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Hallobeer Returns for its 10th Year at The Answer Brewpub Tonight

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We’re nearing the end of HALLOWEEK 2017, but RVA Mag still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve. The annual HALLOBEER is back! The Answer Brewpub, RVA Magazine & Hardywood Park Craft Brewery present this year’s Hallobeer tonight with live music, Andals and other beer specials, a costume contest and more.

To help celebrate the 10th Annual Hallobeer, we have live music performed by our friends Mekong Xpress & The Get Fresh Horns, who will be doing a special Tower of Power set.

Originating in Oakland, California, Tower of Power is an American R&B-based horn section and band that has been performing since 1968. They have landed a total of nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100, with highest-charting songs include “You’re Still a Young Man”, “So Very Hard to Go”, “Soul With a Capital S”, “Soul Vaccination”, “What Is Hip?”, and “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”.

RVA Mag President John Reinhold recently had the chance to sit down with Mekong Xpress saxophone player JC Kuhl, to get the lowdown for tonight on the Tower of Power set ahead of the festivities. You can check the interview out below:

Reinhold: So Mekong Xpress is doing a Tower of Power set for Halloween. Tell me about why you chose TOP?

Kuhl: As a horn player, it’s s dream scenario to play Tower of Power. So many well-known musicians pass through this band. You might know some from Saturday Night Live like Lenny Picket who was in TOP. Lots of big brass tunes that you really want to play.

Reinhold: So it’s a big influence on you and your playing?

Kuhl:  It’s a dream gig, big influence to me. If you’re lucky, you get to play one song so this Answer gig is a perfect time to just go for it. And it’s not easy. {There are} lots of songs that are technical, and we only have so much time to get them ready. I’m hoping to get around five to six tunes ready for Hallobeer. You know it’s super soulful and inspiring music – and in your face with the horns driving it.

Reinhold: I imagine you brought in some special people to make this happen.

Kuhl: Oh yeah. We have Rob Quallich and Bob Miller on trumpet, John Lilley and Jason Scott on Tenor Sax, and I’m moving over to Baritone Sax for this one. Plus the rest of the fellas in Mekong Xpress, and possibly a guest or two. The guys were into the ideas – so we are going for it.

Here’s a little taste of Mekong Xpress and The Get Fresh Horns to get you in the mood for tonight’s celebration:

Hallobeer’s Tower of Power kicks off at 8 PM at The Answer Brewpub located at 6008 W. Broad St. Music starts at 9:30 pm and the party goes until 1 am so you have plenty of time to get your groove on with the band. And bring your costume “A” game because there will be a costume contest during the band’s break.

 

Halloweek 2017 Returns with New Tricks and Treats for You to Celebrate in Richmond

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It’s that time of year again, time for everything creepy, crawly, ghouls and ghosts. And while you have busy rushing around trying to put together the finishing touches on your Pennywise or Stranger Things costume, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery & RVA Magazine have been busy preparing another week of great spooky fun for you to enjoy through this coming weekend with our annual Halloweek celebration.

This year, we have plenty of tricks and treats up our sleeve for this week-long celebration, which kicks off tomorrow Oct. 24, from various music events, costume contests, The 13th Annual Richmond Zombie Walk, The Halloween Parade and a slew of other happenings to give you all the chills and thrills you crave.

We are updating as we go, so check back and be sure to keep up on our Facebook page and keep up us on social media with the hashtag #Halloweek2017, but in the meantime, check out the rundown of Halloweek 2017 events below:

Tuesday, Oct 24th (Kickoff) : 

– Skate and Destroy Night at Hardywood 6pm to 9pm. THe kickoff to Halloweek!! Presented by the RASA – Richmond Area Skateboard Alliance, this event will be a mashup of skate videos, skate trivia, tunes by some local DJs and a raffle to benefit the Texas Beach skatepark!

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Wednesday, Oct 25th: 

– Candy Chemistry: Experiments and “Healthy” Treats at Ellwood Thompson’s (Kids & Adult Event) 4pm

– Salsa on the Roof at Kabana Rooftop 6pm -12

Thursday, Oct 26th: 

– Fall Finale Food Truck Court with Full Moon Fever! at Hardywood 5:30 – 9:30

– HalloWEEK in The Beet Ellwood Thompson’s Week of events starting Oct 26th. Movies, Brews, and Costume Contest!

Friday, Oct 27th:

– WKNDR & Man About a Horse at Hardywood 6-10pm

– Twisted Circus feat. Jack Novak at Kabana Rooftop 10 – 2am

Saturday, Oct 28th:


– Richmond Zombie Walk 1 PM – 4 PM. Benefiting the American Cancer Society. The 13th Annual Richmond Zombie Walk will take place on Saturday, October 28th. Pre-walk meet up/staging area location at 1pm will be held at Boat Lake at Byrd Park (on Boat Lake Drive) and the actual walk will begin on the sidewalk across the street from the Byrd Theatre (2901 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221) in Carytown immediately after at about 2:30p.  Please arrive in costume.

WHERE

//FOR ALL PARTICIPATING ZOMBIES:
There are 2 locations
1. 1:00 p.m. – Meet up spot/ Staging area – Boat Lake at Byrd Park (on Boat Lake Drive). This is where we can gather together to go over the rules, collect donations, give out prizes, and take lots and lots of photos.

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Plan your rides! This starting point is about 1 mile from the initial meet up spot at Boat Lake at Byrd Park.

2. 2:30-3:00 p.m. – Immediately after that, we’ll head on over to the starting point which is on the sidewalk across the street from the Byrd Theatre in Carytown (2901 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221)

We’ll walk down the same side of the street on Cary Street heading west, cross at Nansemond Street, and walk back down Cary street on the other side all the way down and end at the Byrd Theatre (2908 W Cary St. Richmond, VA 23221) FOR ALL OTHER HUMANS:
You can enjoy the shops in Carytown while waiting for the zombie horde to arrive. If you can’t be a zombie, be the food, right?

HOW MUCH
Our activities benefit The American Cancer Society. We won’t require anyone to make a donation, but if everyone can pitch in $5 each, it will be much appreciated.

CONTESTS
Here are the categories we’ll be judging. Prizes will be awarded at the pre-walk meet up.

– Most Disgusting

– Best Couple/Group Theme

– Best Pop Culture Theme (TV/Movie/Comic/Gaming)

– Best Zombie Kid

– 2017 Zombie of the Year (Best Overall)You can get all the creepy details here.

– Hoax Release at Hardywood 1 pm

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Saturday, starting at 1 pm, Hardywood releases its highly anticipated Hoax brew,  which is their base imperial milk stout, Cassowary, aged one year in traditional brandy barrels. Hoax is another behemoth of a beer joining its fellow crafty misfits, Trickery, Foolery & Ruse, yet remaining unbelievably smooth. Expect a super chewy milk stout with bold oak tannins and notes of grape jam, ripe plums, and dried dates. Quantities and bottle limits are TBD.  Spooky Cool, Blush Face, Angelica Garcia, & Private Cry will perform. Release Starts at 1pm – music, and bands 6 pm!!

– Alice in Wonderland Halloween Costume Contest at Society 8pm -2am Dance party

– Animal Presents: h-ALL-oween – 9pm – 3am, ANIMAL – RVA brings you a Halloween Party for eveyone! This is our GayRVA.com pic of the week!

Sunday, Oct 29th:

– Paint N’ Play RVA (Pumpkin Carving for Kids) at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery 12pm

– Washers & Horizontal Hold at Hardywood 3pm

–Silent Music Revival Presents creepy Segundo de Chomón (1907-1908) with live soundtrack by: Angelica Garcia at Gallery 5. 8 PM-9:30 PM. All ages. Donations appreciated. The event is presented in partnership with James River Film Society.

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Monday, Oct 30th: 

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– Hallobeer’s Tower of Power – The Answer Brewpub 9:30 – 1am.

HALLOBEER is back! The Answer Brewpub, RVA Magazine & Hardywood Park Craft Brewery present these year’s HALLOBEER! Join us for a special All Hallows eve RVA Appreciation Night with live music performed by our friends Mekong Xpress & The Get Fresh Horns. They’ll be doing a special Tower of Power set!!  Music starts around 9:30pm. *Costume Contest during set break, with special Andals and Brews all night.

Be on the lookout for another article on this delicious, spooky brew this week.

Tuesday 31st HALLOWEEN!:

– HalloWEEK in The Beet Costume Contest -7pm – 9pm

– Richmond 12th Annual Halloween Parade 2017 7pm – 10pm

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Richmond’s 12th Annual Halloween Parade presented by ALL THE SAINTS THEATER COMPANY is right around the corner!

Guys and gals and all non-binary conforming pals, join us in this all-inclusive Richmond tradition! Dress up in a costume, make your own giant puppets or flags, and/or volunteer to assist with our giant puppets, flags, props and more!

We are so excited to continue this yearly Richmond Halloween tradition! Join us as we take the streets in celebration of our 12th year with costumes, live music, dancing, creativity, puppetry, and camaraderie! 7pm sharp. The corner of Main St. and Laurel across from the usual Monroe Park meeting spot (near VCU Campus). A Funeral March for the Confederacy! We will celebrate the times and honor the dead. We will march with a massive skeleton horse and other Day of the Dead-style massive puppets! And it is our honor to host (all the way back from the dead) confederate used horses against the statues! Also, a huge animal contingent of “Animals Against Racist Humans” (A.A.R.H.).

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We will be introducing a brand new beautiful statue of Harriet Tubman, and also a large contingent of skeleton butterflies with Mother Earth who will present her massive monarch wings and devote her power to protecting DACA! Our stilters will be our Angel Messengers of the Manifesto of Tomorrow, our owning and denouncing of the truths of the past and our collective intention for a future that says sorry, and that devotes all actions to a future without racists and fascists, where we all stand together against an Imperial Presidency!

Other favorite puppets of the past will also be joining us and we hope you will too!

— FIND HALLOWEEK Events on Halloweekrva.com —

Thank you to our following sponsors: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Mekong Restaurant & Bar, Ellwood Thompson’s and The Answer Brewpub!!

RVA #29: Steam Bell expansion, Legend’s Portsmouth location, & Hardywood’s summer releases

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This article was featured in RVAMag #29: Summer 2017. You can read all of issue #29 here or pick it up at local shops around RVA right now.

Steam Bell Expanding

Last winter, I visited Steam Bell Beer Works in Chesterfield and spoke to head brewer and founder Brad Cooper about Steam Bell’s unique lineup of beers, and their desire to expand. Although the kind of expansion Cooper mentioned to me was one meant to increase the amount of beer that the brewery could produce in Chesterfield, the expansion currently being planned is of a different sort. Speaking to Brad and his sister/business partner Brittany Cooper recently, I learned that Steam Bell is branching out of Chesterfield and into the fan district of Richmond. Blackwood Development has been restoring the future brewery, Canon & Draw Brewing Company, site since 2011, a building near Baja Bean, Foo Dog, and Bellytimber, putting the new brewery right in the middle of what is a strip of already popular weekend drinking spots. The Coopers pointed out that there are no breweries that are actually in the Fan, and this spot will provide a walkable option for students and families in the area that want fresh craft beer. While Steam Bell’s Chesterfield location tends to produce farmhouse ales and malty beers like the Brindled Brown, the fan location will focus more on hop-forward beers and lagers, as the brewery hopes to meet more craft drinkers in the fan. This fan location will feature a completely different beer portfolio, as it’s intended to be hyper-local, a location built for the neighborhood; the Chesterfield location is meant to suit the tastes of that area’s beer drinkers. On-site consumption will be another emphasis of Steam Bell’s new spot, as the production space will be smaller at seven barrels (as opposed to the Chesterfield location’s ten barrel system), while the taproom will be bigger at 4,000 square feet. Live music and food trucks are parts of what makes Steam Bell a unique place in Chesterfield; the fan location is hoping to keep something similar going. Artists that have played Steam Bell in the past should show up at the fan location, along with new musical acts, and while food trucks wouldn’t exactly be a practical option for the fan location, the brewery is in talks with local restaurants about providing some food options. Steam Bell’s new location is set to open late summer or early fall 2017.

Legend’s Portsmouth Location

In early July, possibly as soon as the first of the month, Portsmouth’s first brewery will open: Legend Brewing Depot. Located on the south landing of the Waterside to Portsmouth taxi at One High Street, Legend’s new location will feature not only a great view of the Elizabeth River, but a full-service kitchen as well. The menu will feature pub fare similar to that of the Richmond location’s restaurant, with the addition of more seafood dishes, as befits a restaurant so close to the ocean. As for the beer, the brewery will be employing a small three barrel brewing system, which will be used to make beer exclusive to the depot. According to Legend Vice President of Operations Dave Gott, an oyster stout and a kölsch are among the planned Portsmouth brews, two styles that should go well with everyone’s favorite bivalve and other seafood. Due to the small size of the brewing system, the company decided not to hire a dedicated head brewer for the new location. Legend Richmond’s head brewer John Wampler will head up the brewing operation, and will be joined Smitty Jacocks and PJ Seay, also of Legend’s Richmond location. While the brewery is still several months away from being open, Gott says Portsmouth locals are already excited. Who knows — maybe Legend’s Portsmouth location will be as groundbreaking as the Richmond one, and inspire more breweries to open in the area.

Hardywood New Summer Releases

Hardywood has an exciting summer full of new releases ahead. In June, the brewery will release three new beers: a rye whiskey barrel-aged barleywine, a banana cream ale and an Irish chocolate stout. Barley in the Rye is Hardywood’s Barleywine aged in rye whiskey barrels for 18 months, adding plenty of spicy rye and hearty barrel character to the already formidable beer. The banana cream ale and Irish chocolate stout are collaborations with Florida brewery Funky Buddha, and while both beers will be great apart from one another, the breweries encourage mixing the two to create a chocolate-covered banana black and tan. June ninth sees the release of Andrea’s Ale and Bob’s Brew, Hardywood’s contributions to the Ales for ALS project. The two beers were inspired by two personal connections to the fight against ALS, for whom the beers are named. The following day, the brewery will put out another collaboration, this time with New Belgium: Savor X, a baltic porter brewed with cacao husks. The name comes from the fact that Hardywood was selected to brew the commemorative beer for the tenth annual Savor: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience in DC. A variant with coffee and coconut, Baltic Sunrise, will also appear on the tenth. On July 7th, Hardywood will put out a new twist on their Berliner Weisse, one dry-hopped with Mosaic hops, with passionfruit added. The light, tart wheat beer should benefit from the exotic aroma added by the Mosaic hops, and the sour, tropical flavor of passionfruit. July 29th is the debut of Cuvée Gold, a blend of multiple vintages of Vinalia Urbana, Hardywood’s Sauvignon Blanc barrel-aged Belgian-style golden ale. The resulting beer should be rich and complex, perfect for savoring on a late summer day.

RVA’s Stone Brewing releases first collaborative beer with Gov. McAuliffe, Hardywood & Ardent Craft Ales

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On Monday afternoon, Gov. Terry McAuliffe and brewers and founders from Ardent Craft Ales, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery and Stone Brewing Company raised a glass at Stone’s facility in celebration of the release of their first collaborative beer, Give Me Stout or Give Me Death.
[Read more…] about RVA’s Stone Brewing releases first collaborative beer with Gov. McAuliffe, Hardywood & Ardent Craft Ales

Tapped: A hot RVA week calls for cool RVA craft beers!

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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 heart’s desire.

It’s been a damn hot week, and nothing goes better with the summer heat than a cold, refreshing craft-beer, so let’s get to it. There’s plenty going on this week that will satisfy your thirst for a good beer.

The Annual Capital Ale House National Beer Expo is gearing up for its yearly event, starting this Wednesday, with many activities to attend before the big draw on Saturday.

The four-day event, running from July 13th-16th, will be overflowing with exhibits, seminars, food, brewery parties, and over 175 brews from local and national breweries for craft beer enthusiasts to try. Local and national brewery owners, brewmasters and representatives will be on site pouring beer and giving you the low down on their brews and breweries as you sample. There’s so much going on that you should check out their schedule here.

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery releases Virginia Blackberry, a Belgian wheat beer with a touch of rye and a huge amount of ripe blackberries, on Saturday. Tasting rooms open at 2pm.

Accompanying the release are local bands Dumb Waiter, Night Idea, Wandcarver and Grass Panther (who we covered in April), the tunes startat 5pm.

MoBoDillaz and Shamasuki will be there to serve tasty meals via food truck.

Today (Thursday), Strangeways Brewing will host Buck-A-Shuck $1 Oyster Night, with the Rappahanock Oyster Co. While you’re there, order one of Strangeways new releases, Wake Me Up Before Your Gose, or one of its spicy variants.

On Friday, Strangeways Brewing takes part in the Anthem LemonAid Challenge, a fundraiser for children with cancer. For the whole weekend, $1 of every 13 or 20 oz. Lemon Radler (or variant) will be donated to the Hematology/Oncologly Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, a worthy cause that deserves a drink. There will also be a Wheel of Winning for every guest to spin that offers its own rewards.

On Saturday, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery will release Coconut Delight in bottle form. The field beer Silver Medal winner at the 2016 World Beer Cup release comes in the form of a pirate party, and there will be a contest to determine the best dressed swashbuckler.

In addition, food trucks and live music will accompany the family-friendly party, and dogs are welcome. The event runs from noon to 9 pm.

Triple Crossing Brewing’s Blood Gulch DIPA is ready for release, and will be unleashed this Saturday. The second in the brewery’s Lockout series of DIPA, the Blood Gulch DIPA features citra and simcoe hops that give it a loud, hoppy flavor. The release party will last from noon to 10 pm.

Isley Brewing Company & Jet Trails Media are hosting the Bluegrass, Country & Western Jamboree on Saturday at the brewery. Opening at 12 pm rain or shine, the music kicks off at 3 pm, going through the night in the back alley. Local vendors will be on site to provide their goods, with a sandwich food truck out back to satiate any hungry patrons. It’s an all ages show, but you’ve got to be 21+ to drink.