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RVA ON TAP: Ugly Sweaters & Gingerbread Holiday Brews

Caley Sturgill | December 4, 2019

Topics: ardent, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Center of the Universe, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, Final Gravity, garden grove, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Lickinghole Creek, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Strangeways Brewing, The Answer, The Veil, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Väsen

What’s happening, craft beer lovers of RVA?! Welcome to this week’s RVA On Tap, RVA Magazine’s weekly column for all your craft beer-related events, releases, festivals, and all the booze news your hearts desire.

If you missed the last column, you can check that out here. Our kegs are overflowing this week with beer releases and festivals, events, and other cool happenings around town, so hold on to your mugs.

This week, we’re honoring the life of Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery’s Co-Owner, Michael Brandt, and sending our love to their team from all of our Richmond beer family.

We’re also diving into the beginning of holiday events this week, with beer releases from The Answer Brewpub, Hardywood, Center of the Universe, and more, in addition to Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery’s ugly sweater party. The winter beers are in full swing with favorites like Ardent Craft Ales, Väsen Brewing Company, Final Gravity Brewing Co., The Veil Brewing Co., and Intermission Beer Company — plus an 80s throwback party with Strangeways Brewing.

The next Booze Clues live podcast is going down this coming Sunday as well, investigating the how and why of the world’s most “spirited” headlines over at The Hof at 5pm. If you want to make it out for the live recording, this podcast is a blast to listen to — and this is an extra-special Xmas Edition. You can check out their last podcast here, and we’ll see you Sunday for the show!

*PHOTO: Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery*

Before we jump in for the week, we want to take a moment to honor the life of Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery’s Co-Owner, Brewer, and Winemaker, Michael Brandt, who passed suddenly last week. The folks at Garden Grove are a wonderful group of people, and we’re devastated for their loss and the loss of this great brewer who was so dear to our craft beer community. They’ve asked for privacy during this time, and we’re sending all our love to their team as they take their next steps forward. We love you, Garden Grove, and we are so heartbroken for your loss. We wish you all sincerely the best from your beer family here at the magazine.

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

In holiday event news, it’s time for an ugly sweater party on the farm at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery. Over the years, ugly Christmas sweater parties have really taken off. I’d speculate it’s from my grandparents’ generation of boomers happily doting themselves in bells, battery-powered lights, cotton balls, and the like, but this weird tradition probably goes back a lot further than my 25-year-old mind would know. Either way, it’s here to stay — so why not celebrate it?

My family all got together for a home-staged photoshoot in our (poorly) handmade sweaters back in high school, set appropriately in the “formal living room” of my grandmother’s house, where no one is allowed to carry a cup of water over the plush, white-carpeted floors. Wine might get you disowned entirely. The entire house is still perfectly intact from when it was built and decorated in 1972, complete with velvet jungle-themed wallpaper, a life-sized painting of a lion in the den, and wood paneled walls to compliment an oversized Christmas tree.

The tree room overlooks the mountains from the top of the hill in my quaint Roanoke town, in a house that looks like a 70s mountain cabin dream where my cousins and I were raised for many, many years with the love of our sweet grandmother. Holiday sweaters will forever take me back to that day, and to the endless days spent on that hillside that I’d give anything to see every day again. There’s no place like home, y’all. So, in the spirit of the holidays, it’s time to get your family traditions out now, too.

The fine folks at Lickinghole Creek have invited us to join their farm’s family this Saturday for their tacky sweater party, with a contest to bring it all together at 5pm. My sweater is long buried (and probably donated to Goodwill by now), but if you’ve got yours packed away, bring them out for the occasion and enjoy Twelfth Night three-pack deals on brews, and live music with Tribus through the evening.

While we were gone for the holiday break, tons of great events and beers came along that we previewed in our Thanksgiving Holiday edition of RVA On Tap. A few more gems were released as well, like The Answer Brewpub’s sixtel of Incognito Browser, pictured above. This one brings in all the deep, rich tastes of classic winter brews with flavors like Creme Brulee coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, and my personal favorite, maple. This one’s a limited edition, so make sure to grab a glass while the pours still last — it won’t be back after it’s gone!

The Answer also dropped two more beers on Black Friday, starting with Hairy Coconuts (what a fantastic name). This 10.5% ABV Imperial Stout is dessert in a can, with Oreo cookies and toasted coconut flavors to bring the chocolate in even after the Thanksgiving sweets leftovers are all gone. Black Doom closed out their releases last week, in a perfect combination of activated charcoal and bright citrus to make this DIPA pour completely black. It’s deceivingly light, according to its brewers, and you can catch these tropical tastes at the brewery this week.

Every year, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery drops some special new variations of their famous Gingerbread Stout, and this year’s no different. If you’re looking for a taste of something new with that classic beloved taste, head over to the brewery this Saturday for the release of their new Triple Barrel GBS and Gingerbread Porter.

The Triple Barrel GBS is not for the faint of heart, as this 13.5% ABV brew comes to us from 11 months in brandy barrels, plus four additional months split between Caribbean rum barrels and A. Smith Bowman bourbon barrels. All together, that means it’s a hard hitter, and you’ll likely only need one (and on a holiday budget, that’s music to our ears!) to get that warm, fuzzy GBS feeling inside.

Gingerbread Porter, on the other hand, brings out a whole new recipe, as a 9.2% ABV Imperial Porter that was brewed with local white ginger and wildflower honey. As a bonus, it’s lactose-free, so it’s an easy drinker for those with a restricted diet.

In more news at Hardywood, the brewery recently started a new video series called Dads on Beer. Their latest video features Hardywood’s Hank and Skip breaking down the Kentucky Christmas Morning GBS beer, which, if you remember from a couple weeks back, is a variation of their Christmas-spiced recipe with Kentucky’s own Heaven Hills Bourbon. It’s a really fun series, so keep your eyes peeled for more on the horizon.

It’s back! The Jesus Mexican Hot Chocolate Imperial Stout has returned to Center of the Universe Brewing in Ashland, and this is one you surely won’t want to miss. The crowd favorite marries the sweet to the spicy, with cayenne peppers, cinnamon, and a dash of vanilla bringing this Mexican Hot Chocolate to life in a brew.

The divine libation is perfect for “polishing balls and talking smack before the semis,” according to Center of the Universe, and they say this is a “no bush league, psych-out brew, because nobody………. with The Jesus!”

The 11.4% ABV stout is in a good middle range of alcohol content for stouts, and it’s packed with chocolate, ganache, and holiday spices to complement its Belgian Dark Candi syrup, cinnamon, and habanero pepper. It’s meant to warm its drinkers with the heat from its peppers, and glide over the tongue “like silk” in its deliciously spicy finish. You can grab a glass of your own at Center of the Universe this Saturday at its release party, with the Freekin’ Rican Puerto Rican food truck and live music to accompany it.

Black Friday Maple Dark Rye is fresh at Ardent Craft Ales, and this series of brews is full of great variations. Maple is the latest flavor in their releases, as a new recipe derived from their Dark Rye Imperial Stout. You’ll catch flavors of barrel-aged maple syrup along with vanilla and toffee in this one, and the 11.8% ABV brew comes from their year-long maple syrup barrel-aged classic with a roasted rye base.

Next up at Ardent is their Winter American Sour Ale, which you can catch a taste of tomorrow night at the brewery. This brew features a blend of wine barrel flavors in a “funky, farmhouse saison” that was aged for nine months in both red and white wine barrels (so if you love both tastes, you won’t have to pick). According to its brewers, Winter American Sour Ale is a complex beer with restrained acidity, and it hits in at 7% ABV with 36 IBU.

Väsen Brewing Company brought out a couple new releases recently, starting with Norse Double IPA. It’s my favorite type of beer (as you all probably know by now), and this double-dry-hopped DIPA came together with Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo hops. These are great drinkers for any season of the year, but on these colder nights, this specific beer’s fruit flavors of grapefruit, tangerine, and pine are a refreshing blend of summer and winter.

Apricot Sour also made its debut over the weekend, with hundreds of pounds of apricot to ensure it doesn’t miss an inch of flavor. The Black Friday brew helped us hide away from the craziness of post-Thanksgiving shopping, and it’s here still to get you through the rest of the holiday season. According to its brewers, Apricot Sour is a bright, funky sour, and it’s packed with strawberry, tangerine, and subtle floral notes along with its brown sugar additions.

Another delicious DIPA is here with Final Gravity Brewing Co.’s My Shangri-La, the product of dry-hopped Citra and Cashmere hops. This Hazy DIPA is definitely on my list this week, and along with it, Final Gravity also has more new flavors on tap. Ancient Mariner Gose is out in Pomegranate and Pineapple Passionfruit, which means our brewery friends are missing the flavors of summer a bit like we are. It may be the best time of year for food, but while we’re not short on great beer releases lately, it’s refreshing to see these evergreen flavors still coming out fresh.

Last week, Stone Brewing Richmond celebrated the nice November weather with their Stone Winter Harvest Triple. In addition to having their collab Stone Saison Du Buff with Dogfish Head and Victory Brewing Company out for tastes, they tapped this keg to bring out the wine-infused recipe. Winter Harvest Triple was barrel-aged in white wine barrels after being brewed with red wine grapes from South Coast Winery, plus four strains of Brettanomyces yeast. It’s “dangerously drinkable,” according to its brewers, at 10.7% ABV — so make sure to sip slowly on this one when you swing by the brewery for a glass of your own.

Canon & Draw Brewing Company brought out the Thanksgiving goodness with their Stroopwafels over the weekend. This Just A Small Piece Sweet Potato Pie Milk Stout, a classic holiday-flavored brew, was infused into waffles with the folks at Campus Waffle RVA.

The finished product is a delicious combination of cakey desserts and stout beer, all wrapped up into pumpkin spice Stroopwafels to bring the local drinkers and foodies together in the perfect mix.

Out at The Veil Brewing Co., another great multi-release came out last night. They’ve got five brews ready to go this time around, starting with Never Never Again Again (pictured above). This recipe is a double-fruited raspberry Gose, bright as can be in color and just as rich in flavor. At 5.1% ABV, it keeps it simple and makes for a very easy drinker.

Master Shredder, a Mosaic-forward IPA, was up next. It’s another lower-ABV beer at 5.5%, and it’s also a classic from the brewery, according to The Veil. Master Shredder is out right now for the last time in printed cans, so if you’re looking to grab a piece of history from your favorite brewery, now’s your chance.

?? followed, and as my favorite in the list, it’s a double dry-hopped Triple IPA. It was originally brewed with all Citra hops, then dry-hopped with Galaxy, Enigma, BRU-1, Motueka, and Citra again in its dry-hop process — a perfect Citra-forward TIPA for those of us who lean more towards an 11% ABV brew like this one.

Don’t Move is a fresh addition to The Veil’s ever-growing list, and it’s a nicely orange-colored DIPA that comes to us from Galaxy, Mosaic, Idaho 7, and Nelson hops. It hits in at 8% ABV, and it’s available in 4-packs as well.

They is fifth on the bill from the night. Outside the IPA family, this lager recipe was step-mashed with raw wheat before being hopped with its Perle and El Dorado hops. It’s another lower-ABV beer on the list at 5%, making it a great pour for any day of the week.

Over at Intermission Beer Company, Winter Warmer is here to cozy up these chilly days. The recipe this year just dropped over the weekend, and it was inspired by a friend of the brewery. Kate’s Ginger Molasses Cookie brought the flavors of this beer to life — full of vanilla, clove, and ginger — to have a 9.3% ABV in a nicely-balanced holiday brew.

Strangeways Brewing has a great event for us this week with their 80s Flashback Dance Party coming up this Friday. I recently spent a great evening in Carytown at a spot playing almost exclusively 80s music, and this next one will be a blast as well. Strangeways is inviting us all to bring out our 80s attire and “take the party back to the greatest decade,” with dances and clothing from The Moonwalk and The Sprinkler to big hair, headbands, leotards and ripped jeans. If you’re ready to relive the glory days, Strangeways is looking for you.

That’s it for this week’s RVA On Tap! As your weekly columnist, I’m here to take all your beer releases, event info, ideas and questions. If you’re a brewer, send me your release info at c[email protected], and if you’re a beer enthusiast, drop me a line anytime to talk booze. Catch y’all next week!

RVA On Tap: Carrot Cake & Apple Crumb Brews

Caley Sturgill | November 13, 2019

Topics: ardent, beer, beer column, big pippin cider, bold rock hard cider, Canon And Draw, castleburg brewey and taproom, chesapeake bay distillery, Hardywood, kindred spirit, ko distilling, Legend Brewing, Lickinghole Creek, midnight brewery, RVA On Tap, Starr Hill, Thanksgiving, the answer brewpub, three notchd, triple crossing, truly hard seltzer, Väsen, vintners cellar and winery

This week, the tastes of Thanksgiving are coming to the River City with Lickinghole Creek’s Carrot Cake beer, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House’s Apple Crumb Ale, and Hardywood’s Apple Brandy GBS. Don’t miss the Stony Point Beer Festival with all your favorite local brewers, plus new releases at The Answer Brewpub, Canon and Draw, Vasen, Triple Crossing Beer, and Ardent Craft Ales’s Dark Rye for these chilly nights.

We know Thanksgiving is upon us when carrot cake hits the table. After years and years growing up with my mom’s famous carrot cake recipe, there’s nothing like these classic fall spices to make the season’s best baked goods. We’re a family of dessert-lovers, and I encourage you to be, too. Pro tip: bake yours in cupcake pans instead of a full cake pan for maximum icing-indulging.

This week, my childhood dreams met my grown-up dreams, because the perfection of carrot cake is here in a beer. Thank you, Lickinghole Creek, for making this a reality: Rum Barrel Aged Carrot Cake Imperial Amber Ale is ready for your glass at the farm, and it’s full of all the cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, clove, and vanilla that bring out these dessert tastes in a big way.

The Amber Ale was brewed with hundreds of pounds of freshly-grated carrots, according to Lickinghole Creek, and aged in Nicaraguan Rum Barrels. With five specialty malts, fresh rum flavor, American-grown hops, and the brewery’s house American Ale Yeast, the 11% ABV beer is Thanksgiving in a glass.

If you weren’t ready for the holidays yet, you certainly will be now.

This Saturday, the Stony Point Beer Festival returns to town with tons of brewers from Richmond and beyond. Not only will attendees get to get unlimited samples of beer from more than 15 different breweries, they’ll get to try ciders, wines, and other distilled alcohol recipes.

Participating breweries include: Steam Bell Beer Works (Tiramisu Stout and Extra Plenty Hibiscus Cucumber), Legend Brewing Company (Brown Ale and Winter White), Castleburg Brewery and Taproom (Valiant Knight IPA and Dark Ages Imperial Maple Brown), Starr Hill Brewery Mariah Passion Fruit Gose and Little Red Roostarr Coffee Cream Stout), Kindred Spirit Brewing (Headspace IPA and Paradise Lager), Ardent Craft Ales (Helles Lager and IPA-X), Canon and Draw Brewing Company (HOP Pale Ale and Fruit n’ Cream IPA), Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery (9-Mile and Uptown), Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (Gingerbread Stout and Great Return IPA), Midnight Brewery (New Beginning and Rockville Red), Truly Hard Seltzer, Big Pippin Cider (White Cranberry and IPA), Bold Rock Hard Cider (White Cranberry and IPA), Vintner’s Cellar Winery and Restaurant of Yorktown, Chesapeake Bay Distillery, and KO Distilling.

With all those options, I’d say it’s a pretty safe guess that you’ll find more than one brew to love. My favorites on that list: Hardywood’s GBS, always, and Canon and Draw’s Fruit n’ Cream IPA. It’s hard to go wrong with Gingerbread Stout, one that the stoutest naysayers have found a place in their hearts for — but even if you’re not a drinker, there’s plenty at this festival for you. River City Sports and Social Club is heading out to keep the fun rolling all day, with Giant Beer Pong, Fowling, Cornhole, and more, plus live music through the event from Jack Ryan Sullivan.

Another note: if you’re planning on attending, I’d buy your tickets early. They’ll go up $10 the day of the event, so hustle, y’all.

Just when you thought Hardywood’s GBS couldn’t get any better, it did. I’m not sure how every new variation of this stout sounds more delicious than the last, but Hardywood’s always got something up their sleeves to keep us anticipating the next great brew.

Apple Brandy MEGA GBS is debuting this Saturday, and you can grab a taste of your own anytime during the day at the brewery. In true stout fashion, GBS keeps the alcohol levels high — and Apple Brandy hits in at 13.5% ABV to ensure that its drinkers will be satisfied after the first glass. The Double Imperial Milk Stout was aged for more than a year, with its barrels first starting the process 13 months ago. Of all the great GBS variations we got to try last holiday season, we still have yet to get our hands on this one.

You can try the Laird’s-Apple-Brandy-brewed special this weekend along with eats from Taqueria Panchito and Bikini Panini, plus live music from Justin Trawick. See you there!

Fresh at The Answer Brewpub last week, Button Masher DIPA came to us in cans… and this double-dry-hopped El Dorado, Citra, and Simcoe brew is one you won’t want to miss.

The Answer is famous for their beers, from sours to fruit beers, IPAs, stouts and more, but this Double IPA is one I’m extra-excited for. The Button Masher DIPA cans were released on Election Day, and whether you saw the results you wanted or not, it’s a great way to settle into November (and celebrate if your candidate won their race).

Sunlight is becoming limited this time of year; the weather’s bringing us more and more dark hours of the day — and if you’re anything like me, that means you’re waking up even earlier now that daylight savings time has passed. That darkness doesn’t always have to be a bad thing, though, and it’s definitely not at Ardent Craft Ales: they’re celebrating the beginning of winter with their Dark Rye American Imperial Stout.

Stout season is the best time of the year in my humble opinion, bringing longer nights, chilly air, and signaling tons of good holiday food in our future. It’s perfectly-celebrated with Dark Rye, which brings out a rye spiciness and roasted notes into its long-lasting tan head, according to its brewers. This stout is full-bodied, dry, and chocolatey, and it’ll be open for tasting starting tomorrow night at Ardent. The 9.8% ABV stout is at a solid medium on alcohol content as far as these variations go, so if you’re really wanting a heavy drinker after the rainy weather set the mood yesterday, you’ll probably be able to swing a few of them in one evening.

Coming up this Friday at Canon and Draw Brewing Company, another great release is on its way. Canon and Draw has been on a great kick of dropping brand-new brews just about every week this season, and we’re here for it.

Next up on the list is their Hop Pale Ale, this time brewed with Mosaic and Hallertau Blanc hops. Norwegian Kviek yeast is the special ingredient in this variation of the rotating Pale Ale series, and with its hot fermentation process, it yields fruity flavors that open the doors for their various hop combinations to shine.

Väsen Brewing Company noted the rise of New England IPAs this week, and they’re not wrong — while they seem to be slipping into the taps at every local brewery, you can rest assured that this beer columnist has no complaints about it. The fruity, smooth flavors of an NEIPA (and especially the Double IPAs) just has something unlike any other beer. But the popularity of NEIPAs also brought the slowing-down of the West Coast’s strong and hop-forward tastes of the earlier craft beer days.

Väsen’s taking us back, and we’re stoked about it. This Saturday, Windhook debuts at the Scott’s Addition spot in all its spicy and floral glory. According to its brewers, this classic American trio brings together Centennial, Chinook, and Amarillo hops to honor the brews “that built the craft beer industry.” You’ll find pine notes in this one, along with lemon and orange to complement the more bitter tastes of the classic IPA at their brew release this weekend.

Väsen also released Hane this week, in a collaboration with Benchtop Brewing Company. Hane came together as the product of two farmhouse ales, which were combined with the house mixed Brett culture of Benchtop before bottling after their white wine barrel aging. It’s been described as funky by Vasen, with dried fig, fruity, and earthy flavors, available now at the brewery.

Thirsty Thursdays are alive at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House. The latest edition is their Apple Crumb Amber Ale, which is an extremely close second on the dessert-love scale to our introductory carrot cake beer. This recipe came together with cinnamon, vanilla, and Virginia-grown apples to bring us all the best fall flavors in a special local way.

Also over at Three Notch’d, make sure to give Thackery’s ESB a taste. Its brewers say this one is the perfect combination for early-afternoon Premier League games, so if you’re a soccer fan stuck in a sea of American football enthusiasts, it should be a refreshing companion to your games. This beer was made as an adaptation of the English Extra Special Bitters, and it’s an in-house favorite of the Three Notch’d Head Brewer Willey Broaddus, according to the brewery team.

Who remembers Clever Girl?! I definitely do, because this beer shares a name with an old Richmond band that one of my lifelong best friends fronted during his time in the River City. The long-loved brew is returning to Triple Crossing Beer this Friday at their Fulton spot, and it’s a great reason to make a drive out. If you haven’t ever visited Triple Crossing — and like many folks I’ve known in the area, don’t like to venture too far from the city center — you’re missing out. Triple Crossing not only brews some of the best damned beer in the Richmond region, they’ve got a beautiful location in the East End that makes for a nice drive and a beautiful afternoon (especially with the crisp air and changing leaves of these late fall days).

That’s it for this week’s RVA On Tap! As your weekly columnist, I’m here to take all your beer releases, event info, ideas and questions. If you’re a brewer, send me your release info at [email protected], and if you’re a beer enthusiast, drop me a line anytime to talk booze. Catch y’all next week!

RVA On Tap: Belgian Beer Festivals & Gingerbread Stouts

Caley Sturgill | October 30, 2019

Topics: ardent, beer, beer column, Center of the Universe, Champion Brewing, courthouse creek cider, craft beer, crooked run brewing, elation brewing, Final Gravity, Fine Creek Brewing Company, full steam brewery, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, O'Connor Brewing, reason beer, RVA On Tap, smartmouth beer, Stone Brewing-Richmond, strangeways, tabol brewing, The Veil, vasen brewing

Fall is in full swing with Fine Creek’s Belgian Beer Festival, and Halloween events with Stone Brewing Richmond and Intermission Beer Company. We’ve also got the return of the Gingerbread Stout to Hardywood this week, plus more great releases like Center of the Universe’s The Donny, Final Gravity’s Splashdown, Vasen Brewing Company’s Smoked Candy Cap Walrus, and more with The Veil Brewing Co.

Kicking off the week, Fine Creek Brewing Company is hosting their giant Belgian Beer Festival this Saturday with tons of our favorite brewers from all around the Richmond area, and plenty more from around the state.

You’ll catch live music from Darcy Down, a local Virginia country artist, along with a large array of guest beers from spots you already love and new favorites to try. Here’s a list of the participating breweries coming out for the first annual event at the beautiful Powhatan spot:

Ardent Craft Ales, Bingo Beer Co., Champion Brewing Company, Courthouse Creek Cider, Crooked Run Brewing (Sterling, VA), Elation Brewing (Norfolk, VA), Fullsteam Brewery (Durham, NC), Hardywood, O’Connor Brewing Co. (Norfolk, VA), Reason Beer (Charlottesville, VA), Smartmouth Beer (the Norfolk, VA creators of the famous Lucky Charms brew last year!), Strangeways Brewing, Tabol Brewing, and our pals at Väsen Brewing Company.

It’s that time we’ve all been waiting for: GBS releases at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery!

Hardywood’s Gingerbread Stout is the beer loved ‘round the city each year, and it also signals the start of colder days and the early times of the holiday season. We’re not quite to Halloween yet, and while I’m increasingly more annoyed with pre-Halloween Christmas shenanigans every year, Hardywood’s GBS coming at the top of November is a holiday treat I’ll welcome like no other.

This Saturday, get your first glass of the season along with the release of Christmas Pancakes (which, honestly, is probably going to top my list even above the classic GBS as a bigtime pancake enthusiast). GBS hits in at 9.2% ABV, and this award-winning brew isn’t one to sleep on: it’s been given a 100 Rating from BeerAdvocate, a Bronze Medal at the World Beer Cup, and named one of the top 25 Milk Stouts in the world from BeerAdvocate as well. With Virginia-grown Hawaiian white ginger and local wildflower honey, it’s almost impossible for it to disappoint.

Christmas Pancakes, on the other hand, is all your favorite GBS flavors wrapped up in one keg with maple syrup (!!) and it’s already been praised highly, too. If you’re a holiday-lover, it’s the perfect way to get into the spirit… and if you’re a holiday-hater, this sweet brew will take some of the edge off from all those uncomfortable family encounters and mobs of shoppers packing the city.

We’re getting excited for the new location of The Veil Brewing Co. as plans gear up for their 2020 opening. They released a few images of the building’s renderings, so there’s plenty of cause for celebration when this one is ready for the public.

In addition to plans for their new spot, The Veil dropped several new beers this week in an awesome Halloween theme.

Dull Fangs kicked off the spooky releases, an All Hallow’s Galaxy and Nelson IPA that The Veil made a bit softer with additions of grapefruit purée. This particularly special recipe is near and dear to its brewers, they say, as it was one of their very first beers in their 2016 grand opening mixed 4-pack. According to The Veil, it’s “something juicy to sink your teeth into while you’re out causing mischief this Halloween” — and if we’ve learned anything from Richmond’s questionable treatment of something as simple as electric scooters, causing mischief is in this city’s blood. That’s definitely fang-worthy.

CREEP followed up with an All Hallow’s Pumpkin Pie Double IPA (holy yum!) with even more pumpkin pies than last year. This brew came together with the harvest of the season along with “piles” of oats, and big hop flavors from Citra and Enigma additions. It’s got all the pumpkin and buttery crust flavors you could want, rounding out at a solid 8% ABV.

Never Never Dead Dead closed out last night’s releases, an All Hallow’s Gose that was brewed with double Sour Gummy Worms and double Sour Patch Kids. It’s a brand-new recipe of the beloved original sour, made for the first time with double the ingredients to make sure this Halloween brings the most sugary blessings you’ve ever had.

If you didn’t get enough Halloween excitement in over the weekend, never fear — there are plenty of holiday events still going throughout the week, like Halloween with Stone going down at Stone Brewing Richmond tomorrow night.

As Stone says, “The gargoyle will be in full effect this Halloween at Jacktown,” and their stoic mascot is the perfect one to kick off the best night of the year. They’ll be hosting a tap takeover with all of their best devilish brews, and the ghouls at Stone invite you to come in costume and celebrate along with them.

Local coffee meets local beer. Center of the Universe is releasing The Donny on Saturday, and this Southern English-style Brown Ale is combined perfectly with Lamplighter’s cold brew coffee — a reference to the coffee can where Donny’s ashes ended up at the end of The Big Lebowski (spoiler alert).

The smooth, velvety flavors with notes of caramelized sugars and strong coffee were created by COTU “to bring to mind carefree coffee dates with your closest nihilist buddies.” Who in Richmond doesn’t have a few of those? I think, in spirit, we’re probably all that nihilist buddy to someone. You’ll also taste caramel and toffee to add in more dessert, all coming together from Maris Otter, Crystal 120, Crystal 77, and Perle hops in addition to Flaked Barley and Flaked Oats.

In more Halloween events, head over to Intermission Beer Company tomorrow night for a spooky round of Tim Burton movie trivia. It’s likely to fill up, so make sure to get your tickets here today while you still can!

Intermission will have their Pumpkin Spiced All Hallows Ale and Jack O’ Lantern Hard Seltzer Floats on deck, and they’ll even have non-alcohol versions of the seltzer floats for your DD! This week, the DD is probably going to be me, because pre-Halloween weekend already did your girl in. Trivia starts at 7, and you’ll want to make sure you’ve registered for your trivia seat ticket before it starts and get there early to grab a table. Tim Burton movies are a binge-worthy Halloween favorite, so it’s the perfect time to bring your knowledge to the table (literally) and see what you’ve got!

Splashdown Double IPA is making its way back to the taps this Friday at Final Gravity Brewing Co., and this juicy 8% ABV New England-style brew is packed with flavor.

With grapefruit and citrus, Splashdown’s tastes were created with Citra and Apollo hops. It drinks smooth, according to the brewers, with “billowing waves of melon and lime.” In events, you’ll also want to catch up with Final Gravity this week for their taco party hosting the Taqueria Panchito food truck, and their Bluegrass Jam on Tuesday. The Bluegrass Jam even invites guests to bring their own acoustic instruments to join in on the jam — plus, you’ll get 20 percent off beer all night if you play with the group!

On Sunday, Väsen Brewing Company released their Smoked Candy Cap Walrus, which is made for sitting out on fall nights.

From the sweet to the smokey, this brew was made with German Applewood and Cherrywood smoked malts, and has flavors of dried candy cap mushrooms to complement its earthy maple tastes. Coming up this Saturday, Väsen is hosting the Kathmandu Momo & Spice food truck to pair their beers with authentic Nepali and Indian food. They’ll be there throughout the afternoon and evening, so head over to their tasting room for the occasion.

That’s it for this week’s RVA On Tap! As your weekly columnist, I’m here to take all your beer releases, event info, ideas and questions. If you’re a brewer, send me your release info at [email protected], and if you’re a beer enthusiast, drop me a line anytime to talk booze. Catch y’all next week!

RVA ON TAP: Oktoberfests & Seasonal Brews Hit The River City

Caley Sturgill | September 25, 2019

Topics: anniversary, ardent, beer, beer column, Canon And Draw, Center of the Universe, gbs, gingerbread stout, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Oktoberfest, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, strangeways, The Veil, three notchd, Väsen, wahoo cup

If you missed the last column, you can check that out here. Our kegs are overflowing this week with beer releases and festivals, events, and other cool happenings around town — so hold on to your mugs!

This week, we’ve got more coming for Oktoberfest celebrations, plus some delicious beer releases happening around town… like The Veil’s black-colored lemonade brew and the famous Hardywood Gingerbread Stout heading back to town.

The very beginnings of fall are still popping up, especially in regards to the Oktoberfests galore happening across the city. Over the weekend, a large festival came to the grounds around the VMFA, and this weekend another huge one is coming to Center of the Universe Brewing.

On Friday and Saturday, head out to our favorite Ashland spot for this free event packed with traditional live German music, German-inspired food, German-style brews, plus the 2019 Das Bier Run on Saturday and more surprises. Friday’s music will be provided by The LOW’n’BROWS — a German “Oompah” band from Fredericksburg who, after 21 years professionally playing the music style, specialize in polkas, waltzes, and other traditional “hofbrauhaus” music, according to COTU.

“Grab your lederhosen and your beer steins!” says the brewery, because Saturday keeps the party going. All day long from 12pm-10pm, the inside of COTU’s taproom will be turned into a traditional German festhalle as the Das Bier Run gets started. And the best part: the beer! Oktoberfest, their take on the classic Munich fest biers, will be on draft. It’s made from German Munich and Vienna malts to add a sweet, malty flavor to its toasted notes. Also brewed with Czech yeast to bring out the malt, German hops were added to give it just enough bitterness to round out the flavors.

See you there!

Canon & Draw Brewing has *really* been killing the new brew game lately. With stellar variations all over the board, this week they’re dropping a special one on Friday.

Coffee w/ Room, an American Milk Stout, is a juiced-up version of the classic stout DNA. This 8% ABV milk stout starts off with a roasted-chocolate base that brings in several caramel malts, which gives it a rich and complex foundation. Next you’ll taste its creamy sweetness, made with a large addition of lactose and packed with locally-roasted and coarsely-ground coffee from Rostov’s.

Full of dark chocolate flavors and its delicately-roasted Ecuadorian coffee, this beer has a “light and bright” acidity, according to the brewers, from coffee blending seamlessly with the malty chocolate base and sweet cream finish.

Happy Richmond birthday, Three Notch’d! Their RVA Collab House turns three on Saturday, and they’ll have everything — food trucks, beer releases, re-releases, games, and more.

If you’re a football fan and you’re trying not to miss the game, they’ll have three TV’s out so you can drink and enjoy while catching every minute. They’ll also have games like foosball, darts, arcades, corn hole, and more to entertain attendees, plus prize pack giveaways with free merch, glassware, and gift certificates.

Cafe 804 will be providing the eats for the occasion, so come out to grab one of your favorite Three Notch’d brews and celebrate with them.

Hardywood’s got a great new beer coming up this Friday, with their Benny & The Fest can release. Also — did you know that Hardywood was recently voted Richmond’s favorite brewery? No surprise there, because everything they do is delicious, and this one’s no different: Benny & The Fest is a lighter 5.8% ABV marzen lager, and it’s malt-forward with a nice, light sweetness. As the crisp air of fall starts rolling in early next month, it’s “a great treat to pair” with the cooler temperatures of fall.

And in even *better* news, Hardywood’s Gingerbread Stout series is back!!! Pre-sales began this Monday, and complete sets are on sale now. They’ve got seven new variants for 2019, and they sound even better than last year: with special variations like Christmas Pancakes with maple syrup, Christmas morning with Mexican Chiapas coffee, Fluffy GBS with marshmallows, and Frosty GBS with white ginger and local honey. Also, all the whiskey-lovers out there can look forward to Kentucky Christmas Pancakes (take your regular pancakes, and add bourbon to them), Christmas Island with Toasted Coconut, and the classic Bourbon Barrel GBS.

Also this week, Hoax comes out at Hardywood on Saturday! This 13.5% — yeah, you read it right — Barrel-Aged Milk Stout just spent 9 months in freshly-emptied brandy barrels, and it’s a “behemoth” of a beer according to the brewers. It joins their crew of misfits, Trickery, Foolery, and Ruse, which are some of the highest-rated milk stouts in the world. Now’s your chance to come get a fresh taste of their next sibling, so don’t miss it this weekend!

Coming up on Saturday, the 5th Annual Wahoo Cup Craft Brewers Invitational is also coming to Hardywood. This yearly event benefits the Richmond Cycling Corps, which brings competitive cycling and educational possibilities to “tough city neighborhoods.”

Tons of local breweries will be in attendance, like Ardent Craft Ales, Bingo Beer Co., Fine Creek Brewing, Hardywood, Lickinghole Creek, Kindred Spirit, Starr Hill, and Three Notch’d — plus some of my faves from elsewhere around the state, like Blue Mountain Brewery, Random Row, and more!

Fresh out at Väsen Brewing Company this week is Mosaic Secrets, a brand-new brew hazy Triple IPA that keeps these last warm days of the year alive with its mango and passionfruit aromas.

The flavors were created through the hopping process with Vic Secret and Mosaic hops, and if you’re looking for a taste of your own, you can get one at the brewery after its release last night. Head over to the brewery for board games with friends, one of Väsen’s favorite pastimes, or bring your own games instead of diving into their “treasure trove” with a beer in hand.

Another recipe of my favorite brew style is making its way to Steam Bell Beer Works this Friday evening. Subrosa, a New England-Style Double IPA, was created with what Steam Bell calls a new-to-us hop combined with a decadent hop-bomb:

“Cashmere hops are fairly new on the scene, but making a splash (pun intended) in the IPA game.”

In Subrosa, you’ll catch some deliciously tropical notes to complement its higher 8.9% ABV, from peach to tangerine, and pineapple to other citrusy fruits. It was also double dry-hopped with Amarillo and Mosaic to bring out an extra dose of fruit.

Another Oktoberfest is in line, and it’s happening all month long at Strangeways Brewing. Our buds at Strangeways have specials running all month long on Oktoberfest beers, and you can catch any of these delicious brews at their locations:

Albino Monkey Belgian White Ale, Fest Bavarian-style Lager, Helles Frozen Over Munich Helles Lager, Playday Pilsner, Überlin Berliner Weisse, and the Woodbooger Belgian-Style Brown Ale.

More news at Strangeways this week brings the release of SMaSHing Simcoe, a Double Dry-Hopped IPA (my favorite!) that came out over the weekend, brewed with a single malt and single hop variety to showcase the character and versatility of its ingredients. You’ll catch an aggressive bitterness from the Simcoe hops, rounded out with a resinous, piney and dank flavor through its double dry-hopped process.

Fresh to Ardent Craft Ales is Old Molasses Ale, a historical combination that was brewed up in collaboration with the John Marshall House. The ale was based on a recipe from John Marshall’s cousin, Mary Randolph, “that she brewed in the late 1700s and featured a late addition of molasses in the boil.”

This 4.6% ABV Brown Ale drinks easy, according to the brewers, and has a low bitterness that brings out its delicious notes of molasses both in its taste and its smell. There’s only one keg available of this special brew, so make sure you get a glass while you can!

Last night at The Veil Brewing Co., another multi-release went down, with brews I can’t wait to get a taste of. First up for us is Use Me, a Double IPA (yum) brewed with Mosaic, Motueka, and Nelson hops, along with its large additions of oats and wheat — and at 8.5% ABV, this one’s riiiight up my alley.

They also released Charcoal Yella Lambz, a Charcoal Lemonade-inspired Sour beer that was brewed with milk sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, activated charcoal, and lemon purée. Could there be any more awesome ingredients in one beer? This one comes in lower, at 4.5% ABV, so it’s the perfect beer to drink like a glass of lemonade and keep things light — although it’s completely black in a glass.

Not quite like its redmiata sibling, greenmiata is a luxuriously-hopped IPA that returned to The Veil last night in all its flaked barley, Simcoe, and Citra-hopped glory. At 6% ABV, greenmiata comes in somewhere in the middle on alcohol percentage, so it’s a good brew for most folks looking for a taste.

Now here’s a phrase I know a few people could stand to hear: Who Hurt You? This brand-new Double IPA debuted at The Veil last night and, brewed with malted oats and raw wheat, its taste is as delicious as its wheaty, creamy color. It came together with Galaxy, Nelson, and Citra Lupulin Powder to hit in at 9% ABV.

This Friday at Intermission Beer Company, ArtoberFest is dropping as a new release in their variation of an Oktoberfest beer. This one was brewed up in collaboration with CultureWorks and ArtoberVA, and a portion of its sales will go back to the organization at CultureWorks, too — and what’s better than drinking for a cause? You’ll get to grab food from the Good Doggie! food truck at the release as well, with German Beer Brats and German Pretzel Dogs.

That’s it for this week’s RVA On Tap! As your weekly columnist, I’m here to take all your beer releases, event info, ideas and questions. If you’re a brewer, send me your release info at [email protected], and if you’re a beer enthusiast, drop me a line anytime to talk booze. Catch y’all next week!

RVA ON TAP: Kicking Off Halloween & Beer Fest Season

Caley Sturgill | September 11, 2019

Topics: ardent, beer, beer column, Canon And Draw, Castleburg Brewery, Center of the Universe, craft beer, Final Gravity, Hardywood, intermission, RVA On Tap, Science Museum, Science on Tap, septembrewfest, The Veil, Väsen

Friday the 13th is upon us again this week, and what better way to celebrate it than starting the Halloween season? Local breweries are releasing some great autumn brews in addition to beginning-of-fall events with spots like Red Vein Haunted House, Septembrewfest at the Science Museum, and a sweet Kings Dominion collab.

Keeping the spooks going, Intermission Beer Company is hosting their Fall Kickoff Party this Friday with Red Vein Haunted House (our favorite haunted house in town!) as the Halloween season gears up.

Head out to Intermission on Friday the 13th this week for their Halloween party and special re-release of All Hallows Ale, a fan-beloved brew that is RIGHT up my alley. This collaboration between Intermission and Red Vein is a harvest amber ale, and it was brewed with maple and cinnamon in the most perfect combination of tastes. Summer beers are good and all, but I live for fall flavors. I can’t wait to light this column up next month with pumpkin beers from all around the state. Y’all stay tuned!

At the Fall Kickoff Party, you’ll also get to jump in for their never-too-early-for-Halloween Costume Contest, win prizes from Red Vein for their haunted houses and the Ashland Haunted History Tour, and get boozy cupcakes with Lush Cupcakes… plus hang out with the folks behind the Coffee With The Dead podcast. It’s the perfect way to get your fall gears turning (and maybe even come up with some costume ideas for next month).

Halloween season is finally here, and it’s only going to get better this month with the release of more spooky brews and themed events. Kicking off this week is an awesome collab between Center of the Universe and Kings Dominion, Redrum IIPA — a blood-red Imperial IPA that’s “packed with as many hops as haunts” and devilishly good.

This 8% ABV ale brings a big punch with its flavor, full of kiwi, mango, pineapple, and other tropical fruits that come together with an earthy finish. If you haven’t made it out to Kings Dominion for their Halloween seasons before, you’ll definitely want to check it out this fall. The park is crawling with things to do, between shows and rides, and haunted houses for those of you who can stomach them (I definitely can’t). Catch me on a hayride picking pumpkins and staying as far away from the scary stuff as possible, drinking on something delicious like Redrum IIPA.

If you’re ready for the brew fests of October but you don’t want to wait, we’ve got just the thing to get your drinking season rolling! We’ve been big fans of the Science Museum of Virginia’s Science On Tap events since they first started, but at RVA On Tap, we’re extra stoked for this one.

Septembrewfest coming up tomorrow night is the latest theme in their Science On Tap series, and these are always a blast. At night, they open up the Science Museum in the dark and turn it into basically an adult playground for the 21+ folks who come out to drink and learn about science in the coolest of ways. My personal favorite parts are always the IMAX shows, which have some incredible space themes and make you feel like you’re sitting in the center of the galaxy — and this one is beer-themed!!!

After the IMAX show, drinking while we learn about the connections between beer and space, some of the best points on this event’s agenda start off with testing your knowledge of brewing in beer science trivia, learning about quick pickling, and turning trash into beverage treasure. For our beer drinkers whose favorite plus-one can’t get into craft beer, you can finally bring them along to a beer event, too: moonshine cocktails, kombucha spritzers, and cold brew coffee are all featured alongside our favorite local breweries like Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Ardent Craft Ales, Strangeways Brewing, Buskey Cider, Starr Hill Brewery, Legend Brewing Co., and Bingo Beer Co.

You can come hungry, too, because Haulin’ Balls, Sammich, and Gaucho are going to be out slinging eats, with The Dan Scutt Band playing live throughout the night. If you want to grab a discounted ticket, head over to their website ahead of the event on Thursday, and don’t forget your ID when you make it to the door!

Over the weekend, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery dropped Pappy’s Pumpkin Pie in a can release for their #FreshCanFriday. This one brings in more of our favorite fall flavors and even jumps past Halloween into the best flavor time of the year: Thanksgiving!

Hardywood spiced up their Wallonian Farmhouse Pumpkin Ale with extra additions of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and allspice, then topped it off with vanilla bean, toasted coconut, and lactose. All together, this beer pulls all the best things together to taste like Thanksgiving in a glass and feel just like your grandparents’ homemade pumpkin pie.

Also coming up at Hardywood is the West Creek 5K for ALS on Sunday, which takes participants all through the West Creek neighborhood, twisting between the woods and landing at Hardywood’s awesome farmhouse. Folks of all abilities and ages are welcome, with wheelchairs, ADA tricycles, and jog strollers all invited.

Over at Väsen Brewing Company, the German Festbier is making its way back to the taps on Friday. In mid-September, this deep amber lager is made for the season, with a rich malty character from its Munich malts. It’s also got notes of fruits and spices from noble hops and its Bavarian lager yeast, and this frothy brew comes in half-liters in true German fashion.

“Zum Wohl!” Väsen says, so throw your glass up with a Cheers! and join them for the great return.

I don’t think there are many foods outside of a straight-up pumpkin pie that I could love like I love sweet potatoes. Our friends at Ardent Craft Ales have done it again, this time with their Sweet Potato & Sage Saison in a dry, farmhouse-style beer releasing tomorrow night at the brewery.

You’ll catch earthy notes balanced with fragrant aromas between the sweet potatoes and local sage flavors, with a continental malt backbone and subtle hop presence. Coming together in a drinkable 6.4% ABV, this brew is well-rounded and great for any time of the week when the nights start to cool down. Head over to Ardent tomorrow night for a taste, and grab a bite from the Go Go Vegan Go food truck out in the beer garden to pair with the release.

Blood Orange season is here, and Canon & Draw Brewing Company is ready with their Corrosive Haze w/ Blood Orange brew, the freshest beer in their Corrosive Haze series. The fan favorite series is continuing on with the latest recipe, and this one was created with tons of flavor.

This Sour IPA has a full-on citrus punch, with “more blood orange than reasonable” added in along with grapefruit to take it to the next level. Bag after bag of fresh citrus-forward American hops went into the dry hop, according to the brewers, to create the perfect blend of sweet orange, grapefruit, and a bit of tart lemon citrus.

Out at Final Gravity Brewing Co., the #55 Hazy IPA is dropping this Sunday in honor of Quy Pham. This special release is a hazy IPA that hits in at 6% ABV, and brewed with Citra and Falconer’s Flight hops. They’ll be bringing out the new beer with River City Wood Fire Pizza, and they’ll also have rotating flavors of Love Berliner Weisse on tap through the day.

All proceeds from the brand-new beer will go to directly Quy’s family, and they’re bringing it out to go along with the 30 mile ride on the Capital Trail for the second annual Tour de Quy. This year, the event is taking place as a fundraiser for Quy’s family, Final Gravity will be out biking in their support. If you want to come out for the event, make sure to check out their page here and get tickets to come show your support as well.

Another multi-release went down at The Veil Brewing Co. last night, starting off with Never Never Gonnagetit Gonnagetit. This 5.1% ABV beer is a Gose brew made with sea salt, double blackberry and double boysenberry additions, and double raspberry purée to pack in all the flavor possible.

The Veil also debuted Supernatural Creature, a brand-new Double IPA that was brewed with a blend of base malts, flaked oats, and flaked wheat then heavily hopped with a complex blend of Citra, Galaxy, Enigma, Motueka, Waimea, Amarillo, and Mosaic hops — so if you’re looking for a big variety in your flavors, you know what to try!

Next up in their releases was @[email protected]_natureboi, another Double IPA (my absolute favorite lately). This one was created with rolled oats before being double dry-hopped with Citra and Motueka hops, and hitting in at 8.5% ABV, it’s great if you want to swing by for just one beer and still get your fill.

The brewery is hosting an oyster roast this Saturday as well, teamed up with Ruby Salts Oysters and Savory Grain for the annual event. You’ll be able to get your oysters raw, grilled, or in an oyster stew, and the festival is also bringing out The Veil’s stouts for the season, with 10 stout beers pouring outside starting at noon and going all day.

Castleburg Brewery and Taproom is bringing out the second of their hazy IPAs this Friday with Seize the Throne IPA. This brew was made with Azacca and Idaho 7 hops, and it’s packed with notes of pineapple and grapefruit to hold onto summer a little longer and “seize your taste buds” in all the best ways. It’s a light straw hazy color that comes in at 6% ABV, so this easy-drinking beer is great for beer lovers of all kinds.

That’s it for this week’s RVA On Tap! As your weekly columnist, I’m here to take all your beer releases, event info, ideas and questions. If you’re a brewer, send me your release info at [email protected], and if you’re a beer enthusiast, drop me a line anytime to talk booze. Catch y’all next week!

RVA ON TAP: Festivals Galore!

Caley Sturgill | August 21, 2019

Topics: 18th Street, ‪3 Sons‬, ‪American Solera, ‪Anchorage‬, Angry Chair, ardent, Ardent craft ales, beer, beer column, Bellwoods, Benefit, Bissell Brothers, Black Heath Meadery, Blue Bee Cider, Buskey Cider, ‪Cantillon, Casey Brewing, Center of the Universe, Cloudwater‬, courthouse creek cider, Drie Fonteinen‬, Final Gravity, fine creek brewing, ‪Fonta Flora‬, ‪Half Acre‬, Hardywood, ‪Hill Farmstead‬, ‪Holy Mountain‬, ‪Hudson Valley‬, Isley Brewing Company, James River Association, ‪Jester King‬, lab rescue, Lickinghole Creek, ‪Monkish‬, nonprofit, ‪Notch‬, ‪Ocelot‬, ‪Omnipollo‬, ‪Other Half‬, outrva, ‪Oxbow‬, Reservoir Distillery, Richmond Triangle Players, RVA On Tap, ‪Sante Adarius‬, ‪SideProject‬, ‪Suarez Family, ‪The Answer, The Veil, ‪The Veil, The Veil Brewing Co., three notchd, ‪Threes, ‪Tired Hands, Trillium‬, TRVE‬, va pride, Vasen Brewing Company, weldwerks

This week, Richmond’s brewers are at it again with *tons* of awesome events. You’ll find some great new beer releases, in addition to lots of benefits to help out the nonprofits and organizations we all know and love, so save your weekly restaurant budget for the weekend, because we’ve got a lot of great reasons to come and support.

Big news at Hardywood! The James River Jubilee is coming up this Sunday, so make sure you don’t go too hard on Saturday so you can make it out. Our buds at Hardywood partnered up with the James River Association to create this special first-ever James River celebration to honor the biggest and best part of our city: the river that runs through it.

All of our river-goers know how important the James is to Richmond and its history, and the James River Park System is one of the best in the state for hiking, fishing, picnics, and swimming all summer long. There’s nothing like getting out of the hustle and bustle of downtown to escape into the trails along the river, and take a vacation from the city without ever having to leave it. The James River Association maintains our beautiful environment and keeps it in tip-top shape for us to enjoy year-round, so take this Sunday to come together with us to appreciate the river and the people who protect it.

All day long at Hardywood, food trucks and beers galore will be around along with interactive vendors and jubilant music to commemorate Richmond’s greatest asset, and the wildlife that surrounds it.

Hardywood’s also got some great can releases this week, with None Of This Makes Sense coming out on Friday in cans along with Cloud Shapes, a dreamy fruit Double IPA dropping in cans that day as well.

Calling all dog lovers! National Dog Day is around the corner, and our friends at Isley Brewing Company have brewed up something special to commemorate it.

This Saturday, head over to Isley for the release of Rescue Red Ale, a red that reflects its name in its deep, cherry color. It’s brewed with Jarrylo and Mosaic hops that balance out its malty, sweet backbone with a bit of a hoppy kick. with a good amount of hops but a still-approachable 5.2% ABV and 34 IBU to keep the bitterness at bay.

Along with great beer, you’ll find everything from treats to doggie pools and homemade ice cream for your pups, and giveaways and raffles to treat their humans, too. The beer benefits the Lab Rescue of Greater Richmond and the Lab Rescue LRCP, so drink happy knowing you’re helping some sweet babies find homes.

Another bonus: if you’re a dog lover who has yet to find their dog to love, the event will be hosting adoptions of some great pups in need of forever homes. Come to Isley for the beer, and come home with your newest (and favorite) family member.

Tomorrow night, swing by Ardent Craft Ales for some sweet earthy flavors in their latest brew. Barrel Aged Honey Ginger is making its way back to the taps, and this new version of a fan favorite is only available once a year — so make sure you don’t miss out, and get your taste before it’s gone.

Layered with bourbon and vanilla notes, this honey-ginger beer was aged for more than a year in bourbon barrels to add to its sweet honey tastes and spices with ginger. If you loved last year’s version, you’re sure to enjoy this one with its bourbon barrel additions of flavor. Coming in at a high 11.5% ABV, you’ll also only need one, unless you’re in that small class of folks I know who can grab a six pack and enjoy bourbon brews all night long.

If you’re wanting a taste without a weeknight evening at the brewery, you can also head over to grab some in bottles to enjoy anytime. They’re also hosting the release alongside one of our most-favorite foods with The Return of the Mac food truck out in the beer garden, so you won’t want to miss it.

Are you holding on to summer with all your might? You’re not alone. The Veil Brewing Co. feels your pain, and they’re hosting a banger for all the summer-lovers in the River City.

Forever Summer Fest is going down this Saturday at The Veil to benefit ChildSavers. This is an awesome way to give back, so don’t let the high ticket price scare you off if you’re able to swing it — all proceeds are going back to the nonprofit, so you can rest easy knowing those dollars are well-spent.

The event is taking place over three sessions throughout the day from morning to night, which lets you pick whichever time works best. Grab your tickets here for any session you please, and get tastes from tons of awesome breweries you won’t find around here… plus your local favorites like The Answer Brewpub who will be there pouring.

Here’s a full list of the brewers, many we don’t normally get to try at home, who are coming out:

18th Street, Angry Chair, ‪American Solera, ‪Anchorage‬, Bellwoods, Bissell Brothers, ‪Cantillon, Casey Brewing, Cloudwater‬, Drie Fonteinen‬, ‪Fonta Flora‬, ‪Half Acre‬, ‪Hill Farmstead‬, ‪Holy Mountain‬, ‪Hudson Valley‬, ‪Jester King‬, ‪Monkish‬, ‪Notch‬, ‪Ocelot‬, ‪Omnipollo‬, ‪Other Half‬, ‪Oxbow‬, ‪Sante Adarius‬, ‪SideProject‬, ‪Suarez Family, ‪The Answer, ‪The Veil, ‪Threes, ‪3 Sons‬, ‪Tired Hands, Trillium‬, TRVE‬, and ‪Weldwerks‬.

Returning to Final Gravity Brewing Co. this week is Cassiopeia, a Double IPA brewed in honor of the beautiful Greek Cassiopeia in mythology. Head over to Final Gravity this Friday for a taste of melon, coconut, pine, peach, and “whispers of pineapple” in this easy drinker.

Cassiopeia was brewed with Cashmere and Mosaic hops to come together in this heavenly congregation, as the brewers say, of radiant flavors with a smooth bitterness that brings out its lemon and tangerine flavors.

Out on the farm at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, our brewers are at it again with a brand-new brew coming out this Friday. Juicy #14 is the latest in Lickinghole Creek’s Juicy Series, dry-hopped with a massive amount of Eureka hops — and only Eureka hops.

A pale, hazy beauty according to Lickinghole Creek, Juicy #14 is full of tropical citrus, stone fruit, and blackberry flavors which all come together with a fluffy, wheat-based mash bill. You’ll love the low bitterness that comes with its big hop flavors from being rounded out with their house English Ale yeast to make this perfectly-dank and resinous beer.

Grab your wagons if you’ve got ‘em (wheelbarrows and station wagons are acceptable for those of us who live in the actual city) because Center of the Universe has a festival for you.

The 3rd Annual Circle the Wagons BBQ Cook-off and Concert is coming up this Saturday to benefit Circles Ashland, a nonprofit that works to reduce poverty in Ashland. This benefit is going down in the brand-new Green Top Hunt Fish with tons of entertainment, from music for parents to a 40ft inflatable obstacle course for the kids.

If you’re a big BBQ fan like myself, this event is definitely for you. A panel of 10 judges is going to be tasting one meat and one side from each of the vendors in attendance, which includes Saucy’s BBQ, The Salty Pig Smokehouse Co., Jake’s Place, Virginia BBQ Ashland, The UFO Truck, and my *all-time favorite* Grandpa Eddie’s Alabama Ribs & BBQ. You can bet your sweet bippy that I will be coming out if only for a massive plate of Grandpa Eddie’s just to take home and eat by myself in bliss.

They’ve also got amateur competitions that you can enter if you please, so get cookin’ and bring out your best recipes to take home the name of best cornbread in the state from the festival. All-around, this is going to be a day of bigtime good food, so bring your appetite and fast for food that morning if you have to. Lord knows I probably will.

Out at Fine Creek Brewing, a new Lemon Wheat came out over the weekend that sounds delicious. Already a favorite among fans, this American Wheat Ale brew hits in at 5.2% ABV and brings out all the refreshment you need for these hot summer days. It was brewed with Callista, Saphir, and Nugget hops in addition to its fresh lemon peel additions, and you can grab it to-go as well in Growlers and Crowlers.

They’ve also got their beloved Turf & Twig Brown Ale back on tap, which has just the right amount of sweetness to complement this dark-style Brown Ale. You’ll catch dessert flavors like nutty coffee, baker’s cocoa, and pumpernickel bread to bring out its rich maltiness, and a clean finish with just that hint of sweetness to round it out.

That’s it for this week’s RVA On Tap! As your weekly columnist, I’m here to take all your beer releases, event info, ideas and questions. If you’re a brewer, send me your release info at [email protected], and if you’re a beer enthusiast, drop me a line anytime to talk booze. Catch y’all next week!