The Circuit

RVA On Tap: St. Paddy’s for Partiers, St. Paddy’s for Hikers

Caley Sturgill | March 13, 2019

Topics: events, Final Gravity, Hardywood, Legend Brewing, RVA On Tap, Shiplock Brewing, southern railway taphouse, st paddys day, Stone brewing, strangeways, The Circuit, three notchd, Triple Crossing 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!

This week, we’ve got several fresh beers coming to the local taps, and the part you’ve all been waiting for: St. Paddy’s Day events! A few more events are popping up this time around as well, and there should be plenty of green beer around town for the occasion.

In extra-exciting news to us here at the magazine, our longtime friends, Legend Brewing Co., are celebrating a quarter of a century and 25 trips around the sun this year. To add to the occasion, they made the cover of VA Growler this issue, and we couldn’t be more thrilled for their anniversary party coming up next month. Be sure to head over to Manchester for Legend’s birthday on April 13, and don’t forget the kids and the pups.

Coming up tomorrow (aka Pi Day, and my mom’s birthday — who consequently isn’t really into pie?) is the return of Defenestrator to Ardent Craft Ales. The annual brew has made its way back to the taps, made in collaboration with The Cask Cafe in The Fan. This ruby-brown lager doppelbock is a fan favorite: clean, full-bodied and full of a malty aroma with lesser fruity notes. Its flavor is on the nutty side (ditto), and its bready sweetness finishes off with a crisp feel for an easy drink. It’s 8.7%, so it’s a great way to dive straight into Thirsty Thursday.

The next day, head over to Hardywood for Fresh Can Friday’s Dreamlike can release. This perfectly-spring brew is a pillowy-soft DIPA that’s “bursting with tropical flavors” to get you warmed up for the warm weather we’ve been so luckily experiencing all week. Nice temperatures are set to continue into the weekend, so if you’re as excited as we are for the sunny days, Dreamlike is the perfect tip-of-the-hat to the season.

If you’re not-so-ready for the heat to return, grab a pint of Hardywood’s Apple Brandy Wee Heavy at its release on Saturday for a burst of the best fall flavors.

For those of you looking for more of a triple-whammy, The Veil Brewing Co. just released three beers yesterday: Step Dad³, ?, and American Luxury, in addition to the return of Crucial Taunt. I’m glad to see Crucial Taunt make its way back, because not only is this DIPA packed with awesome flavors with an extremely hoppy, juicy taste, it’s named after the band from Wayne’s World (one of the best movies to come out of the early 90s, obviously). Wayne’s girlfriend, Cassandra, plays in the punk band and is featured performing in the film. Grab a taste while you can, and check out their fresh releases like “?” — answer that for yourself when you give it a try.

In more new-brew-news and big releases, Final Gravity Brewing Co. is dropping a double-beer special on Friday. Ancient Mariner Gose and Low Earth Orbit DIPA are fresh to the taps this weekend, with Ancient Mariner coming back for more after its original release. The long-awaited return will catch you “by the spell of this refreshingly-fruity brew, with the perfect balance of tart and a tinge of saltiness,” and flavored with fruits like raspberry, blackberry, passionfruit, and mango at 4.5%. Low Earth Orbit DIPA, on the other hand, is made to enjoy after a heavy week, according to Final Gravity — the 8% Double IPA is flavored with passionfruit, grapefruit, and lime to “elevate your spirit and lighten your mental load”….. And isn’t that perfect for the end of the week?

⟁ Over the weekend, Triple Crossing Beer had an especially-large release in Fulton. Starting with Arriving Somewhere But Not Here, this oak-fermented sour beer came out after several months of conditioning to make its perfectly-tropical tastes (like white grape, earthy citrus, and a tart, dry finish). Glass House DIPA is the newest in its variety from Triple Crossing, and it’ll leave you feeling just peachy with its ripe orchard tones in addition to mango, melon, and bright orange citrus. Interstellar Burst DIPA, on the other hand, is hopped with Galaxy, Citra, and El Dorado to give off “deep and plush impressions” with its passionfruit, pineapple, grapefruit, and mango tastes. Finally, Mosaic Triangles ⟁ IPA is named after what they call “the strongest shape in nature.” Triple Crossing notes that they named it for their favorite shape and their favorite hops, and the bright, soft-tropical orange and melon citrus will bring out those perfectly-crafted and balanced Triple Crossing flavors — because it wouldn’t be from Triple Crossing if it didn’t get that extra-special attention to detail. We love this brewery not only for their passion in brewing, but because every one of their beers is so damn good. Keep doing you, TC! ⟁

Alright, time to jump into the part you’ve probably been waiting for — St. Paddy’s Day, and what to do for ir. Don’t worry, craft beer enthusiasts and drunks alike, Richmond has something for everyone (as it always does). First up is the Ploughman’s Porter Release coming out from Three Notch’d RVA Collab House tomorrow afternoon for Tap That Thursday. This English Porter is “an ode to the old world, when St. Patrick’s Day celebrations were in their infancy.” This brew is based on an 18th-century recipe, to be lighter, less roasty and have more caramel flavors, they say “this is one ‘light’ dark beer.”

To keep the festivities going, celebrate all week long with Strangeways Brewing Company. They’ll have a special Lücky Charms beer ready in crowlers, growlers and grunts as well as shows and Intergalactic Taco celebrations throughout the week. Head over for live bagpipes and brunch with Spud Bucket for St. Patrick’s Sunday, where you can either keep the party going or recover from the weekend with the hair of the dog — in true Irish fashion.

For Saturday fun, check out the 6th Annual St. Patty’O Crawl with Southern Railway Taphouse and Shiplock Brewing. Make your way down to Shockoe for probably the most “lively” part of the city for this holiday every year, with tons of live music and beers galore. A note from the breweries: “We know it’s PADDY but it’s on our PATIO,” so hold the “well, actually,” bros — we see you.

This might be one of the best deals in the city…… $1 Green Craft Beers are starting at noon at Shiplock, so get there early if you want to grab a seat and get blitzed for the day, as many Shockoe residents do. There will be tons of awesome music to keep the party going into the night, with Zack Artist in the morning, Austin Ferguson Band in the afternoon, and East of Blueridge taking over for the evening special. The outside boundaries will be extra-big, too, so fear not that you’ll run out of room for shenanigans: They’ve got you covered.

Drink up, y’all!

If you’re really not in the mood for all the craziness of St. Paddy’s around town, Stone Brewing Company thought ahead. Take the day off from the crowds and the city and get out into nature to help the environment. Stone’s throwing a Capital Trail Clean-Up day for volunteer groups to avoid the mess and clean one up instead.

Volunteers get discounts at the after-party, a celebration dedicated to everyone who came out to help (and there’s BBQ!!) so it’s a wonderful way to still enjoy your weekend — and do something awesome — if you’re dreading the festivals.

The Circuit Arcade Bar partnered up with our friends at Triple Crossing this week to create SmashDown, a giant competition in Ultimate Smash Bros to slam your competition and bring back the best days of the early 2000s (and for many of us, our childhoods) in a mario-slam-galore. Head over tomorrow night to get your shot at crushing in this seriously-beloved game, and get famous on Twitch in the process (it’s livestreamed)!

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 NYE 2019: Our Guide to the River City’s Best New Years Parties

John Reinhold | December 27, 2018

Topics: Cary St. Cafe, Diversity Richmond, Kabana Rooftop, New Years Eve, Party Liberation Front, The Broadberry, The Camel, The Circuit, the Hof, The National, Three Sheets To The Wind, Uptown Alley, Vagabond

Richmond loves a good party, so it only makes sense that NYE draws some of the year’s best special events in town. In light of that fact, we have compiled a listing of some of our favorite events happening to close out the year. Here you can get an idea of the goings on, and what each event has in store for you. Make sure and get your tickets ASAP, as many of them will sell out.

Enjoy, and have a very Happy and Safe New Year!

PLF Presents Decemberween 13: New Years Eve Party

The Party Liberation Front’s Decemberween (Halloween in December on New Year’s Eve) is one of the biggest events in the city, and certainly the most artistic wild party around, with big art and big sound! Decemberween 13 will be loaded with all the music, dancing, creativity, costumes, camaraderie, and community fun that you’ve come to expect — plus some new surprises in store for veteran attendees.

Diversity Richmond will again be hosting this one of a kind NYE event. We once again will transform the 10,000 square foot indoor event space and outdoor areas into multiple immersive environments for fire performance and music. TOXIC MOXIE will be headlining a special NYE performance along with 18 DJs from all across the east coast.

The event will also feature interactive art installations, circus arts, stage performances, outdoor pyro-sculptures, amazing fire spinners and fire troupes, art car showcases, live painting, champagne toast, and two bars with Hardywood Beer & Belle Isle Moonshine drinks! There are way too many things going on here to list, so check the event page — and GET THOSE TICKETS NOW BEFORE THEY SELL OUT!!

Three Sheets to the Wind: NYE Anchor Drop at The Broadberry

The best Yacht Rock band in the business, Three Sheets to the Wind, will help RVA ring in the New Year at The Broadberry. You know that they are going to pull out all the stops and drop the anchor in style for this special NYE Performance. The Rounding Cape Horns are coming too, with lots of our own local boys to provide the big brass sound. This is always a huge party, so get the tickets now. They have special VIP packages for those that want to score their own private penthouse on the boat before it sets sail. Get tickets here and click here for more info.

NYE 2019 Moonlight Masquerade

The Moonlight Masquerade New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Double Tree Hilton is another of the biggest events in Richmond, and well worth checking out. LX Group is bringing in multiple performers and an incredible lineup of DJ’s for a non-stop party into 2019. They are already at 500 people strong, so you want to get those tickets now before I go on any further. They have special couples tickets, along with appetizers and special drinks throughout the night, including a complimentary champagne toast. This is, of course, a masquerade ball — so get your fancy masks out for this one. Tickets can be purchased here, and for more info click here.

Rocking 80’s New Year’s Eve with Teaze & The Here and Now at Uptown Alley

If your looking for 80’s style hair metal, you got it right here with “The Here and Now” & “Teaze”. You will get all the glory of the 80’s sing alongs and wild party times. This one will include a balloon drop at midnight, with over $1000 in prizes. Having seen Teaze, I can promise you that they will crush it, and it will be a blast for all involved. So get your hair out (or Teaze your hair out, as the case may be), and stuff yourself into the spandex for this one. Click here for more info.

New Year’s Eve at The Circuit

Join The Circuit, the arcade video game bar, for a very special NYE. We are talking amazing brews all night along, with special video game-inspired music from F1NG3RS. They have complimentary snacks for you and all the games you can imagine to play. This is a great event for groups, featuring lots of things to get involved in. They also will have Gaucho food truck, with its delicious South American eats, to get your fill of delicious grub. This is a great NYE event if you just want to have fun, not worry about dressing up, just enjoy some drinks and games with friends. Grab tickets here, and click here for more info.

New Years Eve with The Southern Belles and Jackass Flats at The Camel

For those looking for some classic folk, country, bluegrass and Americana sounds on NYE, we have the Southern Belles and Jackass Flats ringing in the New Year at my favorite venue in the city: The Camel. Both of these bands are so talented and fun, and on NYE you know there will be some special performances in store. Let the champagne flow, the booties shake, and the good times roll! Grab your tickets here, and go here for more info.

Confetti Reign 2 #VagabondNYE

Vagabond will be quite a swanky party for you looking for the speakeasy bar in the basement with the sweet vibes. They have music by DJ King Cise, along with your host Juan Pierce. If you are not familiar with Vagabond, you should know that they know their drinks — we are taking classy drinks by talented bartenders. Ringing in NYE in the rabbit hole feels like that special invite to the bar at the end of the universe you just have to visit. Go here for tickets, and get more info here.

Saved By The 90s: A NYE Party with the Bayside Tigers at The National

It may be NYE 2019, but a lot of us would rather it be 1999. Looking to get your 90’s Fix on NYE? The Bayside Tigers deliver the 90’s hits to get you moving in all your neon glory. Saved by the 90’s is the premier 90’s party Holiday show that travels all over the US to bring the party to you. The party continues into the night with DJ GHOZT. It’s gonna be the raddest thing since Stacey’s Mom! Go here for tickets, and here for more info.

Flashing Lights NYE at Kabana Rooftop

Alert – Rooftop party on NYE overlooking the city! Kabana has invited Carlos Melange to ring the in the New Year from 20 stories up, and you should be there. Carlos is a NYC DJ and producer who is quite in demand these days, so you’re getting a certified crowd-pleaser here. Kabana of course will have a number of specials going on with hotel room specials, VIP sections, and party favors. This is a themed Red Carpet event, Hollywood-style, so get fancy, walk the carpet, and be treated like a star. Pick up your tickets here, and find more info here.

New Year’s Eve Celebration at Cary Street Cafe: The King is Dead

And now for something completely different. The King is Dead will bring you all the Grateful Dead and Elvis music you need in your life at Cary St. Cafe this NYE. This is a night of amazing music and collaborations, along with the Hot Piece of Brass Horns as special guests. This is a night of funky music, champagne toast and countdown, and good old dead Elvis. This is a no pre-sale event ($12 at door), so just show up and be ready to get down. For more info, you know where to go.

NYE Live at the Hofheimer with P- Funk Allstars!!

The Hof has something very special in store for NYE, with special guest Jerome “Bigfoot” Brailey from Parliament Funkadelic. This event is sure to be the funkiest party in town with this special performance, put together just for this event. They also have open bar from 8-10pm, with four fully stocked bars on multiple floors of this giant venue. You also get a balloon drop, party favors (hats, masks, etc), and multiple musicians and DJs in multiple rooms. They have upgrades and a special deal with Graduate Richmond to get you to and from the event to your swanky hotel room. Grab them tickets – Its gonna sell out, if it hasn’t by the time I wrote this (that was fast!). Tickets here, more info here.

Top photo by Elizabeth Swider