American Craft Beer Week officially starts on May 14 and runs until May 20. This year Richmond will start the party early Friday with Midnight Brewery’s open house and Capital Ale House Anniversary beer double tapping. Here are some details on other events to consider checking out during the week.
Saturday May 12th
Virginia Hops and Barley Fest
The second annual Virginia Hops & Barley Festival will feature over 30 craft beers from from twelve Virginia breweries. This will be your first chance to try beers from Blue Lab Brewing, Big Daddy’s Brewing, and Midnight Brewery. Take a look at the complete beer list here. Tickets are $15/person in advance or $20/person at door if available and include unlimited sampling of all the beers. Order tickets here.
Check out the Facebook event here.
Update:
Pins available at the festival:
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O’Connor Dreamsicle- Green Can Golden Ale infused with Organic OJ & Vanilla
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Legend Golden IPA dry hopped with Citra hops
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Hardywood Bourbon Cru & dry hopped double IPA.
Monday May 14th
ACBW Firkin Crawl
Head out for a pub crawl featuring beers from Legend, Mad Fox, and Victory.
Weezie’s Kitchen (5:30pm)
Beer: Legend Golden/Brown Ale blend, dry hopped with Sorachi Ace.
3123 W. Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23221
Commercial Taphouse (6:45pm)
Beer: Mad Fox ???? The exact beer from Mad Fox has not been decided but any beer from Mad Fox will be great. I’m sort of hoping for their Orange Whip IPA.
111 N. Robinson St.
Richmond, VA 23220
Update: Looks like I’m getting a Mad Fox beer I’ve never had before! Commercial Taphouse will be getting Mad Fox’s Broad Street IPA – 6.8% ABV aka Snap IPA, an American-style India Pale Ale that is brewed with 100% Centennial/CTZ hops from the Pacific Northwest and then dry-hopped with over 44lbs of Centennial/CTZ hops for an extra fresh hop punch. This beer has a fresh resiny herbal and citrusy grapefruit aroma that follows through to a tingling hoppy herbal bitterness in the finish. The British pale and German Vienna malts provide a biscuity malt sweetness that balances the hop bitterness.
Selba (8pm)
Beer: Victory Ranch R DIPA- 9% ABV DIPA with whole flower Centennial hops grown on Roy Farms in Yakima Valley. Victory’s Ranch series is a rotating double IPA with hops sourced from one different farm for each batch.
2416 W. Cary St.
Richmond, VA 23220
For your convenience, I’ve created a map with all the locations on it here.
Tuesday May 15th
Pales…In Comparison
Head out to Joe’s Inn in the Fan for a tap takeover celebrating the American Pale Ale. Here are the featured pales:
Legend Pale Ale
Devils Backbone 4 Point w/ single experimental hop
Heavy Seas Pale
Dale’s Pale
Southern Tier Pale
Southern Tier HopSun
Victory Headwaters
O’Connor Norfolk Canyon
Sierra Nevada Pale
205 North Shields Ave
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 355-2282
Hardywood Park Beer Dinner at The Blue Goat
I don’t have a menu for this one yet but if you’ve ever eaten at The Blue Goat, you know this dinner is a great idea. Cost for the dinner is $50/person plus tax and tip. Reservations are required so call the restaurant at (804) 288-8875 to RSVP. Dinner starts at 7:30pm
Breckenridge Steal the Glass Night at Capital Ale House
Breckenridge Brewery is probably one of my favorite Colorado breweries just because of their Vanilla Porter. If you’re heading to Cap Ale for the evening, I would make sure to get one of these glasses to go.
Wednesday May 16th
Beer Theater: Goose Island
Celebrate the triumphant return of Wine & Beer Westpark owner Matty Lake’s Beer Theater in the Capital Ale House Downtown Music Hall starting at 5:30pm. Settle in to the Music Hall for a skype tasting with brewmaster Brett Porter featuring Sofie, Matilda, Pere Jacques, 312, Honkers, and IPA. Cost for the tasting is $10/person. Read more over at Facebook event here.
Goose Island Beer Dinner at Acacia Midtown
At first, I was worried about this beer dinner and beer theater being on the same night. Fortunately, this dinner is being structured such that you can come in anytime Wednesday night from 5:30 -9pm and get this meal. Take a look at the menu.
MENU
1st Course
Sofie
Local Raw Oyster with Radish, Mandarinquat & Chive, Fluke Crudo with Foie Gras and Meyer Lemon Emulsion, Sea Bass Ceviche Peruvian Style with Red Pepper Gelee
2nd Course
IPA
Hop Spiced Pork Pate, Roasted Barley Crust, Edible Flowers
3rd Course
Matilda
Almond Crusted Grouper, “Moules Frites”
OR
Pepe Nero
Corned Beef Brisket, Pumpernickel Gnocchi, Coriander Veal Jus
Cost for the dinner is $30/person excluding tax & gratuity. Call (804) 562-0138 for reservations.
Acacia
2601 W Cary St
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 562-0138
Thursday May 17th
O’Connor Firkin Night
There will be three firkins from O’Connor Brewing in town Thursday night. Head over to Station 2 to get Rad Nun (Red Nun Red Ale infused with Raspberries) or Brutella (Great Dismal Black IPA infused with Peanut Butter, Nutella, Chopped Hazelnuts and Dry-roasted Peanuts.
Meanwhile, The Camel will have a pin of Xocolat, Great Dismal with organic fair trade cocoa and ground cinnamon.
Friday May 18th
Taste the Local Tasting at Once Upon a Vine South
Head over to the Once Upon a Vine off Forrest Hill Ave to meet Virginia brewers and taste their beers. Be prepared to have a great time. Tasting runs from 5 – 8pm.
Once Upon A Vine South
2817 Hathaway Rd
Richmond, VA 23225
More Fun than a Barrel of Virginians
Head out to Mekong for a wood and barrel aged beer bonanza featuring beers from Legend, Hardywood Park, Heavy Seas, Mad Fox, and more.
Sunday May 20th
Final event for the week is the Richmond Food Cart Derby at Historic 17th Street Farmers Market. 20+ food cart vendors, beer, music, and more. I’ll have more on this as the date gets closer but I’ll say now you want to go to this. Check out the Facebook event here.
Blue Mountain Brewery is releasing their Barrel House Series beers into the Richmond market. You’ll get the chance to try these beers for the first time at least two times this week and it all starts tonight!
Richmond Beermeister 