking back at 2019, what were the key accomplishments of Virginia’s craft beer industry and the Guild? Brett Vassey: From the industry overall, despite some of the conversation about the industry’s saturation, we continue to grow. Virginia continued to add breweries; more on the nano variety. Barrelage continued to increase as well. We don’t know the exact data yet. The data from the BA (Brewers Association) will come out toward the end of the year. We currently rank 19th in breweries per capita. Our goal by 2020 was to be in the top 10. We think we’ll be near number 12. For us, that’s pretty exciting, just continuing to see the growth despite folks being concerned about saturation nationwide. It is getting harder though. There’s no question. We see, particularly in the Richmond market, Hampton Roads market, there’s a lot of competition intra-industry and then, also from out of state. That’s something we’re watching for in 2020 and beyond. We still have 20 to 30 jurisdictions without craft beer within a 30-mile radius. We still have some opportunities around the state. As far as the Guild, we continue to grow the resources of the Guild to not only cooperate with the BA, but also to be able to develop more of our own resources for members to help them grow and compete. - 12 -
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One of the things we do that we think really helps distinguish true independent craft beer in the marketplace is the Virginia Craft Beer Cup. We’re, quite frankly, just incredibly proud we are one of the only guilds in the entire United States that runs such a competition. We have near double-digit growth in participation and it gets more sophisticated every year. This year, we were able to take the next step in improving knowledge in the marketplace of these great products, in particular these winning breweries and beers, by starting the Virginia Craft Beer Gala. The Gala was our very first attempt to mimic the GABF (Great American Beer Festival) at the state level. It was a raging success. And, Jeff, largely to you all thank you so much for being our media partner in
that because the aftermath of that and the distribution of the video (by Diecast Media) has gotten so much attention. Our national organization looked at that as a model. We are going to continue to grow the Gala and continue to grow the Cup. That is the centerpiece of us helping our members distinguish the products in the marketplace. The second thing we’re really proud of is we’re trying to improve grassroots advocacy and awareness of all of the political change going on that’s making folks nervous. Is craft beer still going to have the same cache in the political environment that it’s had in the past nine years? What we’ve started is a “Be a Brewer for a Day” program. We had our first event at Trapezium. It was a great success. We’re actually going to present our program at the national guild’s
New Realm Brewing Co won the 2019 Virginia Craft Brewers Cup. Photo by Maisey
conference. We hope it is going to be featured in the national magazine as a best practice. It’s how we coach members how to bring-in leaders and show them what it means to be a brewer. Just the regulatory compliance alone baffles people as to how much you have to invest both in terms of capital to make beer and government compliance to produce and distribute beer. Legislatively, we have about a dozen legislative and regulatory issues pressing on the industry that we’ve invested an inordinate amount of time into. Most notable, we have successfully negotiated with the ABC and a large coalition of stakeholders in the alcohol industry for the complete reformation and restructuring of all permit fees and licenses at the ABC. That will be the principle bill we work on in the next General Assembly session. It took over a year and we made it through with no increases in fees and hopefully an improvement in the process and in service. That rarely happens in government. VCB: You mentioned the Gala and Cup competition, do you have a date and location for 2020? BV: We’re still going to do it in June. That’s the date that works best. It gives us the chance to hold the judging in late April, early May and then be ready for the Gala in June. It will be a Richmond location. We try to be within a couple of hours of every member. Richmond is the preferred location for our members. VCB: The Guild has produced a festival in the past to showcase the winning beers.You have considered multiple regional festivals as well. Where is the Guild’s thinking on a promotional festival? BV: Where we are now is we have spent the better part of a year surveying members, working through our marketing and tourism committee…the sense is the large beer festival market is so saturated and, quite frankly, are not profitable for the most part. Our future plan is to rather than have one festival, we’re leaning toward having a series of regional events that are unique, different than anything else going on, and that are colocated with another activity. For instance, this year we added the Virginia International Raceway. That was co-located with a qualifying race program. We have had a partnership with the State Fair for years. That doubled in attendance this year. That has worked for us very well. That’s the model we are most comfortable pursuing — to work with partners where there’s a mutual benefit and spread the fest into multiple events around the state because everything’s becoming hyper regional. The majority of our members do not distribute their beer so they are market specific. It makes more sense for us to highlight the beers in the regions where they are produced and where their taprooms are. cont'd VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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VCB: Do you see satellite locations continuing as breweries seek to expand their brand identity into other markets across the Commonwealth? BV: We actually see the expansion brewery model continuing into the future because it is the principle way that…if you want to go from a small brewery to medium sized brewery that is the way you can grow the fastest. Then, you have the large breweries like Starr Hill. It’s just a reinvention of their business model. They’re primarily a distribution brewery. So they’re returning to their roots by coming back to an entertainment-style facility with a concert hall and a rooftop deck. It’s amazing.
founders and the core of our leadership, particularly around our Cup competition. That one really did surprise folks. It resonated broadly and had folks really rethinking, do we have the best business model? Let’s tighten things up and be as lean as possible. He had a very complicated business model. He was a brewpub, but he also distributed and then two years ago, invested in a taproom in Washington, DC. The District can have taprooms. You don’t have to have a brewery co-located with your retail. You can just setup, basically, a bar and ship your beer in and sell it. He did setup a taproom and that didn’t work. Bill always pushed the envelope in making great beer. If you have a really good business plan, have a great tasting room and constantly making new beer and attracting new customers and you understand your tourism and your entertainment function — that’s now part of brewing — small breweries are going to be okay. For distributed beers, it’s getting harder and harder to break through because there’s only so much shelf space and taps. Those folks are in a hyper competitive market. It’s getting tougher. VCB: Brothers Craft Brewing seemed to really engage with the Harrisonburg Downtown Council to expand the visibility of its Resolute Weekend. Restaurants and retailers were approached as extended participants. Do you see this approach as a model for the future in small downtowns?
Brothers Craft Brewing’s Resolute Weekend is a model of excellence. Photo courtesy of the brewery.
BV: We do. Over 70% of our members have a relationship, on some level, with their local restaurants. It’s actually part of our orientation we share with every new member. We talk about it in our marketing and tourism committees — how important it is to have some relations with your local retailers and help them understand your business model and how you can both succeed. Brothers is one of the best examples. Those guys make great beer; they’re award-winners and are collaborative. They really do understand in that town how to win hearts and minds and build friendships. We’re incredibly proud of what they’ve done. VCB:What’s ahead in 2020 for the Virginia craft beer industry?
VCB: Just a few years ago large brewing conglomerates were acquiring successful regional craft breweries such as Wicked Weed and Devils Backbone to add to their portfolio of beverages and give them a footprint in the craft beer market. The Brewers Association and independent breweries refer to them as “crafty” brands. Do you think this strategy has plateaued?
BV: The one thing I’ve learned with this industry is there’s going to be a new business model pop up every couple of years that challenges the status quo. The trend seems to be (breweries) wanting to have additional malt beverages on tap in the tasting rooms. There seems to be an interest in multiple alcohol products. We have members that are looking at manufacturing wine, seltzers and ciders to broaden their appeal to their customer base. BV: I think it is always possible the multinational brewers will That certainly is a trend that will continue. look at acquisition as a way to grow. That’s just their normal We definitely are going to see the growth in nano breweries. business model. I don’t think that’s going to change. As far as the scale and intensity, it does seem to have slowed down. They are less than 3,000 barrels in production. We think that is the future for startups. We’ll almost see those exclusively. VCB: This year we had some surprise brewery closures with We’re starting to see renewed interest in Bristol and Danville. Mad Fox being the big shocker. Is that a troubling trend or do We’re probably going to see more of our members reaching out you see these as more isolated and situational incidents? to have small breweries, or nanos, in more rural jurisdictions where there really is not much craft beer. BV: As this industry matures, there’s always going to be some The third trend we’re going to see is a pretty rapid expansion shakeout. That’s just normal. In any industry, in any market, there’s of independent distribution. They’re serving an important niche going to be some attrition. in the market for the very small, specialized brewers that are just The Mad Fox scenario is heartbreaking for us because Bill looking for a handful of local retail relationships. (Madden) was a founder of the Guild. He was one of our 11 - 14 -
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brewNEWS l distribution
Aaron Childers has her Pretty Ugly Distribution riding high
Pretty Ugly Gets It Done for Small Breweries By Jeff Maisey
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ith so many breweries operating across the USA, one of the biggest challenges is getting products to market beyond the tasting room. Startup breweries seeking to produce small amounts of beer are not appealing to large distributors whose business it is to satisfy retail and grocery store chains and the vast number of restaurant accounts they possess. Many small breweries first sought to brew limited production unique beers along with a few core brews to serve locals visiting their tasting room. As most breweries soon discover, demand is greater than expected and requests to have a Benchtop NE IPA or Big Ugly Blonde on tap at a local restaurant begin to be heard. Such was the case for Chesapeake’s first brewery, Big Ugly Brewing Company. Big Ugly owners Jim Lantry and Shawn Childers upsized their home-brew hobby to a micro brewery and designed an attractive tasting room themed with vintage - 16 -
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car, truck and motorcycle parts. They shifted gears after winning several awards and as demand grew. They also had to rethink their options for distribution. Aaron Childers — Shawn’s wife — stepped up with the idea of forming a separate company and Pretty Ugly Distribution was born. Her list of clients quickly expanded from just distributing Big Ugly beers and today includes Benchtop, Bull Island, MoMac, Rip Rap, Elation, Trapezium, Intermission, Isley, Castleburg, Capstan, Blue Toad Cider, Moonlight Meadery, Caiseal, Oozlefinch, and Precarious Beer Project on the Southside of Hampton Roads and adds Young Veterans to the list for the Peninsula. She also gets the beers of Wasserhund, Young Veterans and Bold Mariner to Richmond, and plans to expand to the Outer Banks next year. I recently caught up with Aaron Childers to learn more about Pretty Ugly’s success.
What was Big Ugly Brewing Company’s original business plan regarding distribution? We originally figured the majority of our beer would be sold through the taproom. One of our concerns with distribution is that we knew we wouldn’t be able to give 50 kegs out to a big distributor, but we still wanted to be able to put beer in a couple of our friends’ restaurants. When did Big Ugly get to the stage where it wanted to more widely distribute its beers? How did the idea for Pretty Ugly Distribution come to fruition? Before we had all of the documentation taken care of with the brewery, we really started to look at this and realize there was an option; that if my husband was one of the brewery owners then I could own a distribution company as long as those lines were very separate. We initially thought that would be a great short-term measure. Once we started doing that and talking with other breweries, we realized this was a really good plan and allowed us to manage our inventory and have control over where the product went. Did you reach out to other regional breweries to see if they wanted distribution or did they come to you? My husband was the one once we decided this was the direction we wanted to go, he said, “You know, I bet there are other breweries that would be interested in having you distribute their products.” At first, I started approaching some who were very interested. Some already had some larger distribution and wanted to try something a little different in a different territory. Now, it has changed into a scenario where a lot of folks approach me, which is really nice because I don’t have to chase it as much and it’s more collaborative. Large breweries seem to be in favor of the three-tier system and smaller breweries much more pessimistic. As a small distribution company, what is your view of the system requiring breweries to use a go-between business to get product to market beyond the tasting room? As with breweries, I would say it all depends on your business model. We’ve had people come into Big Ugly and say, “Oh, your beer compared to this other person’s beer…” I say you have to understand we have a completely different business model. We are much smaller, so we are going to brew things differently. We’re going to be able to do things a little differently. It’s the same thing with distribution. For some breweries, it’s a great thing to say here’s ten pallets of our product, go distribute it. They’re able to get their return on that investment, For some breweries, they want to put out six sixtels of this one beer and this is where they would prefer it go. It’s just two different business models. With your business model, when you go into a restaurant and there are x-number of tap-handles with beer brands from large distributors with long-term experience and relationships, how do you as a small, independent distributor convince a bar to add a tap for, say, MoMac or Bull Island, at the expense of another company losing that tap space?
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There are opportunities that some of the bigger distributors have and relationships that have been in place for probably decades that are harder to get into as a smaller distributor, but we are slowly and surely getting into those places. We just got into Wegman’s. We’re working on Kroger and the other grocery store chains. What we have found is that a lot of those stores are reaching out to us. They want to get our product in. They’ve heard of certain breweries. For example, Blue Toad. Their previous distributor had them in Wegman’s, and they (Wegman’s) said, “We really want to keep this product in.” Now we are able to do that. We’re fortunate in that we have some great products and great companies producing great products, and so these store and restaurants are wanting those products on their shelves and on their taps. Our goal isn’t to go in there and take 10 taps. Our goal is to say, “Hey, try this. If you like it, then put it on.” Are there particular brewery brands that move very well for you or is it more about beer styles like IPAs or seasonal beers? It’s very different across the board. I’ve gone to meetings where people will ask what the restaurants want. I have some breweries who are packaged (cans/bottles) heavily and that’s been fun. Of course, most of the smaller breweries don’t have a lot of package. It has been nice that breweries are growing into that. Some breweries have come out of the door running. MoMac is a great example. They opened and started with a sales rep. They just took off. Other breweries have just an amazing reputation and as soon as we announce their stuff is available people jump on it. There’s definitely a market for core beers. We can also put out smaller batches of unique beers. There are restaurants and bars who want to have a continuously rotating line and we fit that niche really well. In most cases, a brewery is bound by contractual agreement to a large distributor for life. This is in part because distributors invest significant time, resources and expertise into developing a brewery’s brand. How does this relationship work with a smaller distributor like Pretty Ugly? The contract is built so there are scheduled opportunities to say, hey, how are things going? If things are going well it just continues. I would say it’s kind of a gentleman’s agreement, which is, of course, funny because I’m not a man. I view it very much as just a collaborative partnership. I’m not looking to lock anybody in to something they’re miserable with. Fortunately, everybody’s been pretty happy thus far. As a woman owner in the beer supply industry, do you bring a different perspective than your husband would have? Do you see yourself as a role model to women who may want to be part of the beer industry but not necessarily as a brewer? Probably more so than I realize. I don’t think about it much, but I’ve definitely had other women comment on breaking into that market. For the first year and a half, I did all the deliveries myself. I did everything, which was funny because people would see me come in the backdoor carrying kegs. They were, like, “Oh my gosh.” I said, “It’s okay. I do this every day.” - 18 -
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brewNEWS
Port City’s Rauch Märzen. Photo courtesy of Port City.
Smoke Gets in Your Mug: Rauch Brewing in Virginia By Greg Kitsock
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auchbier – it’s an acquired taste. But, it’s one well worth acquiring. German for “smoked beer,” Rauchbier is a throwback to an age when malt was dried over an open flame, getting slightly singed in the process. Bamberg, a city of 75,000 in upper Bavaria, has preserved this tradition in its beechwood-smoked lagers. The first impression is an unmistakable whiff of bacon or summer sausage. After a few sips, the smoked-meat flavor subsides somewhat and gives way to a rich, toasty maltiness. Rauchbiers complement a wide variety of foods. They pair well with barbecue (naturally!), sharp cheeses, Chinese and Mexican cuisine, even your basic hamburger. They’d probably go down well with s’mores around a roaring campfire. “Given a chance, it becomes deliciously compelling, and finally, with food, it comes to seem like a necessity,” writes Garrett Oliver of the style in his book The Brewmaster’s Table. Sadly, most drinkers never get past the initial palate shock. That’s why Rauchbier is a minority style even in its hometown (only two of Bamberg’s 11 breweries make it regularly), and a rarity here. - 20 -
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Imagine my surprise then to discover two first-rate, Virginiabrewed examples a couple booths apart at the Shucktoberfest held October 19 in Arlington. Rauch Märzen, from Port City Brewing Co. in Alexandria, was the work of a head brewer who’s quaffed this quirky smoked beer at the source. When he attended the Nuremberg’s BrauBeviale conference in November 2018, Jonathan Reeves took a side trip to Bamberg. He describes the city as less cosmopolitan than the metropolises of Munich or Frankfurt: “Most people there didn’t speak English, and they didn’t use credit cards. Luckily, I had a lot of euros.” Reeves recalls draining a few half-liter mugs at the Schlenkerla brewpub, where he was welcomed by a taproom manager who “looked like Otto von Bismarck.” The brewpub is run by the Brauerei Heller-Trum, whose product line contains some of the archetypal examples of the style. For his own version, Reeves used a malt bill consisting twothirds of a pale smoked malt that he obtained from Weyermann Maltings in Bamberg. Cara-Munich and Munich dark malts added color and body to this 5.2% lager. He brewed thirty
barrels as part of a rotating series of draft-only lagers; the last kegs were shipped the week before Halloween. “We used to have a salesperson who hated it; he called it ‘hot dog water,’” laughs Reeves, “but this year, it sold quickly.” Trent Wiegers, head brewer for Spencer Devon Brewing Co. in Fredericksburg, has never visited Bamberg. But during his student days at Missouri State University, he frequented a wellstocked bottle shop that sold Schlenkerla beer. He named his own attempt Feurerstella, German dialect for “fireplace.” But “I didn’t want an acrid, ashy flavor,” he quickly added, so he limited the smoked malt (a restrained variety, obtained from BestMalz in Heidelberg) to 10%, supplemented by Pilsen and Munich malts. Because it was his first attempt at a Rauchbier, Wiegers brewed only five barrels. As of late October, he estimated that it might linger for another month. “German styles are not at the forefront of the craft-beer scene. But, we may very well make it next year, who knows?” Good things often come in threes. At the Novemberfest in Alexandria on November 2, I came across a beautiful example of a Rauch Bock: it was slightly elevated in alcohol at 6.8% ABV, with a gentle smokiness and a rich, nutty maltiness. This one hailed from Bingo Beer Co., a brewery/restaurant/arcade in Richmond’s Scott’s Addition neighborhood. Sadly, no one from the brewery attended the festival; I was told they were back in Virginia’s capital celebrating their one-year anniversary. Contacted by phone a few days later, brewer Ken Rayher stated that the Rauch Bock was brewed specifically to mark that milestone. Like Wiegers, he’s never visited Bamberg (“it’s on my short list”); his first exposure to smoked lager was at Richmond’s
Capital Ale House. Why brew a Rauchbier? “We had had some success with dark lagers,” explained owner Jay Bayer – indeed, Bingo’s Dark Lager won a silver medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival in the German-style Dark Lager category. “We wanted to do something a little bigger, a little more out there, but also accessible.” (And food-friendly – “I made a goulash with it; it was outstanding,” said Rayher.) Rayher brewed the Rauch Bock with 30% smoked malt from Weyermann. He made a little over ten barrels, which was available on tap and in 16.9-ounce bottles, at the brewery only. “It was one of our first bottled beers, we filled 30 cases,” he added, but cautioned, “it probably won’t be around too long.” Rayher used the same Weyermann malt to craft an even more obscure German style called a Lichtenhainer: a smoked, sour wheat ale once popular in the central German state of Thuringia. He used 70% smoked malt for that recipe, yet reported that the Lichtenhainer came off as less smoky than the Rauch Bock. “The lactic and the smoky characters blend together and somehow calm each other down,” observed Rayher. Both the Rauch Bock and Lichtenhainer were intended as one-off beers, to be replaced with other styles as they peter out. Bingo Beer Co., stated Rayher, has only one brew constantly on tap: Bingo Lager, a helles-style beer. But the brewery reserves six of its 12 taps for lagers. Asked about a possible return of the Rauch Bock, he answers, “It’s in the cards.” A few barrels in a sea of hazy IPAs don’t constitute a trend. But they do indicate a new respect for and curiosity about a timehonored style.
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an encore release in 2020. Our Old Dominion will have been aged to perfection for 12 months in Virginia bourbon barrels creating a complex flavor profile with rich undertones of coffee, caramel and chocolate.
2Silos Brewing.com I 9925 Discovery Blvd I Manassas, Va 20109 I 703.420.2264 VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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brewNEWS l holidays
No matter the weather, Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm partners with its neighbor B Chord Brewing Company. Photo courtesy of Steven Wolff
Brewin’ Around the Christmas Tree
By Michael T. Jarvis
W
hen Marty Dougherty opened B Chord Brewing Company the day after Thanksgiving in 2017, he was fully aware that thousands of the faithful would be trekking next door to the Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm. He was not disappointed. B Chord’s symbiotic relationship with its tree-growing neighbor in Round Hill is obvious every weekend in December as countless cars with Christmas trees tied on top jam the brewery’s parking lot. The two neighbors have worked well together from the beginning. “We had a banquet license to sell beer at the tree farm the first year and it was fun and people got their first taste of B Chord beer,” says Dougherty. His neighbor, Steven Wolff, owns the Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm, a family business started by his father 30 years ago. It is arguably one of the largest Christmas tree farms within one hour of Washington, D.C and offers over 35,000 cut-your-own trees. “We grow Douglas fir and Colorado blue spruce,” says Wolff. “So, we give people a saw and they cut a tree and bring it back and we shake the trees and bale them. We have cider and the wine and beer and the - 22 -
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kids do a concessions tent. We are open all week so people with kids or older people come when it’s slow and zip out. Some like the crazy atmosphere on weekends.” Wolff and his tree farm first partnered with local wineries that pre-dated B Chord’s arrival. “We started doing stuff with vineyards years ago and we know Bruce Zurschmeide from Great Country Farms and Dirt Farm Brewing. For a bunch of years, we had different breweries and wine at the farm.We are going to be sending people over there to B Chord and to Dirt Farm and Bear Chase. We’ve talked to Marty about doing a Christmas beer and that’s an idea we’ve had. We’re going to pull it off sometime.” Dougherty is the majority owner and day-to-day manager of B Chord, which is perched along the Eastern slope of the Blue Ridge just past the town of Round Hill. Several other major breweries nearby draw thousands of beer lovers on weekends, most notably Dirt Farm Brewing, which offers breathtaking views of Northern Virginia and on a clear day (with binoculars) provides a chance to spy the Washington
Monument, approximately 57 miles away. Just last year, Bear Chase Brewing Company moved to the top of the mountain nearby and it also has quickly become an extremely popular destination brewery. A native of Buffalo, New York, Dougherty moved to Bluemont over 25 years ago and operated an internet and telecommunications company. He struggled for years trying to build his brewery after receiving pushback from nearby Bluemont residents who didn’t want a brewery in their backyards. In the end, it all worked out for the best, Dougherty says. “We didn’t just want to be a tourist trap. Our goal was to have a community-oriented facility. We’ve had numerous charity events, corn hole tournaments, you name it. We’ve opened our facility to local groups for meetings when we are closed on Monday and Tuesday. If you have a good cause and need a place to meet, we offer that. We’ve had history talks on the Civil War that bring out a lot of our neighbors. We have longterm support from the community and it shows that Hellon-earth doesn’t have to happen just because of a brewery. It was going to be a seven-home subdivision. The neighbors were super happy that we came here instead of the homes. We’re all just trying to make a living off agriculture.” In addition to his own tireless efforts, Dougherty has received a lot of help from two angels with B Chord. “We still get a lot of help from Favio Garcia, co-founder of Lost Rhino and Dynasty breweries.” B Chord Brewing acquired its assets, including a 10-barrel system, from Corcoran Brewing, one of the first breweries in Loudoun County. Corcoran started in Waterford in 2011 and then moved to Purcellville before teaming with B Chord. “Jim Corcoran is part of the operation and is an equity owner along with the Corcoran family,” Dougherty says. “Jim is our ambassador. He is engaged and knows a lot of people. He’s well connected and helpful and known throughout the industry. He’s the beer godfather.” B Chord has a wide assortment of beers but leans toward its flavorful IPAs, which are numerous. In honor of its local ties, B Chord is releasing a holiday Maltese Scotch English ale this season called Breaking Up Christmas, named after the old Appalachian tradition (and blue grass song) that refers to a moveable feast that gets the holidays rolling. The aptly-named B Chord is the go-to music and brewery destination for Northern Virginia, thanks to a diverse assortment of acts presenting a wide range of blues, bluegrass, rock and jazz. “We take music and beer very seriously,” says Dougherty, who also operates a music video production company that records some of the largest music festivals throughout Virginia. “We have bluegrass jams every other Thursday and an alternating old-time Irish music jam on the other Thursdays and then we provide Happy Hour every Thursday.” Next door at Snickers Gap, his neighbor Steve Wolff gives high praise to B Chord and its music. “I think Marty is doing an interesting thing, focusing on quality music, which I don’t think anyone else is doing in the area here,” Wolff says. With a new fire pit to enhance the holiday charm and a special performance by the legendary Rick Reaves Jazz Band just
CHEERS TO DEDICATION. Kaufman & Canoles has worked with breweries, vineyards and distilleries for years, and we have a dedicated team of attorneys to help you navigate the complexities of the alcoholic beverage industry. We can. And we will.
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brewNEWS
Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewing Co. is the essence of the holidays in Coastal Virginia. Photo by Jeff Maisey.
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before Christmas, Dougherty is expecting a great season. “We will be selling jewelry and guys can come in and have a beer and buy something nice for their wives,” he says. B Chord is not the only brewery tied to Christmas tree sales in Virginia. The folks at Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewing Co. in Virginia Beach have sold pre-cut trees at their brewery and offered pictures with Santa. Just five months ago, Evergreen Acres farm in Nokesville opened Cedar Run Brewery on its cut-your-own-tree farm. “We’re the only one that does both,” says owner Jim Gehlsen, who opened the brewery where he has sold Christmas trees for 29 years. “We’ve been into agro-tourism and we thought a brewery would be a good fit.” Cedar Run is embracing the holiday spirit with a new beer that includes flavors from the same white pine and Norway spruce trees they sell. “Both will go in the beer,” says Gehlsen. “We’re doing like a sake/Norwegian thing and putting different greens in the beer.” Gehlsen, a longtime farmer who calls Cedar Run “the first true farm brewery in Prince William County,” is working with the local Farm Bureau to start a co-op and get a malting facility in the county. It doesn’t hurt that he’s brought in longtime brewer Matt Ryan — formerly with Mad Fox Brewing Company— to get the barrels rolling. “Like any new brewery, it’s a climbing cycle,” Gehlsen says. “We’re doing alright and it’s getting better every day.”
Looking for a Tree & Beer? B Chord Brewing Company 34266 Williams Gap Rd, Round Hill, VA 20141 bchordbrewing.com
Quality Media & Marketing Solutions for the Wine, Beer, and Spirits Industry
diecastmedia.net - 24 -
DECEMBER 2019
434.218.0239
Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm 34350 Williams Gap Road Round Hill, VA 20141 snickersgaptrees.com Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewing Co. 1805 Kempsville Road Virginia Beach, VA 23464 farmhousebrewingva.com Cedar Run Brewery at Evergreen Acres 12801 Hazelwood Drive, Nokesville, VA 20181 cedarrunbrewery.com
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MUG SHOTS 757 Battle of the Beers , Virginia Beach Sean Chagnon, Eye of the Storm Photography
blacksburg brew do, blacksburg
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DECEMBER 2019
Big LeByrdSki Fest, Richmond
resolute day - brothers craft brewing, harrisonburg VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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Michael Stacks stands proud of Bold Mariner’s Ocean View location
Bold Mariner Anchors in Ocean View By Jeff Maisey
T
here’s a well-known proverb that proclaims “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” It can be said this was true for Michael Stacks, founder and president of The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, who was all smiles in late September during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the craft brewery’s new location at 1901 East Ocean View Avenue in Norfolk. Following a successful Kickstarter program, The Bold Mariner Brewing Company originally opened its doors in November 2015 in the Lambert’s Point section of Norfolk. The craft brewery wasted no time in producing numerous award-winning beers
such as Scurvy Dog and Red Maiden from its warehouse/tasting room location. The popularity of the brewery among local residents as well as current members of the military and veterans maintained an adequate flow of patrons to the tasting room. Bold Mariner tap handles and cans of beer became available regionally in restaurants and grocery stores. Still, Stacks wasn’t entirely satisfied. He had always wanted to operate his brewery in Ocean View, yet the stars were not aligned when it came time to select a location and a plan B option had to be implemented.
bold mariner brewing company • 1901 East ocean view ave., norfolk • 757.952.6533 • boldmariner.com - 28 -
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“The reason we always wanted to be in Ocean View is the demographic in Ocean View and the people’s attitude in Ocean View is perfect for craft beer,” Stacks said. “It’s a very local craft business and the Ocean View area is very local oriented and supportive.” When Stacks was initially searching for a location in Ocean View, he came across a former Bank of the Commonwealth building. Its design was that of a large two-story beach house with wrap-around porches. “We thought it would be the perfect place to put the brewery,” he said, “However, we were told there were other plans for the building and that it wasn’t available.” One of the challenging aspects of basing a business in Ocean View are the zoning restrictions due to both commercial and military air traffic. “There are only a few spots where you can put a business like a brewery in Ocean View,” Stacks said. With his lease nearing a renewal point in Lambert’s Point, Stacks again looked to his dream idea and revisited the former bank. This time, it was available for purchase.
After nearly a year of reinventing the interior of the building, The Bold Mariner Brewing Company’s grand reopening was a smashing success with large crowds of beer enthusiasts and local elected officials including Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, Norfolk City Councilman Tommy Smigiel, and State Senator Linwood Lewis. The double-door entryway is decorated with oak bourbon barrels to remind visitors they’re in a brewery. White walls, dark wooden beams, and iron chandelier light fixtures provide a coastal New England-like charm. Stacks credits his wife, Kerri, with overseeing the design of the tasting room spaces and decor. Ample wooden tables and seating areas are ideal for enjoying a pint of Frogman Lager and smoked pork sandwiches served onsite (order at the bar) by Bar-Q (pronounced “bark”), a Central-Texas style BBQ operated by Jayme Campbell. The full gamut of Bold Mariner craft beers are served on draft as well as seasonal and special one-off experimental variations and collaboration brews. Practicing a rising tide lifts all boats attitude, several guest taps for other
breweries as well as a guest cider and wine options are served. Behind the bar, a large glass window allows patrons to view the operating brewery. Another side window view showcases the canning production line — a surefire hit for patrons with children. The second floor of the tasting room is reserved for special events such as wedding receptions and retirement parties. Head brewer John O’Reilly operates in the rear of the building. Bags of German malts are stacked in the center surrounded by ultra-clean fermenting tanks barely squeezed into the brewery’s extended section. The bank vaults of the original business were reworked to become walk-in coolers. All of the brewing equipment was moved from the old location to the new space. “That was one of the biggest challenges with the move,” said Michael Stacks. “Getting the large 10-barrel system and 20-barrel fermentors — not just laying them down and moving them here, but standing them back up. It was challenging fitting all that equipment in the space. Our brewhouse only had one-inch to clear. It
Norfolk City Councilman Tommy Smigiel, Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, and State Senator Linwood Lewis enjoy an opening day Bold Mariner beer.
VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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Jayme Campbell fires-up the Bar-Q pit smoker
was a stressful day lifting everything in with three mechanisms. We had a lot of friends that provided some muscle too.” Bold Mariner’s Ocean View move represents a brilliant change of course. With the previous location in close proximity to the numerous breweries in the Ghent neighborhood, Ocean View represents a golden opportunity in an under-served market of the city with thousands of residents living within a short walk or bike ride away. Stacks projects an immediate increase in taproom sales. “It was great to see the support we got from the local community during the soft and grand openings,” said Stacks. “We absolutely think we’ll see an increase in taproom sales. That was the weakest part of our business in Lambert’s Point. The relocation is a great move for us.” Smooth sailing ahead for The Bold Mariner.
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MOZZIE JUICE Hazy IPA
TASTING ROOM HOURS: MON-FRI 3-10PM, SAT 12-10PM, SUN 12-7PM 3228 ACADEMY AVE, PORTSMOUTH, VA 23707 757.383.9572 • MOMACBREWING.COM VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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Catch the Vibe at
Vibrant Shore Brewing Company By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones
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et’s go back, back into time, back to 1995. “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio was number 1 on the Top 100 songs of the year, and somehow Van Halen was number 100 with, we kid you not, their version of “I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You.” The beer scene, at least in the 757, was in its infancy as Norfolk’s own Steamship Brewing Company was making “Captain’s Lager” and “Raspberry Ale.” Homebrewing was becoming more popular, guided locally by clubs such as the Hampton Roads Brewing & Tasting Society (HRB&TS) and nationally by the American Homebrewing Association (AHA). And Rhett Rebold was on top of the homebrewing world. His English Bitter won a gold medal at the AHA’s 1995 National Homebrew Contest, and his Helles Lager won Best of Show - it was judged to be the best homebrewed beer in the nation’s largest and most respected homebrew competition. Homebrewing is both a scientific pursuit (a little chemistry knowledge can go a long way) and an artistic one (how will vanilla beans in the boil enhance your coffee porter?). More than 20 years later, Rhett is opening his own brewery, to “blend the fine art of brewing” with a “commitment to provide, grow and serve as an integral hub of the vibrant local visual and acoustic arts community.” On or about November 22, Rhett Rebold will be welcoming thirsty patrons to Vibrant Shore Brewing Company in the ViBe Creative District of Virginia Beach. Rhett said that the construction of the brewery took a long
time. While he purchased the 1950s era building in November 2017, it took until August 2018 to get a permit from the city to start the project. The contractor, Spacemakers, started work in 2018, and if everything works out right, their labor will come to fruition this month. Come Friday, November 22, you should be able to wash down that Thanksgiving dinner you have with relatives that you don’t like all that much with artisan ales in an arty environment that you will like a lot. There will be a comfortable vibe at Vibrant Shore, both inside and outside, with a nod to artistes everywhere you look. A big mural of King Neptune will greet you as you approach the building from the east. Inside, the bar top is made of poured cement and aggregate, while the front of the bar is a Chanel-ish Breton striped panel, a Surrealistic salute to the sea lapping at the shore three blocks away, and to artists everywhere. Original “objet d’art” will be on the walls on the building’s first and second floors. There is a second deck beer garden out back for those that prefer to linger over lagers al fresco, and there are plans to put a keg box up there so you don’t have to walk to hell and back for a Helles. For opening day, the beautiful 10-barrel Deutsche Beverage brewhouse will be put through its paces, initially producing five beers designed to please your palate: a juicy, but not hazy, India Pale Ale (IPA); a tropical-ish double IPA; a brown ale; a kolsch; and a British bitter. Future plans include creating a fruited gose
vibrant shore brewing company • 505 18th Street, Virginia beach • 757.428.2949 • vibrantshorebrewingcompany.com - 32 -
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Exterior of Vibrant Shore Brewing Company in Virginia Beach
and a dry, but not too dry, stout. Rhett told us “I want to be the intersection of beer and art,” and he has named the fermenters after Surrealist artists. “Breton” is a tribute to Andre Breton, a founder of Surrealism and defender of the faith, until he had a tiff with Soviet writer Ehrenburg, who had the effrontery to say that Surrealists were “pederasts.” Andre took maximum umbrage at that, and is said to have replied “Your mama so old, she was a waitress at the Last Supper.” “Dali” is a tribute to Salvatore Dali, who gave us that trippy painting “The Persistence of Memory” that has the melting pocket watches on it. Dali may have written the longest title for a painting ever when he painted “Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening.” Dali apparently told no “Your Mama” jokes. Two of the more interesting fermenter names are “Man Ray” and “Miller.” Lee Miller was an American photographer and a war correspondent in the second World War. She and Man Ray, also a photographer, had a thing going on, and as the war was approaching its end, she posed nude for Man Ray in one of Hitler’s palace bathtubs after the facility was liberated by Allied forces. While neither Ms. Miller nor Mr. Man Ray left a record of “Your Mama” jokes, it’s rumored in a tribute to acoustic artists everywhere that Man Ray postulated “Question: What’s the difference between a guitarist and a 16-inch pizza? Answer: The pizza can feed a family of four.” Vibrant Shore Brewing Company is located at 501 18th Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23541; their website is (vibrantshorebrewingcompany.com); you can reach them at (757) 428-2949. VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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Of Baby Sharks and Bonkers Beer Sales By Jefferson Evans and Chuck Triplett
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very moment is a miracle if you really think about the decisions, random chance and vagaries of fate that all have to go a specific way for any particular moment to unfold the way it does, and I find myself thinking about the unlikely miracle that is every single moment as I take a picture of an English lad named Graham James holding 4-packs of Aslin Brewing Company’s Baby Shark IPA in the Taproom he manages just five days after the Washington Nationals have completed their amazing playoff run on the way to being crowned World Series Champions, a playoff run during which the team’s players and the team’s fans all embraced the children’s song Baby Shark
as the team’s unofficial anthem. I mean, really, you just can’t make this stuff up. And for the record, Aslin’s Baby Shark came along before the song of the same name rode the Nationals playoff rocket to new heights. It was just a happy happy coincidence that the good folks at Aslin were able to enjoy and take as a sign that their home in Alexandria has the blessing of the brewing gods. And, the baseball gods. Graham James was born in Nottingham, England but tells me “my mum is from Wisconsin so I have always had ties to the United States.” He spent some time studying broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University, but didn’t feel a real
aslin beer co. • 257 Sunset Park Dr, Herndon • 703.7875766 • aslinbeer.com - 34 -
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Taproom Manager Graham James holding 4-packs of Aslin’s Baby Shark beer. Photo by Jefferson Evans.
calling and ended up following a young lady to the Tyson’s Corner area of Northern Virginia. A truly impact decision for Graham was applying for a job with Trader Joe’s as it becomes more and more apparent as we talk that Graham’s time with Trader Joe’s, including in the company’s management program, deeply informs his approach to managing employees and customer relations and that that positive, welcoming, supporting approach ended up dovetailing really naturally with the best aspects of the English pub experience he enjoyed prior to leaving for the states. And, it speaks to his belief in and loyalty to Trader Joe’s that even today, more than 15 years since beginning his relationship with the company, he still works some hours at Trader Joe’s although his management days are a good ways behind him now. That English pub scene left Graham with a fondness for milds, bitters, and to this day beers such as John Smith’s Extra Smooth pale ale. After arriving in America, he did try some beers like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but it wasn’t until 2012 or so that he had his real baptism in the American craft beer scene when a friend gave him a bottle of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. He didn’t pay that much attention to the details on the bottle as he opened it and poured it into a glass. He drank. Whoa. He called up his friend and asked “what is the story with this beer?!!?” and in short order he was a burgeoning beer nerd. Later on, he discovered breweries like Hardywood and began doing some home brewing. Like many of us beer nerds, he went through the I want to try everything phase, got involved with beer trading and bottle shares, and generally got deeply immersed in beer nerd culture. Around the time Graham decided to step back from being management at Trader Joe’s, a new brewery opened not too far away. He attended the soft opening at Ocelot Brewing Company and discovered he really liked their beers and the general vibe at the brewery. Asking if they could use any help led to his pouring beers a few times a week at the taproom, but that quickly led to being offered the taproom manager position. A repeating theme that occurs during my conversation with Graham is that he clearly has the stink of responsibility on him along with the reek of just generally being a good guy because multiple times he describes “falling upward into new roles” in ways he hadn’t planned. While working at Ocelot, Graham got to know Alex Doran and Afsheen Tafakor of Dominion Wine and Beer in Falls Church City and when Dominion opened their upstairs bar and restaurant, Graham took a job with Dominion. It was a busy period as he ended up working 60 to 70 hours a week between Dominion and Trader Joe’s and he realized something would have to give. And, it did in the way of an unexpected job opening and an unexpected selection for that job, the job as taproom manager at the new Aslin location in Alexandria. Or, maybe not so surprising given that Graham had gotten to know Aslin owners Andrew Kelley and Kai Leszkowicz during their visits to Ocelot and his visits to the original Aslin location in Herndon. The City of Alexandria Economic Development Team actually originally approached Aslin when they heard the brewery was looking for a new home and once Andrew and Kai turned their
eyes to Alexandria they settled on the Pickett Street location relatively quickly. The brewery held two soft opening events, one for industry folks and one for mug club members, but the actual opening day of July 15… just happened. No hoopla or big announcement at all but they knew the word would quickly spread and indeed by mid-afternoon of Thursday of that week they experienced a crush that wouldn’t subside for the next six weeks. It was a trial by fire but Graham tells me “all in all, it was reasonably smooth” and it didn’t take long before he felt the taproom staff had come together and “we all fell into our groove.” Three weeks after opening, the new location started selling cans on-sight and by early October, pretty much all the beer sold at the Alexandria location, whether in can or on tap, was brewed at the Alexandria location. The new Aslin location is open and spacious and is housed in what was an old FEMA warehouse. As even Graham will acknowledge, noise was a real problem for a while as the space had serious echo issues, but the installing of multiple huge sound panels has helped quite a bit. You will find a fair number of families with their children during the day, especially on weekends, but the brewery does have “Adult Swim” hours after 7pm which are adult only. The food is essentially handled by food trucks and just recently transitioned to a taco focused menu. While the barrel-aging and mixed fermentation programs are handled at the original location, Graham mentions that the Alexandria location has some coolships on-site and they are looking forward to utilizing them for brewing by the end of the year. And, if you look over to your left or right and happen to notice Stephen Strasburg or his agent next to you, don’t be shocked. Stephen is a fan of Aslin’s beers as it happens. So, let’s hope, hope, hope that that is one of the special things that the Washington D.C. area has to offer that convinces Strasburg to resign with the Nationals. All that Baby Shark beer isn’t going to drink itself after all.
The Aslin Beer Company Alexandria facility is a 25,000 square foot production brewery with a 30-barrel brew house and taproom just off South Van Dorn Street at 847 S. Pickett Street. There is a decent amount of street and on-site parking. Cheers! VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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Tony Ammendolia enjoys a beer following a run
By Annie Tobey
Home-brew Exploration Launched Final Gravity
By Annie Tobey
E
xpectations were high when Tony Ammendolia announced that he would be adding a nano-brewery to Original Gravity, the home brewing and wine making store which he opened in 2011. “Tony was actively, systematically dialing in a perfect IPA when he was home brewing,” recalls Ana Shore, past president of the James River Home Brewers in Richmond. “We knew if he opened a brewery it would be a success just based on quality of beer.” In 2015, the business added a 2-barrel brew system and received the necessary federal and state licenses. Naturally, he named the brewery Final Gravity. “Being a home-brew shop, we thought it would be cool to use all equipment that is available to home brewers,” Ammendolia
told me soon before the brewery opened. He’s since enlarged the tasting room and added 5-barrel tanks, while keeping distribution limited to occasional special events.
The Final Gravity Experience The Final Gravity tasting room reflects a casual appeal, while its double-door connection with the shop reflects the home-brew roots and expertise. “I wanted it to be down to earth and welcoming,” Ammendolia reflects. The space includes a dart board, board games, tabletop shuffleboard and pinball. He also emphasizes having
knowledgeable staff, several of whom have also worked in the homebrew shop. Yet the proximity to the beer-geek world of home brewing doesn’t contribute stuffiness to Final Gravity. On the contrary. “I believe there are no stupid questions,” Ammendolia affirms. “I don’t want customers to feel intimidated. Even in the shop, people will sometimes apologize, ‘I don’t know anything about brewing.’ ‘That’s OK, you’ve come to the right place.’” As a neighborhood brewery in Richmond’s Northside, Final Gravity attracts plenty of regulars who walk there or ride bikes. Plenty of these same neighbors initially came to the tasting room accustomed to mainstream beers. “We start them off with maybe a blonde
final gravity brewing co. • 6118 lakeside ave., richmond • 804.264.4808 • finalgravitybrew.com - 36 -
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All Signs Point to Tap 29 ale, then move them up if they’re ready. We also believe in letting you try beers. We have little one-ounce tasters as well as half pours.” In the same spirit, Ammendolia aims to “always have something for everybody”: a Belgian-style, a lighter beer, a middleof-the road like an amber or brown, and a darker style. Typical beers on tap at the tasting room include Saison DeMeyer, Lakeside lager, Stepping Stone blonde ale, Fire Station 5 amber ale and Irish Goodbye export stout. You can also expect a couple of sours, such as variations on the Berliner weisse or gose. All of this in addition to the style that Ammendolia is best known for, has won awards for, which draws visitors from all around Richmond and beyond: IPAs, especially the New England-style – juicy, luscious, laced with lupulin essence, with a rich, full mouthfeel. “It’s a style that’s here to stay,” he says. “The name is unfortunate, because they’re hoppy but they’re not bitter, so they’re not really IPAs.” The beers labeled IPA at Final Gravity are a mix, showcasing American and West Coast as well as New England, from session to imperial. When I ask him about trendy beers, he replies, “If it’s a beer, I’m willing to try it.” He tried a brüt IPA when that was trending. “That went well,” he recalls, “but there are so many other things to make … I became a craft beer drinker and appreciator in my early 20s (in the 1990s) because I liked beer.” Which means that trendy styles like pastry stouts and hard seltzer are not his thing. He may home brew a hard seltzer, he tells me, for his own experience and for his knowledge as a homebrew store owner, but he has no plans to brew one for Final Gravity. However, he adds with a smile, he makes exceptions for holidays – like this year’s Halloween chocolate coconut stout that tasted like a Mounds bar and the Berliner weisse made with Jolly Ranchers, or a green beer for St. Patrick’s Day. Meanwhile, at Original Gravity, business is steady, but he adds, “It’s leveled off. I thought five years ago that the popularity of craft beer would encourage more people to brew, but it’s had the opposite effect [industry wide]. There’s no need to brew now, when you have easy access to so many styles.” Even right next door.
By Jennifer Waldera
I
f road-tripping and beer tasting are both in your wheelhouse, the new farm brewery Tap 29 in Madison County could be added to your bucket (or bottle?) list. Housed at the very visible Prince Michel Winery on Route 29, this newest addition, as of October of 2019, to the brew scene in Virginia is sporting a solid selection of beers including a lager, pilsner, IPA, stout, rye, wheat, and amber ale. Road trip inspired names abound from the Lug Nut Lager and Black Top Stout to the Road Rage Rye and Are We There Yet IPA. “Route 29 runs from Pensacola, Florida up to Baltimore, Maryland, and we want people to take us on the road with them, sharing the cool things they see and do along the way,” explains Caitlyn Powers, Vice President of Sales at Prince Michel and Tap 29 as she detailed the genesis of the brewery’s name and its hashtag, #tap29roadtrips. The brewery was the brainchild of both Powers and Brad Hansen, the winemaker and brewer. Already home to a winery nestled in a rural spot with gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in a prime location for anyone who is traveling to or through the area, as well as locals, the venue was perfect for the migration to the inclusion of a brewing operation, but it also made sense for the business. “I’ll be completely honest,” says Caitlyn Powers, Vice President of Sales at Prince Michel and Tap 29. “Competition in the area is fierce when it comes to the industry and we needed to up our game.” While he is the winemaker at longstanding Prince Michel Winery, a destination for travelers and locals alike, Hansen possesses a strong passion for brewing and has been homebrewing for decades. In the current climate of combining wineThis road leads to beer — no GPS required. making with beer brewing, it seemed high time to get into the beer industry. Hansen sources ingredients both locally from Nelson County, and from further away, to create the range of beers available at the brewery. The new tasting room, with an ambiance that is a cozy combination of rustic and contemporary, hosts guests for tasting and pours, of course, but also plays home to live music all weekend, including twice on Saturday. Additionally, on Thursday nights the brewery hosts Game Night, replete with live buzzers and podiums for games like Heads Up, Price Is Right, and Minute to Win It. In addition to brews and games, Tap 29 also offers a pub grub menu on Thursday through Sunday night with bites that range from simple turkey sandwiches on fresh baguettes, shredded chicken tacos with corn relish, and BBQ pork sliders with moonshine sauce and coleslaw, to a trio of pizza choices and even cheesy vegetarian meatball subs. While wineries often close fairly early, Tap 29’s brewery at Prince Michel is open from 10am-6pm Sunday through Wednesday and 10am-9pm Thursday through Saturday but they’re always open for social media tags #tap29roadtrips. Follow them on Facebook at Tap 29 Brew or on Instagram at @tap29brew.
tap 29 Brewery • 154 winery lane, leon 540.547.3707 • tap29brew.com VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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brew reviews wss Compiled by staff
Shenandoah Dew Wort Hog Brewing Company Warrenton “Drink What You Love, Love What You Drink” is the slogan on Wort Hog Brewing Company’s crowlers. It’s easy to do with a great tasting beer such as Shenandoah Dew, Wort Hog’s Unfiltered IPA. Citra, El Dorado, and Amarillo hops come together to create a burst of tropical and fruit flavors while Superior Pale Ale Malt provides a malty backbone. The result is soft, velvety, juicy IPA. Try it…you’ll fall in love!
abv: 6.4% - 38 -
DECEMBER 2019
Ibrik Imperial Turkish Coffee Stout
Puddle Pirate Cape Charles Brewing Co. Cape Charles The Eastern Shore’s Cape Charles Brewing Co. has recently begun canning three of their flagship beers. A unique feature on all of the cans is the use of an 1873 map of the Chesapeake Bay as the background. Puddle Pirate Porter is a traditional porter with a hint of coconut and chocolate. Cape Charles embraces their nautical roots further with the selection of the name Puddle Pirate. Puddle Pirate is derived from a long standing, but goodnatured ribbing by other service branch members that reference the brave men and women who serve in the US Coast Guard.
abv: 7.5.%
O’Connor Brewing Co Norfolk
NEIPA Skipping Rock Beer Co. staunton Skipping Rock Beer Co. likes to say: “Worry Less, Live More.” Well, that’s easy to do when you have their NEIPA bursting fresh tropical citrus aromas all over the place as you fill your pint glass. This liquid gold is pillowy soft and loaded with Citra, Galaxy, and Kohatu. The peachy, passion fruit notes give way to a clean citrusy pine finish with very little bitterness. And, at 6.6% you can swap out “Live” for “Have” and not “Worry”.
abv: 6.6%
The country of Turkey has made international news headlines recently with its military incursion into northern Syria and purchase of Russian missile systems, however, in Norfolk, Virginia news of the release of several Ibrik Imperial Turkish Coffee Stout variants by O’Connor Brewing Co is all the rage. This canned bourbon barrelaged version with exotic Curacao and Valencia orange peels is fabulous: Pours like black crude Middle Eastern oil, develops a creamy brown head. It’s full bodied and rich in subtle coffee and orange flavors committed to allowing the stoutness take the lead. At 11.5% ABV, this is one Turkish-inspired delight.
abv: 11.5%
Charlottesville, VA
Virginia Grown Locally Malted Insanely Good
murphyrudemalting.com
Winter Warmer Stable Craft Brewing Waynesboro Colder weather means bigger beers and Stable Craft Brewing’s Seasonal Winter Warmer is just that.You won’t notice the 8.2% cause you’ll be enjoying all the dark roasted maltiness that you’d expect from an Imperial Brown Ale. Sweet caramel and gingerbread notes begin to unfold as this dark beauty opens up. The warmer it gets, the warmer you get, so find a good book and a cozy fire cause this one is perfect for those soon to be snowy nights.
abv: 8.2%
Just Pressed Ballad Brewing Danville Just Pressed is a Lime Ginger Sour from Ballad Brewing. It has a lot more body than you’d normally think from a Sour Ale and that’s cause it’s blended perfectly with a Wheat Beer. The combination of Lime and Ginger make for an interesting tug of war that’s very refreshing. The lime is first to swing and hits you right in the lips and just when you think it’s over the ginger counters back to smooth everything out and in the end, you’re the winner! A well balanced Yin & Yang between tart & sweet and very approachable for someone looking to jump into the Sour ring.
434.922.0036
fu** your brewery expansion. Actually, “fund” is not an f-word with us. Need equipment? beermoney@breweryfinance.com
abv: .5.5% VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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Live Music at Damascus Brewery Every Saturday, 7-10pm
32173 Government Rd., Damascus
CENTRAL VIRGINIA $2 Tuesdays at South Street Brewery Every Tuesday until 9pm
$2 draft beers (under 8% ABV) 106 South St., Charlottesville 434.293.6550 • southstreetbrewery.com
Fiesta on The Farm at Bold Rock Every Tuesday, 11am-8pm
A full day of Flamenco music, delicious taco specials, Bold Rock-a-ritas, and a free chips and salsa bar. Bold Rock Hard Cider 1020 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford 434.361.1030 • boldrock.com
Trivia Night at World of Beer Every Tuesday, 7pm
District Trivia hosts trivia. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. 852 W. Main St., Charlottesville 434.760.0771 worldofbeer.com/locations/charlottesville
Live Music at Castleburg Brewery & Taproom Every Friday & Saturday
1626 Ownby Ln., Richmond castleburgbrewery.com
VA Beer & Wine Tasting at Michie Tavern Every Saturday & Sunday, 1-4pm
Enjoy tastings from VA craft breweries and wineries. 683 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy., Charlottesville 434.977.1234
Beer, Bingo, & Bloodies at Center of the Universe Every Sunday, 2-6pm
Enjoy a beer bloody and try your luck at hourly bingo for a chance to win COTU swag. 11293 Air Park Rd., Ashland cotubrewing.com
Brunch at Blue Mountain Brewery Every Sunday, 11am-2pm
Enjoy live music 2:30-5pm 9519 Critzer Shop Rd., Afton 540.456.8020 • bluemountainbrewery.com
Local Bucket Sunday at of Beer Trivia Night at Garden Grove Brewing World Every Sunday Every Wednesday
3445 West Cary St., Richmond 804.918.6158 • gardengrovebrewing.com
Geeks Who Drink Trivia at Pro Re Nata Brewery Every Thursday, 7-9pm
Pub Quizzes & Trivia 6135 Rockfish Gap Turnpike, Crozet
Happy Hour at Blue Bee Cider Every Thursday
Featuring new ciders on draft as part of the small batch cider draft program. 212 W. 6th St., Richmond 804.231.0280 • bluebeecider.com
Trivia Night at Coyote Hole Ciderworks Every Thursday 4-8pm
Featuring trivia by Mixed Entertainment and Catch the Chef food truck. 225 Oak Grove Drive, Mineral 540.894.1053
Trivia Thursday at Castleburg Brewery & Taproom Every Thursday, 7-9pm
Teams of 1 to 6 compete for league points on a quarterly basis. Prizes are given out each week for 1st & 2nd place and Best Team Name. 1626 Ownby Ln., Richmond castleburgbrewery.com
BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS
Beer Geek Night at Wolf Hills Brewing
Thursday, 5-9pm Tacos & Troubadours Night at Wolf Every New firkin or small batch beer released Hills Brewing every Thursday. Every Tuesday, 6-9pm
Featuring delicious tacos by Toni’s Hawaiian Tacos & open mic night hosted by KT Vandyke. 350 Park Street, Abingdon 276.451.5470 • wolfhillsbrewing.com
350 Park Street. Abingdon 276.451.5470 • wolfhillsbrewing.co
Live Music at Creek Bottom Brewing Every Friday, 7pm
Trivia Night at Wolf Hills Brewing
307 Meadow Street, Galax 276.236.2337 • cbbrews.com
350 Park Street. Abingdon 276.451.5470 • wolfhillsbrewing.com
Live Music at Wolf Hills Brewing
Every Wednesday, 6-8pm
Every Friday
350 Park Street. Abingdon 276.451.5470 • wolfhillsbrewing.com
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DECEMBER 2019
Friday Cheers at Blue Mountain Barrel House Every Friday, 5-9pm
Enjoy live music from 6-8pm and food trucks 5-9pm 495 Cooperative Way. Arrington 434.263.4002 • bluemountainbrewery.com
Friday Night Music at Legend Brewing Co. Every Friday, 8:30pm
321 West 7th St., Richmond 804.232.3446 legendbrewing.com
Full Nelson Fridays at Blue Mountain Brewery Every Friday, 6-8pm
Enjoy live music! 9519 Critzer Shop Rd., Afton 540.456.8020 • bluemountainbrewery.com
Get specials on local beers on the local beer bucket offering. 852 W. Main St., Charlottesville
Trivia Night at Random Row Brewing Co. Every Sunday, 5-7pm
Hosted by Geeks Who Drink with prizes awarded to the best teams. 608 Preston Ave., Charlottesville randomrow.com
Crozet Winter Brews Fest Sat., Dec. 7, 11am-5pm
A celebration of dark beers from Virginia brewers featuring 15+ local breweries and cideries, great music from Lord Nelson and Matthew O’Donnell’s Blue Ridge Bards, a Winter Market, food trucks, and family-friendly activities. All proceeds will benefit Claudius Crozet Park. Claudius Crozet Park Crozet crozetbeerfest.com
Release Party & Pig Roast at Blue Mountain Barrel House Sat., Dec. 7, 10am-8pm
Concealed Darkness Release Party & Pig Roast. Dark Hollow Reserve and variants available for purchase. Live music. Special brewery tours and special beer tappings throughout the day. 495 Cooperative Way, Arrington 434.263.4002 • bluemountainbrewery.com
Starr Hill Richmond Grand Opening Blowout Sat., Dec. 7, 12-9pm
Join us at our new home in Scott’s Addition for tasty beers, great music, and great food. Plus, limited edition steins to take home. Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop 3406 W. Leigh Street, Richmond starrhill.com
The Jesus Release at COTU Sat., Dec. 7, 12-10pm
The release of Jesus Mexican Hot Chocolate Imperial Stout.. Plus, food and live music. Center of the Universe 11293 Air Park Rd., Ashland cotubrewing.com
VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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DECEMBER 2019
Krampusnacht at Smartmouth Sat., Dec. 14
The Krampus Bavarian folklore comes to life at Smartmouth! 1309 Raleigh Avenue, Norfolk
Synapse Social & Charity Night at Wasserhund Brewing Co. Tues., Dec. 17, 5-10pm
Benefitting Hub205 Arts4Learning. 1805 Laskin Rd., Virginia Beach 757.351.1326 ∙ wasserhundbrewing.com
Christmas Caroling at Wasserhund Brewing Co. Thurs., Dec. 19, 6-8pm
Join King’s Grant Presbyterian Church to get in the Christmas spirit! Eat, drink, and be musical! Wear your most festive attire. 1805 Laskin Rd., Virginia Beach 757.351.1326 ∙ wasserhundbrewing.com
Comedy Night at Alewerks Thurs., Dec. 19, 7pm
Laughs are on tap for this nationwide tour! 189-B Ewell Rd., Williamsburg
Brunch with Santa at New Realm Sun., Dec. 22, 9am-1pm
Meet Santa & Mrs. Claus plus, we’ll have an ugly sweater contest, Christmas movies and Christmas music. $25 includes breakfast buffet and choice of one beer or mimosa. For kids, $10 includes breakfast buffet and juice. New Realm Brewing 1209 Craft Lane, Virginia Beach
Xmas Eve Eve Benefit Concert at O’Connor Brewing Co. Mon., Dec. 23, 6-10:30pm
DJ Williams Projekt with special guest Cris Jacobs plus Grateful Jed with special guest Sam Reed. All proceeds donated to cancer research. 211 W. 24th St., Norfolk oconnorbrewing.com
The Deloreans at The Vanguard Fri., Dec. 27, 8:30-11:30pm
Transport back to the 80’s with The Deloreans and their flashy 80’s costumes and upbeat retro tunes. The Vanguard Brewpub and Distillery 504 N. King Street, Hampton thevanguard757.com
New Year’s Eve at New Realm Tues., Dec. 31, 7pm-1am
Tickets include open bar, two DJs in the taproom and brewhouse, and full food buffet plus a champagne toast at midnight. 1209 Craft Lane, Virginia Beach newrealmbrewing.com
Slainte NYE Party at The Vanguard Tues., Dec. 31, 8pm-2am
Featuring The Fighting Jamesons & Hey Hey Hooligan. The Vanguard Brewpub and Distillery 504 N. King Street, Hampton thevanguard757.com
Hogs for Hope
Wed., Jan. 1, 12-5pm
New Year’s Day Pig Pickin’ & Oyster Roast featuring music by David Carter Acoustic and The Heart Stompers. Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 at the door. Proceeds benefit Hope House Foundation. Hank’s Filling Station 4301 Colley Avenue, Norfolk hope-house.org
Guerilla Series Release Night at Brew Republic Bierworks Every Monday 12-10pm
The Guerrilla Series is Brew Republic’s pilot/experimental program — with a new release every Monday in the tap room. These beers are brewed in extremely small batches, so no growler fills, no keg sales, and no distribution. 15201 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge
The Big Bluesy
Pint Night at Fair Winds Brewing Co.
As part of the Winter Blues Jazz Fest, Big Bluesy will feature live blues music on two stages including blues great, Trudy Lynn, at one end and Erin and the Wildfire at the other. Ticket includes music, food by Blue Talon Bistro and beer, wine, & cider by the DoG Street Pub. Merchants Square Williamsburg winterbluesjazzfest.com
Enjoy $1 off pints. 7000 Newington Road, Lorton 703.372.2001 • fairwindsbrewing.com
Sat., Jan. 18, 11:30-4pm
NORTHERN VIRGINIA Citizen’s Choice Randall Beer Infusion Night Every Monday, 3-7pm
Brew Republic Bierwerks 15201 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge
Every Monday
Team Trivia at Ornery Beer Co. Every Monday, 7:30pm
Happy Hour extended to 9pm. Weekly prizes! 14389 Potomac Mills Road, Woodbridge
Beer Yoga at Port City Brewing Co. Every Tuesday, 7-9pm
$20 includes the class and post-yoga pint. 3950 Wheeler Ave., Alexandria portcitybrewing.com
Local Heroes Night at Adventure Brewing Every Tuesday, 3:30-9pm
20% off all beer, merchandise, snacks, and goods to military, police, fire, emergency, and teachers. Adventure Brewing Company 33 Perchwood Dr., Unit 101, Stafford 540.242.8876 facebook.com/adventurebrewing/
VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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DECEMBER 2019
Taps & Apps at Union Jack’s Every Tuesday, 11am-11pm
Enjoy 1 select specialty draft from a local brewery and 1 specialty appetizer for $10. 101 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester 540.722.2055
Trivia Tuesday at Redbeard Brewing Company Every Tuesday, 8-10:30pm
Hosted by Trivia Factory. Prizes awarded to the first and second place teams. 120 S. Lewis Street, Staunton redbeardbrews.com
Randall Night at Wolfe Street Brewing Every Tuesday
Enjoy a specialty beer we infuse using our randall! 120 W. Wolfe St., Harrisonburg wolfestreetbrewing.com
Bingo Night at Wolfe Street Brewing Every Wednesday
Winners of each bingo round receive $15 gift cards to the tasting room. 120 W. Wolfe St., Harrisonburg wolfestreetbrewing.com
Open Mic Night at Queen City Brewing Every Wednesday
834 Spring Hill Rd., Staunton qcbrewing.com
Live Music at Woodstock Brewhouse Every Thursday, 6pm
123 E. Court St., Woodstock
OM Brew at Seven Arrows Brewing Co. Every Saturday, 10:30-11:30am
$10 includes yoga and a beer after class. 2508 Jefferson Hwy., Waynesboro sevenarrowsbrewing.com
Sunday Funday Karaoke at Redbeard Brewing Company Every Sunday, 8-10pm
Hosted by TellAplay Entertainment! 120 S. Lewis Street, Staunton 540.430.3532
Old Fashioned Farm Christmas at Stable Craft Brewing Sat., Dec. 7, 11am-7pm
Horse-drawn wagon rides, a visit from Santa, barrel-aged beers, and an ugly sweater contest. 375 Madrid Rd., Waynesboro stablecraftbrewing.com
Griswold Christmas Costume Contest at Stable Craft Brewing Sat., Dec. 21, 6-8pm
Dress as your favorite National Lampoons Character! We’ll be handing out prizes! 375 Madrid Rd., Waynesboro stablecraftbrewing.com
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA Speakeasy Night at Ballard Brewing Sat., Dec. 14, 5-10pm
You’ll have to get the key phrase to get in – stop by December 9-13 and talk to a staff member. Top hats, suspenders, flapper dresses encouraged. Live music by Real Jazz. 600 Craghead St., Danville balladbrewing.com
Wreath Workshop at Ballad Brewing Sun., Dec. 15, 2-4pm
Join us for a festive afternoon of craft beer and creating your own holiday wreath! 600 Craghead St., Danville balladbrewing.com
Exchange of Gifts at Mountain Valley Brewing Sat., Dec. 21, 2-4pm
A special performance by Theatre 3, the touring production of Dwayne Yancey’s Christmas play, “Exchange of Gifts.” Santa will be at the brewery after the performance to hear requests and take pictures. 4220 Mountain Valley Road, Axton mountainvalleybrewing.com
VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS Body by Parkway Runner’s Club Every Thurs., 6pm
Parkway Brewing 739 Kessler Mill Road, Salem 540.483.9293 parkwaybrewing.com
Shine Runners Club Thurs., Dec. 5, 6pm
3 miles, 5 miles, or just walk and then socialize at the brewery. Chaos Mountain Brewing 3135 Dillons Mill Rd., Callaway 540.334.1600 chaosmountainbrewing.com
Paint Nite: Star City Snow Globe Sun., Dec. 8, 6-8pm
Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery 24 Campbell Avenue SE, Roanoke 540.492.5005
Shine Runners Club
Thurs., Dec. 12 & Jan. , 6pm
3 miles, 5 miles, or just walk and then socialize at the brewery. Hammer & Forge Brewing Co. 70 Main Street, Boones Mill 540.483.9293
Benefit for 5 Points Music Sanctuary at Parkway Fri., Dec. 13, 6:30-9:30pm
$1 of every beer sold will benefit 5 Points Music Foundation. Parkway Brewing 739 Kessler Mill Road, Salem 540.483.9293 parkwaybrewing.com
VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS 7 Dogs Brewpub
360 W. Spring Street Wytheville 276.228.0994 7dogsbrewpubva.com
Bristol Station Brews & Taproom 41 Piedmont Avenue Bristol 276.608.1220 bristolbrew.com
Bull & Bones Brewhaus 1470 S Main St., #120 Blacksburg 540.953.2855 bullandbones.com
Creek Bottom Brews
307 Meadow Street Galax 276.236.BEER (2337) cbbrew.com
The Damascus Brewery
32173 Government Road Damascus 540.314.2782 thedamascusbrewery.com
Headspace Brewing Company 120 N. Chestnut Street Marion 276.780.8860
Right Mind Brewing Company 1410 S. Main Street Blacksburg 540.552.7000 facebook.com/leftysgrille
Right Turn, Clyde Brewing Company
300 A Main Street Narrows 540.921.7283 rtcbrewing.com
Rising Silo Brewing Company 2351 Glade Rd Blacksburg 410.596.1200
Ian serves up dark beer deliciousness at Wild Wolf's downtown Charlottesville location.
River Company Brewery Meagan greets you with a smile and a flight at Brewing Tree Beer Company in Afton.
APPALACHIA Busted Still Brewing Company 185 Homeplace Drive Gate City 24251 276.210.6038
Lonesome Pine Brewing Company 15 East Main Street Lebanon 276.274.3697
Painted Peak Brewing Company 386 Main Street Tazewell 276.980.7325 paintedpeakbrewing.com
Sugar Hill Brewing Company 16622 Broad Street St. Paul 24283 276.780.4397 sugarhillbrewing.com
6633 Viscoe Rd. Radford (Fairlawn) 540.633.3940 therivercompanybrewery.com
Sinkland Farms Brewery
3060 Riner Road Christiansburg 540.835.3395 Sinklandfarmsbrewery.com
Studio Brew
221 Moore Street Bristol studiobrew.net
Wolf Hills Brewing Company
350 Park St. Abingdon 303.5508762 wolfhillsbrewing.com
CENTRAL VIRGINIA AMMO Brewing Company
235 N Market Petersburg 23805 804.722.1667 facebook.com/ammobrewing
virginiacraftbeer.com - 46 -
DECEMBER 2019
AMMO Brewing Company
235 N Market Petersburg 23805 804.722.1667 facebook.com/ammobrewing
Antioch Brewing Company Palmyra 434.249.6727 antiochbrews.com
Apocalypse Ale Works 1257 Burnbridge Rd Forest 434.258.8761 endofbadbeer.com
Ardent Craft Ales
3200 W. Leigh Street Richmond 804.359.1605 ardentcraftales.com
Bald Top Brewing Co.
1830 Thrift Road Madison 540.999.1830 baldtopbrewing.com
Beale’s
510 Grove Street Bedford 540.583.5113 bealesbeer.com
Bingo Beer Co.
2900 West Broad Street, Richmond 804.386.0290 bingorva.com
Black Narrows Brewing Company 4522 Chicken City Road Chincoteague blacknarrowsbrewing.com
Blue Mountain Brewery
9519 Critzer Shop Rd. Afton 540.456.8020 bluemountainbrewery.com
Blue Mountain Barrel House 495 Cooperative Way Arrington 434.263.4002 bluemountainbarrel.com
Brasserie Saison
111 E. Main Street Charlottesville 434.202.7027 brasseriesaison.net
Brewing Tree Beer Company 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Afton 540.381.0990
Canon & Draw Brewing Company 1529 West Main Street Richmond canonanddraw.beer
Castleburg Brewery & Taproom 1626 Owenby Lane Richmond 23220 804.353.1256 castleburgbrewery.com
Center of the Universe Brewing Company 11293 Air Park Rd. Ashland 804.368.0299 cotubrewing.com
Champion Brewing Co. 324 6th Street Charlottesville 434.295.2739 championbrewingcompany.com
Colonial Beach Brewing
215C Washington Avenue Colonial Beach 540.226.2114 colonialbeachbrewing.com
Cooling Pond Brewery
4411 Zachary Taylor Highway Mineral
Decipher Brewing
1740 Broadway Street Charlottesville 434.995.5777
Devils Backbone Brewing Company - Basecamp
200 Mosbys Run Roseland 434.361.1001 dbbrewingcompany.com
Dogtown Brewing Co. 1209 Hull Street Richmond 804.724.2337
Extra Billy’s
Legend Brewing Company 321 W. Seventh St. Richmond 804.232.3446 legendbrewing.com
Lickinghole Creek Farm Brewery 4100 Knolls Point Dr. Goochland 804.314.4380 lickingholecreek.com
Lickinghole Goodwater
1717 East Franklin Street Richmond lickingholecreek.com
Loose Shoe Brewing Company 198 Ambriar Plaza Amherst 434-941-7345 looseshoebrewing.com
Main Line Brewery
1603 Ownby Lane Richmond 804-387-9670
1110 Alverser Dr. Midlothian 804.379.8727 extrabillys.com/ ExtraBillysBarBQ2.htm
Midnight Brewery
Final Gravity Brewing Company
Origin Beer Lab
6118 Lakeside Ave. Richmond 804.264.4808
Fine Creek Brewing Company 2425 Robert E. Lee Road Powhatan 804.372.9786 Finecreekbrewing.com
Garden Grove Brewing and Urban Winery
3445 W Cary Street, Richmond 804.338.6029 www.gardengrovebrewing.com
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery 2408 Ownby Ln. Richmond 804.420.2420 hardywood.com
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery West Creek 820 Sanctuary Trail Drive Richmond hardywood.com
Hardywood Pilot Brewery & Taproom 1000 W. Main Street Charlottesville
Intermission Beer Co. 10089 Brook Road Glen Allen 804.585.0405 intermission.com
Isley Brewing Company
1715 Summit Avenue Richmond 804.499.0721 isleybrewingcompany.com
James River Brewery 561 Valley St. Scottsville 434.286.7837 jrbrewery.com
Kindred Spirit Brewing
12830 W. Creek Parkway Goochland 804.708.0309 kindredspiritbrewing.com
2410 Granite Ridge Rd. Rockville 804.356.9379 midnight-brewery.com 106 S. Railroad Avenue Ashland 804.368.0299 facebook.com/originbeerlab
Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery
6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke. Crozet 434.823.4878 prnbrewery.com
Random Row Brewing Company 608 Preston Avenue Charlottesville 434.284.8466 randomrow.com
Reason Beer Co.
1180 Seminole Trail, #290 Charlottesville reasonbeer.com
Richbrau Brewing Co.
5 South 20th Street Richmond richbraubrewing.com
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery 11800 W. Broad Street Richmond 23233 804-237-1684 rockbottom.com
South Street Brewery
106 South Street Charlottesville 434.293.6550 southstreetbrewery.com
Starr Hill Brewery
5391 Three Notch’d Rd. Crozet 434.823.5671 starrhill.com
Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop 3406 West Leigh Street Richmond 804.912.1794 starrhill.com
Steam Bell Beer Works
1717 E. Oak Lake Blvd. Midlothian 804.728.1876 steambell.beer
Stone Brewing Company
4300 Williamsburg Avenue Richmond 23231 760.294.7899 facebook.com/ stonebrewingrichmond.
Strangeways Brewing
2277 Dabney Rd. Richmond 804.303.4336 strangewaysbrewing.com
Tabol Brewing
704 Dawn Street Richmond 804.303.5528 tabolbrewing.com
Tap 29
154 Winery Lane Leon 540.547.3707 tap29brew.com
The Answer Brewpub
6008 West Broad St. Richmond facebook.com theanswerbrewpub.com
The Veil Brewing Company 1301 Roseneath Road Richmond 804.355.58515 theveilbrewing.com
Three Notch’d Brewing Company RVA Colab House 2930 W. Broad St. Richmond threenotchdbrewing.com
Three Notch’d @ IX Park
522 2nd Street, SE Charlottesville threenotchdbrewing.com
Three Roads Brewing Company 312 W. Third Street Farmville 434.315.0471 threeroadsbrewery.com
Trapezium Brewing Company 423 Third Street Petersburg 23803 571.758.2738 trapeziumbrewing.com
Triple Crossing Brewing Company 113 S. Foushee Street Richmond 804.308.0475
Triple Crossing Brewing Company 5203 Hatcher Street Richmond 804.496.1955 triplecrossingbeer.com
Vasen Brewing Company
3331 Moore Street, Richmond 804.588.5678 vasenbrewing.com
White Rock Brewing Company 2117 Bruno Drive Goodview 24905 540.890.3359 whiterockwines.com.
Wild Wolf Brewing Company
2461 Rockfish Valley Highway Nellysford 434.361.0088 wildwolfbeer.com
WildManDan Beer Centric B&B 279 Avon Road Afton 434.270.0404 wmdb3.com
Willow Spring Brewery in The Light Well Restaurant 110 E Main Street Orange 540.661.0004 thelightwell.com
Wood Ridge Farm Brewery 165 Old Ridge Road Lovingston 434.422.6225
COASTAL VIRGINIA Alewerks
189-B Ewell Rd. Williamsburg 757.220.3670 williamsburgalewerks.com
Alewerks Satellite Brewery
Williamsburg Premium Outlets 5715 Richmond Road Williamsburg alewerks.com
Back Bay Brewing Company 614 Norfolk Ave. Virginia Beach 757.531.7750 backbaybrewco.com
Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewing Co.
1805 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach 757.512.6430 farmhousebrewingva.com
Benchtop Brewing Company 1129 Boissevain Avenue Norfolk 757.321.9482 benchtopbrewing.com
Big Ugly Brewing Company 845 Battlefield Blvd. S., Chesapeake biguglybrewing.com
Billsburg Brewery
2054 Jamestown Road Williamsburg billsburg.com
Black Narrows Brewing Company 4522 Chicken City Road Chincoteague blacknarrowsbrewing.com
Bold Mariner Brewing Company 1901 E. Ocean View Avenue Norfolk 757.952.6533 boldmariner.com
Brass Cannon Brewing Company 5476 Mooretown Road Williamsburg 757.566.0001 brasscannonbrewing.com
Bull Island Brewing Company 758 Settlers Landing Road Hampton 757.788.9489 bullislandbrewing.com
Cape Charles Brewing Co.
2198 Stone Road Cape Charles 757.695.3909 capecharlesbrewing.com
Capstan Bar Brewing Company 2036 Exploration Way Hampton 757.788.7276 capstanbarbrewing.com
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Coelacanth Brewing
Precarious Beer Hall
Commonwealth Brewing Company
Precarious Beer Project/ Amber Ox Public House
760 W. 22nd Street Norfolk 757.59.UGLY.1 coelacanth.com
2444 Pleasure House Rd. Virginia Beach 757.305.9652
Deadline Brewing Project
2272 W. Great Neck Road, Suite 2268 Virginia Beach 757.502.4980 deadlinebrewing.com
Elation Brewing
110 S. Henry Street Williamsburg 757.808.5104 precariousbeer.com
521 Prince George St, Ste 101 Williamsburg 757.790.2299 precariousbeer.com
Reaver Beach Brewing Company 1505 Taylor Farm Road Virginia Beach 757.563.2337 beachbrewingcompany.com
5104 Colley Avenue Norfolk 757.695.3909 elation.beer
Rip Rap Brewing Company
Gordon Biersch
Smartmouth Brewing Company
4561 Virginia Beach Blvd. Virginia Beach 757.490.2739
Home Republic Brew Pub 328 Laskin Road Virginia Beach 757.226.9593
Kilmarnock Brewhaus
44 West Church Street Kilmarnock 804.436.6207 kilmarnockbrewhaus.com
Legend Brewing Depot
1 High Street North Landing, Suite B Portsmouth 757.998.6733 legendbrewing.com
Maker’s Craft Brewery
116 E 25th Street Norfolk riprapbrewing.com
1309 Raleigh Ave., #300 Norfolk 757.624.3939 smartmouthbrewing.com
Smartmouth Pilot House
313 32nd Street Virginia Beach smartmouthbrewing.com
St. George Brewing Company 204 Challenger Way Hampton 757.865.7781 stgeorgebrewingco.com
That Damn Mary Brewing Company 5036 George Washington Memorial Highway Hayes 804.436.2204 thatdamnmarybrewing.com
735 E. 23rd Street Norfolk 757.226.8506 makers.beer
The Bunker Brewpub & Cadence Hall
MoMac Brewing Company
The Garage
Montross Brewery
The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery
3228 Academy Avenue Portsmouth 757.383.9572 momacbrewing.com 15381 Kings Highway Montross 804.452.7394 montrossbrewery.com
Nansemond Brewing Station 212 E. Washington Street Suffolk 757.630.2178
New Realm Brewing Company 1209 Craft Lane Virginia Beach 757.302.8550 newrealmbrewing.com
O’Connor Brewing Company 211 W. 24th Street Norfolk 757.623.2337 oconnorbrewing.com
Oozelfinch Craft Brewery
211 21st Street, Virginia Beach 757.227.4250 bunkerbrewpub.com 1011 Eden Way N. Chesapeake 757.389.5353 garagebeer.com
504 N. King Street Hampton 757.224.1807 thevanguard757.com
Vibrant Shore Brewing Company
505 18th Street Virginia Beach vibrantshorebrewingcompany.com
The Virginia Beer Company 401 Second Street Williamsburg 757.378.2903 virginiabeerco.com
Tradition Brewing Company 700 Thimble Shoals Blvd. Newport News 757.303.3415 traditionbrewing.com
81 Patch Road Fort Monroe 757.224.7042 oozelfinchbeers.com
Wasserhund Brewing Company
Pleasure House Brewing
Wharf Hill Brewing Co.
3025 Shore Dr. Virginia Beach, VA 23451 757.647.8597 pleasurehousebrewing.com - 48 -
DECEMBER 2019
805 Laskin Rd. #102 Virginia Beach 757.618.6051
25 Main Street Smithfield 757-357-7100 Wharfhillbrewing.com
Young Veterans Brewing Company Barrel Oak Farm Taphouse 2505 Horse Pasture Rd,Ste. 104 Virginia Beach 757.689.4021 yvbc.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA 2 Silos Brewing Co.
9925 Discovery Blvd. Manassas 703.420.2264 2silosbrewing.com
6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Company
3623 Grove Lane Delaplane 540.364.6402 barreloak.com
Ono Brewing Company 4520 Daly Drive Chantilly 571.409.6662 onobrewco.com
Battlefield Brewing Company
Dirt Farm Brewing Co.
Bear Chase Brewing Company
Dog Money Brewery
4187 Plank Rd Fredericksburg 540.785.2164 chancellorpub@msn.com
18294 Blue Ridge Mountain Road Bluemont
18701 Foggy Bottom Rd. Bluemont 540.554.2337 dirtfarmbrewing.com 50 Catoctin Circle Leesburg 703.687.3852
Beer Hound Brewery
201 Waters Place Culpeper 22701 540-317-5327 beerhoundbrewery.com
Dragon Hops Brewing
11440 International Drive Fredericksburg 540.356.9056 6bgbrewing.com
1781 Brewing Company
Belly Love Brewing Company
Dynasty Brewing Co.
Beltway Brewing Company
Eavesdrop Brewery
Bike TrALE Brewing Company
Fair Winds Brewing Company
11109 Plank Rd. Spotsylvania 804.842.0199
1836 Kitchen & Taproom
34 E. Broad Way Lovettsville 540.668.5835 1836kitchenandtaproom.com
Adroit Theory Brewing Company 404 Browing Ct., Unit C Purcellville 703.722.3144 adroit-theory.com
Adventure Brewing North 33 Perchwood Drive Fredericksburg 540.242.8876 adventurebrewing.com
Altered Suds Brewing 36 Main Street Warrenton 540.216.3490
Aslin Beer Company
257 Sunset Park Drive Herndon, VA 20170 703.787.5766 aslinbeer.com
Audacious Aleworks
110 E. Fairfax Street, Falls Church 571.303.0177 audaciousaleworks.com
B Chord Brewing
34266 Williams Gap Road Round Hill bchordbrewing.com
BadWolf (Little) Brewing Company 9776 Center St. Manassas 571.208.1064 badwolfbrewingcompany.com
Barking Rose Brewery & Farm 9057 Old Culpeper Road Warrenton barkingrose.com
Barley Naked
725 E Main Street Purcellville, VA 20132 540.441.3159 bellylovebrewing.com 22620 Davis Dr. #110 Sterling 571.989.2739 beltwaybrewco.com
101 Loudon St. SW Leesburg 571.293.0050 biketralebrewing.com
Black Hoof Brewing Company
21140 Ashburn Crossing Drive, Suite #130-135 Asburn 571.246.5991 7223 Centreville Road, Yorkshire 703.420.8955 eavesdropbrewery.com 7000 Newington Road, Suites K&L Lorton 703-372-2001 fairwindsbrewing.com
11 S. King Street Leesburg 571.707.8014 blackhoofbrewing.com
Far Gohn Brewing Co.
Black Walnut Brewing Company
16015 John Marshall Hwy. Broad Run 703.753.3548 thefarmbreweryatbroadrun.com
210 S King Street Leesburg facebook.com/ blackwalnutbrewery
Board Room Brewing Company 925 Garfield Street Arlington 703.248.9439 theboardroomva.com
Brew Republic Bierwerks
15201 Potomac Town Place Woodbridge 703.594.7950 brewrepublic.beer
Caboose Brewing Company 520 Mill Street NE Vienna 703-865-8580 caboosebrewing.com
Chubby Squirrel Brewing Company
301 S Main Street Culpeper
The Farm Brewery at Broad Run
Forge Brew Works
8532 Terminal Rd., Ste. L Lorton 703.372.2979 forgebrewworks.com
Front Royal Brewing
122 E. Main Street Front Royal 540.631.0773 frontroyalbrewing.com
Gordon Biersch
Tyson’s Corner Mall McLean 703.388.5454
Harpers Ferry Brewing
37410 Adventure Center Lane Purcellville
Heritage Brewing Co.
10382 Willard Way Fairfax 571.989.1082 chubbysquirrelbrewing.com
9436 Center Point Lane Manassas 800.432.1792 heritagebrewing.com
Corcoran Brewing Company
Highmark Brewery
15 Tech Parkway, Stafford 540.623.4475 barleynaked.com
205 E. Hirst Road, Suite 105 Purcellville 540.441.3102 corcoranbrewing.com
Barnhouse Brewery
Crooked Run Brewing Company
43271 Spinks Ferry Road Leesburg 703.675.8408 barnhousebrewery.com
130 E. Main Street Purcellville 540.441.3660 dragonhopsbrewing.com
22455 Davis Drive Sterling cookedrunbrewing.com
Crooked Run Brewing Company 205 Harrison Street SE Leesburg 571.978.4446
390 Kings Hwy. Fredericksburg 540.207.1725 highmarkbrewery.com
Hillsborough Farm Brewery 36716 Charles Town Pike Purcellville 540.668.6216
Honor Brewing Co.
14004A Willard Road Chantilly 703.596.1567 honorbrewing.com
Hopkins Ordinary Ale Works 47 Main Street Sperryville 540.987.3383 hopkinsordinary.com
House 6 Brewing Co.
44427 Atwater Drive Ashburn 585.520.5710
Jack’s Run Brewing Company 108 N. 21st Street Purcellville 540.441.3382 jacksrunbrewing.com
Lake Anne Brew House
11424 Washington Plaza West Reston 571.758.2739 lakeannebrewhouse.com
Lost Rhino Brewing Company
21730 Red Rum Dr., Ste. 142 Ashburn 571.291.2083 lostrhino.com
Lost Rhino Retreat
22885 Brambleton Plaza Brambleton 703.327.0311
Loudoun Brewing Company 310 E Market St. Leesburg 703.350.8553 loudounbrewing.com
Maltese Brewing Company 11047 B Pierson Drive Fredericksburg maltesebrewing.com
Market Common Brewpub & Roastery 2900 Wilson Blvd., #104 Arlington 571.208.1355 hbcmarketcommon.com
Mustang Sally Brewing Company 14140 Parke Long Court Chantilly 703.378.7450 msbrewing.com
New District Brewing Company 2709 S Oakland Street Arlington 22206 703.888.5820
Ocelot Brewing Company
23600 Overland Drive, Ste. 180 Sterling 703-665-2146 ocelotbrewing.com
Old Bust Head Brewing Company 7134 Lineweaver Rd. Warrenton 540.347.4777 oldbusthead.com
Old 690 Brewing Company
15670 Ashbury Church Road Purcellville old690.com
Old House Brewing Co.
18351 Corkys Lane Culpeper 540.423.1032 oldhousevineyards.com
Old Ox Brewery
44652 Guilford Dr Unit 114 Ashburn 703.729.8375 oldoxbrewery.com
Old Ox Brewery
14 S. Madison Street Middleburg 540.326.8943 oldoxbrewery.com
Old Trade Brewery
13270 Alanthus Road Brandy Station 774.218.8645 oldtradebrewery.com
Ono Brewing Co.
4520 Daly Drive Chantilly 571.409.6662 onobrewco.com
Strangeways Brewing
Wild Run Brewing Company
3950 University Drive, #209 Fairfax ornerybeer.com
3071 Jefferson Davis Hwy Stafford 540.659.3447 wildrunbrewing.com
Front Royal Brewing Company
350 Landsdowne Road Fredericksburg 540.371.1776 strangewaysbrewing.com
Pen Druid Brewing
Sweetwater Tavern
Wort Hog Brewing Company
14250 Sweetwater Ln. Centreville 703.449.1100 greatamericanrestaurants.com
41 Beckham Street Warrenton 540.300.2739 worthogbreweryllc.com
Great Valley Farm Brewery
7 River Lane Sperryville, 22740 540.987.8800 pendruid.com
Phase 2 Brewing
Sweetwater Tavern
SHENANDOAH VALLEY
Hawksbill Brewing Company
Ornery Beer Company
19382 Diamond Lake Drive Leesburg 540.987.0219
Port City Brewing Company 3950 Wheeler Ave. Alexandria 703.797.2739 portcitybrewing.com
Portner’s Brewhouse
5772 Dow Avenue Alexandria 703.646.0466 portnerbrewhouse.com
Powers Farm & Brewery
9269 Redemption Way Midland 540.272.5060 powersfarmbrewery.com
Quattro Goombas Brewing Company 22860 James Monroe Highway Aldie 703-327-6052 goombabrewery.com
Red Dragon Brewery
1419 Princess Anne Street Fredericksburg 22401 540.382.4342 reddragonbrewery.com
Rocket Frog Brewing Company
3066 Gate House Plaza Falls Church 703.645.8100 greatamericanrestaurants.com
Sweetwater Tavern
45980 Waterview Plaza Sterling 571.434.6500 greatamericanrestaurants.com
The Craft of Brewing
21140 Ashburn Crossing Drive, Suite 170 Ashburn 703.687.3932 thecraftob.com
Tin Cannon Brewing Co
7679 Limestone Dr. #130 Gainesville 571-248-0489 tincannonbrewing.com
Tucked Away Brewing Company 8420 Kao Circle Manassas 703.420.2890 tuckedawaybrew.com
Twinpanzee Brewing Company 101-D Executive Drive Sterling 703.791.9363
22560 Glenn Drive, Suite #103 Sterling 571.375.7920 rocketfrogbeer.com
Vanish Brewing
Sinistral Brewing Company
Water’s End Brewery
9419 Main Street Manassas sinistralbbrewingcompany.com
Solace Brewing Company
42615 Trade West Drive, #100 Dulles solacebrewing.com
Spencer Devon Brewing Company 106 George Street Fredericksburg 540-999-6253 spencerdevonbrewing.com
44624 Leelyn Farm Lane Leesburg 20176 vanishbeer.com 12425 Dillingham Square Lake Ridge 571.285.1997 watersendbrewery.com
Wheatland Spring Farm & Brewery
38506 John Wolford Road Waterford 540.746.6080 wheatlandspring.com
Alesatian Brewing Company 23 N. Loudoun Street Winchester 540.667.2743 alesatianbrewing.com
Backroom Brewery
122 E. Main Street Front Royal 540.631.0773 frontroyalbrewing.com
60 Great Valley Lane Natural Bridge 540.521.6163 greatvalleyfarmbrewery.com 22 Zerkel Street Luray 540.860.5608 hawkbillbrewing.wordpress.com
Pale Fire Brewing Company 217 S. Liberty Street Harrisonburg 540-217-5452 palefirebrewing.com
150 Ridgemont Rd. Middletown 540.869.8482 facebook.com/ BackroomBrewery
Queen City Brewing
Basic City Beer Co.
Redbeard Brewing
1010 E. Main Street Waynesboro 540.265.8062 basiccitybeer.com
Bedlam Brewing Company
2303 North Augusta Street Staunton 540.416.4634
Blue Lab Brewing Company 123 S. Randolph St. Lexington 540.458.0146 bluelabbrewing.com
Brothers Craft Brewing 800 N Main Street Harrisonburg 540.432.8940 threebrosbrew.com
Devils Backbone Brewing Company - Outpost
50 Northwind Lane Lexington 540.462.6200 dbbrewingcompany.com
Escutcheon Brewing Company 150 W. Commercial Street Winchester 540.391.8713 escutcheonbrewing.com
834 Springhill Road Staunton 540.213.8014 qcbrewing.com 120 South Lewis St. Staunton 804.641.9340 redbeardbrews.com
Ridge Runner Farm & Brewery 6895 Back Road Maurertown 571.201.2963 virginiafarmbrew.com
Restless Moons Brewing Company 120 W. Wolfe Street Harrisonburg 540.217.2726 restlessmoons.com
Seven Arrows Brewing Company
2508 Jefferson Hwy. Ste 1 Waynesboro 540-221-6968 sevenarrowsbrewing.com
Shenandoah Valley Brewing Company 103 W. Beverly Street Staunton 540.887.2337 shenvalbrew.com
Skipping Rock Beer Co.
414 Parkersburg Turnpike Staunton 540.466.5692 skippingrockbeer.com
VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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Stable Craft Brewing at Hermitage Hill
375 Madrid Road Waynesboro 540.490.2609 stablecraftbrewing.com
Swover Creek Farm Brewery 4176 Swover Creek Rd. Edinburg 540.984.8973 swovercreekfarms.com
The Friendly Fermenter
20 South Mason Street, Suite B10 Harrisonburg friendlyfermenter.com
Three Notch’d Brewing Co. Harrisonburg Taproom 241 E. Market Street Harrisonburg 540.217.5939
Winchester Brew Works
320 N Cameron St. Winchester 540.692.9242 winchesterbrewworks.com
Woodstock Brewhouse
123 E Court Street Woodstock 22664 woodstockbrewhouse.com 540-459-2739
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA 2 Witches Winery & brewing Company
209 Trade St. Danville 434-549-BREW (2739
Ballad Brewing Company 600 Craighead Street Danville balladbrewing.com
Deschutes Brewery - Roanoke Tasting Room 315 Market Street SE Roanoke 540.259.5204 deschutesbrewery.com
Hammer & Forge Brewing Company
70 Main Street Boones Mill 540.909.3200 hammerandforgebrewing.com
Ober Brewing Company 1443 Lakeside Circle Salem 540.404.0050 Oberbrewing.com
Olde Salem Brewing Company 21 E. Main Street Salem 540.404.4399 oldesalembrewing.com
Parkway Brewing
739 Kessler Mill Rd. Salem parkwaybrewing.com
Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers 523 Shenandoah Avenue Roanoke 540.529.2140 soaringridge.com
Starr Hill Pilot Brewery 6 Old Whitmore Road Roanoke 434.823.5671 starrhill.com/roanoke
Sunken City Brewery
40 Brewery Dr., Hardy 540.420.0476 sunkencitybeer.com
The Hive
110 College Street Clarkesville
1116 A Main Street SW Roanoke 540.597.8739 blacksnakemead.com
Mountain Valley Brewing Company
Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery
Buggs Island Brewing Company
4220 Mountain Valley Road Axton 276.833.2171 mountainvalleybrewing.com
Staunton River Brewing Co.
1571 Mt. Calvary Road Brookneal stauntonriverbrewing.com
24 Campbell Avenue SE Roanoke 540.492.5005 threenotchdbrewing.com
Twin Creeks Brewing Co.
111 Pollard Street, Vinton 540.265.8062 twincreeksbrewing.com
VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS
Bold Rock Hard Cider
1020 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Nellysford 434.361.1030 boldrock.com
Bryant’s Small Batch Cider 3224 East Branch Loop Roseland 804.420.9683 bryantscider.com
Buskey Cider
2910 W. Leigh Street Richmond buskeycider.com
Castle Hill Cider
6065 Turkey Sag Rd. Keswick 434.296.0047 castlehillcider.com
Courthouse Creek Cider 1581 Maidens Road Goochland courthousecreek.com
Courthouse Creek Cider 3300 W. Broad Street Richmond courthousecreek.com
Coyote Hole Ciderworks 225 Oak Grove Drive Mineral 540.894.1053 coyotehole.com
Garden Grove Brewing and Urban Winery
3445 W Cary Street, Richmond 804.338.6029 www.gardengrovebrewing.com
Mount Defiance Cidery & Distillery 207 W. Washington St., Middleburg 540.687.8100 mtdefiance.com
Wild Hare Cider
106A South Street, SE Leesburg 833.675.WILD
SHENANDOAH VALLEY Halcyon Days Cidery Company 4135 S Lee Highway Natural Bridge 540.291.1340 halcyondayscider.com
Old Hill Cider
17768 Honeyville Rd. Timberville 540.896.7582 oldhillcider.com
The Winery at Kindred Pointe 3575 Conicville Rd Mt Jackson, Shenandoah County 22842 540.477.3570 kindredpointe.com
Winchester Ciderworks
2502 N. Frederick Pike Winchester 540.550.3800 WinchesterCiderworks.com
VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS Big Fish Cider
59 Spruce Street Monterey 540.468.2322 bigfishcider.com
Potter’s Craft Cider
Big Lick Brewing Co.
409 Salem Avenue SW Roanoke
Corcoran Vineyards Hard Cider
CENTRAL VIRGINIA Albemarle CiderWorks
2545 Rural Ridge Ln. North Garden 434.297.2326 albemarleciderworks.com
14635 Corky’s Farm Lane Waterford 540.882.9073 corcoranvineyards.com
Hinson Ford Cider & Mead 379 Hinson Ford Road Amissville 540.219.8397
BLACK HEATH MEADERY
1313 Altamont Ave Richmond, VA 23230 703.582.0856 blackheathmeadery.com
Garden Grove Brewing and Urban Winery
3445 W Cary Street, Richmond 804.338.6029 gardengrovebrewing.com
Haley's Honey
235 East Broadway Avenue Hopewell 804.310.6845
Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery 2800 Berry Hill Rd Nellysford, VA 22958 434.361.1266 hilltopberrywine.com
Honey Grail
525 E. Market Street, #135 Leesburg 202.455.5520 honeygrail.com
SAGA MEADERY
Madison Heights, VA 339.221.3115 sagameadery.com
The Thistle and Stag Meadery 2053 E. River Road Fork Union 434.842.2200 thethistleandstag.com
Skjald Meadworks
621C Broad Street Altavista, VA 434.515.2482 skjaldmeadworks.com
COASTAL VIRGINIA Melo Lion Meadery Yorktown, VA 757.713.4885 melolion.com
224 Monitcello Ave, Suite C Williamsburg, VA 23185 757.378.2225 silverhandmeadery.com
COASTAL VIRGINIA
5909 Long Fall Lane Delaplane 540.364.2802 cobblercellars.com
CENTRAL VIRGINIA
SILVER HAND MEADERY
1350 Arrowhead Valley Road, Charlottesville 434.964.0271 potterscraftcider.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA STONE HOUSE MEADERY
36580 Shoemaker School Rd Purcellville, VA 20132 571.512.0763 stonehousemeadery.com
Maidstone Meadery
Cobbler Mountain Cellars
2814 Main Street Hot Springs bacovabeer.com
DECEMBER 2019
9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy. Afton 434.996.6992 bluetoadhardcider.com
317 Hooffs Run Drive Alexandria 703.868.4865 lostboycider.com
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Bacova Beer Company
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Blue Toad Hard Cider Pub
Lost Boy Cider
207 E. Mellen Street Hampton slyclyde.com
515 8th Street, SW, Suite 228 Roanoke 540.339.9562
3135 Dillons Mill Rd. Callaway 540.334.1600 chaosmountainbrewing.com
1320 Summit Avenue Richmond 804.231.0280 bluebeecider.com
Sly Clyde Ciderworks
A Few Old Goats
Chaos Mountain Brewing Company
Blue Bee Cider
BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS BLACKSNAKE MEADERY
605 Buffalo Road Dugspur, VA 24325 540.834.6172 blacksnakemead.com
9364 Justice Lane Delaplane, VA 20144 703.303.2090 maidstonemeadery.com
SHENANDOAH VALLEY MISTY MOUNTAIN MEAD WORKS 1531 Pack Horse Road Winchester, VA 22603 540.888.4420 mistymountainmead.com
VIRGINIACRAFTBEER.COM
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DECEMBER 2019
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We’ve been turning heads with our award-winning beers since launching in the U.S. Discover the highest quality beers at unbeatable prices— medal winners start at just $1.99. See why the New York International Beer Competition named us 2018 Beer Supermarket of the Year.
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