By Staff
O’Connor Brewing Company won its second consecutive Golden Tap Award on December 13 with a total score of 23.5 points. They were followed by Smartmouth Brewing Company (19 points), Alewerks Brewing (15.5 points), Big Ugly Brewing Company (14.5 points) and Commonwealth Brewing Company (11.5 points).
With 20 regional breweries competing, this was the most competitive year yet.
The Golden Tap Awards is Veer Magazine’s annual event where the general public and a panel of judges provide input into deciding the year’s best locally crafted beer as well as recognizing restaurants, food trucks, retail bottle shops and festivals for their contributions to the beer scene.
Breweries received metals in individual beer-style categories (see below). The Golden Tap is determined by a weight given for each where gold medals counted as 3 points, silver gained 2 and 1 for bronze. The brewery with the most points is crowned Brewery of the Year and presented Veer’s Golden Tap trophy by sponsor Southern Bank. Note the categories for brewpub and tasting room were not included in the overall point tally.
BREWERIES/BEERS
Light Lager
GOLD: Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Pancho Villa Mexi Lager
SILVER: Gordon Biersch, Golden Export
BRONZE: Wasserhund Brewing Company, Local’s Lager
Pilsner
GOLD: Smartmouth, Safety Dance
SILVER: Wasserhund Brewing Company, Purebred Pilsner
BRONZE: Young Veterans, G.I. Pilsner
Amber and Dark Lager
GOLD: Wasserhund Brewing Company, Oktoberfest
SILVER: O’Connor Brewing Co., O’Ctoberfest
BRONZE: Coelacanth, Enefkay
Light American Ale
GOLD: O’Connor Brewing Co., Green Can Golden Ale
SILVER: Virginia Beer Company, Saving Daylight Citrus Wheat
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Sunbeam Blonde
Kolsch and Altbier
GOLD: Wasserhund Brewing Company, King Neptune’s Kolsch
SILVER: Smartmouth, She Kolsch
BRONZE: O’Connor Brewing Co., Walk-Off Kolsch
British Bitter
GOLD: Alewerks Brewing Company, Maizie’s ESB
SILVER: St George, Summer Ale
BRONZE: Coelacanth, CBPB (CBGB)
Scottish and Irish Amber Ale
GOLD: The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Red Maiden Irish Red
SILVER: St George, Winter Scotch
BRONZE: O’Connor Brewing Co., Discovery Scotch Ale
American Amber and Brown Ale
GOLD: Big Ugly, S’mores Brown Ale
SILVER: O’Connor Brewing Co., Red Nun Red Ale
BRONZE: Smartmouth, Murphy’s Law
English Mild and Brown Ale
GOLD: St George, Nut Brown Ale
SILVER: Home Republic, Cup of Joe Coffee Brown Ale
BRONZE: Virginia Beer Company, Kind Intentions Dry-Hopped Mild
American Pale Ale
GOLD: O’Connor Brewing Co., Norfolk Canyon Pale Ale
SILVER: Smartmouth, Free Thought
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Mod’s Pale Ale
IPA
GOLD: Virginia Beer Company, Green’s View New England-Style India Pale Ale
SILVER: Smartmouth, Rule G
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Leaf Peepers IPA
Imperial IPA
GOLD: Reaver Beach, Hoptopus Double IPA
SILVER: Commonwealth, Big Papi
BRONZE: Smartmouth, Notch 9
Porter
GOLD: Oozlefinch, Ox Cart Imperial Porter
SILVER: O’Connor Brewing Co., Winter Pecan Porter
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Ghost Rider Porter
Stout
GOLD: Smartmouth, Cowcatcher Milk Stout
SILVER: O’Connor Brewing Co., O’Connor Dry Irish Stout
BRONZE: Commonwealth, Marvolo
Russian Imperial Stout
GOLD: O’Connor Brewing Co., Ibrik Imperial Turkish Coffee Stout
SILVER: St George, Imperial Stout
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Ape Hanger Russian Imperial Stout
Strong Ale
GOLD: Alewerks Brewing Company, Grand Illumination Barleywine
SILVER: Virginia Beer Company, Rob Your Head Imperial Red
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Barnfind Barleywine
German Wheat Beer
GOLD: Gordon Biersch, Hefeweizen
SILVER: Commonwealth, Taonga
BRONZE: Wasserhund Brewing Company, German Shepheweizen
Belgian Session Ales
GOLD: Smartmouth, Alter Ego
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company, White Ale
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Sidecar Saison
Belgian Strong Ales
GOLD: Pleasure House, Glo Belgian Blond
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company, Jubilee X
BRONZE: Smartmouth, Third Rail Tripel
Sour Ale
GOLD: Commonwealth, Penthesilia
SILVER: Reaver Beach, The Reaver (oak fermented sour blonde)
BRONZE: Commonwealth, Hippolyta
Smoked and Wood Aged Beer
GOLD: O’Connor Brewing Co., Backyard Bonfire Smoked IPA
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company, Cafe Royale
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Dark Journey
Herb, Spice, and Vegetable Beer
GOLD: Alewerks Brewing Company, Pumpkin Ale
SILVER: Big Ugly, Ghost Pepper Gose
BRONZE: Big Ugly, Hot Pursuit
Fruit Beer
GOLD: Reaver Beach, Reaver en Noir (sour refermented with Pinot noir grapes)
SILVER: Pleasure House, Asian Unicorn Blonde Ale w/ Asian Pears
BRONZE: Smartmouth, Outta Yer Gourd
Specialty
GOLD: Young Veterans, Goat Locker Breakfast Stout
SILVER: Commonwealth, Humblebrag
BRONZE: O’Connor Brewing Co., Tamarindo Red Coffee Saison
Collaboration
GOLD: Young Veterans/Bold Mariner, Shellback Coconut Stout
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company/O’Connor Brewing, Limoo Amani Black Lime Saison
BRONZE: Commonwealth/Big Ugly, Romhilda
Brew Pub
GOLD: Gordon Biersch
SILVER: Wasserhund
BRONZE: Home Republic
Brewery Tasting Room
GOLD: Big Ugly
SILVER: O’Connor
BRONZE: Commonwealth
FOOD TRUCKS
GOLD: Karnage Asada
SILVER: Your Pie
BRONZE: Thai Express
RESTAURANTS/BARS
Best Selection of Local 757 Beer
GOLD: Tap It Local
SILVER: Brick Anchor
BRONZE: DoG Street Pub
Best Overall Draft Beer Selection (Number of taps/quality) – 20+ Taps
GOLD: Brick Anchor
SILVER: The Birch Bar
BRONZE: Cogans Ghent
Best Overall Draft Beer Selection (Number of taps/quality) – Under 20 Taps
GOLD: DoG Street Pub
SILVER: Lynnhaven Pub
BRONZE: The Bier Garden
Best Overall Bottle & Can Beer Selection
GOLD: Bier Garden
SILVER: The Birch Bar
BRONZE: 80/20 Burger Bar
Best European Selection
GOLD: The Bier Garden
SILVER: The Birch Bar
BRONZE: DoG Street Pub
Best Draft Beer Presentation of Taps
GOLD: Yard House
SILVER: Cogans North
BRONZE: Supper
Best Virginia Craft Beer Selection
GOLD: Brick Anchor
SILVER: Tap It Local (Chesapeake)
BRONZE: Cogans North
Best Beer with Outdoor Patio
GOLD: Bier Garden
SILVER: DoG Street Pub
BRONZE: Supper
Best Beer with an Atmosphere
GOLD: DoG Street Pub (Williamsburg)
SILVER: Bier Garden
BRONZE: Norfolk Taproom
Best Beer and Pizza
GOLD: Cogans Ghent
SILVER: Wasserhund
BRONZE: Cogans North
Best Beer and Live Music
GOLD: Taphouse (Ghent)
SILVER: HK on the Bay
BRONZE: Belmont House of Smoke
Best Sports Bar Beer Selection
GOLD: Cogans North
SILVER: Shorebreak Pizza & Taphouse
BRONZE: Baxter’s
Bottle Shop/Growler Fill
GOLD: Grape & Gourmet
SILVER: bottleBOX
BRONZE: ExceptionAle
Major Retail
GOLD: Total Wine & More Ghent
SILVER: Whole Foods
BRONZE: Total Wine & More Hilltop
Home Brew Supplies
GOLD: Home Brew USA Janaf
SILVER: Brew & Bottle
BRONZE: Home Brew USA Hampton
Best Brewery Event
GOLD: Treasure Chest at Green Flash
SILVER: Major & The Monbacks Block Party at Bold Mariner
BRONZE: O’Connoroo at O’Connor
Best Outdoor Beer Festival
GOLD: Whistle Belly Festival
SILVER: Virginia Beer Festival (Town Point Park)
BRONZE: Common Grounds
Best Beer Event (Non-festival, non-brewery)
GOLD: 43 Hours of Sour @ The Birch
SILVER: The Bier Garden’s Oktoberfest
BRONZE: Shamrockin’ in Ghent
