Razova Beer. Photo credit Kylie Posten.
By Diane Catanzaro and Chris Jones
Here is a smattering of suds-based snippets and stories in the 757 to keep you in-the-know.
The Garage Brewery in Chesapeake recently sponsored a collaboration beer in support of the 757 chapter of The Pink Boots Society’s “Inspiration In Every Pour” initiative. The idea was to brew a culinary-inspired beer, a specialty of The Garage’s Head Brewer Will Sawyer. The inspiration for this beer was a baked meringue dessert called “Pavlova” after a Russian ballerina, not the salivating dog. (This attempt at humor will hopefully ring a bell for students of Psychology). The pavlova dessert is crisp, airy, and dry on the outside, and chewy and marshmallowy in the center, with notes of vanilla. The sample analyzed by Will and Pink Boots members during recipe development was topped with raspberries and fresh whipped cream. This dessert was the foundation for building a beer recipe, and Pink Boots members assisted in the brewing process with guidance from Will. According to the Pink Boots’ Jacque Kettler, the resulting beer, Razzlova, delivers the aroma of fresh ripe raspberries, a frothy white head, with creamy vanilla notes in the body and a sublime tart finish. Get yourself a glass of this tasty creation at The Garage Brewery in Chesapeake, Vibrant Shore in Virginia Beach, St George Brewing in Hampton, and it will be available at the Golden Tap Awards on December 1. This event is at Big Ugly Brewing in Chesapeake and is free and open to the public. You are invited to attend and cheer for your favorite beers, and perhaps even discover some new brews to love!
Co-owner/founder Josh Evans of Afterglow now has Marcus Rashke working as Assistant Brewer. Marcus is very experienced having brewed at Maker’s Craft Brewery, MoMac and Nansemond Brewing, and most recently as Head Brewer at Capstan. This allows Josh more time to run the business, spend time with his family, and do other things. For example, Josh recently traveled to Asheville to brew collaboration beers at Sierra Nevada with founder Ken Grossman, Vinny Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing, former Hampton Roads Brewing & Tasting Society President Paul Hutchings, and Jamie Bogner, founder of Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine and Podcast.
Speaking of Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine, Jamie Bogner’s Critic’s List of the Top Ten Beers of 2024 included Pilsners Are Lagers, brewed at Norfolk’s Benchtop Brewing. He noted “It’s proof positive that pils can feel fresh and exciting while staying rooted in its European origins.” The magazine’s 2025 list will be published in December.
When you visit breweries and brewpubs today you may notice something new on the menu….we’re not talking about wine, hard seltzers, non-alcoholic beers, or ciders….although you’ll often see these. We are talking about THC beverages. Yes, the real deal! Virginia law permits the sale of THC products that are hemp-derived, have an approved THC-to-CBD ratio, and are under 2 mg of THC per serving or less than 0.9% Delta-9 THC by dry weight. New Realm Brewing in Virginia Beach and Suffolk, the Vanguard Brewpub in Hampton, Big Ugly Brewing in Chesapeake, and Chef’s Market Food Hall in Newport News. Virginia, we’re not in Kansas anymore! Two milligrams is a small amount that might not get you over the rainbow, but hopefully you can at least see the rainbow.
Rainbows rock, but how about an ale? A recent visit to Rip Rap Brewing in Norfolk confirms that for now the new ownership by Coastal Fermentory of Newport News has kept the same beers, vibe, branding, and appearance as it had when owned by original co-founder and brewer Liam Bell. The only difference might be one or two Coastal beers added to the draft list. The brewers from Coastal Fermentory are brewing Rip Rap’s beer on premises at Rip Rap, where you can still drink tasty beers with friends old and new in unpretentious setting. Coastal Fermentory’s original location in downtown Newport News near the shipyard also has a second location uptown in Newport News near the airport.
You may have read in July’s VEER Magazine about Wasserhund Brewing Company’s plans to open in Norfolk’s Railroad District, building on the success of their Virginia Beach and Chesapeake locations. Wasserhund NFK will not be doing a complete brew process, but they will be fermenting and souring beer there with Christina Whipple managing the operation. The beautiful logo on the building at 2411 Granby Street has us food motivated and ready to wolf down treats like their Doggy Paddle IPA, Big Dog Energy DIPA, and Pick of the Litter Lager, all great choices to wash down their tasty pizza. The historic brick building has been home to a tractor sales company, thrift shop, and more recently District Apizza.
These are challenging times for the craft beer business. Strangeways Brewing is closing its three-year-old Williamsburg location and the Fredericksburg location, and will concentrate on their two Richmond locations. Their eclectic atmosphere and unique range of beers will be missed. Their last day of operation will be November 22. Smartmouth Brewing is closing its original Norfolk location but will continue operating the smaller Pilot House at the Virginia Beach oceanfront, with food provided by the on-site Bakehouse Kitchen. Since 2024 more craft breweries in Virginia and nationwide have closed than have opened, and this trend has continued in 2025. Closings include notable breweries like 21st Amendment, Iron Hill (all locations), Duck Rabbit, Flying Fish, and Weathered Souls as well many small breweries. The reasons are multifaceted according to the Brewers Association Annual Craft Brewing Report. For example, consumers are drinking less alcohol, the cost of ingredients is rising, there is increased competition in a saturated market, labor costs have increased, and tariffs have raised the cost of imported brewing equipment, steel kegs, aluminum cans, kegs, and imported malts and hops. The pandemic years also took a toll on the craft beer business, and even today many more people work from home compared to pre-pandemic, and these folks are less likely to socialize after work with colleagues at breweries, taprooms, brewpubs, beer bars, and restaurants.
Is there a message in all this? YES…support your local breweries and beer joints! Choose a craft beer brewed in your town, region or state. Invite friends to join you at a local brewery tasting room, brewpub, or craft beer bar. Ask for a local craft beer when you dine at a restaurant. The growth of the craft beer industry in the past decade has been unprecedented and this softening of the market was not unexpected. However, craft beer is still the most exciting and dynamic sector of the alcohol beverage industry, and here in the 757 we are blessed with many outstanding breweries.
Your local brewery is still a great place to meet people, bring the family, listen to a band, have something to eat, and enjoy a cold brew. And beer bars or restaurants in the 757 like the Bier Garden, The Birch, Tap It Local, The Ghent, Grace O’Malley’s Irish Pub, The 1608 Crafthouse, Green Leafe Café, Whiskey Kitchen, the Grain, Craft 60 Taphouse, Beervana Taphouse, New River Taphouse, Lynnhaven Pub, etc. are great ways to sample craft beer from a variety of craft breweries. Support local and craft beer so it will continue to be here for you to enjoy. We don’t want to go back to the bad old days where corporate macro lagers were the norm and we didn’t have options. Today we have a plethora of local beer options and these breweries support the community in so many ways. Remember that every craft beer you buy is supporting a local business in addition to supporting your right to tasty refreshment! Hope to see you soon at a local brewery, taproom, or restaurant serving local craft beer!
