By Natalie Manitius
The NoVA brewery craze continues with two upcoming openings in Stafford this spring.
Adventure Brewing Company
Background
A serendipitous poker gathering brought Adventure Brewing’s founders together: Tim Bornholtz, Stan Johnson and John Viarella began homebrewing in the 1990s and decided to merge their love of beer into one brewing operation. Adventure Brewing is named after the three dads’ affinity for the outdoors, as they all participate in their children’s Scout troops, enjoy the outdoors and want to maintain the spirit of adventure with the brewery (especially while they keep their full time jobs in web development, HR directing and network operations).
Brews
Four beers will be offered year-round: The Expedition IPA, Backpack Wheat, Super Power Pale Ale and Stiletto Stout. The three brewers all bring different tastes to the table, as Bornholtz prefers extremes like bourbon-barrel aged beers, while John is traditional and Stan sits in the middle. Planning to make their beers more approachable, Bornholtz says, “a lot of breweries are opening with very extreme beers and we’re not necessarily that kind of brewery.”
Setting
High-ceilings, carved paddles and a curvy wooden bar bring the outdoorsy theme full circle at Adventure Brewing, with construction done by the brewers themselves. Though Stafford zoning laws prevent live music at the brewery, Adventure plans to host food trucks.
Fun Fact
As all home brewing involves trial and error, Bornholtz once made a lavender beer with a tad too much lavender. “It just reminded everyone of going to their grandma’s, and not really in a good way,” says Bornholtz.
Expected Open & Info
May 17; Adventure Brewing Company, 33 Perchwood Dr., Stafford
Wild Run Brewing Company
Background
Everett Lovell’s fermenting ways began in the fifth-grade, when Lovell began making wine and demonstrating the craft to his class. Later, Lovell worked as an engineer before buying the Aquia Pines Camp Resort, which he has owned for 28 years. The beer-making came later, initially with homebrewing and later through the membership in the Stafford Brewing Club. Wild Runs’ Brewmaster Matt King is a homebrewer and worked at Right Brain Brewery in Michigan.
Brews
The five core beers include a stout (Lovell’s favorite), red ale, amber ale, wheat beer and Ed’s Ale, named after the 100th anniversary of Lovell’s father’s birth.
Setting
Initially named Shorts Branch Brewing after a stream onsite, the brewery name changed to Wild Run due to a challenge to the name from another brewery. The brewing operations will take place in the former game room of Aquia Pines. Open to the public, the campground is bristling with pine trees planted during FDR’s work relief programs and attracts visitors for its proximity to Virginia historical sites. The brewery will have a tap in the brewing supplies office on premises and visitors can enjoy onsite tastings and growler fills, as well as possible wild turkeys sightings.
Fun Fact
According to Lovell, this is only the second campground-brewery operation in the country, with another in Wisconsin.
Expected Open & Info
June 1; Wild Run Brewing Company, 3071 Jefferson Davis Highway, Stafford
