Tapped: Strangeways’ Tirami’zu Rum Barrel-Aged Porter, Ardent’s Friendsgiving, & Hardywood’s Bourbon Barrel GBS

by | Nov 16, 2016 | BEER & SPIRITS

What’s happening craft beer lovers of RVA?! Welcome to this week’s “Tapped,” RVA Magazine’s go to weekly craft beer column where you can find all your craft beer-related events, releases, festivals and all the booze news your little hearts desire.

What’s happening craft beer lovers of RVA?! Welcome to this week’s “Tapped,” RVA Magazine’s go to weekly craft beer column where you can find all your craft beer-related events, releases, festivals and all the booze news your little hearts desire.

Our cup is overflowing with news this week, but first head over here to check out what awesome brews were released in Richmond last weekend.

We’ve got new beer releases, special holiday and seasonal brews, special events for to take your mind off politics so hold on to your mugs because we’re getting ready to tap this thing!

Garden Grove Brewing Company has just launched a revamp of Happy Hour specials to accompany free weekly events Mon-Fri- including select 1/2 price drafts on Mondays, 1/2 price on 1/2 pours Tuesdays, and $3 Friday Flights… pay a visit to check out the new deals.

Also new this week, Garden Grove’s “Czech Pilsner” pays homage to the classic Bohemian style.

The biggest news however, will be the release of their 100th brew, Old Iron Dog, which happens to be a collaboration with RVA Magazine. It will be released for an all-day benefit event on Sunday, Dec 4th. Iron Dog Fest will feature this special release, food, live music, a silent auction, raffle, toy & food drive, and dog adoption opportunities- all raising funds and awareness for Gracie’s Guardians, an initiative of the Richmond Animal League promoting canine welfare in our community. Keep an eye out for a post about that and we’ll remind you as the event gets closer!

So we’e in the middle of Virginia Cider Week now and Richmond has a ton of workshops, tastings, and cider dinner for you to enjoy all week long and through the weekend. Check out our post on the celebration here for details.

Some pretty big news over at Center of the Universe. They are celebrating their 4th Anniversary this weekend which will coincide with the grand opening of their new production facility in Ashland, Origin Beer Lab. Origin Beer Lab will be opening their doors for the first time on Friday, November 18th at 4pm for a Grand Opening Preview. They will be serving three unique Center of the Universe Brewing beers and sharing their future plans for the space with the visitors. Read more on our story and grand opening details here.

Over at COTU, the weekend kicks off with the release of The Richard Imperial IPA. They will also be tapping a slew of other beers which you can check out here.

This Saturday, Hardywood will release its highly-coveted Bourbon Barrel Gingerbread Stout. The imperial milk stout is brewed with vanilla beans, cinnamon, fresh Casselmonte Farm baby ginger and Bearer Farms wildflower honey then matured in Virginia bourbon barrels.

Saturday Strangways Brewing brings back their TIRAMI’ZU BREW RUM BARREL AGED PORTER. In collaboration with the iconic folks from Mamma ‘Zu, edo’s squid, Dinamo & 8 1/2, the brewery “sought to sanctify the religious experience of their world class tiramisu as a brew.” This luscious porter underwent months of rum barrel aging with cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, and coffee from local roaster Black Hand.

Ardent Craft Ales is celebrating turkey day early with their Friendsgiving event on Thursday. It’s a feast and food drive event features dishes by some of Richmond’s best restaurants and chefs, including Sabai, Saison, Amuse Restaurant @ VMFA, The Roosevelt, The Daily Kitchen and Bar – Carytown, ZZQ, Union Market, Continental Divide Richmond, Lucy’s Restaurant in Jackson Ward, Mean Bird, Southbound and more. To get your seat, just donate 10 cans of food in the taproom starting November 1 up until the event. The food you donate will go directly to FeedMore to support their work feeding children, families, and seniors across Central Virginia through programs like Meals on Wheels, the Central Virginia Food Bank, the Mobile Pantry, and Kids Café. Here are items they can use the most. If you can’t donate food, it’s a $15 entrance fee.

Lickinghole Creek is hosting its Virginia Black Bear Variants Release Party this Saturday featuring Chai Tea Virginia Black Bear, Coconut Virginia Black Bear & Coconut Coffee Virginia Black Bear. 12-7 pm.

Midnight Brewery is still serving up their Luputopia IPA and Christmas at Midnight Ale in the tasting room so go by and grab that while you can.

Amy David

Amy David

Amy David was the Web Editor for RVAMag.com from May 2015 until September 2018. She covered craft beer, food, music, art and more. She's been a journalist since 2010 and attended Radford University. She enjoys dogs, beer, tacos, and Bob's Burgers references.




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