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“Cheers, Virginia!” is currently on display at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and runs through Jan. 29.
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“Cheers, Virginia!” takes a look at formerly enslaved caterer John Dabney's role in Virginia imbibing history and features the championship cup he received for his acclaimed mint julep recipe.
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A display of Virginia beers
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The exhibit covers everything from the emergence of the craft beer movement to winemaking in the state.
Boozehounds and history buffs alike can learn a little local imbibing history from a new exhibition at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
Making its debut last month, “Cheers, Virginia!” is on view at the museum through Jan. 29, 2023, offering visitors a chance to dive into the past and present of brewing, distilling and fermenting in the commonwealth.
A corkscrew from the late 1700s, a Monticello Wine Company bottle dating back centuries and the championship cup for renowned mixologist John Dabney’s mint julep are among the 50-strong assortment of treasures in the exhibit.
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture has undergone big changes in recent years, rebranding from the Virginia Historical Society, welcoming Jamie Bosket as president and CEO, and undergoing a $30 million, 18-month makeover. “Cheers, Virginia!” marks a spirited return.
“I think this is the first time since I’ve been here that there’s been an exhibit with alcohol,” says curator Paige Newman, who has been with the museum for almost a decade. Citing previously hosted events such as the craft beer festival Brew HaHa, which started in 2014, and History on Tap as inspirations, Newman says “Cheers, Virginia!” is a welcome addition.
“With our reimagining as a building, we have more exhibit space, and I think it was, ‘Hey, now is the time,’ ” she says. “It’s nice to have something that’s not a permanent exhibit, but that’s more permanent so that people can come and enjoy it for a few months.”
In 2021, the team began to track down artifacts for the collection, partnering with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the Jamestown Foundation to obtain a number of pieces.
There’s a Bartmann clay jug dating to the 1600s, a liquor chest gifted by the Marquis de Lafayette to Virginian William Cabell Jr. and an interactive visual breathalyzer that Newman describes as a “humorous visual way to figure out how intoxicated you are.”
Starting in the early days of the commonwealth, “Cheers, Virginia!” touches on everything from Prohibition to the religious and medicinal uses of alcohol, cidermaking, and homebrewing and current legislation related to brewing, in addition to highlighting the leaders behind the craft brewing movement. Throughout the exhibition, sections showcase both historical and modern makers of alcoholic beverages and their connections to Virginia.
One of those people is John June Lewis Sr., a winemaker from Clarksville who is believed to have operated the first Black-owned winery in the United States from the 1940s to the 1960s.
“I hadn’t heard of him at all, which surprised me,” Newman says. “Those stories get lost, maybe because they weren’t associated with Thomas Jefferson,” a well-known wine connoisseur. “That’s the thing, you can’t help but bring up Jefferson, initially, but recognize there’s more to the story beyond that and telling those stories, too.”
Those looking for a more hands-on experience can purchase tickets to forthcoming related events including the first-ever Virginia Distilled festival on Sept. 17, bringing together spirit makers across the state including Reservoir Distillery, Catoctin Creek and A. Smith Bowman Distillery. The following month, local wine moves to the forefront during Virginia Vines.
Newman notes that “Cheers, Virginia!” is just a pint-sized version of the many stories to be told on the subject.
“This is brief history, so hopefully people come in and at least learn one thing and maybe laugh at a few, but also get an idea that alcohol was everywhere and everyone was involved. Women and enslaved and indentured people were making alcohol,” Newman says. “It was a necessity of life if fresh water wasn’t available.”
