Beer Me Local

Thom Canalichio

While the big beer companies across America continue to produce mass-marketed, uninteresting duds, a few local brewmasters are whipping up some real winners. For those-in-the-know, several breweries in central Virginia are leading the charge toward an ascendant American microbrew culture, with beers in a variety of styles and a tourist-attraction ethos that keeps visitors coming back, saying “beer me local!” 

American beer culture is founded, frankly, on imitation. The beers made in America today, for the most part, come from centuries-old recipes and traditions of European origin. But lacking originality does not preclude ingenuity. No, in fact, the real genius of American brewing is the precise execution of beer in nearly every style imaginable — and, more often than not, injecting some uniquely American twists in the process. Virginia's breweries are taking local beer to entirely new levels with their own distinct take on all the old familiar styles, and Devil's Backbone Brewery in Nelson County is a shining example.

The true delight for beer-lovers is the variety. Going to our local breweries, you could easily find yourself singing, “Lagers and pilsners and ales, oh my!” in lieu of “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” For the uninitiated, it's surprising to see so many different styles of beer, because most novices are only exposed to the few major national brands. But, when exploring a flight of beers at Devil's Backbone, for instance, a world of possibility opens. Devil's Backbone brewmaster Jason Oliver, and his cohorts at Blue Mountain, Starr Hill and South Street breweries, have mastered every style they can and they continue to delight their customers with superbly crafted, limited-production specialties. 

Take a trip with us and grab a pint while we explore central Virginia's four outstanding microbreweries.

Devil's Backbone Brewing Company

Coming up on their second anniversary this fall, Devil's Backbone Brewing Company is leading the way in an American microbrewery movement right here in central Virginia. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just miles from Wintergreen Resort in Nelson County, the brewery is delivering high-quality beer in a pleasant atmosphere. And, as they incorporate musical entertainment, festivals and other special events, Devil's Backbone is becoming an important tourist draw for the area. 

Excellent beers aside, it is worth noting that Devil's Backbone has always kept sustainability and locavorism at the heart of their brand. The magnificent Rocky Mountain chalet-style brewery incorporates numerous building materials from reclaimed and recycled sources, including the wood flooring and corrugated tin walls salvaged from area barns slated for demolition. And, catering to the local food culture, their menu includes ingredients from over 15 local businesses such as Polyface Farms, Albemarle Baking Company, and Seafood @ West Main. The kitchen also sources some ingredients from a small vegetable garden at the brewery. 

The atmosphere is downright cozy, with enormous stone hearths at either end of the dining room giving off some much-needed warmth during the winter months, and the brewery's two patios likewise sport outdoor fireplaces to cut the frosty chill of late fall and early spring. Freshly landscaped grounds include a decorative pond and fountain, as well as countless new trees and shrubberies around the property. 

They are also breaking new ground in reducing their carbon footprint by installing a wind-power turbine behind the brewery.

But enough about atmosphere and sustainability ethics; it's time to talk about the beer. Devil's Backbone produces a mesmerizing variety of styles, including lagers, pale ales, wheat beer, stouts, and pilsners. They range from the light and refreshing to the bold and robust. Tasting flights of their beers include their standard 4 beers, and you can also sample a selection of specialty and seasonal brews available only for a limited time. 

The brewery offers growlers to take home your favorite beer — and it truly is a good deal. Each growler holds a little less than a standard six-pack, and the glass jugs can be re-used for multiple fillings.

Devil's Backbone also features an exceptionally good menu of classic bar food: burgers, nachos, steaks and sandwiches. The brewery also features daily specials such as Monday’s “picante” night, with tacos quesadillas, sangria and margaritas, and Tuesday’s gourmet burger specials. 

On top of everything they've done with beer and food, Devil's Backbone is also making a name for themselves as a live musical entertainment destination. They regularly feature local bands from the bluegrass and folk circuit, as well as some southern rock and even hip-hop. Taking it, like they do, to the next level, Devil's Backbone is also working on an outdoor stage and amphitheater project for future events with live music. Two festival events are currently scheduled for later this year: the Nelson County Bike Festival, August 28-29, and The Festy Experience, October 9-10. Both events will feature live music, food and, of course, beer. 

For more information on these events, and everything else going on at Devil's Backbone Brewery, visit dbbrewingcompany.com.

Blue Mountain Brewery

Just a few miles down the road near Afton, Virginia, the Blue Mountain Brewery is also succeeding in crafting award-winning, world class microbrews, along with growing their own hops, hosting live music and featuring locally-sourced ingredients on their menu.  

Blue Mountain's beers are performing well at competitions, with their Rockfish Wheat winning the silver medal for American style wheat beer at the 2010 World Beer Cup in Chicago this past April. Their distinct style and experimental approach has even won them some good press from the Washington Post, and their best beers seem to sell as fast as brewmaster Taylor Smack can make them.  

Although Blue Mountain features fewer beers in rotation than their neighbors at Devil's Backbone, they are nonetheless a remarkable set of offerings. Standouts include the aforementioned award-winning Rockfish Wheat, a Bavarian-style filtered wheat beer with notes of banana peel and a mouth-warming breadiness. Also noteworthy is the Full Nelson Pale Ale, a real hop monster not for the faint of heart, and the ominous Dark Hollow Stout, a delicious, deep-flavored ale aged in charred oak bourbon barrels. Many of Blue Mountain's beers are available in six packs, and the brewery also offers a superior growler with a clamp-and-seal closure for those that prefer the reusable glass jugs. 

Blue Mountain features regular music on weekends, special promotions such as “steal your glass” day every first Thursday of the month, and they carry hats, t-shirts and other logo-emblazoned dry goods for visitors to take home and show off to their friends. For more information about Blue Mountain Brewery, visit www.bluemountainbrewery.com.

Starr Hill and South Street

Amid the hype and glamour of Nelson County's recent additions to the regional beer trail, it is important not to neglect the two reigning elder statesmen of local microbreweries, Starr Hill and South Street. 

Started in 1999 in downtown Charlottesville, Starr Hill Brewery started as one arm of the Starr Hill trinity, formerly including a restaurant and music hall. Time went by, and the restaurant and music hall closed down, and the brewery moved out to Crozet, taking over part of an old ConAgra Foods plant on Three Notch'd Road. 

The beers are all exceptionally good, and nearly every one of them has won some type of award. The Pale Ale and the Jomo Lager are standouts, and during the summer and winter months, the brewery brings out seasonal brews, adding a welcome change of pace to the usual selection. Starr Hill has definitely achieved significant market penetration in and around Charlottesville — almost every bar in the area has at least one of their beers on tap. 

Starr Hill beer can be found in bottles at most major grocery stores, but the real insider secret is the seasonal and experimental brews available only at the tasting room. The tasting room at the brewery is open each weekend for tasting and tours, and visitors can purchase a growler from the brewery to fill with their favorite special selection. For more information about the brewery, visit www.starrhill.com.

Nestled in the heart of downtown Charlottesville, one block from the Historic Downtown Mall, South Street Brewery brings microbrew style to the city night life with a restaurant, musical entertainment and up to seven original beers on tap. 

Just one year older than Starr Hill Brewery, South Street Brewery is housed in the downtown warehouse district. Formerly a hay and grain warehouse dating back to the 1800s, the brewery features a lot of open space and a very urban feel. Part of the dinning room features a lounge area where local bands perform and patrons can relax in the roomy, oversized booths. 

The Satan’s Pony Amber Ale is their signature brew, with its smooth, balanced flavors, and the JP Ale is the more hoppy, pale-ale style for the more aggressive connoisseurs. Other stars include their seasonal summer stout, the Olde 420, and the Bavarian-style Maibock. For more info about South Street Brewery, visit www.southstreetbrewery.com.

Pull Quotes:

Several breweries in central Virginia are leading the charge toward an ascendant American microbrew culture.

Going to our local breweries, you could easily find yourself singing, “Lagers and pilsners and ales, oh my!” in lieu of “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”