Center of the Universe

RVA ON TAP: Jägerbeers & Big Lebowski Brews

Caley Sturgill | October 9, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Center of the Universe, craft beer, final gravity brewing co, Hardywood, RVA On Tap, Stone Brewing-Richmond, strangeways, The Veil Brewing Co., Triple Crossing Beer, 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, we’re celebrating the 8th birthday of Hardywood along with some very special releases in town — like Stone Brewing Richmond’s “JägerBastard” and The Big Lebowski-insired El Duderino at Center of the Universe.

Happy Birthday, Hardywood! Our long-time Richmond loves are celebrating their 8th anniversary this Saturday, and the Totally Boss Anniversary Bash is bringing the 80s back to the River City with their all-day party for the occasion.

For celebratory beer, they’ll be releasing their 8th Anniversary Blend as an eight-barrel mash-up, which brings together a “totally tubular” combination of flavors like sweet cherries, dates, candied apples, and a subtle oak aura. In its finish, the new brew has notes of caramel, leather, and chocolate, leaving a lingering silky-smooth taste. Another special thing to note: in its combination of eight barrels, this beer was aged for a total of 58 months, so it’s bringing out flavors originally from 2015. Can you remember what your favorite things were in 2015? I can, and I can tell you that caramel and apples were definitely on that list.

In entertainment, Hardywood’s hosting DawnStar Games for retro video games, 80s-themed photo booths for the stylin’ and the profilin’, guest taps from breweries all around town, costume contest prizes, retro board games, Virtual Reality experiences with Richmond VR, and of course, live music! The Vertigos, Gambles Hill Gang, and 64 Crayons Band are all coming out to play through the day. So if you’re looking for a new (old) brew or just a reason to get dressed up, Hardywood’s got you covered.

Can we say yum? Or, maybe — for those of you who have had a little too much Jägermeister fun in the past — you’d rather say “no, thanks.” But in this beer column we love licorice, and we’re stoked for the new Stone Brewing release.

The classic Arrogant Bastard Ale is here in a new Jägermeister variation, and like Stone says, these two names both elicit adoration “by a worthy few.” These unapologetic drinks are either a hard yes or a hard no for most of us, and I’m glad to say I’m on the yes side of that equation.

Before what I’m now referring to as JägerBastard, the closest thing we could find in Richmond to a Jäger-infused drink that didn’t feel so liquor-ey is what I call YerbaJäger at Cobra Cabana. Liquor is, across the board, one of my least favorite things, but I can’t deny my love for that dark licorice taste. YerbaJäger is one of my fav drinks at CC, where they take their authentic imported Yerba Mate and mix it with Jäger (and it’s *surprisingly* good).

Now that the JägerBastard is here, I’ve got something new to try. This recipe from Stone Brewing was brewed and imported from their Berlin location, and according to the brewers, it’s perfect for sipping on fall evenings and pairing with a fine meal — or giving as a gift to any “true appreciator of liquid arrogance and independence.”

It definitely takes some arrogance to get this one down the hatch. Godspeed, y’all.

It’s that glorious time of year again when The Big Lebowski somehow makes its way into every facet of Richmond culture, and I’m here for it.

The Dude returns! El Duderino is heading back to Center of the Universe, and this White Russian-inspired Stout is every bit as delicious as the traditional mixed drink. This brew was pulled together from eight different malts, along with vanilla beans to bring out the realest flavors of chocolate and espresso with a tan, creamy, and pillowy head.

El Duderino dropped last year shortly before the Carytown Big Lebowski bar crawl, where I delightfully got to witness a crowd of people walking the streets in their bathrobes and pouring into New York Deli to clear them out of all the El Duderino they could drink. Thankfully, I got a taste of my own just in time — and I can definitely recommend it highly.

It’s lager time! Lager Day is coming to Triple Crossing Beer this Saturday from 12-8pm, full of recipes both old and new. At their spot in Fulton, Triple Crossing is serving up the lager love with brews like Tiny Pils, Pathway Pils, Hiltop, Festbier (in perfect timing for this month!), Czech Dark, and Cinder Rauchbier.

If you remember from last week, Czech Dark just recently dropped in all its late-fall flavored glory, with a toasted, dry, roast-forward finish and hints of red tones to round off this extra-dark brew. It’ll be up on the taps for Lager Day, and all lagers throughout the day will be served in the brewery’s exclusive German glassware that you’ll get to take home with you afterward. On the eats side of things, they’ll have Postbellum’s soft pretzels served with beer mustard and pimento cheese, along with their pizza kitchen menu.

Pour and Pasties is back at Strangeways Brewing, and this one’s always a crowd favorite. Head out to the Dabney Rd location this Friday evening for brewery burlesque and all the beautiful entertainment you can take, with a full evening of performances and a great cast.

Performers this time around will include Venessa Chevelle, Nyx Nebulae, Bert Shaffer, Scarlet Starlet, Murphy Lawless, Sally Stardust, and their host Ego Von Hubris. The event is thrown by Strangeways in collaboration with Burlesque Right Meow, which hosts shows all around town with an especially awesome effort for inclusivity. Their feminist-forward principles bring in body types of all identities, shapes, and sizes, and they’re big on celebrating the art of burlesque for everyone to enjoy.

Last night at The Veil Brewing Co., another multi-release went down with four new brews for the people of Richmond.

whitebugatti, pictured above, is a Triple IPA hopped “luxuriously” with Citra and Galaxy hops, brewed with only the freshest available. It hits in at 11% in ABV and 100% in my dreams, and I can only hope I make it to the brewery in time to get a glass of this delicious brew.

The Veil also dropped Mean Everything, a brand-new brew that came together with Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Ekuanot hops in addition to a lot of oats to bring the earthy, fruity flavors all together in a 6% ABV beer. Next came Special Combo #5, and if you’re remembering back to the end of the 90s (and the tunes of my childhood) to the release of “Mambo #5,” you’re not alone. This Double IPA comes in at 9% ABV for a high-but-not-too-high-drink, at least in my book. Push me up to 10% and I need to stop at one brew, so for Special Combo #5, we’ll say cheers to two.

The last release of the night brought Tefnut, an 11% ABV cosmic Imperial Gose that was made as a collaboration with Omnipollo to “reimagine what a fruit beer can be” with new processes and fruit volumes, and plenty of ripe, juicy mango character.

If you haven’t heard the news yet, there’s another opening scheduled for The Veil with another Scott’s Addition addition: a new food hall! They’ll have more than 18 vendors all in one awesome place, with a massive rooftop bar and 25,000 square feet to pack it with all of Richmond’s best — including beer by The Veil, because it wouldn’t truly be a Scott’s Addition collab without them.

Coming up this Friday, Final Gravity Brewing Co. is releasing two new beers inspired by both coasts. The East & West Coast Double Beer Release party goes down all day Friday, with Luminosity and California Dreamin’ both fresh to the taps.

Luminosity is a New England Double IPA (my favorite!) that brings together Multihead, Belma, Cashmere, and Vic Secret hops for a tropical blend that can “brighten your glass like the glow of early morning sun shining through a dewy haze.” With notes of peach, melon, and apricot to top it all off, this one’s right up my alley.

California Dreamin’ is coming back to us in a return; this golden beauty was a crowd favorite that was so loved they decided to bring it back. The 7% ABV beer was made with a combination of Columbus, Simcoe, and Centennial hops to bring out a clean, citrusy flavor with a subtle bite.

A fresh Double IPA is here at Väsen Brewing Company, and like the other DIPAs out this week, it’s a high priority. This dank, fruity brew came out over the weekend at Väsen, and it was appropriately-named Mandarin Galaxy.

The recipe is bold with juicy fruit flavors, brewed with Citra Cyro, Mosaic, Mandarina Bavaria, and Australian Galaxy hops. It’s new in cans and on tap, and it brings Väsen into a bold new universe of hoppy citrus flavors.

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: Lager World & Oktoberfest at Hardywood

Caley Sturgill | October 2, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, Ballast Point Brewing, beer, beer column, Center of the Universe, Final Gravity, fine creek, Hardywood, Isley Brewing Company, kindred spirit, RVA On Tap, strangeways, The Veil, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer, vasen brewing

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

This week, we’ve got more fall events and some amazing new beer releases from our favorite locals, plus a bittersweet goodbye to one of my favorite Virginia spots after their closing in Botetourt County.

If you’ve been enjoying the array of Oktoberfests around town this month, trust us that we’ve got one you won’t want to miss. Hardywood’s Oktoberfest goes down all day this Saturday at their West Creek spot, and they’re telling you to pull out your lederhosen, because it’s time to party!

The fest goes on from 1-10pm, with games, contests, live music with Elby Brass and the Harpoondodgers, and lots more. Some of our favorite eats are also going to be around, like Grandpa Eddie’s Alabama Ribs & BBQ (my personal favorite, as you all have heard from me a hundred times by now — try them!!), The Return of the Mac, Southern Spud, Dockery Farms, Candy Valley Cake Company, La Bete, Wigglestick Barbecue, and the Prost Food Truck. The PROST! Bar opens to kick off the day at 1, then Oktoberfest goes on with some extra-special barrel tappings and a parade of booze.

And the most important part: the beer! They’ll have “a whole slew” of German brews ready to go at Hardywood, like Smoked Marzen, Munich Dunkel, Doppelbock, Helles, and Hefeweizen. Don’t miss tons of awesome Oktoberfest-themed games with Shalom Farms as well, and traditional German dancing from the Alpine Dancers. See ya there!

We’ve got some awesome news coming this weekend from Center of the Universe, too. We all know the feeling of visiting our favorite breweries on a slow night and wishing there was more food around. Aside from a small few, most spots in Richmond don’t have food vendors stationed at their spots all the time.

That’s about to change again with our friends at COTU, who are celebrating the grand opening of the permanent Freekin’ Rican food vendor out at their Ashland brewery to occupy the “beer window” in the biergarten. The whole day will be full of activities and Puerto Rican-inspired food to commemorate the opening, with burgers, bratwurst, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, sandwiches, pork and chicken entrees, and more.

For the occasion, COTU is bringing back their limited return of Monkey’s Uncle Lemongrass Tripel and Summer Moon Raspberry, an Imperial Wheat Ale, for one day only! They’ll also be starting weekly specials the following week, like $3 tacos for Taco Tuesdays, Tapas Thursdays, and Island Sundays to bring out traditional Caribbean Island dishes — so if you miss the very-special returns of these two stellar brews, you’ll still have a reason to celebrate the new addition with them every week.

Three new brews hit the taps at Strangeways over the weekend, and we can’t wait to get our hands on these.

Fine Malt Lyrics Malt Liquor — which one might assume is a House Of Pain reference — kicks off the releases, and this high 9.1% ABV brew hits in at 30 IBU and has an “absurd strength,” according to the brewers. With a big malt-forward taste, it came together with both two-row and six-row barley, plus flaked corn to round out all its flavors.

Brass Monkey comes second, and this 7.3% ABV with 30 IBU recipe is a lot lighter — and might just be perfect for those friends of yours who tend to pick the brunch drinks over beer. This mimosa-style beer is Strangeways’ Fine Malt Lyrics mixed with orange juice to create the perfect beermosa blend (and it’s Beastie-approved).

Wizard Fight! is the lowest ABV of the releases, and at 7.0% and with 70 IBU has a “chewy malt character” that’s accented by its juicy fruit flavors and aromas. The Pilsner and white wheat malts come together with the Columbus and Azacca hops to combine the fruity with the crisp in the New England IPA.

More great brews are on the way this week with Fine Creek Brewing Company’s Chestnut Honey Brown Ale release on Saturday. The beer is coming as a collaboration with Elysium Honey, who are hosting a pop-up at the brewery from 3-6pm this Saturday as Fine Creek taps their brand-new brown ale.

Chestnut Honey has a rich maltiness to its flavor, with fruit characters highlighted from the honey additions in its brewing process. With nutty and bready malt tones, the Elysium Honey has a fruity and herbal aroma that goes perfectly with the tastes of pumpernickel bread, coffee, and baker’s cocoa in this beer.

You can grab a glass of your own this weekend, and support Elysium Honey’s land and hive management work, alongside Damian Allen playing in the taproom through the evening.

Over at Final Gravity Brewing Co., Pulsar New England IPA made its way to the taps in all its 100% Falconer’s Flight hop glory recently.

The brand-new IPA came out as part of a triple-release with two siblings, starting with Retrograde Session IPA. Retrograde was brewed with all Mosaic hops in its return, and they also brought back The Doppler Effect in their latest batch. This new recipe added extra Mosaic hops to the original favorite, and double dry-hopped the hops in the fermenter *and* the kegs to bring out “that extra POW of citrus,” according to the brewery. Head over to get a taste of whichever suits your palate — or all three — and stick around for Dart Night if you make it out tonight!

Our buds at Triple Crossing Beer put something fresh on deck (and best enjoyed on the deck) this week as well. Czech Dark came back to the taps with Triple Crossing’s “hopes for the eventual end of summer,” and boy, are they preaching to the choir. With all these delicious seasonal beers coming out, we are anxiously awaiting a chilly day to drink them with.

Czech Dark pours with a black mirror deep-dark-ness that brings out subtle red tones underneath its fluffy head. You’ll catch some small notes of coffee in this easy-drinking 5.2% ABV lager, and the late-fall flavors are dry, toasty, and have a roast-forward finish.

It’s time for Lager World at The Veil Brewing Co.! This Saturday, head over to your favorite Scott’s Addition spot for The Veil’s second Oktoberfest-style jammer, with 12 special brews for the occasion, plus two extra releases.

If you’re in the mood for a lager, you’ll have more than enough to pick from: Hide, Child Support, Jackson Flavor, Rain, Coalesce, Numb, Love and Trust, Deathless, Thorn, Braühaüsenweisse (try saying that one three times fast), and Dwell, from both its first and second batches.

Special releases coming are Deathless in 4-packs and Batch 2 of Dwell in bottles that day, plus sausages from Cardinal State Butchers and the delicious Sugar & Twine pretzels. Something even more special: for $10 (16oz) or $14 (32oz), you can grab your own stein and fill ‘em back up with any beers available with no limit.

This Friday, a brand-new can release is going down at Väsen Brewing Company, and it’s right up my alley. This juicy Double IPA is called Mandarin Galaxy, and it’s “loaded” with Citra Cyro, Mosaic, Mandarina Bavaria, and Australian Galaxy hops.

You can get your own taste of it this weekend along with the perfect dinner to complement this brew: Intergalactic Tacos! Get spacey, Richmond. Both of these rule.

Got something on your mind lately? Here’s your chance to get it out with a Brainstorm. This collab brew comes fresh from our friends at Ardent Craft Ales, in collaboration with Narrow Gauge Brewing Company out of St. Louis.

Another delicious juicy Double IPA, Brainstorm is “bursting with flavors of orange and pineapple” from its double dry-hop process with Amarillo and Galaxy hops, and it’s the perfect way to close out these last super-hot days of summer and make them feel (and taste) a little better. With this soft, aromatic, smooth, and flavorful recipe, the 9.0% ABV beer hits in at 10 IBU and is available in both draft and crowler fills.

This Friday, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is working with Dotted Line Collaborations to put out a new beer called Dot Your IPAs. This New England IPA will benefit the Shepherd’s Way Relief Center to donate a portion of their sales to the charity, which helps local impoverished citizens get back on their feet. The brews are $3, and for each one sold, $1 goes back to the organization — so head on out and drink for a cause!

In more collab news, Three Notch’d is also searching for more folks from organizations, companies, charitable causes and more to partner up and make collab beers to do good. If you or your place of work has any opportunities for collaboration, hit up Three Notch’d here and see what you can get rolling.

This one might be my favorite of the whole week. Isley Brewing Company just dropped Choosy Mother in-house and to-go — and this Peanut Butter Porter is all of the best parts of Reese’s and peanut butter pies wrapped up in one delicious brew.

They also released Sir Falstaff this week, a West Coast Double IPA with a lovely golden amber color and 9.1% ABV.

It’s the season of Brown Ales, and I couldn’t be more stoked for it. An especially-awesome variation just came out at Kindred Spirit Brewing: Coffee Brown Ale, which comes in at 6.0% ABV and brings out all the best flavors in one.

Coffee Brown Ale brings together the creamy with the sweet in this coffee-toffee mixup, with a hint of chocolate to finish it off. They also dropped Project Pale Ale, a 4.6% ABV ale that was hopped with Centennial and “a little CTZ” that brings out a perfectly piney flavor, resiny and with hints of citrus for a crisp, refreshing drink.

Before we go today, I just want to say a quick (and very sad) goodbye to Ballast Point Brewing in Botetourt County. This brewery was pretty special to me, and while it’s not close to us in Richmond, I held it very close to my little mountain heart from good times spent drinking their amazing beers on chilly days visiting home over last winter. It was one of the prettiest breweries I’ve been in to date, and something about a cloudy day, all bundled up in flannels overlooking the mountains at Ballast Point, just felt right. They aren’t closed nationwide, but after a big uprising from the locals trying to get them to stay, Ballast Point ultimately said no and closed the location to pursue bigger things and more distribution. They poured their last beer here last week, and they will be sorely missed by my hometown. Cheers forever, Ballast Point, and thanks for the memories!

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

Caley Sturgill | September 25, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

See you there!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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: Festivals Galore!

Caley Sturgill | August 21, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RVA ON TAP: Dry-Hopping & International Craft Beer Weekend in Richmond

Caley Sturgill | July 31, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, beer, beer column, booze clues, Center of the Universe, cotu brewing, Devil's Backbone, fine creek, fine creek brewing, garden grove, geeks under the influence, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, intermission, Intermission Beer Company, international craft beer weekend, Kindred Spirit Brewing, Midnight Brewing, O'Connor Brewing, red paint rva, RVA On Tap, Starr Hill Brewery, the answer brewpub, The Darkroom, The Veil Brewing Co., three notchd, Väsen, virginia museum of history and culture

This week, we’ve got tons more great events to keep you occupied in the spirit of summer, plus new releases from our favorites like The Answer Brewpub and more. Don’t miss the annual BrewHaHa Festival, the Red Paint International Craft Beer Weekend celebrations in RVA, and an awesome Gose Fest with Center of the Universe. Drink up!

Before we dive into the many events of the week, let’s start with an especially-good new release and some info on its breed. The Answer Brewpub just dropped The War on Glycol last night out at the brewery, and it looks awesome.

Brewed with Amarillo, El Dorado, Citra, and Eureka hops, The War on Glycol is a Double-Dry-Hopped (DDH) Double IPA.

We’ve talked about a lot of DDH releases over the last year or so, but for the non-brewers out there, here’s a bit of info on that: the Double-Dry-Hop process is different everywhere you go. It can either mean brewers went through the hop process, then re-did it a second time to make it a double, or it can mean they added double the amount of hops that they normally would to the first single-processed beer. Either way, you’re in for something hoppy — it just might mean you’ll get a larger amount at some breweries than at others. But you’re also in for more flavor, because the late addition of hops is already where you’ll find a good chunk of your flavor, and the late-late-addition of hops is where your brewer is packing it in for that “explosive” flavor we’ve seen more and more of lately (and trust me, it’s a good thing).

Depending on the specific beer and the brewing process of that beer, the pour in your glass could have began in a barrel with four pounds of hops, six pounds of hops, or even nine pounds of hops. So next time you head to Kroger at 10pm on a Tuesday for a build-your-own six pack because you’re craving some new tastes for your nighttime porch hangs, you’ll know what that DDH on the side of the can means (and why so many people are gravitating to try them).

While you may not find The War on Glycol DIPA DDH at Kroger, you should definitely swing by The Answer for a case of cans to try it: in its true fruity fashion, this brew has big aromas of apricot and pomelo to complement its creamy, refreshing feel. Show The Answer some love and head over to grab one while you can — as we all know, these beloved (and award-winning how many times now?) brewers are known for cooking up recipes that can go quick once they’re out, because everyone wants a taste.

*PHOTO: International Craft Beer Weekend in RVA*

International Craft Beer Weekend is alive in Richmond! This weekend, Red Paint RVA is throwing their first annual event, with a series of contests and beer features around Richmond to celebrate. Some of our favorites like Intermission Beer Company, Vasen Brewing, Fine Creek Brewing Company, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Garden Grove Brewing & more will all be out for the occasion, with special beers lined up for enthusiasts like ourselves to vote on our favorites.

Richmond’s brewers are no strangers to the national scene, and the culture around it here is getting its own event to commemorate it. Red Paint themselves are collaborating on a beer with Three Notch’d for the occasion, and we’ll make sure to give that one a try.

Across town, you’ll be able to try the stellar brews that everyone is voting on all week long — and when you’re ready to vote for your favorite, just head over to redpaintva.com, search for the brewery of your choice, and click “like” on their profile to cast your vote. It’s going to be a hard call between all of these for me, but I’m thinking Fine Creek will probably take my vote. We’ll just have to wait and see!

*PHOTO: Booze Clues Podcast with Geeks Under The Influence*

Our favorite local beer podcast is back, and they’re recording their next episode live at The Dark Room this coming Sunday. Booze Clues, the live comedy podcast by Geeks Under The Influence that looks into hilarious recent headlines in the news, has their most recent episode available here, in case you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet.

Dissecting the most spirited headlines of drunken debauchery around the world, our host, Mike “Hobbit” Bickett, along with a group of comedians, podcasters, and performers, will dive into the most ridiculous things people have been caught doing after a good night of boozing. It’s free, so if you’re looking for something to spice up your Sunday night, they’ve got you covered.

The Answer isn’t the only local spot that had a killer release last night: The Veil Brewing Co. just dropped their new Soft Block DIPA brew.

The Veil has recently taken part in a lot of great collaborations. This is likely due to their reputation growing ever bigger and ever better across the beer scene, and drawing in other eager brewers to team up and create something awesome together. Soft Block DIPA is the creation of the hands of The Veil and Other Half Brewing Company, and it has the awesome creamy, orange color I’m always looking for. Can you tell I have a type? Yeah, that’s 1000000% it.

This delicious beer is a Double IPA, brewed with raw wheat, malted oats, milk sugar (!!), vanilla freeze-dried ice cream (!!!!!), oranges, vanilla, and Mosaic hops. Wow. I absolutely need it. If anyone’s in the market to treat ya girl this week, you know what to do.

Soft Block DIPA also hits in at 8% ABV, so a few will go a long way when you sit down to hang at the brewery — but get those Ubers ready, y’all, because you’re going to want more than one.

It’s Gose season in the beer world, and Center of the Universe is here to celebrate it. With another great event coming up this week, our buds at COTU are hosting Gose Fest this Saturday, and they’ve got plenty of entertainment to keep you going.

They’ll be releasing There Gose Summer, a traditional German-style Sour Ale brewed with “heaps of tangerine” and a dash of salt to make the perfect Gose. This one is slightly tart, according to the brewers, and a refreshing brew that will make “the agony of a diminishing summer” a little less dreadful, and a little more flavorful.

There Gose Summer is also being released with seven different variants to cater to all flavor profiles, so we’re sure there’s one for you. Check out COTU’s homage to summer at the brewery over the weekend, and if you make it out on Saturday, you’ll get to pair it with awesome eats from Freekin’ Rican and live music from Flashlight Tag.

Over at Intermission Beer Company, a real beast of a beer is brewing, and it’s our favorite mythical creature.

Centaur Bard is a West-Coast style IPA that was created with some really dank hops, like Simcoe, Cascade, Chinook, and Amarillo, before its dry-hopping process to really boost out the flavor. It was hopped over a 90-minute boil, and you’ll catch some great citrus flavors in this one.

“If you crave hops, the Bard obliges,” they say. “Ney, the Bard delivers!”

In more events this week, BrewHaHa is back at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture on Saturday. This year is their 3rd annual festival celebrating Virginia Craft Beer Month, and it’s going to be full of our favorite local brewers.

Catch places like Starr Hill Brewery (one of my personal favorites — have you tried their maple beer?! Be on the lookout for it this fall), O’Connor Brewing Co., Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Blue Bee Cider, Ardent, Devil’s Backbone (my first love of craft beer), Midnight Brewery, Isley Brewing Company, and Kindred Spirit Brewing.

Head over here for tickets, and get ready for a day of live music, food, and a popular VIP portion called Battle of the Brews: showcasing local Virginia brewers’ renditions of a historic beer recipe from the museum’s collections. And as the museum says, you won’t want to miss this chance to “sip history.”

Highpoint DIPA has returned to Ardent Craft Ales, and the cans look as good as it tastes. This is one of Ardent’s newest DIPAs, and through its triple-dry-hop process, you can expect big hoppiness and big flavor out of this one.

Galaxy, Citra, and El Dorado hops made this brew come to life, and its house yeast blend finishes clean to allow the hops to shine, according to the brewers. You’ll catch flavors of tropical fruits, plus pear and citrus, in this new recipe made for the hazy DIPA lovers (like myself) out there.

Yuuuum, Fine Creek Brewing served up something special over the weekend. This Belgian Wit with Elderflower & Chamomile hits in at a soft 5.7% for easy drinking, and it’s the product of teamwork on the farm.

As the coalescence of the Fine Creek team’s hard work, this beer had hands from elderflower gatherers to the garden team growing, hanging, and drying its chamomile, and off to the brewers who cooked it all up in the end. You’ll catch flavors from Virginia Pils and Soft Winter Wheat malts from the Murphy & Rude Malting Co., plus water-cracker notes and a creamy body.

The elderflower is dominant on the nose, Fine Creek says, and the chamomile comes out in its taste. This beer’s soft, floral character melts into its citrusy tastes to complement both halves of its flavor profile.