Beer Shops in the Williamsburg Area...

Unless things have changed, I've only seen their lower end stuff on tap there and they give you a try of each at the end of the tour. When I was there they cracked a bottle of Grand Illumination but he said they don't do that often. I am not sure what bottles they'd have left in May, Bitter Valentine will be long gone by then and I believe Cafe Royale is already gone at the brewery, though we did just see another influx of BBP. Neither of which will likely be there come May.

I hear good things about The Wine Seller in Williamsburg, but I've never been personally. This is their site.

http://www.grapesbythecrate.com/

I think the Brewery to Visit now in VA is Hardywood Park, though again, not sure what they are going to have going on in May but they are pretty big on events.

 

Not sure of the shops, but if you haven't had the Bourbon Barrel Porter from Williamsburg AleWerks, I would try finding that or going to the brewery, it was very good and I had never heard of them before until I went to VA this past weekend.

 

I'm headed to Williamsburg this weekend. Have not been in 3 years though. Wine Seller was a pretty decent store, with staff that new their product. Wine Cellar, underneath the Cheese Shop, was more meager but what they had was pretty good. Greenleaf was a decent pub, but I'm hearing about freshness issues at the suburban location. I'll probably be able to hit both and to a bit of comparing. If anyone has better recommendations than what I've got in mind, please let me know! I've mined through what's stored in "Places" here and will hit most of the decent ones.

 

Dog street pub across from the cheese shop best bar in williamsburg they also fill growlers. They update their tap list on facebooks hampton roads beer forum.

 

You should stop by Hardywood - it is not far off the path. Also, Center of the Universe is pretty good and brand new, they are N of Richmond by about 20 minutes in Ashland.

 

Back from Williamsburg. Dog St was definitely the place. But can get very crowded. Greenleafe downtown wasn't too bad, either, but not the same caliber as Dog St beer-wise. Greenleafe New Towne appears to be closed, but still confirming that. Wine Seller still the best bottle shop in town, plus a nice 5-tap growler station. Legends, a sports pub outside of downtown, had some nice local stuff on tap including O'Connors from Norfolk.