Intermission Beer Company Archives | Page 6 of 6

RVA ON TAP: Adult Field Days & Weed Beer

Caley Sturgill | April 17, 2019

Topics: beer, Final Gravity, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, rva field day, RVA On Tap, strangeways, The Veil, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, vasen beer

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

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

Last week, Richmond was so packed with events it was hard to pick which one to go to. The RVAMag team spent our afternoons with Legend Brewing Co. for their 25th anniversary party, and over at Richmond Raceway for the NASCAR race and their Craft Beer Fest. Where did your weekend take you?

Are you good at sports? Me either! Just kidding, I’m betting a lot of people here are pretty valuable on a team. If you’re not totally worthless with a ball, this totally-Richmond field day is all your childhood dreams come true…..but with beer.

The RVA Field Day is heading to the City Stadium this Saturday, and the festival is asking you to come be a part of the city’s newest favorite event. Field Day games include target football, a hula-hoop obstacle course, a tricycle/small bike relay rally, watergun cup races (!!!), giant Jenga and “MUCH MUCH MORE!” God, this sounds like so much fun. I can’t wait to see what happens when BMX-ers and football pros unite.

If you’re looking to drink, here’s the local breweries that’ll be in attendance: Legend, Lickinghole Creek, Strangeways, Star Hill, Steam Bell, Three Notch’d, Hardywood, Ardent, plus others from around the state like Devil’s Backbone, Allagash, Sweet Water, and more. Legend just turned 25 last weekend, so if you didn’t make it out to their party, this is a great spot to swing by and say happy birthday.

A major plus: tickets are $30 ahead of time, but you get unlimited booze. And god willing, I know most of you can put back a lot more than thirty bucks of craft beer in a day. Pay up front and drink to your heart’s desire.

Speaking of birthdays, here’s one you won’t miss! The Veil Brewing Co. is turning 3 next week, and you can catch their celebrations starting next Tuesday at the brewery. The Veil is a bigtime Richmond favorite, so I can imagine how pumped the beer scene must be getting for this one. The parties start with beer releases from April 23-28 with a bunch of bottles, cans, and drafts to get the festivities going. Starting that Sunday the 28th, the brewery will be hosting guest taps from their friends, plus tons of rad food from their favorite spots around town, like Cobra Burger, Intergalactic Tacos, and The Highroller Lobster Co. Be on the lookout with The Veil throughout the week for more info on the brews coming out this week, and see you there!

Edelgeist: your new favorite recipe from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. This white IPA is filled with “bright notes” of honeydew, white grape, and pineapple to grace your palate with the snowiest and tastiest of flavors. It’s also packed with a fusion of Huell Melon, Mandarina Bavaria, and Nelson Sauvin hops, and this 6% ABV brew will be out for the tasting starting this #FreshCanFriday at Hardywood. Hardywood’s got some more awesome flavors on the backburner right now, and next week you can look forward to the best creamy brew of your summer… but we’ll save that one for release week!

Hey Final Gravity Brewing Co. fans (aka everyone), one of your faves is back on tap this weekend! Wandering Star Double IPA is returning to the Lakeside spot on Friday, and this 8% DIPA radiates flavors like orange, lime, grapefruit, and notes of tropical fruit and pine as a finish from its dry-hopped Mosaic process. Brewed first in a whirlpool of Citra hops, the tastes are “illuminating” in this shiny 8% ABV beer.

Reefer madness? Yeah, us too. Actually though, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is here with some madness of another style. Rye-fer Madness is a dank, West-Coast style Rye IPA made as a collab with Three Notch’d and Virginia NORML — your local heroes for marijuana law reform, right here in our home state. If you didn’t know already, the hops used in beer get their smell from the same substance as the aromas in marijuana (Terpenes), and this brew was packed full of it to get a nice, thick flavor. With its peppery, dry background, Rye-fer Madness was made in every way to “simulate the dank taste of your favorite strain.” Go nuts, y’all!

Are you ready to soak up the sun in the glory of springtime in Richmond? Warm days by the river, drinks from rooftop bars overlooking the city, strolls through Carytown and hikes through the James River trails… these are the things that make our great city so great, and all the best parts of RVA come out in the summer. Coming up tomorrow night, you can celebrate that weather in taste with Northern Equinox making its way to Väsen Brewing Company. Dry-hopped and flavored with Mosaic, Citra, Ekuanot, and Galaxy hops, you’ll find complementary aromas of mango, citrus, and passionfruit in this “complex and extremely hoppy brew.”

Hoppy, hazy, and delicious.

If you’re looking for variety, Strangeways Brewing has you covered. Head over this Saturday for a quadruple-release featuring Legalize It Bush Doctor IPA, Dyson Sphere Gose, Dyson Sphere Peach Gose, and Pet Sounds American Wheat Ale. To start the drinks off, Legalize It Bush Doctor is a Double IPA with fresh, resinous, tropical and dank hop profiles.

The Legalize It series from Strangeways is a family of beers that are all created to relax your body and open your mind, and Bush Doctor says no more need to smoke and hide, when you know you’re taking a legal ride!

If you missed the Brown Sugar Porter on its first time at Intermission Beer Company, your chance is back and it’s coming with a sibling: Honey Wheat debuts with the old fave this Saturday. Brown Sugar Porter starts off the Intermission releases with a dark, roasty malt, with a medium body and hints of molasses, according to its brewers. The new recipe is full of more summer flavors, brewed with Wildflower Honey and Virginia-grown red wheat. This 5.8% ABV beer is perfect for any day, and the brewery’s owner, Courtney White, made it in collaboration with the Pink Boots Society in Washington, D.C. to support women working in beer professions. So if you’re looking to drink for a good cause, you’re all set!

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: Richmond Hits The Road

Caley Sturgill | April 3, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, Blue Bee Cider, castleburg brewery and taproom, Devil's Backbone, fine creek brewing, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Intermission Beer Company, Isley Brewing Company, RVA On Tap, Stone Brewing-Richmond, Strangeways Brewing, vasen brewing

This week, we’re jumping into tons of events, benefits, anniversary celebrations, and more, plus tons of releases to get your juices flowing.

*PHOTO: Imbibe Craft Beer & Arts Festival*

It’s finally here! We’ve been waiting for the Imbibe Craft Beer & Arts Festival to come back for months now, and it’s hitting Fredericksburg this weekend. With tons of our favorite breweries from around the state, the festival packs in more than 100 craft libations, and say they’ve got some special love for the local spots. They’ll have an Artisan Market with handmade wares from regional makers in the area, and awesome bands like the North Mississippi Allstars and the People’s Blues of Richmond.

For a full list of the attendees, hit up their website, but you can expect most of these guys from the Richmond area: Ardent, Blue Bee Cider, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Intermission Beer Company, Legend Brewing Co., Strangeways Brewing, and Väsen Brewing Company. Starr Hill, our Charlottesville sisters who have set a spot in Richmond to open this year, will also be in attendance — along with some of my personal favorites from the rest of the state like Devil’s Backbone.

Happy birthday, Strangeways! Our friends over at the brewery have a huge weekend planned, and this is one you aren’t gonna want to miss. They’re re-releasing not one, but seven old favorites from the vault to celebrate their time with us. Look forward to the nostalgia, and grab a taste of That’s My Jam!, a Berry Sour, Wake Me Up Before You Gose, Apple Sour A Bomb, Wake Me up Before You Gose Hibiscus, and Cloak of Feathers — a Baltic Porter — all on Saturday.

Also starting Saturday, The Atkinsons will be playing live all day with food trucks and Truckle Cheeemonger full of picnic-esque treats. Continuing on into Sunday (for National Drink Beer Day!), LowCo Eatery Brunch is coming out to serve up the goods with the releases of Only Brewed 4 Cuban Linx Wild Ale, Wake Me Up Before You Gose Ghost Pepper, and Oscillate Wildly Blueberry-Wild Sour.

Bring out the fashion, Richmond, because Stone Brewing ain’t just wearing pink on Wednesdays. Tomorrow night, bust out your favorite pink clothes and come celebrate International Women’s Day all over again with Pithy In Pink, a Pink Boots Society White IPA, perfectly-flavored with grapefruit and coriander. On the real IWD, Stone brought out some of Virginia’s best with amazing women from across the state to brew the beer together, and it’s finally here to drink. The Pink Boots Society is a badass organization (with a local chapter here in town) of women in the brewing industry, and it’s got its own brew now to accompany it. Head out tomorrow night and grab a bite from Curry in a Hurry over in the garden, too, and celebrate the ladies in your life.

Isley Brewing Company’s Kiwi Infused Pilsner is fresh to the taps this Friday. If you’re looking for a brew to bring out the best of summertime and forget about how *absolutely freezing* the weather has been this week — after such a long week of warm, too — this might bring your taste buds to a happier place. Full of one of the best summertime fruits of all, this Pilsner ought to bring your brain back to warmer days and out of this long winter.

Fine Creek Brewing is hosting their Make-A-Wish Benefit tomorrow night, so grab a beer and help grant some wishes to local kids. Come out and support their Walk-For-Wishes, the largest community event for the organization in Greater Virginia.

While we all know how awesome the Make-A-Wish foundation is, here’s something you might not have known: The excitement of these Wishes have actually proven to possess some physical and emotional benefits — which actually can give these kids a higher chance of survival. The impact of real Wishes on the families, and communities, of the sweet kids who pick them is far-reaching and positive across their loved ones. So all around, if you’re in the mood for a drink tomorrow, please keep Fine Creek high up on your list. With a beautiful farm to host it on, you’ll be very glad you did!

Does it make sense? I mean, when does anything? Hardywood’s in the spirit of confusion this week and I’d be lying if I said the artwork doesn’t appropriately suit the cause. Who is she? She’s beautiful, is who she is. This New England-Style IPA is heading to the cans this week, But Does It Make Sense?, and it’s citrus-forward with Mosaic, Galaxy, and Hallertau Blanc hops. Swing by Hardywood and grab a bite from Hog Haven too, which looks just as mouthwatering as it sounds.

Intermission Beer Company is dropping a new brew this Friday. Tight Pantaloons is another New England IPA, and it’s also one whose name I can’t seem to read without a British accent in my head. I think it’s unfair not to, honestly. It just sounds so good. Anywho, ol’ pantalones hits in at 7.5% ABV and it’s a hazy, non-bitter tasting IPA that was dry-hopped with Galaxy, Mosaic, and Citra hops.

As far as the IBU goes, they say:

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So I’m glad we’re all on the same page with how we’re feeling this week. Me too, guys, me too. But either way, they’ve done a really solid job on this one!

Lust for Glory: Even the name sounds romantic. This Guava Sour is making its way over to Castleburg Brewery and Taproom this Friday, and Castleburg says they were having a strong desire to “feed your sensual appetite.” Nice. With the pink, juicy flesh and strong, sweet aromas of guava in this one, the sour is just the thing to make you pucker up, according to the brewers.

Glory be!

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

Lickinghole Creek is throwing their Despot Day this Saturday, with live music and tons of variants from their favorite recipes coming out every hour during the day. Look forward to a nice big list of brews, plus live music from Mighty Joshua, Calvin Presents, and more and a ton of awesome food trucks — like Papa V’s Backyard Grill, Silence of the Hamms BBQ (nice), SandTopia and more.

For beers, you’ll get to try ENLIGHTENED Despot (14yr), HIDE the Despot (23yr), HUG the Despot (Vanilla), AWAKEN the Despot (Coffee), and VIBE the Despot (a new variant, Coconut)!

RVA ON TAP: Snow Dogs, Krampus, & Dashing Through The Fan

Caley Sturgill | December 19, 2018

Topics: Black Heath Meadery, Canon And Draw, Center of the Universe, Intermission Beer Company, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, strangeways, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Company, Three Notch'd Brewing, Triple Crossing Beer, Vasen Brewing Company, VinePair

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

Last week, we saw some great collabs with local breweries and tons of awesome events and releases in the area. We’ve got plenty more brews to warm you up this winter as we get ready to hit the holidays, and even a surprise snow pup at the end.

First, before we dive into Richmond’s brew news this week, I can’t get started without showing this video from Black Heath Meadery. Black Heath is hopping in on Richmond’s Krampus festivities, celebrating the evil alter-ego of Saint Nicholas. It’s no surprise in this town that the locals are into Krampus (especially with events like Carytown’s Krampus Walk, which went down last week) — Krampus is half-goat, half-demon, and he lures children into the depths of the underworld instead of hopping down their chimneys to deliver gifts. In case the world didn’t already know, Germany doesn’t mess around… In the U.S., we scare our kids into shape each December with Elf On The Shelf. In Central Europe, bad kids get dragged to hell. I kinda like Europe’s plan better.

Is it even possible for The Answer Brewpub to win more awards in a year? Richmond’s sweethearts have, once again, put the River City on the map for its stellar brews. This time around, The Answer was named one of the 10 Best Breweries in the Nation (!!) by Vinepair. Starting off to say there’s no need to question where to begin a Richmond brewery tour, Vinepair are big fans of The Answer (and how could they not be?) — they noted owner An Bui’s standing as a 2018 James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalist, as well as Bui’s restaurant and the brewery’s neighbor, Mekong, for its pho. “The jovial vibe at the brewpub and restaurant are visible and palpable, making it a must for any Virginia-bound beer lover,” they said, and we’re 100 percent behind it.

“Come All Ye Scavengers!” It’s time to get freaky in the Fan with Canon And Draw and all your favorite Fan restaurants. Dashing Thru The Fan is a scavenger hunt that hides a $25 gift card every day at a participating restaurant/bar in the neighborhood. Every day at 5pm, head out to your favorite spots around the area and try your luck. The catch: Gift cards for a certain location will never be hidden at that actual location — so if you want to get some free bucks at your favorite spot, you’ve got to get out and support other local businesses to up your chances. Richmond locals always do a great job of lifting each other up around town, and this is a perfect opportunity to give your love to a few places at once and keep local business thriving.

Yuuuuum, dessert in beer! Steam Bell Beer Works is dropping their Maple Tiramisu Stout this Friday, marrying of my favorite things in the whole world together in one beautiful, chocolatey goodness. Maple Tiramisu Stout is packed with notes of vanilla, chocolate, roasted coffee, and…. “Maple, eh!” I can’t imagine a better combination than tiramisu and a bit of maple syrup, but my sweet tooth is off the charts — I grew up watching my mother eat Tiramisu for breakfast (not a joke), in case you wondered why. This stout batch is blended with organic maple, adding a little extra oomph to the breweries signature Tiramisu Stout. Also fresh to the Steam Bell family this Friday is their Bourbon Barrel Tiramisu Stout, bringing back last year’s delicious batch. A year ago, the brewers poured the rest of their beloved beer into A. Smith Bowman Distillery bourbon barrels straight from the distillery, and the oak and bourbon flavors bring a warm richness to the recipe with its whole vanilla beans.

Way Down South is playing live at the brewery the same night, so head over to Steam Bell for all your wintery-country needs. I know it’s right up my alley!

Intermission Beer Company is keeping it toasty this week with the release of their Winter Warmer. This one’s a great mid-season brew to have on deck, with a stronger alcohol content as the days get colder, and a nice combination of winter spices to roll through the season. The 9.3% ABV spiced-holiday ale is inspired by Kate, a friend of the brewery’s, Ginger Molasses cookie — so Winter Warmer is truly made with love. You’ll find vanilla, clove, and ginger notes in this recipe, and you can give it a try at the brewery in Glen Allen.

Right after we got together last week, Väsen Brewing Company dropped their Strawberry Kiwi Puffin beer. If you’re looking for a way to beat the winter weather, Väsen’s got you covered. Strawberry Kiwi Puffin is a classic, slightly tart German wheat brew that’s conditioned with kiwi and strawberry. It’s got the perfect blend of fruity flavor to bring you back to that warm place in your long-lost summer memories, and it’s even got malty notes of biscuit and honey to tie it all together. Strawberry Kiwi sounds like it was born to go with sunshine, and it’s a refreshing flavor profile to see this time of year.

⟁ If you find yourself in Fulton Hill over the weekend, be sure to swing by Triple Crossing Beer for another triple release from the East End favorites. First on the agenda this Friday is Clever Girl. This 6% APA is an American IPA, keeping up the fruity flavors into the winter with a light-bodied texture and green tropical citrus notes. It comes out this weekend alongside Battle Creek, a 100 percent Mosaic DIPA fermented with their house ale strain, and “a serious amount of malted white wheat,” according to the brewers. They also report its opening with a dank orange zest, melon-like vanilla cream — which leads into Triple Crossing’s “perpetual and constant state of refinement in softer feel.” They are the masters of the mouthfeel, and this one sounds like a dream.

Over at Strangeways, a brand-new brew dropped over last weekend. Pyrus is a Foraged Pear Saison, made from Callery pears on their Fredericksburg property. Strangeways is killing the local game, growing their own fruits and making their beer straight from their land. Pyrus is full of impart tart and tannic notes from its pears, rounded out by malted wheat from Murphy & Rude Malting Co. in Charlottesville. This one’s a light beer, which makes it awesome for “food pearing” (nice) and not filling up too hard during the chilly weather.

Koelschip season is back at The Veil! And boy, are they excited about it. The local brewers are big on this type of brew, a series of Lambic-inspired beers that go through a pretty extensive process to make it to your mug. Each brew is turbid-mashed and boiled with aged hops to begin, then inoculated with The Veil’s Koelschip with “natural micro-flora from the cool night’s air.” They’re fermented one more time in oak barrels for up to four years, then blended and sent to the taps to make it into your glass. The Veil notes that these are their favorite beers to make, and with so many tasty options already, if this one’s their favorite, I know it’s on my list.

Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, Can’t you see? Sometimes your stouts just hypnotize me.

Three Notch’d Brewing Company takes the cake this week for best beer name. Big Poppa Biggie S’mores Imperial Stout is one you won’t want to miss, according to the brewers, and this spin on the classic Biggie S’mores has more chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallow to give this 9.7% ABV stout a unique, rich, malty, and extra-chocolatey taste. Grab ‘em while they’re hot, because this seasonal won’t stick around forever!

Center of the Universe is getting Richmond in the spirit this weekend. Head on over to the brewery and showcase your best (and worst) holiday attire for their Fugly Sweater Party. Fugly = Festive + Ugly. It’ll be a beautiful rainbow of all the worst holiday looks in one room, and I can’t wait to see the photos afterward. In the excitement of the season, Center of the Universe also took full advantage of the snow last week, and made a Snow Dog of this sweet pup, Maude. I couldn’t resist showing this snowy furball in all her glory before we bid adieu until next time.

Happy Holidays, Maude! I love you.

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: The Veil Named Best Brewery in VA, Big Lebowski, & New Releases

Caley Sturgill | November 28, 2018

Topics: Ardent craft ales, Black Heath Meadery, Center of the Universe, Handmade Holiday Craft Show, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Legend Brewing Company, RVA On Tap, strangeways, the answer brewpub, The Big Lebowski, The Veil, triple crossing

Last week, we rolled through the festivities with some awesome Black Friday events and tons of beers from our favorite spots around town (The Veil alone had more than ten featured at their Dark Daze event). We’re getting a break from the holidays for a bit this time around, and have a lot more great brews on the way.

I’m a big fan of the weird relationship that Richmond has with The Big Lebowski: One that I neither understand nor care to understand, because I am going to think it’s great either way. From Center of the Universe’s El Duderino (still a favorite) to the entire neighborhood of Carytown throwing a bathrobe bar crawl in The Dude’s honor, to The Byrd Theatre hosting “The Big LeBYRDski,” we for some reason as a city cannot get enough of this guy. I tell you, guys, it is so funny that this whole area has settled on the same bad 90’s humor to keep coming back to. I really am at home in this dumb city, I love you all.

Anyway, we are back with even more Dude this month, with Black Heath Meadery’s 12 Weeks of Dudemas, “Because 12 days would be very un-Dude.” Nice. The meadery is releasing a signature Lebowski-themed mead every month now, and a limited-release Lebowski character glass every Tuesday for 12 weeks. *I need every single one of them. Black Heath, I’ll see you soon, and thanks for being you.

S/O to The Veil for being named Virginia’s Best Brewery by Thrillist this month. The Veil is a local favorite for a million different reasons, but I’m stoked to see Richmond on the national map (again) for its beer scene and glad The Veil put us here once again. There’s a reason that every time I visit, there’s a line out the door — and it’s worth the wait.

Bold. Rich. “Unabashedly Expressive.” Center of the Universe’s Jesus Mexican Hot Chocolate Imperial Stout drops this Saturday, and it’s appropriately spicy. Full of cayenne peppers, cinnamon, and a dash of vanilla blend to give it the perfect Mexican hot chocolate taste, Jesus Mexican Hot Chocolate’s brewers say it’s perfect for polishing balls and talking smack before the semis (go easy, folks). They also noted that it’s a “no-bush league, psyche-out brew, because nobody…….. with The Jesus!”

It’s made with Maris Otter, Carafa II, Carafa III, Double Roasted Crystal, C-90, Flaked Oats, and Barley. On top of those are some Belgian Dark Candi Syrup, Cinnamon, and Habanero peppers (woof!) to really heat things up. It’s meant to warm you while you drink, but don’t go too fast out there in the cold, because the 11.4% ABV will hit quick.

If you’re looking to get even spicier this weekend, COTU is also hosting Brewery Burlesque! This match made in “eccentric heaven” is curated by Ellie Quinn, the self-proclaimed Duchess of Dork who set out this year to tickle and tease Richmond’s funny bones. Tickets can be purchased here, and the breweries non-private space will still be open for drinking to regular customers.

Over at Intermission Beer Company, Tell Tale Ale is coming out this Friday. This black IPA is dark and malty in its base, laced with toffee and caramel and balanced against a bright-hop profile to show its floral-citrus notes. It’s perfectly “Richmond” with its Edgar Allan Poe references, and the brewery is even handing out copies of the “Tell-Tale Heart” at its release this weekend.

Happy new location to Strangeways! The local spot is opening up Scott’s Addition’s ninth brewery, bringing more booze to the city’s booziest neighborhood. Beer crawls are about to get even better with this addition to the area.

In new recipes this week, Strangeways is releasing a few variations: This Saturday, they’re ringing in the final month of the year with Ampelos, a Wild Grapevine Saison, Sing With Animals Vanilla Milk Stout, and Escape Goat Weizenbock.

The original Weizenbock beer, according to the brewers, was actually the inspiration for their owner to start up the company. His variation includes local Virginia malts in addition to German Saphir, Perle, and Saaz hops. Ampelos has a white wine-like character in its taste and smell, and the wild grapevines it comes from bring a subtle fruit-twang to pair with its mild spiciness (so if you’re looking for that hard-hitting spice, check out COTU this week as well!) Their Sing With Animals stout sounds tasty, too, with a silky texture and strong vanilla flavors.

Yay, fun stuff at my fave! Hardywood is hosting the Richmond Craft Mafia’s 14th Annual Handmade Holiday Craft Show this weekend, and it’s full of all the best vendors (covered in heated tents, so hold the excuses). Personally, I’m a huge fan of handmade products, and Good-Old-RVA is absolutely full of talented creators. I can’t wait to see what they come up with. More than 50 “makers” will be there, half each day, so make sure to check out both days to not miss out. Paired with Hardywood’s beer, no wonder they call it Richmond’s favorite shopping event.

On Friday, Hardywood’s releasing their Just Right Oatmeal IPA cans and prefacing the weekend event with a truly just-right brew: Balanced with notes of orange and grapefruit over a rolled, malted oat foundation for that juicy-smooth flavor with a dry finish. Yum!

The Answer Brewpub has done it again, as they always do! Mind Games came out yesterday at the brewery, made with Mosaic, Galaxy, and El Dorado hops. The DIPA is made with a cooler whirlpool-hop addition compared to their usual beers, and they’re stoked on the results. It’s in Crowlers and on tap at the pub now, and it looks like the perfect texture and color for a warm(ish) November day. Get ‘em while you can, before the weather freezes us all back to our houses and makes us want to curl up with more holiday brews.

It’s that perfect time again when the city starts glowing with holiday lights all around, and man, is Richmond beautiful when it’s all lit up (contrary to the summertime, when it’s just regular lit). Head across the bridge this Friday to watch the annual lighting-of-the-city at Legend Brewing Co. and see the Grand Illumination from the best view in town. They’re going to get busy as one of RVA’s favorite spots in the night’s best location, so get your reservations early for this one.

⟁ Triple Crossing is back with an awesome new beer this Friday in Fulton for Latest Broadcast. This 8% DIPA is a hoppy recipe that gets into some deeper combinations of hops, bringing some new variations to the table outside of the regular run-of-the-mill brew. Latest Broadcast is full of floral-green pineapple citrus, deepened-candied grapefruit dank, and soft apricot peach — “all cohesively pulled together with that softness” we’re all looking for. Can’t wait to give this one a try. ⟁

Butte County Proud. Ardent is donating 100% of their Resilience IPA to the Sierra Nevada Camp Fire Relief Fund, so make sure to drop by and give it a shot to help out and enjoy a great brew at the same time. They’ve also got their Hazy IPA cans available in the taproom right now, so if you need a good reason to check out Ardent this week, they’re giving you plenty!

New brewery in the spotlight: A look at Henrico’s Intermission Beer Company before grand opening tonight

Amy David | September 1, 2017

Topics: Henrico brewery, Henrico County, Intermission Beer Company, RVA breweries, RVA craft beer, RVA On Tap

A new brewery is about to take centerstage in Richmond’s craft beer scene. Courtney White, along with her husband Justin, will open microbrewery Intermission Beer Company in Henrico County tonight just in time for Labor Day Weekend.

The brewery has been a long time coming for the couple. Courtney and Justin, who is at the helm as Intermission’s brewer, started toying with the idea four years ago.

“We had seen that Hardywood had assisted in getting the bill passed in 2012, that you could sell to customers directly instead of having to be a production facility,” said Courtney. “Justin had been a homebrewer for over 15 years so we were like, ‘well what do we want to do with our life?’”

While they both have a background in IT, Justin ultimately decided to take the plunge and take his homebrew hobby to the next level and Courtney was immediately on board. Soon after, the husband and wife team started scouting locations.

“They said we have to be in an industrial area because we would be producing a product, so we looked and it was like, that’s not us,” Courtney said.

The two looked in Scott’s Addition and while there were only a few breweries planted in the now craft beer-heavy neighborhood back then, White said they decided to look elsewhere.

“We live in Lakeside, so we wanted to be in Henrico, so we decided to just keep looking. Scott’s Addition wasn’t where we wanted to be,” she said. “There were only a couple there, but we heard more were coming out.”

After checking out several spots in Henrico County and the Near West End, Courtney and Justin stumbled across their current space, at 10089 Brook Rd., online which they thought would be the perfect fit so they signed the lease last November.

The 2,300 square-foot building, which is attached to a Goodyear and within walking distance of Virginia Center Commons, formerly housed a spa and most recently, Lighthouse Treasure Trove, but since 2013 it has remained vacant.

Intermission Beer Company will have a tasting room with seating for around 79 along with outdoor patio seating. The production room, which sits in the back half of the brewery, houses a 5 bbl system that will be churning out a variety of brew styles according to Courtney.

“We wanted to have it more for the masses,” she said. “We’re not focused on a certain style.”

When it opens, the brewery will have three beers on tap: a Belgian Blonde, a pale ale, and an English Mild. The brewery won’t distribute right away, but will have flights and the goal is to switch beers out regularly to offer something for every craft beer enthusiast.

“We’re probably going to aim for six with two rotating in and out depending on the season,” said Justin. “Our model is not based around having a flagship beer since we’re a retail brewery, we’re going to try to have a nice selection, something that appeals to all types.”

Justin has an IPA recipe in the works and when the weather starts to cool off, he plans to release a milk stout.

With a mall, a movie theater, several restaurants, and retail shops all within the vicinity, Courtney said she hopes to attract those patrons who are looking to stop in for a couple beers and hang out while they’re out shopping.

“A lot of the breweries are destination spots,” she said. “Our focus is sessionable type of beers, so you come in, have a beer or two, you’re fine for the rest of the day. It wouldn’t be a destination for all day necessarily you could still go to Target or Dick’s Sporting Goods.”

And if you happen to be curious about the name Intermission, well that’s a nod to both of their theater backgrounds.

“We met at VCU in the theater department,” Courtney said. “I’m stage management, he’s set design.”

Of course, the theater element made its way into the brewery’s décor too. All of the tops of the tables in the tasting room have a collage of old local playbills, tickets, programs and other related items that have been strewn together.

“It’s not just theater, It’s anything entertainment, music, movies, television,” she said. “Because theater may not appeal to the masses, so we wanted to give it more of an entertainment theme.”

The brewery marks the fifth for Henrico County, with Strangeways Brewing on Dabney Road opening first, followed by Final Gravity Brewing Co. in Lakeside, and Rock Bottom Brewery and BJ’s Brewhouse in Short Pump.

And so far, feedback from the brewery community has been positive according to White, who is the only female owner of a craft brewery in the area.

“It seems to be. We’re part of Richmond Brewers United and from my perspective, it hasn’t been any different than normal, they haven’t treated me any different,” she said.

When Intermission Beer Company opens this weekend, tasting room hours will be Thursday and Friday 4-9, Saturday 12-9, and Sunday 12-6pm. Courtney said once they get up and running, they plan to host events at the brewery, have food trucks, and small acoustic bands.

For their grand opening event this Fri., Sept. 1, which runs through the weekend, Intermission Beer Company will have raffles along with food trucks Carytown Burger and Fries and Bikini Panini. Raffle tickets are $1 each and prizes include Intermission Beer Company swag, oil changes by Goodyear, theater tickets from Swift Creek Mill Theatre, HATTheatre, Richmond Triangle Players at the Robert B. Moss Theatre, Virginia Repertory Theatre, Quill Theatre, Arts Glen Allen and Haunted House tickets from RED VEIN Haunted House. All proceeds from that will go to the Richmond Theater Artist Fund, which assists local artists that are in extreme need.

Keep up with Intermission Beer Company here.