Roanoke Railhouse Brewery

 

 

 

 

I finally got around to visiting the third brewery in Roanoke last weekend. It’s not necessarily easy, as its “tasting room” hours of availability are very limited. And tasting room is in quotation marks because they don’t have one.

The local brewery sits just south of downtown near the base of Mill Mountain. Walking in through the “front door” is rather odd, as there is no sidewalk to the door, you first step into what looks like a mechanic’s garage, and it takes a bit of navigating to eventually find yourself in the brewery. They’ve got a make-shirt bar set up with perhaps a table and chairs, and not much else in the way of furnishings. It feels like my Dad’s garage haphazardly set up for an informal party.

The employees are very nice and helpful, however, and make you feel right at home. My fiancé and I tried a sampler, which comes out with four nice-sized pours; probably about five or six ounces each. Overall, the beers aren’t outstanding by any means, but they are clean and quaffable. On my visit, I tried an amber lager reminiscent of Yuengling, a forgettable porter, a decent citrusy IPA, and a nice Belgian-pale hybrid. The latter was my favorite, though it may be a seasonal. It has just a little bit of the Belgian sweetness and flavors melded quite well with a moderate amount of hops.

Overall, I doubt I will find myself back in the tasting room, as it’s not really meant as a place to hang out. I will, however, probably buy a bomber or two of their wares every now and then in the local Kroger.

 

Went here for the first time last Saturday since they could serve pints due to a change in state law. They have a counter near the cooler of the brewery and it is a bit happening, but is still a mainly industrial site. Beers are very good fresh, they have good taste and are served well. This is the best part of this place, that the guys who brew the beer serve the beer, so they can answer any questions and make sure no one is running dry. They had 4 beers and one mix combination on tap, tried all through a sampler and a couple of pints. All in all, their prices are awesome. Better than most bars and to go beers for less than local surrounding stores. Overall, a good stop on a Friday or Saturday afternoon if you are in Roanoke.