The Virginia Craft Brewer’s Guild has recognized the commonwealth’s top beers in its annual Virginia Craft Beer Cup, and several NoVA breweries earned medals.
This year’s competition featured 347 beer entries in a wide range of styles, judged by 36 judges. The winners were announced at the Virginia Craft Beer Summit & Gala on Monday.
Virginia brewers continue to produce exceptional beers,” said Stacie Gordon, executive director of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild. “The Virginia Craft Beer Cup is an opportunity to celebrate the talent, innovation, and dedication of our independent craft breweries while recognizing the beers that exemplify excellence in brewing.”
Top Awards
In the Best of Show category, Alexandria’s Port City Brewing Co.’s Optimal Wit won bronze.
It followed Charlottesville-based Selvedge Brewing Company’s Batiste with gold and Richmond’s The Answer Brewpub’s Rauchpause with silver.
The Virginia Brewery of the Year Award went to Fine Creek Brewing Co. in Powhatan. The Most Revolutionary Brew in Virginia went to Norfolk’s Afterglow Brewing’s Declaration of Fermentation.
NoVA Breweries Recognized
In addition to Port City’s Best of Show medal, the Alexandria brewery also took home gold for Optimal Wit in the Belgian Ales category.
Also representing NoVA among the winners was Caboose Brewing Co., which has locations in Vienna and Fairfax. It won gold in the Alternative Sugar/Grains category for Yo!; silver in Amber Ales for CTRL-ALT-DEL; and bronze in Belgian Ales for It’s Wit!
2 Silos Brewing Co. won gold in American Wheat for its Hefe and silver in Fruit for Squared Pants.
Starr Hill Brewery won gold in Amber Lagers for Under the Radar, bronze in European Sours for Stupid Sexy Flanders, and bronze in Specialty IPAs for Exit Strategy.
Water’s End Brewery, which las locations in Lake Ridge and Woodbridge, wone gold in Cream & Blond Ale for Damn Beer and silver in Kolsch/Leichtbier for Kodiak Kolsch.
Harvest Gap Brewery in Hillsboro won a gold medal in Specialty IPA for Dark Star Cascadian Dark IPA, two bronze medals for Stud Light Lager in American Lager & Light Lagers and Devil Dog Helles Lager in Pale European Lager.
Stafford’s Barley Naked Brewing Company took home gold in Stout for its Irish Prenup and silver in Strong European Lagers for Hung Monk.
Eavesdrop Brewery in Manassas won gold in Wood Aged for its Unspoken.
Other NoVA medalists include 6 Bears and a Goat Brewing, The Farm Brewery at Broad Run, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Great American Restaurants’ Sweetwater Tavern, Loudoun Brewing Co., Lake Anne Brew House, Laudenbach Brewing, Old Bust Head Brewing Company, and Strangeways Brewing Company.
See the full list of winning breweries and beers on the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild website.
Feature image courtesy Port City
