Right Around the River Blog

The Boathouse Hosts Virginia Craft Beer Tour

Post Date: 02-21-2012

From Norfolk to Richmond to Charlottesville, craft breweries have been popping up all over Virginia recently. And fortunately for local enthusiasts, The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing has hopped on the craft-beer bandwagon. This past Saturday, they hosted a daylong Virginia Craft Beer Tour -- so we grabbed our stein to enjoy the ride.

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

The morning kicked off with a continental breakfast at The Boathouse, followed by a trip to Richmond’s newest brewery, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. With morning-eyed glee, 26 of us tasted their flagship beer, Singel, and the seasonal Mocha Belgique while learning about their hands-on production methods that use 100 percent wind power and refurbished local, fallen wood. From their beer to their ambiance to their culture, Hardywood is proving locally sourced and produced products and business practices can satisfy, sustain and prosper.

Devil’s Backbone Brewpub

From Richmond we wound our way up to Nelson County for a tasty visit to Devil’s Backbone Brewpub — while also sampling ales along the way (gotta love a chartered bus!). Arriving in the mountains, we sat in their warmed beer garden and enjoyed plates of gnocchi and grilled portabella salad while tasting beers such as their Eight Point IPA and Vienna Lager. While their main production now occurs in Lexington, they do brew seasonal and reserve beers in-house. And for those hungry tasting moments, their entrees up the ante for brewpub fare — including tasty sweet potato fries that certainly absorb some of their delicious brews.

Star Hill Bewery

Last stop on the tour was Crozet, home of Star Hill Brewery. As one of America’s fastest growing craft breweries producing up to 20,000 barrels a year, they serve a nice tasting variety. A highlight was their current Monticello Reserve, made in partnership with the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, and brewed according to his original recipe with corn instead of barley. Their Wee Heavy ale, aged in whiskey barrels, was also a star brew; though, as a specialty beer with only one barrel to share, this one won’t last long. And, their tasting room is full of purchasable items offering everything from stickers to t-shirts to beer chocolate — which is dangerously delicious.

Needless to say, The Boathouse served up a beer-lover’s delight and offered both a pleasant daytrip and taste-worthy event. So the next time their beer (or wine) tour comes around, be sure to hop on board. (Just don’t be surprised if you see us again!)