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RVA On Tap: New Head Brewers & Flying Squirrels Beers

Caley Sturgill | February 26, 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, final gravity brewing co, garden grove brewing and urban winery, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Stone Brewing-Richmond, Strangeways Brewing, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, tom bova, 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.

A big congrats goes out to Tom Bova as the new head brewer for Strangeways Brewing in Richmond. This week also brings great releases like Väsen Brewing Company’s Guava Passion Sour, Likely Story at Triple Crossing Beer, and Center of the Universe’s Flying Squirrels-inspired Rally Cap Grapefruit Shandy.

Be on the lookout for long-awaited returns like Ruse at Hardywood and The Message at Final Gravity, plus fresh new brews at Ardent Craft Ales, Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery, Stone Brewing Richmond, The Veil Brewing Co., and more.

Announcing a new Head Brewer at Strangeways Brewing

Here’s some awesome news to brighten up the gloomy weather this week: Tom Bova has taken over as the new Head Brewer of the Strangeways Brewing locations in Richmond.

We got a great note from owner and founder Neil Burton last week, and of Bova, he said, “As Tom proudly promotes, you’ve got to ‘Risk it for the Biscuit,’ and this mantra seems to have paid off for him handsomely. We are excited to see what Tom will cook up from scratch in this new chapter of his brewing career, and the future is bright indeed.”

It certainly will be. We’re always excited to hear of new folks making their mark on the craft brewing scene here, and Bova’s contributions aren’t limited to the River City; he started off in Norfolk at Coelacanth Brewing before heading to Strangeways. During his time in Richmond, he’s worked through each sector of brewing, from the cellars to the brewing process. He’s grown his expertise in every part of the operation, which is always a great recipe for folks to work confidently with their team and make things better for all.

In just three short years, Bova has made his way to Head Brewer, and we’re shouting out a big congratulations to him this week as he embarks on the new journey with Strangeways. We wish them all the best!

Ruse release at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

An award-winning favorite is making its way back to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery this Saturday, and this year’s release is especially exclusive.

Ruse, a port-like brew aged in red wine barrels, has earned its wide recognition with its bold flavor. It’s won not one, but two international awards at worldwide beer festivals — yet again making a name for these stellar Richmond brewers (and our beer scene as a whole) around the globe.

Its first award came with a Bronze Medal at the World Beer Cup in 2016, in their “Wood- And Barrel-Aged Strong Stout” category. The following year, it brought home the Bronze again for the “Specialty Beer/Wood-Aged” category at the Australian International Beer Awards.

If you’re wondering what all the hype is about, you’ll want a taste of your own: with dark chocolate and molasses characteristics, plus oak and leather-like aromatics, Ruse brings to the table a rich mouthfeel with “a deceptively dry, tannic finish,” according to its brewers.

Get your glass of Ruse this Saturday at Hardywood, and keep in mind that this run is more limited than usual, with a four-bottle limit per person. If you head out to the brewery, you’ll also get to catch some great eats from the Smokie JOE’s BBQ truck to warm you up. This weekend might get cold again, folks, but we’re almost there!

Guava Passion Sour release at Väsen Brewing Company

Coming up this Friday at Väsen Brewing Company, a brand-new Guava Passion Sour is making its debut.

At 7.8% ABV, this sour hits in at a nice middle on the average ABV range for craft beer. Flavors of peach and clove come out among subtle spices in this one, coming from its brewing process with traditional Belgian saison yeast. It’s full of summery characters that bring the tropical and bright back into this dreary River City, and with heavy additions of guava and passionfruit, its brewers say it’s bursting with tropical flavor. It’s not too sour compared with others in its family, and it’s also flavored with a light citrus taste from its lacto ingredients.

Guava Passion Sour comes out this Friday, along with The Velvet Walrus on Raspberry, a milk stout that’s packed with hundreds of pounds of raspberry. That one comes in at a higher 9.5% ABV, so there are great new options for both sides of the scale available at the brewery this weekend.

Double Dry-Hopped IPA X release at Ardent Craft Ales

A great return is coming to Ardent Craft Ales tomorrow night. Their delicious Double Dry-Hopped IPA X is on its way back, and this unique IPA was created with twice the standard amount of Citra and Mosaic hops for the brewery.

It hits in at 7.1% on the ABV scale, and it’s also available to-go in 16oz four-packs for those who would rather drink at home (and honestly, I can’t blame you — I’m a huge homebody myself). If you do want to make it out on a Thursday night, Ardent’s got this extra-special release as a big incentive. With plenty of citrus and tropical fruit notes, Double Dry-Hopped IPA X is the product of Ardent’s favorite combination of hops, and it pours in a cloudy, deep-golden color for a juicy brew without all the usual IPA bitterness. LOWCO Eatery will also be out for the event in the beer garden, so all our Southern low-country food lovers will definitely be pleased.

The Return of The Message DIPA at Final Gravity Brewing Co.

Something special returned to Final Gravity Brewing Co. over the weekend for the first time in three years: The Message DIPA.

This recipe has been on hiatus since 2017, and there’s even more to it than the comeback itself. The Message DIPA has been one of Final Gravity’s most-requested beers to bring back to the brewery, and its longtime fans can finally rejoice now that it’s here.

Simcoe and Amarillo hops came together to bring The Message to your glass, and with incredibly high ratings from all of its drinkers, it’s one you won’t want to miss. Its fans report this one to be full of citrus flavors with a cloudy texture (my favorite combination!), and Richmond drinkers aren’t the only ones that are impressed. The Message DIPA won a Bronze Medal at the 2016 Virginia Craft Brewers Cup for IPAs, and its brewers say it’s “guaranteed to push you close to the edge.” You’ll want to make sure to grab a taste while it’s here, because it’s been talked about for years since it last came to Final Gravity.

Final Gravity is also dropping a brand new release this Friday with their JuiceBox Hazy Double IPA. These two DIPAs are right up my alley, and as a beer writer that often can’t find the perfect beer at a brewery, I can tell you these releases are music to my ears. JuiceBox came together with Strata, Citra, and Belma hops for a burst of passionfruit, citrus, and berry flavors with an extra-juicy character. And as Final Gravity notes, while it’s not available in actual juice boxes (that’d be the dream), you can take this one to-go in growlers and crowlers if you can’t get enough of it.

*PHOTO: Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery*

Tmavé Pivo release at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery

Over the weekend, a new Czech Lager made its way into the hearts (and glasses) of all our friends at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery. Tmavé Pivo is the latest Old World-style dark lager from their brewers, and it’s packed with bold, earthy flavors.

You’ll catch notes of dark chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, toast, and raisins in this brew, and they come together with a “dangerously smooth” character. We’re moving into the time of year now where dark chocolate and coffee brews will become few and far between, so this is a great opportunity to find these flavors fresh from the keg while they’re still around. Garden Grove is also hosting another Bluegrass Jam coming up on Tuesday, and if the weather’s nice (fingers crossed!) it’ll extend out to the patio for some early-springtime outside jams. This brewery hosts tons of great events each week, and it’s a great spot to check out if you’re looking for stand-up comedy and live music in a laid-back setting. Catch up with more of their events here, and be sure to check back for more as warmer weather returns for nights on the patio in Carytown.

Rally Cap Grapefruit Shandy release at Center of the Universe Brewing

Happy Leap Year, y’all! Center of the Universe is celebrating this special date in the most Richmond fashion of all: with a brand-new beer collaborated with the Flying Squirrels Baseball Team here in town.

If you’re ready for the return of sunny days at the ball field, filled with great beer, ice cream (an essential), and the all-American hot dog tradition, you’re not alone. Center of the Universe is amping up the craft beer game for Richmond’s Flying Squirrels stadium this year with their brand-new Rally Cap Grapefruit Shandy.

Rally Cap comes out on Saturday at Center of the Universe, with a thirst-quenching recipe that brings out the zest from its Perle hops and grapefruit additions. It was also brewed with 2 Row, Malted Wheat, and Acidulated Malt, and it comes in at a perfect 5% ABV — because anything higher would make it hard to go back for a few refills during the game. A lower ABV is great for events like this, so you can enjoy a few and still remember who won by the end. Go Squirrels!

As Center of the Universe says, “When the game is on the line and your hometown needs that extra push, grab your Richmond Rally Cap, pop the top, and let your voice be heard!” And if you’ve been to a Squirrels game before, you know Richmond is great at making sure everyone hears those voices. Rally Cap was created to fuel the charge and fan the flames of victory here at our stadium, and it’s available pre-season starting this weekend at the brewery.

The Veil wins four awards with Ratebeer Best 2019

It’s no surprise to anyone who has ever visited The Veil Brewing Co. that these Richmond brewers could make a big name for themselves (and the city) in awards all around. They did it again this year, with their wins in the Ratebeer Best 2019 Awards just announced by the brewery.

Starting with the beer, The Veil won “Best Beer By Style” for Flavored Gose brews, with #1 and #2 awards going to their Never Never Again Again and Never Never Gonnagetit Gonnagetit. If we had to pick the most colorful beer in town, I’d say The Veil could probably take the cake every single time — there’s nothing brighter than their fruited brews, and they’ve even managed to brew a perfectly-pitch-black beer in the past.

Along with their beer awards, they also won “Best Brewer in Virginia,” “Best Brewer Taproom in Virginia,” and “Top 100 Brewer in the World” categories. We’re very proud of this hometown brewery, and we encourage you to swing by their Scott’s Addition spot for a celebratory drink with them this week.

In their weekly multi-release last night, The Veil also dropped some fresh brews here in Richmond:

Strength in Solitude kicked it off, and this 5.5% ABV Red Ale comes with some warmer flavors. With subtle caramel, biscuit, and a gentle European hopping, Strength in Solitude pours with a light reddish color in this malt-forward crusher.

pinkmiata came out in cans last night in all its luxuriously-hopped glory. This IPA comes in at 6% ABV, and with Nelson and Galaxy hops, it brings out flavors of pineapple, grapefruit, and pungent exotic fruits.

Velvet River is The Veil’s Barleywine collaboration with Fonta Flora Brewery that’s fresh out in bottles. In true barleywine fashion, it has a higher ABV at 10% — so take it slow with this one. It was brewed with Rye Raisin bread from Richmond’s Sub Rosa Bakery, along with Ugandan vanilla and nutmeg. It’s full of tastes like cotton candy, old world bread, candied raisins, and fruitcake, so it balances out the sweet with the earthy.

Dirtyferrari is fresh in cans, and this DIPA was brewed with “the freshest Citra” in the whirlpool before blending Galaxy, Citra, Nelson, and Mosaic in its dry-hopping process. At 8% ABV, The Veil notes that this one is a mash-up between their Dirtnap and whiteferrari beers. You’ll catch fruits like ripened cantaloupe, candy, and papaya in this one for a bright, fruity flavor.

Never Never Calm Calm closes out our releases from The Veil this week, and this Gose is packed with tropical fruits. It has a lower 5.1% ABV to make for an easy drinker, and features passionfruit and double pineapple for tastes like canned fruit cups and peach skin.

Arrogant Consortia Double Bastard release at Stone Brewing Richmond

The bastards are in at Stone Brewing Richmond.

In addition to the 2016 Classic Double Bastard and the 2013 Double Bastard returning, Stone just released a great new variation to their Arrogant Bastard Ale. Adding in some extra smokey flavors with an “aggressively delicious variation” on this longtime favorite, the latest Arrogant Consortia Double Bastard is now fresh at the brewery. A bit earlier this month, Stone also released their Diehard Fan IPA in a fresh, crisp, Mosaic-hopped recipe, perfect for everyone out there who can’t resist trying every new brew Stone brings to town. Trust us, we’re definitely in that category.

In more news at Stone, they’ve just announced their participation in this year’s FloydFest 2020, which is coming up this July 22-26. If you’ve never been, we’d suggest getting your tickets early — this event brings together some of the best Americana, Folk, and Indie-style artists in the Blue Ridge Mountains for a weekend of great views and great tunes. We’re even more pumped now that we know it’ll also include some of Virginia’s greatest beer. Tickets start selling quick, and this year will be extra-special with the addition of three awesome Virginia breweries: Stone Brewing, Three Notch’d, and Devil’s Backbone. They’ll also have Oskar Blues Brewery and Deschutes (RIP Virginia location!) on the list, so it’s one you won’t want to miss… but more on that later as it gets closer. Consider this your friendly reminder to secure your spot before they’re all gone!

Likely Story release at Triple Crossing Beer

This one came to us over the weekend at Triple Crossing Beer. Likely Story is a dry-hopped Pilsner that was created with 100 percent German Pilsner malt base, and the pale lager variation is packed with floral white grape notes.

This pale, straw-colored brew brings in a bright white head on each pour, and it was dry-hopped with Hallertau Blanc, along with its cooler fermenting process with Triple Crossing’s house lager yeast. Its zesty hop flavors come together for an easy-drinking 5% ABV — and it’s a great weeknight brew for all the “relax” without too much of the “party” for a Wednesday. Head out to the farm and grab a glass!

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: Love Your Beer this Valentine’s Day

Caley Sturgill | February 12, 2020

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Center of the Universe, craft beer, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, final gravity brewing co, fine creek brewing, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, starr hill richmond beer hall and rooftop, Stone Brewing-Richmond, Strangeways Brewing, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House

This week, celebrate love (and anti-love) with your favorite beer families in Richmond. Center of the Universe throws their Anti-Valentine’s party in all its sweet, bitter glory, and Three Notch’d RVA Collab House hosts specials for the free spirits in town for Singles Awareness Day. Strangeways celebrates with a special burlesque show, and Ardent Craft Ales highlights the most important love of all: the love for your dog.

Don’t miss fresh releases like Hardywood’s Raspberry Short Kate, Starr Hill Richmond’s Blackberry Currant Smoothie Sour, Fine Creek Brewing’s Daffodil Daydream, Stone Brewing Richmond’s Cali-belgique IPA, Final Gravity’s Doppler Effect IPA, and a seriously delicious multi-release at The Veil.

Anti-Valentine’s Day Party at Center of the Universe

Here’s one for the haters! The true spirit of Valentine’s Day, in our experience, is about more than heart-shaped candies and corny, overpriced cards. What this holiday often means is your Facebook friends complaining 10x more than usual, and half your friends trying to forget that it’s happening.

Avoid the temptation to text your ex this year with Center of the Universe as they celebrate Anti-Valentine’s Day in all its sweet, bitter glory. With beer, live music, great food, and like-minded folks, they’re giving everyone an escape from all the “stupid Cupid’s arrows.” What a relief. Even if you’re in a loving relationship, this could be the place for you — there’s a good chance I’ll find myself there to escape the Hallmark stuff as well. And, as COTU themselves say:

“Do you love Valentine’s Day? Do you love the flowers? The cards? The candies? Creepy little Cherubs? Unrealistic romantic comedies? If you said yes, that’s neat. If you said no… Congratulations! We’re the place for you this Valentine’s Day.”

Pours and Pasties for Valentine’s Day at Strangeways

One of our favorite recurring events is going down on Valentine’s Day at Strangeways: Pours and Pasties!

In this perfectly-timed show, Burlesque Right Meow is heading to Strangeways to give everyone what they need most on this holiday: a dose of self-love. It’s never lost on us that finding love in yourself is number one for the rest of life’s great loves, and burlesque is one of those special things that knows just how to remind us of it.

Pours and Pasties is returning this time with Ego Von Hubris as their host, and they’ll have dancers like Sasha Nyte, Maddie De Sade, Ed Phillips, Murphy Lawless, Scarlet Starlet, and Sally Stardust for the holiday special. Burlesque Right Meow invites everyone to grab tickets beforehand here, and they say, “Whether you’re looking for a night out with your sweetie(s) or having a day of self-love, there will be butts and beer, so everyone is a winner here!” Amen to that.

Stone Cali-belgique IPA at Stone Brewing Richmond

Last week, Stone Brewing Richmond introduced something fresh at our local spot. This Stone Cali-belgique IPA was aged in red wine barrels with sour cherries, and it’s a great deviation from the more common recipes.

Since it came as a surprise tapping last week, you’ll want to head out to the brewery soon to grab a taste of it while you can. It’s only around as long as the batch lasts, so if you’re craving a taste, make your way to Stone for this crisp, refreshing, and “teasingly sour” brew. As its brewers say, it’s perfect for all these teasingly spring days we’ve been experiencing lately.

Thankfully, according to this year’s Groundhog Day, early spring might just be a reality for us this year… but if it comes before we get a single good snow day, I know one local beer writer who’s going to be greatly disappointed. For real, when do we get to break out the sleds?! If it doesn’t happen, I’ll certainly be bummed out, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited for river days to return. In the meantime, this brew will get us through as a perfect blend for both seasons.

Raspberry Short Kate returns in cans to Hardywood

It’s back! This long-loved brew from Hardywood is returning in cans on the holiday itself, and this special V-Day edition of #FreshCanFriday is definitely welcomed.

Raspberry Short Kate, the Raspberry Milkshake IPA we fell for last year, is thicker than your average IPA. Filled with fruit for a milkshake-style brew, this one’s named for Hardywood’s VP of Production and brewed with lots of love. Share some of that love with your honey this Valentine’s Day (or, if you’re spending it with friends, treat yourself!) and try this ruby-colored treat, made with local raspberries and flavors both sweet and tart.

*PHOTO: Starr Hill Richmond Beer Hall & Rooftop*

Valentine’s Weekend at Starr Hill Richmond

Chocolate and beer are coming together once again, in a delicious combination starting at Starr Hill Richmond tomorrow night. On Valentine’s Eve and running into the weekend, the Scott’s Addition beer hall is bringing out their “captivating confections” to pair with their favorite brews.

On tap for the event is the Currant Affairs Blackberry Currant Smoothie Sour, which is the featured beer for the evening and filled with dark fruit flavors to blend into the smoothie-style Sour Ale.

They’ll also be offering up their “Box of Chocolates” flight, which brings out four different stouts for a sampler that’s *definitely* not your grandmother’s holiday chocolates. It comes with several variations of flavors brewed into their Double Bass Double Chocolate Stout, from toasted coconut to orange, mocha, and raspberry. These are also being sold in 12-packs for those who would rather celebrate at home, but be sure to grab one soon if that’s your plan, because they’re almost sold out.

Each night of the weekend will host a new food truck and live band. Friday kicks it off with Kat Somers and Indira & Guppy Jo along with the La Bête food truck. Saturday brings Josh Small & Andrew Alli with Intergalactic Tacos, then Sunday closes out the weekend with Lovers Live: Mackenzie & Michael, Koda & Marie and Taqueria Panchito.

Must Love Dogs at Ardent Craft Ales

If your most-loved person isn’t a person at all, we don’t blame you. Ardent Craft Ales is celebrating Valentine’s Day with the most loving souls in the world: dogs. There is no love on this planet like that of a dog for its human, and we’re stoked to see Ardent gearing up for a V-Day party like no other.

Fresh beers will be out on tap like Historic Chocolate Stout, a small batch that was brewed in collaboration with The Valentine Museum and full of American Heritage dark chocolate. “For the Love of Stout” and “I Heart IPA” flights will also be available for tasting, along with handcrafted truffles from Chocolate Cravings that were created with Ardent’s Maple Dark Rye, Honey Ginger, and Plum Gose beers.

“For the Love of Stout” brings together Ardent’s Historical Chocolate Stout, Dark Rye, Imperial Stout with Coffee, Coconut, & Almonds, and their Barrel Aged Milk Stout. In the “I Heart IPA” flight, you’ll catch tastes of Floreda Idaho, IPA X, Summit DIPA, and the IPA 14.

The event also benefits Richmond Animal Care and Control, our favorite shelter in town, which works tirelessly to ensure animals in the community get proper healthcare and find their way to happy homes. You can drink happy at this one, knowing you’ll get to support the shelter and probably pet lots of dogs in the process.

Doppler Effect IPA at Final Gravity Brewing Co.

Over at Final Gravity Brewing Co., a great IPA is ready for your glass. This one is perfectly reminiscent of summer days, and it’s making us even more impatient for them to return.

Doppler Effect IPA is a citrus-forward IPA with a crisp finish that’ll suit regular Pale Ale fans and heavier IPA fans alike. With lemon, grapefruit, and orange notes, it’s a delicious example of how complex Mosaic hop flavors can be.

It comes along with One Drop Hazy Double IPA, which brings out plenty more lemon tastes along with mango, stone fruit, and other tropical fruit flavors. Brewed with Mosaic and Citra hops, this one’s a delicious heavier complement to Doppler Effect — and we can’t decide which to try first.

Daffodil Daydream at Fine Creek Brewing Company

The latest Friday Beer Feature at Fine Creek Brewing Company sounds like a dream in itself. Daffodil Daydream is a 6.5% ABV White IPA that’s full of both earthy and fruity flavors. With Appalachian Malted Wheat in addition to Riverbend Southern Select Barley, this IPA came together for tropical hop tastes like white grape and lime.

On the more bitter side of IPAs, Daffodil Daydream also brings out a dry finish with notes of freshly-baked bread and grassy tastes. Hops from New Zealand, Germany, and America all blended to make this recipe a reality, and it drinks with a round mouthfeel, according to its brewers.

Weekly Multi-release at The Veil Brewing Co.

Kicking off this week’s fresh list of recipes at The Veil Brewing Co., Tefnut (Blueberry Muffin) comes to us as a cosmic Imperial Gose. This one was another great collab with one of The Veil’s favorites, Omnipollo, and it was brewed to “reimagine what a fruit beer can be” with new processes and experimenting with fruit volumes. At 11% ABV, this beer tastes like a blueberry muffin in a can from all its milk sugar, blueberry, and vanilla additions for an extra-juicy finish, and it’s sure to please all the high-ABV lovers out there.

Baked Apple Pie Hornswoggler comes next for us, and it keeps with The Veil’s dessert themes this week. This Chocolate Milk Stout is as close as it gets to making an apple pie into a beer, and it was conditioned with apple purée, brown sugar, milk sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The 7% ABV brew has great buttery crust and cool whip flavors, and it’s got another surprise — 10 Golden Tokens are hidden underneath its 4-pack holders, so there’s a real incentive to take some home with you. They’ve made special Hornswoggler glasses to accompany the recipe, and finding a Golden Token is the only way to get one for yourself.

Never Sorry³ is a brand-new Gose at The Veil this week. This one came together with triple blueberry, triple raspberry, and triple black currant for an extreme flavor punch of dark fruits in the 5.3% ABV Gose. It’s a thick beer with flavors of “fresh fruit off the vine,” according to its brewers, and it’s backed up with the tannic complexity of black currant.

dragged dragged is an 11% ABV IPA coming out in cans. Main hops with Galaxy and Citra blend with smaller additions of Nelson, El Dorado, and Vic Secret in this beer, and the double dry-hopped Triple IPA is not one to be messed with. Another from The Veil to please the high-ABV lovers, you’ll likely only need one glass here… but you’ll certainly want a second once you taste its pineapple juice, watermelon, and cherry flavors with flaked barley.

Power On debuted last night as a fresh IPA, brewed with Citra, Sabro, and Motueka hops. This one comes in at a lower 6% ABV, so if you’re feeling the craft beer but don’t want to be calling your Uber after the first glass, it might be more up your alley than some of the others this week. It’s filled with notes like grapefruit pulp, coconut, lime, and tiki drinks for a new combination at The Veil.

EarthTone is easily our favorite of this week’s batch. Brewed as a collab with 20 local breweries, we visited this one last week ahead of its debut at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery. EarthTone is an homage to the life and legacy of Garden Grove’s Michael Brandt, and was crafted to remind us forever of his love for Lagers, malt balance, and complexity. Proceeds from this brew go to Mike’s son, Miles, for a college savings fund, and to the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. It’s being served up in cans at The Veil starting yesterday (and starting today, for our Norfolk folks!) and it’s a great way to help Garden Grove honor their beloved Co-Owner.

Singles Awareness Day at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House

Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is also feeling the anti-love this week, and we’re all for it. In another awesome Valentine’s Day event, head out to Three Notch’d with the free spirits of Richmond and celebrate the love for yourself.

The brewery is bringing out $3 pints of their Chocolate Silk Pie milk stout through happy hour, and they’re going the extra mile to show some love to the singles for the holiday. With an extra bonus, their Chocolate Silk Pie even comes with free chocolates and red velvet cake — and it’s enough to make me wish I could fit that list for these desserts.

As Three Notch’d notes, it’ll be nice to not have to share your beer with your S.O. this year. And who knows… with all the other singles there, you might even find love (that is, if you want it).

RVA ON TAP: Earl Grey Ales & Bourbon Barrel Raspberry Stouts

Caley Sturgill | January 15, 2020

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Canon And Draw, craft beer, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, final gravity brewing co, Fine Creek Brewing Company, garden grove, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood, 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, Väsen

This week, a major multi-release comes out at The Veil Brewing Co. with fresh recipes and collaborations from all around. Hardywood drops a summer recipe in cans on Friday before a Bourbon Barrel Raspberry Stout on Saturday, just in time for snow to hit the city. Ardent Craft Ales is bringing back their Earl Grey Brown Ale, and Final Gravity Brewing Co. releases an arcade game-inspired brew. Don’t miss a special double release at Triple Crossing Beer, a sunburst at Väsen Brewing Company, fresh Saisons at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery and Fine Creek Brewing Company, and the Three Kings of hops at Canon & Draw.

Distorted Perception can release & Bourbon Barrel Raspberry Stout at Hardywood

A recipe from the summertime is back in cans to remind us of warmer days, as we venture further into January with hopes of snow on the horizon for this weekend. Distorted Perception is back at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery this Friday, just in time to grab a few before the real winter weather hits on Saturday.

This 7% ABV hazy IPA was flavored with papayas, mangos, and cantaloupes after its dry-hop process with Cashmere and Mosaic hops. You’ll catch strong aromas of fruit, along with some brighter notes of honeydew and lime, in this sweet and smooth brew.

For the colder weather, Hardywood’s bringing out their Bourbon Barrel Raspberry Stout on Saturday. A “dessert beer to the core,” this stout is packed with chocolate malt, cacao nibs, and late-season red raspberries from the local Agriberry CSA and Farm. Its brewers describe it as a raspberry truffle in liquid form, and I can’t picture something more up my alley than this one.

The Bourbon Barrel Raspberry Stout was made with Madagascar vanilla beans and smooth, rich dark chocolate that add together perfectly with its ripe red raspberries. To grab a glass of your own, head out to Hardywood this weekend — and maybe even catch a few snowflakes while you’re there.

Earl Grey Brown Ale at Ardent Craft Ales

A fan favorite is returning to Ardent Craft Ales this Saturday with their Earl Grey Brown Ale. Originally brewed in collaboration with Potter’s Craft Cider out of Charlottesville, this ale is a special one that brings out flavors from the classic tea in its brewing process.

The tea itself gets its unique taste from its additions of oil of bergamot, which pairs perfectly when a bit of milk is added into the mix (in the most British of traditions). Ardent made a modern spin on the ages-old recipe by combining it with an English Brown Ale, and brought a little local into the process — with Earl Grey that comes straight from Richmond’s own Rostov’s Coffee & Tea. At 6.5% ABV, this one’s an easy drinker with a citrus-forward fragrance to balance out its black tea and bergamot flavors.

Multi-Release at The Veil Brewing Co.

Kicking off The Veil Brewing Co.’s big release this week, Nerve Endings (pictured above) came out as a brand-new IPA from the Scott’s Addition favorite. It dropped in cans last night, and the 6% ABV brew drinks smooth with all its red wheat, El Dorado, and Nelson hop additions.

Next up in their releases, We We Ded Ded — beloved by The Veil, according to its brewers — also released in cans. This double dry-hopped Triple IPA was brewed with the classic Citra hops that give so many IPAs their signature flavor. It hits in at 11% ABV, so at a higher alcohol level, it packs a bigger punch than Nerve Endings and lives up to its name.

A new bottle release also came with Open Up and Love Again, which was brewed as a collaboration with American Solera, Cloudwater Brew Co., Monkish Brewing, and TRVE Brewing Co. Open Up and Love Again was dry-hopped with fresh Nelson Sauvin hops after its barrel aging process, and has a mixed culture of Saison yeasts along with raw and malted wheat. You’ll catch notes of rounded soft stonefruit, fruity sour candy, orange juice, and white wine in this 7.1% ABV brew.

Apri-Guav Tastee released last night, and this smoothie-style Sour Ale features apricot and guava purée in its flavor profile. At 5.5% ABV, it’s lighter on the alcohol and heavy on the flavor with its milk sugar recipe.

Petalz Orange came as a collaboration with Jester King Brewery. It was originally brewed two years ago this month, with Texas raw wheat, Virginia corn grits, spelt, and aged whole leaf hops in the perfect “Mixed Fermie” combination. With 600g/L of Texas-sourced oranges, it’s bright with the fruits of the Lone Star State and tastes a lot like a pineapple-orange juice mimosa with a farmhouse yeast profile, according to The Veil.

Barn Burner Saison at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery

A new Saison is out at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery, available now and ready for you to come out for a glass. At 6.5% ABV, Barn Burner Saison is a nice middle point on the alcohol scale, and it hits in at 15 IBU for a low bitterness and smooth drinking. This brew is fresh with farmhouse flavor, which comes from a great combination of fresh fruit and barnyard spices for an earthy taste — and Garden Grove says this light-and-fluffy French Saison is “a total Toss in the Hay if you ask us!”

Wet Hopped Saison at Fine Creek Brewing Company

Saison season is almost upon us as we roll slowly (but surely) into the spring, and it’s becoming more clear as craft brewers around Richmond gear up their taps for new recipes. Fine Creek Brewing Company is on board with their Wet Hopped Saison release this Friday, a 6% ABV beer crafted from Fine Creek’s own hops, grown steps away from their brewhouse on the farm.

The process is about as farm-to-table (or farm-to-glass, in our case) as it gets — the hops are picked fresh off the vines in their wet hop stage, according to Fine Creek, which allows them to express more of “the unique terroir from their surroundings.” This Saison is filled with lemongrass and mandarin orange flavors, along with spiciness and rye notes that blended into its Brasetto Rye Malt from Murphy & Rude Malting Co. in its late fermentation stage.

Space Falcon at Triple Crossing Beer

Coming up this Friday at Triple Crossing Beer, Space Falcon is making its way to the Fulton brewery. The Falcon series continues; they brewed this variation of their DDH Falcon Smash IPA with Galaxy, boosting the fruit in its original recipe with the tropical notes of these Australian hops. The result is a 7% ABV IPA double dry-hopped to bring out pineapple, citrus, dark marmalade, orange, and pine flavors.

The releases continue on Friday with DDH Falcon Smash, another variation in the Falcon series with hand-selected hops from the brewers’ recent trip to Yakima. Lotus and Amarillo hops came together to bring this beer to your glass, and the brand-new recipe is full of passionfruit and tangelo-like-mango from its Lotus hops, and orange character from its Amarillo additions. This Friday, head out to Triple Crossing and get a taste of your own of either new recipe (or both… we vote both).

The Sunburst Otter release at Väsen Brewing Company

Fresh at Väsen Brewing Company tomorrow night is The Sunburst Otter. In the dreary days of winter, this beer is a burst of sun indeed. A few unique tastes come out in this one with coriander seed and kosher salt, which complement the brighter citrus flavors of the fruity sour beer. According to its brewers, hundreds of pounds of tangerine and calamansi (a tart-forward fruit out of Southeast Asia) make this beer extra-bold for those looking for big flavor.

If you’re looking for a fresh taste along with some entertainment on your Thursday night this week, Väsen’s also hosting their weekly Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night at 7pm. Grab your favorite buds for an excuse to get them out of the house in mid-January, and test your knowledge as a team.

Three Kings at Canon & Draw Brewing Company

There are few better combinations for an IPA than Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops, and Canon & Draw Brewing Company’s flagship recipe gets it just right.

With three of the very best in its brewing, Three Kings is the perfect blend to bring together craft drinkers’ favorite style of beer. Most good breweries have a love for IPAs, and this recipe from Canon & Draw has a solid citrus-hop flavor along with a subtle sweetness. It returns to the brewery this Friday, and Jonathan Meadows is headed out as well for live music all night in The Fan.

Star Castle DIPA returns to Final Gravity Brewing Co.

Final Gravity Brewing Co. has something fresh on tap, and their arcade game-inspired beer, Star Castle, is coming to us this Friday for all to try. It brings together the spicy and the sweet, with tropical mango and citrus notes that complement its spicy side for a unique taste, unlike many Double IPAs on the market. It was brewed with Nelson Sauvin and Citra hops, so the brighter fruit flavors of a classic DIPA are present, but with an unexpected twist.

In the spirit of the arcade classic, Final Gravity says that “the defenses have been obliterated, so there is nothing standing in the way of you and this next-level Double IPA” — and on a Friday afternoon, there are few things we’d like to hear more.

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: Thanksgiving Holiday Edition

Caley Sturgill | November 20, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, booze news, Canon And Draw, Center of the Universe, craft beer, dark daze, final gravity brewing co, gbs, gingerbread stout, Hardywood, holiday, holiday beer, holidays, Isley Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, local beer, RVA On Tap, Starr Hill, Steam Bell Beer Works, Stone Brewing-Richmond, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving eve party, the answer brewpub, The Veil, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer, winter

This week, we’re gearing up for Thanksgiving and diving into events and beer releases from today through the holiday (so get your beer plans early, and make sure a few of these special brews make it on your calendar!) — plus plenty of celebrations and new beers all around town.

In our Booze News Holiday Edition, The Answer Brewpub kicks off Black Friday with re-releases of old favorites, plus Dark Daze beer releases with The Veil Brewing Co. and Center of the Universe’s SHUT UP beer for your holiday family woes. Hardywood drops their spicy-GBS Christmas Morning next week, and Steam Bell Beer Works has a Raspberry Tiramisu Stout up their sleeves. Don’t miss Rudolph The Red Ale Reinbeer from Isley Brewing Company, Thanksgiving Eve at Canon & Draw, Triple Crossing Beer’s Christmas market, and more with Stone Brewing Richmond, Lickinghole Creek, Final Gravity, and Three Notch’d RVA Collab House.

Kicking off our holiday events is the upcoming Black Friday at The Answer Brewpub. I don’t know about you, but Black Friday in my household is a time of avoiding the outdoors, staying in with the people I love, and waiting for Cyber Monday. But this year is different, because The Answer gave us something to have the best of both worlds.

Head over to the brewery next Friday (Nov 29) to kick it with your Answer family, enjoying all the excitement of Black Friday without all the stress. The Answer will have celebratory releases throughout the day, like bringing back some of their favorite stout recipes from their library and hosting two new glass releases. You’ll be able to grab the glass in the photo above, along with another special glass and a special beer release that you’ll find at the event.

Some of our favorite recipes will be back out for the event, with taps from The Answer like Bill Better Have My Money, Diablo Forever, At The Beginning Of The Day, Shrinkage, Jinxy Cat, and Fam Gotta Eat. See you there!

On the eve of Thanksgiving, something most delicious is returning to Steam Bell Beer Works: a Raspberry Tiramisu Stout. As far as raspberries and Thanksgiving go, I will never not associate this holiday with the fruit, thanks to years of my beautiful mother making her raspberry crumble each November.

The darker-tasting fruit is perfect for this time of year, with tangy, bold flavors that complement all the tastes of Thanksgiving. After all my dessert ramblings, if you think my dessert-crazed family should consult our dentists about our sweet tooth issues, you’re probably right. But if you want all the goodness of those treats without all the sugar, this brew is for you: Raspberry Tiramisu Stout brings the best of the chocolatey, raspberry-packed flavors together with beer. Grab your glass at the brewery on Thanksgiving Eve (Nov 27) and don’t miss music from the Pat Russell Band and eats with the Firesides Food Truck.

This week at Hardywood (Nov 23), the brewery is “recreating the best morning of the year” with Christmas Morning, a variation of their Gingerbread Stout with locally-roasted Mexican Chiapas Coffee. This brew, along with its many siblings, has been awarded time and time again for its exceptional tastes and named one of the Top 25 Milk Stouts in the world (BeerAdvocate).

All that’s to say: you need a taste of this beer. Christmas Morning is probably my favorite recipe along with Christmas Pancakes, and both of them bring out the best for sweet and spicy lovers. The same day, they’re hosting their GBS Fest (Nov 23) with all-things holiday and tastes from all their variations (tickets are here for the beer tasting panel). They’ll also have Christmas events like holiday carolers, Santa pictures, Santa’s Village activities (with gingerbread house decorating!) and many more — so if you’ve been looking for a place to get your holiday on while avoiding the mall, Hardywood’s got you covered.

Also coming up at Hardywood, Saturday (Nov 30) is the release of Kentucky Christmas Morning, a Mexican Chiapas Coffee-spiced GBS brew with an extra kick from Kentucky’s own Heaven Hills bourbon barrels (and it hits in at 11.5% ABV).

We’ve been waiting all year for it, and it’s finally here! Starr Hill has finally set an opening date (Dec 7) for their Scott’s Addition Rooftop location.

It’s still a ways away, but soon enough that you can start planning to include it on your calendar. December 7 is the official opening day, and for the occasion, they’ll have plenty of their best brews along with music from the NO BS! Brass Band, Erin Lunsford, The Northerners Duo, and Addison Liming Music. You’ll also get to catch great food from Taqueria Panchito (a bigtime local favorite this year) and Curry in a Hurry.

Jumping back to Black Friday, Center of the Universe Brewing has a beer release and party you won’t want to miss. The Shut Up Imperial Stout, aged in bourbon barrels, debuts on November 29 to put all those Thanksgiving family arguments to rest.

“It’s that time of year again,” Center of the Universe says. “The family is in town… Awkward conversations… Random tiffs… and lots, and lots of noise. Time to take a minute for yourself, and take down a tall glass of SHUT UP!”

If it ain’t true. As much as we all enjoy seeing our loved ones each holiday season, *good lord* it can be stressful. Nothing like a little reunion in your hometown to remind you why you moved away, right? But fortunately for me, the good usually outweighs the bad. Whether you enjoy spending time with your relatives or you want to whip out the roll of duct tape when they start preaching about Trump, the 11.5% ABV content of this brew is probably enough to ease your mind. Godspeed, y’all.

Rudolph The Red Ale Reinbeer is heading to Isley Brewing Company this Saturday (Nov 23) in all its Christmas-themed glory.

The 5% ABV brew is nice and low, so it’s drinkable throughout the day (what else are holidays for?) and it’s packed with some great flavors. The cranberry-cinnamon Irish Red Ale brings the traditional Red Ale in, then balances it perfectly with warm cinnamon, fresh cranberry puree, and winter spices along with caramel. It sits right in the middle between sweet and hoppy, and with its deep, red copper color, it’s “the perfect treat for your winter woes!” according to Isley.

You’ll be able to grab this beer on draft at Isley this month, but if you want to take a pack home with you for the family gatherings, they’ve got to-go bottles available as well.

The Veil Brewing Co. has a long-awaited special event coming back for the holiday week. Dark Daze hits The Veil on (Nov 29) with more than 15 beer releases to get you through the holiday without getting stuck in any of the crowds.

First up on my list is Rye Whangdoodle (pictured above), an Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout that was aged in Buffalo Trace Rye Barrels for more than a year. Along with plenty of others, you’ll catch Rye Whangdoodle at the event in all its toffee, root beer float, chocolate-covered waffles, and sundae chocolate syrup glory… and you’ll probably only need one, because this guy hits in at 11.5% ABV. Around the holidays, it’s a good problem to have when you only need one craft beer — we’re all going easy on our wallets this month, anyway.

Other delicious brews releasing this Dark Daze include Bourbon Misery Wizard (an 18th Street Brewery Imperial Porter collab), Apple Brandy Stout (with vanilla, maple syrup, and cinnamon in Laird’s Apple Brandy Barrels), Ded Mon³ (the Citra triple-dry hopped 11% ABV Triple IPA), Bourbon Sleeping Forever (the 13% ABV Anniversary Imperial Stout), Bourbon White Russian Horns (a coffee and vanilla Bourbon Chocolate Milk Stout), Maple Apple Brandy Whangdoodle (the Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout with two rounds of Michigan maple syrup), and plenty more to fill all your holiday taste desires.

It’s Thanksgiving Eve at Canon & Draw Brewing Company! These guys have been consistently releasing some of the most delicious-sounding beers each week the past few months, and I’m more than impressed with them. In that spirit, I know their Thanksgiving bash will be one worth attending.

The event is going down next Wednesday (Nov 27) and they’ll have one of my personal local favorites out for music: Justin Golden. If you haven’t listened to his stuff, I can tell you that it’s extra-good in person. He played the first-ever River City Revue a few weeks back, and I saw him again opening for Tim Barry over last weekend (always a great time). Along with great tunes, Canon & Draw will be bringing back their original-recipe Milk Stout from their Just A Small Piece series, the Sweet Potato Pie recipe.

Out at Stone Brewing Richmond, Enjoy By 01.01.20 Unfiltered IPA is debuting this Friday (Nov 22) to pack in all the end-of-year tastes you’ll need this season with the most extreme freshness.

Unlike most beers, Stone’s Enjoy By series are unfiltered, meaning they have to be opened by a certain date to boost their freshness and bursting hop flavors. I’ve tried a similar brew at The Answer before, and it came with a warning from the waitstaff not to let it get too shaken up or too hot in my car on the way home (if that doesn’t say fresh, I don’t know what is).

Stone’s brew comes to us as a “golden beauty,” according to its brewers, with the intense Double IPA coming from more than 10 different hops. They’ve got the ultimate level of freshness nailed down, and this beer is packed with peach and tropical fruit flavors to make one of the best brews of the season… just make sure you drink it before it ends.

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

Winter is Coming: and that means awesome holiday festivities out at the farm at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery. If you’re in the market for seeing Santa without going to the mall, this might just be perfect for you. The event is happening next Saturday (Nov 30), with Christmas tree vendors and awesome stout beers to keep you warm all winter.

Before you get in the Christmas spirit too much, though, don’t forget Brews-Giving. Lickinghole Creek is hosting it this Saturday (Nov 23), as a day to give thanks — especially to local first responders and charities. They’ll have plenty of good eats, plus a toy and clothing drive to help local organizations.

In the spirit of Christmas, if I could have anything I asked for, I think Final Gravity Brewing Co.’s ‘69 Plymouth Superbird could definitely make the list [even though the Superbird didn’t actually come out til 1970 -car nerd ed]. But for those of us who have antique muscle car dreams on a 2001 Ford budget, the brewery’s beer commemorating this vintage beauty will certainly do.

‘69 Superbird debuts at Final Gravity this Friday (Nov 22), and it came together with Azacca, El Dorado, and Citra hops to make the 8% ABV brew. You’ll taste tropical flavors with citrus and stone fruit in this one, and this hazy Double IPA is right up my alley with all the flavor of the hops, higher alcohol content, and minimal bitterness.

It’s (unfortunately) time to start shopping for the holiday season, which means busy malls and long lines for many of us. I’m hard-avoiding all that, as I do every year, but for those of you who can’t — here’s an idea you might like.

Get your shopping in with a beer at Triple Crossing next Saturday (Nov 30), and visit their Fulton Christmas Market. They’ll have tons of great local vendors out for the occasion, and everyone will be set up in a one-stop shop fashion in Triple Crossing’s indoor event space. They’ll be announcing their full list of vendors soon, so make sure to check back at their event page in a week or so and see who’s going to be in attendance.

Thanksgiving season also means football season, and Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is here for it! For all of the football fans out there, we know that the beer budget this time of year often grows exponentially for all those Sunday get-togethers among friends. If you’re looking for a place where you can enjoy a good beer and ditch the Miller Lite during the game without breaking the bank, head over to Three Notch’d for discounted brews. They’ve got deals running on all their drafts to celebrate America’s favorite sport, so drink happy (and we hope your team wins).

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

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

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.