From Hardywood:
Calling all RVA hop growers!! The time has come for our inaugural Hop Harvest Festival. Bring in any freshly harvested hops (please note the varietals) to Hardywood Park Craft Brewery this Thu, Fri, or Sat from 9AM – 8PM and you’ll get:
- Your signature included in the first ever label for Hardywood RVA IPA, “the community hopped India Pale Ale”
- Invitation to private first tasting of RVA IPA to be held mid-September at Hardywood
- “I Grow Hops” sticker
Hardywood has a lot going on for the rest of the week. I’ve got the day by day rundown for you .
Wednesday August 1st
Over in Midlothian, Sedona Taphouse will be hosting a Hardywood tap takeover and glass giveaway. Co-founder Eric McKay and head brewer Brian Nelson will be hanging out as well.
Belgian DIPA
Hoplar
Singel
Virginia Strawberry
Pin of SB 604
Pin of Belgian-Style Witte with lemongrass and black peppercorn
Thursday August 2nd
Mekong kicks off VA Craft Beer Month with a bang with Gingerbread Stout, first blackberry sighting, and a variety of IPAs.
2011 Gingerbread Stout
Singel
Hoplar
Mocha Belgique
Bourbon Cru
Virginia Strawberry
Virginia Blackberry
Belgian IPA
SB 604
IPA aged in peach
Serrano Pepper IPA (by Rachael and Friends)
Super Dank West Coast Extra Pale IPA (by Nick Danger & Friends)
Mystery Pin of something excellent
Friday August 3rd
First Friday Firkin with Sean O’Hern
Sean O’Hern, from Commerical Tap House, created the inaugural firkin in Hardywood’s First Friday Firkin Series which will feature a firkin created by a different local beer enthusiast each month. Sean has selected a blend of sage, ginger and lemon zest to create an one of a kind version of Singel. A matching Randall will be on hand as well.
Wow, that’ was a lot to take in and there is still Saturday to deal with….
Cupboards bare, struggling to figure out what to cook or just plain too tired to care this morning? Then get a move on over to Secco Wine Bar because beer brunch is back today July 29th and returning the last Sunday of every month, at least for now.
Just take a look at the today’s brunch menu and tell me you’re not drooling. My top three choices are the steak, BLT, and of course, the blueberry pancakes. Whatever you get, it is sure to be outstandingly fresh, delicious, and making you pray to the beer gods to convince Secco to do this more than once a month. Say it with me now: Every week!
JULY BEER BRUNCH MENU
(available 11AM – 3PM)
Grilled flat iron steak, salsa verde, poached eggs and hash browns
Prosciutto and melon with blackberries and mint
Quiche with Maryland blue crab, corn and fresh chives
House-made brioche, peach-cava preserves and whipped butter
Heuvos rancheros with cilantro crema (option to add braised pork shoulder)
Stack of blueberry pancakes with house smoked bacon and hash browns
BLT – House-smoked bacon, butter lettuce, heirloom tomato and avocado mayo with hand-cut fries
Curried egg salad sandwich with fried onions and hand-cut fries
Border Springs Farm lamb burger, feta, harissa yogurt and red onion with hand-cut fries
Field green salad, cucumbers, pine nuts, chevre, smoked salmon, za’atar
Featured Beers
Hardywood Virginia Strawberry
Belgian-style White ale brewed with fresh local strawberries 5.8% ABV
Potter’s Craft Cider
Farmhouse-style hard cider made using local Virginia apples and traditional production methods.
This is a non-ticketed event and all items are served a la carte. Seating will be done on a first come, first served basis. Email info@seccowinebar.com or call (804)353-0670 to get reservations for parties of five to eight. Keep in mind that Secco’s size means the smaller your party, the quicker they will be able accommodate you.
Secco Wine Bar
2933 W. Cary St.
Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 353-0670
Were you excited to learn this years Hardywood Gingerbread Stout will be released November 17th? Or were you bummed once you realized how far away November is? Don’t worry Richmond, there are at least two places serving up Gingerbread in the next week. You’re first chance is TODAY!
Friday July 27th
Commercial Taphouse will be tapping a keg of Gingerbread Stout at 4:30pm. Rachel and Kenzie from Hardywood will be there handing out swag.
Thursday August 2nd
Mekong will have a keg as part of their first event for Virginia Craft Beer Month. I’ll have more on that later.
Richmond, go out and get your GBS on!
How much do you love your Hardywood stainless steel growler? Do you want another one like it? Well, Hydroflask, makers of said growler, is celebrating their third anniversary by giving away thirty 64oz growlers and you can win one!
More from Hydroflask’s Facebook:
It’s our 3-Year Anniversary and we’re giving away gifts! Tell us why you love Hydro Flask and you could win a 64oz Stainless Steel Growler. We’ll draw at 1PM Pacific from Facebook comments & posts. (Those who have already posted or commented this morning will be included in the drawing automatically.) Thanks for being fans of Hydro Flask!
So simple to enter, how could you not try? Post a comment here to enter. You have until 4pm EST today. Good luck!
Ever have one of those days where you want to be two places at once but know there is no way on earth you could do both. This Saturday July 14th is one such day for me. This dilemma involves two of my favorite Virginia breweries: Mad Fox Brewing and Hardywood.
Now you’ve probably heard me talk about Mad Fox in the past but what I probably haven’t mentioned is one of my favorite beers to get from them is their Orange Whip IPA. This is very strange considering I typically drink on the maltier side of the beer spectrum. To think I’ve only had Orange Whip once and it left such an impression on me that I look for it every time I visit Mad Fox.
When Mad Fox said they were tapping Orange Whip to kickoff their Second Anniversary Party, I almost died. I was so set to go but guess what happened.
Hardywood had a little announcement of their own: Virginia Strawberry is ready to be unleashed on the masses. Saturday from 2 – 8pm will be your first chance to get Hardywood’s latest Reserve Series beer. What’s more, famed Richmond mixologist Bobby Kruger is making a special trip back from NYC to create a signature Randall especially for this release. Two of the ingredients I hear Bobby will be adding to the Randall are pink peppercorns and dark Belgian candy sugar. Of course, there will be music and food to enjoy as well.
Two great brewery events to have to pick from is a pretty cool dilemma to have. What would you choose?
This is sad people. I really have no other words, at least words I can type here. If you know something, please help.
From Hardywood:
Our beloved cornhole boards disappeared from the field across the street on July 4. These were one of a kind and given to us as a gift by someone who put a lot of passion into them. We’d like your help in getting them back. We’re offering a $200 gift certificate for their safe return or information leading to their safe return. Please help!
If you follow them on Facebook, you know Hardywood is throwing a Fourth of July party unlike any other. They will be celebrating the release of their newest beer SB (Special Bitter) 604 in honor of Virginia breweries gaining the right to sell pints of beer. Here are some of the beers to be featured at the event:
Food will be available for sale by Sausage Craft, Pizza Tonight, Station 2, and Gelati Celesti. You may also bring a picnic if you so desire just no grills or outside alcohol.
Bring your own lawn chairs or picnic blanket and grab a prime music/fireworks viewing spot in the nTelos Field across the street from the brewery.
So come out and join the celebration. Head over to the Facebook event for parking and other details.
July 1st marks the first day Virginia breweries will be able to legally sell full pints of beer thanks to the passage of SB604. Head out tonight and join Hardywood from midnight to 1AM for a few pints and get a sneak peek of their new beer “SB604” aka Special Bitter 604. Fittingly, VA Craft Brewers Guild Chairman and Legend Brewer, Mike Killelea will be there to purchase the first glass. So head out and raise a glass to this auspicious occasion. Can’t make out there myself tonight so someone raise a glass for me too.
It seems like the brewers at Hardywood are on a post-Savor victory lap around the Greater Richmond area. First stop was Benny’s Tavern in Colonial Heights.
Join them at their next stop on Tuesday June 19th from 6 – 8pm at On the Rox in Historic Shockoe Bottom. Beers on hand for the night will be Singel, Hoplar, Bourbon Cru and a special cask conditioned pin of Hoplar. Prizes will be raffled off to benefit a local charities, Massey Cancer Center and Area 10 Global. Happy Hour specials run from 3 – 7pm including 1/2 off draft beer. So head on out and maybe you can ask them what type of beer will get these 2500 lbs of strawberries.
On the Rox
119 N. 18th St
Richmond, VA
Richmond Beermeister 