Crazy Rooster Brewing Co. opened for take-out only. (Courtesy of Crazy Rooster Brewing Co.)
Though more glasses were raised at Richmonders’ homes than in the region’s myriad taprooms in 2020, local alcoholic beverage makers stayed hard at work in a year when many have felt like they needed a drink.
Here we’ll take a look back on the biggest stories to come out of the local craft beverage scene over the last 12 months.
Openings and closures
The Richmond region will end 2020 with 41 breweries, a total reached after four new spots joined the scene this year.
Crazy Rooster Brewing Co. opened in Powhatan, Dancing Kilt Brewery opened in Chester, and Talleysville Brewing Co. arrived in New Kent. In the city, The Veil Brewing Co. opened a satellite taproom in Forest Hill.
ShipLock Brewing closed in Shockoe Slip. (Mike Platania photo)
Two local breweries closed this year. In January, ShipLock Brewing tapped out of Shockoe Slip, and a few blocks east Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery closed its Shockoe Bottom location shortly after the start of the pandemic. Mechanicsville lost a winery when White Plains Farm & Vineyard shut down and its property was put up for sale.
Wineries, distilleries and … seltzeries?
Outside of breweries, craft beverage sectors both old and sparkling new saw action over the last year.
The Brambly Park winery was the first to open in Scott’s Addition. (Mike Platania photo)
Brambly Park, a winery from the owners of The HofGarden, opened in Scott’s Addition, as did Jolene Family Winery in New Kent. Hill Top Distillery, focused on whiskey and vodka, opened in Goochland.
Iain Gordon and Vanessa Gleiser (Courtesy of Richmond Seltzer Co.)
As the nationwide popularity of hard seltzers surged, two local operators dove into the fray, marking Richmond’s first two “seltzeries.”
River City Seltzer debuted as an offshoot of Shockoe-based Bryant’s Cider. The company’s seltzers are already available, and Richmond Seltzer Co., a new venture from Vanessa Gleiser and Iain Gordon, is in the works. Richmond Seltzer Co. has not yet secured a location but hopes to soon.
The Bell tolls in Virginia again
Bell’s Brewery beer is being sold again in Virginia after legal issues were resolved with a former distributor. (Courtesy of Bell’s Brewery)
Its beer may be brewed thousands of miles away, but Bell’s Brewery made a long-awaited return to Virginia shelves in recent weeks.
The Michigan-based brewery had been in legal dispute with Reyes Beer Division, a national firm that in 2018 purchased the former Loveland Distributing Co., Bell’s then-distributor in Richmond. The beef led Bell’s to pull its beer from all of Virginia.
The dispute looked headed to the Virginia Supreme Court and could have marked a major precedent for Virginia beer law, however, Reyes and Bell’s settled the spat this fall. Not long after, Bell’s popular Two Hearted and Oberon ales were back on Virginia shelves.
Local players adding to their footprint
Going into 2021, some local brewers have plans in motion that will add to their presence in the region.
A rendering of the planned Triple Crossing Beer location in Winterfield Crossing. (Courtesy of Triple Crossing Beer)
Triple Crossing Beer is working on a third taproom, this time in Midlothian at the new Winterfield Crossing project from Blackwood Development. Petersburg’s Trapezium Brewing Co. is heading to the city as it’s working on an offshoot location in Church Hill. And work recently got underway in Moseley on Hidden Wit Brewing Co., from a group that includes Steam Bell Beer Works’ Brad Cooper.
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery is also changing the look of its local presence. The brewery sold its original building and is undergoing a major renovation to its 2410 Ownby Lane facility.
Crazy Rooster Brewing Co. opened for take-out only. (Courtesy of Crazy Rooster Brewing Co.)
Though more glasses were raised at Richmonders’ homes than in the region’s myriad taprooms in 2020, local alcoholic beverage makers stayed hard at work in a year when many have felt like they needed a drink.
Here we’ll take a look back on the biggest stories to come out of the local craft beverage scene over the last 12 months.
Openings and closures
The Richmond region will end 2020 with 41 breweries, a total reached after four new spots joined the scene this year.
Crazy Rooster Brewing Co. opened in Powhatan, Dancing Kilt Brewery opened in Chester, and Talleysville Brewing Co. arrived in New Kent. In the city, The Veil Brewing Co. opened a satellite taproom in Forest Hill.
ShipLock Brewing closed in Shockoe Slip. (Mike Platania photo)
Two local breweries closed this year. In January, ShipLock Brewing tapped out of Shockoe Slip, and a few blocks east Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery closed its Shockoe Bottom location shortly after the start of the pandemic. Mechanicsville lost a winery when White Plains Farm & Vineyard shut down and its property was put up for sale.
Wineries, distilleries and … seltzeries?
Outside of breweries, craft beverage sectors both old and sparkling new saw action over the last year.
The Brambly Park winery was the first to open in Scott’s Addition. (Mike Platania photo)
Brambly Park, a winery from the owners of The HofGarden, opened in Scott’s Addition, as did Jolene Family Winery in New Kent. Hill Top Distillery, focused on whiskey and vodka, opened in Goochland.
Iain Gordon and Vanessa Gleiser (Courtesy of Richmond Seltzer Co.)
As the nationwide popularity of hard seltzers surged, two local operators dove into the fray, marking Richmond’s first two “seltzeries.”
River City Seltzer debuted as an offshoot of Shockoe-based Bryant’s Cider. The company’s seltzers are already available, and Richmond Seltzer Co., a new venture from Vanessa Gleiser and Iain Gordon, is in the works. Richmond Seltzer Co. has not yet secured a location but hopes to soon.
The Bell tolls in Virginia again
Bell’s Brewery beer is being sold again in Virginia after legal issues were resolved with a former distributor. (Courtesy of Bell’s Brewery)
Its beer may be brewed thousands of miles away, but Bell’s Brewery made a long-awaited return to Virginia shelves in recent weeks.
The Michigan-based brewery had been in legal dispute with Reyes Beer Division, a national firm that in 2018 purchased the former Loveland Distributing Co., Bell’s then-distributor in Richmond. The beef led Bell’s to pull its beer from all of Virginia.
The dispute looked headed to the Virginia Supreme Court and could have marked a major precedent for Virginia beer law, however, Reyes and Bell’s settled the spat this fall. Not long after, Bell’s popular Two Hearted and Oberon ales were back on Virginia shelves.
Local players adding to their footprint
Going into 2021, some local brewers have plans in motion that will add to their presence in the region.
A rendering of the planned Triple Crossing Beer location in Winterfield Crossing. (Courtesy of Triple Crossing Beer)
Triple Crossing Beer is working on a third taproom, this time in Midlothian at the new Winterfield Crossing project from Blackwood Development. Petersburg’s Trapezium Brewing Co. is heading to the city as it’s working on an offshoot location in Church Hill. And work recently got underway in Moseley on Hidden Wit Brewing Co., from a group that includes Steam Bell Beer Works’ Brad Cooper.
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery is also changing the look of its local presence. The brewery sold its original building and is undergoing a major renovation to its 2410 Ownby Lane facility.