Triple Crossing Beer

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

Caley Sturgill | March 13, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drink up, y’all!

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

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

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

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

RVA 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: Welcome Back, Dry Januarians!

Caley Sturgill | January 30, 2019

Topics: Black Heath Meadery, Center of the Universe, Final Gravity, fine creek brewing, Hardywood, kruegers cream ale, RVA On Tap, Shiplock Brewing, The Veil, three notchd, Triple Crossing Beer

This week, we’ve got some special surprises if you’ve been taking the month off, and tons of great new brews to accompany the fresh new month.

Welcome back, Dry Januarians! Final Gravity Brewing Co. has a surprise for you. After a whole month of being responsible and kind to your bodies post-long summer and holiday season, it’s time to return to the Dark Side with the rest of us. Final Gravity has a message for you:

“We’re proud of you. We really are . . . But…we miss you. And we know you miss us, too.”

They couldn’t be more right. Head over to the brewery this Friday for some first-of-the-month festivities and celebrate a rightful prize for your accomplishments. To add even more to the occasion, Final Gravity is discounting your first beer of the year (even if you cheated a little bit. We all forgive you). So if you’ve been on a month-long La Croix mission, as they say, and you’re seeking salvation, it shall be delivered to you. You’re almost at the finish line.

*PHOTO: Krueger’s Cream Ale, Hardywood – Good Beer Hunting*

Now for a quick history lesson before we resume your regular Booze News content. Back in 1935, Good Ol’ RVA set a record. This legend in a can, Krueger’s Cream Ale, was the very first can of beer in the U.S. to be packaged and sold — right here in Richmond. Nearly a century later, Legend Brewing Company and many others have carried on the trend here in town. As Richmond’s OG craft brewery, Legend has been around creating and canning brews since for a few decades, and other local favorites like Hardywood have kept up the Krueger’s name with Cream Ales and craft brews alike. Learn something new every day, right?

Annnnnnd even more records to break! Center of the Universe Brewing has a Satellite Rewards membership program (PS: it’s free), and their top earning Satellites get to brew whatever beer they choose every year. This Saturday is the first time a Satellite-brewed beer will be released in 16oz cans from COTU, and this 6.5% Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Porter sounds like a dream. It’s brewed with vanilla and cinnamon (YUM) to add the cookie flavor, and brewed with Maris Otter, Flaked Oats and Barley, Carafa 3 Dehusked, Crystal 90, and Double-Roasted Crystal malts — a mouthful, to say the least.

Yesterday, Amun returned to The Veil Brewing Co. for the first time in more than two years! It means “The Hidden One,” and the Oat Milk DIPA comes to us in collaboration with Sweden’s Omnipollo brewery. This deliciously-colorful brew is 8% ABV and oversaturated with Citra, Mosaic, and Nelson hops to pack big flavor into every glass. Amun/The Veil X Omnipollo collab glasses went on sale as well, so swing by and check this one out while they’re around. They are more than adorable.

Tap That is back on at Three Notch’d Brewing Company, one of my personal faves because they cross the bridge and have locations between two places I call home — so whether I’m in RVA or in the mountains of Roanoke, I can always grab something familiar and know this one’s gonna be good!

Over the weekend, they dropped their Spiced Alpaca Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout. This collab with Richmond’s The Camel music venue is a tribute to their name, and “named after one of the greatest animals of all time.” Obviously. Anyway, Spiced Alpaca has a chocolatey, velvet-smooth feel down the hatch and a bit of a chili kick to the tastebuds. It’s rounded out with organic cacao nibs, lactose, and cinnamon, and Three Notch’d says it’s quickly becoming one of their favorites.

The new brewery on the block has some exciting news (besides $2 flights all January — which, if you didn’t try, you seriously missed out). Shiplock Brewing dropped their first-ever Crowler in an early release this past week, a Robust Porter accompanied by New York Islanders Hockey. I’m pretty sure it’s a universal rule to watch aggressive sports with a side of beer, and as big of a hockey town RVA is (go Caps!), this one sounds like a great sidekick to your games. Don’t forget to grab one for the Super Bowl, which is coming up Super Soon. Haha. I’m not a big football guy, ignore me. Either way, Shiplock is a really unique spot, and their location down by the riverwalk couldn’t be more perfect. I might suck at jokes, but check these guys out! They certainly don’t disappoint.

⟁ Triple Crossing Beer is famous for its reliably-delicious recipes, and we’ve got another three to look forward to this weekend! Dawn Chorus is coming out this weekend in Fulton, and the 8% DIPA is returning with Citra, Vic Secret and Galaxy hops to “double down on its layers of fruit-forward hop and yeast-derived character.” There are even more releases to be announced, and you can look forward to a nice mid-winter fruit blast with this one. Your cold weather blues will be soothed by citrusy-melon, pineapple, and a slightly-dank undercurrent to give that Triple Crossing signature-super-soft DIPA body and feel. ⟁

Right outside of town, our buds at Fine Creek Brewing Company have a few special releases this week, but their Wine Barrel-Aged Brett Saison w/ Asian Pears has “hit the ground running.” It comes along after last year’s Saison with Asian Pears from out at the Owl Orchard’s farm in Powhatan, but this year, they swapped over to a Brett Saison that’s been aging in wine barrels over the last year. It’s a bit funky and fruity this time around, and has subtle notes from the Asian Pear finish to give a nice fruity end to each sip.

Oooooooo, this sounds good. The Boysen’s Back in Town Session Mead is fresh back to the tap at Black Heath Meadery, and this deliciously-dark mead is made with boysenberries to give off a really unique taste. I would love to give this one a try!

It’s a Doozie! Or is it? It is. This Imperial Stout is fresh to the taps on Groundhog’s Day from Isley Brewing Company, and it’s a high-gravity flavor brewed with traditional English malts to bring out a perfect taste for the colder weather. It’s thick like your winter jacket, and this inky-black, heavy-bodied stout has a sweetness in its big, malty backbone. It’s a Doozie is balanced with “a heavy dose of hop varietals,” rounding out this super-drinkable, complex and hearty winter ale.

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

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

Caley Sturgill | December 19, 2018

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

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.

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