Tag Archives: VA Beer

Firkin Your Friday At Brew With Lickinghole Creek’s Pumpkin Ain’t Easy Pin

Simply put, today Friday October 25th at 5pm will be your first chance to have an idea of what Lickinghole Creek’s Estate pumpkin beer, Pumpkin Ain’t Easy, will taste like except with spices.  Brew in Chesterfield is tapping a pin containing 90% Pumpkin Ain’t Easy, 10% Three Chopt Tripel, and cinnamon nibs. Yes, cinnamon nibs not cocoa. I had to look it up; they are a real thing. They will have other Lickinghole Creeek beers on tap as well.  Owner Sean-Thomas Pumphrey will be there as well to answer your questions as well. 

Maybe ask why not call the beer “Punkin Ain’t Easy.”  I guess that’d require new neck labels.

https://www.instagram.com/p/fyJSgWBWC5/

Head over to the Facebook event for more information.

6525 Centralia Rd
Chesterfield, VA 23832
 
UPDATE: Apparently, double the Lickinghole Creek firkin goodness is on tap for today.  Bucket Trade in Chester is tapping a pin containing 90% Short Pump Saison, 10% Three Chopt Tripel, and reconditioned 2006 Pu-erh tea.
 
According to wikipedia:

Pu-erh or Pu’er tea is a variety of fermented dark tea produced in Yunnan province, China.[1][2][3]Fermentation is a tea production style in which the tea leaves undergo microbial fermentation and oxidation after they are dried and rolled.[4] This process is a Chinese specialty and produces tea known as Hei Cha (黑茶), commonly translated as dark, or black tea (this type of tea is completely different from what in West is known as “black tea”, which in China is called “red tea” 红茶). The most famous variety of this category of tea is Pu-erh from Yunnan Province, named after the trading post for dark tea during imperial China.[5]

Bucket Trade will tap their pin at 5pm. Head over to the Facebook event for more information.

The Bucket Trade- Craft Beer, Growlers and Provisions
13131 Rivers Bend Boulevard
Chester, VA 23836

Navigate the “Brew Quarter” Saturday With Boulevard Pumpkin Festival, Hardywood Second Anniversary, & Isley Brewing Opening

Brew Quarter3A new brewery opening, a festival, and an anniversary–all happening Saturday October 26th just north of Broad St in a section of town I will now lovingly refer to as Richmond’s Brew Quarter.  You could easily spend all day checking out these three events but what should you do first?  Any order is probably fine but I will share my planned attack order.

Boulevard Pumpkin Festival — Noon

Yes, the pumpkin festival is where I’m starting simply because it starts the earliest.  Make sure you don’t eat lunch beforehand.  Richmond.com has the all the details on pumpkin dishes to be served at the festival but here are a few that stood out to me:

  • Fat Dragon: Pumpkin seafood soup, pumpkin fried rice, beer battered fried pumpkin This just might be the holy trinity of pumpkin dishes
  • Sasion: Pumpkin mofongo I don’t know what mofongo is but I sure am having fun saying it.
  • The Camel: Fried chicken and pumpkin waffles, pumpkin shrimp & grits Pumpkin waffles & chicken, I mean someone had to do it!
  • Mosaic: Pumpkin curry, pumpkin chili, crispy chicken with cornbread I could see the pumpkin used in place of potatoes in Mussuman curry or just pureed with coconut milk to serve as the broth. Either way sure to be delicious.

Isley Brewing Grand Opening — 1 – 7PM

Now, this one caught me totally by surprise as I did not realize they were this far along.  They will have four beers for people to try:

Plain Jane Belgian White Ale
Plain Jane Blueberry Belgian White Ale
The Bribe Oatmeal Porter
Decadence Coconut Cocoa Oatmeal Porter

Have to say I’m intrigued by the Blueberry White Ale.

Isley Brewing Co
1715 Summit Ave
Richmond, VA 23230

Hardywood Second Anniversary Party — 2 – 9PM

Last but certainly not least, end the day at Hardywood for tequila or at least their Tequila barrel aged Second Anniversary Ale.  Definitely get there before 6pm as Goldrush will provide a live soundtrack for Godzilla Destroy All Monsters.

Side note: Is it too late for me to go as Godzilla for Halloween? 

Second Anniversary Ale will be available by the pint as well as a limited number of  750mL bottles starting at 2pm.  Special event beers are to be announced. RVA Street Foodies will bring the yum with  Pizza Tonight, Monique’s Crepes, Super Fresh Carts, Thai Cabin, Estes Bar.B.’Que,  Cielito Lindo, Soul-Ice Vending, Inc., and Station 2.

Additional music will be provided by Scorpio Brothers Marty Key and Troy Hurt (rare garage, soul and funk) and The Green Hearts (power pop & rock ‘n’ roll) at 2 and 4:30pm, respectively.

Hardywood Presents: The Great Return…and Pizza Beer Dinner

imageHardywood is debuting their latest canned beer, The Great Return, a West Coast Style IPA, this week.  You’ll start to see the new beer around town soon but here are a couple events to consider.

Tuesday  October 22nd

Head over to The Boathouse at Rockett’s Landing at 5pm for Great Return IPA cans:

Bold, resinous and bursting with bright grapefruit aroma, this IPA is a tribute to the decades of hard work by conservationists to restore the James River as a bounty of vibrant aquatic life, eco-friendly recreational activity, and in our case, fresh brewing water. These efforts have culminated recently with the symbolic return of the endangered Atlantic Sturgeon, a prehistoric, yet majestic behemoth of a fish, spotted as far up the James River as the fall line in Richmond. Let’s celebrate!

$10 from every barrel of The Great Return produced will be shared with the James River Association.

Enjoy other Hardywood drafts as well as appetizer specials as you talk with representatives from Hardywood and James River Association.

At 7PM, head over to Conch Republic for the check presentation to the James River Association. 16 oz. cans of The Great Return and other Hardywood drafts available. Dinner specials.

Check out the Facebook event for more information.

Thursday October 24th

Great Return Pizza DinnerIf you didn’t know, not only is Hardywood assistant brewer Nick Danger Walthall a great brewer, he is also a pizza fanatic.  He has teamed up with Whole Foods Short Pump for The Great Return Pizza + Beer Dinner.  Nick has let his imagination run wild with pizza toppings and beer pairings to create a truly unique menu.

MENU

Appetizer course featuring Olli Salami and Piave
Hardywood Singel

PIZZA

Olive oil, red grapes, pulled roast chicken, rosemary, fresh mozzarella and shaved Robusto
Lickinghole Creek Short Pump Saison

Ricotta with goat cheese crumbles, caramelized onions, Jambon ham and arugula
Hardywood Doppelbock

Roasted red peppers, roasted garlic with Parmesan, Asiago and Fontina cheeses
Hardywood Great Return IPA

Maple roasted pumpkin and apples, pancetta and smoked mozzarella
Hardywood Rum Pumpkin

The cost for the dinner is $40/person. Seating is limited so make your reservations today by calling Whole Foods at (804) 364-4050.

Check out the Facebook event for more information.

Richmond Beeristoric Tour Tickets Go On Sale October 15th

It may be month away but now is the time to prepare for RVA Beer Week.  Last night, Taste the Local revealed information on this year’s Richmond Beerhistoric Tour.

Trust me when I say, THIS. WILL. SELL. OUT!

This is the fourth annual Richmond Beeristoric Tour. It will feature 8 Richmond area breweries. Historic beer locations around the city, local food, and a few surprises. Sunday, November 10th, 2013. Only 100 people can go on the tour. Tickets are first come first serve.

There are two buses with 50 people each. Each bus will have its own local historian. One Bus leaves from Mekong, the other from Capital Ale House Downtown.
Tickets will go on sale on October 15th and are $45.00 a ticket

-Center of the Universe Brewing will be selling tickets for the Capital Ale House bus
-Strangeways Brewing will be selling tickets for the Mekong bus

Cash or check only for purchasing tickets. Checks should be made out to The Virginia Craft Brewers Guild.

You must be 21 or over to go on this tour.

Profits will go to the To The Bottom and Back Bus Line
http://2bnb.org/

Like the Richmond Beeristoric Facebook page for more details as they become available.

Raise A Glass For Art With Hardywood & Studio Two Three At The Village Cafe

Credit: Craig Dauer

Credit: Craig Dauer

Did you catch Studio Two Three steamrolling map prints of Richmond at last month’s RVA Street Festival?  Well, head out to The Village Cafe tonight Wednesday October 2nd at 7pm for a tap takeover featuring a dozen Hardywood beers.  The Village will be donating a portion of beer sales to the studio’s nonprofit printmaking.  Check out some of the artists work on display and stay as they raffle off an eight foot map of Richmond made with a giant woodcut and a steamroller at the Street Art Festival.

Here are the beers to be tapped for the evening:

Singel
Dubbel
Quad
Russian Imperial Stout aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels
Raspberry Stout
RVA IPA
Farmhouse Pumpkin
Bourbon DIPA
Coconut Porter
Virginia Blackberry
Nitro Stout
Doppelbock

Head out and raise a glass and money for the arts.  Check out the Facebook event for more information.

1001 W. Grace St.
Richmond, VA 23220

Yes, Yes You Should Go To Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery’s Grand Opening Tomorrow

wpid-20130622_112849.jpgIf for one reason alone, you should attend Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery’s Grand Opening because it is absolutely gorgeous!

I mean just look at this view from my visit back in June.  Go ahead and click the photo to see the full breathtaking image.

20130622_112826Oh but you want to know about the beer.

When owner Sean Thomas-Pumphrey took me on a tour of the farm, he mentioned they would be brewing mostly Belgian style beers naming out a saison, tripel, and pale ale to start.

Seeing as it was their first brew, I’m guessing Three Chopt Tripel will be available in bottles Saturday

If you made it over to St Benedict’s Oktoberfest last Saturday, you’ve probably had Short Pump Saison:

Short Pump Saison Virginia Farmhouse Ale, 6.8 % ABV, 35 IBU. Our ode to Belgian Farmhouse Ale. The Short Pump name comes from the colonial era Short Pump Tavern, a famous mid-way point between Richmond and Charlottesville. Lickinghole Creek’s Saison matches Premium Imported Belgian Pilsner Malt with two types of Rye. First Wort Hopped (an old German brewing technique) with American Grown Galena Hops and Hop Bursted (a newer American technique) with large amounts of Columbus and Nugget hops. The combination of the malt, rye and hops creates a beer with a distinguished hop aroma, a more undeviating bitterness and a more balanced beer. Limited quantities of this one!

I hear those three kegs went very quickly.

Now for the rest of the beers, here’s what LCCB has outlined:

Estate Series:

Gentleman Farmer Estate Hop Ale: 7.5% ABV, ??? IBU The concept for this beer is the reason LCCB exists. We wanted to create a beer with ingredients that we grew on our family farm. Gentleman Farmer was made with hops grown on the farm the brewery is housed on. One of the only of its kind in the Commonwealth, Gentleman Farmer is LCCB’s foray into adding terroir into the world of Craft Beer. Very limited release.

We will also be debuting our flagship beer:

Magic Beaver Belgian Style Pale Ale: 5.5% ABV, 35 IBU LCCB’s flagship is named after the nearby Magic Beaver pond on the farm’s property. Premium Belgian Pilsner Malt and Authentic Belgian Yeast are combined with American Grown Galena, Columbus and New Zealand Pacific Jade hops. Magic Beaver is a hop-forward beer that mixes the mystery of Belgium with the flavors of North American and New Zealand hops.

2 Special Release Beers: Descriptions and types to be released later.

Our entire lineup will be available on draft, in growlers, and some will be available in bottles beginning at 2pm. Special Release Beers will be dispersed in different variations throughout the day.

I am most interested in the concept of terroir in the Gentleman Farmer series.  I know one of these will be a pumpkin beer using pumpkins grown on the farm.  These pumpkins were just sprouting at the time of my visit.  Another aspect of this principle will be seen in the planting of boysenberries, blueberries, and blackberries as well as wild blackberries on the farm.  These berries could easily find their way into the saison or tripel and who knows maybe even the pale.

Right now only four food trucks are listed for the opening:

Chupacabra
Paris Creperie
Haywood Grill
Piedmont Smokehouse

So how about this? Bring the family and a picnic.  It is sure to be a perfect day for it. Maybe take a stroll through the hopyards.
image

Head over to the Facebook event for more information.  Music will be provided by Barrelhouse and Three Sheets to the Wind.

On Tap This Weekend: RVA Street Art, Hardywood, Strangeways, & Sours & Saisons

Late post as the day is almost over.

Here’s what you’ll find going on around town this weekend or as I like to say On Tap.

Friday September 13th

I’m going to try and check out RVA Street Art Festival before they close down at 6pm.  If you miss it, don’t worry they’ll open back up at 11am Saturday.  Also, don’t forget to grab some grub from Acacia’s side door.

Saturday September 14th

Heading over to look at more street art? Stop by Cask Cafe’s pre-opening sneak peek.  They will be grilling up Sausage Craft.

Hardywood releases RVA IPA starting at 2pm at the brewery with bands playing later.  I wonder how it would work in this IPA mustard recipe.

Popkin Tavern is featuring two of their favorite styles in a tap takeover, Sours & Saisons.  Here’s what they will start tapping at 4pm:

Saison
Brasserie de Blaugies La Moneuse
Brasserie de Blaugies Saison d’Epeautre
Glazen Toren Saison d’Erpe-Mere
Boulevard Tank 7
Perennial Aria
BFM Square Root of 225
Anchor Zymaster
Vapeur Saison de Pipiax
De Ranke Saison de Dottignies
Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison

Sour
Petrus Aged Pale
Cuvee de Jacobin Rouge
The Bruery Tart of Darkness
The Bruery Sour in the Rye
Van Steenberge Monk’s Cafe
Ichtegems Grand Cru
Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse
Strangeways Word!
Laughing Dog De Achtste Hond

Popkin also has their free beer school at 4pm so if you can get there, you’ll get treated to a few cool beers.

Finally, Strangeways presents Brews & Burlesque at 9pm.  Tickets are $8/person and can be purchased online here.

Hardywood Unveiling Special Beer This Weekend At Fall Line Fest

Needless to say I was very intrigued when Taste the Local announced earlier today that Hardywood had created a special beer for Fall Line Fest this weekend.

Of course, I had to go find out more.  Here’s what I have learned about the beer.

Hardywood’s Fall Line Fest beer is a blend of Bourbon Barrel Aged Hoplar and Saison Rustica to give it a nice fall spice. It is also dry hopped with Strisselspalt and comes in around 6.6% ABV.

Check out the acts here and buy a weekend pass to the festival here.

Breaking Down The Virginia Craft Brewers Fest

VA Craft Beer Fest 2013 034Last Saturday’s Virginia Craft  Brewers Fest at Devils Backbone could not have been on nicer day.  Following the rain soaked but fun first year  with a day of gorgeous weather was a stroke of genius.  Am I saying Virginia brewers have learned how to control the weather? Of course, not, that’d be crazy talk but it would be funny if they had.

By now you’ve probably heard about the winners in the 2013 Virginia Craft Brewers Cup.  If not here are the winners:

Best of Show Winners 2013 Virginia Craft Brewers Cup
Gold: Devils Backbone Brewing Company – Smokehaus Lager
Silver: River Company Brewing – Wood Dog Porter
Bronze: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery – Gingerbread Stout

Light & Amber Hybrid
Gold: Blue Mountain Brewery – Kolsch 151
Silver: Center of the Universe – Main Street Virginia Ale
Bronze: Mad Fox Brewing Company – Mad Fox Kolsch

European Malty Lagers
Gold: Devils Backbone Brewing Company – Schwartzbier
Silver: Starr Hill Brewery – Jomo Lager
Bronze: Mad Fox Brewing Company – Elixer Maibock

Pilsner & Light Lager
Gold: Blue Mountain Brewery – Classic Lager
Silver: Lost Rhino Brewing Company – Rhino Chasers Pilsner
Bronze: Legend Brewing Company – Pilsner

British Session Ale
Gold: Devils Backbone Brewing Company – Ale of Fergus
Silver: River Company Brewing – Timber Brown Ale
Bronze: Blue & Grey Brewing Company – Fred Red

American Ale
Gold: Wolf Hill Brewing – Creeper Trail Amber Ale
Silver: Extra Billy’s Smokehouse and Brewing – Midlo
Bronze: Wolf Hill Brewing – Fightin’ Parsons Pale Ale

Porter & Stout
Gold: Apocalypse Ale Works – 6th Seal
Silver: Port City Brewing – Porter
Bronze: Wild Wolf Brewing Company – Dry Stout

English & American IPA
Gold: Extra Billy’s Smokehouse & Brewery – Citra Ass Down
Silver: Center of the Universe – Pocahoptus IPA
Bronze: Legend Brewing Company – Hopfest

German Wheat and Rye Beer
Gold: Strangeways Brewing – Mixolydian Rag Rye Bock
Silver: Devils Backbone Brewing Company – Berliner Metro Weiss
Bronze: Lost Rhino Brewing Company – Final Glide Hefe

Belgian Sour Strong Ales
Gold: Wolf Hill Brewing – Tripel
Silver: Apocalypse Ale Works – The Lustful Maiden
Bronze: Wild Wolf Brewing Company – Blonde Hunny

Belgian & French Ale
Gold: Port City Brewing – Optimal Wit
Silver: Blue Mountain Barrel House – American Hopped Blonde Ale
Bronze: Smartmouth Brewing Company – Alter Ego

Strong Ales
Gold: Three Brothers Brewing – The Admiral
Silver: Smartmouth Brewing Company – Notch 9
Bronze: Devils Backbone Brewing Outpost – Kilt Flasher

Smoked Flavored & Wood Aged
Gold: Devils Backbone Brewing Company – Smokehaus Lager
Silver: Blue Mountain Barrel House – Barrel Aged Big Blue
Bronze: Three Brothers Brewing – Bourbon Barrell Russian Imperial

Fruit/Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Gold: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery – Gingerbread Stout
Silver: Devils Backbone Brewing Company – Pear Lager
Bronze: Blue Mountain Barrel House – Spooky

Specialty
Gold: River Company Brewing – Wood Dog Porter
Silver: Blue Mountain Brewery – Rye Barchetta
Bronze: Strangeways Brewing – Wallonian Dawn Honey Saison

Devils Backbone stole the show with seven total medals including four gold, two silver and one bronze.  Some might think that DB had the home field advantage but if you take a closer look at the results you’ll realize that is not the case.  For instance, DB did not even place in English & American IPA category; top honors went to Extra Billy’s Citra Ass Down.  This and the silver for Midlo Pale Ale is a major accomplishment for Brandon Tolbert with only having taken the head brewer position a few months ago.  Keep an eye on this guy because I predict a bright future for this young man.

Or how about Strangeways’ gold in German Wheat & Rye Beers? Open for three months, and their Mixolydian Rag Rye Bock beats out DB’s Berliner Metro Weiss.

Let’s not forget  Three Brothers Admiral and Smartmouth Notch 9 both placing over DB Kilt Flasher.  Both of these breweries opened toward the end of 2012.

Now it sounds like I’m picking on Devils Backbone but nothing could be farther from the truth. The fact is that Virginia brewers are a strong, passionate, and talented group of individuals.  You can find many of the winning breweries on tap in the Richmond area.  Meanwhile, breweries waiting to come online are eager to get their chance to wow the public with their offerings.

I was able to spend some time in the room as beers were being judged so here are a few background points:

  • Beers were entered and judged based on BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) style guidelines. This means even though a beer may be great it may not fit the style it was entered under.  This goes beyond whether you personally like the beer.
  • Judges have no idea who makes the beers they are judging; samples are poured away from the tables and delivered by stewards
  • There were about 20 judges in the room with varying levels of experience including two non-BJCP and two grandmaster judges; there are 4 grandmaster/master  judges in Virginia.

Overall, the festival was a great time with 32 breweries in attendance over 27 from last year. Ticket sales were doubled from 2012 with over 2200 people in attendance.  The one improvement I could see for next year would be increased number of food providers.  The  four food trucks this year could not handle the high attendance; increasing this number would help decrease the wait time for food.  

Finally here are a few of my favorite beers I tasted at the festival:

  • Alewerks Jubilee — 6th Anniversary Belgian Strong Ale aged 1 year in bourbon barrels; possibly best beer I tasted that day.
  • Champion Face Eater Gose – a really well done salted wheat beer; I’m glad this was the first beer I tried from Champion.  I need to get by Charlottesville and check them out more.
  • Beer Hound Fang Oatmeal Stout – great oatmeal stout from a young brewery
  • Sunken City Dam Lager – very solid offering from Smith Mountain Lake’s only brewery

Congrats to everyone involved in putting on a successful festival.  I can’t wait to see what happens next year.  Here is to an amazing Virginia Craft Beer Month!

Cheers!

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