Forest Hill isn’t the shiny, hyper-curated neighborhood you’ll find in Scott’s Addition. It’s quieter, greener, and unapologetically itself. And it’s exactly where Väsen Brewing is setting up its second location, scheduled to open in summer 2025.
I met with Väsen’s co-owners, Joey Darragh and Tony Giordano, at their new spot to talk about why they’re crossing the river and what they’re bringing to the table. From the sound of it, this isn’t just about opening another brewery.
Why Forest Hill?
“Scott’s Addition was a great kind of starting point for us,” Joey explained. “Especially being in, you know, a developing neighborhood that has grown like crazy over the year. So it’s great bringing the foot traffic and the exposure to our brewery. But for us, you know, our roots are kind of built into community and the outdoors and nature, and, you know, Forest Hill just has that so much more than Scott’s Addition does.”
Tony added, “There’s this weird invisible barrier—the river—that keeps people on their side of town. We’re here to break that, to make this a spot where everyone feels welcome.”
And Forest Hill delivers. The neighborhood is buzzing with young professionals, families, and outdoor enthusiasts, the kind of crowd that doesn’t just drink beer—they earn it after a day of mountain biking, running, or paddling on the James.
How Väsen Got Started
Before Väsen Brewing became a staple of Richmond’s craft beer scene, it was just an idea shared by two friends in very different industries.
“I had been working at a brewery in Colorado for about seven or eight years, learning as much as I could,” Tony said. “I started on the canning line and slowly worked my way up until I hit a point where either I was going to move to California or we were going to do our own thing.”
Joey, meanwhile, had been working in California for Tesla, which gave him a unique edge in helping to fund their dream. “I was able to still kind of work remotely with Tesla while we were moving into Richmond and, you know, getting our pilot system, pilot brews honed in,” Joey said.
Their connection to Richmond ran deep. “Our family started getting older. Our grandparents were getting older. Families from Virginia. We’re originally from Virginia, so we wanted to come back here and find an area where, you know, we weren’t going to get completely ripped off for spacing like in Northern Virginia,” Tony said.
The two landed in Scott’s Addition in 2017, where they helped define the neighborhood’s growing reputation as Richmond’s craft beer capital. “When we found the location of our new spot, that’s what really, really locked us in on that spot in Scott’s Addition,” Tony recalled.
Enter Korean BBQ Wizardry
Väsen isn’t just bringing beer to Forest Hill; they’re bringing Korean BBQ. Jason Song, the talent behind Kobop, is teaming up with Väsen to create something fresh for the area.
“Erin, our GM, is actually friends with him, and we had tried the food a bunch of times,” Joey said. “She recommended him, and the food was amazing, and he’s just a great person. Seemed really easy to work with, and had a couple [of] meetings, talked about it. He was looking for a new space, like his lease was up over there at the end of the year, so it was just kind of a natural fit.”
This kind of collaboration isn’t just about convenience; it’s about creating a destination. A cold beer paired with sizzling Korean BBQ isn’t just dinner—it’s an experience.
The Layout
Located across the street from The Veil Brewing, Väsen’s new home will complement its surroundings with a welcoming and versatile layout. The new space is shaping up to be a hub for the neighborhood.
“This whole section right here will be a long bar area, and we’re going to have, you know, probably, like, at least 16 draft taps. We’re going to draft cocktails, wine, things like that,” Joey said.
Outdoors, it’s all about creating a connection to the community. There will be extensive patio seating with large folding windows that blur the lines between inside and out. “We’re going to try to actually kind of build off what’s already here,” Joey explained, pointing to the existing patio area.
Evolving with the Times
Väsen’s approach reflects how the craft beer scene has evolved over the years. “When we first opened in 2017, we were kind of on the tail end of, you know, craft beer’s peak,” Joey admitted. “So it’s been kind of like a gradual plateau-slash-decline ever since then, where cocktails, cider, all these kind of alcohol alternatives have started to grow substantially. So if you want to be able to maintain relevancy, you kind of have to have a broader range of options.”
This new space isn’t just about beer. It’s about meeting people where they are—whether they’re here for a lager, a cocktail, or just a good time with friends.
A New Southside Anchor
Väsen’s move into Forest Hill, along with The Veil Forest Hill already established across the street, reflects a larger shift happening. Southside is growing, slowly but steadily, into a hub of its own.
And Väsen plans to be more than just a brewery in Forest Hill. “We also want this to be kind of like one of the central outdoor hubs for this neighborhood and keep growing Väsen Run Club,” Joey explained. “Making a lot of our, like, outdoor seating areas built around people that are going to be walking up with mountain bikes and things like that, and just making it kind of like the default go-to spot where it’s like, post-ride, this is where you want to be.”
The Bigger Picture
The expansion to Forest Hill reflects not just growth for Väsen Brewing but also a broader investment in Richmond’s neighborhoods. Joey and Tony see this new venture as part of a larger trend of businesses enhancing the Southside’s appeal.
“We’re excited to help create a vibrant corridor here,” Joey said. “This area is already evolving, and we’re proud to be part of that momentum.”
As Väsen gears up for this next chapter, Richmonders can look forward to a space that combines the best of local craft beer, innovative dining, and a celebration of the city’s adventurous spirit. Stay tuned for updates as Väsen Brewing’s Forest Hill location takes shape in Summer 2025.
