After more than two decades, it can be easy to forget about some of the things that have made RVA what it is.
After more than two decades, it can be easy to forget about some of the things that have made RVA what it is. Places like Legend Brewing Company top that list – an always reliable mainstay of our town that sometimes gets over shadowed as the craft beer scene continues to explode locally and around the state.
Take it from Dave Gott, VP of Operations at Legend, whose been with the company for about 20 years.
“I enjoyed the beers, good people, good times. It made sense for me,” Gott said about what first attracted him to the gig as a sales rep. “It was a dream job.”
Gott said he has experienced beer-related changes both professionally and personally, from the addition of new breweries to his ability to live the young-brewer’s lifestyle.
“[There is] a lot of competition now. I’m a little older; I don’t have quite the stamina I did to go out and drink beer all night long,” he joked. “A lot of newer places will have 15 beers and 13 of them are IPAs. We like to have something for everybody. Anybody can walk in the door and find something they like.”
Gott’s unique position, constantly surrounded by delicious beer, puts him in a kind of beer-taste advantage too. While he’s not a fan of saying any brew is “good” or “bad,” he does recognize what people like and don’t like.
“I’m not a huge fan of heavy Belgian beers, while we make several Belgian beers that are very good and true to form, they’re not my favorite style,” he said. “Over 20 years, taste buds change I was into the porters and the browns in the beginning, now I’ve lightened up to the pilsners and things like that.”
It’s this maturity that really helps Legend stand out, with the ability to look past trends, and maintain the consistently to produce tried and true brews as well as exciting new variations.
“Drinkability. That used to be a bad word, people think Budweiser, but some of the craft beers now have gotten so outlandish in their flavor profiles – either bitterness or maltiness – they’re not very well balanced,” he said. “But I believe people still want to sit down and drink something they can drink more than one of. Or drink something and say ‘I think I’ll have something to eat now.”
For fans of Legend, or for those who want to get back to RVA’s Craft Beer roots, the good news is you’ve got the chance to relive 22 years of awesome local brews this weekend with Legend’s 22nd Anniversary party this Saturday.
“It’s always a blast,” Gott said. There’s live music, tons of activities for families and kids, and always plenty of good brews fresh from the tank.
They’ll also be re-releasing their Summer Seasonal Z Dam, part of their Urban Legend series. A pale-gold ale, Z Dam was brewed to honor of the iconic Z Dam which connects Pony Pasture to William’s Island. The beer offers light body and a clean malt flavor and it’s sure to be refreshing during Saturday’s 70 degree weather as well.
While Gott is as excited about this weekend as everyone else here at RVAMag, he also wanted to stress the importance Legend has in the Manchester Community. After all, they were some of the neighborhood’s first residents, and they hope they can continue to serve the area as it grows in the coming years.
“It’s something we are fighting to do,” he said. “We’ve got all these people moving in and we want them to make us their home town destination to drink and eat.”
Tickets are $25 and available at the door. Every one who purchases tickets before the event will be able to enter through the VIP entrance and will be able to get first dibs for the pig they’ll be smokin’ all day! (pictured below)
Head on over to the Brewery at 321 W 7th St, to get in on the early-ticket action.
You can find out more about this weekend’s event here.
