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RVA ON TAP: The Holidays are Here, and The Big Lebowski Meets Boobs

Caley Sturgill | December 26, 2018

Topics: ardent, Castleburg Brewery, Center of the Universe, Ellie Quinn, Hardywood, holidays, Legend Brewing, RVA On Tap, Shiplock Brewing, strangeways, The Big Lebowski, The Veil

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 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 releases from local spots and even went Dashing Through The Fan. Krampus made an appearance again, and beer lovers far and wide prepared for the holiday week with the season’s best recipes. This week, we’re checking out some awesome new brews, events, and even brand-new breweries to close out 2018 and kick off the new year.

This week, Richmond welcomed a fresh face to the local brewery family. Shiplock Brewing is the newest addition in town, coming from the same hands behind Southern Railway Taphouse. It found its home in the old 7 Hills Seafood & Brewing, and it just opened its doors this month. We’re excited to start off the new year with a new member of the family, and can’t wait to learn more about what’s on tap as Shiplock gets more familiar with the community.

In contrast to the newest spot in town, our longtime friends at Hardywood have some news this week as well. On Saturday, they’re dropping their Raspberry Stout, and just a few days before New Year’s Eve, it sounds like a great one to sit down with and say goodbye to 2018. This 9.2% ABV stout’s brewed with chocolate malt, cacao nibs, and late-season red raspberries from Agriberry Farm out in Hanover. A lot like fresh beers from our friends at Strangeways, this weekend’s treat hails from local fruits. It’s full-bodied and flavored, “beguiling with notes of rich dark chocolate and raspberry jam.” Mmmmmm. I’m a sucker for a good jam, and Hardywood nailed it with this one. Head over to the brewery this Saturday and let us know how you like it.

Happy holidays from Legend Brewing Co.! Richmond’s true OG’s are getting festive this week, and they just brought back their Bourbon Barrel Brown Ale at their spot over the bridge. Brown ales are both my favorite kind of beer, and for some reason, one of the hardest for me to find at a lot of places — and everyone knows you can’t go wrong with Legend, so I’ll definitely be giving this one a try! Also on tap this week is Dopplebock, Tripel, and a Tiramisu-inspired porter cask (two tiramisu beers in two weeks! Lucky me). Head on over and show Legend some love, and if you’re feeling lucky too, maybe you’ll even run into ol’ Saint Nick.

Hats off to some lucky princess out there, because her horse is here: The return of the Black Knight is coming up this Friday at Castleburg Brewery and Taproom. This earthy IPA has a pine-like profile, according to its tasters, and its floral and citrus flavors fit with its English and German dark malts. It’s an extra-dark Black IPA with chocolate and coffee tastes, and at 6.7% ABV, it’s a nice way to get that dark beer taste without the high content of most stouts.

Today’s the first-ever release of Never Calm³ over at The Veil Brewing Co., and this triple-fruited version of their original Never Calm gives the passionfruit-pineapple gose an extra oomph. The Veil is celebrating Koelschip season right now — their favorite time of year, and also their fourth in a row brewing the Lambic-inspired and “spontaneously fermented” beers. Every release from The Veil seems to be an awesome one, and it’s no surprise that they’re the talk of the town so often for new folks visiting Richmond. Never Calm’s fruity goodness is making its debut appearance tonight at the brewery, and the triple-fruit beer sounds like the perfect summery escape to cheers Christmas goodbye this week.

Speaking of triples, Strangeways is dropping three brand-new brews this Saturday. Sleeps with Angels is a chocolate imperial stout, and it’s accompanied by Geomancy and Bohemian Grove. Geomancy is a refreshing and fruity Belgian table beer, according to the brewers, and it’s brewed with grown barley from Epiphany Craft Malt and more local goodies, as always — Virginia malted wheat from Murphy and Rude. They also note that it has subtle notes of fruity and spicy yeast, “alongside a more aggressive berry character from boysenberries, that lend both acidity and sweetness.” Its triplet sibling, Bohemian Grove, brings a great earthy flavor to the family with tropical fruit, black currant, pine and gooseberry to complement its citrusy, dank hop profile. Also coming up this weekend at Strangeways is their fourth annual “Out of the Darkness: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Fundraiser” event, so be sure to swing by and give what you can.

Looking for fun on the first day of the year? Well, I hope you don’t go too hard on New Beer’s Eve, because there’s even more good stuff coming up after it. Mean Bird, Richmond’s fried chicken and vegan fried chicken faves is heading over to Ardent at the top of 2019 to serve up chicken and gingerbread waffles (YUM) on top of all their other delicious goodies. If you’re moving slow from the night before, have no fears, they say, because Mean Bird’s coming out at noon and they’ll be around all day. Mean Bird’s got your recovery covered. Whether you’re feeling fresh from crashing before the ball drops, or desperately trying to get past the night’s festivities, Ardent and Mean Bird are your guys.

Y’all, I really can’t with Richmond and The Big Lebowski. I’ve speculated about this many times before in this column, and our city’s Lebowski-Love is truly a gift that keeps on giving: Happy holidays, because it’s back, AGAIN, and we have Center Of The Universe to thank. I really do love this weird town and its weird love for this weird movie, and I only joke because it’s confusing — in the best kind of way. The Dude rules, and RVA knows it. Head on over to their event with Ellie Quinn for The Big Burleski, a Big-Lebowski themed burlesque show with BL costumes and tons of surprises in store. If you go, please let us know what kind of “surprises” a Big Lebowski burlesque show entails, because I’m imagining so many things.. Wow. Anyway, this sounds like a total blast, so don’t miss it!

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: 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

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.

RVA ON TAP: Snow Law, Winter Warmers & Furry Fundraisers

Caley Sturgill | December 12, 2018

Topics: ardent, Final Gravity, Hardywood, Isley Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, RVA On Tap, strangeways, The Answer, three notchd

Snow week! I hope you’re all staying warm out there, and I’m sure a good bit of you are participating in Richmond’s honorary Snow Law tradition: Which means, in effect, that snow means no rules and we all pause the city to hang (and drink) at home. It’s the perfect opportunity to whip out that special-occasion craft brew you’ve been saving.

Another triple release is coming up this Saturday at Strangeways, and girl, do they look good. Atoms for Peace, a 6.5% India Pale Lager, is named for a speech: The original Atoms for Peace program was set by Eisenhower to show the public how scientific endeavors could be used for peace. Ditch the war, hello to peace. This lager got its name for taking its regular process and turning it into something new, as well — Atoms for Peace utilizes some of the traditional techniques from macro breweries and shows how they can be used in craft brewing. With that comes a crisp, refreshing lager made with Strata Hops, one of Indie Hops’ newest varieties.

Sing With Dier is next for this weekend’s release, a milk stout that starts with the same base as Sing With Animals but brings in Dier House Coffee Roasters’ Tobosi coffee instead. It shares the graham cracker, molasses, coffee, and baker’s chocolate background of its predecessor, but brings in some milk chocolate notes with almond and raspberry. Pyrus drops this Saturday as well, and this Foraged Pear Saison gets its name from the pears that were foraged directly from Strangeways’ brewery grounds in Fredericksburg. How much more authentic can you get? This one’s got a dry but round body, delivered by Virginia malted wheat and with a touch of fruity notes.

If you’re in the market for events this week, be sure to check out the Strangeways Gingerbread House Competition tomorrow night. Bring your creativity, and tacky Christmas sweaters are strongly encouraged!

Ardent is championing the chilly-weather brews this week, with Winter Warmer fresh at the brewery. Winter Warmer dropped over last weekend, and this perfectly-spiced beer is truly made for the season. With nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and honey malt with brown sugar, it couldn’t be more “December.” The sweetness from the spices is balanced out with the addition of East Kent Golding, an English hop, and it comes in at 7.5% ABV. According to its brewers, it tastes like Christmas in a glass — and you’ll definitely find it on my to-try list this holiday.

Let the shopping continue! Craft shows in December are the best — full of all the best handmade goods from makers around the region. The tradition continues at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery this Saturday, and the festivities will be rolling all day at the farm. It’ll be catered by Wooded’s Pulled Pork Plus (one of my all-time favorites), and you can catch live music by Pat Russell in the afternoon. Swing by the farm to see their giant Keg Christmas Tree and see how big it really is.

Out at the brewery, Eric stands about 6’6” next to this monster keg tree… so my best guess is I’d come up about halfway short. If you make it out, drop your photos with the keg tree in the comments on this article — I’d love to see how you all measure up!

Our friends at Hardywood have jumped in this week on the national trend of helping Butte County’s Camp Fire fund, with 100 percent of the profits from their Resilience IPA releasing this Friday going toward the fund. We first learned about this one in a previous column, and since it’s coming up this week, it’s time to get excited! Go use the opportunity to drink for a good cause, and enjoy Hardywood’s craft IPA while knowing you’re helping out the Sierra Nevada Camp Fire Relief Fund.

Following up on Saturday, Hardywood’s releasing their Double Barrel GBS + Mega GBS. The Gingerbread Stout season is one of Richmond’s favorites with Hardywood, and it feels like all over Virginia, these beers are in the fridge when I travel. Who doesn’t love a Hardywood GBS? The season is coming to an end with a bang this week, with a double release of two latest variations. Their Double Barrel GBS is aged in Bowman’s bourbon barrels for “eight glorious months,” then in grape brandy for a few more to top it off. Mega GBS is a perfect blend of ginger, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla all wrapped up into one tasty milk stout to make those cold winter nights a little more cozy.

Oooooh, Final Gravity Brewing Co. has something good up their sleeves. The Return of 12 Parsecs is back and as spacey as ever, with this Star-Wars inspired brew. This one’s a fan favorite, according to the brewers, and it’s made with the hops from Falconers Flight to make this DIPA “burst with citrus and pine aroma, while tasting ever-so-smooth.” It sounds like the perfect weekend blend, and it’ll be ready just in time for this week’s when it debuts on Friday. It’s available in Crowlers, and they’re expecting it to go fast… so get your hands on it while you can!

For this week’s Tap That Friday, Three Notch’d Brewing Company is coming out with their Lip Service New England IPA, at 6.3% AMV and collaborated with David Hunter and friends. It’s named after the “epic lip-sync battle that took place after the first keg was tapped,” and wow, I wish we had a video to accompany it. According to the brewers, it’s a little more bitter with less ABV than a typical NEIPA, so it’s more approachable, and lets you pack that deep taste in without such a high alcohol content. It’s still got the super-smooth feel going down the hatch that “regular NEIPA-drinkers have fallen in love with,” and with its Amarillo and Mosaic hops, it’s perfect for providing a nice fruity finish with a blend of citrus, melon, and tropical flavors. It sounds like a nice break from the holiday brews (which, no shade, we all know they’re my *favorite*), and a good way to get some of those all-year flavors in your fridge.

Healthier pets, happier people, better world. If you’re looking to show your support for your four-legged friends, check out Isley Brewing Company’s Furry Fundraiser this Saturday to raise money for local animals in need of homes. A percentage of sales all day will benefit the sweet residents of the Richmond SPCA, and even has a tacky sweater contest for your pups! What more could you want? Every year, the Richmond SPCA saves more than 4,000 pets, and with its life-saving programs in adoptions and through the SPCA’s Susan M. Markel Veterinary Hospital affordable healthcare, the Richmond SPCA truly does do its part — and as a former resident herself, my pup can vouch for that 100 percent.

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!

RVA ON TAP: Thanksgiving, Boozey Black Friday & Movember

Caley Sturgill | November 21, 2018

Topics: Center of the Universe, Hardywood, holiday, isley brewing, kindred spirit, movember, strangeways, Thanksgiving, The Veil, three notchd, winter beer

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

Last week, we started jumping into some holiday brews and hit up some awesome festivals, too. Now it’s almost……Thanksgiving! Hallelujah! As much as I hate the history of this holiday, man do I love the food. And the family, and the love, and everything about the holidays. What’s your favorite yearly celebration? Thanksgiving is definitely mine. Hit up the comments on our Facebook post and tell me yours. I’d love to hear what gets you guys excited every year!

Do you have any Black Friday plans? …….Do they consist of avoiding every store in town and drinking about it? Me too! Thank god for The Veil, because they get it. To cater to the anti-BF lines crowd, they’re releasing their Bourbon White Russian Hornswoggler on the special day. One: Anything that sounds like a White Russian is my favorite thing of all time. Two: I can’t wait to drink beer at home while everyone else stands out in the cold and wrestles each other at Walmart. Count me out, and The Veil, count me in!

More awesome brews from The Veil on Friday come with Dark Daze, an annual fest for Black Friday with tons of awesome releases and brews on sale. Even Even More More is a 13% Double-Maple Imperial Stout (YUM!) and it’s rich, roasty, and sweet with maple flavor. There is nothing I love more than a maple beer, so I definitely want to give this one a try! Lord Whangdoodle (nice) is a unique Imperial Stout with a sappy, sticky-sugary sweetness. It’s got honey, cinnamon, vanilla, liqueur, baklava and candied-orange peel. Maple BA Whangdoodle (that word is never going to not-be funny) and Honey BA Whangdoodle are two more variations, one with layered maple flavor + chocolate character, and the other aged in honey bourbon barrels for over a year.

There are a TON more awesome beers coming up at The Veil on Friday. That’s only the beginning. This sounds like a blast, and most-definitely a much better way to spend Black Friday than out in the cold!

Over at Hardywood, the party continues on Saturday with their Apple Brandy Gingerbread Stout release. Hardywood has been releasing awesome GBS beers all month, and man, I’ve never had a Hardywood beer I didn’t like. Apple Brandy “blends in perfect harmony with the cinnamon-kissed oak staves of the apple brandy barrels,” and has notes of honey, chocolate, and fragrant cinnamon. It’s 10.4%, and it sounds delicious! If tomorrow is Thanksgiving, then Hardywood, I’m thankful for you.

If you need to keep the party flowing even further past the holiday (I don’t blame you), hit up the brewery on Sunday for their post-Thanksgiving dance party with Afro-Zen. Global grooves, cold beer, and good friends — what more could you need?

Ooooooooh, I! Want! This! Center of the Universe always knows how to hit me right in the tastebud feels and they even got the mean humor down this time, too. Mmmmm. This Friday, Shut Up releases and it’s all my favorite things in one — brewed to drink in front of your obnoxious family members over the holidays and give them the little reminder everyone needs: shut your pie hole, and eat some pie. There’s always plenty around at Thanksgiving. Shut Up is aged in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels with cold brew coffee, then blended together and full of chocolate, coffee, vanilla and bourbon. I am so happy about all these winter beers, I can’t say it enough. Cold weather flavors RULE, y’all!

The Veil wasn’t the only one to get their post-Thanksgiving plans in order the right way this year. Isley Brewing Company is also celebrating the dreaded Black Friday in the most-awesome of ways this year, with their release of Apple Brown Betty. Holy wow, this sounds tasty. The English nut brown ale has an addition of Blue Bee Cider fresh-pressed apple juice (drool), caramel, buttery cinnamon, and mulling spices for an All-American apple pie flavor profile. It’s a rich, dark mahogany color with a cream-tinted head, and this 6.6% beer is 100% on my to-do list.

Over at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Masterclass is new at the brewery. It’s a Saison-infused herbal recipe with spiced notes just in time for the holidays. If you didn’t make it out to the release party in time, you can grab a crowler for your family dinner, or “watching the game at home in your stretchy pants” if you go too hard on Thanksgiving.

In more Black-Friday-news, Strangeways is hosting a Black Friday Local Market for all your small business needs. Shop local! Richmond really does a great job of supporting its own people, and here’s your chance to do it and drink some tasty brews at the same time. Head on over to Strangeways this Friday and get a jump on all the holiday shopping (and beat the lines!) with one of our favorite spots.

Kindred Spirit is in the spirit this holiday. For Movember (men’s health awareness month), they’re kicking off some special events to recognize the men growing beards and moustaches to raise awareness. There’ll be live music by Bobby Baine, prizes, giveaways, and a special Movembeer Beer release at the party. It’s going down on Sunday after Thanksgiving, so boys and all beard-growing people, resist the family pressure from Mom to trim that beautiful facial hair this holiday, and go treat yourself with a prize for sticking it out!

That’s it for this week’s RVA On Tap! As your new 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: Home Brew Competition, Holiday Beers, & Funk Fest

Caley Sturgill | November 14, 2018

Topics: Ardent craft ales, beer, Center of the Universe, fine creek brewing, friendsgiving, Hardywood, holiday, Legend Brewing, RVA On Tap, Stone brewing, stony point beer festival, strangeways, Thanksgiving, the answer brewpub, three notchd

Last week, we saw the start of plenty of holiday brews and began ringing in the holiday season. This week we’ve got beer festivals, Richmond-filmed movies at local breweries, birthdays, and plenty of awesome new releases.

This Saturday, tons of local breweries are all coming together at once for the Stony Point Beer Festival. Tickets allow unlimited sampling(!) and have craft beers from all around the region, with most from the Richmond area and a few of my personal favorites from more rural Virginia, like Star Hill and Devil’s Backbone. Other participants include Legend, Ardent, Lickinghole Creek, Kindred Spirit, Midnight Brewery, Vasen, Castleburg, Strangeways, Steam Bell, and Intermission Beer Company. Come out for unlimited beer — an absolute dream — and to check out RVA favorites alongside Virgina’s best.

Also on Must-To-Do’s in events this week is one of RVA’s favorite traditions, Richmond Beeristoric. It starts at Ardent, and this one’s better than the marathons, because it’s a marathon of beer! And history! In the East Coast’s best beer town, and one of the best history towns, what could be more fitting?

Head over to Ardent to hear from legit historians and award-winning beer (that’s right, one of the brews that put Richmond on the map with a medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver this year). Strangeways, Basic City, Fine Creek, Steam Bell, Final Gravity, and The Answer are all hopping in for this festival and it’ll take you on a tour around the city, through Chimborazo park (ignore the ghosts), the Yuengling beer caves, Triple Crossing, and plenty more awesome stops!

The Answer Brewpub is famous! (Not that they weren’t already, but) the Broad Street brewery was the filming destination for Last Call, Richmond-based production company Aisthesis Productions’ latest hit. The feature film spans the course of a night at the bar, taking the viewer “on a psychological journey that’s both raunchy and hilarious, yet tragically sad.” If you hit up Hardywood around Halloween, you may also remember Aisthesis as the company who taught the brewery’s FX Makeup workshop. Last Call also features Tony Foresta from Municipal Waste, and more’s coming later this week from the magazine on what it’s all about.

Also at The Answer this week, the brewery dropped Z-Ma. Leave your jolly ranchers at home, they say, and come give the frosty malt a try.

Over the bridge at Legend Brewing Co., Legend Quad came out this weekend. The decade-old beer is still running, and came out back at Legend’s 15th birthday party. The Belgian ale is strong, dark, spicy and fruity with plums and figs. Its caramel and dark-sugar notes has a creamy body with warming alcohol and a deep garnet/mahogany hue. According to the brewers, it pairs well with hearty winter stews, smoked meats, rich desserts, or as a nightcap by a warm fire — and, like all beers, it’s best enjoyed with friends. Grab a few buds on our next chilly night (aka every night now), and tell us what you thought!

Coming up this Saturday, Fine Creek Brewing is releasing their Dark Mid Ale and Thai Tea Milk Stout brews. Thai Tea definitely sounds like something you don’t see every day, with two pounds of raspberries added to its small cask. Dark Mid Ale is made with cardamom and orange peel, and it sounds perfect for this chilly weekend coming up: this medium-dark recipe is perfect to drink by the fire on a fall night, so give it a taste and don’t forget the s’mores.

In December, Fine Creek is holding their Wild and Weird festival, which celebrates all the best unique beers and ciders out there from Virginia. Keep an eye out for more on that soon, and don’t forget to grab a ticket from the brewery.

Calling all home brewers! Stone Brewing’s Homebrew Competition and American Homebrewers Association (AHA) rally is coming up this Saturday. The People’s Choice-style competition gives attendees the opportunity to sample beers from dozens of homebrewers and vote on their favorites, according to Stone. Come out and give your booze a shot to be brewed in collaboration with Stone if you win, and be released across the whole country (all 50 states!) plus 40 other countries through their distribution network. It’ll also be entered into the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition next year, so this is a huge time to shine if you’re ready to go large with your recipes. Sign up here if you’re into it.

Hardywood has another great stout release coming up this Saturday, and it sounds awesome. Rye Barrel Gingerbread Stout is coming out at Richmond, West Creek and Charlottesville. This variation of their Gingerbread Stout is matured in rye barrels, and these stouts are a mix of milk chocolate, vanilla, honeycomb, cinnamon and more with a velvety feel down the hatch. The release party is an all-day show at the downtown spot with Paint Fumes (NC), SICK BAGS (RVA), The Reputations (TX), and Cruzer (RVA) playing. Hardywood’s also got a Vegan Holiday Dinner Demo coming up on Sunday, with tons of ideas on vegan dishes for all the veggies in your life. Come out to learn good eats that the whole family can get behind, like vegan meatloaf and gravy, roasted garlic potato hash, lemoned green beans and dessert with SuhWeet Rootz.

Strangeways has FOUR releases this weekend! First up: Tirami’zu Brew, their rum-barrel aged porter. This collab with Mamma Zu’s kitchen, Edo’s Squid, Dynamo, and 8 1/2 is a world-class tiramisu beer. It’s aged with cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, and coffee from Black Hand (my favorite!), and its brewers want you to “Find out for yourself why tiramisù means pick-me-up.”

Next is Kakapo, the New Zealand Pilsner named for the large, green, nocturnal parrot native to the islands. It’s a “refreshing dry-hopped pilsner” with a light-hued body, made with three different New Zealand hops including Wakatu, Pacifica, and Green Bullet.

Spectacular Optical is coming out too, and this New England IPA is soft, pillowy, and combines beer with tropical fruit smoothie. It sounds like a great escape from the cold weather, and it comes along with StarTropics, a Brut IPA that’s mildly bitter and bone dry with more tropical and citrus aromas.

Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is ahead of the game this season with their Feliz Navidad Smoked Mexican Ale, collabed with Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company. It’s a pleasant surprise to me to see RVA breweries working with DB, because they were the first brewery to steal my heart back in my mountain days and will always be an age-old favorite for me. Feliz Navidad is a beechwood-smoked malt brew and a touch of lime zest, and the proceeds benefit FeedMore. All-around, this is definitely on my list to check out. Three Notch’d also has Scott’s Addition Nights every Monday from now until December 17 in Richmond’s booziest neighborhood, so if you can’t catch them for the release, you can still check them out until the holidays.

Do you know anybody who still says “groovy”? I do, and they’re my favorite. Head on over to Center of the Universe this Saturday for their Funk Fest Day 2, “taking it down to Funkytown” with a full lineup of 12 funky sours with live music as well. Mouth-watering Puerto Rican cuisine will be cooked up by Freekin’ Rican, and Scattered Smothered & Covered is coming to jam all evening. Mmmmm, just how I like my breakfast at Waffle House.

On the lineup for sour brews: Sour Stouts — original, cherry, and chili (wow!), Sour Saisons — with ginger or lavender. Then we’ve got a Rhubarb sour pale ale and a Pocahoptas, a sour red ale, a Bier de Garde, and……. “??????” A mystery beer! My favorite!

COTU turns 6 this year, and the celebration is going on all weekend. Hit them up for one of many fancy brews, and drop me a line with your favorite!

Yay, Friendsgiving is here! Thanksgiving is great, but there’s just something extra special about celebrating a regular holiday with a bunch of friends (probably because everyone gets to skip the family drama and actually have fun). Ardent is celebrating it right this year, with its 4th annual feast & food drive and food from Autumn Olive Farms, ZZQ, and side dishes and desserts from all around RVA. To reserve your plate at the table, just donate 15 food items at the taproom anytime between now and the start of Friendsgiving. All the food donated goes to Feed More, and tickets cost $15 if you don’t want to directly bring food to donate. 100 percent of the proceeds go back to hungry families, so all options are good options!