“It’s a totally community-driven business,” he said. “We definitely have our local crowd here every week. And when we are busy, friends are always around to lend a hand.”
Filkoski has a place where the community can hang out. So can the folks passing through on their way to their place on the river, creek or bay. They sure do pass through. “Last summer, our Fridays were crazy,” Filkoski said.
His vision is tradition and staying local. “My first intention is to have traditional-style beers here,” Filkoski said. “German, Belgian, American, pilsners, lagers, ales, that’s our mainstay here.” His patrons “love all of our beers unless there’s that one specific type of beer they always stick to,” he said.
Sera Petras Photography
Owners Butch and Shelagh Filkoski, Shane and Lisa Womack, guest bartender John Jacob and head brewer Casey Blaylock.
Head Brewer Casey Blaylock brews an excellent beer, based on the reactions of my traveling crew who ordered beer by the flight. Er, flights plural. Nedvaluke, a fan of pilsners, had high praise for the Czech Pilsner in particular, which he said he could drink “all day.” And probably every day.
Sera Petras Photography
NNK Brewing Company offers a great selection of live music (featured here is country music singer Darcy Dawn) on Fridays and Saturdays.
“The clarity and color of these beers are excellent,” Mac Cartier said.
“Casey is the heart and soul of our brewhouse,” Filkoski said. “He has very high standards, which I appreciate.” We all do. Trust us.
Filkoski describes when Blaylock found out he was opening a brewery and saw the equipment. Blaylock, a brewer at Colonial Beach Brewing, asked if he could be Filkoski’s assistant. “I said, ‘Casey, are you crazy? I’ll be your assistant,’” Filkoski said.
Northern Neck Brewing offers 13 beers on tap. “Before Casey was on board, I assumed I’d be lucky to start with five to eight solid beers the first year,” he said. “Casey enabled us to always have 13 beers on tap, and they’re good,” Filkoski said.
They sell local wines from Ingleside Vineyards and also make a seasonal lager from 50 gallons of pressed grape skins. The Albariño Oeno blends Ingleside’s Alberiño grape skins and juice with a traditional lager. It flew off the shelf after Northern Neck Brewing offered it on Valentine’s Day.
“It was just a crisp, clean beer,” Filkoski said. “We dropped a slice of lime in it. It gave it that fresh, springy flavor, and people absolutely loved it.”
Northern Neck Brewing’s next big step is to become a distributor for its beers, which Filkoski hopes to launch next year at local grocery stores and elsewhere.
Northern Neck Brewing Company | 15804 Kings Highway, Montross | 804-493-3008 I nnkbrew.com
