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(From left) Matthew Mullett, Hank Schmidt III and Brian McCauley, owners of Richbrau Brewing
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Front bar area inside Richbrau
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Vintage Richbrau memorabilia on display inside the brewery
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The Richbrau Brewing logo designed by Release the Hounds features a gas lamp mounted to a shield with a raven inside the flame, an ode to the original Richbrau can.
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The initial lineup of beers at Richbrau
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The taproom area inside Richbrau Brewing
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The open taproom offers guests a peek into the production side of the brewery.
History and beer are two prominent elements of Richmond’s identity, and when Richbrau Brewing opens on Thursday, July 4, at 5 S. 20th St., patrons will experience a union of the two.
“A mashup of the past and present — this is what we’ve tried to create here,” explains Matthew Mullett, co-owner of Richbrau and a former distribution manager for MillerCoors.
Along with Brian McCauley, a Hampton Roads native and home brewer turned head brewer, and Hank Schmidt III, the previous operations manager of Flying Bison Brewing Co. in Buffalo, New York, the trio have joined forces to unveil an endeavor four years in the making in Shockoe Bottom.
Richbrau Brewing is a familiar name to many on the Richmond beer scene. Richbrau was originally a beer brewed by Home Brewing Co. from 1933 until its closure in 1969. In 1993 a brewpub known as Richbrau opened in Shockoe Slip, operating for 17 years before closing its doors. Now, almost a decade later, the Richbrau brand has been resurrected.
“We want to carry on the tradition,” says McCauley. “We wanted to showcase something that once was and make Richbrau something that could only be in Richmond and connect it to the city.”
Richmond has long been a town that relishes the pastime of imbibing. When John Smith and fellow explorers landed in Richmond in the 17th century, they held gatherings with beer, wine and brandy in Fulton Hill. In 1935, the city was a test market for the first canned beer. Richmond has been named a top beer destination in the world, and its historic connection to beer has inspired the founding of appreciation groups such as Beeristoric.
Which brings us to why the owners of Richbrau Brewing have been working for the past four years to curate a space that would be more than simply another watering hole.
Mullett says he “never gave up the beer bug," even after leaving distribution, and while he was helping businesses including Buskey Cider find a home through his commercial real estate venture, the wheels began to turn.
He was introduced to McCauley through a friend and grew fond of the home brewer's creations. Mullett and Schmidt had grown up together in Buffalo and previously bounced around ideas of opening up their own space, but when Schmidt shared that he was planning a move to Richmond, Mullett says, “The stars aligned.”
Three years ago they obtained rights to the Richbrau brand, and when they discovered the space in Shockoe Bottom, it checked all their boxes: 4,300 square feet ideal for a startup craft brewery, a location in one of the city's most historic areas and walkability for nearby residents.
At the forefront of Richbrau is a vision to connect Richmonders to their city while honoring the past by sharing local folklore. Ever heard of the Richmond Vampire or the railway train buried in Church Hill?
Each canned beer at Richbrau features a different story printed on the label as well as a name and design that reflect the captivating tale at hand. Mullett says they hope that when beer drinkers reach for a sip they feel a connection to the city, learn something new and walk away inspired to explore the stories further.
Psychic Horse IPA is named for Lady Wonder, a South Side horse known for her supernatural predictions including Harry Truman’s presidential defeat of Thomas Dewey. The sour ale King of Strays refers to a notorious black dog that would roam the streets of the Near West End in the 2000s. Also a sour ale, 4th Street Horribles is named after a neighborhood gang from the 1860s. The Edgar Imperial Stout — brewed with Ironclad Coffee Roasters “Coffee House of Usher Blend,” an ode to Edgar Allan Poe’s short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" — pays tribute to Poe’s novel, "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket," which he wrote while living in Richmond.
“These stories are at the heart of what we’re planning to do,” says Mullett. “Instead of focusing on the historically significant stories, we focused on intriguing ones.”
The initial lineup of brews will include six taps as well as four-pack cans that can be purchased on site.
Even the brewery's logo, designed by local branding agency Release the Hounds, is reflective of the city's yesteryear. It boasts a gas lamp — which can still be found outside the brewery today — mounted on a shield with a raven inside the flame. The raven is a reference to Poe, while the shield can be spotted on the original Richbrau cans, also showcased on shelves inside the taproom.
Mullet says the logo is “all-encompassing and tells the story of where the brand’s been and the company; it took on a life of its own.”
Do the brewers feel any pressure about resuscitating a brand so deeply rooted in the city?
“We feel pressure about delivering a world-class beer experience to people that would live up to the name,” according to Mullett.
One way to fulfill that goal is through tasting apps — iPads in the space will allow guests to share their feedback on the beers. Future plans include a patio, rooftop deck, distribution to local bottle shops and markets, and taps at area restaurants. A small warming kitchen is also housed in the brewery, but food will not be available initially.
Richbrau Brewing will be open from 3 to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 2 p.m. to midnight Friday; noon to midnight Saturday; noon to 8 p.m. Sunday; and closed Tuesday.
