Hardywood and Starr Hill are officially one company, and neither brand is going anywhere

The two largest craft brewers in Virginia now answer to the same company. Hardywood Park Craft Brewery and Starr Hill Brewery announced Wednesday that Hardywood has acquired Starr Hill in an all-equity transaction that closed October 1.

If you’ve been paying attention, this didn’t come out of nowhere. The two have run an operational partnership since 2025, and this deal makes it permanent. According to NielsenIQ data cited by the companies, Hardywood ranks first among Virginia craft brewers by volume and Starr Hill ranks second. Put them together and you have a company with a lot of weight in the state’s beer market.

For people who just want to know whether their favorite pint is changing, the short answer is no. Hardywood keeps brewing in Richmond, Starr Hill keeps brewing in Crozet, and both keep their own names, recipes and taprooms.

What changes and what doesn’t

Because Hardywood paid in stock instead of cash, the companies say Starr Hill’s ownership, leadership, team and brand identity all remain intact. Employees at both breweries stay in their current roles while the two businesses work through integration.

The first thing most customers will notice is a little cross-pollination. Over the next few weeks, taprooms will start pouring special releases and guest taps from the sister brewery, and you’ll see the other company’s merch on the shelves.

There are nine Hardywood and Starr Hill taprooms across Virginia, and together they draw more than 900,000 visits a year. That’s a big built-in audience for the taproom-only beers the companies say they plan to release more often.

Who runs it now

Hardywood CEO Eric McKay leads the combined company. Kate Lee of Hardywood takes over day-to-day operations as COO, and Josh Cromwell, a longtime VP at Starr Hill, steps in as CFO.

On the brewing side, Hardywood Brewmaster Brian Nelson continues to run the company’s barrel-aging program. The combined operation also has three pilot brewhouses ranging from 3.5 to 20 barrels for small-batch and experimental work, plus production capacity at Hardywood’s West Creek facility in Goochland County.

“This partnership reflects a shared belief in the future of independent brewing in Virginia,” McKay said. “Hardywood and Starr Hill each have unique histories, loyal customers, and extremely talented team members. By bringing our organizations together, we believe we can build something even stronger while preserving what makes each brewery special.”

Cromwell framed it as an investment in both brands. “Starr Hill has always believed in building something lasting for Virginia craft beer, and Hardywood shares that vision. Combining our businesses allows us to invest in the long-term success of both brands while creating new opportunities for innovation, growth, and continued investment in our people and communities.”

Why now

The craft beer market has gotten crowded and expensive over the past several years, and the release says plainly that the companies see this as a way to compete. Sharing production, distribution and hospitality resources gives two independent brewers more room to work with than either had alone.

Leadership from both sides says it will spend the coming months looking for places to tighten up brewing, distribution and taproom operations while keeping the two brands distinct. For now, the most visible result will be on the chalkboard at your local taproom, where a beer from 70 miles down the road might start showing up next to the house pours.