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RVA ON TAP: Throwing Down in RVA & Untappd Comes To Town

Caley Sturgill | September 18, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, beer, beer column, bluegrass festival, Canon And Draw, craft beer, final gravity brewing, fine creek brewing, Hardywood, Isley Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek, pride crawl, RVA On Tap, scotts addition, Steam Bell Beer Works, Stone brewing, the answer brewpub, The Veil, triple crossing, untappd, vasen brewing

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

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

This week, we’re kicking things off with a lot of awesome events in addition to tons of great new releases. Fall flavors are finally starting to come in more consistently, and they’re perfect to go along with the festivals of the season.

We’ve been waiting a long time for this one, and it’s finally here! Stone Brewing is hosting their annual Stone’s Thrown Down In RVA this Saturday, celebrating their third anniversary in the River City with a full day of badass beers and bands.

They’ll be slinging drinks from their own brewery and from other locals we love, with live music all day long. J Roddy Walston and The Business is headlining, a popular Richmond-based band, playing alongside White Denim, Cory Wong, Howlin Rain, and The Long Ryders. Another bonus: all ticket sales and total proceeds will benefit some of our favorite local nonprofits like the James River Association (yay!), the Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton, the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation, and Venture Richmond.

If you’re too busy on Saturday or you’re too broke to cover tickets + craft beer, Stone’s got you covered! Stone’s Throw Down Eve is going down on Friday, with food trucks and special beers galore. They’ve also got some great bands on deck like Colin Phils and Colder Planets to get the party going and keep it rolling through the weekend.

Pride season is here, and the events of the city are here for it! This Saturday brings one we’ve been especially excited for: the Scott’s Addition Pride Crawl. Hosted over at the Robert B. Moss Theatre with the Richmond Triangle Players, VA Pride, and OutRVA, the Pride Crawl will bring all your favorite brewers from Richmond’s booziest neighborhood together for a day of celebrating (and even free stuff).

Look forward to drinking with your faves, like Blue Bee Cider, Ardent Craft Ales, Vasen Brewing Company, Black Heath Meadery, The Veil Brewing Co., Buskey Cider, Isley Brewing Company, Courthouse Creek Cider, Reservoir Distillery, and Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, along with the Scott’s Addition Beverage District.

“Cheers, Queers!” says the family of event planners, and if you’re looking to wear it with pride, you can grab a shirt for the occasion as well. They’ll have plenty of beers and plenty of parties to keep your Saturday fun all day long, plus the chance to win gift certificates from your favorite local brewers — because free stuff is the best stuff.

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

Happy birthday, Lickinghole Creek! One of our favorite farms is celebrating their 6th anniversary this Saturday, and not only will it be a great celebration, it’ll be packed with their fall harvest of sunflowers! Sunflower season at Lickinghole Creek might just be the most beautiful time of the year, and they’ve been in bloom over the last few weeks out at the brewery.

During the anniversary party, Lickinghole Creek is releasing two awesome beers. First comes the next edition of their Juicy series, with Juicy #15 “Something Pretty” coming out for the occasion. Next is their Vanilla Virginia Black Bear, which sounds as great as I’m sure it tastes. If you’re in the market for live music over the weekend, they’ll have bands like Magnetite, Sunrizen, and Dreaddy Bear all day.

In new releases this week, we’ll get started with Triple Crossing Beer’s Interstellar Burst. This beautifully-canned beer came out early this week, and it’s an 8% ABV Double IPA (my favorite!) that was created with a generous mix of Galaxy, Citra, and El Dorado hops. You’ll catch flavors of passionfruit, pineapple, grapefruit, and mango to keep the last days of summer in season, with a deep and plush feel out of the glass.

*PHOTO: Untappd Seven City Tour, The Answer Brewpub*

Our pals at The Answer Brewpub are teaming up with Untappd this Friday as part of the awesome social beer site’s Seven City Tour. Untappd is kicking off their tour of the nation all month, and stopping right here in Richmond (obviously, because everyone knows The Answer is the best spot). Their co-founder, Greg Avola, will be spending his evening with The Answer and giving away free Untappd merch like t-shirts, stickers and more.

After Richmond, Untappd is hitting Denver to finish out the tour. They’ve already made it to San Diego to visit Ballast Point, Milwaukee to visit Eagle Park, and Washington, D.C. to visit ChurchKey. Tonight, they’re heading to Raleigh for Burial Beer Co. before hitting Pittsburgh tomorrow for Southern Tier, and then making their way down the East Coast to land at The Answer.

This might be my favorite combination of things to happen all year! A bluegrass festival is coming up at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery.

This Saturday, our faves at Hardywood are hosting the Richmond Bluegrass Festival, complete with six bands to keep the music going til the sun goes down. First up is Hogweed, then Slack Family Bluegrass Band takes the stage. Ragged Mountain String Band follows, then The Hot Seats and Gallatin Canyon play before Nobody’s Business closes the night.

Also — if you’re loving this poster as much as we are, be sure to come and take one home with you. They’ll have a limited number for sale at the festival, so get there early!

Over at Väsen Brewing Company, Wanderlust 9 is coming out this Saturday. As Väsen says, “Embrace your inner wanderlust” with this velvety-smooth, juicy brew. Wanderlust 9 was inspired by the classic combination of peaches and cream — and this time of year always gets me, because as in love as I am with fall brews, there’s nothing I love like I love peaches and cream.

It came together with fragrant Madagascar vanilla beans blended with peach, which impart a complex and fruity flavor profile, according to the brewers, with a surprising depth. It’s also got a moderate hoppy bitterness — to remind you that “it’s still a beer.”

Final Gravity Brewing Co. has been cooking up something good this week. Moon Cresta New England Double IPA is dropping this Friday, full of fruits and combining the firepower of Belma and Citra hops together.

There’s a big blast of orange, so to all of our Blue Moon fans, this one’s for you. As a Double IPA, it’ll bring out some of your favorite flavors from that classic, usually with a higher ABV and a bolder, thicker fruity taste. Subtle notes of strawberry and tropical melon come together with the larger orange flavors, with “just a touch of spice” to take this one to the next level.

Another awesome brew is out at Canon & Draw Brewing Company, this time with an even sweeter flavor. Berries n’ Cream IPA comes out this Friday at the brewery, complete with all the blueberries, raspberries, and sweet cherries your fruity hearts desire.

This one is coming in as the latest in their Fruit n’ Cream series, which has had a delicious array of recipes so far. It’s definitely on my list to try.

Ardent Craft Ales has two great new beers this week. First up is an 8% ABV Summit DIPA, the first to be brewed by Ardent with their Hordinal Kveik Norwegian Ale yeast. This yeast brings out tropical fruit flavors with a clean finish, and as a hazy Double IPA, it was triple dry-hopped with Citra and Amarillo. According to the brewers, it’s bursting with juicy stone fruit and citrus flavors.

Second comes Sweet Potato and Sage, two of my most favorite things. Is it becoming clear yet that I can’t get enough of fall flavors? I feel like every beer this month has had me saying “this is my favorite!” and then another one comes along that I love just as much.

Anywho, Sweet Potato and Sage is more of a dry-style brew, as a farmhouse saison. You’ll catch more earthy notes than fruity in this one, balancing the sweet potato flavors with the fragrant sage. The 6.4% ABV recipe is a fall seasonal with a continental malt backbone that complements its subtle hop tastes.

O.P.P. is fresh at Steam Bell Beer Works this week, coming out on Friday as a classic pale ale. You’ll get flavors of grapefruit and tropical fruit in this one, with orange peels “waiting patiently to drive home the sweet citrus finish.”

It was hopped lighter than their IPA’s usually are to keep it simple and refreshing, with English base malts and additions of Cascade hops to add to its dose of dried orange peel. And an important thing to note: while most pale ales are on the lighter side in ABV, O.P.P. hits in at 7.4%, so keep it careful!

It’s Oktoberfest at Isley Brewing Company! Benedict’s Brew is coming out this Saturday and hits in at 7.3% ABV. If you’re unfamiliar with the background of Oktoberfest, Isley was kind enough to give us a little taste of history:

“The Oktoberfest celebration began in 1810, when the populace was invited to celebrate the marriage of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria. This marked the first time the general public was asked to participate in such a regal event. Shortly thereafter, beer vendors began offering Malty, traditional German lagers as refreshment during the annual festival.”

Keeping with tradition, Isley is following the styles used in the original Oktoberfests. Their Benedict’s Brew is a copper-colored, bottom-fermented lager beer according to the brewers, and it was hopped with traditional German malt, hops, and yeast.

More multi-releases are in line at The Veil Brewing Co., and these four just came out last night:

R.I.P. Me, probably my favorite name of a beer that I’ve seen in a while, just returned to the brewery in all its Double IPA glory. Honestly, I haven’t found a brewery that can completely kill it at Double IPA’s as consistently as The Veil does, and this one I’m sure is no different. Brewed with flaked barley and a maximum saturation of Citra, Simcoe, and Nelson hops, this one comes in at 8% ABV.

Blackout Tastee also returned last night, a smoothie-style Sour created with milk sugar (yum!!), “mad amounts” of blackberry, and black currant purée. At a lower 5.5% ABV, this is one you can have seconds on — as long as you don’t get too full.

Frozen Frozen Ocean is the third to return this week, a double dry-hopped version of Frozen Ocean that was created with 100% Lupulin Powder as a Double IPA. With Lupulin Powder, Citra hops, Simcoe hops, and Mosaic hops on top of its puffy flaked oats, it comes together at 8% ABV.

Speck of Light was the individual debut of the evening, and this brand-new beer at The Veil was brewed with Pilsner malt, raw wheat, and Citra, El Dorado, and Vic Secret hops that combined come in at a medium 6% ABV.

Over the weekend, Fine Creek Brewing released their House Saison as their Friday Beer Feature. This one has some special flavors we don’t see too often, with bubblegum combined with spicy and fruity tastes. With a dry and refreshing feel out of the glass, this lower 5% ABV beer is a classic interpretation of the Saison style, and its moderate bitterness and rye spiciness help to “elevate” the mellow citrus and peppercorn you’ll taste in it.

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

RVA ON TAP: Kicking Off Halloween & Beer Fest Season

Caley Sturgill | September 11, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RVA ON TAP: Food Fests & 50 Years of Love

Caley Sturgill | July 10, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Canon And Draw, Center of the Universe, craft beer, final gravity brewing, fine creek brewing, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Intermission Beer Company, RVA On Tap, Stone Brewing-Richmond, Strangeways Brewing, Vasen Brewing Company

This week, we’re keeping with the spirit of summer and all the events that come along with it. From beer classes to food festivals, the local brewers are keeping their schedules (and their glasses) full to keep you busy every night.

I know y’all remember my last visit to a Center of the Universe food festival, because I was stoked after it to present both the best barbecue and waffles I’ve ever had in my life (S/O to Grandpa Eddie’s Alabama Ribs & BBQ and Capitol Waffle Shop) — and also my award-winning ham biscuits that finally got some official recognition winning COTU’s Southern Food Fest after a lifetime of people fighting over them at family gatherings.

They’re bringing back another food festival, and it covers the tastes of the whole nation this time around. The American Food Fest is going down this Saturday, with hot dogs, BBQ, ice cream and more to complement live music and a special beer release. Grandpa Eddie’s will be out again, so don’t miss it this time, along with Mama J’s, Good Dogs RVA, Freekin’ Rican, and some good old fashioned Cold Stone Creamery for dessert. Another important detail to note is COTU’s commentary on their Saturday race:

“Do you like to run? Do you enjoy a nice lather of sweat on a Saturday afternoon? Neither do we!”

Same! In the spirit of laziness and actually enjoying your weekend, their second annual “non-run” is taking place to fundraise for the Ashland Rotary. This perfect event means the only running you’ll do is from the beer trucks to the Freedom Fries after they carry the finish line over your heads. Grab your beer and your lawn chair, because there’s nothing more American than having someone else do the work for you and enjoying the sweet rewards of beer and BBQ.

Does anything make sense? Not really, and Hardywood gets it. Their beloved But Does It Make Sense? IPA is coming back out in cans this week for #FreshCanFriday, complete with live music from Damn Tall Buildings through the evening and Smokie Joe’s BBQ to make sure both your plates stay full as well.

But Does It Make Sense? is a New England-Style Double IPA, brewed with Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc, and Galaxy hops with an 8.5% ABV to kick off the weekend the right way.

Make sure to plan your weekends through the rest of the month, too, because Hardywood’s HeART & Soul Brew Fest is coming up on the 27th to bring Richmond the best dope music, urban art, craft beers, and soul food — is there a better combination than that?

50 years of love in the Commonwealth: a big reason to celebrate, and all our favorite local breweries are following suit. Head out to Final Gravity Brewing Co. on Sunday to keep the festivities going after their 50-mile bike ride from the Jamestown Settlement back up to the city. Virginia is for Lovers sponsored a shuttle for Final Gravity’s ride with the Cap Trail Bike Shuttle to take bikers from Stone Brewing all the way down to the settlement, then the brewery’s hosting an afterparty all evening with a special beer release and Zorch Pizza in honor of the campaign.

Keeping the love going, Intermission Beer Company is hosting a Home-Grown Comedy Show this Saturday night — and there’s more than one reason to celebrate. With their great lineup of local Virginian stand-up comics, Intermission’s setting the stage to commemorate both the 50th anniversary of Virginia Is For Lovers, and the birthday of the night’s headliner, Winston Hodges.

The show starts at 7pm, and this one’s not for the kids: so make sure to call your babysitter if you need one, and come out for a night of laughs with Winston and Liz Carrnage, Alida Harper, Joshua Sekani French, Heather Joyce and more. It’s never a bad time to wind down and share smiles with strangers, and it’s especially fun to do it with entertainers from our own home.

Canon & Draw Brewing Company has a surprise. If you’ve ever drank the water somewhere cleaner than the city of Richmond, you’ll know that the drips coming from our taps are definitely not the state’s best… and even questionable, in my humble opinion. So in order to bring new (and certainly better) meaning to the phrase “River City Tap Water,” Canon & Draw cooked up something delicious.

River City Tap Water is an American Light Lager that’s got all the crisp coolness of the river and all the drinkable goodness of a solid brew. With bright, bursting flavors, you won’t have to worry about what my friends refer to as the “brain slugs” you’re in for if you take a sip from the James — just tasty, easy drinking and a great way to spend a hot summer day.

Notooooorious! On the 4th of July, Stone Brewing Richmond dropped Notorious P.O.G., a Berliner Weisse. This style is one of Stone’s specialties, and I’m looking forward to getting a taste of it for my own.

Notorious P.O.G., unlike the rap legend of its name inspiration, is real bright and fruity. With flavors of passionfruit, orange, and guava, this brew is set to bring all the best fruits of summertime together for a finished product that’s “Fresh, Tropical, and Damn Tasty.” Damn tasty, like everything Stone does. It’s a tropical Weisse that first came out at their Hop-Con 4.0, an annual release event for “the (in)famous Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout.” According to the brewers, P.O.G. comes from Passion, Orange, and Guava for those unfamiliar with Hawaiian juice lore. Come grab a can here in Richmond, out at the East End brewery (a beautiful spot on its own, even without the beer — so definitely worth a visit).

Our buds at Fine Creek Brewing Company just dropped an awesome Friday Beer Feature over the weekend, a Tart Saison brewed with the nuts and hulls of the shellback hickory tree.

Natural Resonance is a 6.7% ABV beer with spicy birch, woody hickory, minor peppery characters from the Saison yeast, and its birch scion tastes from the wood and roots from sweet birch trees. The flavor starts out sweet, with fruity esters and a stronger apple character. It begins to develop into its spicy and oak-like wood tones as the acidity starts to come out on the taste buds. With a tart ending, this recipe is bright, dry, and a perfect earthy-summer flavor to capture the natural flavors of the area with the tastes of the season as well.

The 6th of July may not be special to some, but it was special to us and to Väsen Brewing Company this year. Thanks to this absolutely delicious release, the weekend of the 4th had an extra reason to get pumped.

Boundless is a complex, hazy Double IPA that was dry-hopped with Sabro, Ekuanot, and Enigma hops. This juicy brew brings out the fruity flavors and enticing aromas of tangerine, mango, and papaya, with an awesome finish of more subtle coconut and raspberry flavors. Its name reflects its taste, meant to ponder the boundless, beautiful summer skies above and pair with an endless summer. Head out to Väsen for a glass on your next breezy weekend day, and look forward to their second anniversary coming up soon… but more on that later.

Ever wanted to learn more about the history of craft beer in our region? Yeah, you and me both! Thanks to Strangeways and VCU, we’re in for a treat. They’re co-hosting a course on The Essentials of Craft Beer out at the brewery, a two-part evening class on July 16 and July 23 with Lee Graves (the RVA Beer Guy!) to get a better understanding of both the types and styles of craft beer and the history of each. You’ll get a new understanding and love for craft beer, plus a lot of great knowledge on the regional history of the industry in our area. Head over here to sign up, and remember that it’s 21+ for attendees.

RVA ON TAP: Beer, Bourbon & BBQ

Caley Sturgill | June 5, 2019

Topics: beer, beer bourbon and bbq, beer bourbon bbq best, beer column, Canon And Draw, Castleburg, castleburg brewery and taproom, Center of the Universe, final gravity brewing, Hardywood, Isley Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, richmond raceway, RVA On Tap, Stone brewing, triple crossing

This week, we’re rolling further into the summer with tons of awesome new releases (plus a special America-themed release, because America), and awesome events to jam through summer in the River City. Drink up.

Over the weekend, I got a chance *at last* to check out Stone Brewing Richmond in-person. If you remember back a month or two, Stone celebrated the release of their movie, which followed the trials and tribulations of opening their brewery in Berlin. The German location was the very first American Independent Craft Brewery to expand into the EU — a big deal, to say the least. Anywho, the movie premiered at Richmond’s very own Bow Tie Cinemas earlier this spring, and Stone’s founder even attended the event and its afterparty at River City Roll, complete with actual beers from their Berlin spot.

In the film, a large, empty building slowly takes its shape with their famous gargoyle hanging overhead in a gray-sky, intriguingly-eerie looking space. To bring it full circle, when I visited the Richmond location, I was quickly reminded of the architecture, and felt familiar in a place I had never been, thanks to the cohesive style across their locations. It may not feel like walking into Berlin, but it does feel like walking into Stone. And that’s a feeling like no other, especially in a city packed with a lot of places that can look the same.

In new-news, for all of you who *have* been to Stone and didn’t take way too long to finally check out one of the city’s best spots, over the last week they released Enjoy By 07.04.19. Memorial Day Weekend marked the unofficial start of summer, according to the brewery, so they’ve released their America-themed brew to commemorate the changing season and give us something to enjoy (in the summer only).

For our Richmond-bred locals, the River City’s sweethearts at Hardywood are dropping a brand-new #FreshCanFriday release, and it sounds delicious. I know I’ve said it before, but I don’t think Hardywood is capable of making a bad beer. Distorted Perception follows suit as a hazy IPA, flavored with papayas, amngos, and cantaloupes after its dry-hopped process with Cashmere hops. You’ll also catch notes of honeydew, papaya, and lime in this sweet and smooth brew.

Meanwhile at Hardywood, the brewers have teamed up to support the 5th Annual Rockin’ on the Avenue tomorrow night at St. Mary’s tomorrow night. The annual fundraiser started off with a few smaller organic goals, and with lots of community support, it’s taken off to become a long-term gig. They’re rockin’ again this week, so join them for great food and local businesses for the cause.

Over at Final Gravity, Morning Glory Double IPA is making its way back to the taps on Friday. You’ll catch some cantaloupe aromas here, but you’ll also catch some droolworthy notes of candied orange slices and coconut, with some peach and tropical fruits sprinkled in. This 8% ABV brew was dry-hopped with Cashmere hops and a later addition of Azacca to give a nice blended taste, and it’s available by the glass and in crowlers to start relaxing into your weekend with its release.

Triple Crossing has done it again… in a set of the most beautiful cans I think I’ve ever seen in my life. Even if I didn’t want to try this beer, I’d want to buy it just to look at it. It’s dreamy, y’all! Tiny Pils is their newest addition to their perfectly-balanced recipes, a beer designed with the “sometimes need to manage our collective sobrieties” in mind — so it’s got a low ABV that’ll set you down gracefully. Raw clover and a sweet, oak-like baking spice hop character takes this one, with more flavors of lavender and a honey-like malt depth. It’s available on draft, but obviously better in cans, so grab one while they’re available, starting this Friday.

Isley Brewing Company has a new addition to their draft list as well, with a Banana Infused Belgian White Ale. I just had my first taste of a white banana beer recently (at Stone, if I remember correctly), and I’ve got to say, it was better than I expected, as a person who’s not really a banana enthusiast in most flavors. Except for actual bananas, which ironically, I love. Regardless, I was surprised at how much I genuinely enjoyed the combination of bananas and brews, and I don’t doubt that Isley’s recipe will be delicious as well.

This week, a Strawberry Hefeweizen made its way to our pals at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery. If you need an excuse to get out of the city, make your way to the farm for a new brew with some of our favorite outside-towners and catch live music — plus some awesome food trucks like SandTopia, Papa vs. Carolina BBQ, and more. The Jerry Wimmer Trio and Genu Jay will be performing through the weekend at Lickinghole Creek to keep the jams on and the beers cold.

It’s Hawaiian shirt time! Canon and Draw Brewing Company is hosting a Pre-Summer Luau Party this Friday, so grab your tackiest attire and tourist it up in your own town. Justin Golden, Scott Lane, and Charlie and Darlings will be performing with live music all day to accompany popsicles, beer specials, games, and a gift card raffle in the perfect city luau.

Bonus points: If you dress well enough, you can put your name in the raffle for a chance to win best costume and get a prize for your wardrobe. Bust out the Hawaiian shirts, flip flops, bathing suits, luau gear, and anything else you can think of to come out and win. Plus, above all else, it’s a reason to hang out in a bathing suit in public, and it’s always sweet to beat the heat.

This Saturday out at Richmond Raceway, don’t miss the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival that’s got *a lot* cooking. With your ticket, you’ll get unlimited beer and bourbon tastings (as long as you keep it moving from table to table, and tent to tent — don’t get too wild out here, y’all) plus BBQ galore. With pulled pork from whole hogs, ribs, brisket, chickens, sausages, and “any fixins’ you could imagine,” the Raceway says they’ll keep the portions heavy and the prices low.

During the festival, live rock and blues music will be jamming all day, with bluegrass on the main stage to set the best Southern feel — because BBQ and bluegrass just belong together, if you ask me. They’ve also got a Pork-A-Licious VIP Whole Hog session for the extra-committed meat lovers, so get a full plate plus two extra hours of fun with special beer and bourbon tastings to round off the day.

Center of the Universe is throwing an awesome show tonight with Scattered Smothered and Covered for Tail Waggin’ Wednesdays, and they want to remind you that there’s nothing better than a mid-week “having a few” break. Who can blame them? I don’t know how you Summer-In-Richmond, but when I Summer-In-Richmond, I want to be out and about every day to take it all in.

Release the hounds tonight with our buds at COTU, and don’t forget to catch their Beer, Bingo, and Bloodies event coming up again this Saturday. This one used to happen at COTU and was brought back by popular demand — so now that it’s here to stay, if you haven’t made it out yet, here’s your chance!

The Run The Gauntlet Challenge is back at Castleburg Brewery and Taproom. If you remember back when #1 came out last year, Castleburg’s Gauntlet Series of challenges is unlike those you’d find in medieval Europe in that these don’t strike you with physical punishment — they strike you with pale ales. Thank god, right? #10 is here, and its earthy, floral flavors with hints of citrus come from its Centennial hops brewing process. Head out for a punishment that actually doesn’t seem so bad, and tell us how it was!

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.

RVA ON TAP: Snow Dogs, Krampus, & Dashing Through The Fan

Caley Sturgill | December 19, 2018

Topics: Black Heath Meadery, Canon And Draw, Center of the Universe, Intermission Beer Company, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, strangeways, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Company, Three Notch'd Brewing, Triple Crossing Beer, Vasen Brewing Company, VinePair

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 with news this week with beer releases and festivals, events, and other cool happenings around town — so hold on to your mugs!

Last week, we saw some great collabs with local breweries and tons of awesome events and releases in the area. We’ve got plenty more brews to warm you up this winter as we get ready to hit the holidays, and even a surprise snow pup at the end.

First, before we dive into Richmond’s brew news this week, I can’t get started without showing this video from Black Heath Meadery. Black Heath is hopping in on Richmond’s Krampus festivities, celebrating the evil alter-ego of Saint Nicholas. It’s no surprise in this town that the locals are into Krampus (especially with events like Carytown’s Krampus Walk, which went down last week) — Krampus is half-goat, half-demon, and he lures children into the depths of the underworld instead of hopping down their chimneys to deliver gifts. In case the world didn’t already know, Germany doesn’t mess around… In the U.S., we scare our kids into shape each December with Elf On The Shelf. In Central Europe, bad kids get dragged to hell. I kinda like Europe’s plan better.

Is it even possible for The Answer Brewpub to win more awards in a year? Richmond’s sweethearts have, once again, put the River City on the map for its stellar brews. This time around, The Answer was named one of the 10 Best Breweries in the Nation (!!) by Vinepair. Starting off to say there’s no need to question where to begin a Richmond brewery tour, Vinepair are big fans of The Answer (and how could they not be?) — they noted owner An Bui’s standing as a 2018 James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalist, as well as Bui’s restaurant and the brewery’s neighbor, Mekong, for its pho. “The jovial vibe at the brewpub and restaurant are visible and palpable, making it a must for any Virginia-bound beer lover,” they said, and we’re 100 percent behind it.

“Come All Ye Scavengers!” It’s time to get freaky in the Fan with Canon And Draw and all your favorite Fan restaurants. Dashing Thru The Fan is a scavenger hunt that hides a $25 gift card every day at a participating restaurant/bar in the neighborhood. Every day at 5pm, head out to your favorite spots around the area and try your luck. The catch: Gift cards for a certain location will never be hidden at that actual location — so if you want to get some free bucks at your favorite spot, you’ve got to get out and support other local businesses to up your chances. Richmond locals always do a great job of lifting each other up around town, and this is a perfect opportunity to give your love to a few places at once and keep local business thriving.

Yuuuuum, dessert in beer! Steam Bell Beer Works is dropping their Maple Tiramisu Stout this Friday, marrying of my favorite things in the whole world together in one beautiful, chocolatey goodness. Maple Tiramisu Stout is packed with notes of vanilla, chocolate, roasted coffee, and…. “Maple, eh!” I can’t imagine a better combination than tiramisu and a bit of maple syrup, but my sweet tooth is off the charts — I grew up watching my mother eat Tiramisu for breakfast (not a joke), in case you wondered why. This stout batch is blended with organic maple, adding a little extra oomph to the breweries signature Tiramisu Stout. Also fresh to the Steam Bell family this Friday is their Bourbon Barrel Tiramisu Stout, bringing back last year’s delicious batch. A year ago, the brewers poured the rest of their beloved beer into A. Smith Bowman Distillery bourbon barrels straight from the distillery, and the oak and bourbon flavors bring a warm richness to the recipe with its whole vanilla beans.

Way Down South is playing live at the brewery the same night, so head over to Steam Bell for all your wintery-country needs. I know it’s right up my alley!

Intermission Beer Company is keeping it toasty this week with the release of their Winter Warmer. This one’s a great mid-season brew to have on deck, with a stronger alcohol content as the days get colder, and a nice combination of winter spices to roll through the season. The 9.3% ABV spiced-holiday ale is inspired by Kate, a friend of the brewery’s, Ginger Molasses cookie — so Winter Warmer is truly made with love. You’ll find vanilla, clove, and ginger notes in this recipe, and you can give it a try at the brewery in Glen Allen.

Right after we got together last week, Väsen Brewing Company dropped their Strawberry Kiwi Puffin beer. If you’re looking for a way to beat the winter weather, Väsen’s got you covered. Strawberry Kiwi Puffin is a classic, slightly tart German wheat brew that’s conditioned with kiwi and strawberry. It’s got the perfect blend of fruity flavor to bring you back to that warm place in your long-lost summer memories, and it’s even got malty notes of biscuit and honey to tie it all together. Strawberry Kiwi sounds like it was born to go with sunshine, and it’s a refreshing flavor profile to see this time of year.

⟁ If you find yourself in Fulton Hill over the weekend, be sure to swing by Triple Crossing Beer for another triple release from the East End favorites. First on the agenda this Friday is Clever Girl. This 6% APA is an American IPA, keeping up the fruity flavors into the winter with a light-bodied texture and green tropical citrus notes. It comes out this weekend alongside Battle Creek, a 100 percent Mosaic DIPA fermented with their house ale strain, and “a serious amount of malted white wheat,” according to the brewers. They also report its opening with a dank orange zest, melon-like vanilla cream — which leads into Triple Crossing’s “perpetual and constant state of refinement in softer feel.” They are the masters of the mouthfeel, and this one sounds like a dream.

Over at Strangeways, a brand-new brew dropped over last weekend. Pyrus is a Foraged Pear Saison, made from Callery pears on their Fredericksburg property. Strangeways is killing the local game, growing their own fruits and making their beer straight from their land. Pyrus is full of impart tart and tannic notes from its pears, rounded out by malted wheat from Murphy & Rude Malting Co. in Charlottesville. This one’s a light beer, which makes it awesome for “food pearing” (nice) and not filling up too hard during the chilly weather.

Koelschip season is back at The Veil! And boy, are they excited about it. The local brewers are big on this type of brew, a series of Lambic-inspired beers that go through a pretty extensive process to make it to your mug. Each brew is turbid-mashed and boiled with aged hops to begin, then inoculated with The Veil’s Koelschip with “natural micro-flora from the cool night’s air.” They’re fermented one more time in oak barrels for up to four years, then blended and sent to the taps to make it into your glass. The Veil notes that these are their favorite beers to make, and with so many tasty options already, if this one’s their favorite, I know it’s on my list.

Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, Can’t you see? Sometimes your stouts just hypnotize me.

Three Notch’d Brewing Company takes the cake this week for best beer name. Big Poppa Biggie S’mores Imperial Stout is one you won’t want to miss, according to the brewers, and this spin on the classic Biggie S’mores has more chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallow to give this 9.7% ABV stout a unique, rich, malty, and extra-chocolatey taste. Grab ‘em while they’re hot, because this seasonal won’t stick around forever!

Center of the Universe is getting Richmond in the spirit this weekend. Head on over to the brewery and showcase your best (and worst) holiday attire for their Fugly Sweater Party. Fugly = Festive + Ugly. It’ll be a beautiful rainbow of all the worst holiday looks in one room, and I can’t wait to see the photos afterward. In the excitement of the season, Center of the Universe also took full advantage of the snow last week, and made a Snow Dog of this sweet pup, Maude. I couldn’t resist showing this snowy furball in all her glory before we bid adieu until next time.

Happy Holidays, Maude! I love you.

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