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RVA On Tap: Stone Cold Brews & Fresh Releases

Caley Sturgill | February 19, 2020

Topics: bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, billsburg brewery, canon and draw brewing company, craft beer, craft beer richmond va, el segundo brewing company, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, Fine Creek Brewing Company, garden grove, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Isley Brewing Company, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, The Veil, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, triple crossing, Triple Crossing Beer, Väsen

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, the local beer family honors Dave Baum of Billsburg Brewery — another beloved community member lost too soon. In recent beer news, The Veil Brewing Co. hosts Stout Mania, Stone Cold Steve Austin’s collaboration with El Segundo Brewing Company hits Virginia at last, and Hardywood drops their Pit Pit Hooray IPA next weekend.

Don’t miss a multi-release at Triple Crossing Beer, Black Cherry hard seltzers at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery’s 5th Anniversary party, and new releases with Isley Brewing Company, Intermission Beer Company, Fine Creek Brewing Company, and ice cream brews at Canon & Draw Brewing Company, among more.

Remembering Dave Baum, Founder of Billsburg Brewery

Before we kick off this week’s news from Richmond, we want to take a moment to honor the memory of Billsburg Brewery’s Dave Baum. This has been an extremely hard year for Virginia craft brewers in terms of grieving, and it’s only more heartbreaking to hear of another beloved member of the beer family’s loss.

Dave Baum, founder of Williamsburg’s Billsburg Brewery, passed on last week — and left an open place in hearts across the Commonwealth who knew him. We wanted to share this beautiful note from Billsburg in an ode to Dave:

“Dave and his family opened Billsburg Brewery in October 2017, but his dream began in 2008 with a passion for home-brewing. He brewed beer for friends, special occasions, weddings, and just for fun, but the most special part for him was the presence of friends who showed up on “brew days” to help and would spend an entire day with Dave. He not only loved to brew, he loved teaching others about craft beer and the process.

Originally, Dave’s vision for the brewery was to have a place where people could enjoy craft beer in a family- and pet-friendly environment, a “destination brewery,” as he called it, where people could come not just to drink beer, but to linger and enjoy the events and people at the marina. However, once the brewery opened, the dream grew into a platform for community activism, and Baum quickly became an advocate for non-profits and social awareness. He considered the brewery his legacy for his family, but this evolved into a community wide legacy of kindness and philanthropy. He worked tirelessly to raise funds and awareness for various local organizations through brewery events and collaborations.

Dave was only 46 years old. His family, friends, and patrons will never get to see the many other accomplishments and new adventures he had brewing, but his wish would be that others would be inspired that he took a chance on his dream and made it so much more than he ever thought possible.”

Our hearts go out to Dave’s family and his beer family at Billsburg. After Richmond’s loss of Mike Brandt at Garden Grove and Quy Pham at The Answer, we are all-too-familiar with this feeling this year — and we want our readers in Williamsburg to know we’re on your side during these hard times. Keep brewing on in life, friends.

Stout Mania at The Veil Brewing Co.

As we start into news around town this week, we’ll kick off events with The Veil’s Stout Mania coming up this Friday.

The brewery will be releasing several of their Imperial Stouts from the cellar, benefitting Richmond’s Hang Space, who are working through building relief at their location after a flood and water damage. To support this local business, make your way to The Veil this weekend and be a part of the proceeds in Stout Mania.

The Veil is also hosting their weekly can release, with great new brews like Culminate, No More Flowers, Mindzooms, Premium Sauce, and Petalz Orangeberry, along with the Intergalactic Tacos food truck. Per the usual calendar, releases went down last night in Richmond and will start tonight for our Norfolk folks.

Stone Cold Steve Austin’s beer hits Virginia

Here’s one you don’t see too often: Stone Cold Steve Austin himself, of the WWE, has partnered up with El Segundo Brewing Company out of San Diego to create a beer honoring the famous wrestler. Broken Skull IPA is finally making its way east this month, hitting Virginia in late February.

*PHOTO: Stone Cold Steve Austin on Instagram*

The IPA is expanding into brand-new states in 16oz four packs, along with El Segundo’s Mayberry IPA. This badass 6.7% ABV brew was designed by Stone Cold himself with the brewery, made especially for the working man and woman. It was brewed with Citra, Cascade, and Chinook hops for bold tastes with an easy-drinking texture, and as Stone Cold says, “Now stop reading and start enjoying this awesome beer! Cheers!”

Pit Pit Hooray can release at Hardywood

Something fresh is hitting Hardywood Park Craft Brewery for #FreshCanFriday next week, and we can’t wait to get a taste of it.

Pit Pit Hooray got its name from being so delicious it’ll “make you want to cheer.” We can’t argue with that logic, because this 7.5% ABV IPA is packed with some seriously-good flavors. Apricot puree comes together with Azacca hops to make this new take on a classic New England IPA extra bright and juicy, and according to its brewers, it’s soft in mouthfeel but full-bodied.

For the release, Hardywood’s hosting an Album Release Show with Kyle Davis, along with John Small, Johnny Hott, Bill Grishaw, and Trey Batts. Head out to the downtown location next Friday for great tunes and great beer, and let us know whether Pit Pit Hooray is the freshest favorite for you.

Multi-release at Triple Crossing Beer

This Friday also brings a great new set of beers to Triple Crossing Beer out in Fulton. Illuminati Confirmed kicks off our news at Triple Crossing this week, a Double IPA that brings Citra and Mosaic into its recipe from Hidden Meanings. With flavors like tropical citrus orange, grapefruit rind, and melon-like kiwi, this 8% ABV brew brings a new combination to the brewery. According to Triple Crossing, this one was inspired when they realized they hadn’t paired the “heavy hitters of the new school hops” together — and also alone — yet.

Clever Girl is an old beloved favorite returning to the brewery this Friday, and it comes along with Pathway Pils. This new variation of their mainstay Pilsner was created with 100 percent German Pils malt, and at 5% ABV, it’s an easy drinker for a classic recipe. Triple Crossing says they pulled this one together with a yeast strain they’ve become fond of in brewing, with a propensity to “layer in a floral, almost lavender-like fermentation character” on top of its lemon, hay, sweet honey straw, and dry, zesty flavors.

Black Cherry Hard Seltzer at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House

The photo above doesn’t directly correlate with the latest release at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House… but how could we not? This guy is named Boone, and he’s an adorable representation of the love for dogs in craft brewing. As much as I love a good beer, I’ve gotta say, the best part of hanging out at a brewery for me is definitely petting the dogs. That’s especially because mine — despite my best efforts — has no manners in public. So folks, keep bringing your pups out! I will be here to pet them. I promise.

All that said, the new Black Cherry Hard Seltzer at Three Notch’d is a dream and a half. Bringing the White Claw vibes into craft breweries is something we can definitely get behind, because it gives us some options for lighter drinks while still going to our favorite spots and supporting local brewing.

Fresh Brews at Isley Brewing Company

Our pals at Isley Brewing Company are offering some brand-new mixed four packs. If you’ve ever been to a brewery and couldn’t decide what you want, these are definitely for you: I know I can spend a solid ten minutes at the register to order every single time. There’s too many good things! How can we be expected to pick just one?

Thankfully, we won’t have to at Isley. If a Berliner Weisse is up your alley, head over for a sample of their latest combinations. The new four packs bring together their classic Berliner Weisse with variations like Strawberry Shortcake, Mixed Berry Pie, and Coconut Cream Pie. That last one really seals the deal for me, but there’s a flavor here for everyone.

*PHOTO: Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery*

Garden Grove 5th Anniversary

Happy birthday, Garden Grove! Our favorite Carytown brewery just celebrated their 5th anniversary on February 15, and they’re throwing a 5th Year Anniversary bash coming up on Monday.

Grab your tickets here for the event, which continues their ongoing Taproom Dinner Series with Alewife’s Chef Lee Gregory this month. With your ticket, you’ll get five courses of “mouth-watering cuisine” matched with five of Garden Grove’s beers, wines, ciders, and honey wines. And an extra note from Garden Grove — these events usually sell out, so you’ll want to grab tickets in advance if you plan to attend.

Work Spouse IPA at Intermission Beer Company

This Saturday, head out to Intermission Beer Company for a taste of their brand-new West Coast Style IPA. This gluten-reduced brew is perfect for folks with Celiac and for folks minding their diets, so it’s a no-guilt recipe for all the craft beer enthusiasts who need something lighter.

Work Spouse is a 7.1% ABV beer that brings out the citrus along with resinous hop notes. With a bit of malty sweetness to balance it all out, this IPA is a classic combination with some fresh flavors.

Wild Saison with Service Berries collab at Fine Creek Brewing Co.

Out at Fine Creek Brewing Co., the brewers recently collaborated with Fullsteam Brewery for a brand new Wild Saison with Service Berries beer. With light, fruity notes, this recipe is both balanced and complex for a perfect middle.

Along with Wild Saison with Service Berries, Fine Creek is hosting a Belgian Beer Day & Bottle Release this Saturday for their Avec Frère series. Adding in their Tractor Juice Belgian DIPA, they’re dropping the 5 Belgian Single, 7 Belgian Dubbel, 9 Belgian Tripel, and 11 Belgian Quad brews for the event.

According to Fine Creek, they decided to set the day up after lots of great feedback from each individual recipe — so they put them all together to let visitors taste them side-by-side. It’ll be a great opportunity to pick your favorite, because in our experience, every fresh taste of a recipe usually brings a “This is my new favorite!” to the table.

Carver Imperial Milk Stout at Richbrau Brewing Co.

Richbrau Brewing Co. is bringing out a brand-new brew tomorrow night. Carver Imperial Milk Stout hits in at 10% ABV, and it’s the latest in their series inspired by the different neighborhoods of Richmond.

With cacao nibs and Ugandan vanilla beans, the chocolate and vanilla flavors are strong in this one for a perfect dessert stout. They’ll also be hosting live music tomorrow night starting at 7, so your Thursday night will bring a little extra fun to this week.

Paid in Full can release at Kindred Spirit Brewing

The latest release at Kindred Spirit Brewing brings back a fan favorite to the Goochland brewery. Brewed with Centennial, Eukanot, and Simcoe hops, Paid in Full upped the hops with a dry-hop process in Simcoe and Citra.

If you’re looking for some fun this weekend, Friday is going to be packed with great events. After you head over to Hardywood, make sure to check out Kindred Spirit for a great night of food trucks and music with Third Rail and Saint Square.

The Velvet Walrus on Raspberry release at Väsen Brewing Company

If you’re still feeling the love from Valentine’s Day, Väsen Brewing Company has something for you this week to keep it going. The Velvet Walrus on Raspberry just came out over the weekend for the holiday, and it’s a great final ode to winter before we welcome the warmer days of spring.

With dark chocolate and brown sugar flavors, this new variation adds hundreds of pounds of raspberry for a big, rich feel in this milk stout. It’s velvety smooth, according to its brewers, and it’s packed with the best of the fruity and sweet for a full Valentine’s inspiration.

Spumoni Stout at Canon & Draw Brewing Company

Another great Valentine’s release that came over the weekend is Canon & Draw’s Spumoni Stout. This one was brewed as a collaboration with Richmond’s Scoop RVA over on Strawberry Street in the Fan, and it’s all the ice cream dreams you could want in a beer.

This stout returned to Canon & Draw on the holiday, with Scoop RVA at the brewery to make ice cream beer floats on-deck. If you missed it last week, have no fears — this one’s available in 16oz four packs to-go, so you can still grab a set for yourself and pick your favorite flavors at home to make your own. Isn’t that sweet?

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: Pine Brews & Apple Brandy Hot Toddy Collabs

Caley Sturgill | January 22, 2020

Topics: bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, craft beer, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, final gravity brewing, Fine Creek Brewing Company, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer

This week, The Veil Brewing Co. drops a seven-beer multi-release with several collabs from brewers around the country. Pine is in the air with new recipes at Hardywood and Fine Creek Brewing Company, and another multi-release starts the year off right at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery. Don’t miss Double IPAs and Milk Stouts at Final Gravity Brewing Co., Intermission Beer Company, and Triple Crossing Beer, plus an Apple Brandy Hot Toddy brew at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House.

The Veil Brewing Co. multiple release

The Veil Brewing Co. is back with another big release this week, and it brought us seven new varieties both on tap and returning in bottles. Cognac Circle of Wolves (pictured above) kicks it off for us, and the English-style Barleywine came out in bottles after aging in French Cognac barrels for two years. It has a high 14% ABV, so this one’s not for the lighthearted — but with raisins soaked in cognac, fine amaro, hard caramel candy, and chocolate-covered fig flavors, it’ll be very worth it to all those who can take its higher alcohol percentage.

Buggie Nuggie came out for the first time, as a brand-new West Coast DIPA. This one came together with Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Enigma hops in its brewing process, with Monkish Brewing as a collab beer. You’ll find tropical juicy hops, subtle bitterness, and a pine-flavored finish in this 8% ABV brew.

Never Never Goaway Goaway also made its debut. This Gose pours thick with its double açaí, double blackberry, and double passionfruit additions, and the 5% ABV recipe “tastes like you’re on a tropical oasis” eating a frozen smoothie bowl, according to its brewers.

Petalz Raspberry came out as a collab with Jester King Brewery, and it’s another Mixed Fermie™ variation from The Veil. It was first brewed two years ago this month, and the 5% ABV recipe brings Texas raw wheat, Virginia corn grits, spelt, and aged whole leaf hops into the mix. The Petalz series has a few different variations now, and the brewers report that this one is full of the same drinkability and balance of its other versions, but with a bit more tartness.

Open Up and Love Again: Peach + Plum came out in bottles after its original release in August of 2018, so if you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to have this one again, it’s here! Peach and plum are delicious flavors together, and this Mixed Fermie™ is no exception. It was a collab between The Veil and American Solera, Cloudwater Brewing, Monkish Brewing, and TRVE Brewing. It’s another lighter, easy-drinking recipe at 5% ABV.

Strange Strange & Eternal Eternal released in cans, and it’s extra-sweet with flavors like fruit snacks, gushers, and pineapple in the “unique, cool, soft crusher.” The double dry-hopped IPA was brewed with Citra, Mosaic, Motueka, and Simcoe hops for a perfectly-balanced sweet IPA taste.

Melancholia closes out our new releases at The Veil this week. This one is a bit different from the others, as the farmhouse Saison keeps things crisp. Described as “stainless” by its brewers (with a metal-forward can to match), it came back in cans last night with farmhouse phenolics, rye, and spelt grist at 6% ABV.

Sippin on Pine, Not Juice can release at Hardywood

Coming up for this #FreshCanFriday at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, the tastes of winter are in full swing.

As the colors of the season continue to fade and we’re seeing more pale skies, this time of year makes the deep green of pine trees stand out more than ever — and with forest green as my favorite color, I’m all about it. The crisp, earthy scent makes you want to wrap up by a fire, and its flavors are coming out strong in Hardywood’s latest release.

Sippin’ on Pine, Not Juice is fresh in cans this week, and the 6% ABV IPA is full-bodied. It comes with a dry, bitter finish to complement its light copper color, and as it was inspired by classic West Coast IPAs, this one is “all about the hops.” If you’re planning to swing by for a taste, you can come hungry and ready for its perfect pairing with River City Wood Fire Pizza.

Winter Pine IPA at Fine Creek Brewing Company

Another pine-forward brew came out this week with Fine Creek Brewing Company’s Winter Pine IPA. Of this recipe, Fine Creek said there’s something about the smell of fresh pine needles that “evokes a sense of crisp winter days and long, cold nights” — and I couldn’t agree more. It brings out the best feelings from the flavor, and this brew came together with Riverbend Malt House Appalachian wheat, along with Virginia & Loblolly pine tips.

At 7% ABV, Winter Pine IPA has a citrus character that pairs with fruity hops for an earthy taste. It finishes with herbal and resiny notes, and it’s available now at Fine Creek to grab a glass of your own.

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

First Release of 2020 at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery

Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery is ringing in the new year with three new beers on tap, and they’re kicking it off with the latest from their Juicy IPA series. Each brew from the series has been beloved by its drinkers so far, and the new Juicy #18 Something Chill will go great with the rest of the group.

They’ve also got Fresh Nuclear Nugget and Maidens Blonde Ale ready to start 2020 off right, so if you’re looking for a reason to get out of the city, head out to their beautiful Goochland farm and find your new favorite.

Star Castle Hazy Double IPA at Final Gravity Brewing Co.

Fresh at Final Gravity Brewing Co. this week is the Star Castle Hazy Double IPA. This one was crafted with Nelson Sauvin and Citra hops, and we’ve been pleasantly surprised at the amount of Nelson Sauvin hop brews we’ve seen so far in the new year. Star Castle infuses grape and tropical flavors to sweeten up these cold winter days, and “pushes the boundaries of fruitiness,” according to its brewers.

Conjured Darkness at Intermission Beer Company

A brand-new milk stout is headed to Intermission Beer Company this Saturday with Conjured Darkness, a Shakespeare-inspired beer with some history to go along with it. Intermission reminds us that while Shakespeare’s plays were debuted in outdoor theaters during the day, they were set to take place at night: so the playwright got creative by using speech and action to give the audience feelings of darkness as the plays went on. Conjured Darkness gets its name from that method, conjuring up a darkness of its own in a rich milk stout that still hits in at a lighter 6.4% ABV. With roasted malts and chocolate, milk sugar, and light hops, this recipe is “dark, decadent, and creamy.”

Double release at Triple Crossing

A double release just went down at Triple Crossing Beer in Fulton over the weekend. For a fresh recipe from one of our local favorites, head out to Triple Crossing and get a taste of Dawn Chorus: an 8% ABV Double IPA packed with bright fruits for a citrus, melon, pineapple, and dank undercurrent taste. With its Citra, Vic Secret, and Galaxy hops, Triple Crossing says this recipe keeps with their signature super-soft Double IPA body and feel.

Next up from Triple Crossing was The Grid. Another 8% ABV brew, Triple Crossing brought two of their favorite hops together once again with Mosaic and Falconer’s Flight. The Grid results in bold flavors with sticky mango, passionfruit, apricot, and candied orange slices that come together for a hop-forward fermentation profile.

Apple Brandy Hot Toddy Ale release at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House

This Thursday, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is dropping the perfect warmer for a cold winter night with their new Apple Brandy Hot Toddy. The special release was a collaboration between Three Notch’d and the URSPCS Beer Brewer program with the University of Richmond, a professional brewing certificate course that works with local breweries. The students behind this brew will be in attendance for its release, and many more drinkers outside the program will want a taste of this Amber Ale brewed with honey and lemon, along with its aging process in apple brandy barrels.

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: A New Year Of Brewing In Richmond

Caley Sturgill | January 1, 2020

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Canon And Draw, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, fine creek, happy hour richmond va, Intermission Beer Company, Lickinghole Creek, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, Stone Brewing-Richmond, The Veil Brewing, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, vasen brewing

Welcome to a new year, folks — this week, kick off 2020 right with New Year’s Day brunch at Ardent Craft Ales and 2019 Trivia at Intermission Beer Company. We’ll go through the year’s best at Stone Brewing Richmond, a delicious multi-release with smoothie ales at The Veil Brewing Co., plus some summer-themed brews at Väsen Brewing Company, Canon & Draw Brewing Company, and Steam Bell Beer Works for those of you who can’t wait for spring to come — plus events at Lickinghole Creek and Fine Creek Brewing Company’s latest West Coast IPA. Drink up, Richmond!

2019 Trivia at Intermission Beer Company

While I don’t usually kick off the column with events that happen on the regular, this one feels appropriate: Intermission Beer Company’s 2019 Year In Review Trivia Night. How well you remember the events of this year may depend on how much craft beer you ingested during it (hangovers and lost memory is not for me, folks, so here’s that reminder to take it easy this year), but my bets are on that most of you will do pretty darn well with these questions.

If you have a particularly good memory, there might even be some prizes waiting for you — so grab your favorite group of friends, and start the year off right with the biggest memories from 2019. You’ll want to register in advance, as it could sell out, and be aware that teams can only hold up to four members. Make sure to grab a ticket for each team member, and don’t worry about the fee: as long as you get $6 in beer, snacks, or merch, your ticket balance applies to the goods.

2019’s Favorite Brews at Stone

As we coast gladly into the new year, Stone Brewing Richmond wants to remind us of a few 2019 favorites to ring in 2020 with the best. Tropic of Thunder Lager (pictured above) is one of the special brews that made it to the top of their annual list, and this one combines both the reliable and the experimental flavors. Tropic of Thunder was created with Mosaic and Citra hops, along with the brewery’s new additions of Cashmere hops to bring some fresh flavors into the mix. It’s packed with fruit, both citrus-ey and tropical, and has a bit of a bitter taste to balance out its sweeter flavors.

They also featured the “OG favorite” — and the one that many of us were first introduced to the brewery with — Arrogant Bastard Ale. This classic Stone Brewing recipe has been around for the subtle beginnings up through the major rise for the now-international brewery, and it has continuously passed the test of time by remaining well-loved in many of our households (including mine — with fond Christmas memories from years ago, when my aunt brought a case to the family get-together, and I successfully resisted the strongest temptations to pass one to the resident Arrogant Bastard in attendance). This delicious ale has reveled in its “unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity,” according to the brewers, and they couldn’t be more right. For those who enjoy it with us, we’re glad to have you in the Arrogant Bastard club, and we’ll expect to keep you in it for years to come. Stone has been bringing out more of their best brews each day leading up to the New Year, so check out more info here to see if your favorite made the list.

Weekly Multi-Release at The Veil

Another tasty multi-release came to The Veil Brewing Co. last night, and this one starts with the tastiest of all: the Crazee Berry Mega Tastee Tastee Imperial smoothie-style Sour Ale (pictured above). The Veil has become pretty famous for their Tastee series of smoothie beers over the last year, and this is the perfect recipe to start 2020 with. Crazee Berry Mega Tastee Tastee is truly the mega of Tastees, brewed with milk sugar for a thick, sweet smoothie consistency. At 8% ABV, you’ll get your buck’s worth with a glass of this one, and enjoy the blend of blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and boysenberry purée in its body.

The Veil also released Petalz Blonde in a bottle release last night from their collab brew with Jester King Brewery last January, so if you kicked off 2019 with a glass of it, here’s your chance for a throwback in 2020. Petalz Blonde is a Mixed Fermie, as The Veil calls it, made with Texas raw wheat, Virginia corn grits, spelt, and aged whole-leaf hops. While it’s filled with fruity flavors, you won’t find the bright tropical notes of some of the other brews — this one is on the earthier side, with apricot and peach to bring this Farmhouse Ale together.

Adding to their releases, PRBLMS came out in cans last night, and at 11% ABV, this brew could either solve yours or cause some new ones (depending how many you enjoy in one night). This Triple IPA was brewed with Citra, Enigma, Mosaic, Kohatu, and Vic Secret hops in a complex combination that comes together perfectly. Last but not least from their releases last night is IdontwantoBU³, a lower 6.9% ABV recipe that leans fully away from the bitter side of things at zero IBU. Citra and Mosaic made this triple dry-hopped IPA, and its simplicity is just right.

New Year’s Day Brunch at Ardent

If you’re looking for something to do today now that New Year’s Eve has passed and the hunger of the morning sets in, Ardent Craft Ales has just the answer: their New Year’s Day brunch today from 12-6pm. Seoul 2 Soul is at the brewery today with Korean and soul food fusion, and they’ll be there all day in case you want “breakfast” if you sleep in until 3pm. With a full menu of chicken & waffles, kimchi pancakes, hash browns, bibimbap, collard greens, eggs, and more, they’re fully prepared to start your year off right — whether that be a healthy beginning or just nursing a hangover. Cheers!

Double Berry Sour at Väsen Brewing Company

Our pals at Väsen Brewing Company dropped their Double Berry Sour over the weekend, and this is one you won’t want to miss. Brewed to bring out the best summer flavors to “carry you through the Richmond winter,” Double Berry Sour is packed with raspberry, redcurrant, cranberry notes, and hibiscus petals for an earthiness along with more floral aromas. This deep-colored brew pours in a full red with a white head, and it came out just before Wanderlust 11. On the other side of the flavor spectrum, Wanderlust 11 is a Belgian Pale Ale that came out in collaboration from the James River Homebrew Club Dominion Cup, and it was brewed with Vojvodina and Glacier hops. Citra Saison also made its way to the taps last weekend, and alongside Wanderlust 11 and the Double Berry Sour, it pours bright with a crisp, citrus-forward taste.

Corrosive Haze at Canon & Draw

The further we get into this week’s column, the more apparent it is that a lot of our local brewers are seriously missing summer — and as much as I love the cold, I really can’t blame them. When it’s summertime in the River City, there’s no shortage of things to do, and there’s nothing like sunny days on the patio of your favorite spot with your best friends, or days at the James with a few tropical brews. Those days aren’t too far off now, so stay patient, folks, and let me enjoy the rest of my chilly season while it lasts.

The folks at Canon & Draw Brewing Company can hold you over with their latest Corrosive Haze, a fruited Sour IPA. This one’s packed full with pineapple and mango flavors, and Canon & Draw says this “tropical fruit bomb” will help you forget it’s winter.

Origin of Birds Release at Fine Creek

The last weekend of 2019 brought a new release at Fine Creek Brewing Company, the Origin of Birds West Coast IPA. At an easy-drinking 6.7% ABV, this brew sits right in the middle for many preferences and combines Falconer’s Flight hops with Simcoe, Mosaic, and Citra. It’s lower on the IBU than many other West Coast IPAs, according to Fine Creek, and it brings out a great dry body to complement its tropical, floral, and lemon grapefruit flavors. Be on the lookout for some great events at Fine Creek that we’ll feature in the coming weeks, and in the meantime, keep up with them to plan out your first afternoons at the farm of the New Year.

Glaring DIPA at Steam Bell Beer Works

The weekend brought a fresh release to Steam Bell Beer Works, with their brand-new Glaring DIPA. This Double IPA is the freshest available, according to its brewers, and it came together with the classic Citra and Mosaic hops that make for a perfect IPA taste. They also put in some additions of Meridian hops to make its tropical tastes burst, and with passion fruit, sweet berry, and stone fruit, it’s both bright and full in flavor.

One Culture Solo Live at Lickinghole Creek

Beach music in January? You bet. If you’re looking for a break from the wintertime blues, head out to Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery this Saturday for Virginia Beach’s One Culture playing at the farm. The music brings out a beachy mix of reggae, progressive roots, dub, and rock — so for those of you who are feeling cooped up in the city, here’s your ticket to an afternoon in the country that combines the best of Lickinghole Creek’s beer with sounds from Virginia’s oceanside. Winter is about halfway over, and we’re getting closer to warmer days with the start of the year (a bummer for me, but good news for many of you), so get a taste of it while you can. You’ll also get tastes of the farm’s best craft beer along with eats from the Firesides Food Truck, and don’t forget to bring the kids and the pups along for the all-ages event.

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: Ugly Sweaters & Gingerbread Holiday Brews

Caley Sturgill | December 4, 2019

Topics: ardent, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Center of the Universe, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, Final Gravity, garden grove, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Lickinghole Creek, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Strangeways Brewing, The Answer, The Veil, things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Väsen

This week, we’re honoring the life of Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery’s Co-Owner, Michael Brandt, and sending our love to their team from all of our Richmond beer family.

We’re also diving into the beginning of holiday events this week, with beer releases from The Answer Brewpub, Hardywood, Center of the Universe, and more, in addition to Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery’s ugly sweater party. The winter beers are in full swing with favorites like Ardent Craft Ales, Väsen Brewing Company, Final Gravity Brewing Co., The Veil Brewing Co., and Intermission Beer Company — plus an 80s throwback party with Strangeways Brewing.

The next Booze Clues live podcast is going down this coming Sunday as well, investigating the how and why of the world’s most “spirited” headlines over at The Hof at 5pm. If you want to make it out for the live recording, this podcast is a blast to listen to — and this is an extra-special Xmas Edition. You can check out their last podcast here, and we’ll see you Sunday for the show!

Before we jump in for the week, we want to take a moment to honor the life of Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery’s Co-Owner, Brewer, and Winemaker, Michael Brandt, who passed suddenly last week. The folks at Garden Grove are a wonderful group of people, and we’re devastated for their loss and the loss of this great brewer who was so dear to our craft beer community. They’ve asked for privacy during this time, and we’re sending all our love to their team as they take their next steps forward. We love you, Garden Grove, and we are so heartbroken for your loss. We wish you all sincerely the best from your beer family here at the magazine.

In holiday event news, it’s time for an ugly sweater party on the farm at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery. Over the years, ugly Christmas sweater parties have really taken off. I’d speculate it’s from my grandparents’ generation of boomers happily doting themselves in bells, battery-powered lights, cotton balls, and the like, but this weird tradition probably goes back a lot further than my 25-year-old mind would know. Either way, it’s here to stay — so why not celebrate it?

My family all got together for a home-staged photoshoot in our (poorly) handmade sweaters back in high school, set appropriately in the “formal living room” of my grandmother’s house, where no one is allowed to carry a cup of water over the plush, white-carpeted floors. Wine might get you disowned entirely. The entire house is still perfectly intact from when it was built and decorated in 1972, complete with velvet jungle-themed wallpaper, a life-sized painting of a lion in the den, and wood paneled walls to compliment an oversized Christmas tree.

The tree room overlooks the mountains from the top of the hill in my quaint Roanoke town, in a house that looks like a 70s mountain cabin dream where my cousins and I were raised for many, many years with the love of our sweet grandmother. Holiday sweaters will forever take me back to that day, and to the endless days spent on that hillside that I’d give anything to see every day again. There’s no place like home, y’all. So, in the spirit of the holidays, it’s time to get your family traditions out now, too.

The fine folks at Lickinghole Creek have invited us to join their farm’s family this Saturday for their tacky sweater party, with a contest to bring it all together at 5pm. My sweater is long buried (and probably donated to Goodwill by now), but if you’ve got yours packed away, bring them out for the occasion and enjoy Twelfth Night three-pack deals on brews, and live music with Tribus through the evening.

While we were gone for the holiday break, tons of great events and beers came along that we previewed in our Thanksgiving Holiday edition of RVA On Tap. A few more gems were released as well, like The Answer Brewpub’s sixtel of Incognito Browser, pictured above. This one brings in all the deep, rich tastes of classic winter brews with flavors like Creme Brulee coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, and my personal favorite, maple. This one’s a limited edition, so make sure to grab a glass while the pours still last — it won’t be back after it’s gone!

The Answer also dropped two more beers on Black Friday, starting with Hairy Coconuts (what a fantastic name). This 10.5% ABV Imperial Stout is dessert in a can, with Oreo cookies and toasted coconut flavors to bring the chocolate in even after the Thanksgiving sweets leftovers are all gone. Black Doom closed out their releases last week, in a perfect combination of activated charcoal and bright citrus to make this DIPA pour completely black. It’s deceivingly light, according to its brewers, and you can catch these tropical tastes at the brewery this week.

Every year, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery drops some special new variations of their famous Gingerbread Stout, and this year’s no different. If you’re looking for a taste of something new with that classic beloved taste, head over to the brewery this Saturday for the release of their new Triple Barrel GBS and Gingerbread Porter.

The Triple Barrel GBS is not for the faint of heart, as this 13.5% ABV brew comes to us from 11 months in brandy barrels, plus four additional months split between Caribbean rum barrels and A. Smith Bowman bourbon barrels. All together, that means it’s a hard hitter, and you’ll likely only need one (and on a holiday budget, that’s music to our ears!) to get that warm, fuzzy GBS feeling inside.

Gingerbread Porter, on the other hand, brings out a whole new recipe, as a 9.2% ABV Imperial Porter that was brewed with local white ginger and wildflower honey. As a bonus, it’s lactose-free, so it’s an easy drinker for those with a restricted diet.

In more news at Hardywood, the brewery recently started a new video series called Dads on Beer. Their latest video features Hardywood’s Hank and Skip breaking down the Kentucky Christmas Morning GBS beer, which, if you remember from a couple weeks back, is a variation of their Christmas-spiced recipe with Kentucky’s own Heaven Hills Bourbon. It’s a really fun series, so keep your eyes peeled for more on the horizon.

It’s back! The Jesus Mexican Hot Chocolate Imperial Stout has returned to Center of the Universe Brewing in Ashland, and this is one you surely won’t want to miss. The crowd favorite marries the sweet to the spicy, with cayenne peppers, cinnamon, and a dash of vanilla bringing this Mexican Hot Chocolate to life in a brew.

The divine libation is perfect for “polishing balls and talking smack before the semis,” according to Center of the Universe, and they say this is a “no bush league, psych-out brew, because nobody………. with The Jesus!”

The 11.4% ABV stout is in a good middle range of alcohol content for stouts, and it’s packed with chocolate, ganache, and holiday spices to complement its Belgian Dark Candi syrup, cinnamon, and habanero pepper. It’s meant to warm its drinkers with the heat from its peppers, and glide over the tongue “like silk” in its deliciously spicy finish. You can grab a glass of your own at Center of the Universe this Saturday at its release party, with the Freekin’ Rican Puerto Rican food truck and live music to accompany it.

Black Friday Maple Dark Rye is fresh at Ardent Craft Ales, and this series of brews is full of great variations. Maple is the latest flavor in their releases, as a new recipe derived from their Dark Rye Imperial Stout. You’ll catch flavors of barrel-aged maple syrup along with vanilla and toffee in this one, and the 11.8% ABV brew comes from their year-long maple syrup barrel-aged classic with a roasted rye base.

Next up at Ardent is their Winter American Sour Ale, which you can catch a taste of tomorrow night at the brewery. This brew features a blend of wine barrel flavors in a “funky, farmhouse saison” that was aged for nine months in both red and white wine barrels (so if you love both tastes, you won’t have to pick). According to its brewers, Winter American Sour Ale is a complex beer with restrained acidity, and it hits in at 7% ABV with 36 IBU.

Väsen Brewing Company brought out a couple new releases recently, starting with Norse Double IPA. It’s my favorite type of beer (as you all probably know by now), and this double-dry-hopped DIPA came together with Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo hops. These are great drinkers for any season of the year, but on these colder nights, this specific beer’s fruit flavors of grapefruit, tangerine, and pine are a refreshing blend of summer and winter.

Apricot Sour also made its debut over the weekend, with hundreds of pounds of apricot to ensure it doesn’t miss an inch of flavor. The Black Friday brew helped us hide away from the craziness of post-Thanksgiving shopping, and it’s here still to get you through the rest of the holiday season. According to its brewers, Apricot Sour is a bright, funky sour, and it’s packed with strawberry, tangerine, and subtle floral notes along with its brown sugar additions.

Another delicious DIPA is here with Final Gravity Brewing Co.’s My Shangri-La, the product of dry-hopped Citra and Cashmere hops. This Hazy DIPA is definitely on my list this week, and along with it, Final Gravity also has more new flavors on tap. Ancient Mariner Gose is out in Pomegranate and Pineapple Passionfruit, which means our brewery friends are missing the flavors of summer a bit like we are. It may be the best time of year for food, but while we’re not short on great beer releases lately, it’s refreshing to see these evergreen flavors still coming out fresh.

Last week, Stone Brewing Richmond celebrated the nice November weather with their Stone Winter Harvest Triple. In addition to having their collab Stone Saison Du Buff with Dogfish Head and Victory Brewing Company out for tastes, they tapped this keg to bring out the wine-infused recipe. Winter Harvest Triple was barrel-aged in white wine barrels after being brewed with red wine grapes from South Coast Winery, plus four strains of Brettanomyces yeast. It’s “dangerously drinkable,” according to its brewers, at 10.7% ABV — so make sure to sip slowly on this one when you swing by the brewery for a glass of your own.

Canon & Draw Brewing Company brought out the Thanksgiving goodness with their Stroopwafels over the weekend. This Just A Small Piece Sweet Potato Pie Milk Stout, a classic holiday-flavored brew, was infused into waffles with the folks at Campus Waffle RVA.

The finished product is a delicious combination of cakey desserts and stout beer, all wrapped up into pumpkin spice Stroopwafels to bring the local drinkers and foodies together in the perfect mix.

Out at The Veil Brewing Co., another great multi-release came out last night. They’ve got five brews ready to go this time around, starting with Never Never Again Again (pictured above). This recipe is a double-fruited raspberry Gose, bright as can be in color and just as rich in flavor. At 5.1% ABV, it keeps it simple and makes for a very easy drinker.

Master Shredder, a Mosaic-forward IPA, was up next. It’s another lower-ABV beer at 5.5%, and it’s also a classic from the brewery, according to The Veil. Master Shredder is out right now for the last time in printed cans, so if you’re looking to grab a piece of history from your favorite brewery, now’s your chance.

?? followed, and as my favorite in the list, it’s a double dry-hopped Triple IPA. It was originally brewed with all Citra hops, then dry-hopped with Galaxy, Enigma, BRU-1, Motueka, and Citra again in its dry-hop process — a perfect Citra-forward TIPA for those of us who lean more towards an 11% ABV brew like this one.

Don’t Move is a fresh addition to The Veil’s ever-growing list, and it’s a nicely orange-colored DIPA that comes to us from Galaxy, Mosaic, Idaho 7, and Nelson hops. It hits in at 8% ABV, and it’s available in 4-packs as well.

They is fifth on the bill from the night. Outside the IPA family, this lager recipe was step-mashed with raw wheat before being hopped with its Perle and El Dorado hops. It’s another lower-ABV beer on the list at 5%, making it a great pour for any day of the week.

Over at Intermission Beer Company, Winter Warmer is here to cozy up these chilly days. The recipe this year just dropped over the weekend, and it was inspired by a friend of the brewery. Kate’s Ginger Molasses Cookie brought the flavors of this beer to life — full of vanilla, clove, and ginger — to have a 9.3% ABV in a nicely-balanced holiday brew.

Strangeways Brewing has a great event for us this week with their 80s Flashback Dance Party coming up this Friday. I recently spent a great evening in Carytown at a spot playing almost exclusively 80s music, and this next one will be a blast as well. Strangeways is inviting us all to bring out our 80s attire and “take the party back to the greatest decade,” with dances and clothing from The Moonwalk and The Sprinkler to big hair, headbands, leotards and ripped jeans. If you’re ready to relive the glory days, Strangeways is looking for you.