RVA Beer Explorer
RVA Beer Explorer

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6th Annual St Patty’O Crawl w/ Bands, Bagpipes & Green Beverages – Southern Railway Taphouse, Saturday
And so it begins, the shilling of Irish culture for drunken amusement. They’re trying to justify the use of St. Patty but they’ve never been more wrong and if you’re drinking green beverages you’re doing it seriously wrong. I’m well aware that my criticism will not prevent hundreds from showing up and having a good time.
It’s our 6th Annual St. Patty ‘O Party (we know it’s PADDY but it’s on our PATIO so that’s how we’ll spell it!) hosted by Melissa Chase & Jack from 103.7 Play and this year we’ve teamed up with ShipLock Brewing as well! If you’ve been before you already know it’s THE place to get lucky! This year we’ve got LIVE performances by The Austin Ferguson Band & DJ Ty Street from Va. Beach, plus East of Blue Ridge & Zack Artis, with our very own DJ Jay Woods mixing it up inside all day!
$1 GREEN CRAFT BEVERAGE SPECIALS STARTING AT 12:00PM at SHIPLOCK!
It’s FREE to get in all day so mark your calendar and come where the beer and the luck are plentiful!
Cap Trail Clean-Up & Celebration – Stone Brewing, Saturday
The special on beer is only for the first round but you really aren’t doing it for the beer you’re doing it for Mother Nature, so get out there and help clean-up the human’s mess.
LINK TO SIGNUP: https://goo.gl/forms/GpUp1EYP1BRY2Tr73
We’re back for another Cap Trail Clean-up! This time we will be assigning miles to volunteer groups to make sure we clean as much of the Trail as possible! Supplies and snacks will be provided by VCTF. We will have four starting locations for our teams:
-Great Shiplock Park: Richmond, VA
-Four Mile Creek Trailhead: Henrico, VA
-Indian Fields Tavern: Charles City County, VA
-Jamestown Settlement Trailhead: James City County, VACleanup: 12pm-2pm
After Parties: 2pm-4pmWe will have two after party locations at Stone Brewing in Richmond and Billsburg Brewery in Williamsburg with special discounts for volunteers.
Billsburg Brewery
Food: Creekside Catering and Matchsticks BBQ
$1 off the $7 regularly priced pintsStone Brewing
Food: Haulin’ Balls
$5 pints on Stone core beer selection**the special prices are for the first round only
Southpaw Battle Coalition – Champion Brewing, Saturday
Southpaw Battle Coalition is Virginia’s premier emcee battle league. Until this moment I didn’t know that Virginia had a premier emcee battle league. Now you have an opportunity to check it ou this weekend.
Southpaw Battle Coalition takes over Champion Brewing Co. for the first time! w/ a return of old and the emergence of new talent, as Breeze The Poet returns against Habeeb. Henny L.O. faces off against J Morr. Robalu vs Jordan Bailey. Chance Fischer vs Face and King Fizzle vs Toiryan. It’s going to be crazy! Have some beers, Hear some bars! Have a great time in a great environment!
St. Patty’s Day Celebration – Kindred Spirit Brewing, Sunday
Again with the Patty but this time no justification. I will however still support any event with bagpipes.
The luck of the Irish is at Kindred Spirit Brewing. Put on your green and skip, hop, leap or run on over. Smok-N-Pigz will be cooking up all the favorites starting at 1pm. Damian Allen will take the stage at 2pm. Special Guest appearance by Justin Ingram playing the bagpipes.
St. Paddy’s Day with Cafe Rustika – Final Gravity, Sunday
See, that’s not so hard, St. Paddy.
Cafe Rustika returns to Final Gravity for Saint Patrick’s Day! Head chef, Sam George – who has perfected the German fare – can also bring the Irish game like no other. He will be onsite in the tasting room delivering authentic style Reubens and bangers & mash to accompany your Irish Goodbye Foreign Stout. Every ingredient is handmade at the restaurant and will be a gaelic experience you won’t want to miss!
DRINK THIS
Defenestrator Release – Ardent, Thursday
Defenestrator returns! This annual collaboration brewed with our friends from The Cask Cafe is one of our favorite projects of the year. #neverstoplagering
Defenestrator is a ruby brown doppelbock with a malty aroma and mild fruity notes. The clean, full-bodied mouthfeel complements the nutty flavor with malty, bready sweetness that finishes crisp for an easy-drinking, mellow doppelbock.
8.7% ABV • 22 IBU
Draft only + crowler/growler fills
Ancient Mariner Gose & Low Earth Orbit DIPA – Final Gravity, Friday
Hold the phones – IT’S A DOUBLE RELEASE!
Two delicious beers are hitting the taps this week:
1- Ancient Mariner Gose makes its long awaited return. Get caught by the spell of this refreshingly fruity brew with the perfect balance of tart and a tinge of saltiness. A rotating variety of exhilarating flavors including raspberry, blackberry, passionfruit, and mango will be offered (TBA). Enjoy by the glass – no Crowlers available. 4.5% ABV
2- After a heavy week, come experience a glass of Low Earth Orbit Double IPA with Apollo, Galaxy, and Citra hops. Refreshing flavors of passionfruit, grapefruit, and lime will elevate your spirit and lighten your mental load. Growler fills and Crowlers. 8% ABV
The Executioner (2019) Release – Castleburg, Friday
Back with blade in hand, The Executioner makes it’s long-awaited return to Castleburg with a new look for 2019. This year the dark, rich, chocolatey imperial porter was aged on black cherry puree and bourbon soaked oak chips for a healthy amount of time before having a ridiculous amount of cocoa nibs added. The result brings us a boozy chocolate covered dark cherry with hints of oak and subtle warming from the bourbon.
8.8% abv
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RVA Beer Explorer
RVA Beer Explorer: Stouts, Pizza, FeedMore, and a Moving Shamrock

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Stout Month at Starr Hill Richmond Beer
I’m late to the stout party here but there is still a week left to get your stout at Starr Hill
Love is in the air – AND on tap! 💘 Starr Hill is sharing the love all month long with the perfect pair: beer + chocolate 🍫 Enjoy our Stout Month flight with a special box of chocolate candy—buy one, get one flight HALF OFF only on Tues. Feb. 14th for Valentine’s Day!
❤️❤️❤️ FEATURED BEERS
❤️ Why Wait Snickers Stout
❤️ Ever Given Foreign Export Stout
❤️ You Oatta Know Oatmeal Stout
❤️ Chonkyfire Cherry Cordial Stout
🍫 Stout Month Flight 🍫
feat. each of the above beers paired with a special chocolate:
🍫 Oatmeal Stout with a maple buttercream
🍫 Foreign Export Stout with a coffee caramel
🍫 Snickers Stout with a peanut cluster
🍫 Cherry Cordial Stout with a chocolate-covered cherry
Ownby Lane Beer Crawl for Feedmore! at Castleburg and Hardywood
February 26th
Two breweries does not a crawl make but it’s for a great case so I’m posting about it. Get some beers and help out some folks.
Don’t have Sunday plans? Not sure what to do after brunch?
Come on over to Hardywood and Castleburg for a beer! Just a five minute walk apart, we’ll both be serving snacks and beer hopefully with weather good enough to hang outside!
We’ll be donating 10% of the day to FeedMore

Pizza Palace – Triple Crossing Downtown
February 26th
Talking with some of the folk that work here and they say it should be awesome. A great way to deal with a Sunday.
And the best pizza around is back. Welcome to Pizza Palace!!
On Sunday, February 26th, Triple Crossing – Downtown will be re-imagined as your go to by the Slice NY Style pizza palace.
Menu is as follows.
$4 House Salad
$4 Garlic Knots
$5 Cheese Slice
$6 Pepperoni Slice
-add Hot Honey for $1
48oz Pitchers:
$15 Falcon Smash
$12 Pathway Pils
Pizza Palace will be open from 12p – 8p.
All are welcomed.
Cheers!
BEER NEWS
Shamrock the Block is on the move. I avoid this festival but for those that enjoy you’ll be enjoying in a new spot over on Leigh Street between Movie Land and the Bon Secours Training facility. They’ve also announced the bands.
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RVA Beer Explorer
PHOTOS & GAME SUMMARY: Rams Knockdown Fordham
VCU forced 22 turnovers and outscored Fordham 29-15 off miscues. The Black and Gold also owned a 42-20 scoring advantage in the paint.

Official VCU Game Summary
Score: VCU 80, Fordham 61
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 20-7 (11-3 Atlantic 10), Fordham 21-6 (9-5)
Attendance: 7,637 (Fourth consecutive sellout)
The short story: Sophomore Nick Kern Jr. poured in a career-high 17 points and VCU forced 22 Fordham turnovers on the way to a Senior Day victory Saturday at the Siegel Center.
OPENING TIP
- Kern scored eight of VCU’s first 11 points and finished 8-of-9 from the field
- Junior guard Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 13 points and dished out 10 assists to record his second career double-double. He also grabbed six steals and four rebounds
- Sophomore forward Jalen Deloach and redshirt sophomore guard Jamir Watkins added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Black and Gold
- Will Richardson supplied Fordham with 21 points on 6-of-10 shootin from three
THE DIFFERENCE
- VCU forced 22 turnovers and outscored Fordham 29-15 off miscues. The Black and Gold also owned a 42-20 scoring advantage in the paint
- VCU shot 51 percent (26-of-51) from the floor. Meanwhile, it also limited Fordham to 34 percent shooting (20-of-59) in the game
- Kern keyed a 13-4 VCU run to start the game with a fast break layup and a dunk on the first two possessions of the contest
- VCU held Fordham to 7-of-23 shooting in the first half on the way to a 37-24 halftime lead. Fordham never led and the lone tie came at 20-20 with 7:07 left in the first half. VCU would lead by as many as 24
- VCU’s bench contributed 28 points
NOTABLE
- With six steals today and 170 in his career, Baldwin Jr. tied Doug Brooks for eighth all-time in VCU’s history Saturday
- Baldwin’s 10 assists tied a career-high. It’s the third time he’s recorded double-digit assists in his career and the first time this season
UP NEXT
The Rams hit the road for a matchup against Saint Joseph’s in Philadelphia, Pa. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. That game will be streamed on ESPN+.
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RVA Beer Explorer: Queens of Pain and Three VD Markets
We took a little break but we’re back, cheers my fellow beer heads.

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Starr Hill Spirit Night Queens of Pain at Starr Hill
February, 8th
Roller derby is cool and drinking beer while supporting local roller derby is the coolest.
Starr Hill and River City Roller Derby present…. QUEENS OF PAIN.
Join RCRD for an evening at Starr Hill Richmond Beer Hall & Rooftop. $1 from every pint sold between 4pm and 9pm will be donated to the league. Non-alcoholic beverages are available for our sober friends and supporters.
7pm we will showing the documentary Queens of Pain on Starr Hill’s big ole projector.
Since this event is leading up to Valentine’s Day, we will have an opportunity for electronic donations in exchange for a Valentine from your friendly neighborhood derby team
Buzzzzz Market at 2004 Dabney Rd
February, 11th
The event will be showing off local makers of the craft and beer/mead variety. The first description is from Capsoul Collective and obviously focused on the beers they’ll be slinging. The second is from the official event page, linked above.
Pull up with Capsoul THIS Saturday, 2/11, for the re-up only we could provide. We’ll be at the Buzzz Market with @blackheathmeadery from 12p – 5p serving up two new releases.
Imprint 🗿
Dry hopped with a heavy dose of El Dorado, Cashmere and Exp 158, Imprint, our Double IPA boasts impressions of soft stone fruit with a finishing indentation of intense citrus and dank pineapple. The nose is like diced pineapples 👌
Night is Dark 🌌
Drinking as easy as, well, the Night is Dark, this 5.5% dark lager gives impressions of lightly roasted coffee beans with a beautiful milk sweetness, all of this is rounded out by notes of bitter, dark chocolate. Night is Dark finishes very light.
📍Buzzzz Market/ 2004 Dabney Rd
Crafts
Inaugural RVA focused crafters market. Let’s promote our wares in a chill space, with mead for sale during the event.
Vendors include:
Boho Bota – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080906312310
Capsoul Collective
Colin Plouffe – https://instagram.com/plouffe.rva.art
Davideatin – https://www.davideatin.com
Diego Cusano – https://www.facebook.com/theamatista
Down By The Creek LLC – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071838500984
Jayne Heffner – crochet
Jenny Jones – Resting Bear Holistic Solutions
Natasha Crawford – Healing Hope Urban Gardens
Nick Vaughan – https://www.facebook.com/Erraticsmith
Rayna Liddell (Wyld Faebles) – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086255299702
Thomas Glazier – https://www.instagram.com/glazedanddyed/
TJ Krivanec – Woodworking, Furniture, Glass
Tre Artz – https://www.facebook.com/tre.artz

Valentines Weekend Brunch & Market at Triple Crossing (Midlothian)
February, 11th
We don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day in this house but we do drink beer and eat so we’re down with this event.
On February 11th, 2023, Triple Crossing Midlothian will host another outdoor market, weather permitting, as well as a special Brunch menu.
The market will be from 12p to 4p, with Brunch being served from 11a to 3p.Brunch Menu ⬇️
Sun dried Tomato Frittata with spinach & feta plated with a wild berry parfait, hashbrowns and a biscuit.
Maple Sausage Frittata with cheddar cheese plated with your choice of bacon or sausage, hashbrowns, and a biscuit.
Avocado Toast with everything bagel seasoning & sprouts
Brunch Pizza, egg based, topped with sausage, bacon, caramelized onions and spinach.
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Cinnamon Rolls
Cheer

Valentine’s Day Market at Veil (Forest Hill Ave)
February, 11th
Love and beer are in the air south of the river.
Ooh la la Veil-entines Day is approaching y’all, come out to our Valentine’s Day market February 11th from 12-4pm in Forest Hill.💓
💋 Mimosas will be served, @ytumama.mx will be firing up some 🌮 and the beer will be juicy!😘
💖Shop with these sweet vendors:💞
@nodicevintagerva
@Mon.der_official
@Thecuriofairy
@Fairyhausrva
@Daheim.goods
@_fivesistersboutique_
@sillycowgirlvintage
@shh_secretflowers
@teresa__justis
@candleobject
@kitcolorshow_
@moody___cc
@shannon_studio
@richmondspca
See ya there! 😍

BEER NEWS
It’s nice to get the background on one of the local brew master powerhouses and the creation of Gingerbread Stout
FROM VIRGINIA TECH HOMEBREW TO HARDYWOOD: A CHAT WITH BREWMASTER BRIAN NELSON – RVA Mag
In 2011, I created the RVA IPA using local hops and that recipe went into our Farmhouse Pumpkin beer, which is still a staple today. We then moved on to our base single and experimented with batches that incorporated cocoa, coffee, and vanilla. Suddenly, Bill Cox from Castleman Farms came in with a big bunch of ginger and asked if we could do anything with it. He was trying to find restaurants in Richmond that could use it. This ginger had big green stalks that were four feet tall, and the root has “hands” that were in the ground. It was baby ginger, meaning the translucent flesh was edible without peeling the outer skin. So he presented this to us and we were grinding our gears when Eric McKay came up with this idea, how do we integrate gingerbread? There wasn’t a gingerbread stout out there in the market — it had never been done before and we still consider our gingerbread stout, the original gingerbread stout.
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