Going to Sandbridge, VA for a week soon....

Discussion in 'Mid-Atlantic' started by guinness77, Jul 5, 2015.

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  1. guinness77

    guinness77 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,554) Jan 6, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Ok, Southeast Virginia BAs, I need your help.

    A bunch of us are heading down to the coast and, for the most part, I'm just hoping there's a good bottle shop in the area. We're gonna bring beer with us, but I'd like to get some local stuff for the trip and to bring home. Maybe, if you guys know any good restaurants with some good taps that would be nice too. We're just looking to veg at the house for a week, so any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
     
  2. beernuts

    beernuts Initiate (0) Jan 23, 2014 Virginia

    Stop by the Virginia Beach Total Wine and Grape and Gourmet on your way in and stock up. Both are great stores, are pretty close to one another, and about 30-45 minutes from Sandbridge. You might have to go slightly out of your way, but it will be worth it. There is nothing in Sandbridge and only standard grocery stores within the distance you will want to drive.
     
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  3. guinness77

    guinness77 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,554) Jan 6, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Thanks @beernuts for the suggestions. Checked the Grape and Gourmet website and it definitely seems solid. I've been to Total Wine in Florida and that was a place I was in nearly an hour.

    I guess if I'm looking local, Hardywood (I've had the Great Return, I'm definitely a fan), Alewerks and Foothills are the best? Also, looking to be hanging in the sand a lot...what are the best local canned beer?
     
  4. TomCat11

    TomCat11 Pooh-Bah (2,096) Jul 21, 2012 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    If you are looking for some good cans, want to keep it to Va Beach locals and are a hop head then Reaver Beach - Hoptopus (16oz cans) is killer. Young Veterans also has some solid 12oz cans. Jet Noise and Semper Fi.P.A. are very nice IMO.

    If you want something else but stick to VA beers then Brothers Craft Brewing - Drift is an awesome session that comes in 16oz cans. Something different from the IPA realm, Champion - Tart (Sour Ale) and Devils Backbone - Trail Angel Weiss are a couple cans I'm digging this Summer.
     
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  5. montman

    montman Maven (1,444) Mar 10, 2009 Virginia
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    They mostly nailed it above...not much in Sandbridge, its kind of out of the way, wish I could recommend some food options but locals really rarely head down there.
    G&G and TW will have you covered with some good stuff you dont see in NY, should be plenty of Hardywood, Lickenhole creek, & Alewerks around. Also I'd add you could also check Reaver Beach brewing, Back Bay brewing, or the Whole foods Porch in VB (right by the VB TW) for a growler fill or two.
     
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  6. guinness77

    guinness77 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,554) Jan 6, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Thanks for all the information. I'm all ears until we leave in a few weeks. I can't wait to go. We really could use a week of seclusion and a trip (or 2) to Virginia Beach definitely seems like something I'm down for.
     
  7. guinness77

    guinness77 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,554) Jan 6, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    You guys would know better than anyone, but Sandbridge is a good town to just lie low in for a week?

    We got the beach 2 blocks away and we're right on a canal (we'll have a boat) with a pool. That's why I really have no problem with driving back into VA Beach to stock up food and beer-wise and, even, to go out to eat. We plan on cooking every night except one.
     
  8. montman

    montman Maven (1,444) Mar 10, 2009 Virginia
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    Its kind of a smaller & secluded area from the rest of VB and it's mostly just homes, condos, and rentals - there isn't a lot else down there. Stock up beforehand and it sounds like it may be what you are looking for.
     
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  9. TomCat11

    TomCat11 Pooh-Bah (2,096) Jul 21, 2012 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I love Sandbridge. if you are familiar with the Outer Banks in NC it is very much similiar. Not very commercialized. Mostly rental houses for the most part. You won't find large hotels or have other vacationers right up on you when enjoying the beach itself just like you would have up in Va Beach. Very low key and relaxing I'm sure you have seen the news about shark attacks in the Outer Banks and do not recall much of that happening in VA but do be careful out there if you venture beyond the canal. Va Beach is only a short drive so it will be an easy trip to grab the necessities. There are, however, a few farmer's market style places in Sandbridge to get local fruit, vegetables and great meats to grill. Enjoy!
     
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  10. montman

    montman Maven (1,444) Mar 10, 2009 Virginia
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    Yeah, it's been shark week for real in NC, but it's more rare here.
     
  11. guinness77

    guinness77 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,554) Jan 6, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Bumping for, maybe, some last minute suggestions (on top of all the great info so far) because we are leaving tomorrow.....
    Thanks, again guys and gals
    I know Rudee's and Baja are right in Sandbridge, I was wondering if any of you have been to either.
     
  12. BradC

    BradC Initiate (0) Dec 21, 2008 Pennsylvania

    Was down there last fall in Sandbridge, sounds like you are staying almost exactly where we were. Nice secluded area, beware, the bay is super shallow in most places. Reaver Beach and Young Veterans are 2 breweries we hit up nearby, both good and both do pints and growlers. Lynnhaven pub is a short drive N of VA beach proper...a great dive bar with great craft beer list, but very much a DIVE bar. A nice day tip to Norfolk puts you near the Navy base and O'connor Brewing and Smartmouth Brewing. That covers all of our beer stops that I remember, enjoy!
     
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  13. Maltytasker

    Maltytasker Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2007 Virginia

    Some good suggestions . If you go to Total Wine check the board for limited stuff .Also near there is a Whole Foods and a cool bar called Tapped . At WF check out The Porch ( bar on the corner of the store ) and all the beers inside the store .

    I agree with what was said about Lynnhaven Pub . It's my favorite bar and I live real close . All the beers in the cold case are available to go for 20 % off . Also near there are Mix it Up and Pleasure House Brewing worth checking out .

    Kind of on the way to Sandbridge at Strawbridge is a large Farm Fresh grocery store . Haven't been to that one but heard they have a growler station now .

    Have fun , be carefull in the ocean . Today they have rip current warnings up .
     
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  14. guinness77

    guinness77 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,554) Jan 6, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    I cannot thank you guys enough for all the suggestions. I drank the shit out of the Hoptopus, The Great Return, Hardywood Pils, Foothills, etc...The Grape and Gourmet was a great shop and the guy who works in there knows his shit and is nice, to boot. I think he got a kick out of us New Yorkers.

    One of the best weeks of our lives, I'm so mad to be home right now...you guys have a gem in Sandbridge, already thinking about going back next summer. It was literally perfect as to what we were looking for.
     
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  15. guinness77

    guinness77 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,554) Jan 6, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Bump.
    Going back in two weeks, albeit, a few blocks away (a different house). Any new local beers pop up that we should be aware of or any bottle shops? We're making our arrival an overnight-next morning trip and I know exactly where the Grape and Gourmet is so I'm going to stop there right after I get off the bridge and before we get to the house. I'm guessing, hopefully you all agree, that G&G is the superior shop to Total Wine. I thought so when I was there.

    Anyway, can't wait to be back there and if anybody has any hints...I'm all ears. Ftr, I know they were building that Green Flash place not far, but I really have no interest in going there.
     
  16. seanchai

    seanchai Maven (1,442) May 23, 2009 Virginia

    If you guys wanted to get out of the house and spend a couple of hours hanging in a cool new brewery, I enjoyed Commonwealth Brewing quite a bit. A nice variety of beers on tap in a reclaimed community firehouse.

    http://www.commonwealthbrewingcompany.com/
     
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  17. TomCat11

    TomCat11 Pooh-Bah (2,096) Jul 21, 2012 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'll be headed that way next week and someone recommended Commonwealth to me as well. I have two (well behaved) kids and was asking about breweries that had enough space for them to move about and this was the one mentioned.
     
  18. montman

    montman Maven (1,444) Mar 10, 2009 Virginia
    Trader

    It's a good place to bring kids. Lots of space, inside & out, my 4yr old likes to raid the little games closet by the brewery window. Lots of variety as mentioned, and they typically have a food truck almost every day. They have sours coming soon also, but not until next month.
     
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  19. mikehayz

    mikehayz Devotee (336) Aug 11, 2012 Virginia

    Commonwealth is my favorite brewery in the area, highly recommended.

    Grape & Gourmet is still my favorite bottle shop in VB and has added a new(ish) growler filling station (not sure if that was there last summer). And, yes, it is above and beyond Total Wine. A new place on Shore Dr. opened up this year called Mix It Up, bottle shop on one side and a 50 tap bar/growler filling station on the other. Owners are super nice, beer selection is great, worth a stop if you have the time, but you will find mostly the same stuff as G&G just more selection on tap. Harris Teeter is a grocery store nearby but they always carry a good amount of craft beer if you can't make it out to the bottle shops. There is a shop in Norfolk called BottleBox that carries some beers from Richmond and other parts of VA that you don't really see anywhere else, but it is a hike from Sandbridge (45 minutes). They also fill growlers.

    GF still hasn't opened. The Farm Fresh in the Strawbridge Marketplace shopping center has a growler filling station, I've never been to it though. If you want to eat out and have good beers, Whiskey Kitchen has a great tap/bottle selection and the food's good. It's also in Strawbridge and not too far from Sandbridge.

    Have fun! I live close to the resort beach in VB, but Sandbridge is still my favorite beach around here and I still occasionally find myself skipping the five minute drive in favor of 20-30 minutes to Sandbridge.
     
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  20. Maltytasker

    Maltytasker Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2007 Virginia

    Commonwealth is worth checking out but Reaver Beach is my favorite here . They just have more beers that I like . And their sour program is getting there . They have a release of the strawberry sour on 7/30 . Was good last year but a bit over carbed . They should have that worked out . The Ghost Ship Citra Pale Ale is tasty , would be a great beach beer but they don't can it . Don't think they can get enough Citra but you may be able to get growlers .

    I would go to Whole Foods over TW . They have a great selection and it's easy to look through . And the Porch has cheap pints and growler fills . G&G is definitely the best shop in the area . I found Roddenbach Alexander there a few weeks ago . Missed it at first but they got more in and just thew it on the shelf . Mix it up is worth stopping at . Some beers hang around longer than at G&G . Found Bluegrass Billionaire there .

    Mix it up is about 10 minutes from Commonweath and real close to Pleasure House Brewing and Lynnhaven Pub . Like someone else said the Pub is a dive bar that gets great beers . They had Sucaba on tap recently and have a huge cold case with some limited beers .
     
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