The Veil Brewing Co.

RVA ON TAP: 25 Legendary Years, Beer Fests at NASCAR, and the Wild & Weird

Caley Sturgill | April 10, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Castleburg Brewery, Center Of The Universe Brewing, Final Gravity, Fine Creek Brewing Company, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Jack Ryan Music Festival, Legend Brewing, richmond raceway, RVA beer, Safety Team Brewing, The Answer, The Veil Brewing Co., 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!

Get ready to get out of the house, because there are so many good events this week you’re not gonna want to go home.

HAPPY 25TH, LEGEND! We’ve been waiting for this day for *months* and it’s finally here. Legend Brewing Company, Richmond’s OG craft brewery, is celebrating their quarter-century in trips around the sun with a huge banger this Saturday. Starting at noon and running all day, with free admission (so more money for beer!) you can head over to the Manchester brewery for live music, food, and brews. Bring your kids, bring your pups, and enjoy the day in the beer garden and looking over the James with one of our all-time faves here in town. For music, catch performances by The Remnants, Greater Richmond Pipes and Drums, Wade Reynolds, and Suggesting Rhythm. All food and beer is in-house from Legend, and it’s so good you won’t want to miss it. We’ll see you there!

*PHOTO: Richmond Raceway Craft Beer Fest*

If you like beer and cars, boy do I have the event for you (and me, especially me). This Saturday before the big Toyota Owners 400 night race under the lights, Richmond Raceway’s hosting their Craft Beer Fest to bring fans a taste of the city. There’s a lot going on at the track that day — like the beer fest, which is open to the public regardless of race tickets, as well as live mural painting, and tons more you’ll want to swing by early to catch.

Over at the fest, Richmond Raceway has partnered up with the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild to let fans try the flagship beers of breweries all across the state. The best part: unlimited tastes! RVA Magazine will be out doing live coverage from the race that day, so be sure to keep up with us on social media during the fun (@rvamag on Instagram and Facebook). I’ll make sure to tell you all our favorite brews from the fest when we come back for next week’s column, but I can tell you one thing now — knowing myself at a beer fest, it’s pretty hard to pick just one.

Happy birthday, Triple Crossing! Our Fulton Hill favorites are celebrating half a decade in business all weekend, and if we know anything about Triple Crossing, it’s that they’re one of the best. These guys are known for their perfectly-balanced brews packed with just the right amount of every flavor, and they’ve got five releases to commend their first five years.

Pabst is Prologue is first on the list. This mixed-culture Golden Ale measures at 5% ABV, full of white peaches and fruit to ring in the springtime for good (finally). Their special 5th anniversary lager, Jubilee Jubilaums Bier, is making its debut at the party. They’ve also got Just to Get a Rep DIPA, Space Falcon IPA, DDH Anniversary Falcon Smash IPA, and a few more TBA.

The releases start on Friday, and the party continues on into Saturday with ZZQ and one of my home bars, Cobra Cabana. BTW — if you haven’t tried Cobra’s food yet, you’re missing out. They’ve also got yerba mate (yeah, the real kind) that can pair with your favorite mixers, and y’all, Yerbajäger might just kill me this summer. TBA on that, too.

I meant it when I told you it’d be hard to pick your plans this weekend. Fine Creek Brewing Company’s Wild & Weird Festival is heading back to your favorite farm spot for their 2nd anniversary. Wild & Weird brings out the sour, the funky, and the best mixed-fermentation beers from around Virginia, from both breweries and cideries. A few names participating that you’ll recognize: Väsen Brewing Company, Steam Bell Beer Works, Ardent Craft Ales, Triple Crossing, Champion Brewing Company, Strangeways, and my loves at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery.

Head out to the festival from 1-5pm this Saturday to get tastes of gems like Hardywood’s Berlinner with Pine Needles & Rose Hips, Ardent’s Understanding of Bonds American White DSSOLVR Collab, and plenty more to get your tastebuds going.

Would you believe it if I told you The Answer Brewpub won ANOTHER award this year? Of course you would, because The Answer’s the best! Like Legend, The Answer has had a lot to do with building the craft beer scene in Richmond that is now recognized across the nation — and this brewery is no stranger to awards of its own. From being named one of the best breweries in the country to making one of Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine’s favorite beers of 2018, if you want to know where to get a good brew, everyone knows the answer is The Answer.

This time around, The Answer was named USA Today’s best brewery in America… and they won by a lot. In its bracket for the gold, our River City hometown brewers were chosen by 71 percent of voters over their rival.

We would never expect anything less. Congrats again, guys, and I know we’ll be saying congrats for all the awards coming in 2019. Keep being awesome!

Hardywood’s releasing their Capital Trail Pale Ale for #FreshCanFriday this week, brewed with Falconer’s Flight, Willamette, and Mandarina Bavaria hops. This palate-invigorating recipe starts off with refreshing citrus flavors and finishes “pleasantly dry,” and it’s good for the environment, too. Every purchase of a Capital Trail Pale Ale supports the link between Richmond and Jamestown, preserving and enhancing our state’s 52-mile long walking and biking path. Raise your can in honor of the foundation, Hardywood says, and in honor of your next adventure.

Hey! Remember when I made my mountain-famous ham biscuits for the Southern Food Fest at Center of the Universe? Well, I won! And not only did I get a super sweet shirt that you’ll see me rocking all summer, I also got to eat some of the best damn food I have ever tasted. And I really, really mean that.

Y’all, I got a half pound of pulled pork from Grandpa Eddie’s Alabama Ribbs & BBQ and that stuff was so good I inhaled it in about a minute. I have never tasted better BBQ in all my days in Virginia. Go get some. Or else. I also finally got to try Capitol Waffle Shop, and you know what it’s like when you go to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving and those fall-spiced, warm baked apples are making you drool over the smell from the living room? Capitol Waffle shop basically did that with fucking peaches, dude. It was incredible. Capitol Waffle Shop literally put sliced-up, warm, cinnamon-ey glazey peaches on a waffle with whipped cream and syrup, and it’s been three weeks and I can’t stop thinking about it. It should be a crime for anybody who hasn’t had it to go another week without trying this place.

*Anyway,* there’s more good stuff happening at Center of the Universe this week. They’re dropping their Crazy Bet Imperial Red Ale this Saturday, and this variation was brewed over at Origin Beer Lab. It’s got a balanced bitterness and intense aroma from its Nugget and caramel malts. Crazy Bet is named after the Crazy Bet herself, Richmond’s Elizabeth Van Lew, the 1800s abolitionist and philanthropist, who both “built and operated an extensive spy ring for the Union Army during the Civil War.” Do yourself a favor and read more about this gal, and do us all a favor and give her beer a try this weekend.

Friends and fans of Greek Mythology, Final Gravity Brewing Co. has the brew for you. Cassiopeia is fresh to the taps this Friday, and she is absolutely *made* for this weather. With delicate-but-strong aromas of melon, coconut, pine, peach, and whispers of pineapple, according to the brewers, this gal goes down the hatch with a smooth bitterness. You’ll also catch flavors of lemongrass and tangerine to accompany this “heavenly congregation” of radiant flavors to captivate your senses — and let’s be real, who doesn’t love a goddess?

The Veil Brewing Co. dropped Grape Berry Tastee last night, a smoothie-style sour ale. This delicious dessert in a can was brewed with milk sugar (yum!), concord grapes, and blackberries to bring you the creamy-goodness of a berry shake to top off a perfect summer day. I can taste this just thinking about it. Be sure to swing by soon, because we all know The Veil is a local treasure, and everyone will be looking for a taste!

The 2nd Annual Jack Ryan Music Festival is also coming up this Saturday, with several local favorites from Richmond heading out to serve up brews. Look forward to seeing Intermission Beer Company, Kindred Spirit Brewing, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, and Steam Bell Beer Works — and lots of great bands like Old Dogs, New Tricks Bluegrass Band, Timber Revival, Josh Lief, The Steel Tips, and Jack Ryan & His Band.

If you’ve had your hopes up for Safety Team Brewing Company to open up in Northside, we’re sorry to report that they won’t be going through with the new spot. Opening something as large-scale as a brewery is no easy feat, and after getting into the ins and outs of construction planning, it looks like the location is a no-go for now. Brookland Park will stay a little bit dryer for a little bit longer, and the old Quick Splash Car Wash will be vacant until further notice.

Even more releases are on their way this Friday, with Castleburg’s Kingslayer TIPA. This triple-banger is sure to make you hazy, and at 10% ABV, I think it’s fair to say it’ll slay most people that drink it. Kingslayer started off with a “massive amount of Irish pale malt” and flaked wheat, then treated to an “absurd amount of El Dorado hops.” This guy was conditioned over 20lbs per barrel with pineapple puree to bring out the natural fruity flavors in these hops, and it is a seriously-powerful brew.

“The king is dead, long live the Kingslayer!”

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: Let’s Get Fruity

Caley Sturgill | March 27, 2019

Topics: Black Heath Meadery, canon and draw brewing company, Champion Brewing Company, Fine Creek Brewing Company, garden grove, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Isley Brewing Company, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Co.

This week, we get to vote on our favorite local breweries (only until tomorrow!) and check out a few new releases coming up. We’re off to a slower week to follow up on the last one, which was totally packed with events, and some awesome tastes this time to keep rolling into the warmer weather.

Before we jump into the goings-on of the week in beer, head over to NBC12 to vote for your favorite local breweries in their Brewery Bracket. This is a really fun way for the drinkers of the city to give their input back and vote for the ones who they keep coming back to — it’s honestly hard to pick between a lot of these choices, but voting ends tomorrow night, so make sure to hop on it while you can!

Happy 4th birthday, Black Heath Meadery!! Come out and celebrate all weekend long, hosted at The Hive in Scott’s Addition. They’ll be featuring special mead releases every day, starting Friday off with a Bourbon Barrel Aged Sour Cherry with Vanilla mead, which just in its own name sounds absolutely mouthwatering. Following up on Saturday, grab a taste of Black Heath’s ZZQ Smoked Pear Cyser, and close out the weekend’s events with their Barrel Aged Ginger Lemongrass Cider on Sunday.

In new brews this week, check out Isley Brewing Company’s Pineapple IPA that’s dropping for their weekly Infusion Friday. It comes along with many in the season of fruity-IPA’s, and we’re stoked to see more of these coming out around town. Isley will be hosting the release at their spot in Scott’s Addition with the Right On Time Mobile Diner, so check it out if you’re feelin’ fruity (aren’t we always?) and taste one for me, too.

Yesterday, The Veil Brewing Co. dropped Never Never Rest Rest, a new Gose brew in their series of “Never” beers that keeps going strong. With a history of beers like Never Never Forever Forever, Never Again, Never Never Again Again, Never Never Gonnagetit Gonnagetit, Never Never Aloha Aloha, and still so many more that are certainly going to twist my tongue if I keep going — Never Never Rest Rest is still a special one of the bunch. This Gose is packed with double guava and double raspberry to bring in the fruits again, and at 5.1%, it’s a solid day-drinker for the flavor outdoors.

Head over to Richmond’s sweethearts on Saturday for the release of Bourbon Cru. Hardywood is dropping this bad boy with its rich mahogany color this weekend, and it’s brewed to mimic the fashion of the revered monastic breweries of Belgium. After months of barrel-aging, according to Hardywood, the “maturity and melding of flavors” that’s brought on by the freshly-drained bourbon whiskey barrels “lends an extraordinary sense of harmony” to this special beer.

For flavor, you’ll get a lot of tastes of almond, toffee, and oaky vanilla with hints of dark cherries and raisins, with caramel overtones to top it off — and as usual, me drooling at my keyboard while I write about it. Holy yum, y’all.

If you’re looking for fun on a weeknight, head over to Champion Brewing Company tomorrow for the Untz Festival Richmond Pre-Party featuring Secret Recipe Music. You’ll also catch the Wormhole Music Group and Mister Jennings, Richmond’s “sherpa of swing” according to Champion. They say you should come prepared to get absolutely-down from the moment the doors open, so make sure to pregame and get the fun rolling on before you walk in for an instant party. The whole show’s put together by Ebisu Sound and Home Bass, and it’ll be an awesome spot in a series of events at Champion over the season. Get your jam on, Richmond!

Over the weekend, Garden Grove had several releases that you’re definitely gonna want to try. Fruit Bomb IPA is first up, and this blend of Citra, BRU-1, and New Zealand Rakau hops is packed with spring fruitiness and wild yeast. To offset the warm weather brews, Garden Grove also dropped a Chocolate Imperial Stout to bring in a rich flavor with its real-chocolate flavors and Sumac Berries. It’s full of complex tastes that bring out a long, chocolatey finish, so if you’re hanging on to winter this one’s for you!

Earlier last week, The Answer Brewpub dropped One Beer, a collaboration brew with Black Ninja Design and 8Bit Adam Kaufman. This one was brewed up with hops like Motueka, Falconer’s Flight, and El Dorado — and like always at The Answer, it comes in a badass glass. Also like always: the good ones go fast! So make sure to swing by and grab a taste of this One while you can.

Also over the weekend, Fine Creek Brewing Company had a special release for their Friday Beer Feature. This New Zealand Saison comes in at 6%, and it’s dry-hopped and made with a house Saison yeast as its base to bring out its lemon-lime, zesty smells with its fruity ingredients. It’s also boosted with pear flavors from the yeast with layers of tropical fruit, and it’s available out at the brewery on tap, in Growlers and in Crowlers.

Happy 1st birthday, Canon and Draw Brewing Company!! Two birthdays in one week — how lucky is that? For their birthday, Canon and Draw just dropped their *first ever* bottle release, so it’s definitely a special occasion! But first, story time.

Last year, “with nothing but good spirits and an old van,” the folks behind Canon and Draw made a personal pilgrimage to ol’ Frankfort, Kentucky to retrieve some gold: retired barrels from the Buffalo Trace Distillery’s finest reserves, from a special friend of the owners. From those barrels was born Le Confort Du Vide, C&D’s American Barleywine that was made in just one barrel of the adventure’s haul — and it’s been sitting quietly for over a year waiting to be freed. They made it special for their first anniversary, and its tastes sound like a dream. Brown sugar, vanilla, and bourbon blend with layers of caramel in this birthday brew that even out each taste to complement the gentle bitterness of its American hops. With a “pleasant warmth,” this one-time-recipe celebrates the warmth of the season alongside the warmth of celebrating your first trip around the sun. Congrats, Canon and Draw!

RVA ON TAP: Pre-Spring Events & Anti-Valentine’s

Caley Sturgill | February 13, 2019

Topics: Center of the Universe Brewing Company, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, Pajamarama Bar Crawl, River City Spirits Festival, RVA On Tap, Strangeways Brewing, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Co., Triple Crossing Beer

This week, our early spring (as predicted by our groundhog pal Punxsutawney Phil recently) might feel freezing, but it’s opening up some events and releases to get us out of the house after a chilly season of hibernation for the River City.

To start bridging that “I’m freezing and tired but I really want to go out” gap that plagues us all this time of year, Citymixr is hosting the RVA Pajama-Rama Pub Crawl this Saturday… so if you’re debating whether to leave the house because putting on jeans feels like too much work, here’s your ticket to freedom. The crawl will hit six spots throughout the city, starting with Phase 1 at District 5, then moving into Shiplock Brewing and Southern Railway Taphouse for Phase 2. Then it’s off to Cha Chas, AGAVE, and Sine Irish Pub to finish off the evening.

Side note — Citymixr is on its way into RVA with cheap beer prices for groups of friends. I would very much like to get discounted alcohol for bringing a few buds along. More on this soon!

While we’re in the spirit of events, the River City Spirits Festival is also headed to town this Saturday. This one is big news: more than 20(!!) Virginia breweries and cideries are all coming together in harmony out at Stony Point to pour alongside one another. From Richmond: Intermission Beer Company, Steam Bell Beer Works, Ardent Craft Ales, and our friends at Strangeways. We’ve got more on the list from town with James River Cellars, Bell Isle Moonshine and more, plus plenty of awesome distilleries and wineries around the state. Don’t miss out on this one! Tickets are available here.

In new brews this week, Triple Crossing is hosting a Can Jam! First on the list of their triple-whammy can release this Friday is Space Falcon, a 7% Falcon Smash IPA made with Galaxy hops. This one hails from its Falcon forefather, taking the original recipe and dry-hopping with an “exorbitant” amount of Australian Galaxy. The process brings in a large flavor of pineapple and citrus, layered on with Falcon’s dark marmalade-orange character. Head out to Fulton to pregame your weekend with our favorite East-Enders.

#FreshCanFriday keeps up the can releases over at Hardywood this weekend, with Wyldflower hitting the taps and 16oz cans of the 8.8% ABV Double IPA brew. Wyldflower’s made with Wildflower Honey, Denali, Cascade, and Idaho 7 hops, ready to jump-start your days off with a perfect natural-tasting combo.

If you’re looking for fun with a bit more of a learning experience, head out to Hardywood West Creek this Saturday & Sunday for an open-house tour of their beautiful West End farmhouse spot, letting you meet the production team and get behind-the-scenes inside their massive brew room.

Wow, I can’t really think of anything better than this. The Answer Brewpub has a special this week for Valentine’s Day — an Imperial Milk Stout with Oreos and French Vanilla Coffee!!! !! In teeny tiny 8oz cans! Ennol Angus is my dream come true. I know I’m heavy on the dessert beer excitement whenever they come out, but bear with me. This rules.

More Valentine’s specials are on the way with Castleburg Brewery, who are releasing their The Seige Chocolate Raspberry Stout on V-Day itself. This sweet milk stout is brewed with cacao nibs to give the perfect “melting moments of chocolate” to complement its subtle hints of raspberry.

At their Valentine’s Day Market this Sunday, Strangeways dropped an Under The Rose Wild Rosehip Saison made with these very rosehips, found up on their property in Fredericksburg. The addition of these little plants brings in a Saison tea-like flavor, which is complemented by its lemon peel with malty, subtle brandy notes.

Bitter? Alone? Sweet, us too. Center of the Universe has just the fix this Valentine’s Day. Head on over to hang with our buds at COTU and have plenty of beer, live music, food, and “a bunch of like-minded people who want to enjoy a Saturday without getting bombarded by stupid Cupid’s arrows.”

Thank god. Lonely hearts unite!

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

If you’re unlike the former and you do have someone to celebrate this V-Day, make your way over to Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery for a nice beer pairing dinner this Thursday out at their spot in Goochland. The Farm is ready to go and stocked with plenty of brews, like their West-End special Three Chopt Tripel — and my personal favorite, Redneck High Society. They’ve also got a Blueberry Obsession Imperial Stout with graham cracker-crusted cheesecake (mother of god, yum), and Something Loyal. Get out of the city and have some fun on the farm with your honey this week.

If you’re looking to completely ditch Richmond this weekend and hard-avoid bumping into your ex in public again, check your tires and fill up your tank, ‘cause The Veil Brewing Co. has a road trip for you! Head down to Norfolk this coming Sunday for a meetup with their head brewer, Matt Tarpey, and hit up “Table Manners.” They’ll be hosting a close dinner with their chef and brewer with five courses and beer pairings down near the beach.

RVA ON TAP: Fizz The Season! New Year, New Beer

Caley Sturgill | January 2, 2019

Topics: 2019, Black Heath Meadery, Castleburg, Final Gravity, fine creek, Lickinghole Creek, midnight brewery, new year, RVA On Tap, strangeways, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Co., three notchd

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!

Hope you’re not too beer-ed out from NYE, because we’ve got a lot of great new brews coming out this week and plenty of fresh recipes to bid the holidays adieu and start rolling towards spring.

Cheers to 2019! Fine Creek Brewing Company toasted the new year with their very own champagne of beers, Brut IPA. It’s extra carbonated to give that authentic champagne feel, and with its Lemondrop and Hallertau Blanc hops, it’s nice and fruity. With low bitterness and dry hops, this beer stays very crisp and dry according to its brewers, and has a sharp white wine flavor — perfect for the first moments of our next trip around the sun.

Congrats to Black Heath Meadery on finalizing their new production facility! The meadery is spreading its wings with the new space to bring their meads to new areas of Virginia, and expand their footprint here in town. As Central Virginia’s first and only meadery, Black Heath has always brought something special to the table in a crowded beer scene around Richmond, so I’m extra excited to see them do so well. The new beehive will grow the Scott’s Addition tasting room, and its fundraiser also helps them set up new beehives around Virginia. If you’re a big fan of meads, head over and donate. I hear they have a few perks up their sleeves, too!

Over the weekend, Triple Crossing dropped a surprise. 500 is their “cleverly-named 500th mash,” and it’s their first try at putting their purpose-built imperial stout into bourbon barrels. Through experimentation and evaluation, they came about two variants — one vanilla, one coconut — from the bourbon-aged brews, then blended each of those unique flavors with a brand-new, clean imperial stout. The candied, burnt vanilla bean flavor of 500 With Vanilla is laced with brown sugar ice cream, which gives off dark and cacao-like malt flavors. 500 With Coconut, on the other hand, comes across more as a dark chocolate-like devil’s food cake, with an unsweetened coconut, raw sugary bourbon finish. Both of these beers are complex (and look beautiful, to be honest), and the brewers put a lot of calculated effort into making them just right.

Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery is stoked on their redneck name: With the release of Redneck High Society, they’re wearing it proudly. This Belgian-style Quad is French Cognac barrel-aged, and these barrels add a grape tannin flavor to the mix. Proceed with caution, Lickinghole Creek says, and “You’re welcome, RVA.”

The Answer Brewpub gained a brand-new beer this weekend, as well. Slice of Beer is “something crushable after all of those glasses of pizza” — and thankfully, there’s no pepperoni to be found. If you’re looking for a nice flow down the hatch, Slice of Beer is your go-to Mexican-style lager, unfiltered and crisp to drink nice and easy.

The Veil Brewing Co. whipped up something special for the new year, too. Yesterday, the Scott’s Addition sweethearts brought back Dirt Nap³, a triple dry-hopped DIPA packed with Mosaic, Citra, Nelson, and Galaxy hops. This 8.8% ABV was probably a fantastic hair-of-the-dog for its January 1st drinkers, and the new version of this classic Veil brew seems as rich as its predecessor. The OG Dirt Nap is praised for having an “insane” aroma and flavor profile, and as the brewery’s second go at DIPA’s (after Crucial Taunt), it’s got an original feel. I’m looking forward to giving this one a try.

Every week, Three Notch’d Brewing Company hosts Tap That Thursday, and everyone in the taproom gets a free taste of the newest recipe on deck. This week’s release was a special one, with Fantom of the Hopera, an Imperial Red IPA. I had the pleasure last week of joining Three Notch’d at their location in Roanoke for the occasion, and although they took over a beloved spot of my parents’ since I was a kid, I was pleasantly surprised by how well I dig having Three Notch’d in the location. In Charlottesville, Fantom of the Hopera was released last Thursday after our RVA On Tap post-Christmas, with Three Notch’d Brewmaster Dave Warwick and their special guest, David Hunter (founder of Fans of Virginia Craft Breweries). It’s available at their RVA Collab House, so give it a taste while it’s still out there.

Coming up this Friday, a smoooooooth and hazy DIPA is heading back towards Final Gravity. Vapour Trail is filled with grapefruit, floral, and tropcial flavors, brewed with Falconer’s Flight and Citra hops. It first showed up earlier this spring, and like its first release, it’ll only be here for a limited time. Vapour Trail will “soon fade away, like voices in a hurricane” its brewers say, so grab a crowler while it’s around.

Two new brews popped up over the weekend at Strangeways. Bohemian Grove and Geomancy are both fresh to the taproom — Bohemian Grove is their new Lactose New England IPA, which marries a citrusy, dank hop profile to a lightly-sweet, full body. With notes of tropical fruit, black currant, pie, and gooseberry, this recipe is named appropriately. Geomancy is Strangeways’ new boysenberry table beer, a “refreshing and fruity Belgian style, brewed with Virginia-grown barley.” Strangeways has a wonderful tradition of brewing with Virginia-grown resources, and these hail from Epiphany Craft Malt and Murphy & Rude Malting Co.

Fizz the season from Center of the Universe! Bottle Poppin’ Brut IPA is here, and this ultra-dry, champagne-like beer has a light body full of lingering vinous fruit and minerality — but still full of hops. They made it with Simcoe and Mosaic hops, and get ready to pop bottles, they say. This one’s a celebration.

Midnight Granite is back at Midnight Brewery, and this rich oatmeal stout sounds like a dream. It’s a medium-bodied brew, and it comes alongside 623, Midnight’s mix of half-stout, half-Not My Job Brown Ale. With subtle roast and smooth chocolate notes, Midnight Granite will carry you through the coldest weeks coming up. Even though 623 isn’t listed on the board, its brewers say it should be easy to remember…..it’s the route number you’ll take to get there.

For the love of beer, Castleburg Brewery is bringing back a favorite. For the Love & Intrigue returns this Friday, and the cranberry and star-anise Saison will make you fall in love, they say. The 6.8% ABV recipe is also gluten-reduced, so if you’re trying to purge a few inches this month like everyone else, now’s your time to shine: For the Love & Intrigue should fit great in your diet.

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!

Richmond Snags #1 Spot on VinePair’s Top Beer Destinations in the World for 2018

Amy David | January 30, 2018

Topics: Ardent craft ales, beer destination, craft beer, Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Legend Brewing Company, mekong, RVA craft beer, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Co., Triple Crossing Beer, VinePair

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you’re aware of the craft beer explosion in Richmond. Since 1994, Legend Brewing Company has been our staple, but it wasn’t until Hardywood Park Craft Brewery came along in 2011 that the local beer scene began to pick up a bit. If you stepped outside in just about any neighborhood, or keep up with my weekly Tapped column, you’ll see that the city’s craft beer industry has grown by leaps and bounds.

Over 30 breweries are open in the area now, and recently, the city’s craft beer scene received a pretty awesome accolade from VinePair, a publication dedicated to wine, beer, and cocktails. The online magazine just released a list of “The World’ Top Beer Destinations for 2018,” and Richmond took the number one spot, beating out places like Beijing, St. Louis, Chicago, and New York.

“From one craft brewery to 22 in less than 10 years, RVA is officially on the map,” VinePair said of our craft beer hub.

Both Hardywood and Legend get mentions of course, but VinePair also gives shout-outs to Mekong, which has won best beer bar in America from a number of publications, along with The Answer Brewpub, as well as Scott’s Additon’s Ardent Craft Ales and The Veil Brewing Co. for its IPAs.

Triple Crossing, which started out downtown on Foushee, but has since expanded with a second, bigger location in Fulton got a mention for their fruity IPAs, and Carytown’s Garden Grove Brewing and Urban Winery was also given some recognition from the publication for their beer-wine hybrids.

Cheers to all of the breweries who received a mention, as well as Richmond’s craft beer scene as a whole, which looks to only continue to be on the rise with Dogtown Brewing in Manchester coming this year, along with Chesterfield’s Steam Beer Beer Works new Fan location Canon & Draw Brewing opening in March, Tabol Brewing opening in Northside, Hardywood’s Goochland spot slated to open its doors to the public in April, You can see the entire top 10 list of brewery cities who made the list here.

Top Photo Credit: Triple Crossing Beer

Ring in 2018 in Style With RVA Mag’s NYE Guide

Amy David | December 28, 2017

Topics: Ardent craft ales, Belle & James, Decemberween, Great Gatsby, Havana '59, isley brewing, Jackass Flats, Kabana Rooftop, Mike Ledesma, New Years Eve, New Years Eve Parties, NYE 2018, NYE parties rva, parties, Party Liberation Front, Party Libertation Foundation, richmond parties, Roaring 20s, Southern Belles, Strangeways Brewing, The Camel, The Hippodrome, the Hof, The National, The Roost, The Veil Brewing Co.

Christmas has come and gone and we’re nearing the end of 2017. It was a whirlwind of a year with highs and lows, and I think its safe to say many more lows this year than anything else politically, but we can only hope 2018 will be better. Now this post wasn’t meant to get you down, get you dwelling on the past year, or worrying about your New Years Resolutions, but rather send you into 2018 with a bang with a slew of kick-ass parties in Richmond this Sunday.

RVA Mag has put together a guide of some of the best parties around town from burlesque and comedy at breweries, to live music, to DJs and fire-spinning, to glammed up costume parties with champagne toasts, ball drops, and arcade fun. There’s sure to be something that will get you up off your couch and ringing in the New Year with your friends, significant other, or crazy uncle who can drink anyone under the table and always has a good story. And without further ado, here is our NYE Guide for Richmond. Be safe, have fun, get a little weird and we will see you in 2018. Happy New Year!

Decemberween 12

The wild and crazy group known for throwing some of the best shindigs in town, Party Liberation Foundation is back again with their annual NYE celebration Decemberween. Now in its 12th year, the party will be bigger and better than ever with two stages of music featuring headliner Soohan, a Maryland based producer, local dance-punk favorites Toxic Moxie, Mr. Jennings, Bunk Buddha and more, art installations inside and out including fire sculptures, Ziggy Sawdust will be carving wooden portraits of partygoers with a chainsaw, live, Man Camp! crew will be constructing a roving Trojan Mop Bucket, and Davina the Dragon will return for her first PLF event in years. PLF’s legendary pyro circus will also be returning and the group is adding a third bar in their speakeasy/cabaret lounge. All proceeds benefit PLF. Make sure to wear your best costume! Decemberween 12 will be held at Diversity Richmond, Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased here. 8pm-4am.

NYE 2018 Gatsby Soiree at Kabana Rooftop

If you feel like getting fancy, time traveling back to the ’20s and channeling your best Jay and Daisy impersonations, then Kabana Rooftop’s Gatsby Soiree. Dress as a flapper, a dapper gent, or silent film star or in your finest garb and head out to Kabana Rooftop for a night on the town you won’t forget. Well, depending on how much you have to drink. Music by local DJ favorite MASS FX and Bobby LaBeat. Tickets are $45 for General admission, $75 for couples, $60 for entry and 20s-themed buffet created by the wonderful head chef Mike Ledesma or $115 for couples and it goes up from there if you want to book a room or reserve a VIP table. All tickets include a champagne toast at midnight, party favors, a live feed of the ball drop. Grab yours here. Kabana Rooftop: 700 E. Main St. 7pm-2am.

NYE at Vagabond

Hosted by Kelli Lemon with tunes courtesy of DJ Lonnie B, Vagabond is ringing in 2018 with an appetizer Buffet and Champagne Toast. Limited reserved tables available. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased here.

New Years Eve at The Hof

The HofGarden, a three-story event venue and German beer hall inside Scott’s Addition’s The Hof Building on West Broad Street is bringing back one of Richmond’s most beloved NYE traditions with The Ball Rise. Originally started above the Byrd Theater in 2006, partygoers packed the streets to countdown the new year while watching the big ball go up. The 40-foot ball rise became too expensive so it ended in 2012 with a brief appearance at Hardywood in 2013, but hasn’t been an event in RVA since. The Hof will host the Ball Rise on their rooftop bar this year for their annual NYE party, whose theme is based on Rio de Janeiro’s Rio Carnival. Musical performances by DC’s gypsy/jazz/funk group Black Masala will perform, along with Andrew Alli & the Mainline, as well as DJ Duffy and carnival dancers. 2818 W. Broad St. 7pm-2 am.

Editor’s Note: At this time, the only package available for this event is the Couples Graduate Hotel Package for $307.88. Includes two GA tickets to The Hof party, a room at The Graduate hotel, transportation to and from the graduate and the hof, and brunch at the hotel on new years day. Tickets here.

New Years Eve Fiesta at Havana ’59

Havana ’59 returns for NYE with its annual celebration of dinner, Djs, and Salsa music. Dinner includes a three-course meal, drink, and additional champagne toast. Time slots for dinner reservations: 5:00pm, 7:00pm, 9:00pm. Dancing takes place upstairs, and Salsa begins at 10pm. A DJ will be providing the Salsa music for the evening. Dancing: $30, Dinner: $60, Dance/Dinner: $70. Champagne toast included. Call to reserve your tickets now! (804)780-CUBA. 16 N. 17th St. 5pm-2am.

Cirque Du NYE Hippodrome (RVA Escape into the 2018)

Step into the multi-act sideshow and entertainment extravaganza at The Hippodrome for NYE. The Jackson Ward venue is channeling Cirque de Soleii for their celebration with aerial dancers, stilt walkers, hula dancers, jugglers, shadow dancers, human blockheads, along with a DJ, buffet from 9 to 11 pm, red carpet style photo, prop photo booth, *Semi-formal attire required. Tickets $25-$40. 528 N. 2nd St.

Skyball NYE 2018- Belle & James

Kabana Rooftop may be celebrating Great Gatsby style, but Belle & James, the restaurant below the rooftop bar, is throwing its annual Skyball NYE bash Party. The event features a live DJ, with midnight toast, live video feed for the ball drop, complimentary party favors, signature Bond cocktails and more. Tickets $25-$45. 700 E. Main St. 10pm-2am.

New Years Eve Party at The Roost

Lunch/Supper’s event venue/ brunch market in Scott’s Addition, The Roost is ringing in 2018 with a celebration all their own. Tickets are $110 and will each include: passed hors d’oeuvres and appetizers, full dinner buffet with all your Supper! favorites, four drink tickets with choice of specialty beer/cocktails featuring Belle Isle Moonshine, champagne toast and celebration at midnight, and dancing all night with music from DJ Mike Murphy. A cash bar will be open all night for additional drinks and full VIP table reservations are available by request. Please email [email protected] for VIP requests. $10 of each ticket will be benefiting the Ronald McDonald House of RVA Tickets here. 1213 Summit Avenue. 8pm-1:30am.

Two Nights! NYE with The Southern Belles and Jackass Flats

Psychedelic-rockers and Richmond favorite The Southern Belles are ringing in NYE with a two-night event at The Camel with fellow RVA bluegrass band Jackass Flats, Shows Dec. 30 and NYE both $10. Tickets for Saturday’s show are $10 and can be purchased here and Sunday’s are $25 ADV and $40 DOS which you snag here. Doors at 8pm, Show at 9 pm.

New Year, New You at Gallery5!

The folks over at Gallery5 are celebrating big for New Year’s Eve. The space has a stacked lineup for the night with performances by Dazeases, Sammi Lanzetta, Citrus City shoegaze guys Fat Spirit (go see them if you haven’t already!), Pete Curry’s new project FM Skyline, along with DJ Skrt Skrt (christian something / Christian Nöthing), DJ Baby Maria (Maria Applegate) Free champagne toast & photo booth. Doors 8pm / Bands 9pm // $10. Keep an eye on the event page for details.

All That Glitters is Gold NYE 2018-Cha Cha’s Cantina and Society Social Club

Dance into the night and jump back and forth between two nightclubs in Shockoe Slip for Cha Cha’s and Society’s All that Glitters is Gold NYE Celebration. Buy a Gold ticket for access to both bars for the entire night along with drink tickets, buffet, and toast. DJ Bryan One and DJ Joe Fu will be spinning tunes, there will be a live feed of the Times Square ball drop, along with a free champagne toast. General Admission- $20 and Gold tickets are $60. Snag yours here. For VIP Inquiries Contact: 804.648.5100 | [email protected]
Doors at 730PM. 1419 & 1421 E. Cary St.

Richmond Brewery NYE Parties:

Several breweries in town are hosting their own celebrations if you aren’t the dancing type and prefer craft beer over fancy cocktails. Check out the rundown here.

Saved by The 90s: A NYE Party with the Bayside Tigers-The National

New York City’s 90s tribute band Bayside Tigers hits The National NYE for a party that’s sure to be all that and a bag of chips. (Sorry, in advance for the puns in this post.) Performing everything from Beastie Boys, to No Doubt, to Spice Girls, and Third Eye Blind they’re sure to bring back all sorts of nostalgia feels for you 90s kids. So grab your flannel, chockers, denim, and crop tops and party like its 1999. Tickets $25-$40.

Brew Years Eve Party at The Circuit Arcade Bar

If you’re a gamer, craft beer lover, or both, and rather spend your new year kickin’ it old school, hit up the new Circuit Arcade Bar in Scott’s Addition. Filled with over 60 throwback arcade games, pinball machines, and other vintage classics like skeeball and air hockey, along with a self-serve bar wall with 50 taps flowing with craft beer, cider, and wine send you into the new year the right away. For their celebration, The Circuit will host a Brew Years Eve party, working with a number of local and Virginia breweries that will bring an exclusive selection of seasonal, limited edition and newly released beer for just Sunday night. Wax Moon Records will be playing the tunes, and the barcade will also have a raffle with prizes, brewery giveaways, lip sync battles and even more. Access to our exclusive New Years Eve beer selection available only for one night. Tickets are $35 ADV/ Door: $40 and get you free food, free token cup with 20 tokens, one free raffle ticket, door prizes, and everything from Jurassic Park pinball, to Ms. PacMan, Dig Dug and more to play. 3121 W. Leigh St. 8 pm. (For an inside look into the arcade and bar, check out our interview with them in our latest issue here.)

Our sister publication, GayRVA.com also has a pretty sweet NYE rundown, you can check that out here.