Author Archives for rvabeermeister

This Friday Lickinghole Creek is Open “Til Sunset”

Take in the scenery of Lickinghole Creek Friday June 20th as they release their latest beer, ‘Til Sunset Session IPA.

“Til Sunset” is more than just a beer; it also tells you just how long LCCB will be open any given night. So make sure you get there before sunset or you will miss it.   Check out the Facebook event for more information and updates.

Cheers To The Foothills Weekend At Station 2, Siné Irish Pub, And Pasture

Ease into the weekend with Foothills Brewing starting tonight Thursday June 19th as Station 2 gets things started with a tap takeover plus a cask conditioned pin of Hoppyum with Summit hops.

Siné Irish Pub brings back Foothills’ winter seasonal, Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout, for what should be a lively Friday night.

Finally, Pasture will prepare a few small plate pairings Saturday June 21st at 5pm to compliment their pin of Pilot Mountain Pale Ale with tangerines. Pasture will also have pint glasses for you to take home.

Richmond’s Shine Craft Vessels Company Among Finalists For Ledbury Launch Fund

Ledbury recently opened the Ledbury Launch Fund in which they will reward $25,000 to a deserving entrepreneur to help them start their consumer goods company.  Voting is open to the public until Tuesday June 24th to determine which of the three finalists will receive $25,000 and a year of mentorship from co-founders, Paul Trible and Paul Watson.

The finalists are:

  • Shine Craft Vessel Co from Richmond, VA, creates premium, well-designed beer growlers and barware. Jordan Childs started Shine Vessels in early 2014 to complement the national craft beer trend with reusable barware that appeals to design lovers as much as beer enthusiasts.
  • Kuli Kuli from Oakland, CA, sells bars and powder products made with moringa, the African superfood considered to be more nutritious than kale. Founder Lisa Curtis learned of moringa when in the Peace Corps in Niger; now Kuli Kuli harvests moringa in West Africa to provide sustainable work.
  • Thread from Pittsburgh, PA, upcycles trash from impoverished nations and transforms it into dignified jobs and responsible fabrics for use in consumer goods. While visiting Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, Ian Rosenberger noticed an abundance of trash and a desire to work, which he used to found Thread.

Help Shine Craft by voting today here. Remember voting ends next Tuesday June 24th. Tell your friends!

Happy Father’s Day Beer Choices: Hardywood & Rappahannock Oysters Or Strangeways & Soft Shell Crabs

I do not envy anyone having to make the tough choice between two cool beer events to take their dads to starting at noon today Sunday June 15th.

Hardywood has Rappahannock Oysters every which way for their 2nd annual Father’s Day Keg ‘N Oyster Fest.  Pizza Tonight tonight will be creating a oysters rockerfeller pizza.

Meanwhile Strangeways will debut a new beer, Wild Wallonian Dawn Saison, and host a Father’s Day Cook Out.  Yellow Umbrella will be frying up some soft shell crab sandwiches.

From Church Hill to Scott’s Addition: Ardent Craft Ales Opening Friday

Ardent tapsTo say I am excited about Ardent Craft Ales opening their doors to the public this Friday June 13th at 4pm would be an understatement.  I have been waiting patiently for the rest of Richmond to experience their beers since first visiting their Brickman’s garage brewspace some three years ago.  They have spent that time very wisely by meticulously planning everything about their production brew house: from location and how they wanted people to feel when they walked in.  An early possible location fell through for various reasons but in seeing how they transformed where they landed, I believe it was a good thing that first location did not work out.

Walking up the back steps of their 3200 W Leigh St address leads you to their beer garden, which is in a word — beautiful!  I will need to hire their contractor to do some work whenever I find a new home.

Ardent beer garden2Ardent’s taproom is another large and inviting work of art.  The room has what I will call a contemporary industrial feel that just feels like home.

Ardent taproomArdent will start off by pouring two year round beers with third in the works plus one seasonal.  While they are still working off their first 15-barrel batches, the highest compliment I can give is that the beers are as delicious at 15 barrels as they did at 15 gallons in a garage.  They will pouring Saison, IPA, and Honey Ginger when they open on Friday with IPA being only available at The Diamond and their taproom.  Virginia Common will debut at a later date; trust me, it will be worth the wait.

Here are the descriptions for each of their beers:

Saison 6.7% ABV

Our saison is a pale gold-colored farmhouse-style ale. We use a traditional yeast strain and Continental hops that in combination imbue an aroma with a mild spiciness tempered with fruit. The beer is medium-bodied, with a slight acidity. It is effervescent and dry, with an edge of bitterness that balances the fruitiness of the aroma. A yeast-derived refreshing, spicy ale.

IPA 6.8% ABV

Our IPA is a medium copper-colored ale. We use a standard malt-backboned recipe, but as we rotate our hop varietals, the aroma may range from citrusy and piney to flowery and grassy. The beer is medium-bodied, and although the aroma always dominates the overall character of the beer, the sweetness of the caramel malt balances the hoppy bitterness. An American IPA that privileges hop flavor and aroma over bitterness.

Virginia Common 5.3% ABV

The Virginia Common is a deep brown-colored hybrid ale-lager. We use Cluster hops, one of the only commonly available hop varieties with North American roots, which impart a light hop aroma. It has a lower ABV than our other beers, and a mid-level carbonation. It is light-bodied, which allows for the toast of the specialty malts to shine. A sessionable ale-lager hybrid that will satisfy almost any beer drinker.

Honey Ginger (Summer Seasonal) 7.8% ABV

Our Honey Ginger is a deep gold-colored ale. The medium- to high-carbonation level enhances the fresh ginger in the aroma. The malt backbone supports the sweetness of the locally-sourced honey and the spiciness of the ginger. A strong, yet refreshing and deceptively smooth summer ale.

Beyond great beer are the trio behind Ardent Craft Ales — Paul Karns, Tom Sullivan (Operations Director), and Kevin O’Leary (Head Brewer). As I have come to know them over the years, I can tell you one thing for certain they absolutely love making beer and seeing people enjoy it.  On my first visit to the completed space, Tom joked “Welcome to our little experiment.” Paul was visibly gleeful as little pieces took shape. Kevin looked right at home as he brewed their first double batch of IPA to fill their 30-barrel fermentor.

“Mash → Boil → Ferment → Condition → Enjoy → Repeat”

Ardent has taken care of the first four steps in our relationship with them. All you have to do is enjoy and repeat!

Congratulations guys; I’m sure you will need to order new tanks sooner than expected! Here’s to a successful experiment!

Cheers!

Ardent Craft Ales
3200 W Leigh St
Richmond, VA

Keep up with Ardent by following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Virginia Breweries Kicking Off Virginia Craft Beer Month At Philadelphia Beer Camp Tour Stop

Credit: Sierra Nevada

Credit: Sierra Nevada

So far eight Virginia breweries have signed on to join fellow brewers and beer lovers on Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp Across America, an epic traveling beer festival taking place later this summer. Nearly 700 craft brewers from around the country have already signed on for the multi-weekend event. With more than 1,300 craft beers anticipated to be on tap, Beer Camp Across America promises to be the largest craft beer celebration in history.

Here are the Virginia breweries heading to the Mid-Atlantic edition, taking place at Penn Treaty Park in Philadelphia on August 2nd from Noon to 5pm:

  • Champion — Charlottesville
  • Port City — Alexandria
  • Starr Hill — Crozet
  • Lickinghole Creek — Goochland
  • Crooked Run — Leesburg
  • Forge — Lorton
  • Heritage — Manassas
  • Redbeard — Staunton

Tickets for the festival are $65/person and include a commemerative tasting glass, unlimited samples of over 150 craft beers, and live music.  Purchase tickets online here.

Who is ready for a road trip?!

Strangeways Überlin Berliner Weiss Release Party at Capital Ale House Thursday

Head over to Capital Ale House Downtown Thursday June 12th at 6pm as they celebrate the release of their collaboration with  Strangeways Brewing, Überlin Berliner Weiss, Strangeways’ first Germanic sour beer.

This cloudy, sour, wheat beer’s origin dates back to the 16th century in the region of northern Germany in and around Berlin, and was dubbed “The Champagne of the North” by Napoleon’s troops. This refreshing beer, brewed formerly by Frederick the Great himself, can be enjoyed as is, or with a touch of traditional flavoured syrups such as Himbeersirup (Raspberry) or Waldmeistersirup (Sweet Woodruff made from wild baby’s breath). Your senses will witness a sharp tartness beneath a dry, fruity funkiness from the wild yeast fermentation.

In honor of this Germanic sour beer, we will be throwing down mini-Oktoberfest style with German food specials, entertainment, and a Steal the Glass featuring Überlin Berliner Weiss poured into an exclusive 20 oz Strangeways “gargantuan” glass. Throughout the night, there will be chances to win a Strangeways Gift Pack (valued at $232) and a 4-pack of tickets to one of our Oktoberfest VIP tables (valued at $240). We will also be releasing the dates and set list of our upcoming Oktoberfest celebrations.

So, put on your best lederhosen and get ready for a night of German fun with Strangeways and Capital Ale House!

Want to be on our VIP guest list? Look for chances to win on Facebook and Twitter. VIPs will receive special perks throughout the night!

RVA Music Hall
623 E. Main Street
Richmond, VA
23219

Join Richmond’s Finest Breweries At The Brewers Ball Friday

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening genetic disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. An estimated 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide) have CF.

In people with CF, a defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

  • Clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections.
  • Obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down food and absorb vital nutrients

As part of their fundraising efforts to aid in the search for a cure, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Virginia Chapter will host their inaugural Brewer’s Ball on Friday June 13th at 7pm, to celebrate Richmond’s finest breweries, restaurants, cocktails, and musicians.  The evening will also serve as a time to honor young professionals who have spent months raising money for the foundation.  The Virginia War Memorial will serve as a excellent backdrop for an fun evening enjoying the best of Richmond while raising money for a great cause.

Tickets for the event are $75/person ($45 tax deductible) and includes all food and drink and can be purchased here.

Pick up your collector’s glass and enjoy beers from eight Richmond breweries for the night:

  • Center of the Universe — Barrel Aged Scotchtown
  • Hardywood — Hoplar
  • Ardent Craft Ales — Saison
  • Triple Crossing — Waxing Poetic Hefeweizen
  • Strangeways — Albino Monkey
  • Legend — Crim Dubbel
  • Lickinghole Creek — Magic Beaver
  • Isley — Scott’s Addition IPA
  • Midnight — Not My Job Brown Ale

Heritage’s Mattias Hagglund will be creating a special cocktail for the evening featuring Belle Isle Moonshine. Blue Bee Cider and wines from Tap 26 will also be served.

While you sample away, try some goodies from the fine folks from:

Marty Key of Steady Sounds will be in charge of the music so you know it will be a good time.  Silent auctions as well as other surprises are in store so come on out.

Head over to the Facebook event for more information and updates.

1 … 25 26 27 … 72
Blog at WordPress.com.