Hardywood, the brewery that set a fire under the craft beer movement in Richmond, announced plans yesterday to open a 1,100 square foot brewery and taproom in Charlottesville sometime this fall.
Hardywood, the brewery that set a fire under the craft beer movement in Richmond, announced plans yesterday to open a 1,100 square foot brewery and taproom in Charlottesville sometime this fall.
The brewery, located in the Uncommon building at 1000 W. Main St. between UVA and the Downtown Mall, will feature a 3.5 barrel system, taproom and outdoor beer garden.
“We love Charlottesville and are so excited about this project,” shared Hardywood president and co-founder Eric McKay, in a news release. “The Uncommon building is perfectly suited as a creative hub for brewing uncommon beers, as a community gathering place and as a space for collaboration within the industry.”
Their Charlottesville brewhouse will be five times the size of their current pilot system and according to co-founder Patrick Murtaugh, will give them the chance to experience with new recipes and collaborations.
The taproom will feature 12 Hardywood draft beers, focusing on experimental batches brewed on site. Small plates, such as locally sourced charcuterie and soft pretzels are planned offerings, and guests will be able to order food into the taproom from local restaurants.
In addition to craft beer, Murtaugh and McKay plan to serve coffee and local kombucha.
Hardywood is working with Virginia Eagle Distributing to get their beer into Charlottesville retail markets.
“Virginia Eagle Distributing has done an excellent job representing Hardywood in central and western Virginia,” stated McKay, “but as we’ve learned in Richmond, our taproom is the most impactful vehicle for sharing our story, and we hope to create similar enthusiasm for our beers at retail accounts throughout Charlottesville.”
Hardywood will invest $300,000 in the project, and will create four full-time jobs and twelve part-time jobs.
The brewery first opened their brewery in Richmond on Ownby Lane in 2011 and has since won numerous awards for its beers. Hardywood also has plans for a production facility in Goochland which they broke ground on in November. The brewers plan to open that facility in May.
The Uncommon building is slated to open to residents in late summer and the Charlottesville brewery and taproom will open by September.
