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RVA On Tap: The Pho-King Superbowl & Getting Juicy at Lickinghole Creek

Caley Sturgill | January 29, 2020

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Center Of The Universe Brewing, craft beer, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, fine creek brewing co, garden grove brewing and urban winery, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, lonerider spirits, mekong, Pho King, pho king championship, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Strangeways Brewing, The Answer, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, 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.

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, Lonerider Spirits starts their debut in Virginia with ready-to-drink Whiskey Mule cocktails in cans across ABC stores. Something Chill hits Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, the Pho King Championship comes to Mekong, and Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery releases a 12% rosé with a touch of sweetness. Don’t miss new brews at Hardywood, Väsen, Center of the Universe, Ardent Craft Ales, and more, along with a multi-release at The Veil Brewing Co. and fresh recipes at Fine Creek Brewing and Strangeways.

Pho King Championship comes to Mekong

The annual PHO KING Championship is coming to Mekong this Sunday, and we can’t wait to dive into the 10th year of this Pho Eating Contest with our pals at Mekong and The Answer Brewpub. Be sure to check out the video above for a montage of Pho King training procedures to prepare yourself properly, should you decide to challenge the champions… and strengthen your beer-drinking, jump-roping, chicken-chasing skills along the way.

RVA Magazine is hosting the event with our own Pho King, John Reinhold, going down at 4pm, right before the Super Bowl. If you want to join the list (with limited space — so act soon!) get in touch with John or An Mekong to secure your spot. Come out for amazing brews, delicious pho, and of course, football, on this holy day of celebrating the Super Bowl in the most traditional way: with plenty of booze and plenty of food. We’re eagerly awaiting the next Pho King or Queen’s crowning, so mark your calendars, folks. It’s going to be a special one. And don’t forget:

“MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVREEEEEEER!”

Lonerider Spirits brings Whiskey Mules to the Virginia alcohol market

There’s a new kid on the Richmond alcohol block, and they don’t taste anything like what’s in our usual cans… but we think that’s a good thing, and it’s worth noting as we kick off this week’s RVA On Tap.

Lonerider Spirits is hitting Virginia, and their approach brings a unique taste to the River City as their Whiskey Mules come to ABC stores in the state. The four-packs of cans are filled with a ready-to-drink cocktail that saves drinkers the time of preparing (and the stress of getting the recipe just right). With the classic sweet and spicy balance of ginger, premium whiskey, and lime juice, Lonerider adds a bit of fizz into the mix with their carbonated cocktails. These are delicious in any season of the year, so their winter debut in Virginia is welcomed before we move into warmer weather.

The North Carolina cocktail crafters are launching their Whiskey Mules in 100 ABC stores this year, so keep an eye out for the bright green can top as they roll them out. We’re stoked to give these a try!

*PHOTO: Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery*

Juicy #18 comes to Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery

The latest in the Juicy series is out at Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, and it’s #18 on the list.

Something Chill just made its way out in cans over the weekend. At 7.5% ABV, this one is “a hazy beauty” according to its brewers, and it’s my favorite beer of the releases happening in this week’s RVA On Tap. You’ll catch flavors of citrus, cantaloupe, grapefruit, and tropical melons in this one, perfectly bringing out the fruitier side of things and sweetening up the wheat-forward New England IPA.

Juicy #18 Something Chill also came out with two more brews at Lickinghole Creek over the weekend, so head out to the brewery for a surprise. Lickinghole Creek might just be the prettiest brewery in the region (especially when sunflower season hits on the farm), so you’ll be glad you made the drive. If you’re in the mood for a darker brew, keep an eye out for their Blueberry Obsession Imperial Stout when it comes out soon.

*PHOTO: Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery*

Acaí Cherry Brut Rosé at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery

The folks at Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery just released Acaí Cherry Brut Rosé this week, along with their Synthesis White Tawny Port returning in bottles.

Acaí Cherry Brut Rosé is a sparkling honeywine that pours bright red (as pictured above) with a great blend of sweet and tart. It’s full of flavors from acaí berries, black cherries, and organic tart, bringing out a fruit-forward taste with “just a touch of sweetness.” This one comes in at 12% ABV, so if you want a crisp, fruity drink without having to sacrifice its strength, this rosé is just right.

Synthesis is even stronger, with a 16% ABV for this wine-port hybrid. It came together with barley along with Virginia-grown Blanc and Chardonnay grapes, and was aged for 14 months in Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels to pack a stronger wine punch. You’ll catch flavors of orange blossom and wildflower honey in this one as well, making it the perfect intersection between beer and wine for those who can’t get enough of either.

Covalent can release at Hardywood

#FreshCanFriday brought something extra-fresh to Hardywood over the weekend. The Covalent Double IPA dropped in cans on Friday, and its fruity and dank hops combine with a fruit-forward yeast strain in this 8% ABV New England brew. Its brewers report that it’s a “dank, fruity option in the midst of stout season,” so it’s a great option to take a break from the darker brews of winter.

Also over the weekend at Hardywood, I headed out to the West Creek location to enjoy the strangely-warm weather we’ve been having (thanks but no thanks, global warming). If you haven’t trekked to the West End to visit their giant farmhouse, it’s worth it — plus, if you live downtown, it doesn’t hurt that you can enjoy your beer from macrame swings overlooking the forest and pretend you’re in the country, even if just for an afternoon. Hardywood’s hosting an open house on Saturday at the West Creek location, so this weekend will make the perfect time to check it out. They’ll have guided tasting panels, tours of the bottling line, sample stations all around, and three limited releases with It Figures, Trickiest, and Coconut Jack.

Radapils release at Väsen Brewing Company

This Friday, Väsen Brewing Company is throwing a party for the release of Radapils. This one got its name from a Slavic god, Radagast, who ruled hospitality, fire, and the evening sky in its folklore. The “Wizard of Middle-Earth” comes out in inspiration through Radapils, which brings together Czech Saaz and German Hersbrucker hops for an herbal aroma in a classic lager.

With Super Bowl Sunday on the horizon (let’s go 49ers!), it’s also a great time to swing by Väsen to stock up on the best brews for the game. They’re hosting tons of specials this week, with discounts on four-packs and crowler fills, along with free anniversary glasses for everyone who buys packs of cans. To see if your favorite brew is in stock, the brewery says to head over to Untappd and check their availability on their page.

Bald Irishman beer release at Center of the Universe Brewing

The Irish Red Ale has returned to Center of the Universe, and it’s won some big awards since the last time we saw it. Bald Irishman is hitting the taps this Saturday in Ashland, with plenty of toasted grain, graham cracker, toffee, and berry notes to bring in a new combination of flavors.

This brew was a fan favorite when it first released, and we’re glad to see it making its way back. It won the Gold Medal for Irish-style Red Ales at the World Beer Cup last year, and if its awards aren’t enough to convince you to try it, maybe its donations are — 10 percent of all proceeds from this one go to the St. Baldrick’s foundation to provide life-saving research for kids with cancer.

In its brewing process, Bald Irishman came together with Maris Otter, malted oats, Black Prinz, CaraRed, C90 malts, Irish Ale Yeast, and Cluster hops. It’s got a lot to show, so you’ll want to head to the brewery on Saturday for its release party along with the Freekin’ Rican food truck.

Multi-release at The Veil Brewing Co.

Last night at The Veil Brewing Co., the weekly Tuesday release brought some great new brews. Chubbles Chubbles (pictured above) kicks off the releases for us, and this Triple IPA was brewed as a collaboration with Cloudwater Brew Co. At 10.9% ABV, the higher-alcohol recipe comes in with a soft feel, featuring overripe cantaloupe, tropical fruit, and extra additions of oats with its Citra, El Dorado, and Galaxy hops.

Winter Sauce Tastee comes next, adding another new recipe to the list of The Veil’s delicious Tastee recipes in smoothie-style beers. This Sour Ale was brewed with boysenberry, cranberry, black currant purées, a dash of cinnamon, and milk sugar to thicken things up for a smoothie blend. It has a lower 5.5% ABV, so it’s an easy drinker with mulled fruit flavors.

Humanimal is another brand new recipe, and it’s something we don’t see too often. This brew is a “Wild” Double IPA that was aged in red wine barrels for 15 months. With guava purée, peach, and gummy candy tastes, the 8% ABV beer is fresh from collaborating with Trillium Brewing.

Master Shredder returned with a new face, sporting its updated labels and some beautiful (and metal) artwork on its cans. The House IPA of The Veil, Master Shredder “is dripping with syrupy canned peaches, pineapple, cantaloupe, and orange.” If that doesn’t make you want to drive straight to The Veil, I don’t know what will. This one’s lower in ABV, at 5.5% again like Winter Sauce Tastee.

Open Up and Love Again: Huckleberry and Blueberry first made its way to taps at The Veil back in August of 2018, and it’s back now in bottles for those who loved it. It’s another Mixed Fermie™ in the brewery’s series, collaborated with American Solera, Cloudwater Brewing, Monkish Brewing, and TRVE Brewing. With malted wheat, noble hops, and mixed-culture Saison yeasts, Open Up and Love Again returns in this fruity huckleberry and blueberry variation.

Destroy Who You Are closes out our news from The Veil this week, and it’s an extra-special recipe from their multi-release. With Citra, Idaho 7, Sabro, Enigma, and Galaxy hops, this brew is a brand-new Triple IPA packed with creamy tropical coconut and musky lime zest. Its 11% ABV is true to the Triple IPA fashion, and its creamy coconut is exactly what we’re craving this week as we dream of sunshine returning to the River City.

Barrel Aged Milk Stout at Ardent Craft Ales

The latest release at Ardent Craft Ales has us reminiscing on Kentucky Christmas Morning that we loved from Hardywood over the holiday season. Ardent’s Barrel Aged Milk Stout packs a ton of taste from its six months aging in Kentucky bourbon barrels, and this one builds up a new array of flavors onto its rich, chocolatey base. With a bourbon nose, a full body, and an oaky character, this recipe is a “smooth, warming winter indulgence” according to its brewers.

At 11.8% ABV, Ardent says Barrel Aged Milk Stout is a match made in beer heaven in its bourbon-stout blend. Head out to Scott’s Addition tomorrow night for a glass, and enjoy the best of stout season while it lasts.

Helles Frozen Over can release at Strangeways

Over the weekend, one of the brewers’ favorites returned to Strangeways Brewing in cans. Helles Frozen Over is a Munich Helles Lager, and this one has never been released in cans until now: which means it’s the perfect time to go grab a four-pack and bring it on home. As the beloved flagship lager of its brewers, Helles Frozen Over is light and full-bodied — and it aims to please all lager fans (especially those who have yet to try one from Strangeways).

In event news at the brewery, head over to Strangeways for live music on Tuesday with Citizens’ Loft, a record label from up north coming to Richmond with bands like Ross, DeUrso, FU, and Geisel, along with Caterpillar Trap. For the dog lovers out there, Strangeways is also hosting their Indoor/Outdoor Yappy Hour events at their Dabney Road spot every Wednesday. With plenty of happy hour specials, they’re opening their doors for dogs to come inside (and give us dog moms a place to let our pups get out of the house without freezing ourselves on the patio in January).

Avec Frère 11 Belgian Quad release and High Gravity Saturday at Fine Creek Brewing Company

Out on the farm, Fine Creek Brewing Company is getting ready for the weekend with their Avec Frère 11 release this Friday. The Belgian Quad comes with Fine Creek’s series of Belgian recipes, and the brewery has done a great job this season of mastering this brewing style through different variations in their recent releases. Avec Frère 11 is rich, with a balanced profile, and its brewers say it’s the one they’re most excited about since starting their focus on Belgian brews.

Fine Creek is also dropping their Barrel Aged Barleywine this weekend, with some of their “booziest beers to date.” For High Gravity Saturday, they’re bringing out a great batch of brews like their Wheatwine, Barleywine aged in Reservoir Distillery bourbon barrels, Avec Frère 9, Avec Frère 11, Dad Strength DIPA, and Tractor Juice Belgian DIPA. It’ll certainly be a release to remember, and we’re especially excited to hear from drinkers what Dad Strength is all about.

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: Booze Clues, Local Hard Seltzers, & Lebowski Fest

Caley Sturgill | January 8, 2020

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, Black Heath Meadery, Center Of The Universe Brewing, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, final gravity brewing co, garden grove, happy hour richmond va, Intermission Beer Company, other half brewing company, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Triple Crossing Beer, Vasen Brewing Company

This week, our local beer family brews up a new recipe in honor of Garden Grove’s late owner, Mike Brandt, and more new releases hit the taps in town. Final Gravity and Väsen Brewing Company team up for a collab can release, and The Veil Brewing Co. hosts Other Half Brewing Company straight out of NYC. A brand-new hard seltzer comes to Intermission Beer Company, while Altbiers and Stouts are fresh at Ardent Craft Ales and Triple Crossing Beer. Don’t miss Booze Clues live at The Dark Room, plus a lavender-honey mead at Black Heath Meadery and Lebowski Fest at Center of the Universe Brewing.

Before we jump into what’s new this week, we wanted to note that something great is brewing among Richmond’s finest craft beer family: a new beer in honor of Garden Grove Brewery and Urban Winery’s late owner, Mike Brandt. This one is coming together over at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, and it’s made with love from many of our favorite folks around town. It’s not ready to hit the taps just yet, but keep an eye out for it, and we’ll make sure to provide you with all the details when it’s available. All our love to Garden Grove!

*PHOTO: Final Gravity Brewing Co. & Väsen Brewing Company*

Hyperborean Galaxy can release collaboration with Final Gravity & Väsen

In more local collaboration news, this fan favorite is making its way back to Final Gravity Brewing Co. and Väsen Brewing Company tomorrow night. Hyperborean Galaxy, a New England Double IPA, is returning in cans in all its imperial glory. It was brewed with Galaxy, Citra, and Mosaic hops and used the signature kveik New England DIPA recipe from Väsen.

Hyperborean Galaxy came out along with The Velvet Walrus, which also released in cans as another collab between the two local favorites. The Walrus is a velvety-smooth milk stout, according to its brewers, and came together with the delicious combination of cinnamon, vanilla, and local coffee beans from Rostov’s right here in Richmond. Look out for these two this week, and swing by the brewery for a can of your own.

Other Half Brewing Company comes to The Veil

The Veil Brewing Co. is bringing the big city to Richmond. Other Half Brewing Company, based in New York City, is heading to Scott’s Addition next Tuesday for a Tasting Room Remix you won’t want to miss.

You’ll get to try plenty of brews fresh from The Big Apple itself, with Other Half’s latest on tap at the brewery and to-go cans to bring them home with you. Other Half’s Co-Founder and Head Brewer, Sam, will be in town as well to hang out with Richmond’s craft beer lovers and get to know the River City.

The pop-up is continuing on January 15 at The Veil’s Norfolk location, too, so our Virginia Beach folks can share the love.

Raspberry Hard Seltzer at Intermission Beer Company

If you’re among the crowd that’s looking to start the year off a bit healthier, Intermission Beer Company has you covered. We’ve seen the rise of White Claw over the last year — in many cases, actually selling out at gas stations and grocery stores across the country — and craft breweries are starting to create their own seltzers to throw a dash of local recipes into the mix.

Intermission’s Raspberry Hard Seltzer is just the thing: the clear, low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-free drink that many folks are looking for in their after-work alcohol these days at the top of the year. Along with other favorites like Hardywood Park Craft Brewery’s Suncrush series that released last year, these lighter brews are a great way to drink happy without all the full feelings of the heavier beers we know and love. So if you’re keeping things light but still want to enjoy a drink at your favorite local spots, you no longer have to choose between the two. Intermission’s Raspberry hits in at only 5% ABV, with the perfect fruited flavors to await warmer days and a brighter feeling to seem like they’re already here.

Booze Clues Live Podcast returns to The Dark Room

Our favorite local podcast is back! Booze Clues is hosting another live recording of the podcast at The Dark Room at The Hof this Sunday, so put this one on your calendar — it’s worth the trip to warm up a cold Sunday night with plenty of jokes and comedy.

If you don’t remember from the last few episodes, Booze Clues hosts comedians, podcasters, and performers to “investigate” the world’s most spirited booze-related news headlines together. They dive in to tell us of all the drunken crimes and debaucherous activity from around the world each episode, with stories like “Elbow Drops of Jesus,” the “Naked Clown Frogger,” “Aerodynamics Of A Nissan Versa,” and more… and if you’re feeling as curious as we are about what happens when a Nissan sedan goes airborne, you can check out past episodes of the podcast here to gear up for the next show on Sunday.

Lebowski Fest at Center of the Universe

This Saturday, Center of the Universe Brewing is hosting their Lebowski Fest — a day full of awesome food trucks, music, and all their Lebowski-themed beers for a day “of dudelike proportions.”

Along with the Freekin’ Rican food truck and live music from The Royal We, COTU is celebrating all things Dude with all of their best brews from the series inspired by the cult favorite. If you somehow haven’t managed to get a taste of them yet, you’ll get the opportunity again to try El Duderino (the White Russian Stout), The Donny (the Southern English-Style Brown Ale), The Jesus (the Imperial Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout, and my favorite among the series), and The Brandt (the Imperial Stout). They’ll have taproom favorites and plenty of eats and entertainment, so if you’re looking to brighten up your Saturday with the spirit of The Dude, make your way up to Ashland and pay the fine folks at COTU a visit.

Altbier release at Ardent Craft Ales

Altbier is fresh at Ardent Craft Ales this week, and you can catch its release tomorrow night at the Scott’s Addition brewery. With a malty base and clean finish, this brew comes as a traditional German recipe that pours at an easy-drinking 5% ABV.

In more news from Ardent, the local spot is heading out of the cold and into the sunny city of Miami, FL on January 11 for the Juicy IPA & Sour Beer Festival hosted with Brewed Events. This festival brings together breweries from all around the nation, with 30 different spots joining up to celebrate the best craft brews. While we’re too far away to celebrate with them, we’re wishing all the best to Ardent as they embark on their journey down the coast to show Florida what Virginia brewing is all about.

Slow Descent at Triple Crossing Beer

Fresh at Triple Crossing Beer this week, Slow Descent is the heavy stout of your dreams — and it pours jet black like the coffee it was brewed with. Coffee isn’t the only flavor you’ll find in this one, either, as it’s packed with 62% private select dark chocolate to complement its black malt-roasted tastes.

At 7.2% ABV, Slow Descent is on the lighter side of stouts, which means you can drink happy knowing you’ll get to enjoy it and probably still drive home after (and if you lean toward one of their higher-alcohol brews, Uber is your friend, folks. We’re staying safe and smart in 2020). This one is a “full-on expression of carefully-chosen British roasted malts,” according to Triple Crossing, and it was created for those who want to keep this dark, delicious goodness all to themselves.

Lavender Reflection at Black Heath Meadery

Our friends at Black Heath Meadery have something fresh on tap this week, with their Lavender Reflection at the meadery. This recipe combines the fruity with the floral, bringing tangerine and lavender together along with local honey to soothe the winter blues. If you’re craving a glass, be sure to head to Black Heath to try it while it lasts, because this one is available on tap only.

Black Heath’s honey was also used for the latest Three Notch’d Collab House collab with River City Wood Fire Pizza. Raspberry Honey Belgian Wit is releasing this Friday, so sweeten things up and head to Pizza Wit Beer at Three Notch’d this weekend for even more honey-brewed recipes.

RVA On Tap: Holiday Jams, Brewery Markets, & Music Collab Beers

Caley Sturgill | December 18, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, bars in richmond va, beer, beer column, canon and draw brewing company, Center Of The Universe Brewing, craft beer richmond va, events in richmond va, events near me this weekend, events richmond va, fine creek brewing, happy hour richmond va, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Intermission Beer Company, richmond events, richmond va, RVA, RVA On Tap, Steam Bell Beer Works, the answer brewpub, The Veil Brewing Co., things to do in richmond va, things to do richmond va, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Triple Crossing Beer, Vasen Brewing Company

This week, we’re getting ready for the holidays with tons of great events and releases.

Don’t miss Three Notch’d RVA Collab House’s statewide can release in their collab with Richmond band New Lions, Intermission Beer Company’s Fun Reimagined holiday market, and a great holiday party with Justin Golden at Canon & Draw Brewing Company.

We’ve also got juicy citrus brews at The Answer Brewpub, big awards for Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Crowl-A-Thons with Fine Creek Brewing, Center of the Universe Brewing’s Big Lebowski craft beer gift packs, Triple Crossing’s Classic Christmas, and new releases from Väsen, Ardent, Steam Bell Beer Works, and The Veil Brewing. Drink up, Virginia!

Pouring fresh at The Answer Brewpub this week is the juicy citrus punch we need to bring some bright flavors into the holiday season. With lighter hop notes and a strong fruit taste, I Need An Adult has already become a fan favorite at the brewery — and one drinker noted it might be their new favorite beer from The Answer entirely.

From the brewers themselves: “If you are in our brewpub and feeling unsure, just loudly and clearly say, ‘I need an Adult’,” and they’ll promptly bring you their latest juicy Double IPA from the taps. This DIPA was double dry-hopped with Mosaic, El Dorado, Cryo Simcoe, and Samba hops for a bold, rich brew that’s quickly becoming popular among its drinkers.

Center of the Universe is back with these limited edition Big Lebowski Gift Packs. With four of their best brews, COTU celebrates The Dude in all his glory with El Duderino, The Donny, The Jesus, and The Jeffrey.

Kicking off the brews, El Duderino is a White Russian Stout that brings the classic tastes of the milky, coffee-like mixed drink into a beer. The Donny is a Southern English-style Brown Ale for a bit of a lighter — but equally full-flavored — recipe, and it’s complemented by the Mecxican Hot Chocolate Stout-centered The Jesus. A special one in the bunch is The Jeffrey, which is only available before the holidays in these limited-edition holiday packs. Aged in Apple Brandy barrels, this Imperial Milk Stout even came with prizes on its details in last week’s Trivia Tuesday.

For more Big Lebowski-themed drinking, be sure to join COTU after the holidays for their Big Burleski event on the 27th (but stay tuned for more details on that next week).

Over at Hardywood, be on the lookout next week for a special Raspberry Stout release. In the meantime, we’ve got some awesome news in awards for the brewery. Hardywood’s Distorted Perception was recently named one of the Top 50 Beers for 2019 by Vinepair, and this juicy IPA got its name for a reason: Vinepair says “With our eyes closed, we could swear this was actual juice.”

The New England IPA is a hazy dream, and it was created to reflect some of the best fruit flavors in its honeydew, papaya, and lime notes. In its brewing process, Distorted Perception was dry-hopped with both Cashmere and Mosaic hops (one of my favorite combinations!) for a smooth 7% ABV brew. It originally came out back in late September as part of their #FreshCanFriday series, and if you’re looking to try it, keep your eyes peeled next year for its return to the brewery, along with many more fruit-forward IPAs.

In more Saturday releases, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House is dropping their New Lions Blonde Stout in cans this weekend in collaboration with Richmond’s New Lions band. This is one of their most popular collab beers, according to Three Notch’d, and we can see why: along with the awesome name of New Lions’ music attached to it, this blonde stout is a very unique brew.

Made with vanilla, cacao nibs, and local coffee from Rostov’s, this beer is about as local as it gets. Blonde stouts can be hard to come by, so it’s definitely one you’ll want to grab a can of — plus this release is its very first in cans to be distributed statewide, and this is your chance to get the first batch in Richmond. It’ll also be on draft at the brewery in a $5 special, making it the perfect time to try it yourself (especially if you’re operating on a holiday budget like most of us these days).

Intermission Beer Company is also diving into the holiday events this week, with their Fun Reimagined Holiday Market this Saturday — and they’ve got the right idea bringing local vendors in to encourage holiday shopping with small business. With their Winter Warmer brew on draft, Intermission is ready to bring out their own holiday-spiced creation with vanilla, clove, and ginger flavors inspired by their friend’s ginger molasses cookies.

In this special holiday market, you’ll get an experience along with plenty of options for finding gifts. Vendors will get to take over the brewery for 15 minutes each during the event, giving demonstrations and teaching attendees about the process behind the product.

Participating vendors include Dharma Boutique RVA, Fairytale Fiberworks, Mug It All, Stephanie Mayton Illustrations, and Fun Reimagined: Richmond’s source for fun and unique card games. In that order, each vendor will get their time to shine in demonstrations like macramé bracelet-making, wool processing from raw fleece to spun yarn, mug-making, art tutorials, and how to play several of Fun Reimagined’s games.

The event starts at 3pm and runs until 7, so make sure to head out by 4 to catch all the demonstrations and learn more about your local vendors.

If you’re looking for plans on the Sunday before Christmas, Fine Creek Brewing has you covered. They’re hosting their Christmas Sunday Celebration & Crowl-A-Thon on December 22, and they’re ready to get you in the holiday spirit.

With plenty of Christmas music from Koontz & Kellner and special Chocolate Peppermint desserts from Fine Creek Provisions, come cozy up at the farm and start your celebration week off right. For the beer, they’ve got discounts on crowlers (15% off with 3 or more!) in the Crowl-A-Thon to let attendees stock up on good brews to bring to all those holiday parties, where often there’s nothing outside of Bud Light, Miller, and that bottle of wine your grandmother has been keeping in the cabinet since last year. They also make for awesome gifts, so if you’re still in the last-minute shopping scramble, you can treat your loved ones to something we all appreciate: booze.

In more holiday celebrations, head out to Triple Crossing Beer this Sunday for their Classic Christmas event. They’re getting extra-festive for the occasion, with tons of different activities to keep the whole family (and friend group) entertained.

Selfie-booth lovers will be pleased, so make sure to dress up accordingly to take photos and remember the day. Triple Crossing will also have blasts from the past with old-school Christmas movies, plus live Christmas music and wood-fired beer marshmallow s’mores. Keep up with their event page for more info on specific movies and times running through the day, and bring the kids out for the free all-ages event.

Väsen Brewing Company’s got a double release coming up tomorrow night, with two fresh brews coming to the taps. First up is Moonbear Dubbel, a Belgian abbey-style ale created to warm its drinkers up in the midst of these chilly nights. With Madagascar vanilla beans, dark malts, and a light roasted taste, this beer is packed with all the perfect chocolate-vanilla combination. Väsen’s also releasing their Winter Harvest Double IPA on draft tomorrow, brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo hops. Along with playing in their Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night, you’ll get to try this unique DIPA that brings out more than just fruit. Its flavors are full of dried fruit along with mango and pine, plus brown sugar to bring some holiday sweetness into the mix.

Over the weekend, our pals at Ardent Craft Ales dropped their Amarillo Pale Ale. This 5% ABV recipe was brewed with Amarillo hops, dry-hopped and filled with lots of floral tastes to bring out its bold flavor. It came together with oats and wheat, along with English yeast, and according to its brewers, it drinks with a soft body and mild bitterness.

In events with Ardent, be on the lookout for A Christmas Vacation Kick-Off this Saturday at Lunch and Supper in Scott’s Addition. They’ll be selling tickets here before the event, so grab yours for all their food and wine pairings, along with festive cocktails from Lunch and Supper, throughout the evening until 11pm.

Here’s one I’m especially excited for. Canon & Draw Brewing Company is hosting a holiday party by one of my current favorite local musicians, Justin Golden, this Saturday at the brewery. Golden has played a lot of shows I’ve attended recently, most notably when he opened for the Tim Barry Novemberfest shows last month — and he’s got a great folk/country/indie sound. The lineup for this week’s event will showcase Sid Kingsley (another favorite Richmond musician of mine, who somehow I only manage to see when I’m in Roanoke), Tim Beavers II, Andrew Alli and Josh Small, and Tyler Meacham.

Along with great music, Canon & Draw has had a ton of great beer releases in the last couple months. Their taps are stocked with plenty of fresh recipes, so if you haven’t had an opportunity yet to get out and try some, this is a fantastic chance to see some great music and pair it with delicious beer.

The fine folks at Steam Bell Beer Works are bringing their Bourbon Barrel Tiramisu Stout back to the taps on Friday, and this one sounds especially awesome to me. After years growing up watching my mother eat tiramisu for breakfast, something about this sweet dessert just feels like home. I’ve also got a soft spot for it from working next to Virginia’s absolute best Balkan restaurant, Euro Bakery in Roanoke, for years — and eating its owner’s homemade tiramisu probably 5 days a week (plus more whenever a coworker at the bar didn’t finish their slice). It doesn’t get better than that, friends. At least until my body finally starts to reject the amount of sugar I’m capable of putting into it.

But still, there’s nothing quite comparable to a soft, fluffy tiramisu in all its ladyfinger-and-coffee glory. Steam Bell did an awesome job with this brew, and in addition to its classic dessert flavors, it was aged in A. Smith Bowman Distillery barrels to seal the deal. With vanilla beans, oak, and bourbon, this variation is full of “warmth and richness,” according to its brewers, that perfectly complement the roasted chocolate notes of the original Tiramisu Stout recipe.

Last night at The Veil Brewing Co., a December special made its way into the brewery. Holiday Treat Whangdoodle is made for coffee lovers, and the Imperial Chocolate Milk Stout is packed with flavors. You’ll catch maple syrup, cinnamon, and Colombian coffee (the best coffee out there, imho) from Blanchard’s Coffee, one of Richmond’s very best. According to its brewers, Holiday Treat Whangdoodle brings forward warming, viscous liquid fudge, baking spices, and holiday cheer. It’s out now in bottles, and to grab one of your own, head over to The Veil this week for a chance to bring the 10.5% ABV stout home with you before it’s gone.

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: Hallobeer, Booz Crawls, & Punk’in Carver Parties

Caley Sturgill | October 23, 2019

Topics: Ardent craft ales, beer, beer column, Bingo Beer Co, Black Heath Meadery, Blue Bee Cider, Buskey Cider, Castleburg Brewery, Cobra Cabana, courthouse creek cider, Hallobeer, Halloweek, Halloween, Hardywood, Isley, Isley Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek, Reservoir Distillery, RVA On Tap, Stone brewing, strangeways, The Answer, The Veil Brewing Co., Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, three notchd, Vasen Brewing Company

This week, you’ll have so many choices for events that you won’t be able to attend enough in one day. Hardywood Park Craft Brewery is kicking off HALLOWEEK with their Haunted Food Truck Court tomorrow night, Hallobeer is going down at The Answer Brewpub, Cobra Cabana is hosting Stone Brewing Richmond for a Punk’in Carver party, the Scott’s Addition Booz Crawl is back, and Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery is hosting a costume party — and that’s only the beginning.

It’s the mooooost wonderful tiiiiiime of the year! Halloween is right around the corner, which means HALLOWEEK is back at RVA Magazine. Hardywood Park Craft Brewery is releasing a beer as the official beer of the week, Farmhouse Pumpkin. In the spirit of the season, HALLOWEEK means all the awesome beer, shows, events, and haunted houses you can take in one week. It’s kicking off with our pals and co-hosts at Hardywood, starting fresh tomorrow night with the Haunted Food Truck Court at Hardywood. They’ll be dropping a “ghoulish” new brew, hosting food trucks with Halloween-inspired menus, “devilish” selfie stations, and — of course — costumes galore!

Come dressed in your best and grab goodies from the Richmond Zombie Walk, plus get tips on how to make the best costumes of all from Aisthesis Productions (the hands behind the scariest costumes around, and the recent locally-produced horror movie Last Call). As Aisthesis says, “Less Bore, More Gore.”

Hardywood’s also releasing their Quydrawine in bottles this Friday, honoring the beloved Quy Pham of The Answer Brewpub. This barrel-blended ale was brewed with inspiration from Quy, with his positivity and generosity that will stay in the hearts of his loved ones forever. Quydrawine is a bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout blended with a hyper-hopped fresh American barleywine — which means it’s packed with big, burly, bold flavors “that will Kong even the strongest of late night warriors.”

In more Hardywood news, Trickery (pictured first) is coming back out this Saturday at the brewery. Another Imperial Stout, this milk stout hits in at 13.5% ABV with ten months under its belt in apple brandy barrels. It has flavors of blackstrap molasses — yum! — with warm caramel and chocolate-covered cherries, to bring out the fall love in us all.

Speaking of events honoring Quy, The Answer Brewpub is hosting their extra-awesome 13th Annual Hallobeer on Monday, with Mekong Xpress playing the music of Elvis all night long.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Quy’s family, and in addition to tunes by The King himself throughout the evening, The Answer will be putting out some special drink releases. They’ll also have a Street Fighter tournament for those who are interested, plus costume contests with prizes if you want to come out in your best-dressed Halloween costumes (or Elvis getups, according to The Answer) to celebrate Halloween and Diablo.

*PHOTO: Cobra Cabana & Stone Brewing Collab*

Two of my favorite places in one event!! Stone Brewing Richmond is partnering up with Cobra Cabana for the Punk’in Carver Party — nice puns, y’all — with pumpkin carving in Richmond’s Carver neighborhood. With the best beer at the best spot, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Local pumpkins from Gallmeyer Farms will be on deck, and carving tools will be provided (but in true punk fashion, your crusty old pocket knife will also work just fine). Stone’s bringing out their special release, Ghost Hammer IPA, for the occasion to go along with the regular beers on the patio, so if you’re too cheap for craft beer this week, a $3 Lone Star will do. And for the witchier of us, Madame Onça will be out doing Tarot Card readings!

They’ll also have DJ Al Hitchcock out “spinning spooky tunes” through the evening, and fundraising efforts will benefit the Halloween Parade.

Boozy neighborhood friends rejoice: the Scott’s Addition Booz Crawl is back, and it’s happening all day this Saturday. If you’re an adult who is bummed by the no-trick-or-treating-without-kids rules of society, then this is good news for you.

The Booz Crawl lets you bounce around “trick-or-treating” through the neighborhood to try all the beer, ciders, meads, and whiskeys of the neighborhood. If you pick up Booz Crawl cards at the spots on the list, you can even win a $25 gift card individually to each location from getting three unique stamps at the breweries and being entered to win.

Participating breweries include (in alphabetical order) Ardent Craft Ales, Bingo Beer Co., Black Heath Meadery, Blue Bee Cider, Buskey Cider, Courthouse Creek Cider, Isley Brewing Company, Reservoir Distillery, Strangeways, Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, Vasen Brewing Company, and The Veil Brewing Co.

It’s costume time on the farm! Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery is hosting a Halloween Costume Party this Saturday complete with bonfires to bring fall’s best activities all together. There’s nothing like the smell of a fire pit or hanging out on a farm when it first gets chilly outside, and I couldn’t be happier this time of year.

If you’re down for the drive, head out to Goochland for one of my most favorite spots in the area. They’ll have live music rolling all evening with Mobius Strip, plus eats from the Firesides food truck, and probably the best part of all, always lots of dogs. I meet the cutest dogs when I’m out there, and if you haven’t seen their farm, it’s truly something special to find this close to the city. Lickinghole Creek is a gem, and this is the best season to spend some time with them.

Happy birthday, Isley! I just love this brewery, and I’m stoked to see them complete another trip around the sun.

Isley Brewing Co. is celebrating their 6th birthday this Saturday with tons of limited releases, live music, giveaways, games, and food trucks to accompany the Scott’s Addition Booz Crawl. They’ll be giving away VIP cards to the 6th and 66th guests at the brewery for *four free drinks per day!!* at Isley for the entire month of November. If that isn’t something to get stoked about, I don’t know what is.

Beer releases and returns throughout the week leading up to the event include: Cookies & Cream Porter, Irish Cream Porter, Fastidious Father Banana Peanut Butter Porter, Booze Mother Bourbon Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Porter, Stunt Dubbel Pumpkin Belgian Double, and their Mixed Berry Gose.

For eats, they’ll have The Return of the Mac food truck with gourmet macaroni and cheese, and The Lab Confectionery local bakery specializing in stroopwafels, Unicorn Cake, and freshly-baked goods. With live music, open mics, and pumpkin carving, there’s more than enough for everyone to have a blast throughout the day.

Releasing tonight, Väsen Brewing Company has partnered up with Blue Sky Fund to drop their collab beer: Wanderlust 10. This Wanderlust recipe will give 10 percent of proceeds back to the Blue Sky Fund in honor of the #HikeForKids campaign, and this malty, dark chocolate-flavored beer doesn’t disappoint.

You’ll catch flavors of vanilla, German beechwood, and smoked malt together with the dessert flavors and cocoa nibs, plus real vanilla beans and a hint of smoke from the beechwood malts. As the brewery says, this beer “will have you pining for a crisp fall hike followed by an evening spent around the campfire” — and they have the first part covered!

They’re hosting a group hike this Saturday and enjoying this beer together afterward at the post-hike party at the brewery.

This Friday at Three Notch’d RVA Collab House, head over for First Tap Friday, where the brewery is releasing their Throwing Back Blueberries Imperial Gose.

The beer is coming out along with Three Notch’d collab partners Throwing Back Sunday, an emo throwback cover band that’s also headlining the Nightmare on Emo Street Big Ass Halloween Party (another part of RVA Magazine’s HALLOWEEK!) at The Broadberry later Friday night.

It’s Halloween at Castleburg Brewery and Taproom, as well! They’re hosting their 4th annual Halloween Party this Saturday with Cashmere Jungle Lords.

Unlike a lot of costume contest parties, this one will have more than one winner. Castleburg’s giving away cash prizes to contestants in all three categories of Scariest, Best Overall, and Best Couples costumes. Along with prizes, the brewery is hosting tons of great beer along with surf rock playing throughout the night.

RVA ON TAP: Jägerbeers & Big Lebowski Brews

Caley Sturgill | October 9, 2019

Topics: beer, beer column, Center of the Universe, craft beer, final gravity brewing co, Hardywood, RVA On Tap, Stone Brewing-Richmond, strangeways, The Veil Brewing Co., Triple Crossing Beer, Vasen Brewing Company

This week, we’re celebrating the 8th birthday of Hardywood along with some very special releases in town — like Stone Brewing Richmond’s “JägerBastard” and The Big Lebowski-insired El Duderino at Center of the Universe.

Happy Birthday, Hardywood! Our long-time Richmond loves are celebrating their 8th anniversary this Saturday, and the Totally Boss Anniversary Bash is bringing the 80s back to the River City with their all-day party for the occasion.

For celebratory beer, they’ll be releasing their 8th Anniversary Blend as an eight-barrel mash-up, which brings together a “totally tubular” combination of flavors like sweet cherries, dates, candied apples, and a subtle oak aura. In its finish, the new brew has notes of caramel, leather, and chocolate, leaving a lingering silky-smooth taste. Another special thing to note: in its combination of eight barrels, this beer was aged for a total of 58 months, so it’s bringing out flavors originally from 2015. Can you remember what your favorite things were in 2015? I can, and I can tell you that caramel and apples were definitely on that list.

In entertainment, Hardywood’s hosting DawnStar Games for retro video games, 80s-themed photo booths for the stylin’ and the profilin’, guest taps from breweries all around town, costume contest prizes, retro board games, Virtual Reality experiences with Richmond VR, and of course, live music! The Vertigos, Gambles Hill Gang, and 64 Crayons Band are all coming out to play through the day. So if you’re looking for a new (old) brew or just a reason to get dressed up, Hardywood’s got you covered.

Can we say yum? Or, maybe — for those of you who have had a little too much Jägermeister fun in the past — you’d rather say “no, thanks.” But in this beer column we love licorice, and we’re stoked for the new Stone Brewing release.

The classic Arrogant Bastard Ale is here in a new Jägermeister variation, and like Stone says, these two names both elicit adoration “by a worthy few.” These unapologetic drinks are either a hard yes or a hard no for most of us, and I’m glad to say I’m on the yes side of that equation.

Before what I’m now referring to as JägerBastard, the closest thing we could find in Richmond to a Jäger-infused drink that didn’t feel so liquor-ey is what I call YerbaJäger at Cobra Cabana. Liquor is, across the board, one of my least favorite things, but I can’t deny my love for that dark licorice taste. YerbaJäger is one of my fav drinks at CC, where they take their authentic imported Yerba Mate and mix it with Jäger (and it’s *surprisingly* good).

Now that the JägerBastard is here, I’ve got something new to try. This recipe from Stone Brewing was brewed and imported from their Berlin location, and according to the brewers, it’s perfect for sipping on fall evenings and pairing with a fine meal — or giving as a gift to any “true appreciator of liquid arrogance and independence.”

It definitely takes some arrogance to get this one down the hatch. Godspeed, y’all.

It’s that glorious time of year again when The Big Lebowski somehow makes its way into every facet of Richmond culture, and I’m here for it.

The Dude returns! El Duderino is heading back to Center of the Universe, and this White Russian-inspired Stout is every bit as delicious as the traditional mixed drink. This brew was pulled together from eight different malts, along with vanilla beans to bring out the realest flavors of chocolate and espresso with a tan, creamy, and pillowy head.

El Duderino dropped last year shortly before the Carytown Big Lebowski bar crawl, where I delightfully got to witness a crowd of people walking the streets in their bathrobes and pouring into New York Deli to clear them out of all the El Duderino they could drink. Thankfully, I got a taste of my own just in time — and I can definitely recommend it highly.

It’s lager time! Lager Day is coming to Triple Crossing Beer this Saturday from 12-8pm, full of recipes both old and new. At their spot in Fulton, Triple Crossing is serving up the lager love with brews like Tiny Pils, Pathway Pils, Hiltop, Festbier (in perfect timing for this month!), Czech Dark, and Cinder Rauchbier.

If you remember from last week, Czech Dark just recently dropped in all its late-fall flavored glory, with a toasted, dry, roast-forward finish and hints of red tones to round off this extra-dark brew. It’ll be up on the taps for Lager Day, and all lagers throughout the day will be served in the brewery’s exclusive German glassware that you’ll get to take home with you afterward. On the eats side of things, they’ll have Postbellum’s soft pretzels served with beer mustard and pimento cheese, along with their pizza kitchen menu.

Pour and Pasties is back at Strangeways Brewing, and this one’s always a crowd favorite. Head out to the Dabney Rd location this Friday evening for brewery burlesque and all the beautiful entertainment you can take, with a full evening of performances and a great cast.

Performers this time around will include Venessa Chevelle, Nyx Nebulae, Bert Shaffer, Scarlet Starlet, Murphy Lawless, Sally Stardust, and their host Ego Von Hubris. The event is thrown by Strangeways in collaboration with Burlesque Right Meow, which hosts shows all around town with an especially awesome effort for inclusivity. Their feminist-forward principles bring in body types of all identities, shapes, and sizes, and they’re big on celebrating the art of burlesque for everyone to enjoy.

Last night at The Veil Brewing Co., another multi-release went down with four new brews for the people of Richmond.

whitebugatti, pictured above, is a Triple IPA hopped “luxuriously” with Citra and Galaxy hops, brewed with only the freshest available. It hits in at 11% in ABV and 100% in my dreams, and I can only hope I make it to the brewery in time to get a glass of this delicious brew.

The Veil also dropped Mean Everything, a brand-new brew that came together with Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Ekuanot hops in addition to a lot of oats to bring the earthy, fruity flavors all together in a 6% ABV beer. Next came Special Combo #5, and if you’re remembering back to the end of the 90s (and the tunes of my childhood) to the release of “Mambo #5,” you’re not alone. This Double IPA comes in at 9% ABV for a high-but-not-too-high-drink, at least in my book. Push me up to 10% and I need to stop at one brew, so for Special Combo #5, we’ll say cheers to two.

The last release of the night brought Tefnut, an 11% ABV cosmic Imperial Gose that was made as a collaboration with Omnipollo to “reimagine what a fruit beer can be” with new processes and fruit volumes, and plenty of ripe, juicy mango character.

If you haven’t heard the news yet, there’s another opening scheduled for The Veil with another Scott’s Addition addition: a new food hall! They’ll have more than 18 vendors all in one awesome place, with a massive rooftop bar and 25,000 square feet to pack it with all of Richmond’s best — including beer by The Veil, because it wouldn’t truly be a Scott’s Addition collab without them.

Coming up this Friday, Final Gravity Brewing Co. is releasing two new beers inspired by both coasts. The East & West Coast Double Beer Release party goes down all day Friday, with Luminosity and California Dreamin’ both fresh to the taps.

Luminosity is a New England Double IPA (my favorite!) that brings together Multihead, Belma, Cashmere, and Vic Secret hops for a tropical blend that can “brighten your glass like the glow of early morning sun shining through a dewy haze.” With notes of peach, melon, and apricot to top it all off, this one’s right up my alley.

California Dreamin’ is coming back to us in a return; this golden beauty was a crowd favorite that was so loved they decided to bring it back. The 7% ABV beer was made with a combination of Columbus, Simcoe, and Centennial hops to bring out a clean, citrusy flavor with a subtle bite.

A fresh Double IPA is here at Väsen Brewing Company, and like the other DIPAs out this week, it’s a high priority. This dank, fruity brew came out over the weekend at Väsen, and it was appropriately-named Mandarin Galaxy.

The recipe is bold with juicy fruit flavors, brewed with Citra Cyro, Mosaic, Mandarina Bavaria, and Australian Galaxy hops. It’s new in cans and on tap, and it brings Väsen into a bold new universe of hoppy citrus flavors.