Author Archives for rvabeermeister

Want A Tap Takeover This Week? How About Four?

I couldn’t help but interrupt my little vacation to bring you some cool tap takeovers happening around town this week.

Tuesday December 17th

Heavy Seas Mutiny on the Taps at Sedona Taphouse — 5PM

Join Virginia fleet captain Brian and sail the Heavy Seas over to Sedona Taphouse.  They will be tapping some fantastic brews as well as selling some vintage bottles. When your pillaging is done, you will have a new glass to add to your booty.

Here is the tap list for the night:

Plank II (2012)
Loose Cannon IPA
Small Craft Warning Uber Pils
Gold Golden Ale
Cutlass Amber Lager
Holy Sheet (2013)
CASK – Yule Tide
Plus bottles of Holy Sheet (2013), Below Decks (2012) and more!

Goose Island Takeover at On the Rox — 6PM

Head over to On the Rox to enjoy some Goose Island beers including the limited Bourbon County series.  There will be glasses to steal as well.

Draft
Bourbon County Stout
Bourbon County Barleywine
Lolita
India Pale Ale

Bottles
Bourbon County Coffee Stout
Matilda

Wednesday December 18th

Devils Backbone Takeover To Benefit No Kid Hungry at Brew — 5PM

Brew will be tapping 10 Devils Backbone beers including the debut of one never tapped outside the brewpub as well as a special cask Vienna Lager. Warren Haskell from Devils Backbone will be on hand to talk all things Devils Backbone. Brew has chosen to donate one dollar of every glass of Devils Backbone beer ordered to No Kid Hungry.  They will also be accepting canned good donations as well. If you bring a canned good, you can get a ticket good for 50% off your first glass of Devils Backbone beer.

Here is the tap list with one or two more to be added soon:

Vulkaan (Oud Bruin aged on whiskey wood
Metro Berliner Weiss (with choice of 3 different house made syrups)
Vienna Lager
Eight Point IPA
Schwartz Bier
Dark Abby
Gold Leaf
Bavarian Dark Lager
Pub Ale
Ramsey’s Nitro Stout
Teddy Bear — cask conditioned pin of Vienna Lager with cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and cinnamon, think chocolate Teddy Grahams.

Thursday December 19th

Blue Mountain & Devils Backbone at Sedona Taphouse — 5PM

Sedona Taphouse’s second takeover of the week brings together Devils Backbone and Blue Mountain with eleven beers each including Marsedon, their collaboration quad which was brewed at both breweries.

Here’s what you’ll find on tap from each brewery:

Blue Mountain
Full Nelson
Export Stout
Foxy Mama
Cheer Beer
Lights Out
Long Winters Nap
Blitzen
Local Species
BaDonka
Dark Hollow
Marsedon – collab quad

Devils Backbone
Vienna Lager
Eight Point IPA
Dark Abby
Pear Lager
Marsedon – collab quad
Flor di luna jasmine
Berliner Metro Weiss
Vulkaan
Mile Post 5
Betamax DIPA
Ramsey’s Draft Stout – Nitro

On The Bright Side, There Will Still Be Some Hardywood Bourbon Gingerbread Stout

By now you’ve probably seen the post below from Hardywood.

While some of you may still be going through the stages of grief, here’s the good news: there is still Bourbon GBS to be had.  Now is a time to be thankful for the little things.  Hardywood was able to save about 18 barrels worth of the beer; that is over 4500 pints.

How will these 18 barrels be divided up, you ask? I can’t say exactly but here is what I do know:

  • A very limited quantity of bottles will be sold starting at 1PM Saturday.  Bottles will only at the brewery so Hardywood can hope to recover some of the loss.  When I stopped by Thursday, there was a palette bottled with more to be packaged.  Bottles will be limited to 2 per person. So get there early if you absolute have to have a bottle.
  • Some kegs will make it to the market. So if you’ve seen an event planning to have Bourbon GBS, I’d expect that they will still have it but probably at a lesser quantity than planned.

Here are some events where you’ll find BB GBS at:

This is not all the places who will get a keg but it will get you started.  I’ll update when I have more tapping times.

Between Stone & Strangeways Takeovers Tonight

AFM Gargoyle3

Here are two interesting tap takeovers for your consideration tonight Friday November 22nd. 

Conundrum of Copious Curiosities & Blitzkrieg Bock Escape Party! — 4PM

Strangeways gets even stranger as they take over all of their taps. Wait?! What?! Yep, those crazy guys will have 25 different beers flowing in the lab on at one time including their new Blitzkrieg Bock.

Here’s the run down on their newest stranger:

Hey ho, let’s go…Blitzkrieg Bock is a revved up black lager brewed with a slew of angst-ridden malts. Opal, Smaragd and Perle hops are piling in the back seat, as healthy additions of cinnamon and cocoa nibs pulsate to the back beat. Blitzkrieg Bock went through a tight wind in some old oak barrels, while simultaneously being intensified with a duo of light roasted local RVA coffees. The brewers are losing their minds worshipping this Punk Anti-Stout. 6.66% ABV/17 IBU

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

Strangeways Brewing
2277A Dabney Rd
Richmond, VA 23230

Gargoyle Takeover: Stone Brewing Co. Extravaganza — 5PM

Capital Ale House Downtown is celebrating with a night of all things Stone Brewing. They will have some limited glassware and growlers to steal as well. You will have the opportunity to try some rare and highly sought after beers from this year and years past.

Here’s what they will be tapping starting at 5pm:

Arrogant Bastard
Oaked Arrogant Bastard
Double Bastard
17th Anniversary Ale
Oaked Old Guardian
Belgo Old Guardian
R&R Coconut IPA
Espresso Imperial Russian Stout
Farking Wheaton w00tstout
Suede Imperial Porter (collab with BlueJacket in DC)
Ruination IPA

Check out the Facebook event for more information.

Capital Ale House
623 E Main St
Richmond, VA 23219

Virginia Craft Beer Invades Visual Arts Center’s Craft + Design Show Saturday

Craft + Design Pins 112313-3 Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s 50th Anniversary Craft + Design Show will open to the public Saturday November 23rd at 10am showcasing local favorite craft artists as well as artists from California to Maine and members of VCU’s Contemporary Craft Society. This year some of Richmond’s favorite craft breweries and local food vendors have also been invited to participate.

As a special treat, each brewery was paired with a local artist to decorate and fill pins with cask beer.  Here are the cask to be tapped Saturday:

  • COTU & Diego Sanchez: El Duderino with Mexican cinnamon & sugar, dried peppers, vanilla bean, and cocao nibs (inspired by Mexican hot chocolate).
  • Hardywood & Ed Trask: Gingerbread Stout with cocao nibs & Blanchard’s Dark as Dark coffee beans.
  • Lickinghole Creek & Chris Milk: Three Chopt Tripel conditioned on 2006 Pu-er tea.
  • Strangeways & Mickael Broth: new Blitzkrieg Bock with vanilla beans & cocao nibs

Here are the other beers on tap for the event:

Center of the Universe — Ashland Hardywood — Richmond
Pocahoptas Singel
Main Street Dry Irish Stout
Lickinghole Creek — Goochland Strangeways — Richmond
Magic Beaver Belgian Pale Ale Albino Monkey
Three Sheets ESB Woodbooger
Bold Rock Cider — Nellysford
Virginia Apple

Alamo BBQ and Mosaic will be the featured food vendors.  Go out and enjoy craft beer and some of the finest contemporary crafts in the nation!

General admission for the show is $8/person or $6/person with valid student ID or VisArts or Science Museum membership.  Craft beer tickets will be $6 each or you can get a commerative tasting glass for $12 that includes four tasting tickets.

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

Rules for Starting a Nanobrewery

No plans to go pro? Read #6!

crookedrunbrewing's avatarCrooked Run Brewing

Thinking of starting a nano?  It seems like every homebrewer’s dream.  It was my dream.  If you’ve ever thought about it, let me just be honest about a couple of things.  First, it is some of the hardest work you will do for the least amount of money.  Second, it can be really, really fun.  Keeping that in mind, here are ten rules I wrote for starting a nano.

1. Nanos are just like any other business.  To be successful, you need to make money.  Enough money to cover costs, pay yourself and pay off any loans you have to take in a reasonable amount of time.  If you are fine with not making any money and just want to have a go at it as a hobby business, you can ignore the rest of what I have written here if you want.

2. Nanos won’t work in every area…

View original post 807 more words

Hardywood Throwing Tantrum Of A Takeover at Joe’s Inn Tomorrow

Hardywood is celebrating their Terrible Two’s by taking over the entire draft lineup at Joe’s Inn tomorrow Wednesday November 20th. 

Here is what Joe’s will be tapping starting tomorrow morning except for all GBS variants, which will be tapped at 6pm:

RVA IPA
Virginia Blackberry
Bourbon DIPA
Bourbon Sidamo Coffee Stout
Sidamo Coffee Stout
Bourbon Cru
Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout
Saison Rustica
Coconut Porter
Hardywood Singel
Belgian Dubbel
Belgian Tripel
Belgian Quad
Hoperation Pink
2012 Farmhouse Pumpkin
2013 Farmhouse Pumpkin
2013 Gingerbread Stout — tapping at 6PM
Russian Imperial Stout Aged in Heaven Hills Barrels
Nitro Gingerbread Stout — tapping at 6PM
2nd Anniversary Ale (Tequila Barrel Aged Tripel)
Doppelbock
Rum Pumpkin (Farmhouse Pumpkin aged in Caribbean Rum Barrels)
Gingerbread Stout (cask conditioned pin)  — tapping at 6PM

Go out and celebrate!  Check out the Facebook event for more information.

205 N. Shields Avenue
Richmond, VA 23220

Rare & Vintage Tappings at Mekong Tonight

Head over to Mekong tonight Monday November 18th as they tap some rare and vintage kegs An Bui has been holding on to.  Tonight is also another installment of Mekong’s weekly RVA Appreciation Night so I’d expect a lot of these to be priced at $5.

Here’s the list of what they are tapping so far:

Dogfish Head 2009 World Wide Stout
Dogfish Head 2010 120 Minute IPA
Dogfish Head 2011 Palo Santo Marron
Goose Island 2012 Big John
Great Divide 2010 Oak Aged Chocolate Yeti
Bells 2009 Expedition Stout
Founders 2010 Breakfast Stout
Founders 2010 Backwood Bastard
Weyerbacher 2009 Heresy
Hardywood 2011 Mocha Belgique
Hardywood 2011 Bourbon Cru
Evil Twin 2011 Imperial Biscoti Break
Oskar Blues 2010 Ten Fidy
Heavy Seas 2012 Bourbon Below Decks
Allagash 2009 Curieux
Allagash 2010 Four
Hebrew 2010 Vertical Jewbelation

6004 W. Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23230

This Weekend Is A Prime Example Of Why I Have A Hard Time Leaving Town

I always have a tough time deciding when to take trips out of town.  There is always something awesome going on.  If you haven’t noticed, Virginia craft beer is better than it has ever been and shows no signs of slowing down.  Sometimes you just need to get away so I’ll be off to Washington, DC to check out Bluejacket and their restaurant, The Arsenal.  While I’m doing that, I’m going to need you to fill in for me at some events this weekend.

Center of the Universe First Anniversary

COTU is throwing a three day party to celebrate one year of great beer in Ashland.  This all starts tonight Friday, November 15th at 4pm with the return of  The Richard Imperial IPA.  Originally released at their grand opening, Richard was the happy accident of COTU’s first brew on their system.  A little off here, short some water there, and they were left with a double IPA very similar to Pocahoptas, but much stronger. COTU will also be tapping some “Barrel Aged wonders,”  barrel-aged versions of a selection of COTU beers.  Something Shiny will provide live music for the evening.

Saturday, the celebration resumes at 3pm with guest taps from Homefront IPA collaborating breweries. Left Hand, Cigar City, 21st Amendment, and Stone have provided 2 kegs of limited release beers. Enjoy music from The Hippy House Band and Chuck County.

image

Sunday, the party continues with music from The Royal We. and growler fills of all remaining guest taps.  Football fans can enjoy the Redskins/Eagles game on COTU’s 22 foot screen in the back.

“There are a lot of people in Virginia, as well as around the country, that have helped us get to where we are today.  This weekend is a celebration for them, and a thank you to our community and industry friends. Lets celebrate beer!” – Chris Ray, co-founder of Center of the Universe Brewing Company

Center of the Universe Brewing Company opened its doors in Ashland, VA on November 16th 2012. Brothers Phil and Chris Ray, who started as homebrewers turned their hobby into an obsession that is now a successful brewery in Virginia.

Hardywood Gingerbread Stout Release

Hardywood is releasing Gingerbread Stout Saturday November 16th at 2pm but the night before Mekong is hosting a pre-release party with some Hardywood beers that haven’t been seen in awhile.

Brian Barrel Blend #3
Heaven Hills Imperial Stout
Four Rose Imperial Stout
Bourbon Sidamo
Bourbon Cru
Hoplar
Raspberry Stout
Mocha Belgique
Virginia Blackberry
Quad
Andall Gingerbread Stout

If you’re looking to skip the lines during the party, Hardywood will be open 9 – 10:30PM Friday night for a pre-sale event for bottles (4 bottle/person limit) and other seasonal merchandise.   The lines will be cut off at 10:30, and there will be no on-site consumption.

The main party runs from 2 – 9PM with Gingerbread Stout available in 6oz and 12oz pours.  Samson Trinh & The Upper East Side Big Band (really hate I’ll miss them; check out their Abbey Road Project) and  Zep Replica will play sets at 4 and 7pm respectively.

Enjoy Boka Tako Truck, Pizza Tonight, Estes Bar.B.’Que, Mosaic, Station 2, Thai cabin, Olio Cart VCU, The Official Gelati Celesti Ice Cream Makers and a cart from Phoenix Garden Vegetarian Restaurant all day!

Lickinghole Creek Pumpkin Ain’t Easy Release & Farm Fest

LCCB is releasing the last pumpkin beer of the season Saturday, November 16th during a farm festival from 11AM to 8PM.  Pumpkin Ain’t Easy features sugar pie pumpkins grown on LCCB’s farm.  LCCB chose to omit the typical pumpkin pie spices in favor of their Belgian house yeast strain and German Tettnang and Hersbrucker hops.

The festival will feature a farmer’s market, artisan crafts (blacksmiths & gunsmiths), and children activities(bounce houses, a petting zoo, pony rides).  Music will be provided by the ReVinyls, Barrelhouse, and Cashmere Jungle Lords.

Advance festival tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite here and include the following:

$5 advance entry ticket only/ $8 day of entry ticket only

Advance Purchase Only Brew Fest Ticket: $20 (Plus Fees) Good for entry to the vent, four 15 oz beer pours, an LCCB pint glass, access to farm and craft vendors, music, and activities. Discounted Brew Fest Tickets are only available online in advance. You must be 21 years of age or older to buy a this ticket. One ticket per person.

1 … 33 34 35 … 72
Blog at WordPress.com.