There are more than 25 breweries in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. That’s so many that you won’t possibly get bored with the “same ol’ same ol’” flavors. You’re guaranteed to find your favorite brewery and probably your favorite cold one, but with the dedication of our brewers, you’ll need to sip often to keep up with their mad scientist ways.
So where to start? Well, you could tackle the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail, earning a stamp at each stop, and scoring a free limited-edition t-shirt. Or you could make a fun game of it, choosing your beer based on a theme, like holidays, primary flavor (chocolate is a good one!), or maybe an outdoor adventure.
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Water
Water They Up To? is a flavored hard seltzer by nanobrewery Alesatian Brewing in Winchester. With a name like that, we can’t help but think of paddling. Or maybe, if it’s available, try Fish Face, a sour Berliner Weisse. After all, the fishing is pretty good around here.
North Fork Golden Ale by Woodstock Brewhouse is a hat tip to the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, as is Seven Bender, an American Pale Ale.
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Hiking
Into hiking? Basic City has a collection of Shenandoah National Park beers available for purchase in the park. Drink one and then check out its namesake, like Big Meadows (American IPA), Limberlost (Pilsner), or Bearfence (Imperial/Double IPA).
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While you’re up there in SNP, check out Stony Man. Then make it a point to try the Stony Man Saison from Winchester Brew Works. After that one, Into the Woods We Go is a Belgian Tripel by the same makers. Coming in at 10.5% ABV, it’s advised you “handle with care.” Cheers!
Hikers of the Applachian Trail are familiar with the term “trail angel,” as those are the people who provide a variety of support to hikers. Devils Backbone Outpost Taproom & Kitchen in Lexington crafts a Hefeweizen they call Trail Angel. For every case of Trail Angel sold, Devils Backbone donates $1 to Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Raise a glass of Twisted Ankle Sour Ale by Winchester Brew Works after your successful non-twisted ankle hike. A win is a win.
Skyline Falls is a Hazy IPA by Brothers Craft Brewing in Harrisonburg. They promise its brew of El Dorado and Mosaic will “match the same moment of pure satisfaction after a long hike through cloudy and misty cascades.” To be clear: Skyline Drive and any waterfall you can find within Shenandoah National Park will fill the bill.
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More Skyline Pairings:
- Cave Hill Brewery’s Skyline Seltzer is a passion fruit and mango treat that promises it’s “not your average seltzer.”
- Seven Arrows Brewing has an American Light Lager called Skyline Lager that is “a great gateway into the world of craft beer.”
Box Office Brewery in Strasburg has concocted a West Coast style IPA they call Signal Knob IPA in honor of the local landmark of Signal Knob. It gets its name from its role during the Civil War, as it was a signal station for a look-out to alert troops of incoming opposition. Want another? Massanutty Brown Ale is a nod to the nearby Massanutten mountain range, where Massanutten Resort is located.
Just Go Outside
If your idea of outdoorsy is sitting outside drinking a beer, The Great Outdoors by Brothers Craft Brewing is for you. It’s a Virginia Pale Ale that’s refreshingly light with lovely bites of citrus. Add a few Firefly Nights (American Pale Ale) by Three Notch’d to your line-up and you’ll be all set. They’re perfect for camping, porch sittin’, or swaying in the hammock.
Here’s to good times and great beer in the Shenandoah Valley.
Header Image: Skyline Drive. Photo by Joel Mulbah & Alyssa Gilbert. Courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation.