Tucked away on a dirt road or in the middle of an office park, craft breweries are already everywhere in Northern Virginia. And it’s not slowing down. This year nine new breweries launched, with 11 more slated to open by the end of the year.
It was time to update the Northern Virginia Brewery Directory—now with almost 75 entries—since it was first published in 2015’s brewery cover story.
The brewery scene has grown so much that there’s now 10 clustered close enough for a bike tour. Tastes, styles and taprooms run the gamut in NoVA: There’s a beer CSA (Powers Farm Brewery), superhero-themed IPAs (Heroic Aleworks), full-service restaurants (Ornery Beer Company) and full-scale concert venues (2 Silos Brewing).
There are 64 different brewing companies and seven breweries with multiple locations (BadWolf has three locations, all in Manassas).
In addition, NoVA is home to a whole zoo of drunken animals, among them chimps (Twinpanzee), rhinos (Lost Rhino, Lost Rhino Retreat), an ox (Old Ox), a dwarf leopard (Ocelot), a fox (Mad Fox), a deer (Black Hoof), three wolves (Big BadWolf, Little BadWolf, BadWolf Public House), a warthog (Wort Hog), a dog (Dog Money), a frog (Rocket Frog), two dragons (Dragon Hops, Red Dragon), seven bears and a goat (Growling Bear, 6 Bears and a Goat).
Of course, some breweries have closed, and some we tracked never opened. Here’s what’s going on:
Briefs
Steve Zurschmeide, brother-in-law to Janell Zurschmeide of Dirt Farm Brewing, will open his own brewery in Ashburn by the end of the year. Derailed Brewing Company will open in the Old Ashburn Mill and, says Zurschmeide, will share the building with the relocating LoCo Joe Coffee. Zurschmeide’s son Sean, 25, will become the lead brewer.
Aslin Beer Company announced the closure of its taproom in December 2016 and the decision to move out of Herndon, citing both the desire to grow and occupancy and permitting issues set forth by Herndon. The brewery still offers 16-ounce cans and growler and crowler fills on Thursday release days.
B Chord Brewing Company merged with Corcoran Brewing Company earlier this year, with plans to rebrand the Purcellville location as B Chord’s in-town spot. (Find out more in Northern Virginia Magazine‘s June issue.)
Adventure Brewing Company bought out Blue & Gray Brewing Company early last year, turning the location into Adventure Brewing South. Former owner Jeff Fitzpatrick was “ready to move on and do something different.”
Due to zoning issues with Stafford County, Everett Lovell paused production at Wild Run Brewing pending a zoning hearing. Issues about occupancy existed for years, with Lovell in the dark about the county’s decision-making process, citing different rules from different inspectors and departments. Lovell hopes to get a zoning hearing within the next two months.
Expected to open in 2017
Caboose Brewing Company
The Vienna brewpub is opening a second location in Mosaic.
Powers Farm Brewery
Like its produce CSA, Powers Farm will offer its beer in a similar 20-week subscription program to be picked up in the tasting room on the farm. Flavors will vary from week to week and will reflect what is in season on the farm.
Twinpanzee Brewing Company
After a failed Kickstarter campaign and zoning issues in Fairfax County, Twinpanzee found a home in Sterling and will open a nanobrewery this summer.
B Chord Brewing Company
After a long battle with resistant neighbors in Bluemont, Marty Dougherty decided to start over a few miles away in Round Hill, where he is in the process of building out a facility on his 64-acre farm. The merger with Purcellville’s Corcoran means he’ll also have a location for those not wanting to trek out to the farm.
Black Hoof Brewing
Award-winning homebrewer Bill Haase is gearing up to open in Leesburg in the coming months.
Dragon Hops Brewing
Joining the party on Main Street in Purcellville is hop yard-turned-brewery Dragon Hops, with an anticipated opening in June.
Solace Brewing Company
Brewers Jon Humerick, Drew Wiles and Mike Arms are opening a 20-barrel brewery with a tasting room in Dulles by this summer, and there are plans for retail distribution.
2 Silos Brewing Company
Part of the Farm Brew Live campus, the 30-barrel system will be cranking out five standards and a few more seasonals to crowds of up to 1,200 people at the outdoor concert venue. Standard bar fare will be offered in the taproom, but concertgoers not interested in venturing back inside can refuel at the barbecue pit and beer station in the middle of the concert grounds. A full-service restaurant will open in the fall on the grounds as well.
Strangeways Brewing
Richmond-based Strangeways is making its way north and opening a second production facility and taproom in Fredericksburg. They remain mum on an opening date other than it’s going to be this year.
Sinistral Brewing Company
Lefties rejoice: Sinistral (meaning left-handed; southpaw was taken) aims to open Labor Day weekend. The site will have three unique buildings on the Main Street location in Manassas, with an intimate lounge, a taproom and a brewhouse in the back and open patio space in between.
Expected to open in 2018
Nostrum Brewing Company says it is still working on financing and is aiming for a 2018 opening; Fredericksburg’s Crooked Nose Brewing Company is also in a fundraising phase; and Rocket Frog Brewing Company doesn’t want to jinx anything with telling us an address but also hopes to open next year.
Closed, TBD, etc.
The following breweries either closed, never opened or wouldn’t return emails and calls.
Sehkraft Brewing (closed in 2017)
Mad Horse Brew Pub (closed in 2017)
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery (closed in 2016)
Barley Naked Brewing Company (more)
Bald Guy Brewery (more)
Fidelis Beer Company (more)
The full listing: Northern Virginia Brewery Directory
