Cville could also be recognized for its wine, however the beer scene is hopping too! Listed here are the 12 finest breweries in Charlottesville and all the main points to go to and style.
Likelihood is, even when you’ve by no means been to Charlottesville, Virginia, you’ve most likely had a beer from right here.
Tucked away within the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia, Charlottesville is roughly an hour from Richmond and two hours from DC, making it a complicated metropolitan space with cozy small city vibes.
It’s additionally dwelling to College of Virginia, presidential historical past, native retailers, wineries, distilleries, farm-to-table eating places and an abundance of breweries.
Because of each its location and all it has to discover, Charlottesville has change into an amazing spot for folks eager to plan a fast weekend getaway – particularly if they’re in search of a vacation spot with loads of choices for domestically sourced meals and nice craft beer.
As Charlottesville is all about making the most of seasonality, any beer lover visiting will discover the choices change relying on the time of yr.
From Summer time Ales and Goses through the scorching summer season months, to Porters, Stouts and heavy IPAs within the colder months, you’re sure to search out one thing to fit your tastes.
The opposite wonderful thing about breweries in Charlottesville is you may go for these outdoors of town with lovely views and surroundings (like Blue Mountain Brewery and Brewing Tree) or you may go together with the strolling a part of the Ale Path in downtown Charlottesville (which embody spots like Starr Hill Brewery and South Avenue Brewery).
There are additionally a number of beer festivals all year long (right here’s a recap of 1 when we had an excessive amount of enjoyable!).
Let’s take a tour of my favourite spots for the very best craft beers in Charlottesville!
12 Greatest Breweries in Charlottesville
Starr Hill (Downtown Location)
The second oldest craft brewery in Virginia, Starr Hill Brewery was created with a concentrate on two key objects: craft beer and dwell music.
Whereas its first location was in Starr Hill in Charlottesville, they’ve expanded over time to incorporate their downtown location within the Dairy Market and 5 different spots in Crozet, Richmond, Roanoke, Lynchburg and Tyson’s Nook.
When visiting Starr Hill you may anticipate to come across nice dwell music along with quite a lot of beer choices.
With their traditional line up together with craft brews like Ramble On (a juicy IPA) and Northern Lights (IPA) and seasonal greats like Festie (Oktoberfest Lager) and Solar Burn (Summer time Ale), it’s no shock they’ve gained awards on the Nice American Beer Competition, the World Beer Cup and the Nice British Beer Competition.
In case you’re visiting the Starr Hill Downtown location, you’ll have the choice for indoor and outside seating (with the outside seating being canine pleasant) and also you’ll even have entry to nice native distributors within the Dairy Market meals corridor. It’s additionally a part of the city Ale Path and strolling distance of the Downtown Mall.
Rockfish Brewing
This nano brewery simply expanded with its second location on the Downtown Mall.
This new spot is only a stone’s throw from its first dwelling, which is connected to fifth Season Gardening, which gives hydroponics, contemporary hops and homebrew provides.
With their appreciation for dwelling brewing, it’s not stunning the vibe is small city brewers offering their mates with good beer, making it a improbable informal spot.
Their California Frequent is a standout however that is additionally a great place to be somewhat daring and take a look at a few of their riskier endeavors while you see them on the draft listing, equivalent to their Pickle Beer or their many seasonal Goses.
Whilst you can order quite a lot of snacks at this location, a perk to going downtown means you may order meals ready by The Bebedero, a well-liked Charlottesville restaurant proper subsequent door.
Random Row
This mission-driven brewery is all about bringing a way of group to Charlottesville over good beer in an informal taproom setting.
Positioned on Preston Avenue and strolling distance of the Downtown Mall, this brewery is canine pleasant (outdoors) and normally has one thing occurring, whether or not it’s themed trivia, charity bingo, a run membership and even yoga.
One in all my favourite issues about Random Row must be their pizza.
Billy Pie Pizza, a Richmond-based group, brings stone-fired Neapolitan pizza to the brewery and it’s the proper combo with their beer. The most effective half? It’s half-off on Tuesdays!
The pizzas pair so effectively with their beers like their award-winning Mosaic Pale Ale.
South Avenue Brewery
Working as a brewpub since 1999, South Avenue Brewery joins Starr Hill in being one of many extra tenured breweries within the space.
You’ll be able to anticipate to expertise good meals and strong beer at this spot proper off of the Downtown Mall.
South Avenue is a superb place to share a number of appetizers with mates, like their jumbo pretzel or their wings (boneless, conventional or cauliflower).
Pair them with one in every of their flagship beers like Devil’s Pony (an Amber Ale) or Anastasia’s Chocolate Fantasy, which is a heavier stout good for the winter months – particularly when you luck out with a seat close to the hearth!
Champion Brewery
Champion Brewing Firm is one other one in every of Charlottesville’s staples and, equally to Random Row, they at all times have one thing occurring.
With the unique Run Membership and a gentle stream of dwell music, this can be a enjoyable brewery simply off of the Downtown Mall.
Recognized for his or her core beers like Bathe Beer (a Pilsner good for precisely what it claims to be if bathe beers are your factor) and True Love (a Mexican-style Lager that may convert any Corona lover), Champion Brewery at all times delivers a superb, low-key vibe.
Just lately, Champion merged with Motive Beer, one other strong brewery to take a look at, although I’m maintaining it off of the primary listing because it’s a part of the Champion Hospitality Group now.
Champion Hospitality Group, along with its nice breweries, can also be answerable for among the finest Charlottesville eating places: Brasserie Saison, Siren and Passiflora – all inside strolling distance of Champion Brewery.
Three Notch’d Brewery
Three Notch’d Brewery is a brewpub bringing somewhat little bit of historical past together with your pints.
Named for Three Notch’d Street, made well-known by Jack Jouett’s midnight trip to Charlottesville in June of 1781, their aim is to align what they produce with the historical past of Virginia.
Unsurprisingly, Three Notch’d produces beers becoming their historic background with flagships like Ghost of the forty third IPA and their 40 Mile IPA.
On the subject of their different beers, although, they’ve a bit extra of a contemporary aptitude with hits like Biggie S’mores Imperial Stout and their many Goses. They’ve additionally began promoting non-alcoholic beers!
As that is additionally a craft kitchen, you will discover a lot of meals choices at this spot. From snacks like nachos and pretzel bites to burgers, sandwiches and entrees like Steak Frites, you gained’t depart hungry.
Additionally they provide Saturday and Sunday brunch and their patio is dog-friendly yr spherical.
Decipher
This 100% veteran-owned and operated craft brewery began off with its founders brewing on a kitchen range.
From humble beginnings, they’re now making award-winning beer, like their Artemis Wheatwine, a bronze winner on the 2022 World Beer Cup and silver winner on the 2022 Virginia Craft Brewers Cup.
Whereas they don’t provide meals, Decipher permits you to convey your personal and even have some delivered. They generally have meals vans onsite and you may verify their schedule on Fb.
With loads of indoor and outside seating, they’re one of many few breweries the place canines are allowed inside as effectively (as a result of truth no meals is ready onsite). It’s an amazing spot to convey your pup!
Selvedge
If you’re in search of a spot with nice meals however wish to add the brewery piece in, Selvedge Brewing on the Wool Manufacturing unit is your house.
Positioned in a restored wool manufacturing facility within the Woolen Mills neighborhood, Selvedge Brewing gives elevated bar meals with domestically sourced components.
Their smash burger is without doubt one of the finest on the town and the aspect of mac and cheese is scrumptious.
They’ve a superb draft listing with flagships like Britches Get Stitches (a West Coast IPA) and Denim (an American Type Lager).
In case you have non-beer drinkers in your group, additionally they provide wine, cocktails and mocktails and you’ve got the choice of grabbing an amazing bottle of wine at The Workshop, a boutique wine and occasional bar on the Wool Manufacturing unit.
They’ve loads of seating each inside and outside. Whereas outdoors is first come, first served, I’d suggest making reservations for inside, particularly on Wednesday nights after they provide weekly trivia.
Blue Mountain Brewery
One of many extra recognizable names in Charlottesville beers, Blue Mountain can also be dwelling to among the most lovely views.
Nestled proper within the Blue Ridge Mountains in Nelson County, this was the primary rural brewery to open within the space again in 2007.
Along with producing classics like A Hopwork Orange (an orange-infused IPA) and the Full Nelson (a Virginia Pale Ale), additionally they have seasonal greats like Drink a Peach! (a peach Gose) and their Barrel Home Collection.
Blue Mountain Brewery additionally has an in depth menu and among the finest outside seating within the space so it’s a spot the place you may simply spend a beautiful afternoon with a bunch of mates.
Additionally they have an inn obtainable to lease if you’re trying to go to different spots in Nelson, just like the a number of wineries close by.
Brewing Tree Beer Firm
A riverside brewery, Brewing Tree Beer Firm has an expansive outside area with frequent dwell music, outside video games to play, meals obtainable from their scratch kitchen and a strong beer listing.
The meals and beer is nice, which is to be anticipated given its founders are Mark and Gina Thompson.
Mark Thompson based Starr Hill and is a revered title in craft beer, whereas his spouse Gina is an authorized sommelier and has been a chef and caterer.
Their beer listing is at all times rotating however some examples embody Irish Pink Ale and their Simply Peachy Golden Ale.
Meriwether Springs Winery & Brewery
Charlottesville’s first mixture vineyard & brewery, this location is near downtown whereas nonetheless managing to be located on 40 acres of land.
The unique property of explorer Meriwether Lewis, that is one other brewery bringing the historical past of the realm to the forefront.
As that is family-owned and operated, you’ll positively get the sensation it’s a family-friendly spot. Additionally they provide plenty of music occasions and the schedule will be discovered on their website.
This can be a nice one to convey kids to as a result of there’s loads of area to run!
Their beer listing consists of classics so that you gained’t be encountering something wild right here, however you may anticipate high quality variations of the requirements like Lagers and IPAs.
Professional Re Nata
If you’re in search of a brewery with the texture of a music competition, you’ll love Professional Re Nata.
Positioned in Crozet, VA (only a quick distance from Charlottesville), Professional Re Nata Brewpub & Music Corridor has change into a multi-plex, with a number of taprooms, a predominant stage, an out of doors transport container bar and even an occasion area.
It’s additionally nice for youths – there’s even a playground space.
Whereas they’ve a ton of seasonal choices, you gained’t go unsuitable with one in every of their flagships like Sound Verify (an American Lager) and Tapped Out (a Pilsner).
You’ll discover native music weekly and, whereas listening to the expertise, you may sip on their beer and even cider or wine.
Additionally they have meals vans onsite each day, like Hops Kitchen and Za Spot, so no outside meals is allowed.
That is one other brewery the place leashed canines are allowed inside and outside, so this can be a nice pet-friendly choice.
My Favorites
If I needed to decide a favourite among the many finest breweries in Charlottesville, it must be Three Notch’d and Champion.
Each have glorious beer that appear to agree with my beer preferences. The Hydraulion Pink at Three Notch’d and Bathe Beer at Champion are two of my favorites!
If it’s in season, the Firefly Nights Summertime Ale with Honeysuckle at Three Notch’d is without doubt one of the finest non-traditional beers I’ve EVER had!!
All in all, if you’re coming to Charlottesville to expertise craft brews you gained’t depart disenchanted.
From small and scrappy to massive and established, there’s something for everybody regardless of your style.
Extra posts from Kath: