Black Heath Meadery Archives | Page 3 of 6

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

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, 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.

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

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!

RVA ON TAP: The Big Release

Caley Sturgill | August 6, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Blue Bee Cider, breweries, Buskey Cider, courthouse creek cider, events, final gravity brewing co, fine creek brewing, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Isley, local beer, Reservoir Distillery, richbrau, RVA On Tap, scotts addition, scotts addition beer, Starr Hill, strangeways, the answer brewpub, the big release, The Veil Brewing Co., three notchd, Väsen

This week, we’ve got some great returns of old favorites, plus a brand-new festival: the Scott’s Addition Big Release. All the brewers in Richmond’s booziest neighborhood are coming together for the first annual collaboration release, so if you’re looking for some new flavors in your life, the beer family of Richmond has you covered.

Summer is slowly coming to an end (thank god for me, and maybe a bummer for some of you), and our pals at Hardywood are dropping one of their early-spring favorites in cans this Friday to bring the season of fruity beers full-circle. The Original Five Flavors came out at Hardywood back in May alongside Dreamlike — which sounded like an actual dream, and incredibly tasty — and it’s making its second debut in cans. Dreamlike made its debut again back on August 2, along with Kiwi Lime Berliner Weisse.

The Original Five Flavors is a candy lover’s delight. This one was made to match the early days of Lifesavers candy, and comes in the classic flavors of cherry, orange, lemon, lime, and pineapple. Dreamlike, on the other hand, is a pillowy-soft DIPA, with nice, fresh hops released with Kiwi Lime Berliner’s hot-day flavors.

“What’s that in the clouds over there?” says Hardywood, “A Dog? A Bunny?” Nah, booze. There’s no rush to wake up from this dream.

Also returning this Friday is Final Gravity Brewing Co.’s Absolute Magnitude Double IPA. This one was brewed with 100 percent Citra hops to really bring out the fresh hop flavor, and focus in on a widely-loved favorite in the brewing process. Citra brings out orange zest, grapefruit, and lemon tastes that bring this Double IPA up to 8% ABV — and according to the brewers, it “radiates” with its astronomical sum of citrus, magically brewed with a velvety finish.

I’m a big fan of a soft finish to an IPA, and the trend of these fruity IPAs with soft finishes is delicious. Final Gravity never disappoints, so this is definitely one on my list to try for the week!

Are you looking for a party where you can brewery hop around the neighborhood and try something brand-new at every single one? Yeah, these don’t come around too often. That’s why you’re going to want to head out to Scott’s Addition this Saturday for The Big Release, a massive collab between the booziest area in town with breweries all cooking up fresh recipes for a full day of new brews.

A few of the new releases I’m most excited about on this list start with Blue Bee Cider’s Hot Honey Gold Rush cider. This barrel-aged cider comes from an apple brandy barrel that started off with jalapeño-infused honey, so you’ll get an awesome kick of spice at the end to round out the brandy and honey flavors. Another I can’t wait to try is Three Notch’d RVA Collab House’s Lush-ious — this one looks SO good, y’all. This Maple Pecan Brown Ale (holy wow, I’m in heaven) was brewed in collaboration with Lush Cupcakes. If you haven’t heard yet, Lush makes alcohol-infused cupcakes, and just celebrated their opening in Scott’s Addition. Their Lush-ious collab with Three Notch’d set off to create something similar in beer form, and landed on maple and pecans added into a Three Notch’d brown ale that started off with biscuit and chocolate undertones to create the best dessert-brew flavors ever.

You’ll catch your favorites like Ardent Craft Ales and Strangeways, plus Starr Hill, Vasen, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Isley Brewing Company, Buskey Cider, Black Heath Meadery, Courthouse Creek Cider, Blue Bee Cider, Reservoir Distillery, and The Veil… who has an extra surprise up their sleeve this week as well.

Last night, The Veil Brewing Co. released four debuts and one return to fill glasses for every taste.

Kicking off the releases, Very Berry Tastee (pictured above) brings the sour and the smoothie to one perfect combination. This thick, fruity ale is the product of combining raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries, blueberries, and strawberries with milk sugar to pull the fruits together in a smoothie-style sour ale that hits in at 5.5% ABV.

Next up comes Steady Incline, a light-orange colored Double IPA with Citra, Galaxy, Amarillo, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops at 8% ABV. Strong Enough follows, and this brand-new IPA release combines some flare with flavors like El Dorado and Vic Secret in addition to its Galaxy, Mosaic, and Citra with a bright color in the glass. Strong Enough is a lighter 6.5% ABV beer, and it comes with Color of Blood’s high 11% ABV for the stronger drinkers out there. Color of Blood is a triple IPA that benefits from hops like Wakatu and BRU-1 to complement Galaxy, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Nelson, and although it pours with a crispy orange juice color, its heavier ABV and bold taste bring out its name.

Another featured release in the bunch is Brenner Pass: Grand Cru, which is returning to commemorate the second anniversary of the beloved local restaurant. This brew is unlike the rest, and drinks more like a fine table wine with textures like Chardonnay coming from its spelt, raw wheat, and floral American hops from the brewing process. The Mixed Fernie is funky and dry with a subtle acidity, and was stowed away and inoculated with The Veil’s house culture to prepare for the anniversary celebration.

All in all, The Veil has a beer for just about every preference out right now, and all of them bring something unique to the table for every kind of drinker. If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to bring your wine friend or your daiquiri friend to a brewery, now’s your chance!

Summer may be slowly making its way out the door, but the brutal August heat of the River City is still to come before we can lay this hell season to rest and get back to the good stuff: pumpkin picking, hay rides, getting lost in corn mazes, haunted houses, chilly mornings, hot chai, sweaters, bonfires (!!), weekend trips to the mountains, colorful leaves falling on Monument Avenue, SNOW, the good food and fam time of the holidays, and pretty much everything else that makes cold weather good and summer awful. Halle-fucking-lujah.

Anyway, we’re not there just yet, and it’s going to be a rough one for these next few weeks. Thankfully, Väsen Brewing Company is here to take the heat off.

The Watermelon Puffin is on its way to Väsen this Saturday, and this crisp, refreshing American-style Berliner Weisse is the perfect beer for the end-of-summer hear, according to its brewers. The Watermelon Puffin brings out some slight sour flavors in addition to its watermelon puree to give you all the fruity twists you’ll need when the temp gets above 100° — and you know it’s coming, whether we like it or not. Cool down with these blueberry and lychee notes in a watermelon brew, and try to stay out of the heat (lord knows I will).

Out at The Answer Brewpub, a fresh beer made its way in cans right after we got together for RVA On Tap last week. Corporate Headquarters is a Double IPA brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and a touch of Columbus to come together in a nice, pale-orange pour that looks as crisp as it is creamy. Is there any better combination in a beer? I haven’t found one yet, and I don’t plan to as long as these awesome Double IPAs are around.

The Answer also dropped FRESH AF, which is as green as it gets:

This Session IPA was double-dry hopped with Ella, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops, and according to our buds at The Answer, this crusher “bursts with aromas” of mellow mango before its grapefruit finish. If you’re in the mood for one, go grab one while you can, and don’t forget to give The War on Glycol a taste while you’re out there.

PHOTO: Fine Creek Brewing and Väsen Brewing Company

This week, we also saw an awesome beer feature in a collaboration between Fine Creek Brewing and Väsen Brewing Company. The International dropped as a mixed-fermentation Bière de Garde to celebrate the international collaboration with the Farmhouse Ale Appreciation Society, and it came as part of the International Craft Beer Weekend Red Paint hosted in Richmond last week.

This brew came together with Murphy & Rude Pils malt and raw wheat, and was hopped with Saaz and Strisselspalt — but the real kicker on this one is its unique, prolonged 5-hour boil in addition to primary lager fermentation and secondary wooden barrel fermentation that brings out its funky Brett tones and citrus and grape skins. It’s got a mouth-puckering acidity with a dry finish, so if you’re into the sour and the sweet, these breweries have plenty of options to get your week rolling.

For National IPA Day, Richmond’s oldest craft brewery dropped an awesome new Citra-hopped beer. Richbrau released Psychic Horse with the tale of its origin:

“Born in 1924, Lady Wonder was a prophetic horse that lived on the southside of Richmond. Taught to communicate on blocks with letters of the alphabet, Lady Wonder answered questions daily from noon to three, 3 questions for $1, and was visited by more than 150,000 people over 30 years. Her prognostications included Truman’s presidential defeat of Dewey, 28 of 28 winning horses at a Baltimore race track, and she garnered national recognition in 1952 for helping police locate the body of a missing Massachusetts boy. Lady Wonder died in 1957 at the age of 33, three years later than she predicted.”

And the horse girls of the world rejoice. Lady Wonder sounds like she really was a wonder to the residents of Richmond in the last century, and I’m not gonna lie, I’m bummed she’s not around in our time. Thankfully, her legend lives on, and like the horse that came from historic Richmond, the brewers who keep her name alive are a big part of our history as well. Richbrau has been a staple of the River City for decades, and now that it’s back, you can get a taste of history at their brewery (and learn something about Richmond’s legends, too).

PHOTO: Black Heath Meadery and Buskey Cider

Coming up this Saturday at Black Heath Meadery, an awesome new collab with Buskey Cider is making its way to the taps for the Scott’s Addition Big Release.

Buskey Orange Ginger Cyser was crafted between the brewers with local ingredients like Virginia apples and Virginia wildflower honey, plus baby yellow ginger from Casselmonte Farm and orange peels.

According to the brewers, this one’s getting drier by the day, and it’s fermenting in the tank ready to make its way into your glass this weekend.

RVA ON TAP: Syrup, Honey, & The Sweet Brews of Summer

Caley Sturgill | July 17, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, canon and draw brewing company, craft beer, final gravity brewing co, Fine Creek Brewing Company, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Isley Brewing Company, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, Strangeways Brewing, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House

This week, we’re diving into the hottest temperatures of the summer so far with lots of fresh brews to keep you cool (and one special beer to help poor warm-blooded folks like myself reminisce on colder, happier times).

Love is alive in Virginia! More local spots are carrying on the 50 Years of Love Campaign celebrations this week, with a Weizenbock release from Fine Creek Brewing Company. This special-edition beer was brewed to bring out all the best qualities Virginia Maple Syrup has to offer, brewed with 50 pounds of it right here from the Old Dominion. Back Creek Farm provided the delicious, syrupy goodness to make this recipe a success, and it’s got a story with its own history of love to complement its role in this heavy wheat beer’s taste.

According to Fine Creek, Back Creek Farm has been around for generations making batches of syrup on their land. The area used to be home to many different farms with sugar houses, but Back Creek is the last left remaining after the years. Their syrup has a rich, smoky flavor from its cooking process over wood fires, with the same process their current owner used when he was 8 years old and working with his father.

You’ll get a taste of the past in this brew, as Back Creek is still using the buckets and original open pan that were passed down by their great-grandmother on the farm. If the 50 Years of Love Campaign is all about sharing what you love, this farm has decades of stories and full hearts to share theirs. I’m excited to see Fine Creek pairing up with them to make this Weizenbock, on one hand because I’m something of a syrup enthusiast, and on another because I know as a rural girl in my own heart that the best stuff doesn’t come from a store. That’s love, y’all.

I doubt many of y’all will remember me from back then, but a few years ago when I first joined the magazine as an intern back in college, I wrote a feature on Minor Poet’s “River Days” when it came out. That song was an excellent ode to summertime in Richmond, and the endless-feeling days that come along with it.

Hearing about Hardywood’s new River Daze release brought back some great memories of that summer, and like every summer in the River City, it looked a lot like this one — days spent by the James with good friends and good beers. River Daze is a great way to jump-start your weekend (especially looking at that 100° Saturday forecast) with a lighter 6.0% ABV New England-Style IPA. This warm-weather beer was brewed with Nelson, Cascade, and Eureka hops to crush the heat and keep your summer days rolling on — and don’t forget to put on some Minor Poet while you’re at it.

Not all who wander are lost, right? Right… at least for Final Gravity Brewing Co., because this beer is anything but lost. Wandering Star was brewed with many flavors and hops in mind, and beloved by drinkers at the brewery, it’s right on point. It returns to the brewery this Friday, and the 8.0% ABV Double IPA was cooked up with a whirlpool of Citra hops and dry-hopped with Mosaic to bring out its tropical fruit flavors, like orange, lime, and grapefruit.

Two of my faves came together this week to bring out a sweet honey brew. Three Notch’d RVA Collab House partnered up with Black Heath Meadery to drop A Little Dab of Honey over the weekend — a Honey Wheat Ale made especially for the season. If you’re looking for a taste of nature in your glass, this is your guy. You’ll find flavors of wildflower honey in this light, 6.3% ABV beer, and a great collab between two beloved Virginia brew teams.

This one will go fast, according to Three Notch’d, and they want to make sure you remember to swing by Black Heath Meadery if you’re in the neighborhood as well. If you remember from earlier this month, Black Heath just released their Aw, Shmucks strawberry mead to give us the best fruity flavors in a very appropriately-colored beer — it looks just as it tastes, like strawberry jam and alcohol came together in your mug for a great summer infusion. Peanut butter not required.

Here’s something I haven’t seen before in Richmond! Isley Brewing Company is dropping their Pistachio Pilsner infusion this Friday, and they’re the first I’ve heard to use this awesome nut flavor in a beer since I’ve been your columnist. Back in the day, I remember pistachios being a huge thing almost out-of-the-blue when pistachio ice cream first became popular, and since then, I’ve seen it all around in various foods — but never drinks! I can sit down and slam a pound of these bad boys in a sitting on any given day, so I’m all open to trying them in beer. This is definitely one we’ll be looking forward to, so make your way over to Scott’s Addition to give it a taste and let us know how you liked it.

Cheers to our friends at Strangeways for this awesome release over the weekend. Hotel Del Coronado just dropped on Saturday at the brewery, a West Coast Double IPA that hits in at 8.6% ABV (and at 92 IBU, you can expect some nice bitter flavors from this one). Hotel Del Coronado was brewed with Pilsner malt, Honey malt, Brasetto Rye, and Murphy & Rude Belgian Amber Malt to make an “aggressively bitter” — go easy on it, folks — Double IPA with dank and piney tastes.

With its double dry-hopped process, this brew has a complex but clean base after its initial hop additions. Simcoe and Green Bullet hops are prominent, with a great homage paid to San Diego flavors and all of you “hop heads” out there, as Strangeways notes.

Now on to some events: Oyster Feeest! Hope you like slimy sea bugs in your mouth, because Canon & Draw Brewing Company partnered up with White Stone Oyster Company and Texas Beach Bloody Mary Mix to bring you a day packed with the shelled delicacies and all the best drinks you’ll want to go with them.

Oysterfest is going down this Saturday at Canon & Draw, with oysters of all kinds for any variety of tastes. With steamed oysters, Micheladas, oyster shooters, Bloody Marys, and the brewery’s excellent new take on River City Tap Water, there’s something for everyone — so as long as you like seafood, bring your appetite.

On its way to Steam Bell Beer Works is an amazing combination: Ginger Ale and beer! Extra Plenty Ginger Gose Ale is heading out to the brewery soon, and just look at these roots:

As a reminder from Steam Bell, you should never judge a flavor by its color. These pale, white ginger roots pack a ton of flavor in any drink they’re added to, and the upcoming beer release is no exception. I’ve been on a huge ginger ale lemonade kick lately, so this is right up my alley. By the way, if you’re new to that duo, do yourself a favor and go grab a case at Kroger. Trust me.

Steam Bell also wants to remind us that even in the middle of summer, stout season never ends. They’ve got their Tiramisu Stout ready to go this July, and these are two of my most favorite things to come together for a beer. Last winter, you could find me more excited with every passing week for the heavy flavors of the season, and dessert-infused brews that marry the sweet with the bitter. You can look forward to that enthusiasm finding its way back as soon as this hellhole season is over and my perfect cold days return to me. But for now, thank god someone’s offering up a taste of better times in the middle of this muggy summer in the city.

RVA ON TAP: Fireworks, Pig Roasts, & Beach Parties

Caley Sturgill | July 3, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Castleburg, Center of the Universe, craft beer, garden grove, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, midnight brewery, RVA On Tap, the answer brewpub, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer

This week, in the spirit of the 4th of July, we have tons of events to keep your holiday week rolling and your glass full. From Richmond to the beach and more, there’s something for everyone regardless of where (or if) you’re traveling.

Whoooooooo doggy! There’s a pig roast comin’ to town. Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery is hosting the Southern tradition in Richmond with Papa V’s this Thursday for the 4th, and it’s bringing back some memories for this rural girl — both fun and scary.

For some background, the 4th of July in my childhood memories looks something like beautiful days on Smith Mountain Lake, afternoons spent on the boat, nights spent playing Marco Polo in the dark off the dock with a huge family, my dad catching my head on fire when he lit 18 sparklers at once in one hand (big ouch), and the horrifying look on the pig’s slowly-melting face when my granddad literally built a massive smoker in his yard (a year-round fixture, mind you) just to put an entire pig in it for the 4th every summer.

Those days are long gone now, but the memories of running away from a large dead animal on the smoker, eyes burning into my soul, with my screaming cousins will always stick around. And in that spirit, I’ll always get stoked for pig roasts as an adult. Plus, fresh-smoked pork is one of the tastiest foods of all time in my humble opinion — so, worth it.

Lickinghole Creek will be pouring from the taps from 12-6pm, with live music from Bill Roberts during the afternoon. If you’re looking to get your true Virginian ritual on for the holiday, this is the place for you. Have a beer for me and cheers to the first time your family gave you nightmares.

In the spirit of mid-summer days in Richmond heating up too fast, we’re starting off this week’s RVA On Tap with a good reason to take a trip to the beach: The Veil Brewing Co. is excitedly awaiting the official opening of their new Norfolk location, and they’re throwing a pop-up tomorrow to get the rest of us as pumped as they are.

The Veil will be on the pier of Nauticus all day, and you can look forward to drinking their stellar beers inside to beat the heat, or out by the water. Either way, you’ll get to finish your night off with a direct view to the celebration’s fireworks at Waterside. Be sure to grab some drink tickets too, and it’s free to get in otherwise.

If you make it out, you’ll also be able to grab one of these sweet limited edition Veil shirts while you grab pours of Curtains I, a Sour Double IPA with cherries, apricots, and milk sugar — plus more like Cherry-Mang Tastee, a smoothie-style Sour; Never Never Found Found, a double-mango Gose; Dusty Roadz, an American Pale Ale; yellowferrari DIPA, Dirt Nap DIPA, Child Support, Sleeping Forever, and Totebier.

It’ll be the perfect party leading up to The Veil’s brand new Norfolk location, so grab your buds and head down to join the beach crowd with one of our favorite Richmond spots.

While the 4th this year falls on a Thursday, Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery is partying all weekend. Catch live music through the weekend with artists like Alice & The Reverie, Jordan Lette of The Folly, and Keith Yetter of Keith Yetter Band, plus Big Daddy Skillet is coming out on Friday to get the weekend started right.

More events continue on through Sunday with The Everafter, Nine Line, Second Suitor, Stereo-Types, Sleave, and more.

Over with our friends at The Answer Brewpub, the return of Summer Showers IPA happened over the weekend. This IPA is packed with flavors like citrus and a cloudburst of melon, and its tastes come from the brewing process with Australian Summer hops. The hazy brew is available now, so make sure to grab a glass while you can!

Coming up on Monday, join The Answer at Belmont Golf Course for their Monday Twilight League. The Answer will be out every Monday for a 10-week season hitting the course to play nine holes — no experience required! Men and women are both invited out to join, keeping their own scores and playing as teams with weekly contest holes and scoring service.

If you want to get in on the fun outside with The Answer, register here with Twilight Golf Association and grab your clubs.

One of the only big complaints I have about the craft beer scene is that the breweries always close too early. If I’m heading out to my favorite place to drink my favorite beer later in the evening after work, it can be a bit heartbreaking to have to cut it short early. Thankfully, Triple Crossing Beer is extending their hours for the holiday and staying open until 10 for the 4th — plus they’re dropping a few new can releases to commemorate the occasion.

If you’re looking for a good place to watch fireworks without all the crowds, Triple Crossing’s got you covered there, too. They’ll be blocking off part of their parking lot to give all their guests a sweet view of the Rocketts Red Glare fireworks that happen annually over the James, which is an extra-special way to view the colors in the sky in Richmond because of their reflection on the water. For anyone who’s heading down near the river for fireworks, Triple Crossing’s party is right up the road and definitely one you won’t want to miss.

Aw, shucks. Nah, Aw, Shmucks. Black Heath Meadery just made the jam-inspired mead we all never knew we needed. This sweet treat for “sitting on the porch enjoying the wonderful lazy days of summer” is coming out just in time for the holiday, so we can celebrate the All-American way.

If you’re out of town this weekend, be sure to swing by Scott’s Addition to get a taste of this one while they last. Their most recent batch of Muse is almost gone, but they’ve got tons of summer recipes on tap right now like Living Reflection — a tangerine mead that’s refreshingly-perfect for the hot days — Lavender Reflection, Pompelmo Reflection (with graprfruit and basil), and Triple Reflection, brewed with hops and topped with a fruity dynamic to keep the bitterness out and the flavor in.

Big cheers for Ellie Quinn: The burlesque queens of Richmond have assembled a team of their most heroic and villainous performers to pay tribute to the Earth’s Mightiest this Saturday at Center of the Universe Brewing.

Diving into what they call the deepest depths of nerdlesque, the dancers at this show will bring out their colorful sides to put together a performance packed with storytelling and tantalizing from their characters. For those of you who’ve never made it out to see burlesque in the River City (you’re missing out) you’ll be in for a night of some serious fun. Some points to remember are to put your phones away — photographers are the only ones doing the photos here — and be as encouraging as ever. And, of course, no touching. But that should go without saying (or at least I’d hope it does in a city like this). There’ll be pasties and tassels galore, so bring your party mood and head out for sweet brews and even sweeter boobs.

Ocean Echoes is making its way into the Three Notch’d RVA Collab House on Friday, and this Caribbean Wit is truly a beach-style beer. Brewed with toasted coconut and organic pineapple purée, this piña colada in a beer is full of all the oceanside tastes you’ll need for a hot day in the sand… or, if you’re in town, to cool off after a hot day on the asphalt.

A tip from us — take a glass down to the river and enjoy it by the echoes of the James. If you’re extra lucky, you’ll even catch a few kayak wipeouts to spruce up the afternoon.

Blood Orange IPAs and Citrus IPAs are on fresh at Midnight Brewery, with the release of Blood Moon Bliss and Luputopia out at the brewery. These perfect summer recipes will be followed up soon by Christmas In July, so for all my folks out there who, like me, are eagerly awaiting the cold weather’s return, hold out a little longer for a taste of winter’s happiest season. This time of year brings travel, tans, and days on the beach for many of us, but there’s nothing like cold air in Virginia and a spiced ale to go with it.

The Star & Beer Spangled Celebration at Castleburg Brewery and Taproom is coming up tomorrow as well, and this one’s right in view of the fireworks! Plus probably the best thing I’ve seen yet: FREE HOT DOGS! Hell yeah. Head over to Castleburg at 1pm and eat your star-spangled hearts out, plus grab paninis and pretzels to go along with Castleburg’s awesome beer. The fireworks at The Diamond will complete the evening around 9:15, so you can head over early to dog it up, or head over late to catch the show. Either way, they’ll have something for everyone throughout the day.

RVA ON TAP: Jurassic Jeeps & Yappy Hours

Caley Sturgill | May 29, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Center of the Universe, craft beer, Final Gravity, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Isley Brewing Company, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, Strangeways Brewing, The Veil Brewing Co., Three Notch'd Brewing, vasen brewing

Now that the holiday weekend has come and gone, summertime is here for real, and with it comes all of Richmond’s great events that make the River City so fun every year. Whether you want to stay in town or take a day trip, Virginia’s breweries have something for just about everyone.

Did you have fun over Memorial Day weekend? We did, and we hope you did, too. If you made it down to the beach to celebrate, we’ve got some exciting news about your new favorite spot there: The Veil Brewing Co. is opening a brewery in Norfolk, and they’ll be slinging beers this weekend at the Norfolk Street Museum party ahead of the occasion. The street party is happening in the Studio Colab parking lot at Toast in Norfolk, with live music all day, murals, eats, and beer.

The Lazy Dangers, NFK Nightmares, and Tired All The Time (I feel that) will be providing the jams throughout the event, plus food from Handsome Biscuit and Pendulum Fine Meats. The Veil will be out with all their stellar beers that have made them so Richmond-famous, and I can’t wait to see how quickly they take off down in Norfolk — I have no doubt they’ll be a fast favorite for the beach crowd. Tim Skirven is debuting a brand-new mural during the party, too, so rest assured you’ll have plenty of reasons to have a good time if you make it down.

Calling all car (and dinosaur) enthusiasts! Intermission Beer Company is hosting their Jurassic Jeeps event this Friday, and whether or not you’re usually into cars, I think we can all agree that Jurassic Park cars are awesome. Bring out your dinosaur costumes and don’t hold back on the free dinosaur temporary tattoos (after all, Richmond is one of the most tattooed cities on the coast. Pile ‘em on, y’all). Grab some grub from Haulin’ Balls RVA and a pint from the bar to enjoy the movie-themed Jeeps and dinosaurs everywhere. I personally know plenty of Jeep lovers and a few friends with dino costumes, so come out and get pumped.

I spent many a childhood day laying in the soft grass in the mountains, watching the clouds go by. Hardywood gets it, and they’ve themed their newest can release after the pictures in the sky: Cloud Shapes debuts this Friday at Hardywood Richmond, a New England-style DIPA that packs a higher alcohol content than its light, fluffy name might suggest. At 8%, Cloud Shapes is best enjoyed “with a picnic blanket and a buddy to go cloud chasing with,” and its large-bodied flavor is complemented with a sweet finish. You’ll catch notes of mango, orange, grapefruit, and lemon in this hoppy brew. The Flavor Project is coming out to jam for the occasion along with Smokie Joe’s BBQ.

Peaches and Cream — is there a better flavor for a summer day? Not in my book. Our friends at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House are releasing their Peaches and Cream Ale this Friday as a collab with Endeavor RVA, a local fine art studio and gallery, and damned if it doesn’t sound delicious. With lactose, vanilla, and peaches, it’s one of the brewery’s most experimental beers despite its simplistic nature, according to its creators. They say it’s “deceptively thick” and as sweet as a creamsicle, which means it’s right up my alley, and a taste that’ll stick with you throughout the summertime.

Final Gravity fans: one of your favorites is on its way back to the taps this Friday. 3 Mile Double IPA was brewed originally as a tribute to Final Gravity’s running club, so if you’re in the market for something to cool you off after a hot day outdoors, this is the one. Brewed with Jarrylo, Falconer’s Flight, and Citra hops, 3 Mile Double IPA is available in a glass or a Crowler, and will refresh your day with grapefruit, pear, and passionfruit. Be sure to check out Final Gravity for their Bluegrass Jam next week, and to learn how to brew mead with Black Heath Meadery (which we’ll talk more about in a bit).

Starting off the first day of June right, Center of the Universe is dropping Monkey’s Uncle Lemongrass Tripel on Saturday, a classic Belgian style created with Pilsner malt. You’ll catch notes of German Munich and Vienna malts that bring out its color and sweetness to pair with its light, crisp body and straw-colored pour. Lemongrass fills its aroma with fresh herbs from the local Village Garden added in its boil. It sounds like the perfect light brew to go with the Puerto Rican food it’ll be served up with by Freekin’ Rican all day out at the Ashland spot.

I can never get enough dog events around town, and Strangeways never fails me. Yappy Hour is happening tonight (!!) at their spot on Dabney Road, and the brewery’s inviting you to bring your pups out and support the Richmond Animal League. There’ll be more Yappy Hours to come this summer, so fear not if you can’t make it on short notice — but if you’re able to go, Strangeways has plenty of treats for your furry pals and dog pools to keep them cool. A portion of beer sales from the event will go back to the Richmond Animal League, too, to let attendees drink for a cause.

Looking to get out of town? Väsen Brewing Company wants you to come out to Rock the River FXBG festival in Fredericksburg on Saturday. The festival will be packed with awesome vendors like Two Tree Outfitters, the Virginia Outdoor Center and more, plus our favorite outdoor-enthusiast brewery. Väsen’s known for getting Virginians outside for hikes, kayak trips, bike trips, and everything else that our beautiful state makes possible, and they’re excited for the celebration of it all this weekend in Fredericksburg. Jackass Flats and Kyle Davis will be providing the jams, and there’ll be plenty of great food from pizza to Martina’s Cantina. If you don’t want to get outdoors in town, get out of town and enjoy the weather with our neighbors to the north.

Honey wine, honey wine. It’s been a while since we’ve had the chance to learn how to brew mead with Black Heath Meadery, and I’m stoked to see the opportunity coming back around. Next Monday, head over to Final Gravity in Lakeside to join Black Heath’s Mead Mavericks, Bill Cavender and Mike Palese, to learn the basics of fermenting mead and the history of honey. If you’ve ever wanted to know what the process is like behind all your favorite brewers creating your favorites, this is a great chance to see it specialized for meads and get a feel for the chemistry behind it all. It’s not as hard as you think, either — you’ll get to see how simple the equipment is that you’ll need “to begin a lifelong relationship with flowers, bees, yeast, and alcohol,” according to the brewers.

Over at Isley Brewing Company, don’t miss special summer flavors on tap right now… like Piña Colada Honey Bock and Peach Ginger Golden Ale. It’s hard to drink a Piña Colada without wanting to drink 10 because they’re just too good to put down, and I expect that the flavors blended with beer will have an extremely similar effect. Isley’s also got a spiced cola out at the brewery, so swing by and grab a taste from the awesome varieties they’ve got on deck this month.

In case you haven’t made it out to one yet, be sure to check out all the awesome live music at Steam Bell Beer Works all season. You can catch Commonwealth Bluegrass this Friday, plus tons more on the calendar soon like Mama Juana, Pat Russell, and LeeStreet to start June off right. Their 3rd anniversary is coming up soon, too, so stop by your favorite Midlothian brew spot and show them some love for all the great beer and entertainment they keep dishing out.

RVA ON TAP: Holidays & A Brand-New Strangeways

Caley Sturgill | May 22, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Canon And Draw, Center of the Universe, final gravity brewing company, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardywood West Creek, Intermission Beer Company, kindred spirit brewing company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, parkway brewing company, richmond, RVA On Tap, stone brewing rva, Strangeways Brewing, The Veil Brewing Co., Three Notch'd Brewing, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer, woodbridge beer fest

This week, Richmond’s rolling into Memorial Day Weekend with tons of events to occupy your days. Don’t miss the Meet the Candidates event for the upcoming election with Three Notch’d, and the Woodbridge Beer Fest bringing out breweries from across the state.

Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is setting up their Meet the Candidates event tomorrow night for the upcoming election this November. If you’re upset about what’s been going on in the news lately (like myself), this is a good way to get at the next election early and start setting some changes into play before November. All 100 House of Delegates seats and all 40 Senate seats are up for grabs this November, so this election could very literally be life-changing for folks across the Commonwealth. Whether you’re passionate about the environment, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, change in the justice system, or any other issue that gets your gears going……this can — and will — be a huge one, y’all.

The event focuses on marijuana policies and criminal justice, and is partnered with Virginia NORML, so you’ll be able to learn about every candidate’s stance on that issue, and meet them to ask your own questions as well. Start learning about what’s going on in your state, and start familiarizing yourself with the people fighting for power over it. Here at RVA Magazine we like to say Don’t Sleep — and this is a time to wake up. Big shoutout to Three Notch’d for hosting the candidates, and for setting up a political event with booze. Lord knows we’ll need it this year!

Also coming up this week is the Woodbridge Beer Fest on Saturday, which is hosting Stone Brewing Richmond along with many statewide favorites like Blue Mountain Brewery, Chaos Mountain, Mustang Sally Brewing Company, and more. The festival is “taking over the main drag of Stonebridge” for the third time, and will also have food, wine, root beer for kids, and plenty to do to keep the whole family entertained. The list of brewers in attendance keeps growing, so check out Woodbridge Beer’s website here to see the updated group of folks coming out.

Hardywood’s jumping into the Memorial Day Weekend celebrations as well, with a can release Friday, a draft release Saturday, and their Jonny Z Fest on Sunday. Leslie the Label Lady is their can release dropping Friday, and this hazy IPA with guava was also brewed as a fundraiser and in honor of Leslie, who creates all of Hardywood’s beautifully-crafted labels. After Leslie’s diagnosis with a brain tumor that was successfully removed, Hardywood brewed this new recipe up to support her and her family as she undergoes chemo and radiation treatment. Come out to drink for a cause, and help in the fight against cancer by donating your time (and taste buds) to the brewery.

The following day, Hardywood’s sending their Cuvee Peach fresh to the taps at both locations. Get a glass of this White Wine Barrel-Aged Belgian Tripel on Saturday and taste its sparkling, refreshing flavors with stone fruit esters and hints of vanilla from its toasted French oak barrels.

On Sunday, head over for the 11th annual Jonny Z Fest, which celebrates the life of the late, much-loved community activist, Jonny Zanin. The festival is packed with art, music, interactive booths, raffles, kids’ projects and play areas, and the Bizarre Market.

We’re sending a HUGE congrats over to our pals at Strangeways Brewing for the Grand Opening of their new Scott’s Addition this Saturday! This is a big week for Strangeways, between new beer releases, festivals, and the grand opening. With more than 30 beers from their tap lineup, Strangeways at Scott’s Addition is opening with a bang — and they’ll have SMoHK out with legendary BBQ and Southern food all day as well. At their new spot, the brewery has a 4,000 square foot facility and a large outdoor patio to welcome their third tasting room in the Commonwealth.

Unlike most brewery locations, SMoHK is stationed all the time to bring you a full menu of wings, pulled pork, brisket, smoked ribeye, plus sandwiches, desserts, and the #1 voted Brunswick Stew in Virginia. Grab a table with a server or hang anywhere and order straight from your phone, and bring your kids and pups along for the fun, too. They’ll be featuring special events in addition to their dog-friendly Biergartens, arcades and more, and I think it’s safe to say I’ve found my new favorite hangout spot for the summer.

In more news this week, they’re dropping their What the Astronauts Drink cans in the next edition of their 4-pack Saturday releases. This Berliner Weisse-infused beer is full of tangy flavor with orange fruits. You can also head over to their original location on Saturday for their Überlin Festival, with six different Berliner Weisse variations to ring in the summer. Drink up, y’all!

This Friday in Fulton, Triple Crossing Beer has Poor Icarus coming out fresh in cans. Its colors match its flavors, with notes of bright, tropical guava and sticky pineapple bringing the fruit into this DIPA. It was hopped with Vic Secret and El Dorado to create the perfect balance, and you can find it this weekend in cans next to its partner, Sight Lines IPA.

Sight Lines is dropping on Friday as well, and it was made to bring the West Coast to Richmond. Kettle- and dry-hopped with Simcoe, Citra, and Chinook, the 6% ABV pale ale has a hazy, yellow pour to compliment its firmly-crisp, pine finish. Citrus, tangerine, and melon flavors are also present to give Sight Lines a dryer, less yeast-focused brew than normal from Triple Crossing, and it branches off “into its own territory” at the brewery.

Yesterday at The Veil Brewing Co., Tefnut hit the taps for the second time in a new variation. If you can’t already tell from the color, this cosmic Imperial Gose was triple fruited with blueberries and blackberries. Each Tefnut recipe is brewed in collaboration with Omnipollo, and different fruits will make their debut in every new release.

To bring Tefnut to life, The Veil put their heads together with the fine folks of Omnipollo “to reimagine what a fruit beer can be,” working with new processes and fruit volumes, and creating some of the most colorful beers I’ve seen in my day. According to the brewers, it’s intense, luscious, and dripping with juicy fruit character — everything you’d expect from these two coming together. And drink with caution. This 11% ABV brew packs a much bigger punch than its pretty colors might suggest. 🔮

There’s Pie? I wish. This new mead came out with our friends at Black Heath Meadery last night, and it’s full of all-and-only the best fruits. Blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, and cherry honey wine all come together in a delicious swirl to bring There’s Pie? to life, and honestly, it sounds better than any pie ever could. This one’s a limited release, so get on it while you can if you’re hoping to get a taste. Only 60 bottles are available, and you’re only allowed one per day to make sure everyone gets their share.

Coming up this weekend, Black Heath is releasing a great variety of meads for the season on tap at the meadery, bringing out all the best spring and summertime flavors like Living Reflection and Sour Cherry.

Firepower! Final Gravity Brewing Co.’s Moon Cresta Double IPA delivers “a blast of orange citrus” along with its subtle notes of strawberry and tropical melon from its Belma and Citra hops. This is no normal fruit brew, though, my friends — it’ll take you to the next level with spicy notes to distinguish it from all the rest.

For more out-of-the-ordinary tastes this weekend, Final Gravity is hosting Southern Spud, a new food truck to the Richmond scene that offers up “impossibly-loaded gourmet baked potatoes,” along with fries and mashed potato bowls that serve heavenly combos of sweet, salt, and tang. According to Final Gravity, they became a brewery favorite from the first time they came out, so head on over this Sunday to find your next favorite, as well.

Fun on the farm? You betcha — Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery has plans this Memorial Day, too, with Jack Ryan Music Live all day on Saturday and Ryan Hearn coming out to play through Sunday. Firesides food truck is coming out to cater a delicious variety of eats along with the fun. If you’re looking to get out of the city this holiday weekend, Lickinghole is a big favorite and always a blast to hang out at.

Homefront IPA is returning to Center of the Universe this Saturday. Brewed with Cascade and Chinook hops, this traditional American IPA adds a bright, crisp citrus zing to the summertime favorite after being brewed with maple bats for a delicious wood flavor in the tank.

100% of all proceeds from this tasty beer go back to the Soldiers’ Angels nonprofit, which protects the nation’s protectors by providing aid and comfort to veterans, soldiers, and their families across the country. The release party for Homefront IPA is being catered by Grandpa Eddie’s Alabama Ribs & BBQ (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), which is my absolute, total all-time favorite BBQ I’ve ever had in my life, and holy wow, if you haven’t tried them, you’re missing out. Every time I see this name pop up on a brewery event I get twice as excited for it.

Tomorrow night ahead of the weekend festivities, COTU is hosting the start of their Spring Corn Hole season, and you can even win prizes at the end of the league if you sign up to start now. I spent my weeknight evening last week out playing cornhole at Parkway Brewing Company in Salem, and got my throwing arm back in shape for the summer. Whether you’re in the city or the mountains, cornhole is always a solid way to spend your day.

In more events this week, Intermission Beer Company is hosting a Skywatch this Friday with the Richmond Astronomical Society. The society is breaking out the telescopes to hang at the brewery and tell bystanders all about the night sky, answering your questions and letting you take a step to the lens to see closeups of the moon and planets visible around the universe. And if it’s looking cloudy beforehand, fear not — they’ll be setting back up the following night if the Skywatch gets rained out. It’s a great time of year to see some special constellations, even despite the light pollution downtown, so there’s a great show coming if you make it out.

Calling all our comedy fans! Which I’m assuming is everyone, because there’s nothing better than a laugh and a beer. Canon & Draw Brewing Company is starting up their monthly comedy showcase tonight, hosted by Dylan Vattelana and featuring performances from three more comedians this week. Anthony Thompson, Winston Hodges, and Kate Carroll are all hitting the stage tonight at 7, so make your way to the Main Street spot for some good brews and good times. Admission’s free!

If you’re looking to get out of the city but don’t want to go too far, set your eyes on Goochland. Coming up this Saturday is Kindred Spirit Brewing’s Bluegrass Jubilee. It’s free and all-ages, so bring your fam or bring your buds and come out to listen to some good ol’ Virginia tunes. They’ll have catering by River City Wood Fire Pizza — and if you’ve had wood-fired pizza before, you know it’s some of the best. Bands like The Slack Family, Cook Country Bluegrass, and River City Band will be jamming it up while you cool down with Kindred Spirit’s brews out at their spot in Goochland all afternoon and evening.