Three Notch'd Brewing Archives

RVA Mag Presents: Stinky Cheese & Brews For Your Holidays!

John Reinhold | November 27, 2019

Topics: bingo beer, Brebirousse D'Argental, Commonwealth Brewing Co, Drunken Goat, Ellwood thompson's, goat cheese, Grayson, Hardywood, holiday celebrations, holidays, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, local craft beer, Locksley Estate, Meadow Creek, methanethiol, Monte Enebro, muenster, Pont-Le'Eveque, Prince John, stinky cheese, Tallegio, Three Notch'd Brewing, Troegs Brewing, Vasen Brewing Company, washed-rind cheese

Happy Holidays everyone! We hope you’re enjoying this holiday season. By now you should be relaxing, gettin’ your grub on, and heading deep into seasonal depression. Very soon, many people will descend on Black Friday, storming shops and stores in town, tossing people to the side, and running over children in the hopes of saving a few bucks. Big fun! Let’s add some stank to it.

As some may know from past articles, over the holidays we like to do pairings with our fave local brews. We’ve done everything from candy pairings to pairings for your oh-so-fun relatives. For this holiday season, we’re going to an all-time favorite of mine: Stinky Cheese!!

After days of stuffing your face, shopping, dealing with kids, and everything else, why not treat yourself to a nice night of some cheese and wine? Or, if you’re like me — and I know you are — local Craft brews. Some people you know might like a nice Pinot or Chardonnay with their cheese… but not us, because we’re American (kidding). Actually, any good wine or whisky will do quite well with most cheese, but for the purposes of my tastes this Thanksgiving, we’re going with beer.

Two the of the great loves of my life are beer and cheese (along with hot sauces and, well, a few more things). Many years ago I acquired a palate for really earthy washed-rind cheeses, and this sparked a journey into stink unlike any other. I’m not even kidding — as you can see from the picture of my Death Star cheese plate set, I’m deathly serious.

Cheese, beer, and Death Star cheese plate — *The Death Star cheese plate in question (Photo by John Reinhold)*

For these pairings I wanted to make it easy for you. I stopped in Ellwood Thompson’s — a one-stop shop for all your cheese and beer needs. My friends at Ellwood’s are very knowledgeable on it all, and can provide it all in one visit, or offer some options. Below is just a quick match on a few good ones I like, in all their gooey creamy stank. #stankyhollidays

So let’s break this down first:

Washed-Rind Cheeses are types that have been washed in brine or salt, bathed in wine or liquor, scrubbed, aged, shouted at, and called names. They grow bacteria (brevibacterium linens) on them, which give them their golden hue, or orange crust around the edges. Ready for this? The bacteria that grows resembles the bacteria that can get on your feet and produce Methanethiol — the molecule that is largely responsible for the stink in stinky cheese and the smell of smelly feet. Boom!!! There you have it. I’m here to teach you things that can be used in odd conversations, or for Trivial Pursuit.

These cheeses might seem very stinky from the offset, but often have a wonderful earthy and creamy treat underneath. Don’t let that rind scare you off — it’s there to help out. So now that you understand the basics, let’s move on.

Pairings

Pont-Le’Eveque paired with Hardywood Bourbon Barrel GBS

Going big for this first one. One thing is for certain — I can not, for the life of me, say that name correctly. I looked it up. It’s way too hard for me, so I’m calling it “Pont” for now. It can be stinkier depending on which one you get. I find find it fairly easy to deal with in comparison to a Limburger, Epoisses, or French Muenster. It’s a nice earthy creamy cheese that most would enjoy, and it’s considered one of the big ones from France.

Pairing this with a big wash of Bourbon Barrel GBS from Hardywood. Grab some bread or a cracker if you need. I find the GBS can stand on its own and give a bit of bourbon on the back palette, which gets you ready for the next bite of cheese. Plus, when you’re done, you’ve got a whole bottle of GBS to down. Enjoy.

Meadow Creek Grayson with Bingo Beer Fiordland

Grayson makes wonderful local-ish cheeses; you can really feel the mountains and freshness in everything they make. I love the Grayson in particular because it packs a punch. It’s beefy and big, and some might be a bit worried from the immediate smell, but you should jump in and do it. It somehow has a nice deep end cream with a bit of funky mushroom hit, all somehow giving us that nice mountain feel at the same time. I have grown to really love it.

I’m pairing this with Bingo Beer’s Fiordland — a big IPA that can stand up with this cheese. All these Bingo Beers would be good, I’m just going with the big juicy one to match the cheese. I like this pairing a lot. Take time between bites to refresh.

Locksley Estate Prince John with Three Notch’d Brewing’s A Foggy Day

Prince John is a wonderful cheese that anyone would dig into — it’s on the lighter fare of this list. This cheese has a pleasant salty and sweet finish to it. You can eat the rind on this one, as it’s fine and silky (much like an easygoing cream brie).

Pairing this with a Foggy Day here, as the English low bitter IPA works nicely to complement this cream bomb. This would make a nice pairing for a Christmas party as well.

Monte Enebro with Väsen Velvet Walrus

Something a lithe different here — not your usual washed rind. But we do dip into the goat’s milk area, and that’s a place I really like. This cheese also has some penicilium roqueforti, with a blue mold that develops on the outside. But most importantly, it is a powerful goat cheese that’s really dense and rich. Over time, and with an older version of this cheese, it gets quite barnyard, and then I really love it.

I’m putting this with Väsen’s Velvet Walrus Bourbon Barrel edition to pair with this goat. I like the two horns together, ya know. It’s a nice silky milk stout that draws some nice malty maple bourbon taste. It works well with this big goat ramming us. Black Phillip approved 100%.

Taleggio with Twelfth Night from Lickinghole Creek

You probably know this one, it’s quite popular on the rind cheese front with most of us. I don’t think it’s smelly at all, but some might disagree. I do know it’s amazing with just about anything. I also know I had an old one I named “Stan Malone” once. I took him from house to house with me in the fridge. Eventually, he became basically a really intense muenster stink bomb that grew legs. He was my constant — until he mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. I think somewhere out there he still lives, going from house to house… I can dream, at least.

Where was I? Oh yeah, Taleggio is great with a nice fruity tang to it. It has a thin crust — unless it gets older, like Stan. I’m pairing this fruity guy with Twelfth Night, because Shakespeare would make it so. This is a big quad that is quite powerful, dank, spiced, and boozy. The fruity background of these pair well. This is nice after dessert — or for dessert.

Drunken Goat with Commonwealth Brewing’s Co’s Botanicalia — or any Commonwealth beer

Drunken Goat is a staple for me, if I can get it. It’s a cheese the kids love, a not-too-musky goat cheese that’s a hard cheese but not too heavy. I like munching on it before meals. It’s also great on salads, candies, crackers, macaroons, ice cream, strawberries, spaghetti, and… well, you get the point. Buy it and eat it.

I’m pairing this with Commonwealth Brewing’s Botanicalia, a Berliner that is fruity and light enough to pair with this cheese. It really shines with some tropical feels, and is very drinkable. You can’t go wrong with any of their beers, but the strong IPA might be a bit much for this pairing. Then again, shoot, it’s worth trying.

Brebirousse D’Argental with Mad Elf from Troegs

Brebirousse D’Argental is another cheese I can’t really pronounce. But that’s okay, because I love it no matter what. It’s a gooey, buttery, bomb washed-rind cheese made from sheep’s milk. So it’s got a bit of backbone in the creaminess, but man, this one is a crowd pleaser. Probably should get two of them, or a full half of this one. It’s such a rich, creamy cheese that it’s going to go fast.

Pairing this with a holiday classic: Troegs‘ Mad Elf. Those are ridiculous together. Watch yourself on the Mad Elf — he is a bad man. Don’t let the ears and small stature fool you. He will turn the night in a different way. Take time between tastes, and don’t be greedy on that cheese, as everyone needs some.

Thats it, y’all. I hope you enjoy these cheeses and beers. There are plenty more that the fine folks at Ellwood’s can help you with. Let us know of any other fine pairings you enjoy — I’m always on the lookout. Enjoy your Stinky Holidays, RVA!

Top Photo by John Reinhold

RVA ON TAP: Jurassic Jeeps & Yappy Hours

Caley Sturgill | May 29, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Center of the Universe, craft beer, Final Gravity, Hardywood, Intermission Beer Company, Isley Brewing Company, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, Strangeways Brewing, The Veil Brewing Co., Three Notch'd Brewing, vasen brewing

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!

Now that the holiday weekend has come and gone, summertime is here for real, and with it comes all of Richmond’s great events that make the River City so fun every year. Whether you want to stay in town or take a day trip, Virginia’s breweries have something for just about everyone.

Did you have fun over Memorial Day weekend? We did, and we hope you did, too. If you made it down to the beach to celebrate, we’ve got some exciting news about your new favorite spot there: The Veil Brewing Co. is opening a brewery in Norfolk, and they’ll be slinging beers this weekend at the Norfolk Street Museum party ahead of the occasion. The street party is happening in the Studio Colab parking lot at Toast in Norfolk, with live music all day, murals, eats, and beer.

The Lazy Dangers, NFK Nightmares, and Tired All The Time (I feel that) will be providing the jams throughout the event, plus food from Handsome Biscuit and Pendulum Fine Meats. The Veil will be out with all their stellar beers that have made them so Richmond-famous, and I can’t wait to see how quickly they take off down in Norfolk — I have no doubt they’ll be a fast favorite for the beach crowd. Tim Skirven is debuting a brand-new mural during the party, too, so rest assured you’ll have plenty of reasons to have a good time if you make it down.

Calling all car (and dinosaur) enthusiasts! Intermission Beer Company is hosting their Jurassic Jeeps event this Friday, and whether or not you’re usually into cars, I think we can all agree that Jurassic Park cars are awesome. Bring out your dinosaur costumes and don’t hold back on the free dinosaur temporary tattoos (after all, Richmond is one of the most tattooed cities on the coast. Pile ‘em on, y’all). Grab some grub from Haulin’ Balls RVA and a pint from the bar to enjoy the movie-themed Jeeps and dinosaurs everywhere. I personally know plenty of Jeep lovers and a few friends with dino costumes, so come out and get pumped.

I spent many a childhood day laying in the soft grass in the mountains, watching the clouds go by. Hardywood gets it, and they’ve themed their newest can release after the pictures in the sky: Cloud Shapes debuts this Friday at Hardywood Richmond, a New England-style DIPA that packs a higher alcohol content than its light, fluffy name might suggest. At 8%, Cloud Shapes is best enjoyed “with a picnic blanket and a buddy to go cloud chasing with,” and its large-bodied flavor is complemented with a sweet finish. You’ll catch notes of mango, orange, grapefruit, and lemon in this hoppy brew. The Flavor Project is coming out to jam for the occasion along with Smokie Joe’s BBQ.

Peaches and Cream — is there a better flavor for a summer day? Not in my book. Our friends at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House are releasing their Peaches and Cream Ale this Friday as a collab with Endeavor RVA, a local fine art studio and gallery, and damned if it doesn’t sound delicious. With lactose, vanilla, and peaches, it’s one of the brewery’s most experimental beers despite its simplistic nature, according to its creators. They say it’s “deceptively thick” and as sweet as a creamsicle, which means it’s right up my alley, and a taste that’ll stick with you throughout the summertime.

Final Gravity fans: one of your favorites is on its way back to the taps this Friday. 3 Mile Double IPA was brewed originally as a tribute to Final Gravity’s running club, so if you’re in the market for something to cool you off after a hot day outdoors, this is the one. Brewed with Jarrylo, Falconer’s Flight, and Citra hops, 3 Mile Double IPA is available in a glass or a Crowler, and will refresh your day with grapefruit, pear, and passionfruit. Be sure to check out Final Gravity for their Bluegrass Jam next week, and to learn how to brew mead with Black Heath Meadery (which we’ll talk more about in a bit).

Starting off the first day of June right, Center of the Universe is dropping Monkey’s Uncle Lemongrass Tripel on Saturday, a classic Belgian style created with Pilsner malt. You’ll catch notes of German Munich and Vienna malts that bring out its color and sweetness to pair with its light, crisp body and straw-colored pour. Lemongrass fills its aroma with fresh herbs from the local Village Garden added in its boil. It sounds like the perfect light brew to go with the Puerto Rican food it’ll be served up with by Freekin’ Rican all day out at the Ashland spot.

I can never get enough dog events around town, and Strangeways never fails me. Yappy Hour is happening tonight (!!) at their spot on Dabney Road, and the brewery’s inviting you to bring your pups out and support the Richmond Animal League. There’ll be more Yappy Hours to come this summer, so fear not if you can’t make it on short notice — but if you’re able to go, Strangeways has plenty of treats for your furry pals and dog pools to keep them cool. A portion of beer sales from the event will go back to the Richmond Animal League, too, to let attendees drink for a cause.

Looking to get out of town? Väsen Brewing Company wants you to come out to Rock the River FXBG festival in Fredericksburg on Saturday. The festival will be packed with awesome vendors like Two Tree Outfitters, the Virginia Outdoor Center and more, plus our favorite outdoor-enthusiast brewery. Väsen’s known for getting Virginians outside for hikes, kayak trips, bike trips, and everything else that our beautiful state makes possible, and they’re excited for the celebration of it all this weekend in Fredericksburg. Jackass Flats and Kyle Davis will be providing the jams, and there’ll be plenty of great food from pizza to Martina’s Cantina. If you don’t want to get outdoors in town, get out of town and enjoy the weather with our neighbors to the north.

Honey wine, honey wine. It’s been a while since we’ve had the chance to learn how to brew mead with Black Heath Meadery, and I’m stoked to see the opportunity coming back around. Next Monday, head over to Final Gravity in Lakeside to join Black Heath’s Mead Mavericks, Bill Cavender and Mike Palese, to learn the basics of fermenting mead and the history of honey. If you’ve ever wanted to know what the process is like behind all your favorite brewers creating your favorites, this is a great chance to see it specialized for meads and get a feel for the chemistry behind it all. It’s not as hard as you think, either — you’ll get to see how simple the equipment is that you’ll need “to begin a lifelong relationship with flowers, bees, yeast, and alcohol,” according to the brewers.

Over at Isley Brewing Company, don’t miss special summer flavors on tap right now… like Piña Colada Honey Bock and Peach Ginger Golden Ale. It’s hard to drink a Piña Colada without wanting to drink 10 because they’re just too good to put down, and I expect that the flavors blended with beer will have an extremely similar effect. Isley’s also got a spiced cola out at the brewery, so swing by and grab a taste from the awesome varieties they’ve got on deck this month.

In case you haven’t made it out to one yet, be sure to check out all the awesome live music at Steam Bell Beer Works all season. You can catch Commonwealth Bluegrass this Friday, plus tons more on the calendar soon like Mama Juana, Pat Russell, and LeeStreet to start June off right. Their 3rd anniversary is coming up soon, too, so stop by your favorite Midlothian brew spot and show them some love for all the great beer and entertainment they keep dishing out.

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: Holidays & A Brand-New Strangeways

Caley Sturgill | May 22, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Canon And Draw, Center of the Universe, final gravity brewing company, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardywood West Creek, Intermission Beer Company, kindred spirit brewing company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, parkway brewing company, richmond, RVA On Tap, stone brewing rva, Strangeways Brewing, The Veil Brewing Co., Three Notch'd Brewing, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer, woodbridge beer fest

This week, Richmond’s rolling into Memorial Day Weekend with tons of events to occupy your days. Don’t miss the Meet the Candidates event for the upcoming election with Three Notch’d, and the Woodbridge Beer Fest bringing out breweries from across the state.

Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is setting up their Meet the Candidates event tomorrow night for the upcoming election this November. If you’re upset about what’s been going on in the news lately (like myself), this is a good way to get at the next election early and start setting some changes into play before November. All 100 House of Delegates seats and all 40 Senate seats are up for grabs this November, so this election could very literally be life-changing for folks across the Commonwealth. Whether you’re passionate about the environment, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, change in the justice system, or any other issue that gets your gears going……this can — and will — be a huge one, y’all.

The event focuses on marijuana policies and criminal justice, and is partnered with Virginia NORML, so you’ll be able to learn about every candidate’s stance on that issue, and meet them to ask your own questions as well. Start learning about what’s going on in your state, and start familiarizing yourself with the people fighting for power over it. Here at RVA Magazine we like to say Don’t Sleep — and this is a time to wake up. Big shoutout to Three Notch’d for hosting the candidates, and for setting up a political event with booze. Lord knows we’ll need it this year!

Also coming up this week is the Woodbridge Beer Fest on Saturday, which is hosting Stone Brewing Richmond along with many statewide favorites like Blue Mountain Brewery, Chaos Mountain, Mustang Sally Brewing Company, and more. The festival is “taking over the main drag of Stonebridge” for the third time, and will also have food, wine, root beer for kids, and plenty to do to keep the whole family entertained. The list of brewers in attendance keeps growing, so check out Woodbridge Beer’s website here to see the updated group of folks coming out.

Hardywood’s jumping into the Memorial Day Weekend celebrations as well, with a can release Friday, a draft release Saturday, and their Jonny Z Fest on Sunday. Leslie the Label Lady is their can release dropping Friday, and this hazy IPA with guava was also brewed as a fundraiser and in honor of Leslie, who creates all of Hardywood’s beautifully-crafted labels. After Leslie’s diagnosis with a brain tumor that was successfully removed, Hardywood brewed this new recipe up to support her and her family as she undergoes chemo and radiation treatment. Come out to drink for a cause, and help in the fight against cancer by donating your time (and taste buds) to the brewery.

The following day, Hardywood’s sending their Cuvee Peach fresh to the taps at both locations. Get a glass of this White Wine Barrel-Aged Belgian Tripel on Saturday and taste its sparkling, refreshing flavors with stone fruit esters and hints of vanilla from its toasted French oak barrels.

On Sunday, head over for the 11th annual Jonny Z Fest, which celebrates the life of the late, much-loved community activist, Jonny Zanin. The festival is packed with art, music, interactive booths, raffles, kids’ projects and play areas, and the Bizarre Market.

We’re sending a HUGE congrats over to our pals at Strangeways Brewing for the Grand Opening of their new Scott’s Addition this Saturday! This is a big week for Strangeways, between new beer releases, festivals, and the grand opening. With more than 30 beers from their tap lineup, Strangeways at Scott’s Addition is opening with a bang — and they’ll have SMoHK out with legendary BBQ and Southern food all day as well. At their new spot, the brewery has a 4,000 square foot facility and a large outdoor patio to welcome their third tasting room in the Commonwealth.

Unlike most brewery locations, SMoHK is stationed all the time to bring you a full menu of wings, pulled pork, brisket, smoked ribeye, plus sandwiches, desserts, and the #1 voted Brunswick Stew in Virginia. Grab a table with a server or hang anywhere and order straight from your phone, and bring your kids and pups along for the fun, too. They’ll be featuring special events in addition to their dog-friendly Biergartens, arcades and more, and I think it’s safe to say I’ve found my new favorite hangout spot for the summer.

In more news this week, they’re dropping their What the Astronauts Drink cans in the next edition of their 4-pack Saturday releases. This Berliner Weisse-infused beer is full of tangy flavor with orange fruits. You can also head over to their original location on Saturday for their Überlin Festival, with six different Berliner Weisse variations to ring in the summer. Drink up, y’all!

This Friday in Fulton, Triple Crossing Beer has Poor Icarus coming out fresh in cans. Its colors match its flavors, with notes of bright, tropical guava and sticky pineapple bringing the fruit into this DIPA. It was hopped with Vic Secret and El Dorado to create the perfect balance, and you can find it this weekend in cans next to its partner, Sight Lines IPA.

Sight Lines is dropping on Friday as well, and it was made to bring the West Coast to Richmond. Kettle- and dry-hopped with Simcoe, Citra, and Chinook, the 6% ABV pale ale has a hazy, yellow pour to compliment its firmly-crisp, pine finish. Citrus, tangerine, and melon flavors are also present to give Sight Lines a dryer, less yeast-focused brew than normal from Triple Crossing, and it branches off “into its own territory” at the brewery.

Yesterday at The Veil Brewing Co., Tefnut hit the taps for the second time in a new variation. If you can’t already tell from the color, this cosmic Imperial Gose was triple fruited with blueberries and blackberries. Each Tefnut recipe is brewed in collaboration with Omnipollo, and different fruits will make their debut in every new release.

To bring Tefnut to life, The Veil put their heads together with the fine folks of Omnipollo “to reimagine what a fruit beer can be,” working with new processes and fruit volumes, and creating some of the most colorful beers I’ve seen in my day. According to the brewers, it’s intense, luscious, and dripping with juicy fruit character — everything you’d expect from these two coming together. And drink with caution. This 11% ABV brew packs a much bigger punch than its pretty colors might suggest. 🔮

There’s Pie? I wish. This new mead came out with our friends at Black Heath Meadery last night, and it’s full of all-and-only the best fruits. Blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, and cherry honey wine all come together in a delicious swirl to bring There’s Pie? to life, and honestly, it sounds better than any pie ever could. This one’s a limited release, so get on it while you can if you’re hoping to get a taste. Only 60 bottles are available, and you’re only allowed one per day to make sure everyone gets their share.

Coming up this weekend, Black Heath is releasing a great variety of meads for the season on tap at the meadery, bringing out all the best spring and summertime flavors like Living Reflection and Sour Cherry.

Firepower! Final Gravity Brewing Co.’s Moon Cresta Double IPA delivers “a blast of orange citrus” along with its subtle notes of strawberry and tropical melon from its Belma and Citra hops. This is no normal fruit brew, though, my friends — it’ll take you to the next level with spicy notes to distinguish it from all the rest.

For more out-of-the-ordinary tastes this weekend, Final Gravity is hosting Southern Spud, a new food truck to the Richmond scene that offers up “impossibly-loaded gourmet baked potatoes,” along with fries and mashed potato bowls that serve heavenly combos of sweet, salt, and tang. According to Final Gravity, they became a brewery favorite from the first time they came out, so head on over this Sunday to find your next favorite, as well.

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

Fun on the farm? You betcha — Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery has plans this Memorial Day, too, with Jack Ryan Music Live all day on Saturday and Ryan Hearn coming out to play through Sunday. Firesides food truck is coming out to cater a delicious variety of eats along with the fun. If you’re looking to get out of the city this holiday weekend, Lickinghole is a big favorite and always a blast to hang out at.

Homefront IPA is returning to Center of the Universe this Saturday. Brewed with Cascade and Chinook hops, this traditional American IPA adds a bright, crisp citrus zing to the summertime favorite after being brewed with maple bats for a delicious wood flavor in the tank.

100% of all proceeds from this tasty beer go back to the Soldiers’ Angels nonprofit, which protects the nation’s protectors by providing aid and comfort to veterans, soldiers, and their families across the country. The release party for Homefront IPA is being catered by Grandpa Eddie’s Alabama Ribs & BBQ (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), which is my absolute, total all-time favorite BBQ I’ve ever had in my life, and holy wow, if you haven’t tried them, you’re missing out. Every time I see this name pop up on a brewery event I get twice as excited for it.

Tomorrow night ahead of the weekend festivities, COTU is hosting the start of their Spring Corn Hole season, and you can even win prizes at the end of the league if you sign up to start now. I spent my weeknight evening last week out playing cornhole at Parkway Brewing Company in Salem, and got my throwing arm back in shape for the summer. Whether you’re in the city or the mountains, cornhole is always a solid way to spend your day.

In more events this week, Intermission Beer Company is hosting a Skywatch this Friday with the Richmond Astronomical Society. The society is breaking out the telescopes to hang at the brewery and tell bystanders all about the night sky, answering your questions and letting you take a step to the lens to see closeups of the moon and planets visible around the universe. And if it’s looking cloudy beforehand, fear not — they’ll be setting back up the following night if the Skywatch gets rained out. It’s a great time of year to see some special constellations, even despite the light pollution downtown, so there’s a great show coming if you make it out.

Calling all our comedy fans! Which I’m assuming is everyone, because there’s nothing better than a laugh and a beer. Canon & Draw Brewing Company is starting up their monthly comedy showcase tonight, hosted by Dylan Vattelana and featuring performances from three more comedians this week. Anthony Thompson, Winston Hodges, and Kate Carroll are all hitting the stage tonight at 7, so make your way to the Main Street spot for some good brews and good times. Admission’s free!

If you’re looking to get out of the city but don’t want to go too far, set your eyes on Goochland. Coming up this Saturday is Kindred Spirit Brewing’s Bluegrass Jubilee. It’s free and all-ages, so bring your fam or bring your buds and come out to listen to some good ol’ Virginia tunes. They’ll have catering by River City Wood Fire Pizza — and if you’ve had wood-fired pizza before, you know it’s some of the best. Bands like The Slack Family, Cook Country Bluegrass, and River City Band will be jamming it up while you cool down with Kindred Spirit’s brews out at their spot in Goochland all afternoon and evening.

RVA ON TAP: Drinks With Your Dog

Caley Sturgill | May 1, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, craft beer, final gravity brewing co, Garden Grove Brewing, Hardywood, Isley Brewing Company, mariners craft beer fest, richmond beer, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, strangeways, Three Notch'd Brewing, Triple Crossing Beer, Vasen Brewing Company

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.

This is an extra-special week because it’s both my 25th birthday week (happy bday to me!!!) and it’s the week of more dog beer events (!!!) These couldn’t have come at a better time. Hope to see you there!

We’re set up for all the good dog-lover events, with Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery’s Rescue Dog Olympics on Saturday after the Strangeways event started the pup themes last weekend. Lickinghole Creek is inviting the entire community out to celebrate the joy that rescue dogs have brought to their lives — my rescue pup included — in a competition that lets all pups participate, no Westminster required.

They’ll also have dogs for adoption looking for homes, so if you’re looking for a new addition to your family, now’s your time to shine. With a costume contest plus more like Best Kisser, Best Trick, Simon Says, Fido Fetch, and a Frosty Paws eating contest, the brewery will keep you busy… and for the less-talented pets like my own, they’ve even got a goofiest photo contest. You’ll probably catch my Bagel in a top hat in there.

Keeping with the theme, Ardent Craft Ales is hosting Barkitecture on Saturday. In their third year, they’re raising money for animals in need in a day of paws and pints. Instead of a pup competition, this one has humans competing in who can build the coolest custom dog houses and kitty condos. They’re all built by your favorite local creators, so make sure to vote for your favorite Richmonders at the event.

With proceeds going to local animal shelters, you’ll get to drink happy and hit up the pet photo booth, face painting, games, raffles, and more.

Our favorite people over at Hardywood have a special week coming up, too — with three days of releases all weekend! They’re starting off on Friday with their Pineapple Great Return can release, and it’s “incomparably bright,” according to the brewers. The 7.8% ABV brew is a West Coast-style IPA, blending the citrus and the tropical in a perfect summery harmony.

The next day, they’re dropping their Belgian-style Peach Tripel, an 8.2% ABV that’s packed with yellow peaches and apricots to complement smaller notes of honeysuckle and white pepper. Finishing out the weekend on Sunday is a different flavor profile with their Cream Ale with Salt & Lime can release. I’ve never had a Hardywood beer I didn’t love, so the smart money says that this whole trio will be delicious.

If you missed Fine Creek’s Wild & Weird Festival, you can hit up Strangeways this weekend for a similar gig. Their Sour & Wild Beer Festival is happening this Saturday, filled with over *twelve* new Strangeways beer releases, plus some oldies but goodies. The new brews on deck are consistently huge crowd favorites, according to the brewers, and the festival is set to be the unique-beer drinker’s wildest dream. Cheers!

At Final Gravity on Friday, Aurora Double IPA is returning to the brewery. This citrusy-pineapple beer has a hazy glow and a fruity aroma, and it’ll “transform your most hectic days into blissful ones.” Who doesn’t love the sound of that?

Also this weekend, Final Gravity’s throwing their Cinco de Mayo fiesta on Sunday with authentic Mexican street tacos, tortas, gingas, and more with homemade tortillas and sauces. Come out and celebrate the right way, with cold beer and the best tacos in town.

Have you been missing the amazing deck at The Answer Brewpub? We have, too, and it’s the perfect time of year to get back outside and drink with one of the nation’s favorite breweries. This week at The Answer, you can catch new releases like I’m Rich Years Old, a Helles Lager, and Drinking Out of Cups IPA which hit in at 5.25% ABV and 6.0% ABV, respectively, and are already available. By tomorrow night, you can also catch their new Work Friends DIPA (8.0% ABV), a collaboration with Dancing Gnome, and on Saturday they’re dropping Is It Chill If I Chill Here IPA (5.6% ABV) — and if you haven’t seen the video this is referencing, good lord, please go watch it. It’s the best I’ve seen this year, imho. The Answer’s got a solid sense of humor, y’all!

Happy May! Väsen Brewing Company is kicking off their Saison month today with rustic beers and delicious varieties to start the season right. They’ve got four beers to release, starting with Vårsol, a barrel-aged brett Saison that’s dry-hopped with Vic Secret and Motueka hops.

Next up is Gidá, a barrel-aged sour recipe to go with Celeia, their rye Saison made with Motueka and Styrian Celeia. Last but not least is Solbaer Blackcurrant Saison, brewed special with Spelt and then conditioned over hundreds of pounds of Blackcurrant fruit. Can you say yum?

Isley Brewing Company’s spicing things up. If you’re a fan of the heat, they’ve got you covered — this jalapeño-infused Pilsner was created for Cinco de Mayo and brings some non-traditional flavors together for the holiday. I’m big on the peppers for eats (if you haven’t tried Jack Brown’s jalapeño-cream-cheese burgers, you need to get on it) but have never seen them used in a brew before. I’m all for this spice, so I’ll definitely be giving this guy a try when the opportunity presents itself.

*PHOTO: Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery*

Toward the end of last week, Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery released their Superstitious Sour. This 5.8% ABV Belgian Sour has some *seriously* awesome flavors, like Lemon Verbena (my absolute fav) and Lemongrass. Its “delicious, citrusy tartness” is preceded by a mellow, bready beginning before its big-flavored finish. Head out to Garden Grove’s patio to soak in the beautiful weather with them and give this unique recipe a taste.

Another special release happened over the weekend, with our friends over at Triple Crossing Beer. Less than Alone was brewed with Ethopian Yirgacheffe Boji coffee from Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co. to create this 100% barrel-aged vanilla stout. It’s also layered with dark chocolate, apricot, and lemongrass flavors imparted from the whole bean coffee. It only came out in Fulton, so to my East End friends, go get one while you can!

Did you make it out to Something In The Water last weekend? If you didn’t get a trip to the beach but you’re still itching to get out of town, head over to the Mariner’s Craft Beer Festival in Newport News this weekend to get tastes of great brewers from around the state. Some of my personal faves on the list, and names we don’t hear as much in RVA: Devil’s Backbone (my very first craft beer love), Alewerks, New Belgium, Starr Hill, and Larry’s Lemonade. By the way, if you’ve never tried Larry’s Lemonade before, you are Missing. Out. Bigtime. We got the pleasure of trying these guys out at the NASCAR race recently, and it’s ridiculously good — I recommend mixing their 2 main ones together. Trust me, it rules.

Three Notch’d is hosting a collab with The Byrd Theatre and Science Matters next Tuesday with the Film & Fermentation Beerfest. The event is set up to teach drinkers the ins and outs of the beer-making process, and all the science that goes into it as well. They’ve also brewed a special beer for the theater’s 90th anniversary so we can all celebrate our favorite movie spot in town. Long live the Byrd!

This weekend at Castleburg Brewery and Taproom, the winner gets the booty in the war. You’re the winner this time around, and the booty is To the Victor Gose the Spoils, a strawberry-lime gose that was inspired by Cinco De Mayo. Head over Friday evening to get a taste of the gold.

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

Caley Sturgill | December 19, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Holidays, Maude! I love you.

That’s it for this week’s RVA On Tap! As your weekly columnist, I’m here to take all your beer releases, event info, ideas and questions. If you’re a brewer, send me your release info at [email protected], and if you’re a beer enthusiast, drop me a line anytime to talk booze. Catch y’all next week!

RVA ON TAP: Wild & Weird With Virginia’s Best

Caley Sturgill | December 5, 2018

Topics: Ardent craft ales, Fine Creek Brewing Company, Hardywood, kindred spirit, RVA On Tap, Stone brewing, Three Notch'd Brewing

Last week, we saw some great award wins from local breweries, some drool-worthy beer releases, and lots of awesome events lighting up the city (literally) for the start of the holidays. This week we’ve got more events coming our way to keep up the trend, and a few great releases to pair with them.

Yay, it’s here! I’ve been waiting a good minute for the Wild & Weird Festival to make its way to town, and it’s coming up this Saturday at Fine Creek Brewing Company. This festival brings together the most extravagant brews of Virginia’s best breweries and cideries, all at one big party at an awesome spot. Tickets are cheaper in advance, so hit them up early. You can also get 20 percent off if you get a cottage(!!) for the festival, and plenty of awesome local brews will be available. Check out the event page for a full list of participants (with awesome spots like Triple Crossing, Strangeways, Final Gravity and more doing brews alongside Fine Creek).

Another bar crawl is on its way this week, with the Fan Fall Bar Crawl coming up this Saturday. This is another one of those golden opportunities in Richmond that lets our locals drink for a good cause: For Small Business Saturday, they’re encouraging us to support a local charity, a local distributor, a local brewery, and four local restaurants. Booze! What better way to celebrate a holiday? The event is sponsored by Ardent Craft Ales and Brown Distributing, and it’ll feature a different Ardent beer at each of its locations. The crawl starts at Foo Dog with Ardent’s Honey Ginger beer, then moves on to Home Team Grill for their Milk Stout and Petite Saison. It goes on to District 5 for Ardent’s Pilsner and Hazy, and closes off the day at PBR with IPA X, Dark Rye, and a special beer-cocktail nicknamed The Professor X by the brewery.

Over at Three Notch’d Brewing, this Sunday brings more holiday markets with tons of handcrafted goods from folks around town. Three Notch’d has two separate markets, full of makers from Charlottesville to Richmond and throughout Virginia. Get your shopping done over a few beers and check out these awesome vendors: Craft Brewed Jewelry (BrewBracelets), CapWorks, Blair Made, Spearmint Spruce, Wren & Hide, The Vintage Nest, Zapantis Designs, You’re In Luck Farm, Hi Fiber Design, and Happy-Haven.

More awesome events are on the way this week, with Hardywood’s Vegan Holiday Pop-up + Shop-up. Hardywood started off the craft shows last week at their Richmond location, and they’re keeping it up this week with another awesome show. They’ve teamed up with Richmond VegFest to do an indoor market this time around, full of local “makers, artisans, and business owners that have a commitment to animals, wellness, recycling, and the world!” Mean Bird is catering the event with Dank Eats, both with awesome reputations around town for their recipes. Tons of great makers are coming out for the day, so be sure to check this one out on your list of shops this weekend.

In New-Brew-News this week, Kindred Spirit Brewing dropped two awesome releases. Rum Barrel Goodness is an 11% ABV imperial stout, and its super-smooth chocolate and spicy taste comes from being aged in dark rum barrels for four months. Deliciousness is the “lil bro” of Goodness, coming in at 5% ABV and with a chocolate-coffee taste, and “softly-sweet chewy finish.” Mmmmm, I want to take this one home and drink it by the fire.

A limited release of Stone Brewing’s Mikhail w/ Coconut stout is coming out this Friday, a special creation from their Stone Mission Barrel Warehouse. Their Small Batch Team brews up “a slew of unique and up-and-coming experimental and barrel-aged brews” at the Mission Warehouse, so these are about as limited as it gets. Mikhail w/ Coconut has an intense barrel character right up front, according to the brewers, with a strong woody-oak flavor and sweet coconut. It’s also got notes of vanilla, espresso, and roasted malt, to make a serious stout brewed with three pounds of freshly-toasted coconut. This is a major to-do on my list!