RVA Beer Explorer Weekly Picks

GO DO THIS

Vagabond Adventure Series: Talkin’ Trash! – Väsen Brewing, Wednesday

Litter is a pet peeve of mine. It seems logical that if there were less trash, in general, there would be less litter or perhaps those that litter will still be jerks. Either way, learn more about waste reduction/diversion while enjoying a beer in a non-disposable glass.

Join us for a conversation led by Vasen trail/ultrarunning Vagabond and discarded materials management enthusiast Ryan Duckett about a subject everyone deals with – garbage, specifically waste reduction/diversion!

Ryan’s experience in environmental stewardship was nurtured a young age running and backpacking the mountains of Western NC. His curiosity about how to more efficiently utilize society’s discarded materials melded with an interest in the conservation/preservation of natural assets like the public lands of the Blue Ridge. His college classes and internships exposed him to the magnitude of the solid waste industry, its landfill diversion practices, and the growing area of Zero Waste. He is currently a full-time environmental engineer and solid waste consultant, working on projects in Virginia and the broader Mid-Atlantic region.

Tapped & Wrapped | Summer Stock Up – Veil Brewing

Perhaps the only thing worse than shopping for gifts is then having to wrap them up. Get all your birthday, anniversary, and Christmas shopping done this weekend. The chances of you remembering where you’ve put this until the chosen date is slim. Instead think of it as an Easter Egg hunt with nicely wrapped egg/gifts. Hit the link above to see the vendors.

RVA’s one stop shop (where you leave with gifts, wrapped) is back with a Summer Stock Up event at The Veil Brewing Co. on Friday, June 8th! It’s the perfect place to sip, shop and stock up for all your summer holidays, birthdays and dog days!

We’ll have vendors on site doing hands-on demos and event specials – making your shopping that much more fun! And don’t forget Father’s Day is June 17th….no worries, we’ve got you covered!

Lets Fly Kites – Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, Saturday

If I had a dollar for every time someone had told me to “go fly a kite” I’d have zero dollars. Now if I were living in a 1940’s comedy I might be rich. This weekend you can utter that phrase without getting a sideways glance from anyone because you’ll have a kite and beer in hand. Also, you can’t mention kites without also mentioning Charlie Brown so there you go.

In honor of our Great Commander release we are inviting all you high Flyers out to the Farm on this Saturday afternoon.

First 20 guests who sign up receive a logo’d pint glass and a taster of Great Commander to wet your whistle

Bill Roberts Live!!
Food Truck: Sand Topia

Paint the Steins: Beer Elements – Intermission Brewing, Sunday

Father’s Day is coming up and this could be the perfect gift. Even if it’s imperfect it will still hold beer so no real complaints.

Seats are limited. RSVP by June 9th here: https://goo.gl/forms/CEo5i8sbivVQb9ev1

Pay at the door – $20

Come on out and drink while you paint your very own stein glass masterpieces! This month’s theme: Beer Elements!

Makes a great Father’s Day gift!

No experience required. Includes step-by-step instruction by local artist Alex Eagle Thompson, 2 pint glasses, all painting supplies, and home care instructions!

Juicy Brews Summer Craft Beer Invitational – Triple Crossing (Fulton), Sunday

This is the big event of the weekend and will likely have the biggest crowds. It will also have big beers from all over the country. Hit the link above for the full scoop.

For our Juicy Brews Summer Craft Beer Invitational, we’ve pulled out all the stops. It’s our seventh festival, and our biggest one yet. On June 10th, 2018, come meet the brewers and try unlimited pours from 32 of the best breweries in the country. We’ll have food, beer, music, and exclusive merch and glassware from designer Sam Taylor.

BEER NEWS

Twisted Ales Craft Brewing Shutting Down

Buskey Cider setting sail for the Eastern Shore with new taproom

Local Winners in the 2018 Virginia Craft Beer Cup

The Virginia Craft Brewers Guild announced the 2018 Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners on Monday, June 4, 2018, at WestRock in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond breweries did quite well-bringing home a total of 15 medals.

Ross Catrow at Good Morning RVA has the full list. I pulled the locals.

American Porter and Stout
First Place Wild Wolf Brewing Company, American Stout
Second Place Old Ox Brewery, Black Ox
Third Place Stone Brewing, Totalitarian Imperial Russian Stout

American Wild Ale
First Place The Oozlefinch Craft Brewery, Dr. Rendezvous
Second Place Reaver Beach Brewing Company, The Reaver
Third Place Väsen Brewing Company, Guava Gose

Belgian Ale
First Place Port City Brewing Company, Optimal Wit
Second Place Garden Grove Brewing and Urban Winery, Belgian Wit
Third Place Castleburg Brewery and Taproom, Queens Guard

Czech Lager
First Place Port City Brewing Company, Downright Pilsner
Second Place Ardent Craft Ales, Bohemian Pilsner
Third Place Champion Brewing Company, Shower Beer

European Sour Ale
First Place Red Dragon Brewery, Here Be Dragons
Second Place Beale’s Beer, Bearliner
Third Place Strangeways Brewing, Uberlin

Historical and Smoked Beer
First Place Blue Mountain Barrel House and Organic Brewery, Adambeor
Second Place Rock Bottom Restaurants and Brewery, Oh, Here is Gosegain
Third Place Portner Brewhouse, Portner Porter

IPA
First Place Final Gravity Brewing Company, The Doppler Effect
Second Place Final Gravity Brewing Company, Retrograde
Third Place Starr Hill Brewery, Looking Glass

Specialty Beer
First Place Center of the Universe Brewing Company, Brandt
Second Place Apocalypse Ale Works, Dreamsicle
Third Place Precarious Beer Project, Reve Du Jour

Spiced Beer
First Place Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, Heir Apparent
Second Place Steam Bell Beer Works, Tiramisu
Third Place Old Ox Brewery, Kristin’s Passion

Standard American Beer
First Place Trapezium Brewing Company, Mexican Lager
Second Place Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Richmond Lager
Third Place Bald Top Brewing Company, Manor House Ale

Strong American Ale
First Place Precarious Beer Project, Everything Is Lava But the Swings Are Base
Second Place Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, Citra Happens
Third Place Ballad Brewing, Home

Strong Belgian Ale
First Place Belly Love Brewing Company, 50 Shades of Gold
Second Place Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Singel
Third Place Reaver Beach Brewing Company, Oceanus Arum

Wood Beer
First Place Brothers Craft Brewing, Resolute
Second Place Wasserhund Brewing Company, Bourbon Barrel Haywire Husky
Third Place Kindred Spirt Brewing, Barrel “The Goodness” Imperial Stout

DRINK THIS

None of this Makes Sense can release – Hardywood (both locations), Friday

I had no idea what it was so I looked up Wai Iti Lupulin Powder. It’s a hop that was created by the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research in their hop breeding program and released in 2011. I was unaware that New Zealand was so serious about hops that they had a government agency making new ones. Good on you New Zealand, well done.

NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE // 7.5% // New England-style Double IPA with Mosaic and Wai Iti Lupulin Powder. Available on draft in our Richmond, West Creek and Charlottesville taprooms and in 4x16oz cans to go. $15 + tax.

La Dam du Lac Belgian Blonde Ale – Castleburg, Friday

A Belgian clocking in at 4.7%? That is a taste of summer right there my beer loving friends.

Parlez-vous français? Neither do we, but our Lady of the Lake has taken on a Belgian twist with La Dam du Lac. We fermented our popular blonde ale with a belgian yeast strain to give it those delightful banana and clove esters that we all love from our belgian ales. Clocking in at a familiar 4.7% ABV, this beer is perfect for these hot summer days. Prendre d’assaut le château!

Star Castle Double IPA rerelease – Final Gravity, Friday

It’s a double IPA that’s going to wow you with the citrus and punch you with the 8%.

The defenses have been obliterated so there’s nothing standing in the way of you and this next level 8% Double IPA. Brewed with Nelson Sauvin and Citra hops, you’ll experience a quenching bouquet of tropical mango and citrus with a bit of spiciness to keep things interesting. Crowlers will be limited and the game is sure to move quickly.

Quad Can Release for Hop Culture’s Juicy Brews Invitational – Triple Crossing, Friday

A special release of beers from the big weekend beer event.

We will have 4 cans being released on the Friday before Juicy Brews. More details to follow and limited Juicy Brews merch will be available.

Cans:

– Soldiers of Summer 100% Raspberry Berliner collab with Hop Culture
– Interstellar Burst 8% DIPA
– Liquid Symphony 6% IPA
– Green Dreams 8% DIPA

BEERSTAGRAM