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.
If you missed last week’s beer news, you can check those out here. Our cup is overflowing with news this week from releases to events, and other cool happenings around town, so hold on to your mugs because we’re getting ready to tap this thing!
The biggest news this week comes from Manchester’s Twisted Ales Brewing, who announced that they will officially close after one year in business on Sunday. Co-owners Debbi and Jason Price will move to Raleigh, North Carolina where Jason has taken a new job. But not to worry, the brewery looks as though it could stay as is, but until then, you have this Thursday through Sunday to go raise one last pint with the brewery.
This weekend Fine Creek Brewing will release its Cucumber Saison, a light dry saison with some fresh cucumbers added to it. We will also have Mackenzie Roark playing for us this Saturday.
Triple Crossing is hosting their annual Juicy Brews Invitational this weekend, but before we get into festivities for that, let’s talk about the beers the brewery will release ahead of the festival. This Friday, the Fulton location will release four brews in cans including Soldiers of Summer 100% Raspberry Berliner collab with Hop Culture, Interstellar Burst DIPA, Liquid Symphony IPA, and Green Dreams DIPA.
And on Sunday, June 10, Triple Crossing will kick off its Juicy Brews Summer Craft Beer Invitational at their Fulton location. Their seventh and biggest festival yet, the brewery is pulling out all the stops for you with a chance to meet the brewers and try unlimited pours from 32 of the best breweries in the country. The brewery will have food, beer, music, and exclusive merch and glassware from designer Sam Taylor. The full list of breweries can be found at the link above but here are a few that are participating: Aslin Beer Company, Barreled Souls Brewing, Bond Brothers Beer Company, Burley Oak Brewing Company, Brewery Bhavana, Brix City Brewing, Casa Agria Specialty Ales, Casita Cerveceria, Cellador Ales, Charles Towne Fermentory, Commonwealth Brewing, Dancing Gnome Beer, District 96 Beer Factory, and Foam Brewers. Tickets are $24 to $72 and you can snag yours here.
This weekend, Lickinghole Creek’s Great Commander, Imperial Mexican-Spiced Stout that has been aging in rum barrels, makes its return to the Goochland brewery. Live music and food trucks!
Norse Pale Ale returns to Vasen Brewing this Saturday. Back again by popular demand, this farmhouse ale features Ekuanot, Amarillo, and Galaxy hops and aromas of orange peel, pine, peach, and white pepper which combine with rich brown sugar and honey. Perfect for summer!
Steam Bell Beer Works is celebrating two years this Saturday. The Chesterfield brewery will have tons of new beer releases, guest taps, food trucks, live music, and more. Check back on the link above for updates as the event gets closer. 1717 E. Oak Blvd.
On Friday, Final Gravity Brewing Co. will release its Star Castle DIPA. Tropical mango and a bit of spice hit you with this 8% brew!
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery will launch a can release of its None of This Makes Sense, a New England-style DIPA Available on draft in Richmond and at West Creek.
Strangeways Brewing is back with four new releases for you this weekend, if you can handle it! Here’s the rundown:
Forest Gnome, an Oak-Aged Belgian Golden Ale that hits you with a hint of sweetness, spicy esters, and a fruity, citrusy finish. Next up is Banana Clipper, a Hoppy Hefeweizen brewed with Pale and Wheat Malt. Subtle notes banana & clove with aromas of ripe fruit, papaya, and musky passionfruit make this a standout brew. The brewery will also release Palooza, which is pretty much a party in your mouth. Tropical flavors of mango, passionfruit, and pears come through on this IPA which is brewed with Citra, Cascade and Pacifica hops.
Finally, we have AFM #4: Aerodynamic Flash Mob, a Malibu IPA. This brew is the forth iteration of their rotating IPA series, AFM. AFM #4 is a tropical IPA that was conditioned on Pineapple, Guava, Pomegranate, and Coconut to create the perfect summer IPA.
Irish Red Ale is back on tap at Glen Allen’s Intermission Beer Company this weekend. The brewery also has a limited release of Juicy IPA, a hoppy West Coast style IPA infused with mango and passion fruit. Get in while you can!
Buskey Cider is hosting a fundraiser for VCU Massey Cancer Center this Friday, and to kick things off, will have a limited can release of Pink Lady Cider. Pink Lady Cider was released in the cidery’s first year in business and the kegs were kicked in one weekend! $1 of profits from each 4-pack and $1 of each pint from this batch will be donated to VCU. Crafted from 100% pink lady apples from Silver Creek and Seamans’ Orchard with a percentage of proceeds going to help fight breast cancer.
On Thursday, Ardent Craft Ales will release its Ardent Pilsner on draft and in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans. This crisp, refreshing German-style pils finishes dry and clean, and clocks in at only 5% so you can throw more than a few back to help ease you into the weekend.
Three Notch’d RVA Collab House has returned this week with a couple of cool collab brews for you to check out. Tomorrow, the brewery will release “Passion For A Cure,” a gose with passionfruit and mango made in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The brew will be served at their annual Richmond Brewer’s Ball this June. Pint specials run until 7 PM. Stick around for trivia which starts at 7 pm.
And on Saturday, Three Notch’d has a killer brew for you to try before it hits stores, They will release their Double Dark Chocolate Biggie S’mores Imperial Stout which might sound a little heavy for this weather, but come on, chocolate, smores and a reference to Biggie? Yes, please!
Submissions or ideas for Tapped can be emailed to Amy at amy@rvamag.com. Cheers!
Top Photo By: Triple Crossing Beer