Working your way down 15 South out of Pennsylvania, through Maryland, and into Virginia, you start to notice something.
Grapes. Loads of them.
Signs for vineyards pepper the roadside and entice you to pull in.
But, if you keep driving, you start to see something else. Hops.
Loudon County, known as Northern Virginia’s wine country, is quickly becoming a beer mecca, and I had an insiders look at the burgeoning craft beer scene during Zephyr Conferences’ Beer Bloggers and Writer Conference.
#LoCoBeer on the rise
Loudon County is currently home to 32 craft breweries ranging from small taprooms just getting their start to full farm breweries that grow, process, and brew with malt and hops grown “down on the farm.”
Check out the #LoCoAleTrail
One of those larger breweries and my favorite of the trip was Vanish Brewing Co.
Vanish Brewing Co.
Vanish sits on a spacious plot of land, and it really has a few different “vibes” to match what you’re feeling for the evening.
On the one hand, it’s your traditional tap room. It’s open seating, with a large bar directly in front of the stainless tanks and brewhouse.
Pretty standard, but the floor to ceiling artwork is a bit mesmerizing, and you could get lost in it while sipping on your giga-fight of beers.
Yes, you heard me, a giga-flight. Vanish has typically 20 beers on tap, and if you’re ambitious with a few hours to kill and the Uber app at the ready, you can try them all.
Maybe, however, this should be reserved for two people.
Since I didn’t have the time, I opted for what would be considered a typical flight of six beers.
The highlight from the flight was the André Brut IPA. It was bone dry and bursting with hop flavor. They had a picture of Andre the Giant on the tap listing, but my first impression was a nod to André champagne.
I think I like my interpretation a little better.
The taproom is traditional, but the grounds are set up much like a winery in that there are plenty of outdoor areas to relax with that giga-flight if you so choose and take in the scenery.
Plus, if you have kids, Vanish’s sprawling brewery comes complete with a playground located right next to another bar.
Vanish also grows and process both bops and malt to use in their beers. It’s really brewing from the land.
Lost Rhino Brewing Co.
Lost Rhino offers up a more traditional brewery and taproom experience.
It’s in an unconventional spot as it’s in a business park, but once you enter you’d never know that Dunder Mifflin might be selling paper right next door.
The taproom and service area are enormous. Three large rooms offer a different feel in each.
In the first, you have long tables both low and high tops that are situated around the bar. As you walk into the next room, you have a more intimate space away from the hustle and bustle of the bar. The last and final room is open with high ceilings, and you’re surrounded by barrels full of beer.
Lost Rhino also has an interesting past. Their owners Matt and Favio were both brewers at Old Dominion Brewing Co. for many years. When Old Dominion moved to Delaware, the two decided to start their own brewery and keep craft beer alive in Ashburn, Va.
While we didn’t get to try a lot from Lost Rhino, my favorite of theirs was Rhino Chasers Pilsner. It was light and easy to drink, just like a pils should be.
Honorable mention goes to their soon-to-be-released Darkest Hours Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.
Breweries on Breweries
During the conference, we were only able to journey to two breweries, but throughout the weekend, we did enjoy samples from a number of Loudon County’s more than 30 craft breweries.
Some favorites that stuck out were:
- Bike TrALe Brewing’s Yellow Jersey Pils
- Barnhouse Brewery’s Quarter Horse Porter
- Rocket Frog Brewery’s Angry Face Alice DIPA
- House 6 Brewing Co.’s El Bombero
There’s no doubt another beer trip with more time to hop from brewery to brewery is definitely in order.
Beyond the Beer
Saturday night’s bottle share was a success, and I woke up with a tinge of a headache (damn pastry stouts, or was it the glitter?).
I wanted to grab food and the hotel’s buffet had lost its luster. French toast is fine when you have to be at the conference at 9 a.m., but now I had the freedom to roam.
Colada Shop
If you’re looking for a spot to brunch after a night of brewery hopping, you’ve got it here. It’s cute and quaint but has plenty of seating inside and out.
Colada offers a full menu of Cuban-inspired coffee drinks, pastries, and sandwiches along with cocktails, wine, and beer.
I opted for a Cortadito (Cortado), for a quick jolt of caffeine while I ate my Mojo Pork Breakfast Cubano and Pastelito, a warm fluffy pastry with your choice of filling — and for me, that was sweet cream cheese.
Colada Shop sits in a large living and playing complex called Cascades Overlook.
Within that one spot, there were at least three or four more restaurants that looked enticing. The one that really stood out to me was Cava.
Cava is a restaurant that lets you build your meal from the bottom up. Chose a base and then add in your toppings as you go with accompanying dips and spreads.
Where the vines grow
Of course, with it being Northern Virginia’s wine country your trip should be rounded out with a visit to one, if not more, of Loudon’s 40+ wineries.
Loudon County’s beer scene might be a secret right now, but that won’t last for long. The group of brewers is producing exceptional beer in high concentration. I wish I had the opportunity to spend more time at a few of the smaller ones.
A #beercation with friends is in the near future.
