Virginia has become a hot bed for craft beer over the past year, with west coast legends like Ballast Point, Deschutes, Stone, and Green Flash all opening up east coast operations in the state.
Green Flash
On a recent work trip I was lucky enough to visit Virginia Beach, where Green Flash opened a second brewery last November, taking the beach city from unknown to major player in the craft beer world. Green Flash is the 37th largest craft brewery in the U.S., and despite the fact that they produce some amazing beer, they’re sometimes a little lost in the shuffle in the craft beer Mecca of San Diego, which is their hometown.
In Virginia Beach, they get to be a big dog in a small pond, and the community has immediately welcomed them with open arms to help increase their production and reach on the east coast. Their east coast location is very big, with a huge brewing area and taproom for big crowds. They have about 30 beers on tap, including offerings from Apline, which they acquired in 2014.
While they obviously have plenty of the west coast style IPAs that made them famous, I was pleasantly surprised by some of their darker offerings, including the Cacow Milk Stout. Green Flash is definitely a must-visit for craft beer fans visiting Virginia Beach.
Back Bay
In a place that is as much of a tourist town as Virginia Beach, there are bound to be plenty of smaller locations that are targeted toward locals. Back Bay appears to be just that. Located about a half mile off of the beach, I was able to walk there from my boardwalk hotel. They have a very small taproom and it appeared to be filled with mostly locals.
I tried a flight with Witch of Pungo (pumpkin), Atlantic Ave IPA, Coconut Chocolate Stout, and a Butterscotch Lager that was on cask. The cask was the best offering by far, a perfect pairing for Halloween.
Home Republic
In contrast to Back Bay being a place targeted toward locals, Home Republic is a brewpub that is clearly targeted toward tourists. With a full menu and guest taps as well as their own offerings, they’re located toward the more touristy area just off of the beach in a big multi-use development.
I will say that I wasn’t really much into what they offered. I tried a flight here as well, but nothing really stood out. I tried everything from their PB & Oats stout to their Cup of Joe coffee brown ale, as well as Oh My Gourd Pumpkin Ale and their Slightly Sour Ale. If you’re looking for a place akin to Rock Bottom Brewery or BJ’s Brewhouse, this might be your spot.
Wasserhund
My last night in Virginia Beach I decided to hit up Wasserhund. Located a few miles away from the beach in a more suburban area, Wasserhund brews German-inspired beers and has a dog theme with many of their beers named after breeds of dogs. They also have a decent sized menu, with pizza being the most popular item. I tried the pizza, and it was decent, but the beer was very solid.
First I tried the Bavarian Brunette dunkelweizen, which was a very good hybrid blend of the dunkel and hefeweizen styles. I also enjoyed their Atta Boy Altbier which was a little darker.
The taproom is a little harder to find in a strip mall, but they have a decent sized space with a big bar and plenty of seating. It’s definitely worth going a little off of the beaten path to check this place out.