One night in Richmond

I don't see most breweries turning into a couples romantic haven even though it is Valentine's Day and all. I know some are releasing beers today/this week that go along with the theme of the day or even a couple doing chocolate pairings but I highly doubt if you go to most of them today that there will be hoards of romantic vibes swooning about with Cupid over head. Veil releases cans today and is tapping their special Never Sufficient on Nibs cask. Center of the Universe is the only brewery I know of doing a specifically anti-Valentine's Day themed day. Other options in general.....Mekong, The Answer, Final Gravity, Triple Crossing.

 

Can't say I've ever seen a menu outside the brewery and it does not appear to be online. I don't know a lot about downtown but do know Capital Ale House - Downtown and Citizen Burger Bar - Carytown are less than a mile away. Both are pretty good and have a nice sized tap and bottle list.

 

Awesome places downtown include Nicks Produce and International Foods Market (sub sandwiches are incredible, probably best in the city), Saison is also a great option. Additonally, Comfort and Pasture are good, along with Tarrant's Cafe. Lots of good downtown options, all I would take over a grilled cheese from TCB.

 

I'm attempting to do a seven brewery tour tomorrow. Starting at Lickinghole, then going to Stone, Triple Crossing, Hardywood, Ardent, Veil, Answer.

Should I go to the Fulton location before Stone or Downtown after Stone?

 

TCB - Fulton and Stone are only a couple minutes from one another, if that. I would recommend going there instead of Downtown/Foushee to save a little time on your tour. It would take you 10-15 minutes to get fron the Foushee location to Stone. And I don't know if Foushee will have Sanctuary on tap. Otherwise they should have similar lists. Pretty sure only Fulton will have cans.

If you may have time to squeeze in another I HIGHLY recommend Final Gravity Brewing. They are less than 4 miles from Hardywood are are the sleeper when it comes to best IPAs in RVA. Easily on par with Veil, Answer and Triple Crossing.

And since you plan to hit more than 5 in one day be sure to pick up (or print) a copy of the RVA Beer Trail Map and get stamped so you can leave with a free shirt at the 5th stop. Some of the breweries are out so good thing you are going to 7 in case a couple of them don't have any.

 

I'm actually planning a weekend around Richmond next weekend. I make the drive for veil/hardywood/triple crossing releases but I never take time to just bounce around tap rooms.

Would probably prefer a t-shirt over a hat - any idea when they are making the switch?

 

Final Gravity got their hats yesterday. They currently have both the hat and shirt available. I expect the others will get theirs over the next week or so. Other breweries that still have shirts will continue to have them until they go through them all. I don't think they are just swapping the shirts out for hats. That just happens to be the next SWAG item. You'll just get the option of either.

Definitely don't short change FG if you have not been or don't go too often. They are slaying it with their IPAs lately.

 

Nice, thank you. I could have grabbed a map and gotten a shirt by now but goal is to try a bunch of places in a weekend. FG is top of the list, that they open early makes it a likely first stop.

Strangeways, Isley, and Three Notch'd I still haven't been to. I wanna check out Black Heath too. Want to hit spots I haven't before, then maybe one's I've been to. Answer/Mekong is a must regardless though.

 

Even those places the past few weekends have been getting slammed. If it's a nice day on Saturday, highly suggest getting to them the earlier the better. Final Gravity got mauled last Saturday, and apparently Three Notchd had a line out the door in the middle of the day. People are starting to catch on it seeems to visiting Scotts Addition. Would definitely hit Strangeways last, as that's the place you're least likely to hit a bunch of foot traffic, and finish off with Answer/Mekong. Enjoy!

 

Final Gravity was pretty awesome, I didn't mention it before when talking about Triple Crossing because my buddy told me to keep it a secret ha.

 

if it has an outdoor space and the weather is nice, Richmond people will mob it.

 

The title of this forum sounds like a porno/

 

Bumping this because I could use a little local input. I've stopped by and/or had a fair amount of RVA brewers but I'm taking a long weekend with a friend and ubering around town for food and beer. I'm looking for some input on the following because I know close to nothing about these guys:
Vasen (any clue when they're opening?)
Castleburg
Garden Grove
Kindred Spirit
Steam Bell
Rusty Beaver

Also, any input on the Brewpubs, is the food/beer worth seeking out or better off going to a nice restaurant?
7 Hills, Extra Billy's, Rock Bottom

Know we'll do:
Scott's Addition (Three Notch'd, Veil, Ardent, Isley and likely Blvd Burgers) as one big walkable outing on a Saturday
Triple Crossing
Final Gravity
Answer
Strangeways

Might do (but probably not unless my friend really wants to):
Stone, CoTU, LHCB, Hardywood, Legend
Likely skipping due to some combination of been there/too much of a drive/depends on weather etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

Vasen is nowhere close to opening - their brewery is still literally a hole in the ground.
I like Steam Bell but it's a hike and close to NOTHING (in terms of the city).
been almost 2 years since I went to Garden Grove but haven't really heard anything promising about them since.
haven't heard anything good about Rusty Beaver either.
only had the porter from Castleburg and it was good.

Kindred Spirits... went there shortly after they opened but honestly I can't say anything about their beers as everything was over-overpoweringly smelling of buttered popcorn (not saying their beers are full of diacetyl but they make their own buttered popcorn in house and that's all you smell everywhere there...)

 

I really like Rock Bottom. For being a chain they actually do brew beers on site and the beers their current brewer has been putting out lately are top notch. Food is good.

I went to 7 Hills once last Summer and was not impressed with the beer. Food was alright.

I visited the Southside (Midlothian) Extra Billy's on that same trip and that place was a real hole in the wall. Really dark and musty inside. That is the only location that brews on site. The one on Broad St. does not brew in house as far as I know. Citra Ass Down is supposed to be their most well known beer and apparently won a medal several years ago but I didn't taste gold in that beer. I had a flight and the other 4 were sub par as well.

There's also a BJs Brewhouse Restaurant in Short Pump a little ways away from Rock Bottom. In case you just missed that one on your list or already knew, they definitely do not brew on site and their beers are not all that great. I do really enjoy their food though.

 

Citra Ass Down was Brandon Tolberts (Answer) beer and was certainly worthy at the time he was at Extra Billys. Answers Larceny series is a take on the recipe of C.A.D.

 

Now that explains a lot. Great info to know!

 

Came here to plug Isley if you're going to be in Scott's Addition because of The Veil and Ardent.