Photo by Kate Magee courtesy Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
This collection of brews sets the tone with trailblazers that helped put these breweries — and Richmond — on the beer map. When imbibers are searching for a reliable beer, these suds have stood the test of time.
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Head Brewer Brian Nelson
Flagship Beer: “My absolute favorite beer, the Great Return American IPA.”
History: In 2013, Hardywood partnered with the James River Association and released Great Return, an ode to the organization’s work to restore Atlantic sturgeon populations in the upper James. Five dollars per barrel of Great Return goes directly to JRA.
Go-to Brew: “Great Return is my go-to Hardywood beer, but I’ve always respected Sierra Nevada for what they stand for and how they approach brewing. I love their Torpedo IPA.”
Administrivia: The name Hardywood is derived from a sheep station in Australia where founders Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh fell in love with craft beer.
Photo courtesy Ardent Craft Ales
Ardent Craft Ales
Head Brewer William Poole
Flagship Beer: “Our four year-round offerings: Saison, Ardent IPA, Pilsner and IPA X — but to single out one, it would be Saison.”
History: “Ardent's core beers reflect four diverse, approachable beer styles — styles we enjoy making and, more importantly, enjoy drinking. Saison was one of the three original recipes Ardent brewed when it opened in 2014, and IPA X, the most recent addition, is a hazy, New England-influenced IPA.”
Go-to Brew: “Lagers. Richmond is fortunate to have a ton of breweries making excellent lagers, like Bingo Beer Co.”
Administrivia: “Ardent started as a homebrewer's cooperative operating out of a Church Hill garage in 2010. Founder and General Manager Tom Sullivan officially opened Ardent Craft Ales in Scott’s Addition in 2014 to share our passion for beer with the community.”
Photo courtesy Legend Brewing Co.
Legend Brewing Co.
Head Brewer John Wampler
Flagship Beer: Legend Brown Ale
History: “Legend Brown was not designed to be a flagship necessarily, but in 1994, there were not many [brown ales] around, and we made a pretty good one, so it just took off for us.”
Go-to Brew: “I really enjoy a well-made stout, one that relies on traditional ingredients rather than tasting like liquid pie.”
Administrivia: Wampler has worked with Legend Brewing for 26 years.
Photo courtesy Center of the Universe Brewing Co.
Center of the Universe Brewing Co.
Head Brewer Brett Dillon
Flagship Beer: Pocahoptas IPA
History: “Pocahoptas is a West Coast-style IPA that originated from co-founders and brothers Chris and Phil Ray’s homebrewing days. At the time, it was a less prevalent style in Virginia, but one they were particularly fond of. The duo traded iterations of the beer recipe back and forth through the mail for years before settling on the final version. To this day, the beer undergoes subtle tweaks.”
Go-to Brew: "BEEr Orange Blossom Honey Ale. The base malt we use is delicious.”
Administrivia: “The contests that take place in the production room are often ridiculous. Once, I was challenged by the rest of the production staff to eat an entire 2-pound salted nut roll log. I failed halfway through.”
Photo courtesy Triple Crossing Beer
Triple Crossing Beer
Co-founder and Head Brewer Jeremy Wirtes
Flagship Beer: Falcon Smash IPA
History: “When we first started making beer, we weren’t big enough to acquire more highly sought-after hops like citra and mosaic, so we decided to make a hoppy beer with what we were able to access. With the help of Falconer’s Flight hops, Falcon Smash was born. Falconer’s Flight is a proprietary blend of seven citrus-heavy hops.”
Go-to Brew: “This fluctuates constantly. At the moment, it’s our Pathway Pils.”
Administrivia: “When Triple Crossing opened, our primary purpose was to brew hop-heavy. We still brew hoppy, but our focus has shifted to lagers — everything from bocks and Czech dark lagers to kellerbiers and pilsners.”
Stone Brewing is known for its hop-heavy IPAs. (Photo courtesy Stone Brewing Co.)
Stone Brewing Richmond
Head Brewer Robert Kuntz
Flagship Beer: “Stone IPA originated in 1997 as the first-anniversary beer and was the third beer we released in bottles. Back then, there weren’t as many hop varieties available. Centennial — which we now think of as a classic hop — was pretty new. It delivers the piney and citrusy characters that Stone IPA is known for, and it’s the backbone of our hop bill to this day.”
Go-to Brew: “I’m a loyalist, so I’m always asking for Stone. If I can’t find one, I ask for a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Coors Banquet. If I can’t get them, I go for a local one I haven’t tried before. You can’t go wrong with a Hardywood Richmond Lager.”
Administrivia: “Stone has an ethics statement, and I was struck by the part that says, ‘We may make a beer called Arrogant Bastard, but we don’t act like one.’ You agree not to knock breweries, and to build up the brewing industry.”
