Amid the hustle and bustle of preparations last week in anticipation of Winter Storm Jonas, the team at Virginia Beer Co. was busy preparing for another momentous, albeit less apocalyptic, occasion.
After years of planning, co-founders Robby Willey and Chris Smith, along with brewmaster Jonathan Newman, worked despite the backdrop of snow to get ready for the first brew day at their Second Street brewery in Williamsburg.
If all goes to plan, the new craft brewery will have its first beer completed by mid-February, with a goal to finish seven more beers ahead of a grand opening tentatively scheduled for March.
“We’re all really excited,” Willey said.
Virginia Beer Co. was born out of friendship, the love of good beer and the seed of an idea that planted back in 2010. Willey and good friend Chris Smith, both of whom are alumni of the College of William & Mary, hatched the plan one evening, Willey said, while waxing poetic over beers about how “neither of us were quite in love with our careers.”
“We thought, ‘why can’t we make this our career,’” Willey recalled, referring to their passion for craft brews.
After much market research and a little soul searching, the friends settled on Williamsburg because of its budding craft beer scene and vibrant culinary scene. They also picked the Colonial Capitol because of its significance to them.
“Williamsburg is our authentic story,” Willey said. “It’s where we met and where we learned about craft beer.”
But the concept didn’t really take shape until 2012 when Chris left his job in the northeast and moved with his wife to Williamsburg. Willey followed, and then the pair brought on Newman, a professional brewer with SweetWater Brewing in Atlanta, Ga, in 2014.
The brewery’s first beer, Newman said, will come out of its five barrel system, which will produce Virginia Beer Co.’s craft beers. The goal with the first beer is to offer a unique craft brew that will set the tone for a series of original recipes that offer a range of flavors, colors and tastes from hoppy to dark.
“We want a good variety,” Newman said.
The brewery also has a 30 barrel system to produce year round beers targeted for the taproom as well as distribution to bars and restaurants. Newman said he plans to brew four year round beers and four craft beers. He hopes to feature a new craft beer each week.
Newman has already garnered attention for Virginia Beer Co. with two beers he did in collaboration with craft breweries Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards, based in Georgia, and AleWerks Brewing Company, also in Williamsburg. The beer for Twain’s, an imperial brown ale called Double Breakfast Brown, featured two types of coffee, including one from Aromas in Williamsburg, maple syrup and oats. The dark beer generated positive buzz, as did the red rye IPA called Public Frenemy No. One with AleWerks. The IPA sold out during its debut in August at the Whistle Belly beer festival in Williamsburg.
“It was great for us,” Willey said.
And soon, the brewery hopes to serve its own beer, under its own roof. The Virginia Beer Co. brewery, located at 401 Second Street, will feature a 2,000-square-foot taproom as well as 8,000 square feet dedicated to brewing, production and administration. Another 2,000 square feet of exterior space will house an outdoor beer garden.
The company will open first serving only in house, but Willey said a distribution deal is in the works to put Virginia Beer Co. brews in restaurants and bars, and eventually retail stores.
Over the next six weeks, Willey said he, Newman and Smith are in “full logistics mode” as they prepare for their grand opening, finalize a partnership with a distributor and research potential retail customers.
After more than five years of planning, things are getting real for the fledgling brewery. And that’s a good thing, Willey said.
“It has been a long time coming.”