Most of Richmond will spend their St Patrick’s Day weekend down in Shockoe Bottom for Shamrock The Block.  Don’t get me wrong if you can stand the crowd, it can be an interesting time.  If that’s your plan, know that On the Rox or Station 2 will serve as your craft beer oases.  If you’re looking to avoid the sea of green beer and the crowds that come with it this weekend here are a few under the radar events for you to checkout.

Saturday March 16th

Hardywood Raspberry Stout Pilot Release — 1PM

Hardy wood taps their newest pilot beer, a Russian Imperial Stout aged on local raspberries with music from Zep Replica starting at 5pm.

Crossroads’ Southern Tier St. Patty’s Stout Spectacular — 3PM

Crossroads Forest Hill will tap five different Southern Tier imperial stouts with music from the Beer Ticks starting at 7:30pm.  Here are the stouts plus two other Southern Tier beers they are tapping:

2x Milk
Creme Brûlée
Jahva
Mokah
Oat
Eurotrash Pilz
IPA

Update: You can also get a Southern Tier pint glass to take home.

Sunday March 17th

Richmond.com’s St Paddies Brew Tour — 1PM

There are only four tickets as I type this so get on snacking them up here.  The tour will start at Capital Ale House’s St Patrick’s Day Celebration continuing on to Legend, Hardywood, and Midnight Breweries.  Each brewery is opening up especially for the tour so you will have them all to yourself.

Capital Ale House’s 11th Annual St Patrick’s Day Celebration

Capital Ale House’s St Patrick’s Day celebration has grown over it’s eleven years to cover all five of it locations.  Head to the one near your for over ten different Irish & Scottish style ales, traditional Irish food, and music.

Saison’s “Local Is Green” Tapping — 4PM

Saison will tap these five great Virginia beers St Patrick’s day:

Alewerks Bitter Valentine
Alewerks Bourbon Barrel Porter
Hardywood Bourbon Sidamo
Port City Two Smoked Porter
Wolf Hills Wolf’s Den DIPA