Center Of The Universe Brewing Archives | Page 3 of 5

RVA On Tap: The Pho-King Superbowl & Getting Juicy at Lickinghole Creek

Caley Sturgill | January 29, 2020

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Center Of The Universe Brewing, craft beer, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, fine creek brewing co, garden grove brewing and urban winery, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, lonerider spirits, mekong, Pho King, pho king championship, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Strangeways Brewing, The Answer, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, 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, Lonerider Spirits starts their debut in Virginia with ready-to-drink Whiskey Mule cocktails in cans across ABC stores. Something Chill hits Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, the Pho King Championship comes to Mekong, and Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery releases a 12% rosé with a touch of sweetness. Don’t miss new brews at Hardywood, Väsen, Center of the Universe, Ardent Craft Ales, and more, along with a multi-release at The Veil Brewing Co. and fresh recipes at Fine Creek Brewing and Strangeways.

Pho King Championship comes to Mekong

The annual PHO KING Championship is coming to Mekong this Sunday, and we can’t wait to dive into the 10th year of this Pho Eating Contest with our pals at Mekong and The Answer Brewpub. Be sure to check out the video above for a montage of Pho King training procedures to prepare yourself properly, should you decide to challenge the champions… and strengthen your beer-drinking, jump-roping, chicken-chasing skills along the way.

RVA Magazine is hosting the event with our own Pho King, John Reinhold, going down at 4pm, right before the Super Bowl. If you want to join the list (with limited space — so act soon!) get in touch with John or An Mekong to secure your spot. Come out for amazing brews, delicious pho, and of course, football, on this holy day of celebrating the Super Bowl in the most traditional way: with plenty of booze and plenty of food. We’re eagerly awaiting the next Pho King or Queen’s crowning, so mark your calendars, folks. It’s going to be a special one. And don’t forget:

“MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVREEEEEEER!”

Lonerider Spirits brings Whiskey Mules to the Virginia alcohol market

There’s a new kid on the Richmond alcohol block, and they don’t taste anything like what’s in our usual cans… but we think that’s a good thing, and it’s worth noting as we kick off this week’s RVA On Tap.

Lonerider Spirits is hitting Virginia, and their approach brings a unique taste to the River City as their Whiskey Mules come to ABC stores in the state. The four-packs of cans are filled with a ready-to-drink cocktail that saves drinkers the time of preparing (and the stress of getting the recipe just right). With the classic sweet and spicy balance of ginger, premium whiskey, and lime juice, Lonerider adds a bit of fizz into the mix with their carbonated cocktails. These are delicious in any season of the year, so their winter debut in Virginia is welcomed before we move into warmer weather.

The North Carolina cocktail crafters are launching their Whiskey Mules in 100 ABC stores this year, so keep an eye out for the bright green can top as they roll them out. We’re stoked to give these a try!

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

Juicy #18 comes to Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery

The latest in the Juicy series is out at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, and it’s #18 on the list.

Something Chill just made its way out in cans over the weekend. At 7.5% ABV, this one is “a hazy beauty” according to its brewers, and it’s my favorite beer of the releases happening in this week’s RVA On Tap. You’ll catch flavors of citrus, cantaloupe, grapefruit, and tropical melons in this one, perfectly bringing out the fruitier side of things and sweetening up the wheat-forward New England IPA.

Juicy #18 Something Chill also came out with two more brews at Lickinghole Creek over the weekend, so head out to the brewery for a surprise. Lickinghole Creek might just be the prettiest brewery in the region (especially when sunflower season hits on the farm), so you’ll be glad you made the drive. If you’re in the mood for a darker brew, keep an eye out for their Blueberry Obsession Imperial Stout when it comes out soon.

*PHOTO: Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery*

Acaí Cherry Brut Rosé at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery

The folks at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery just released Acaí Cherry Brut Rosé this week, along with their Synthesis White Tawny Port returning in bottles.

Acaí Cherry Brut Rosé is a sparkling honeywine that pours bright red (as pictured above) with a great blend of sweet and tart. It’s full of flavors from acaí berries, black cherries, and organic tart, bringing out a fruit-forward taste with “just a touch of sweetness.” This one comes in at 12% ABV, so if you want a crisp, fruity drink without having to sacrifice its strength, this rosé is just right.

Synthesis is even stronger, with a 16% ABV for this wine-port hybrid. It came together with barley along with Virginia-grown Blanc and Chardonnay grapes, and was aged for 14 months in Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels to pack a stronger wine punch. You’ll catch flavors of orange blossom and wildflower honey in this one as well, making it the perfect intersection between beer and wine for those who can’t get enough of either.

Covalent can release at Hardywood

#FreshCanFriday brought something extra-fresh to Hardywood over the weekend. The Covalent Double IPA dropped in cans on Friday, and its fruity and dank hops combine with a fruit-forward yeast strain in this 8% ABV New England brew. Its brewers report that it’s a “dank, fruity option in the midst of stout season,” so it’s a great option to take a break from the darker brews of winter.

Also over the weekend at Hardywood, I headed out to the West Creek location to enjoy the strangely-warm weather we’ve been having (thanks but no thanks, global warming). If you haven’t trekked to the West End to visit their giant farmhouse, it’s worth it — plus, if you live downtown, it doesn’t hurt that you can enjoy your beer from macrame swings overlooking the forest and pretend you’re in the country, even if just for an afternoon. Hardywood’s hosting an open house on Saturday at the West Creek location, so this weekend will make the perfect time to check it out. They’ll have guided tasting panels, tours of the bottling line, sample stations all around, and three limited releases with It Figures, Trickiest, and Coconut Jack.

Radapils release at Väsen Brewing Company

This Friday, Väsen Brewing Company is throwing a party for the release of Radapils. This one got its name from a Slavic god, Radagast, who ruled hospitality, fire, and the evening sky in its folklore. The “Wizard of Middle-Earth” comes out in inspiration through Radapils, which brings together Czech Saaz and German Hersbrucker hops for an herbal aroma in a classic lager.

With Super Bowl Sunday on the horizon (let’s go 49ers!), it’s also a great time to swing by Väsen to stock up on the best brews for the game. They’re hosting tons of specials this week, with discounts on four-packs and crowler fills, along with free anniversary glasses for everyone who buys packs of cans. To see if your favorite brew is in stock, the brewery says to head over to Untappd and check their availability on their page.

Bald Irishman beer release at Center of the Universe Brewing

The Irish Red Ale has returned to Center of the Universe, and it’s won some big awards since the last time we saw it. Bald Irishman is hitting the taps this Saturday in Ashland, with plenty of toasted grain, graham cracker, toffee, and berry notes to bring in a new combination of flavors.

This brew was a fan favorite when it first released, and we’re glad to see it making its way back. It won the Gold Medal for Irish-style Red Ales at the World Beer Cup last year, and if its awards aren’t enough to convince you to try it, maybe its donations are — 10 percent of all proceeds from this one go to the St. Baldrick’s foundation to provide life-saving research for kids with cancer.

In its brewing process, Bald Irishman came together with Maris Otter, malted oats, Black Prinz, CaraRed, C90 malts, Irish Ale Yeast, and Cluster hops. It’s got a lot to show, so you’ll want to head to the brewery on Saturday for its release party along with the Freekin’ Rican food truck.

Multi-release at The Veil Brewing Co.

Last night at The Veil Brewing Co., the weekly Tuesday release brought some great new brews. Chubbles Chubbles (pictured above) kicks off the releases for us, and this Triple IPA was brewed as a collaboration with Cloudwater Brew Co. At 10.9% ABV, the higher-alcohol recipe comes in with a soft feel, featuring overripe cantaloupe, tropical fruit, and extra additions of oats with its Citra, El Dorado, and Galaxy hops.

Winter Sauce Tastee comes next, adding another new recipe to the list of The Veil’s delicious Tastee recipes in smoothie-style beers. This Sour Ale was brewed with boysenberry, cranberry, black currant purées, a dash of cinnamon, and milk sugar to thicken things up for a smoothie blend. It has a lower 5.5% ABV, so it’s an easy drinker with mulled fruit flavors.

Humanimal is another brand new recipe, and it’s something we don’t see too often. This brew is a “Wild” Double IPA that was aged in red wine barrels for 15 months. With guava purée, peach, and gummy candy tastes, the 8% ABV beer is fresh from collaborating with Trillium Brewing.

Master Shredder returned with a new face, sporting its updated labels and some beautiful (and metal) artwork on its cans. The House IPA of The Veil, Master Shredder “is dripping with syrupy canned peaches, pineapple, cantaloupe, and orange.” If that doesn’t make you want to drive straight to The Veil, I don’t know what will. This one’s lower in ABV, at 5.5% again like Winter Sauce Tastee.

Open Up and Love Again: Huckleberry and Blueberry first made its way to taps at The Veil back in August of 2018, and it’s back now in bottles for those who loved it. It’s another Mixed Fermie™ in the brewery’s series, collaborated with American Solera, Cloudwater Brewing, Monkish Brewing, and TRVE Brewing. With malted wheat, noble hops, and mixed-culture Saison yeasts, Open Up and Love Again returns in this fruity huckleberry and blueberry variation.

Destroy Who You Are closes out our news from The Veil this week, and it’s an extra-special recipe from their multi-release. With Citra, Idaho 7, Sabro, Enigma, and Galaxy hops, this brew is a brand-new Triple IPA packed with creamy tropical coconut and musky lime zest. Its 11% ABV is true to the Triple IPA fashion, and its creamy coconut is exactly what we’re craving this week as we dream of sunshine returning to the River City.

Barrel Aged Milk Stout at Ardent Craft Ales

The latest release at Ardent Craft Ales has us reminiscing on Kentucky Christmas Morning that we loved from Hardywood over the holiday season. Ardent’s Barrel Aged Milk Stout packs a ton of taste from its six months aging in Kentucky bourbon barrels, and this one builds up a new array of flavors onto its rich, chocolatey base. With a bourbon nose, a full body, and an oaky character, this recipe is a “smooth, warming winter indulgence” according to its brewers.

At 11.8% ABV, Ardent says Barrel Aged Milk Stout is a match made in beer heaven in its bourbon-stout blend. Head out to Scott’s Addition tomorrow night for a glass, and enjoy the best of stout season while it lasts.

Helles Frozen Over can release at Strangeways

Over the weekend, one of the brewers’ favorites returned to Strangeways Brewing in cans. Helles Frozen Over is a Munich Helles Lager, and this one has never been released in cans until now: which means it’s the perfect time to go grab a four-pack and bring it on home. As the beloved flagship lager of its brewers, Helles Frozen Over is light and full-bodied — and it aims to please all lager fans (especially those who have yet to try one from Strangeways).

In event news at the brewery, head over to Strangeways for live music on Tuesday with Citizens’ Loft, a record label from up north coming to Richmond with bands like Ross, DeUrso, FU, and Geisel, along with Caterpillar Trap. For the dog lovers out there, Strangeways is also hosting their Indoor/Outdoor Yappy Hour events at their Dabney Road spot every Wednesday. With plenty of happy hour specials, they’re opening their doors for dogs to come inside (and give us dog moms a place to let our pups get out of the house without freezing ourselves on the patio in January).

Avec Frère 11 Belgian Quad release and High Gravity Saturday at Fine Creek Brewing Company

Out on the farm, Fine Creek Brewing Company is getting ready for the weekend with their Avec Frère 11 release this Friday. The Belgian Quad comes with Fine Creek’s series of Belgian recipes, and the brewery has done a great job this season of mastering this brewing style through different variations in their recent releases. Avec Frère 11 is rich, with a balanced profile, and its brewers say it’s the one they’re most excited about since starting their focus on Belgian brews.

Fine Creek is also dropping their Barrel Aged Barleywine this weekend, with some of their “booziest beers to date.” For High Gravity Saturday, they’re bringing out a great batch of brews like their Wheatwine, Barleywine aged in Reservoir Distillery bourbon barrels, Avec Frère 9, Avec Frère 11, Dad Strength DIPA, and Tractor Juice Belgian DIPA. It’ll certainly be a release to remember, and we’re especially excited to hear from drinkers what Dad Strength is all about.

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: Booze Clues, Local Hard Seltzers, & Lebowski Fest

Caley Sturgill | January 8, 2020

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Center Of The Universe Brewing, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, final gravity brewing co, garden grove, happy hour richmond va, Intermission Beer Company, other half brewing company, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Triple Crossing Beer, Vasen Brewing Company

This week, our local beer family brews up a new recipe in honor of Garden Grove’s late owner, Mike Brandt, and more new releases hit the taps in town. Final Gravity and Väsen Brewing Company team up for a collab can release, and The Veil Brewing Co. hosts Other Half Brewing Company straight out of NYC. A brand-new hard seltzer comes to Intermission Beer Company, while Altbiers and Stouts are fresh at Ardent Craft Ales and Triple Crossing Beer. Don’t miss Booze Clues live at The Dark Room, plus a lavender-honey mead at Black Heath Meadery and Lebowski Fest at Center of the Universe Brewing.

Before we jump into what’s new this week, we wanted to note that something great is brewing among Richmond’s finest craft beer family: a new beer in honor of Garden Grove Brewery and Urban Winery’s late owner, Mike Brandt. This one is coming together over at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, and it’s made with love from many of our favorite folks around town. It’s not ready to hit the taps just yet, but keep an eye out for it, and we’ll make sure to provide you with all the details when it’s available. All our love to Garden Grove!

*PHOTO: Final Gravity Brewing Co. & Väsen Brewing Company*

Hyperborean Galaxy can release collaboration with Final Gravity & Väsen

In more local collaboration news, this fan favorite is making its way back to Final Gravity Brewing Co. and Väsen Brewing Company tomorrow night. Hyperborean Galaxy, a New England Double IPA, is returning in cans in all its imperial glory. It was brewed with Galaxy, Citra, and Mosaic hops and used the signature kveik New England DIPA recipe from Väsen.

Hyperborean Galaxy came out along with The Velvet Walrus, which also released in cans as another collab between the two local favorites. The Walrus is a velvety-smooth milk stout, according to its brewers, and came together with the delicious combination of cinnamon, vanilla, and local coffee beans from Rostov’s right here in Richmond. Look out for these two this week, and swing by the brewery for a can of your own.

Other Half Brewing Company comes to The Veil

The Veil Brewing Co. is bringing the big city to Richmond. Other Half Brewing Company, based in New York City, is heading to Scott’s Addition next Tuesday for a Tasting Room Remix you won’t want to miss.

You’ll get to try plenty of brews fresh from The Big Apple itself, with Other Half’s latest on tap at the brewery and to-go cans to bring them home with you. Other Half’s Co-Founder and Head Brewer, Sam, will be in town as well to hang out with Richmond’s craft beer lovers and get to know the River City.

The pop-up is continuing on January 15 at The Veil’s Norfolk location, too, so our Virginia Beach folks can share the love.

Raspberry Hard Seltzer at Intermission Beer Company

If you’re among the crowd that’s looking to start the year off a bit healthier, Intermission Beer Company has you covered. We’ve seen the rise of White Claw over the last year — in many cases, actually selling out at gas stations and grocery stores across the country — and craft breweries are starting to create their own seltzers to throw a dash of local recipes into the mix.

Intermission’s Raspberry Hard Seltzer is just the thing: the clear, low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-free drink that many folks are looking for in their after-work alcohol these days at the top of the year. Along with other favorites like Hardywood Park Craft Brewery’s Suncrush series that released last year, these lighter brews are a great way to drink happy without all the full feelings of the heavier beers we know and love. So if you’re keeping things light but still want to enjoy a drink at your favorite local spots, you no longer have to choose between the two. Intermission’s Raspberry hits in at only 5% ABV, with the perfect fruited flavors to await warmer days and a brighter feeling to seem like they’re already here.

Booze Clues Live Podcast returns to The Dark Room

Our favorite local podcast is back! Booze Clues is hosting another live recording of the podcast at The Dark Room at The Hof this Sunday, so put this one on your calendar — it’s worth the trip to warm up a cold Sunday night with plenty of jokes and comedy.

If you don’t remember from the last few episodes, Booze Clues hosts comedians, podcasters, and performers to “investigate” the world’s most spirited booze-related news headlines together. They dive in to tell us of all the drunken crimes and debaucherous activity from around the world each episode, with stories like “Elbow Drops of Jesus,” the “Naked Clown Frogger,” “Aerodynamics Of A Nissan Versa,” and more… and if you’re feeling as curious as we are about what happens when a Nissan sedan goes airborne, you can check out past episodes of the podcast here to gear up for the next show on Sunday.

Lebowski Fest at Center of the Universe

This Saturday, Center of the Universe Brewing is hosting their Lebowski Fest — a day full of awesome food trucks, music, and all their Lebowski-themed beers for a day “of dudelike proportions.”

Along with the Freekin’ Rican food truck and live music from The Royal We, COTU is celebrating all things Dude with all of their best brews from the series inspired by the cult favorite. If you somehow haven’t managed to get a taste of them yet, you’ll get the opportunity again to try El Duderino (the White Russian Stout), The Donny (the Southern English-Style Brown Ale), The Jesus (the Imperial Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout, and my favorite among the series), and The Brandt (the Imperial Stout). They’ll have taproom favorites and plenty of eats and entertainment, so if you’re looking to brighten up your Saturday with the spirit of The Dude, make your way up to Ashland and pay the fine folks at COTU a visit.

Altbier release at Ardent Craft Ales

Altbier is fresh at Ardent Craft Ales this week, and you can catch its release tomorrow night at the Scott’s Addition brewery. With a malty base and clean finish, this brew comes as a traditional German recipe that pours at an easy-drinking 5% ABV.

In more news from Ardent, the local spot is heading out of the cold and into the sunny city of Miami, FL on January 11 for the Juicy IPA & Sour Beer Festival hosted with Brewed Events. This festival brings together breweries from all around the nation, with 30 different spots joining up to celebrate the best craft brews. While we’re too far away to celebrate with them, we’re wishing all the best to Ardent as they embark on their journey down the coast to show Florida what Virginia brewing is all about.

Slow Descent at Triple Crossing Beer

Fresh at Triple Crossing Beer this week, Slow Descent is the heavy stout of your dreams — and it pours jet black like the coffee it was brewed with. Coffee isn’t the only flavor you’ll find in this one, either, as it’s packed with 62% private select dark chocolate to complement its black malt-roasted tastes.

At 7.2% ABV, Slow Descent is on the lighter side of stouts, which means you can drink happy knowing you’ll get to enjoy it and probably still drive home after (and if you lean toward one of their higher-alcohol brews, Uber is your friend, folks. We’re staying safe and smart in 2020). This one is a “full-on expression of carefully-chosen British roasted malts,” according to Triple Crossing, and it was created for those who want to keep this dark, delicious goodness all to themselves.

Lavender Reflection at Black Heath Meadery

Our friends at Black Heath Meadery have something fresh on tap this week, with their Lavender Reflection at the meadery. This recipe combines the fruity with the floral, bringing tangerine and lavender together along with local honey to soothe the winter blues. If you’re craving a glass, be sure to head to Black Heath to try it while it lasts, because this one is available on tap only.

Black Heath’s honey was also used for the latest Three Notch’d Collab House collab with River City Wood Fire Pizza. Raspberry Honey Belgian Wit is releasing this Friday, so sweeten things up and head to Pizza Wit Beer at Three Notch’d this weekend for even more honey-brewed recipes.

RVA On Tap: Holiday Jams, Brewery Markets, & Music Collab Beers

Caley Sturgill | December 18, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, canon and draw brewing company, Center Of The Universe Brewing, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, fine creek brewing, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Intermission Beer Company, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer, Vasen Brewing Company

This week, we’re getting ready for the holidays with tons of great events and releases.

Don’t miss Three Notch’d RVA Collab House’s statewide can release in their collab with Richmond band New Lions, Intermission Beer Company’s Fun Reimagined holiday market, and a great holiday party with Justin Golden at Canon & Draw Brewing Company.

We’ve also got juicy citrus brews at The Answer Brewpub, big awards for Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Crowl-A-Thons with Fine Creek Brewing, Center of the Universe Brewing’s Big Lebowski craft beer gift packs, Triple Crossing’s Classic Christmas, and new releases from Väsen, Ardent, Steam Bell Beer Works, and The Veil Brewing. Drink up, Virginia!

Pouring fresh at The Answer Brewpub this week is the juicy citrus punch we need to bring some bright flavors into the holiday season. With lighter hop notes and a strong fruit taste, I Need An Adult has already become a fan favorite at the brewery — and one drinker noted it might be their new favorite beer from The Answer entirely.

From the brewers themselves: “If you are in our brewpub and feeling unsure, just loudly and clearly say, ‘I need an Adult’,” and they’ll promptly bring you their latest juicy Double IPA from the taps. This DIPA was double dry-hopped with Mosaic, El Dorado, Cryo Simcoe, and Samba hops for a bold, rich brew that’s quickly becoming popular among its drinkers.

Center of the Universe is back with these limited edition Big Lebowski Gift Packs. With four of their best brews, COTU celebrates The Dude in all his glory with El Duderino, The Donny, The Jesus, and The Jeffrey.

Kicking off the brews, El Duderino is a White Russian Stout that brings the classic tastes of the milky, coffee-like mixed drink into a beer. The Donny is a Southern English-style Brown Ale for a bit of a lighter — but equally full-flavored — recipe, and it’s complemented by the Mecxican Hot Chocolate Stout-centered The Jesus. A special one in the bunch is The Jeffrey, which is only available before the holidays in these limited-edition holiday packs. Aged in Apple Brandy barrels, this Imperial Milk Stout even came with prizes on its details in last week’s Trivia Tuesday.

For more Big Lebowski-themed drinking, be sure to join COTU after the holidays for their Big Burleski event on the 27th (but stay tuned for more details on that next week).

Over at Hardywood, be on the lookout next week for a special Raspberry Stout release. In the meantime, we’ve got some awesome news in awards for the brewery. Hardywood’s Distorted Perception was recently named one of the Top 50 Beers for 2019 by Vinepair, and this juicy IPA got its name for a reason: Vinepair says “With our eyes closed, we could swear this was actual juice.”

The New England IPA is a hazy dream, and it was created to reflect some of the best fruit flavors in its honeydew, papaya, and lime notes. In its brewing process, Distorted Perception was dry-hopped with both Cashmere and Mosaic hops (one of my favorite combinations!) for a smooth 7% ABV brew. It originally came out back in late September as part of their #FreshCanFriday series, and if you’re looking to try it, keep your eyes peeled next year for its return to the brewery, along with many more fruit-forward IPAs.

In more Saturday releases, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is dropping their New Lions Blonde Stout in cans this weekend in collaboration with Richmond’s New Lions band. This is one of their most popular collab beers, according to Three Notch’d, and we can see why: along with the awesome name of New Lions’ music attached to it, this blonde stout is a very unique brew.

Made with vanilla, cacao nibs, and local coffee from Rostov’s, this beer is about as local as it gets. Blonde stouts can be hard to come by, so it’s definitely one you’ll want to grab a can of — plus this release is its very first in cans to be distributed statewide, and this is your chance to get the first batch in Richmond. It’ll also be on draft at the brewery in a $5 special, making it the perfect time to try it yourself (especially if you’re operating on a holiday budget like most of us these days).

Intermission Beer Company is also diving into the holiday events this week, with their Fun Reimagined Holiday Market this Saturday — and they’ve got the right idea bringing local vendors in to encourage holiday shopping with small business. With their Winter Warmer brew on draft, Intermission is ready to bring out their own holiday-spiced creation with vanilla, clove, and ginger flavors inspired by their friend’s ginger molasses cookies.

In this special holiday market, you’ll get an experience along with plenty of options for finding gifts. Vendors will get to take over the brewery for 15 minutes each during the event, giving demonstrations and teaching attendees about the process behind the product.

Participating vendors include Dharma Boutique RVA, Fairytale Fiberworks, Mug It All, Stephanie Mayton Illustrations, and Fun Reimagined: Richmond’s source for fun and unique card games. In that order, each vendor will get their time to shine in demonstrations like macramé bracelet-making, wool processing from raw fleece to spun yarn, mug-making, art tutorials, and how to play several of Fun Reimagined’s games.

The event starts at 3pm and runs until 7, so make sure to head out by 4 to catch all the demonstrations and learn more about your local vendors.

If you’re looking for plans on the Sunday before Christmas, Fine Creek Brewing has you covered. They’re hosting their Christmas Sunday Celebration & Crowl-A-Thon on December 22, and they’re ready to get you in the holiday spirit.

With plenty of Christmas music from Koontz & Kellner and special Chocolate Peppermint desserts from Fine Creek Provisions, come cozy up at the farm and start your celebration week off right. For the beer, they’ve got discounts on crowlers (15% off with 3 or more!) in the Crowl-A-Thon to let attendees stock up on good brews to bring to all those holiday parties, where often there’s nothing outside of Bud Light, Miller, and that bottle of wine your grandmother has been keeping in the cabinet since last year. They also make for awesome gifts, so if you’re still in the last-minute shopping scramble, you can treat your loved ones to something we all appreciate: booze.

In more holiday celebrations, head out to Triple Crossing Beer this Sunday for their Classic Christmas event. They’re getting extra-festive for the occasion, with tons of different activities to keep the whole family (and friend group) entertained.

Selfie-booth lovers will be pleased, so make sure to dress up accordingly to take photos and remember the day. Triple Crossing will also have blasts from the past with old-school Christmas movies, plus live Christmas music and wood-fired beer marshmallow s’mores. Keep up with their event page for more info on specific movies and times running through the day, and bring the kids out for the free all-ages event.

Väsen Brewing Company’s got a double release coming up tomorrow night, with two fresh brews coming to the taps. First up is Moonbear Dubbel, a Belgian abbey-style ale created to warm its drinkers up in the midst of these chilly nights. With Madagascar vanilla beans, dark malts, and a light roasted taste, this beer is packed with all the perfect chocolate-vanilla combination. Väsen’s also releasing their Winter Harvest Double IPA on draft tomorrow, brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo hops. Along with playing in their Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night, you’ll get to try this unique DIPA that brings out more than just fruit. Its flavors are full of dried fruit along with mango and pine, plus brown sugar to bring some holiday sweetness into the mix.

Over the weekend, our pals at Ardent Craft Ales dropped their Amarillo Pale Ale. This 5% ABV recipe was brewed with Amarillo hops, dry-hopped and filled with lots of floral tastes to bring out its bold flavor. It came together with oats and wheat, along with English yeast, and according to its brewers, it drinks with a soft body and mild bitterness.

In events with Ardent, be on the lookout for A Christmas Vacation Kick-Off this Saturday at Lunch and Supper in Scott’s Addition. They’ll be selling tickets here before the event, so grab yours for all their food and wine pairings, along with festive cocktails from Lunch and Supper, throughout the evening until 11pm.

Here’s one I’m especially excited for. Canon & Draw Brewing Company is hosting a holiday party by one of my current favorite local musicians, Justin Golden, this Saturday at the brewery. Golden has played a lot of shows I’ve attended recently, most notably when he opened for the Tim Barry Novemberfest shows last month — and he’s got a great folk/country/indie sound. The lineup for this week’s event will showcase Sid Kingsley (another favorite Richmond musician of mine, who somehow I only manage to see when I’m in Roanoke), Tim Beavers II, Andrew Alli and Josh Small, and Tyler Meacham.

Along with great music, Canon & Draw has had a ton of great beer releases in the last couple months. Their taps are stocked with plenty of fresh recipes, so if you haven’t had an opportunity yet to get out and try some, this is a fantastic chance to see some great music and pair it with delicious beer.

The fine folks at Steam Bell Beer Works are bringing their Bourbon Barrel Tiramisu Stout back to the taps on Friday, and this one sounds especially awesome to me. After years growing up watching my mother eat tiramisu for breakfast, something about this sweet dessert just feels like home. I’ve also got a soft spot for it from working next to Virginia’s absolute best Balkan restaurant, Euro Bakery in Roanoke, for years — and eating its owner’s homemade tiramisu probably 5 days a week (plus more whenever a coworker at the bar didn’t finish their slice). It doesn’t get better than that, friends. At least until my body finally starts to reject the amount of sugar I’m capable of putting into it.

But still, there’s nothing quite comparable to a soft, fluffy tiramisu in all its ladyfinger-and-coffee glory. Steam Bell did an awesome job with this brew, and in addition to its classic dessert flavors, it was aged in A. Smith Bowman Distillery barrels to seal the deal. With vanilla beans, oak, and bourbon, this variation is full of “warmth and richness,” according to its brewers, that perfectly complement the roasted chocolate notes of the original Tiramisu Stout recipe.

Last night at The Veil Brewing Co., a December special made its way into the brewery. Holiday Treat Whangdoodle is made for coffee lovers, and the Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout is packed with flavors. You’ll catch maple syrup, cinnamon, and Colombian coffee (the best coffee out there, imho) from Blanchard’s Coffee, one of Richmond’s very best. According to its brewers, Holiday Treat Whangdoodle brings forward warming, viscous liquid fudge, baking spices, and holiday cheer. It’s out now in bottles, and to grab one of your own, head over to The Veil this week for a chance to bring the 10.5% ABV stout home with you before it’s gone.

RVA ON TAP: 25 Legendary Years, Beer Fests at NASCAR, and the Wild & Weird

Caley Sturgill | April 10, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Castleburg Brewery, Center Of The Universe Brewing, Final Gravity, Fine Creek Brewing Company, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Jack Ryan Music Festival, Legend Brewing, richmond raceway, RVA beer, Safety Team Brewing, The Answer, The Veil Brewing Co., Triple Crossing Beer

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

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

Get ready to get out of the house, because there are so many good events this week you’re not gonna want to go home.

HAPPY 25TH, LEGEND! We’ve been waiting for this day for *months* and it’s finally here. Legend Brewing Company, Richmond’s OG craft brewery, is celebrating their quarter-century in trips around the sun with a huge banger this Saturday. Starting at noon and running all day, with free admission (so more money for beer!) you can head over to the Manchester brewery for live music, food, and brews. Bring your kids, bring your pups, and enjoy the day in the beer garden and looking over the James with one of our all-time faves here in town. For music, catch performances by The Remnants, Greater Richmond Pipes and Drums, Wade Reynolds, and Suggesting Rhythm. All food and beer is in-house from Legend, and it’s so good you won’t want to miss it. We’ll see you there!

*PHOTO: Richmond Raceway Craft Beer Fest*

If you like beer and cars, boy do I have the event for you (and me, especially me). This Saturday before the big Toyota Owners 400 night race under the lights, Richmond Raceway’s hosting their Craft Beer Fest to bring fans a taste of the city. There’s a lot going on at the track that day — like the beer fest, which is open to the public regardless of race tickets, as well as live mural painting, and tons more you’ll want to swing by early to catch.

Over at the fest, Richmond Raceway has partnered up with the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild to let fans try the flagship beers of breweries all across the state. The best part: unlimited tastes! RVA Magazine will be out doing live coverage from the race that day, so be sure to keep up with us on social media during the fun (@rvamag on Instagram and Facebook). I’ll make sure to tell you all our favorite brews from the fest when we come back for next week’s column, but I can tell you one thing now — knowing myself at a beer fest, it’s pretty hard to pick just one.

Happy birthday, Triple Crossing! Our Fulton Hill favorites are celebrating half a decade in business all weekend, and if we know anything about Triple Crossing, it’s that they’re one of the best. These guys are known for their perfectly-balanced brews packed with just the right amount of every flavor, and they’ve got five releases to commend their first five years.

Pabst is Prologue is first on the list. This mixed-culture Golden Ale measures at 5% ABV, full of white peaches and fruit to ring in the springtime for good (finally). Their special 5th anniversary lager, Jubilee Jubilaums Bier, is making its debut at the party. They’ve also got Just to Get a Rep DIPA, Space Falcon IPA, DDH Anniversary Falcon Smash IPA, and a few more TBA.

The releases start on Friday, and the party continues on into Saturday with ZZQ and one of my home bars, Cobra Cabana. BTW — if you haven’t tried Cobra’s food yet, you’re missing out. They’ve also got yerba mate (yeah, the real kind) that can pair with your favorite mixers, and y’all, Yerbajäger might just kill me this summer. TBA on that, too.

I meant it when I told you it’d be hard to pick your plans this weekend. Fine Creek Brewing Company’s Wild & Weird Festival is heading back to your favorite farm spot for their 2nd anniversary. Wild & Weird brings out the sour, the funky, and the best mixed-fermentation beers from around Virginia, from both breweries and cideries. A few names participating that you’ll recognize: Väsen Brewing Company, Steam Bell Beer Works, Ardent Craft Ales, Triple Crossing, Champion Brewing Company, Strangeways, and my loves at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery.

Head out to the festival from 1-5pm this Saturday to get tastes of gems like Hardywood’s Berlinner with Pine Needles & Rose Hips, Ardent’s Understanding of Bonds American White DSSOLVR Collab, and plenty more to get your tastebuds going.

Would you believe it if I told you The Answer Brewpub won ANOTHER award this year? Of course you would, because The Answer’s the best! Like Legend, The Answer has had a lot to do with building the craft beer scene in Richmond that is now recognized across the nation — and this brewery is no stranger to awards of its own. From being named one of the best breweries in the country to making one of Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine’s favorite beers of 2018, if you want to know where to get a good brew, everyone knows the answer is The Answer.

This time around, The Answer was named USA Today’s best brewery in America… and they won by a lot. In its bracket for the gold, our River City hometown brewers were chosen by 71 percent of voters over their rival.

We would never expect anything less. Congrats again, guys, and I know we’ll be saying congrats for all the awards coming in 2019. Keep being awesome!

Hardywood’s releasing their Capital Trail Pale Ale for #FreshCanFriday this week, brewed with Falconer’s Flight, Willamette, and Mandarina Bavaria hops. This palate-invigorating recipe starts off with refreshing citrus flavors and finishes “pleasantly dry,” and it’s good for the environment, too. Every purchase of a Capital Trail Pale Ale supports the link between Richmond and Jamestown, preserving and enhancing our state’s 52-mile long walking and biking path. Raise your can in honor of the foundation, Hardywood says, and in honor of your next adventure.

Hey! Remember when I made my mountain-famous ham biscuits for the Southern Food Fest at Center of the Universe? Well, I won! And not only did I get a super sweet shirt that you’ll see me rocking all summer, I also got to eat some of the best damn food I have ever tasted. And I really, really mean that.

Y’all, I got a half pound of pulled pork from Grandpa Eddie’s Alabama Ribbs & BBQ and that stuff was so good I inhaled it in about a minute. I have never tasted better BBQ in all my days in Virginia. Go get some. Or else. I also finally got to try Capitol Waffle Shop, and you know what it’s like when you go to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving and those fall-spiced, warm baked apples are making you drool over the smell from the living room? Capitol Waffle shop basically did that with fucking peaches, dude. It was incredible. Capitol Waffle Shop literally put sliced-up, warm, cinnamon-ey glazey peaches on a waffle with whipped cream and syrup, and it’s been three weeks and I can’t stop thinking about it. It should be a crime for anybody who hasn’t had it to go another week without trying this place.

*Anyway,* there’s more good stuff happening at Center of the Universe this week. They’re dropping their Crazy Bet Imperial Red Ale this Saturday, and this variation was brewed over at Origin Beer Lab. It’s got a balanced bitterness and intense aroma from its Nugget and caramel malts. Crazy Bet is named after the Crazy Bet herself, Richmond’s Elizabeth Van Lew, the 1800s abolitionist and philanthropist, who both “built and operated an extensive spy ring for the Union Army during the Civil War.” Do yourself a favor and read more about this gal, and do us all a favor and give her beer a try this weekend.

Friends and fans of Greek Mythology, Final Gravity Brewing Co. has the brew for you. Cassiopeia is fresh to the taps this Friday, and she is absolutely *made* for this weather. With delicate-but-strong aromas of melon, coconut, pine, peach, and whispers of pineapple, according to the brewers, this gal goes down the hatch with a smooth bitterness. You’ll also catch flavors of lemongrass and tangerine to accompany this “heavenly congregation” of radiant flavors to captivate your senses — and let’s be real, who doesn’t love a goddess?

The Veil Brewing Co. dropped Grape Berry Tastee last night, a smoothie-style sour ale. This delicious dessert in a can was brewed with milk sugar (yum!), concord grapes, and blackberries to bring you the creamy-goodness of a berry shake to top off a perfect summer day. I can taste this just thinking about it. Be sure to swing by soon, because we all know The Veil is a local treasure, and everyone will be looking for a taste!

The 2nd Annual Jack Ryan Music Festival is also coming up this Saturday, with several local favorites from Richmond heading out to serve up brews. Look forward to seeing Intermission Beer Company, Kindred Spirit Brewing, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, and Steam Bell Beer Works — and lots of great bands like Old Dogs, New Tricks Bluegrass Band, Timber Revival, Josh Lief, The Steel Tips, and Jack Ryan & His Band.

If you’ve had your hopes up for Safety Team Brewing Company to open up in Northside, we’re sorry to report that they won’t be going through with the new spot. Opening something as large-scale as a brewery is no easy feat, and after getting into the ins and outs of construction planning, it looks like the location is a no-go for now. Brookland Park will stay a little bit dryer for a little bit longer, and the old Quick Splash Car Wash will be vacant until further notice.

Even more releases are on their way this Friday, with Castleburg’s Kingslayer TIPA. This triple-banger is sure to make you hazy, and at 10% ABV, I think it’s fair to say it’ll slay most people that drink it. Kingslayer started off with a “massive amount of Irish pale malt” and flaked wheat, then treated to an “absurd amount of El Dorado hops.” This guy was conditioned over 20lbs per barrel with pineapple puree to bring out the natural fruity flavors in these hops, and it is a seriously-powerful brew.

“The king is dead, long live the Kingslayer!”

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]vamag.com, and if you’re a beer enthusiast, drop me a line anytime to talk booze. Catch y’all next week!

Tapped: Strangeways Brewing Turns Five, Hardywood’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake Berliner Weisse, & Canon and Draw’s Corrosive Haze IPA

RVA Staff | July 11, 2018

Topics: Ardent craft ales, Canon & Draw Brewing, Center Of The Universe Brewing, Hardywood Brewery, Strangeways Brewing Company, Triple Crossing Brewing, Väsen, Vasen Brewing Company

What’s happening craft beer lovers of RVA?! Welcome to this week’s “Tapped,” RVA Magazine’s go to weekly craft beer column where you can find all your craft beer-related events, releases, festivals and all the booze news your little hearts’ desire.

If you missed last week’s beer news, you can check those out here. Our cup is overflowing with news this week from releases to events, and other cool happenings around town, so hold on to your mugs because we’re getting ready to tap this thing!

Strangeways Brewing is turning five! In honor of their fifth anniversary, Strangeways is having events all week long including beer releases, free movie night, burlesque, field day, free live music, food, and a day for you and your pups. Releases this week will include the Dr. FouDre Vintage brew, the Apes in the Hammock Sour Saison, and their latest IPA. The Moon Taxi IPA has flavors of lime, passion fruit, and mango, is double dry-hopped with heavy doses of Galaxy and Wakatu hops, and makes for the perfect citrus summer drink.

Hardywood is releasing a berliner weisse can beer this Friday, July 13 that’s a refreshing and tart take on a Southern classic. The Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a german-style sour wheat ale and is sure to be a lovely refreshment to battle the July heat.

For live music and new brews, head to Canon & Draw Brewing Company this Friday to hear The Soul Proprietors play live in the taproom while trying their latest can release, Corrosive Haze IPA. This beer is a sour IPA fruited with cherries, blueberries and strawberries.

In honor of Friday the 13th, Väsen Brewing Company is teaming up with Red Vein for another year of Books, Brews & Boos to combine spooky storytelling with Väsen brews and Firesides food truck. Live music and horror books will play center stage in Vasen’s taproom, while author panels will take place in the back barrel room. Get ready for a spooky night.

Ardent’s latest summer blend arrives tomorrow, July 12: the Summer American Sour Blend. The blonde ale is aged in oak barrels and blended with pink guava and pineapples. The sour blend is a restrained sour ale that features juicy, fruity flavors with minimal sweetness and a pleasant pineapple aroma. Curry in a Hurry food truck will appear to help introduce the new beer until 10 p.m.

Guest brewer Roy Gilbert, who won the opportunity at the 2018 Balderino event at the brewery, teamed up with Center of the Universe Brewing to release Meagan Märzen’s German lager. This lager includes 2-row barley, Munich malt, and pilsner malt, and is then fermented with their house lager strain. The result is a crisp, malty beer with a touch of hops.

Triple Crossing will be releasing three new cans this Friday: the All Citra IPA, Dawn Chorus DIPA, and the Blank Shore DIPA. Each one unique and perfect for summer, Triple Crossing is prepping to have plenty cases available. The Blank Shore DIPA is sure to satisfy, and includes Enigma, the new U.S. hop cultivar from Australia. It has a unique, bright, tropical fruit character and also has impressions of green tropical fruit, lime, and white wine citrus leading into a soft and plush finish.

Submissions or ideas for Tapped can be emailed to Amy at [email protected] Cheers!

Tapped photo by: Hardywood Brewing

Center of the Universe Brewery honors Oktoberfest with annual Das Bier Run on 9/12-13

Brad Kutner | September 2, 2015

Topics: Center Of The Universe Brewing, Oktoberfest, Richmond Road Runners Club

Summer is winding down once again in Richmond…
[Read more…] about Center of the Universe Brewery honors Oktoberfest with annual Das Bier Run on 9/12-13