Tag Archives: craft brewery

Center of the Universe Around Town Now

COTU-Logo-FinalTalk about ahead of schedule.  Originally planned  for January, Center of the Universe (COTU) will be on tap  just about everywhere around Richmond starting today, Monday  December 10th.

Noon
Capital Ale House Innsbrook – Pocohoptus (West Coast Style IPA)
Pour House – Pocohoptus
Joe’s Inn – Pocohoptus
Village Café – Ray Ray’s Pale Ale
Northside Grill –  Pocohoptus
Buz & Ned’s (W Broad) – Ray Ray’s
The Tavern – Ray Ray’s
Toast – Ray Ray’s
Conch Republic – Ray Ray’s
Capital Ale Main – Pocohoptus
BW’s in Mechanicsville – Ray Ray’s
Capital Ale Midlothian – Ray Ray’s & Pocohoptus
Sedona – Ray Ray’s & Pocohoptus

4PM
The Camel – Ray Ray’s
Popkin Tavern – Pocohoptus

4:30PM
Blue Goat – Ray Ray’s

5PM
Mekong – Ray Ray’s for RVA appreciation day

6PM
Station 2 – Kolsch, Main Street Ale, Ray Ray’s Pale Ale, Pocohoptus
Kona Grill – Kolsch, Main Street Ale, Ray Ray’s Pale Ale, Pocohoptus

Devils Backbone Takeover At Popkin Tavern Tonight

Devils Backbone RVA logoI was really thinking about settling in for a quiet evening at home.  That was until I found out about the Devils Backbone Tap Takeover at Popkin Tavern tonight, Tuesday December 4th.  Starting at 6pm, they will feature eight nine Devils Backbone beers, many of which have only seen sort stints in RVA.  Get there before 7pm and enjoy happy hour pricing on the beers.  Devils Backbone rep Brian Coe will be on hand to answer any questions.

Here are the beers:

Vienna Lager (Multiple Gold Medals)
8 Point IPA
16 Point IPA (First ever in Richmond)
Kilt Flasher
Schwarzbier
Smoked Porter
Blue Ridge Hop revival (wet hopped with local Cascade hops)
Ramsey’s Stout (Dry Irish Nitro Stout)
Virginia Dark Lager

Head over to the Facebook event for more info.

123 W. Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23220

Hardywood Ends Movember With Mo’Ryed Pale Release

Movember & SonsHead over to Hardywood this afternoon, Friday November 30th, at 4pm as they release their Mo Rye’d Rye Pale Ale.  Here’s more from their event page:

Celebrating 30 days of stachetacular style in support of prostate and testicular cancer initiatives!

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in the US and around the world. With their Mo’s, these men raise vital awareness and funds for men’s health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer initiatives.

The Parallel Hardy Endeavor Stacheticular Mo Bros proudly present their staches and the release of the Mo Rye’d Rye Pale Ale – a portion of the proceeds benefit the Movember Foundation – a Manhattan-style Rye Pale Ale firkin designed by Mo Bro Jonathan Kennedy, music from Sean Olds, and manly grub from the Olio Cart.

Meet BFM’s Jérôme Rebetez at Mekong Tonight

Frequent Mekong enough and you have probably enjoyed a sour beer or two.  Garnering top scores on Ratebeer and Beeradvocate, it’s no surprise BFM Bon Chien is the most popular sour ordered.

Tonight Thursday November 29th will be a special night as Mekong welcomes BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes) founder Jérôme Rebetez.  To start the evening, they will be tapping a Bon Chien vertical of 2009, 2010 and 2011.  Other BFM beers are sure to be tapped throughout the evening.

It is not often that we get visited by someone like Rebetez.  So head out and soak up some Swiss craft beer knowledge.

Update:

Here is the beer lineup for tonight with BFM:

Square Root 225th Saison – Saison aged in Bon Chien barrels
La Quatorze – Weizen Bock infused with coffee
La Douze – Swiss golden ale with sea salt
Spike & Jerome Barley Ryne – collaboration Barleywine
Pepe La Pew – Swiss Sour Golden Ale
2009 Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien
2010 Abbaye de Saint bon Chien
2011 Abbaye de Saint bon Chien
Jerome Half Italian Sister – blended wild sour ale
Dark Vader – Swiss wild sour stout
Tart of Darkness – Swiss wild sour dark ale

Center Of The Universe Grand Opening Friday & Saturday

Virginia’s newest brewery, Center of the Universe (COTU) Brewing will open it’s doors to the public tonight  Friday November 16th from 5 – 10pm and Saturday November 17th from noon – 6pm.  Head out on either date to welcome them to the neighborhood.

COTU will start the following four beer:

  • IPA – West Coast style IPA with lots of flavor and hop aroma
  • Ray Ray’s Pale Ale – Classic Pale Ale brewed with a little honey malt and continuously hopped with Cascade
  • Kölsch – Light, easy drinking session beer modeled after the beers of Cologne, Germany.
  • Altbier – Balanced, medium bodied ale with toasted notes, German malts, and German hops.

Want to save time in the beer ticket line? Consider buying your tickets in advance here; sales end 2pm today.

Local food trucks joining in on the event include:

Boka Tako
Pizza Tonight
Monique’s Crepes
Station 2
Curbside Creations
Flynn’s Foods
Dressed & Pressed
Chupacabra
RVA Vegan
Sausage Craft

So all of this, radio station XL102 broadcasting live, and cover band, The Temper, should make for an incredible opening.

COTU Brewing
11293 Airpark Rd
Ashland, VA 23005.

One Week Until Hardywood Gingerbread Stout Pairing Contest

I hope everyone is enjoying RVA Beer Week so far.  Here’s something for you to consider that is only a week out.  If you follow me on Facebook, then you’ve already heard about this competition from Hardywood and Capital Ale House.  Here’s more from Hardywood’s Facebook:

Have an inclination for confection creation? Hardywood and Capital Ale House Richmond want to taste your concept to pair with the Hardywood Gingerbread Stout for the first dessert tasting competition on Monday, November 12th. The winner takes home a case of Gingerbread Stout and the dessert is featured on the Capital Ale House menu!

For more information or to enter, head over to contest entry page here.

PS. I may just be competing right next to you.  Happy baking Richmond and good luck.

RVA Beer Week 2012: Festivals

Saturday November 3rd

Midnight Brewing Harvest Celebration — 1 – 7PM

Midnight unveils two new beers with music from the world-famous Hurricane Johnson Band starting at 3pm.

2410 Granite Ridge Road
Rockville, VA 23146

Sunday November 4th

Autumn Bottom Brews — 12 – 5PM

Probably the most attend event of last year’s beer week.  This event at the 17th Street Farmer’s Market will feature the following Virginia beers:

Big Daddy Hopdog IPA
Big Daddy Sunshine Wit
Bold Rock Virginia Apple
Brass Cannon Muzzle Flash
Brass Cannon Smooth Pour Stout
Bull & Bones Lunch Pale Ale
Bull & Bones Maroon Effect Brown Ale
Devils Backbone 8 Point IPA
Devils Backbone Kilt Flasher
Devils Backbone Vienna Lager (Truck Only)
Hardywood Hoplar aged in 10 year old Bowman’s Bourbon Barrel
Hardywood Saison Rustica
James River Brewing Baltic Porter
James River Brewing Green Eyed Lady Pistachio Saison
Legend Brown Ale (Truck Only)
Legend Chocolate Porter
Legend Winter White
Midnight Kolsch
Midnight Rockville Red Ale
O’Connor/Portsmouth Collaboration Mild Child
O’Connor Great Dismal Black IPA
O’Connor Red Nun (Truck Only)
Roanoke Railhouse Switch Monkey Belgian Pale
Roanoke Railhouse Track 1
Starr Hill All Access Belgian-Style Strong
Starr Hill Cryptical Imperial Stout
Starr Hill Double Platinum Dry Hopped Firkin (Gravity poured festival keg)
Starr Hill Gift Winter Bock (Truck Only)
Wolf Hills Troopers Alley IPA
Wolf Hills White Blaze Honey Cream Ale

Saturday November 10th

Taste the Local West Broad Village — 12 – 7PM

Music
Love Canon
4 Play
The Big Payback
People’s Blues of Richmond

Local Beer
Legend Brewing
Hardywood Park
Center of the Universe
Starr Hill
Devils Backbone
O’Connor Brewing
Midnight Brewery
Bold Rock Cidery
Roanoke Railhouse
Bull and Bones Brewhaus

Food
Halligan Bar and Grill
Ledo’s Pizza

Crafts and artisinal products
DeRochonnet Delights
Fruit 66
Citiwood
Denton’s Bottle Openers

Have You RSVPed To Hardywood’s Anniversary Party?

Hardywood’s First Anniversary Party is this Saturday October 27th.  So far the Facebook event has only 300 people attending plus another hundred maybes.  I think those numbers are a lot lower than they should be.  Out of the 7593 people that like Hardywood on Facebook, only 400 know they might want to be there to celebrate one year? 

Come on Richmond, you voted them the best local brewery on Richmond.com.  Yes, the current weather forecast is mostly rain and clouds but how many times have you known what looked like it would be a crappy day turn into a gorgeous day for being outside drinking beer. 

Maybe you can’t make Saturday at all. Then you should know Hardywood has extended the celebration to three days starting with tonight’s Fall Food Truckober Festival.  Attendance looks low on this as well but the awesome weather we have been having these past few nights will continue today.  Yes, I know we are in the middle of restaurant week; even I had a hard time choosing between the two options.  With the food truck court extending into the next parking lot and a beer truck onsite, I think this will be where I end up most likely eating some Dixie Chicken.

Update with draft list from Hardywood:

Barleywine aged 16 weeks on 18 year old Bowman’s “Abraham Bourbon Barrels”….
Hoplar aged 14 weeks on 18 year old Bowman’s “Abraham Bourbon Barrels”
Milk Stout aged on 6 weeks on 4 year old Bowman’s bourbon barrels.
Pretty In Pink Saison, a collaboration between brewer Rachael Cardwell and Lost Rhino Brewing Co.
Raspberry Stout with vanilla
Farmhouse Pumpkin Ale
Hardywood Singel
Saison Rustica
Belgian DIPA
Brian’s Barrel Blend No. 1

**We are only able to offer growler fills on Hardywood Singel and Saison Rustica today and tomorrow. Take home any Hardywood draft in a single serving mason jar!**

If that’s not enough, Firkin Friday has been turned into an epic night of fundraising for Nectar’s OnBoard Project and Justin Caskey, a local two time cancer survivor, amputee, and athlete.  They will be raffling off gift packs from sponors such as Hardywood, Boka Tako, Lady Nawlins, Olio, City Dogs and more. 

Okay Richmond, with three nights to choose from, I hope I see the 7593 Hardywood lovers come out in force.  Go ahead and RSVP while you’re at it. 

Journey to Center of the Universe Brewing

image

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit Center of the Universe Brewing in Ashland, VA.  Brothers Chris and Phil Ray along with head brewer Mike Killelea lead Edmond Medina (@va_beergeek; read his take here) and myself on a tour of the site with our first stop being the 60 seat tasting room with a freshly finished bar and one prototype tap handle. It’s a pretty awesome looking taphandle!

With the recently installed fermentors and bright tanks in place, the only thing that was missing from main brewhouse was their 15 barrel brew system. Although it was delivered the next morning, it will take some time to get it fully installed and tested.

Once COTU is up and running what type of beers can you expect to see from them.   I can’t tell you exactly but here are a few tidbits:

  • Hanover water quality perfect for delicate styles
  • German & English malts were have been received
  • Non filtered beers
  • Targeting four year round beers; pale ale & IPA (possibly West Coast style) vying for first two slots
  • Access to family farm to source hops, pumpkins, and maybe tomatoes. Yes, I’ve warmed to the idea of a tomato beer.
  • Homefront IPA for Chris Ray’s charity Hops for Heroes available Memorial Day 2013.  COTU joins Cigar City, Perennial Artisan Ales, Fremont, SlyFox, St. Arnold’s, and 21st Amendment breweries to make this a nationwide effort.  Proceeds from each beer goes to local Operation Homefront chapter.

At the end of the day, COTU has a lot going for them.  Chris and Phil have an endless amount of enthusiasm for taking their love of homebrewing to craft brewing.  Mike Killelea praised the brothers for their well developed homebrew recipes that we may see in some form. 

Center of the Universe Brewing will open their doors in November.  I encourage you to take a trip up and check them out.  For now, Like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter for announcements and pictures detailing their progress.

1 … 40 41 42 … 46
Blog at WordPress.com.