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RVA On Tap: Ditch The Corona. Here’s How To (Safely) Support Local Brewers!

Caley Sturgill | July 29, 2020

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, coronavirus, covid 19, covid19, craft beer, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, Final Gravity, Fine Creek Brewing Company, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Isley Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Starr Hill, the answer brewpub, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, triple crossing, vasen brewing

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

Our kegs are overflowing this week with craft beer, and we’re not riding out this virus without our favorite local brewers… but this time, we’re bringing them home with us.

This week in Booze News, we’ve got fresh can releases, new brews for growler fills, and even local ciders and spirits. You’ll get all the best for delivery & pickup, in alphabetical order, to find your local favorites easily. Don’t miss out, Richmond, and continue supporting local business!

We’ve got pickup and delivery services from locals like The Answer Brewpub, Ardent Craft Ales, Belle Isle Moonshine, Bryant’s Cider, Center of the Universe Brewing, Intermission Beer Company, Isley Brewing Company, Final Gravity, Fine Creek Brewing Company, Garden Grove, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Lickinghole Creek, Starr Hill, Stone Brewing, Strangeways, Triple Crossing, Väsen Brewing Company, The Veil Brewing Co. and more. Stay healthy, and drink up!

BREWERS: If your outdoor spaces are opening at a safely-limited capacity, please email [email protected] with updates.

The Answer Brewpub

In to-go brews, The Answer Brewpub is first on our alphabetical list of local spots for carry-out purchases. The Answer also released brand new “Black Is Beautiful” brew, plus a series of Quy Pham-inspired beers to honor their beloved friend — so go show them support and spread the love where you can.

Check out their available brews and Order Here!

THE ANSWER BEERS:

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL IMPERIAL STOUT
KISSING THE LIPLESS HAZY NEIPA (sold out)
SUMMER SHOWERS (sold out)
PETTY MOSAIC SESSION IPA
BLUE MAJIK TROPICAL COCKTAIL GOSE
IMPERIAL MILK STOUT “QUY IS THE ANSWER”
QUY LIME PIE GOSE
NEW GUINEA VANILLA BEER
TASTED LIKE SUNSHINE DUST
FEVER DREAMS
THE VIBES
MURDER BEARS
NO WAY DOWN
MALARKEY TIPA
MILK CHOCOLATE CHUGYO
TACTICAL LAGER
QUAD MOTHER OF MORENO: MANGO, MARSHMALLOW, VANILLA
CONDRON DOUBLE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE
PASSIONFRUIT MANGO HONEY LEMONADE
KING ROBINSON COBBLER: STRAWBERRY RHUBARB
IMPERIAL 3 SCOOPS: PASSIONFRUIT MANGO PEACH
RUM PASSIONFRUIT PAINKILLER

Don’t forget to add your tips to support their team when you place your order!

If you’re planning to stop by for a to-go order, the brewery is encouraging you to please follow CDC safety guidelines.

Ardent Craft Ales

Ardent Craft Ales is offering curbside pick-up options and delivery. Beer shipping across Virginia and D.C. is available here. Locally in Richmond, you can Order Here!

Ardent partially reopened their beer garden last month, and hours are expanded to 12-8pm Tuesday-Sunday. They’ll also be serving food every day, so head out for a bite and a beer! Keep up with them on social media for updates.

AVAILABLE BEERS:

IMPERIAL STOUT WITH VANILLA & CACAO NIBS
SHORT THROW BREWING – RESTING MY GREATNESS
MIXED BERRY GOSE
SAISON
HIGHPOINT DIPA
HONEY GINGER
IPA X
BOHEMIAN PILSNER
IPA 12oz FLAGSHIP IPA
ARDENT PILSNER
ELDIG BALTIC PORTER
EARL GREY BROWN ALE
DEFENESTRATOR
DARK RYE
HONEST ADMIRATION
IMPERIAL MILK STOUT

For pickups, park in Ardent’s parking lot off Highpoint Avenue, and give the taproom a call to let them know you’re there. They’ll bring your orders out and check your ID at your car, so folks won’t have to get out and come inside at all. These are expected to be available within 30 minutes of the order being placed, so shoot for that time frame, and you’ll receive updates from Ardent if there are any delays due to higher volumes of orders.

For deliveries, drivers will come to the address provided, and IDs will be checked upon arrival. Be sure to plan for it — if you’re unavailable when they arrive, they’ll bring your order back to the taproom and keep it available for pick-up.

Belle Isle Moonshine

In more local craft drink news, Belle Isle Moonshine is offering local delivery (even same-day for orders before 2pm!) of their premium moonshine, canned cocktails, and more. Head over to their website to order here if you’re looking to mix things up and add a few cocktails into your evening brews!

Last month, they introduced Honey Habanero & Pineapple, the latest in their series of canned cocktails. This is the first small-batch, limited run cocktail to come out of Belle Isle, and this special recipe is available only to Virginia residents via their Online Distillery Store.

Check out the list below for a full rundown of moonshine and craft cocktails available from the local distillery.

AVAILABLE MOONSHINE & CANNED COCKTAILS:

HONEY HABANERO
HONEY HABANERO & PINEAPPLE
INFUSION 12-PACK
BELLE ISLE BLOOD ORANGE MOONSHINE
BELLE ISLE RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT MOONSHINE
BELLE ISLE BLACK LABEL MOONSHINE
HONEY HABANERO & PINEAPPLE CANNED COCKTAIL
BLOOD ORANGE & SODA CANNED COCKTAIL
RUBY RED & SODA CANNED COCKTAIL
SHINE & SODA CANNED COCKTAIL

Belle Isle also has merch available on their online store, so head over to see all the options when you order drinks.

Bryant’s Cider

Bryant’s Cider is now open! We’ve been waiting forever to see the brand-new beautiful tasting room (thanks, coronavirus) and we couldn’t be more excited to see they’re able to open safely. Congrats on the opening, Bryant’s, and downtown welcomes you!

Order Online here if you’re still not comfortable venturing out, and check below for a list of everything available for pickup.

AVAILABLE CIDERS:

BRITE GOOD
SUMTHIN JUICY
UNICORN FUEL (this one made them famous, so you’ll definitely want to check it out!)
500ML CANCER
500ML GEMINI
500ML MINT JULEP
500ML SATAN’S HAVEN
500ML STRAWBERRY SNORT
500ML BRITE GOOD
500ML HELL HOP

Stay tuned for more info as we get to test out the new cider location, and support local biz!

Center of the Universe Brewing

Head to cotubrew.square.site to order delivery for their best recipes. You can place orders at (804) 368-0299, or via the website by checking “Fulfillment Method” and “Delivery” with your address before finishing check-out.

AVAILABLE BEERS & CROWLERS:

BELGIAN WHEAT ALE
BLACKBERRY CRYSTAL COTU HARD SELTZER
CHAMELEON IPA
CREATIVE JUICES IPA
MONKEY’S UNCLE LEMONGRASS TRIPEL
OAKY POKEY
OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE PORTER
PINEAPPLE WHIP
POCAHOPTAS IPA
RALLY CAP GRAPEFRUIT SHANDY
SUMMER MOON IMPERIAL RASPBERRY WHEAT ALE

Customers can park alongside the front curb and proceed to the front door. Patrons will stay outside, and COTU team will deliver orders to the front. All tips received will benefit the front staff during closures. Kegs are available, ordering via email at [email protected] for availability and pricing. Gift cards are available here.

Final Gravity Brewing Co.

Over at Final Gravity Brewing Co., to-go pours are available for every brew you could dream of: all you need to do is grab a Crowler. Check out their website and Order Here!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

LAKESIDE LAGER
JAMES BROWN ALE
VENUS RISING DOUBLE IPA
ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDE HAZY DIPA
ILL TECHNIQUE HAZY DIPA
THE DOPPLER EFFECT IPA
STEPPING STONE BLONDE ALE
THIRD SEASON SAISON
FIRE STATION 5 AMERICAN AMBER ALE
IRISH GOODBYE STOUT

Delivery runs up to 10 miles! For regular pickup, head inside to their bar. For curbside pickup, there’s a green tent set up behind their building. Call 264-48084, Option 1, to let them know when you’ve arrived.

Fine Creek Brewing Company

Out at Fine Creek Brewing Company, beer delivery is available! Check out Fine Creek’s website for a full list of beers available for pick-up and delivery, and find them on Facebook for updates and more information. Order Here!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

HELLES LAGER
TRICKNOLOGY IPA
GAMMA GARDEN DIPA
DAD STRENGTH DIPA CROWLER
MURPHY & RUDE MOSAIC PALE ALE
NEW ZEALAND PILSNER
PARTICLE FALLS SMOKED IPA
RAYGUN GOTHIC IPA
RYE LAGER CROWLER
HOPPY CROWLER
LAGER CROWLER
HERBARIUM WILD SAISON
BARREL AGED GOLDEN SOUR

Be sure to keep up with Fine Creek on social media and at their website for the latest news from these awesome Powhatan brewers!

Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery

At Garden Grove, along with carry-out orders, they’ve also started curbside pick-up for all their best brews. With your favorites like EarthTone, you’ll be able to order beers here and pick them up from your car to keep things safe.

AVAILABLE BEERS:

CARTOON VILLAIN IPA
MADELINE SAISON
TABLE FOR TWO BELGIAN PALE ALE
EARTHTONE
GIVE EM’ HELLES
KOUSHMA
ROUGAROU
ARASSAS KOLSCH
FERGUS WEE-HEAVY
EVANGELINE
SYNTHESIS

WINE:

HUAY CHIVO CIDER
KOBOLD DRY-HOPPED CIDER
SUPER SEYSHAN CIDER
GRANDEUR!
TYPHOON PASSION FRUIT AND MANGO HONEY WINE
PINK LEMONADE HONEY WINE
2018 CHARDONNAY
2017 PETIT VERDOT
2018 ADAPTATION
SYNTHESIS 300ML

They’re keeping things safe, and encouraging folks to use curbside pickup to limit the number of customers in the taproom at any given time on to-go orders. Keep up with them on Facebook for updates.

*PHOTO: Hardywood West Creek by Chad Williams of Creative Visual Design*

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Hardywood West Creek and Richmond locations are open, folks! The outdoor spaces have been re-arranged to allow for proper social distancing, and all us Hardywood fans can now visit them again safely. New hours are Tuesday-Friday 2-9pm, and Saturday-Sunday 12-9pm. First come, first serve! Find more information here on rules and what to expect.

If you’d rather still drink from home, head over here to Order Online. They’ll be offering awesome new beer releases regularly, so be sure to stay updated with them going forward.

Hardywood Richmond brews listed below. CLICK HERE for West Creek info & cases/growler fills!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

PEACH TRIPEL
NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE
BALTIC SUNRISE
HARDYWOOD HEFEWEIZEN
TURNING POINT
BOURBON CRU
RICHMOND LAGER
GREAT RETURN
HARDYWOOD PILS
HARDYWOOD SINGEL
VIPA
WYLDFLOWER
TANGERINE SUNCRUSH
WEST CREEK HARD CIDER
HOPKEEPER
BOURBON BALTIC SUNRISE
RASPBERRY STOUT

Keep up with Hardywood on Instagram and Facebook for more updates, and make your way out to support!

Intermission Beer Company

Intermission Beer Company is open! Masks are required to enter.

Intermission is now open for taproom and patio seating, for 21+ only and no pets during this time (hold tight, dog lovers!) It’s first-come, first-serve, and it’ll be closed for seating once they reach capacity. Always remember to wear your mask and keep folks safe!

Order Here for delivery! To grab a curbside pickup order, call or text Intermission at 804-585-0405 and they’ll deliver any of their available beers straight to your car when you arrive. Beer slushies are now available, too!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

BEER SLUSHIES! Check Facebook every Friday to see the weekend’s flavor.
HONEY HIBISCUS SAISON
HATHOR GOSE SOUR
GHOST LIGHT LAGER
OVATION HARD SELTZER LEMON
OVATION HARD SELTZER ORANGE
OVATION HARD SELTZER RASPBERRY
STRAWBERRY BLONDE
VIENNA CREAM ALE
CONJURED DARKNESS
TROPICAL THUNDER IPA

They’ll deliver within a 5 mile radius of Intermission, and reserve the right to cancel any orders further than 5 miles away. You can check here to see if your address is within their range.

Check with Intermission on Facebook for updates as things go on, and catch up with them to find out more about brews on tap.

Isley Brewing Company

To-go brews are available at Isley Brewing Company! The tasting room will be closed, but beers on tap will be available for pickup. Order Here!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

ISLEY SUNBURNT COUNTRY DIPA
TEA-RIFFIC SWEET TEA AMBER ALE
SET SAIL
SHIP FACED
6 FEET CLOSER TO YOU
OFF THE BOULEVARD
THE BRIBE
CHOOSY MOTHER
PLAIN JANE
PLAIN JANE STRAWBERRY
PLANE JANE BLUEBERRY
CASH AND CARRY CASHMERE HAZY IPA
RHIZOME SUN
APPLE OF MY EYE BLONDE ALE
ISLEY CZECH PILSNER
RASPBERRY RAZZLE
GOSE-BUSTERS

In orders, be sure to include your name, address, email, and what you’d like to order in four-packs, then let them know when you’re there. There’s a minimum purchase of two four-packs per order, and delivery charges will apply. A big plus: they deliver up to 5 miles away from the brewery — so if you’re located further out, it’s no problem!

Check their post here for more information on ordering, and keep up with Isley on Facebook for updates.

Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery

Multi-state shipping and drive-thru pickup now available! Get your brews online and Order Here from Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery’s website.

AVAILABLE BEERS:

GOOCHLAND QUADRUPEL ALE
BEAR BAIT BERLINER WEISSE WITH BLACKBERRIES
JUICY #21
WATERMELON GOSE
NINE MILE IPA
LCCB JUICY #20
ABSOLUTE COUP OF ENLIGHTENED DESPOT
NUCLEAR NUGGET IMPERIAL HONEY IPA
BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST IMPERIAL BROWN ALE
THREE CHOPT TRIPEL
HEIR APPARENT MEXICAN SPICED IMPERIAL STOUT
MAIDENS BLONDE ALE
FRENCH TOAST BROWN ALE
VIRGINIA STRAWBERRY HEFEWEIZEN
ONE RIDE NON-ALCOHOLIC
SUNFLOWER SAISON
CHALLENGE THE BEAR BALTIC PORTER
TWELFTH NIGHT SPICED BELGIAN QUAD
VANILLA VIRGINIA BLACK BEAR
COCONUT QUADRUPLE ALE
RUM BARREL AGED CARROT CAKE IMPERIAL AMBER ALE
BOURBON BARREL & GINGER THREE CHOPT TRIPEL
REDNECK SOAP OPERA
ILLUMINATOS
HIDE THE DESPOT
HUG THE DESPOT
AWAKEN THE DESPOT

Head over here to Lickinghole Creek’s website for more information on policies regarding COVID-19, and catch up with them on Facebook here.

Starr Hill Richmond Beer Hall & Rooftop

Starr Hill is also keeping things safe, with to-go beer sales taking place during abbreviated business hours. All of their year-round beers will be available, in addition to some special favorites from the brewery. Order Here!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

SUMMER TOUR
SAY IT AIN’T SOUR
CRYSTAL RIVER GRAPEFRUIT IPA
KING KUNU PINEAPPLE IPA
NORTHERN LIGHTS IPA
RAMBLE ON HAZY IPA
REVIVER RED IPA
STAY FOREVER ESPRESSO STOUT
SUBLIME CITRUS WIT
WAREHOUSE PILS
CARLY CUCUMBER GOSE
CAROLE CRAN-RASPBERRY GOSE
FRONT ROW GOLDEN ALE
GRATEFUL PALE ALE
JOMO LAGER
NORTHERN LIGHTS IPA
PIXIE PINEAPPLE GOSE
ROXANNE RASPBERRY SOUR
THE LOVE HEFEWEIZEN
WILD HEART HOPPY BLONDE
2 TONE VANILLA PORTER
ALL THAT HAZY IPA
CURRANT AFFAIRS BLACKBERRY CURRANT SOUR
EXPAT BARREL STOUT
HATHOR RASPBERRY GOSE
LIZZY LIME GOSE
LOOKING GLASS IPA
REDUX RASPBERRY SPARKLING ALE

+ More in cases! Check out Starr Hill’s website for more details.

Keep up with them on Facebook for updates on hours and information, and check their website here for news on their COVID-19 precautions being implemented at the brewery.

Stone Brewing Richmond

Stone Brewing Richmond is open for pick-up! This awesome East End brewery has had some delicious releases lately, and you can keep up with them on Facebook for updates on the newest brews. Order Online!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

STONE FARKING WHEATON W00TSTOUT VINTAGE
STONE RUINED AGAIN TRIPLE IPA
STONE TIKI ESCAPE
STONE IPA
BUENAVEZA SALT & LIME LAGER
DELICIOUS
ENTER NIGHT PILSNER
TROPIC OF THUNDER
SCORPION BOWL IPA
///FEAR.MOVIE.LIONS DIPA
TANGERINE EXPRESS IPA
STONE RIPPER
ARROGANT BASTARD ALE

Be sure to keep up with their updated available beer list here, as supplies are subject to change. Drink happy, y’all!

Strangeways Brewing

Strangeways Brewing just celebrated their 7-year anniversary, and they’ve got fresh brews for us every week!

All 3 tasting rooms are open for delivery, curbside pick-up, and to-go orders! Be sure to check their website to Order Online.

AVAILABLE BEERS:

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL IMPERIAL STOUT
SHIMMER & SHAKE SPIKED SPARKLING SELTZER LEMON-LIME
AFM WILD ALE FARMHOUSE SAISON
ALBINO MONKEY BELGIAN WHITE
ARNIE’S ARMY BERLINER WEISSE
BAVARIAN RHAPSODY HEFEWEIZEN
DR. FOUDRE I WILD ALE
FULL STACK LUMBERJACK STOUT
GNAR SHREDDER DIPA
HELLES FROZEN OVER MUNICH HELLES LAGER
LEGALIZE IT WEST COAST IPA
LUCKY CHARMS BERLINER WEISSE
MARTIAN SPRING HOPPY ALE
PLAYDAY PILSNER
RAZZLES DAZZLE BERLINER WEISSE
RED SANGRIA BERLINER WEISSE
SEA SPRITZ CRANBERRY BERLINER WEISSE
SLEAZESTACK NEW ENGLAND IPA
SLIGHTLY STOOPID SOUR IRISH STOUT
SMUCKER’S JELLY BERLINER WEISSE
SOUR CHERRY COBBLER BERLINER WEISSE
TIRAMI’ZU RUM BARREL AGED PORTER
TURBOGENERATOR
UBERLIN BERLINER WEISSE
WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GOSE
WOODBOOGER BELGIAN STYLE BROWN ALE

Be sure to catch up with Strangeways on their website for a full list of beers, and for the most-updated brews available.

Triple Crossing Beer

Triple Crossing Beer has to-go and delivery options available, and can shipping is another brand-new option!

With Texting Can Alerts, you can text TCALERTS to (855) 918-2808 to be enrolled with all the new can releases and beer information available at Triple Crosisng. If you’re feeling hungry, they’ve also got food to-go, which is awesome to have around (and we love their pizza!) Order Here!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

Fulton

FOEDER I
LAST BROADCAST
NECTAT AND KNIFE DIPA
ZWICK’L

Downtown

FOEDER I
LAST BROADCAST

Be sure to check your locations and order here, as different locations will have different availability.

Triple Crossing is also offering delivery options, and thanks to high demand, they’re able to keep supporting their staff while the taproom is closed. Be sure to tip your delivery drivers well, and help service industry folks get through these shutdowns. Head here to order downtown pick-up orders, and here for Fulton pick-up orders. Keep up with Triple Crossing on Facebook here.

Väsen Brewing Company

At Väsen Brewing Company, Order Here for pickup and delivery!

Väsen recently partnered up with The Capsoul Collective for a brand-new brew called Cohesion: a Double IPA collaboration with Chilalay and local artist Marlon Diggs.

According to Capsoul, this collaboration was brought about after a conversation between Eric Jackson, Co-Founder of Capsoul, and Tony Giordano, Head Brewer of Väsen, on the racial injustices that America and the city of Richmond are experiencing. This beer was designed to show unity and a way to raise money to give back to the community.

The label of this special release was designed to “highlight the Richmond art community while showing how distorted, torn, and broken pieces can come together to create something beautiful,” according to Capsoul. Proceeds from Cohesion will be donated directly to the local BIPOC community.

To celebrate the release with its brewers, head to Chilalay on August 14 and Väsen on August 15 (plus a VIP tasting event at Väsen on August 16). As always, wear your mask and be safe if you’re going out in public.

Information on Väsen’s available beers for pickup and delivery this week can be found below.

AVAILABLE BEERS:

FEASTA
APRICOT SOUR
MIERKA
NEOMEXICANUS
HEFEWEIZEN
FREYJA
RADAPILS
ESCAPE CLOUD
THE SUNRISE OTTER
HATHOR GOSE
MEXICAN LAGER
LAGER
THE VELVET WALRUS ON VANILLA COFFEE & CINNAMON
WINDHOOK IPA
NORSE DOUBLE IPA
VANILLA MOONBEAR DUBBEL
GOLDENBEAR TRIPEL
CITRON SAISON

Check out the full order info here!

The Veil Brewing Co.

The Veil Brewing Co. will be doing outdoor to-go sales from both locations. Cans will be sold directly outside of the main entrance of our taproom under a tent in the parking lot side of both locations. Order Here!

AVAILABLE BEERS:

PURPLEBUGATTI
PREMIUM SAUCE
VEIN
SIGNAL DRAFT
NEVER NEVER FEAR FEAR
TYPHOON LAGOON TASTEE
LOVELY
ERODE
FOR LOVE
NEVER NEVER MIND MIND
HOLLOW PLACE: SINGLE ORIGIN

Check here for updated lists, as stock is subject to change as orders come in.

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: Star Wars Brews & Apple Brandy Beer

Caley Sturgill | December 11, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Canon And Draw, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, Final Gravity, Fine Creek Brewing Company, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood, Isley Brewing Company, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, Steam Bell Beer Works, Stone Brewing-Richmond, The Veil, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer

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, the brewers of RVA have an array of great new releases, and we can’t wait to try Final Gravity’s “Dwarf Star” and Isley’s Star Wars-themed “Mos Eisley.”

Don’t miss a triple release at Triple Crossing Beer, great new DIPAs with Canon & Draw and The Veil Brewing Co., Campers and Cans at Hardywood, and sours with Steam Bell Beer Works and Ardent Craft Ales — plus more with Stone Brewing Richmond, Black Heath Meadery, Fine Creek Brewing Company, and Three Notch’d RVA’s apple-brandy Hot Toddy “Leftover Dessert” ale.

Jumping into new beer releases, Triple Crossing Beer has a few kegs ready to be tapped this Friday in Fulton.

They’re kicking off their triple release with the return of Nectar and Knife, a honey-themed (and honey-colored) brew that also stands as their first-ever Double IPA that was crafted with only Simcoe and Mosaic hops. The hop process between “Simcoe and her daughter” was also dry-hopped extensively, according to the brewery, and brings out the fruity flavors and the expected softness from a classic DIPA. You’ll catch flavors of bright grapefruit with a pulpy, zesty softness in this 8% ABV recipe. Triple Crossing has two more brews on the way, so stay tuned with them online for more information leading up to Friday’s highlights.

Another great release is coming up on Friday with Canon & Draw Brewing Company, featuring their Sole Accomplice Double IPA. I’ve got to say I’m pleased to start a beer column with two great DIPAs, especially during this time of year filled with all the holiday spices of December, as a lighter, refreshing break here and there.

Canon & Draw is bringing back Sole Accomplice in all its Mosaic glory, with more reliable DIPA softness paired with the tropical fruits of summertime. This one is packed with flavors like papaya, melon, and citrus in addition to smaller notes of pineapple and heady, herbal undertones, according to its brewers. It also hits in at 8% ABV, so if you’re having trouble deciding which release party to make it out to, I’d go with your gut and pick the specific fruit flavors that stand out to you. Sole Accomplice pours with a golden yellow flavor and a juice-like quality to compliment hints of sweetness.

Coming up next Tuesday, the folks at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery are hosting their 2nd Annual Campers and Cans event to support FeedMore here in town. They’re teaming up with Wicked Weed Brewing, Heavy Seas Beer, and Trapezium Brewery… not only to help nonprofits, but also for a Gingerbread Camper Building Contest between breweries!

During the event, each participating brewery will get their team together to build “their masterpiece.” As an attendee, you’ll get your chance to participate in voting on which one is the best — so bring your creative brain and get ready to play judge. There’s an extra bonus if you join the canned food drive, as well. Bring canned goods (non-perishables, please!) for the opportunity to get an extra voting ticket per item, and let your vote carry more weight.

Hardywood is also hosting a large raffle for brewery prizes, and if you jump in for the canned food drive with your own donations, you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win a big prize. For the more creative folks, if you’re looking to do some crafting yourself, you can decorate stockings on site; make sure to get there early, because there’s a limited number available for attendees.

All night long, drink happy knowing part of your beer sales will also go directly to FeedMore and their mission. The event starts promptly at 5pm, with building and judging following until about 7:15pm. The raffle contest will come in just before Gingerbread Build winners are chosen, with the victors crowned at 7:45, according to Hardywood. It’s time to get in the holiday spirit!

It’s Star Wars time at Isley Brewing Company! If you’re a fan of the series, we’ve got the brew for you. And let’s be honest, who isn’t a fan nowadays?

Mos Eisley is the latest Brown Ale out of the Scott’s Addition brewery, and it comes out next Tuesday at Isley. It was inspired by the barren expanses of Tatooine, crafted specifically to “quench the thirsts of those who live in the shadows.” Its brewers certainly got creative with this one, and we’re here for it. Mos Eisley was made with English yeast and hops with darker malt flavors slipping forward, and as it caters to the Galaxy’s dark underbelly, its brewers had this to say:

“’A wretched hive of scum and villainy’ is how Obi-Wan Kenobi describes Mos Eisley. A spaceport on Tatooine, Mos Eisley is the gathering point for many of the galaxies’ dregs. The Mos Eisley Cantina serves frothy libations to all manner of crooks, bounty hunters, Sith, and Jedi alike. Money is the only thing that matters here…”

If you’re excited for the Star Wars-themed brew, you’re not alone. For all our space enthusiasts, come out for the release on Tuesday and bring your knowledge: they’ll have Star Wars trivia that evening at 7pm for a full themed evening.

This Friday brings another great release this week with the Steam Bell Beer Works introduction of Pale Nimbus. This New England IPA is not your average IPA, as it focuses on the sweetness of its hop flavors and brings in a sour element to work alongside it. With passionfruit, pineapple, and sour candies, Pale Nimbus is reminiscent of Sour Patch Kids with a more residual sweetness and sour punch along with its strong hops. Citra and Azacca came together to bring this one to life, and you can grab a glass of your own over the weekend at the Midlothian brewery.

If you’re in the holiday spirit this week, Steam Bell is also hosting a Christmas Movie Night tonight (and every Wednesday this month until Christmas Day) with Elf as the feature this week.

Fresh at Ardent Craft Ales, the Winter American Sour Ale made its way to the taps this week in another sour beer release. At 7% ABV, Ardent’s American Sour is an easy drinker in the nice center of the alcohol content range, and it was created inside a variety of red and white wine barrels for strong cultured tastes. It’s a new variation of last year’s brew, with restrained acidity after its nine-month aging process to bring this funky farmhouse Saison together. You can catch a taste of it while they last, so if it sounds like it’s up your alley, we’d suggest heading over to the Scott’s Addition spot this week.

Ardent also has their Amarillo Pale Ale dropping tomorrow night, and the American Pale Ale was made with the classic floral hops to bring out strong flavors of its Amarillo additions. It comes in at a lower 5% ABV, and its brewers added an English yeast strain, oats, and wheat to its process for a soft body and mild bitterness.

Another new beer is out this week with Fine Creek Brewing Company’s Graff, a Belgian-style Cider/Ale hybrid that’s perfect for the cider lovers in your life.

As much as I love the taste, my acid reflux does a great job at preventing me from ever fully enjoying a cider, but this one might just be perfect. Graff comes together with a base of Fine Creek’s Belgian ale from the Murphy & Rude Malting Co.’s Brasetto Rye, then combined with fresh apple cider from Rinker Orchard from Virginia’s Frederick County. At a medium 7% ABV, Graff is great either as a slow sipper or faster drinker, and it’s packed with ripe red apple, spicy yeast, and floral flavors with rye spice.

Over the weekend, the folks at Final Gravity Brewing Co. released their Dwarf Star into the wild. As their latest delicious space-themed brew, Dwarf Star has all the perks of a Double IPA without the sometimes-too-high alcohol content. This 4.5% ABV recipe is perfect for any day of the week, and with tons of fruit flavors and a nice full body, it’ll make you feel like you went big without having to worry about the hangover. Final Gravity used Mosaic, Citra, and Amarillo hops to make this perfect hazy session IPA a reality, and I am dying for a taste of it over here. If you’re looking for a reason to head to Lakeside for a glass, join Final Gravity tonight for their weekly Wednesday Dart Night (and let me know how much you love it). I can’t wait to try this one!

New at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House this week, Leftover Dessert is ready for pours. This beer truly does sound like a dessert, as a Salted Caramel Amber Ale created as the next in their series with the University of Richmond beer brewing program. Not only does the program teach students the ins and outs of the modern brewing process with hands-on experience, it brings out beers like this one: a mouth-watering combination of flavors from Laird’s Applejack Apple Brandy Barrels to caramel to make the apple brandy Hot Toddy-inspired brew. Personally, I cannot *wait* to get a taste of this one, and along with Final Gravity’s Dwarf Star, I think I’ve got my top two for this week.

Three Notch’d is hosting December First Tap Fridays all month long, so be sure to check them out and keep up with their new releases each week here in town.

We’re excited to hear of a new recipe over at Black Heath Meadery this week, and as an added bonus, it’s a collab brew. The team at Black Heath came together with Rowley’s Farmhouse Ales from Santa Fe, New Mexico and Virago Spirits from right here in the River City to make this one happen, and it’s full of some delicious Midwest flavors. John from Rowley’s and Barry from Virago did an awesome job with Black Heath’s brewers in making this 50 gallon mead batch with Arizona prickly pear. It was fermented in port rum barrels as well, and if you’re looking for a taste of Arizona in Richmond, swing by Black Heath in Scott’s Addition for a glass while they last.

The Veil Brewing Co. hosted another multi-release last night, bringing back an old favorite and introducing two brand-new brews.

Crucial Taunt made its way back to the taps as a perfectly Citra-forward Double IPA, and loved among its drinkers during its first go-around. The 8% ABV DIPA is here for a limited time again, so go grab a can if you didn’t get to try it when it first came out. Lost Connection followed in a debut brewed with Citra, Idaho 7, and Galaxy hops to combine three of the best hop tastes around. It comes in at 6% ABV, and it’s available both in cans and on draft. Hide Your Heart was the final new feature of the evening, and this brand-new Double IPA is a Valentine’s dream in December. Another 8% ABV beer, Hide Your Heart was created with raw wheat and malted oats before its hop process with Citra and Sabro to finish off its flavor. It’s also available in both cans and drafts, and all three of their latest releases from last night can be found in both their Richmond and Norfolk locations starting today.

If you’re searching for some events this week, Stone Brewing Richmond has you covered. Head out to the Fulton brewery this Sunday from 1-5pm for their Modern Market RVA to get some holiday shopping done without having to make it to the mall. Stone is bringing together all vendors considered “modern,” which doesn’t necessarily have to mean goods that reflect 2019 — even the choices behind the business, be it environmentalism or otherwise, can make them contenders to participate.

The Modern Market is the fourth in Stone’s annual series of holiday markets, and it’ll be full of makers, designers, and artists with purpose and intentional goods, according to Stone. If you’re a vendor interested in participating, head over to their application page here and come on out!

The RVA Happy Hour List

RVA Staff | December 5, 2019

Topics: alcohol, bars in richmond va, beer, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, happy hour richmond va, richmond bars, richmond beer, richmond breweries, richmond events, Richmond happy hours, richmond restaurants, richmond va, RVA, RVA cheap drinks, RVA drink specials, RVA happy hours, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va

There’s no shortage of great places to grab a drink in town, and whether you’re a River City native or new to the area, it’s always fun to find a new favorite spot. Here’s a list of local businesses with happy hour specials, so find a friend (or come meet a new one!) and check out some of Richmond’s best bars and restaurants.

If you’d like your business to be added, or to update your latest happy hour special information, send us an email at [email protected] and we’d love to have you join our list.

Drink safely and have fun. Cheers!

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

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!

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.

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.