Hello beer brethren and sisteren, welcome to this week’s “Tapped,” RVA Magazine’s go to weekly beer column.
Hello beer brethren and sisteren, welcome to this week’s “Tapped,” RVA Magazine’s go to weekly beer column.
We’ve brewed up quite a bit of new for all you beer thirsty folks can get in the know about recent news like, The Virginia Craft Brewers Cup, and upcoming events in this fair city of ours.
This is the last week of Virginia Craft Beer Month, so hold onto your mugs! First check out last week’s full roundup here.)
First and most importantly, The Answer won The Virginia Craft Brewers Cup at the Virginia Craft Brewers Fest this past Saturday! Richmond’s brewpub, The Answer, is celebrating on it’s high horse right now. The Answer, rightfully won the Best of Show Gold medal with their single hop Citra IPA, Larceny (6.5% ABV), at Virginia Craft Brewers Cup competition! A total of 306 Virginia craft beers were entered at this mega event hosted by Virginia Craft Brewers Guild August 22 at Devils Backbone Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows.
Pictured is The Answer’s own Brandon Tolbert, raising up the coveted Virginia Beer Cup.
The Answer, having opened its doors to the public just shy of a year ago and already taking home Best of Show, might have surprised some, but to most it proves that the putting in the hard work mixed with enthusiasm can pay off big.
Taking home the Best of Show Silver was Norfolk based, O’Connor Brewing Company, with their limited time Backyard Bonfire Smoked IPA from their Steel Battalion Series, a nice mix of smoke and hops.
Devils Backbone Brewing Company, won the Bronze for, Outpost, their medieval Germanic styled Schwartz Bier (black beer). This year round release beer has a nice dry finish and ABV of 5.1 and an IBU of 18.
Here are some of Richmond’s other great breweries that deserve a healthy mentions for winning specific beer style categories. Hardywood the gold in the pilsner category with their crisp and clean Pils. Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery is showing off their gold for their Russian Imperial Stout, Virginia Black Bear. Strangeways is glinting the silver for their Heir Apparent, Herb, Spice, & Veggi Beer. Garden Grove Brewing Company took the bronze for their Broke Down Soldier in the English Mild and Brown Ale category. The Answer also won the bronze for
their Imperial IPA, Hard In The Paint.
On behalf of RVA Mag, congratulations to all breweries won medals at the Brewers Cup!
Next on the list we want to wish you all a very Happy National Dog Day! If you’d like to celebrate this day of bark-tasticness head on over to Strangeways Brewing at 6:00 pm for their renowned Yappy Hour! And yes, you can bring your friendly pooch. Water and free treats for the pups and delicious craft beer for the humans! I will go out on a limb and say, I think humans win out again. #BARKandbeer
Strangeways has a cool beer release coing out this Saturday! It’s called A-Bomb Apple Sour and it looks so, so tasty! Get ready to pucker up, this A-Bomb Apple Sour is hitting your pallet right in time for apple pickin’ season! Their newest concoction is crafted from locally roasted apples that were dropped like atom bombs into the mash. But no worry, no need to duck and cover, because this 4.7% ABV ~12 IBU beer will be hitting your belly without dismay.
Legend Brewery’s brainchild, A Brewery’s Artistry in Manchester, is carrying along swimmingly. If you haven’t heard yet, it is to be an exhibit of artistic renderings from inside and outside of the brewery. The final exhibit will be juried by a panel of artists to pick a “best in show” piece, in which the winners art will be on solo exhibit, sponsored by Legend, at Art Works Skylight Gallery Oct 23- Nov 22 2015!
If you want to show off your artistic skills or be a beer sipping onlooker there will be a “Meet-up” this weekend and next weekend. There’s no entry fee, you must be 21 and Legend asks that artists byos (bring your own supplies). Check out the rest of the details here. Hope to see you there!
Starr Hill is turning 16 years young! And they want all of us to celebrate along with them
all September long! They will be releasing new beers and limited release beers, they will have tastings and live music all month! Definitely check out their page throughout the month to keep tabs!
Awesome Beer Related Charity Events. These events make giving far too easy.
Garden Grove brews for a cause this week. This weekend August 28-30th Garden Grove will host the Children’s Hospital Foundation Benefit.
Garden Grove Brewing Company heartfully crafted a Lemon Grove Belgian Blonde specially for this great local cause. The Lemon Grove is crisp, dry and refreshing, made with lemon zest locally grown lemongrass, and Sorachi Ace hops.
$1 for every glass they sell of Lemon Grove goes to the Children’s Hospital Foundation and benefit Richmond’s Children’s Hospital at VCU. Lemon Grove will be released upon opening Friday, August 28th and will be featured all weekend long in support of the benefit. Additional donations will be accepted on behalf of CHF until 10pm Sunday, August 30th.
Let’s be sure to raise our glasses to a wonderful cause this weekend!
Starr Hill Brewery Cheers for Charity: Boys & Girls Club
For the month of September, $1 for every pint of beer sold in Starr Hill’s taproom every day, is donated to the Boys & Girls Club.
Be sure to look for “Tapped” every Wednesday with your local brew news. We’ll keep you up to date on the craft beer scene, and if you have any submission ideas or tips be sure to send your message to The Great Amy, at amy@rvamag.com. Prost!
