Blue Bee Cider Archives

Fighting For The Environment With Music and Kinship

Jonah Schuhart | February 24, 2020

Topics: Blue Bee Cider, classical music, classical revolution RVA, harsh noise, James River Park System, Kinship, Niccolo Seligmann, The Music Center at Strathmore, viola da gamba

Viola da gamba player Niccolo Seligmann is using music that mixes classical styles and harsh noise to express “multi-species kinship” and opposition to climate change. He’s bringing his unique sound to Blue Bee Cider Friday.

Classical musician Niccolo Seligmann is resisting climate change in a new way. Partnering with Classical Revolution RVA and the James River Parks System, Seligmann will play his instrument — the viola da gamba — using a crossbreed of musical styles in a concert at Blue Bee Cider on February 28th.

The opening act for the concert will be a classical performance from Classical Revolution RVA, followed by a speech given by a member of the James River Park System (JRPS). During the speech, Seligmann will improvise a piece to accompany the speaker’s message. After the speech, Seligmann will close the concert with songs from his upcoming album. Proceeds for the concert and album both go towards the JRPS.

“[Classical Revolution] is doing music that reflects ‘other-than-human’ ideas and elements,” said Seligmann. “We’re gonna have a staff member from JRPS give a little talk about the ways that ordinary Richmonders can interact with the multi-species community in the James River Park System in ways that are mutually uplifting.”

The performance is part of the tour for Seligmann’s upcoming album, Kinship, which will be released on Februrary 26, two days before the performance. The album uses a unique blend of musical styles to resist climate change. Its sound and messaging borrow heavily from a variety of cultures, including classical music, Central Asian music, and the atonal, experimental genre of harsh noise. The bulk of this sound is created using Seligmann’s instrument of choice, the viola da gamba, which he describes as “a cello mixed with a guitar.”

“[The album also pulls] in influences from Central Asian overtone fiddle traditions,” said Seligmann. “Part of the technique basically makes it sound like throat singing. So I’ve adapted these techniques from this Kazakh traditional instrument, [the qyl-qobyz], and I’m applying them to the viola da gamba.”

In addition to the mix of musical influences, Kinship’s messages, which espouse a philosophy of “multi-species kinship,” are informed by the ideas of Southeastern Indigenous Americans. Seligmann encountered these ideas through his husband’s connections with an Indigenous community in Florida, the name of which he chooses not to publish for political reasons.

“I know the Maker of Medicine of that community very well,” said Seligmann. “[He] was really crucial in developing this album. He edited my liner notes. This album was made in conversation with this community.” This Indigenous community will also receive a portion of the proceeds earned by Seligmann’s album.

Seligmann, a queer Richmond native, is currently an artist in residence at The Music Center at Strathmore in Maryland. He first expressed an interest in the viola da gamba when he saw someone perform with the instrument at five years old.

“I pointed to it and said ‘Mommy I wanna play that,’ and she looked at my five year-old self and said ‘yeah sure you do,’” Seligmann said. “So she started me on cello.”

*Niccolo Seligmann’s unusual instrument. Photo by Margot Schulman.*

Luckily for Seligmann, he had the chance to encounter the viola da gamba again when he was 13. His original cello teacher had attended the prestigious Peabody conservatory at Johns Hopkins University, and returned to Richmond as a viola da gamba player. This allowed Seligmann to switch his focus to a new instrument under the same teacher, with the help of Richmond’s active early-music scene.

“It’s so many coincidences lining up in the most wonderful way,” said Seligmann.

Seligmann’s performance at Blue Bee Cider, which is located at 1320 Summit Ave in Scott’s Addition, will take place on Friday, February 28 beginning at 5:30 PM. There’s a suggested donation of $5, and food and beverages will be available. More info is available on Facebook.

In addition to his performance at Blue Bee Cider, Seligmann will be giving concerts for the Kinship tour throughout Marc in multiple locations across the East Coast. More information can be found on Seligmann’s Facebook page.

Top Photo by Margot Schulman

RVA Mag’s Guide to Surviving Your Family This Thanksgiving With Local Beers

John Reinhold | November 27, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, Blue Bee Cider, Buskey Cider, Castleburg Brewery, craft beer, Final Gravity, Garden Grove Brewing, Hardywood, isley brewing, Legend Brewing, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, RVA craft beer, Strangeways Brewing, surviving the holidays, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving guide, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Co., Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer, vasen brewing

We all know about the best beers to pair with your Thanksgiving meal — but what about the best beers to pair with the crazy relatives you’ll see at dinner? Not to worry, RVA Mag’s John Reinhold has you covered with this encore presentation of our craft beer rundown from last year’s holiday season.

Every year as we get closer to the holidays we like to do some beer pairings, but with a twist we can have fun with. We have done horrible candy pairings, and pairings with your usual holiday feast. This year, as I was trying to figure out what to pair with our local spots this Thanksgiving, I thought about all the relatives gathered around for the feast, and the drama and craziness that can ensue. It’s a horror show of its own kind. So here we have our family-stereotypes/beer pairing!

From your nosy auntie always in your business to that crazy drunk uncle, RVA Magazine takes all those lovely relatives and links them up with some delicious brews to get them good and sloshed. Hopefully, they will then chill out and behave themselves. Or, we can just up the ante and flip everything on its ass. Either way, it’s going to be entertaining for us. So let’s see what I can do for my relatives on this day. Wish me luck — I will need it.

Happy Thanksgiving, and good luck to all!

—

Crazy Artsy Son (that’s me) – Feeding Frenzy by Three Notch’d RVA Collab House

Because I love dank IPAs — and I helped make this one! Plus it gets me ready for the Thanksgiving feeding frenzy that is this nutty family. I need this beer to get my great white shark temperament out and drown it in this double IPA. That way, I can attempt to deal with everyone. Now, time to figure out what brew I’m giving this family in hopes of keeping the peace.

Grumpy Traditionalist Grandpa – Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Gingerbread Stout

Grandpa keeps a tight ship, and can be a bit grumpy from time to time. It’s usually based on timekeeping. He has that watch on his wrist given to him by a former President, I believe. Its always on time, and we get lots of questions. How’s the turkey going? Are we on schedule? Well, boy, you sure slept over huh, how late were you up? Is the table set correctly?

It’s 9 am and dinner is at 4 pm, but we best get this right. Back in my day (lots of that). Generally, he is more preoccupied talking to Uncle Pundit (more about him coming up), and messing with the teenage kids. It’s always a good time when he talks to the goth cousin or the vegan cousin — classic moments there.

It can be a bit difficult getting Grandpa chilled out; triggers all around, you know the deal. So I’m going with a heavyweight holiday classic. You see, Grandpa might be hard from time to time, but this one can take anyone down a notch. When you start to explain this brew to him, you’re going to get a little pushback, but stay strong, because he appreciates that. By the middle of the glass, he is going to say, “You know, this is pretty good.” By the second glass, he’s telling war stories and relating funny incidents involving your dad. Let’s call it a win.

Sweet Grandma – Ardent Craft Ales Sweet Potato and Sage

Grandma is going to be in the kitchen with mom, getting things ready. The awesome thing about Grandma is that she wants things to run smoothly, and for the food to be amazing. She has the most amazing pumpkin pie and deserts to fix. Sweet as can be to everyone, she makes everyone feel warm and keeps the peace. She’s constantly on Grandpa duty, and that’s quite a job. So I have this special brew picked just for her.

The Sweet Potato and Sage by Ardent fits right in with this meal she has passed down. She will appreciate how well it fits into the season – even if she doesn’t have beer a lot, this will work great. It’s festive, you know! It fits well with the main course, so we should consider this one for the table once the meal lands.

Father – Legend Brewery’s Legend Lager

Look, he’s picking up the bill — you know that. If he, of all people, loses it, well, its all going to go downhill fast. You know your pop. You know his sayings, and how he feels about this “craft beer crap.” You’re bound to hear it every time. “I remember when beer was beer!” So let’s cut it all out and get a classic for good ol’ dad.

Legend Lager will be exactly what he needs — a beer that tastes like beer (that’s his line, don’t steal it). We can keep this one rolling all day through the games, food, crazy uncle high fives, and all of it. So grab two and share one with your dad — you know he is no more ready to deal with these relatives than you are. We can break out the spiked Eggnog if things get serious. Thanks, dad!

Crying Mother – 2017 Stella (Rose style) by Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery

She has her white pearls on, and could not be more excited to have everyone together. The tears are welling up already. She is proud, super proud. Mom is also very busy, so you have to help her a lot in this kitchen. But first, let’s start by helping her take the edge off. Shoot, we both need this.

You know she’s not into beer – of course, she would take it and shoot you loving looks. But let’s try to get something she’ll enjoy, for the woman that put up with all your shit over the years. Plus, by the end she’s going be in a ball of tears, with lots of kisses and hugs – so let’s all prepare for that. I think this beer/wine hybrid is the way to go — it’s refreshing, and it gets the job done. It’s early enough to not bomb her out into a crying mess, and should make her feel very warm and loved. Give her a hug and a glass – and get to work! She deserves it.

Drunk Uncle – Three Notch’d RVA Collab House‘s Last Call Bourbon Brown

It’s that time again; time to deal with my drunk uncle, and hope I don’t become him in the future. But let’s not think about that right now. I just hope Dad does not assign me to be his handler again. Whenever that happens, I’m cornered by his crazy ramblings and political rants before I can even sit down with a plate. Trump is coming up, for sure. It’s going to be a YUGGEE hot mess.

“Dude — yeah totally, high five again. Talked to your wife earlier... I mean, you said it, not me. Ok fine, HIGH FIVE! Yeah, I have been bringing some pretty good brews this holiday. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget you. Here — I got you Last Call Bourbon Brown, from Three Notch’d. You should consider the branding for that as a life goal... Hey, stay away from other people’s stuff! Ok?”

Little Sister – Plain Jane from Isley Brewing

Dear god. Being big brother is not always fun. You have to take care of your sister and get her something. I know I’m a few drinks in, but this dude she brought? I’m not sure about this guy. Dad is already eyeing him up and down. I trust her, but sometimes my protective instincts kick in. But I gotta keep it together. It’s not like this is easy for her — or him. I’m supposed to be the cool one, so I gotta reach out my hand first to try and keep it cool.

Mom already kissed him on the lips, and that was a little odd – but that might be my fault for giving her multiple Stellas. Drunkle and he are buds now, it seems — they already did two high fives. I’m keeping a chart. At least my sister and I are in on the jokes. She has given me a few eye rolls – so yeah, I gotta hook her up. So I’m playing it safe and getting her Isley Brewing’s Plain Jane; it’s easy to drink and in her wheelhouse. Still, though… I’m watching that dude.

Little sister’s Jock Boyfriend – The Veil Brewing Co.’s Creep

This guy. He was third-string quarterback and going back to his old high school has him acting like Tom Brady. Overcompensating much? Or is he just that good? It’s hard to tell. Dad is not impressed, but Mom would adopt him if she could. If he comes in and wins one game, however, I’m sure Dad’s story will change and I start seeing pictures of him on the wall. Wait, am I feeling jealous? Ok, so maybe I was never the gifted athlete, but I graduated from college with a performing arts degree, dammit. I played Hamlet! I can surely play an amazing football legend… onscreen.

Now he’s talking to Uncle Pundit; no way he comes out of this unfazed. Oh great, my Uncle Asshat just put his arm around him. This is going south fast. Now drunk uncle is hitting him with the high fives. I guess I should say hello, so let me try this: I’m getting this oh-so-cool dude Creep by the Veil. Fits him perfectly — I have four of these with his name on it. I’m gonna keep feeding him these and see how long it takes for him to bomb out.

“Hey dude – nice to meet you. I got you this!”

“Oh, thanks man! I love the Veil – great beers. Had this the other day with the head brewer. Great hop profile!”

OH HELL NO…

Nosy Aunt – The Answer Brewpub’s Mind Games

Oh, my aunt. Full of ideas for my life, she has all the answers.

“Why yes, life has been going well! …no, she went a different direction in her life. Yeah, I guess she wasn’t marriage material. I know, it was very exciting that I got that extra part in the movie… Life insurance? Yeah, I thought about it. Yeah, the kids are great. Other jobs? Yeah, I have been looking. Oh yes, good idea! I should apply to Google soon… HEY, CAN I GET YOU A BEER? Here, check it out — I got you two growlers of Mind Games from The Answer. The cool kids drink it straight from the growler… You can share it with your amazing husband. Yes, I know he likes beers like this… Where is he? Well, he’s on high five number eight with that fine young gentleman my sister brought. You should meet him, he said he wanted to meet you and talk about family planning. No problem! Bye bye now.”

UGH.

The Black Sheep Cousin – Buskey Cider’s 45 and Trying & Blue Bee Cider’s Harvest Ration

I usually feel pretty bad for her, because I was her a few years ago. Wait — maybe I still am. Anyway, she just does things differently. Most of us fall on a political spectrum that’s at odds with the people we only see at these family gatherings – but she is even outside of that. She is WAY into conspiracy theories; she talks lizard people and the flat earth quite a bit. You know how people are going to argue over health care? She’ll say something like, “Well, if the aliens would just come out and give us the real cure…” She might watch The X-Files as much as I do.

Most at the party will stay clear of her, but they always invite her, because “That’s what family does.” I’m not sure it’s helping her self-esteem, but she comes and enjoys the food at least. She also likes me, so I try and keep her happy. I got her cider because she does not like yeast or something like that. I forgot exactly why she doesn’t like yeast, but I’m going with it. And we’re giving her two, because she’s the Black Sheep, and needs a little something extra just for being the Black Sheep. I got her Buskey’s 45 and Trying — because, well, we are both there — and Blue Bee’s dessert cider — because she deserves to TREAT herself for being the outcast of the family.

Truck-driving Aunt – Triple Crossing’s Wherever I May Roam

If things get out of hand, I always have her help. That’s only one of the things that makes this aunt awesome. One year, she wrestled drunk uncle after telling him and Uncle Pundit to shut it. Uncle Pundit just cowered, but then drunk uncle made a mistake. It was like Wrestlemania here — a top family moment if you ask me.

She can drink us all under the table, no doubt. She is who we call when we need help with cars, or around the house on projects. She can build anything — the kegerator she built is one of my favorite things I own. So I got her Triple Crossing’s Wherever I may Roam — it fits her well. She knows brew, loves IPAs, and is usually on the road. She is my favorite.

Intense Vegan Cousin – Lickinghole Creek’s Spit Roaster

I totally respect her choices and I’m all about making sure there is stuff on the table for her. But the rest of family, minus my truck-driving aunt, has no idea how to deal with her veganism, so they usually bring food just for her. I always get her drinks, and we talk our usual hippy-dippy stuff.

The best time with this cousin is when the food comes and she says things like “Thanks for putting dead carcass on the table!” And, “Ooh, look — what a nice spread of murder I’m surrounded by.” Or, “I’m glad no one here cares about the earth.” Classic stuff. Love it. I mean I eat the meat, but I appreciate her getting everyone all worked up.

So I got her this Spit Roaster, as a fun poke at her. I think she is going to like it! I mean, she can totally drink it, no problem. If she hesitates, I’ll tell her I’m gonna feed it to drunk uncle – that will probably get her to drink it. Plus, I have a special brownie I saved to win her over with anyway.

Chatty “going-through-things” Aunt – Vasen Brewing‘s The Sour Cherry Walrus

Oh this poor thing. Every time I see her there is an issue — something new that’s the talk of the day. She will get everyone going on this stuff, and it becomes something that keeps coming up all day. Drives my Dad crazy. I even thought about making a sign that says “Moving on” to put up at the table – but I’m not trying to start things.

Between her and her husband (Uncle Pundit), it’s non-stop jibber-jabber. Whatever’s going on, it’s always somebody else’s fault, and usually goes into some kind of greater issue she has with people in the world. Good times.

I’m getting her The Sour Cherry Walrus, because it makes sense. It’s dark and sour, and might help me get her off her constant whine about the state of things. I don’t know — I’m trying here.

Uncle Pundit – Final Gravity’s Irish Goodbye

Honestly, he is the one I most want to catch a cold and miss the party. Boy does he have opinions — and they are always about politics. Not 30 seconds after he gets in the door, he is going, “Did you see Fox news today? Blah blah blah blah.” I tune it out at this point. Do not engage!!

Under it all, he’s a great guy — for real. But there comes a point when I don’t want to talk politics or religion with him, and that point is pretty much always. Anyway, there are times when I can get him to chill with enough booze. Video games worked on him once — he got into that and we actually had a good time. Movies are good as well, but I’ve gotta make it until the time for movies after the meal, so I’m going to give him something I know he likes. He sticks with the classics (surprise), so I’m getting him an Irish Goodbye, a classic Irish stout from Final Gravity. Maybe I can convince him to do car bombs with this, because that is serious. Wish me luck.

Debbie Downer Goth cousin – Strangeways Brewing’s Rot In Hell & Castleburg Brewery’s Murder Hole Mango DIPA

Image result for rot in hell strangeways

We all have met old Debbie Downer in our life somewhere – and this special lady is Goth, to make it even better. Actually, most of the time, she is wearing a black t-shirt featuring a band I really like, so we have more in common than she knows. Before we get to the prayer, before we eat the turkey, we have to get her chilled out. Last year she was sure she was dying from 12 different ailments. Of course, she had to describe them all – and explain that we are all doomed as well.

I’m getting her two brews and a pack of cloves, in the hope she might smile – and might not reduce either of my aunts to tears. Rot in Hell is right up her alley — it’s sour and has that clove background. Plus, she is gonna love talking about it. Then, as she gets further down the spiral, I always have the Murder Hole Mango by Castleburg in reserve. Either this will set me up for a big win this year, or yet another repeat watch of Requiem for a Dream.

There you have it – my choices for my relatives, as we work on getting through these holidays. You can’t go wrong with any of these great local brews, as long as you know which ones to offer which picky relatives. I certainly hope you have a very good Thanksgiving with your friends, family, dog, or whoever you enjoy your holiday with! Cheers to surviving — I hope these brews provide you with some sort of relief.

Feed Your Cheese Addiction In Scott’s Addition With Truckle Cheesemongers

Jonah Schuhart | November 18, 2019

Topics: Blue Bee Cider, cheese share, gourmet cheese, Maggie Bradshaw, scotts addition, Truckle Cheesemongers

Truckle Cheesemongers has graduated from pop-up shop to permanent location, and they’ve got plenty of cheese available for your sampling delight, from mild cheeses to the kind of intense flavors you cheese nerds crave.

Richmond cheese-lovers might have a new favorite store in the city. The city’s newest cheese shop, Truckle Cheesemongers, opened this past Tuesday in Scott’s Addition. The small, one-room shop is located in the same building as Blue Bee Cider, at 1320 Summit Avenue.

Truckle Cheesemongers is actually much older than its new shop. Owner Maggie Bradshaw has been running classes and pop-up shops at other Richmond establishment since 2016.

“The dream has always been to open a dedicated cheese shop,” said Bradshaw. “And so when this opportunity came up… it was the perfect storm of, ‘Okay, this is actually doable.’”

The shop serves grilled-cheese sandwiches and charcuterie boards, custom-ordered by customers. They offer a selection of over 26 cheeses, ranging from mild cheeses like brie to intense, punchy blue cheeses and their own custom beer cheese mixture, made with locally brewed beers.

“I think any good counter, you need to have super mild stuff… that’s super approachable,” said Bradshaw. “And then you also need to add more challenging cheeses, for people who want to have something that’s going to knock ‘em around a little bit.”

The shop serves several meats to pair with the cheese, and customers are expected to enjoy their cheese with a cider from the bar just across the hall. Unfortunately, Truckle Cheesemongers is not a very large location, so any available seating for customers is outside-only.

In addition to serving cheeses straight from the shop, Truckle Cheesemongers also offers a “cheese-share” service. It’s a lot like a loot-box service, except that customers are required to pick up their boxes. For $35 a month, customers receive a selection of three different cheeses, chosen by the owner, and a variety of fruits and nuts, with suggestions for what foods and drinks to pair the cheeses with.

With their new location, Truckle Cheesemongers is no longer limited to pop-up shops and catering events. Now they are free to hold events at their own store, where they already held their first charcuterie party on opening day. Bradshaw says that she has more parties and events in mind for customers who purchase the cheese-share subscription.

Come get knocked around by some gourmet cheese at Truckle Cheesemongers, at 1320 Summit Ave in Scott’s Addition. It’s open from 9 AM to 8 PM, seven days a week. Or catch up with them online at trucklerva.com.

Photos by Jonah Schuhart

RVA ON TAP: Hallobeer, Booz Crawls, & Punk’in Carver Parties

Caley Sturgill | October 23, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, beer, beer column, Bingo Beer Co, Black Heath Meadery, Blue Bee Cider, Buskey Cider, Castleburg Brewery, Cobra Cabana, courthouse creek cider, Hallobeer, Halloweek, Halloween, Hardywood, Isley, Isley Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek, Reservoir Distillery, RVA On Tap, Stone brewing, strangeways, The Answer, The Veil Brewing Co., Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, three notchd, Vasen Brewing Company

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, you’ll have so many choices for events that you won’t be able to attend enough in one day. Hardywood Park Craft Brewery is kicking off HALLOWEEK with their Haunted Food Truck Court tomorrow night, Hallobeer is going down at The Answer Brewpub, Cobra Cabana is hosting Stone Brewing Richmond for a Punk’in Carver party, the Scott’s Addition Booz Crawl is back, and Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery is hosting a costume party — and that’s only the beginning.

It’s the mooooost wonderful tiiiiiime of the year! Halloween is right around the corner, which means HALLOWEEK is back at RVA Magazine. Hardywood Park Craft Brewery is releasing a beer as the official beer of the week, Farmhouse Pumpkin. In the spirit of the season, HALLOWEEK means all the awesome beer, shows, events, and haunted houses you can take in one week. It’s kicking off with our pals and co-hosts at Hardywood, starting fresh tomorrow night with the Haunted Food Truck Court at Hardywood. They’ll be dropping a “ghoulish” new brew, hosting food trucks with Halloween-inspired menus, “devilish” selfie stations, and — of course — costumes galore!

Come dressed in your best and grab goodies from the Richmond Zombie Walk, plus get tips on how to make the best costumes of all from Aisthesis Productions (the hands behind the scariest costumes around, and the recent locally-produced horror movie Last Call). As Aisthesis says, “Less Bore, More Gore.”

Hardywood’s also releasing their Quydrawine in bottles this Friday, honoring the beloved Quy Pham of The Answer Brewpub. This barrel-blended ale was brewed with inspiration from Quy, with his positivity and generosity that will stay in the hearts of his loved ones forever. Quydrawine is a bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout blended with a hyper-hopped fresh American barleywine — which means it’s packed with big, burly, bold flavors “that will Kong even the strongest of late night warriors.”

In more Hardywood news, Trickery (pictured first) is coming back out this Saturday at the brewery. Another Imperial Stout, this milk stout hits in at 13.5% ABV with ten months under its belt in apple brandy barrels. It has flavors of blackstrap molasses — yum! — with warm caramel and chocolate-covered cherries, to bring out the fall love in us all.

Speaking of events honoring Quy, The Answer Brewpub is hosting their extra-awesome 13th Annual Hallobeer on Monday, with Mekong Xpress playing the music of Elvis all night long.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Quy’s family, and in addition to tunes by The King himself throughout the evening, The Answer will be putting out some special drink releases. They’ll also have a Street Fighter tournament for those who are interested, plus costume contests with prizes if you want to come out in your best-dressed Halloween costumes (or Elvis getups, according to The Answer) to celebrate Halloween and Diablo.

*PHOTO: Cobra Cabana & Stone Brewing Collab*

Two of my favorite places in one event!! Stone Brewing Richmond is partnering up with Cobra Cabana for the Punk’in Carver Party — nice puns, y’all — with pumpkin carving in Richmond’s Carver neighborhood. With the best beer at the best spot, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Local pumpkins from Gallmeyer Farms will be on deck, and carving tools will be provided (but in true punk fashion, your crusty old pocket knife will also work just fine). Stone’s bringing out their special release, Ghost Hammer IPA, for the occasion to go along with the regular beers on the patio, so if you’re too cheap for craft beer this week, a $3 Lone Star will do. And for the witchier of us, Madame Onça will be out doing Tarot Card readings!

They’ll also have DJ Al Hitchcock out “spinning spooky tunes” through the evening, and fundraising efforts will benefit the Halloween Parade.

Boozy neighborhood friends rejoice: the Scott’s Addition Booz Crawl is back, and it’s happening all day this Saturday. If you’re an adult who is bummed by the no-trick-or-treating-without-kids rules of society, then this is good news for you.

The Booz Crawl lets you bounce around “trick-or-treating” through the neighborhood to try all the beer, ciders, meads, and whiskeys of the neighborhood. If you pick up Booz Crawl cards at the spots on the list, you can even win a $25 gift card individually to each location from getting three unique stamps at the breweries and being entered to win.

Participating breweries include (in alphabetical order) Ardent Craft Ales, Bingo Beer Co., Black Heath Meadery, Blue Bee Cider, Buskey Cider, Courthouse Creek Cider, Isley Brewing Company, Reservoir Distillery, Strangeways, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Vasen Brewing Company, and The Veil Brewing Co.

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

It’s costume time on the farm! Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery is hosting a Halloween Costume Party this Saturday complete with bonfires to bring fall’s best activities all together. There’s nothing like the smell of a fire pit or hanging out on a farm when it first gets chilly outside, and I couldn’t be happier this time of year.

If you’re down for the drive, head out to Goochland for one of my most favorite spots in the area. They’ll have live music rolling all evening with Mobius Strip, plus eats from the Firesides food truck, and probably the best part of all, always lots of dogs. I meet the cutest dogs when I’m out there, and if you haven’t seen their farm, it’s truly something special to find this close to the city. Lickinghole Creek is a gem, and this is the best season to spend some time with them.

Happy birthday, Isley! I just love this brewery, and I’m stoked to see them complete another trip around the sun.

Isley Brewing Co. is celebrating their 6th birthday this Saturday with tons of limited releases, live music, giveaways, games, and food trucks to accompany the Scott’s Addition Booz Crawl. They’ll be giving away VIP cards to the 6th and 66th guests at the brewery for *four free drinks per day!!* at Isley for the entire month of November. If that isn’t something to get stoked about, I don’t know what is.

Beer releases and returns throughout the week leading up to the event include: Cookies & Cream Porter, Irish Cream Porter, Fastidious Father Banana Peanut Butter Porter, Booze Mother Bourbon Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Porter, Stunt Dubbel Pumpkin Belgian Double, and their Mixed Berry Gose.

For eats, they’ll have The Return of the Mac food truck with gourmet macaroni and cheese, and The Lab Confectionery local bakery specializing in stroopwafels, Unicorn Cake, and freshly-baked goods. With live music, open mics, and pumpkin carving, there’s more than enough for everyone to have a blast throughout the day.

Releasing tonight, Väsen Brewing Company has partnered up with Blue Sky Fund to drop their collab beer: Wanderlust 10. This Wanderlust recipe will give 10 percent of proceeds back to the Blue Sky Fund in honor of the #HikeForKids campaign, and this malty, dark chocolate-flavored beer doesn’t disappoint.

You’ll catch flavors of vanilla, German beechwood, and smoked malt together with the dessert flavors and cocoa nibs, plus real vanilla beans and a hint of smoke from the beechwood malts. As the brewery says, this beer “will have you pining for a crisp fall hike followed by an evening spent around the campfire” — and they have the first part covered!

They’re hosting a group hike this Saturday and enjoying this beer together afterward at the post-hike party at the brewery.

This Friday at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, head over for First Tap Friday, where the brewery is releasing their Throwing Back Blueberries Imperial Gose.

The beer is coming out along with Three Notch’d collab partners Throwing Back Sunday, an emo throwback cover band that’s also headlining the Nightmare on Emo Street Big Ass Halloween Party (another part of RVA Magazine’s HALLOWEEK!) at The Broadberry later Friday night.

It’s Halloween at Castleburg Brewery and Taproom, as well! They’re hosting their 4th annual Halloween Party this Saturday with Cashmere Jungle Lords.

Unlike a lot of costume contest parties, this one will have more than one winner. Castleburg’s giving away cash prizes to contestants in all three categories of Scariest, Best Overall, and Best Couples costumes. Along with prizes, the brewery is hosting tons of great beer along with surf rock playing throughout the night.

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

RVA ON TAP: Festivals Galore!

Caley Sturgill | August 21, 2019

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

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.

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.

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.