Check out the menu for the Hardywood Beer Dinner at Fat Dragon coming next Tuesday October 21st at 6:30pm. Guests will take home a special edition 375ml bottle of Forbidden, Hardywood’s collaboration with Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
The cost for the dinner is $50/person plus tax and tip. Reserve your spot by calling the restaurant at (804) 354-9888 or emailing katrina.mitchell@eatrestaurantpartners.com.
Fat Dragon
1200 North Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 354-9888
Head over to Hardywood today Saturday October 4th at 2pm for the release of Forbidden. The beer was brewed in honor of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ exclusive U.S. showing of Forbidden City: Imperial Treasures From The Palace Museum, Beijing.
Hardywood Forbidden is a Belgian white ale integrated with red dragon fruit to produce a subtle and pleasant sweetness in the flavor and aroma. The dragon fruit amazingly changes the beer’s appearance to a bright pink color befitting of the rich culture of the Forbidden City. ABV 6.5%, 20 IBU.
Take a look this video detailing the idea behind this collaboration.
Live music from Arizal, Grass Panther, Gull, and Lobo Marino; food trucks all day. Head over to the Facebook event for more information and updates.
There is only one way to describe this weekend — jam packed! There are five festivals featuring Virginia beer so widespread this weekend you may not even have to leave your backyard to get to one. Meanwhile I will be geeking out at Wizard World Richmond part of the weekend so I need you to report back on everything. Let’s not waste any more time…
Friday September 12th
Mystery Beer Release at Strangeways — 4PM
Even I don’t know the secret identity of Strangeway’s Mystery Beer. You’re going to have to go for yourself to find out.
RVA IPA Release at Hardywood — 4PM
Time to drink the hops you grew…
Wine & Beer Classic at Maymont — 7PM
You can hang out with your wine drinking friends…
Enjoy live music by Jubeus while sampling some of Virginia’s finest beverages from Ardent Craft Ales, Bold Rock Hard Cider, Center of the Universe Brewing, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery,Isley Brewing Company,Legend Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery,Lost Rhino Brewing Co., Midnight Brewery, Rusty Beaver Brewery, Smartmouth Beer,STRANGEWAYS BREWING, Triple Crossing Brewing Company, and Wild Wolf Brewing Company. Guests can partake in open cornhole play offered by BeSocial Richmond (for a fee) and enter to win a cocktail raffle prize featuring a home beer brewing kit and two tickets to the Richmond Beeristoric Tour, donated by Loveland Distributing and Brown Distributing- Richmond, VA.
Tickets are $35/person and include unlimited sampling of beers and wine. Buy tickets here.
Saturday September 13th
Richmond Spoke & Hop Fest at Hardywood — Noon – 9PM
Bike lovers this is especially for you though anyone is welcome. Tickets are $35/person and include unlimited sampling of over 50 Virginia beers including those from new to area taps, Heritage Brewing Co. Before anyone complains, yes you must purchase tickets to enter Hardywood grounds on this day. Who among us hasn’t spent $35 on beer?
Brew Jam Craft Beer Fest at Beaverdam — Noon
Head over to Beaverdam and sample beers from breweries such as New Belgium, Left Hand, Blue Mountain, Ommegang, and Brooklyn among others.
Chesterfield Chamber Craft Beer Festival — Noon
Oktoberfest & Das Bier Run at Center of the Universe — 3PM
I really do like a good Oktoberfest. COTU’s is one of my favorites. Grab a stein…
Then maybe a bratwurst or two…
Oh and there’ll be German music…
Sunday September 14th
2nd Annual Tubes & Taps at Crossroads Coffee — 11:30AM
Float down the James then enjoy a New Belgium and Foothills tap takeover at Crossroads Forest Hill. Tickets are $40/person and benefit the James River Park System. You can get your tickets here.
Central Virginia Food Truck Rodeo at Chesterfield Town Center — Noon
30+ food trucks and 25 Virginia beers. What’s not to love?
Hair of the Dog at Hardywood — Noon
After they’ve spoked the hop, Hardywood throws a brunch with five courses of music.
Fall Line Fest rolls back into town Friday and Saturday nights with 50+ bands at six local venues turning the weekend into musical insanity. You’re going, right? I had a blast last year. Head over to RVA Playlist’s Fall Line Fest Beginners Guide to get started. I’m working on my schedule as I type this — so many choices!
Building on the success of last year’s exclusive Fall Line Fest ale from Hardywood, organizers have raised the bar by teaming with Hardywood and Starr Hill breweries to collaborate on this year’s beer. Aptly named by RVA’s own Page Hayes, “Fall Line Fest Amped Up Ale” is a Farmhouse ale, dry-hopped with Sorachi Ace and Mandarina Bavaria hops and spiced with fresh local ginger. I’m hearing from multiple sources that it is quite delicious. The beer debuted for a short time in Starr Hill’s taproom but will be served exclusively at Fall Line Fest venues as well as key accounts involved with the festival.
Hardywood’s head brewer, Brian Nelson, had this to say about the beer:
I think for us, collaborating with Starr Hill was probably long overdue. When the idea was proposed to create a beer together for Fall Line Fest, you could see and hear the excitement building as we all discussed what was possible…In the end, I think we captured the brewing styles and concepts of both breweries in the Fall Line Fest Amped Up Ale. Cheers to Robbie O’Cain and the Starr Hill crew for helping to make this beer excellent—the only thing left to do now is bring on the music!
Robbie O’Cain, Starr Hill’s Manager of Brewery Operations, relayed:
It is always great to work with Virginia brewers, especially when it involves new ingredients and new processes. One of the great things about the industry, especially in Virginia, is that we share ideas and process knowledge while maintaining our own unique way of doing things…Brian Nelson and the brewing team at Hardywood did a great job with the pilot batch, which allowed us to hone in on the final recipe. We are excited to present this beer in collaboration with our good friends at Hardywood, and we hope Fall Line Fest patrons will enjoy this brew while listening to some awesome music.
Get you tickets here, drink the beer, and have an awesome time!
Remember some two years ago when we were enjoying our first sips of Virginia Blackberry? Well, Hardywood had been secretly and quietly planning their first wild ale.
Maybe you remember this photo of head brewer Brian at Barboursville Vineyards steam sanitizing two of their wine barrels.
There was no indication what was going into those barrels but now I know that the first batch of Blackberry found a resting place in these red wine barrels. We are so used to instant gratification these days, it is hard to imagine waiting two years to release a beer.
I know a lot of you have been waiting for Hardywood to release just such a beer. It will just be a little while longer now. Hardywood Snapdragon will be released next Saturday September 6th starting at 2pm with 375-ml bottle sales for on and off premises consumption. Only about 1000 bottles were produced so sales will be limited to 4/guest.
Credit: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Spurred by the natural flora of our region, the beautifully tart character of Hardywood Snapdragon is achieved through extended interplay with wild yeasts and acid forming bacteria for over a year of conditioning in Virginia red wine barrels.
Enjoy music from Exebelle & The Rusted Cavalcade as they fill the last moments of summer with country-rock inspired by Virginia’s folk tradition starting at 6pm.
Head over to the Facebook event for more information and updates.
Get your Banana Pancake on tomorrow at Station 2.
Who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner? Join us for this special event with @Hardywood and @Midnightbrewery. #vabeer pic.twitter.com/b0IGBgEz7G
— Station 2 (@station2rva) August 20, 2014
Yes, I’m out of town the same weekend Hardywood decides to release Bourbon DIPA and three other beers that have been barrel aged up to 18 months. Am I bitter? No…well maybe just a little. By all means you should go try them all. Maybe just save me a glass.
Here are the beers that will be available by the glass and 32oz growler fills tomorrow Saturday July 26th starting at 2pm:
Bourbon DIPA is hopped with a heavy dose of Columbus, Cascade and Summit hops, fermented with an abbey ale yeast that imparts some subtle tropical fruit and peppery notes and conditioned twelve weeks in freshly emptied Virginia bourbon barrels from the A. Smith Bowman Distillery, where earthy, vanilla, toffee and bourbon notes lend an exquisite mellowness to Bourbon DIPA. Also available in 750mL bottles.
Singel, aged for 18 months on Bowman’s Abraham Bourbon Barrels.
Russian Imperial Stout, aged for 18 months on Makers Mark Bourbon Barrels.
Belgian Quad, aged for 16 months on Cruzan Rum barrels.
Boka Tako Truck, Estes Bar.B.’Que, and Carytown Burgers & Fries will be on site from 2-9pm. Enjoy live music from The Welcome Hips, White Laces, and The Diamond Center starting at 5:30, 7, and 8pm, respectively.
Head over to the Facebook event for updates and more information.
There will be a variety of events centered around the National Beer Expo next week July 15th to 20th. Sorry, a break is just not in the cards if you were expecting to take things easy this weekend. You get delicious Virginia beer in return so you come out on top in the end.
Here are a few things to look forward to this weekend.
Strangeways Three Day Anniversary Celebration — July 11th – 13th
Strangeways will celebrate their one year anniversary with three brand new beers plus eighteen new curiosities all in three days starting Friday July 11th. There will be special bottle and draft releases for each day.
Learn more at the Facebook event.
Lickinghole Creek Batchelor’s Delight Release — Saturday July 12th 1PM
I really don’t think I need to say much more about this but Lickinghole Creek is releasing their rum barrel quad, Batchelor’s Delight, Saturday July 12th starting at 1pm. If you loved their Goochland Quad, then you will really want to get your hands on it after aging three months in Flora De Cana rum barrels Oh and there will be pirates.
Learn more at the Facebook event.
Hardywood Virginia Blackberry Release — Saturday July 12th 2PM
Summer must be here because Hardywood Virginia Blackberry is back Saturday July 12th starting at 2pm.
http://instagram.com/p/qMwuedx0Ur/
Learn more at the Facebook event.
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.
Brunch :: Mother’s Day as @Hardywood Keg & Oyster Fest :: Father’s Day. We’ll have oysters rockefeller pza for Dad! pic.twitter.com/yAsYOM06by
— Pizza Tonight (@Pizzatonightrva) June 13, 2014
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.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend Richmond! If you are looking for beer, and I know you are, there is a bounty to choose from all over town today Saturday May 24th.
Steal the Vessel at Strangeways — ALL WEEKEND
Here is a note to help with your weekend festivities:
Hellloooo, 3 day weekend! Because we know you have grill outs that require tasty beverages, we’re doing Steal the Vessel and Strangeways Growler refill specials now through Monday! Our special holiday hours are Sunday 12-10 and Monday 12-9 so there’s plenty of time to get your Strange.
Bourbon Barrel Three Chopt Tripel Release at Lickinghole Creek — 1PM
Spend some time down on the farm sipping LCCB’s Bourbon Barrel Tripel. Only 2000 bottles available for sale at the farm.
Homefront IPA Day at Center of the Universe — 3PM
While Center of the Universe celebrates Homefront IPA Day at the brewery, the beer will make appearances at Brew’s beer school, The Bucket Trade, and a tap takeover at Station 2.
Want to take one of the bats used in Homefront IPA home? COTU will be raffling them off.
Hardywood Gingerbread Stout Bottle Sale — 3PM
Yes, Hardywood is releasing Saison Rustica today at 2pm but they are also selling 200 bottles of Gingerbread Stout to celebrate being named top Richmond brewery in Style Weekly.
Richmond Beermeister 