Hey RVA and all you craft beer lovers out there! It’s time for your second installment of “Tapped,” RVA Mag’s new weekly beer column.
Hey RVA and all you craft beer lovers out there! It’s time for your second installment of “Tapped,” RVA Mag’s new weekly beer column. We launched it last Wednesday so if you missed it you can check that out here.
It runs every Wednesday and will be filled with news about your local craft breweries, event, festivals, new beer releases and everything we think you need to know about the craft beer scene before you head into your weekend!
This week we’ve brewed up quite a strong roundup for you, but first check out a few photos from what you missed last week:
Licking Creek’s Pirate Party: (Don’t worry if you missed this, they’re having another one)
Strangeways Brewing’s Second Anniversary Party:
This week we’ve brewed up a number of awesome things for you to check out this weekend including the National Beer Expo, a few festivals, a jenga tournament, and a few beer releases.
With that let’s get into it.
I think the biggest news is the Capital Ale House’s National Neer Expo this week. Attendees can sample over 200 craft beers from Virginia and other breweries across the country over the course of the weekend. Actually its starts Thursday with brewery parties across town, a taco throwdown on Friday, and the walk-around grand tasting at the Richmond Convention Center on Saturday.
Brewmasters and other representatives from the breweries will be on site to talk about their beer as you indulge. Read more on our story about the expo here. Get your tickets here.
Isley Brewing will kick off festivities this Thursday with a BBQ and Brews party from 4 to 9 pm. BBQ from Buz and Neds.
Triple Crossing Brewing will also celebrate the kickoff of the expo with a Smash Brothers Tournament Thursday. Challenge your friends to a drunken game of Mario vs. Bowser while you sip on their the brewery’s new release, Double Falcon Smash DIPA.
Ashland brewery Center of the Universe is hosting its third annual Summer Moon Music Festival this Saturday and Sunday. The two-day event will feature 13 local bands battling it out for their charity of choice.
There will also be some food trucks for you to wash down all that beer with along with Anderson Neck Oyster Company selling locally raised oysters. Oysters and beer? Yes Please. COTU will have three different draft beer stations and James River Cellars will be selling their lineup of Virginia wines. Free. 1- 8 pm on Saturday. 11293 Air Park Rd.
COTU is also hosting their weekly Biergarten Concert Series tonight as well. Live music out in their beer garden, food trucks, and eight different draft selections.
Head over to Hardywood this Saturday for some blues and folk tunes for their first Richmond Roots Festival. It starts at 2 pm and there will be music from Broad Street Ramblers, Alison Self & The Lonesome Lows, Gypsy Roots, Andrew Alli & Last Nights Blues Band and closing with The Judy Chops at 7:30pm.
The Answer Brewpub on West Broad Street has a few cool things going on. Tonight their hosting their “Drink N Draw” party so be ready to drunkenly sketch. The brewpub will have another drawing games like Exquisite Corpse whatever that is so go check that out!
The Answer is also hosting a Jenga Tournament this Friday. With cheese…because what goes better with wobbly blocks off wood than that? Starts at 8 pm. $4. Players will be offered a special flight price. 1st Place Prize: $100 Gift Certificate to The Answer and $50 gift certificate for the runner up.
Strangeways Brewing is hosting a CD release party for Church Hill Music Co. tonight. Jam to some Johnny Cash and Beatles tunes while you sip their brews.
The Dabney Road brewery also has an event on Sunday for all you car lovers out there. Route 66 once again cruises in for a car show with live lusic and hot rod cars. The brews cruise is sponsored by Bloody Knuckle Road Zombies.
Mekong has come out with a brew that looks so delicious I just had to include it. It’s called Mimosa Gose and is a gose with Clemetines, Donut Peaches and Calamansi. YUM.
On Monday, Legend brought back their IPA “Hopfest.” Hop lovers rejoice because the name says it all. Legendary Mug Club members get a special price and the brewery is selling it bottles as well as added it to their tap room series. The Hopfest IPA features Amarillo, Simcoe and Citra hops. Check out RVA Mag’s take on the brew here.
Lickinghole Creek Brewery in Goochland will release a variant of their Batchelor’s Delight release, Coconut Delight Rum Barrel Quadrupel Ale on Saturday. They’ve only produced 500 bottles so get yours while you can! Its 12% and tastes of plum, coconut, dates, raisin, vanilla and rum. The brewery is also having another pirate party so if you missed the last one be sure to get to this one because they’re having another costume contest!
Not brewery-related, but still worth checking out: Olio in the Fan will launch their weekly “Passport Series” this Friday where you will be able to taste wines from around the world. The West Main Street spot is starting with Spain and they will be pouring delicious wine from 5:30 to 8 pm. Salud!
Stay tuned next week for another round of Tapped. For any tips or submissions for the column please send to amy@rvamag.com. Cheers!
