Helles Lager

Style: Helles Lager

ABV: 4.5 %

IBU: 25

Package: Draft & 16oz 4-Packs to-go

Our Helles recipe results in a beer with a clean finish, a bready body, and a touch of hop flavor and aroma. It relies on a fairly simple and traditional recipe, producing a beer that presents as a classic example of the popular Southern German lager. It has a round body with a rich but mild malt character that leans toward fresh baked bread and raw dough, the hops deliver floral and subtlety spicy noble character and a restrained bitterness that aids the dry finish, making for an incredibly easy drinking beer.

Grains: Pilsner, Chit Malt, Honey Malt, Acid Malt

Hops: Hallertauer Mittelfrüh

Yeast: House Lager

Style: Vienna Lager
ABV: 5.0%
IBU: 25
Package: Draft & 32oz. Crowler Cans to-go

Our Vienna Lager is a bready display of smooth malt tones and subtle German hops. While we brew many beers that embrace balance and tradition, this lager exemplifies that approach.

It has a sweet leaning rich malt tone but with a fairly dry and crisp finish that is elevated by floral hop notes. It displays a profile full of fresh biscuits, toast, and nutty multigrain bread. It leans toward caramel but with a much more restrained sweetness that allows its medium body to be balanced by subdued bitterness and a dry finish.

Grains: Vienna, Chit Malt, Acid Malt
Hops: Nugget, Saaz
Yeast: House Lager

Style: Maibock
ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 20
Package: Draft & 500ml Bottles

Our Earth to Beer Maibock is part of a national Earth Day beer campaign that raises funds for environmental organizations across the country. We worked with Shalom Farms, a nonprofit farm and food justice organization, to brew a lager with sweet potatoes and yarrow. We deeply admired their dedication to equitable and healthy food systems, and this project will help promote and raise funds for their mission and their work.

One of their two farms is located less than 10 miles down the road from our brewery, which is where we sourced the sweet potatoes and yarrow for this project. We roasted those sweet potatoes and mashed them in with Murphy & Rude malts and organic raw wheat, from Greater Richmond Grains. The yarrow we dried, before adding it to the whirlpool along with Greenmont Mother hops from Greenmont Hopworks.

Sourcing in this way helps us to reduce our carbon footprint, both reducing the costs and environmental impact of shipping. It also allows us to have a more direct relationship with the quality of the ingredients we work with, and allows us to support the community and businesses that call our region home. Beyond that, focusing on local and sustainable sourcing ensures that our beers are rooted deeply in a sense of place, and that they are a reflection of the farms and forests that surround our brewery.

The yarrow and sweet potatoes contribute rustic notes to their otherwise traditional Maibock, transforming this spring lager into an herbal and earthy expression of both ingredients. The aroma leads with yarrow derived notes of fresh sage and baked apples alongside malt tones of dried grass and graham cracker. The flavor of the beer is spicier, with upfront notes of allspice and ceylon cinnamon that fade into a rich sweet potato like earthiness. On the palate this beer is sweet at first, with a pleasant roundness, but restrained bitterness and natural carbonation combine to produce a refreshing dry finish.

This beer is released as part of a national campaign called Earth To Beer. More than 35 breweries in over 20 states are participating by making specially packaged beer with environmentally responsible ingredients and by giving back to local environmental organizations that make Earth Day their every day.

Grains: Murphy & Rude Virginia Pils, Murphy & Rude Vienna, Murphy & Rude Munich, Greater Richmond Grains Organic Raw Wheat, Murphy & Rude Chocolate Wheat
Hops: Greenmont Hopworks, Greenmont Mother
Yeast: House Lager
Other: Shalom Farms Sweet Potatoes, Shalom Farms Yarrow

Style: Saison
ABV: 6.0%
IBU: ?
Package: Draft & 500ml Bottles

We made this Saison exclusively with ingredients from Virginia. The mash was a blend of Murphy & Rude barley and spelt, as well as Greater Richmond Grains Organic Raw Wheat. We then hopped it with freshly harvested Comet hops grown by L&M Farms, located just down the road in Powhatan, Virginia. Fresh hops retain a lot more of their moisture content, which is why they are sometimes called wet hops; they also display more of the unique character of their local growing region. Finally we fermented it with Ghost Ale yeast from RVA Yeast Labs, before giving it time to condition and naturally condition.

The fresh, Virginia grown, Comet used in this Saison lends a floral aroma, with highlights of clover and honeysuckle, as well as malt driven notes of fresh hay and melon rind. The flavor is more fruit-forward with notes of dried peaches and citrus zest alongside peppery yeast drive spice. The spelt and raw wheat soften the otherwise dry and light body of this beer, and a mild bitterness helps to create a snappy finish.

Grains: Murphy & Rude Virginia Pils, Murphy & Rude Malted Spelt, Greater Richmond Grains Organic Raw Wheat
Wet Hops: L&M Farms Comet
Yeast: RVA Yeast Labs, Ghost Ale

Style: Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 6.2%
IBU: 6
Package: Draft & 500ml Bottles (limited)

This beer is meant to highlight our favorite elements of fresh Farmhouse ales. It combines our House Saison yeast with bright Cashmere hops and Murphy & Rude 6-Row Pale, to produce a lively refreshing beer.

The aroma leads with lemongrass and tropical fruit before giving way to subdued fruity Belgian yeast. There are flavors of dried hay and ripe melon alongside lemon zest and a subtle spicy yeast character. The mouthfeel is round and soft at first, but robust natural carbonation and a dry finish combine to produce a snappy refreshing beer.

Grains: Murphy & Rude 6-Row Pale
Hops: Cashmere
Yeast: House Saison

Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.0%
IBU: 38
Package: Draft Only & 32oz. Cowler Cans to-go

From time to time we find ourselves yearning for the classic character of a more traditional Pale Ale. The kind of Pale Ale that has a biscuity malt backbone with just a hint of caramel, and enough bitterness to keep it from being sweet. It is for this nostalgia that we brewed this Retro Pale Ale.

It has an aroma reminiscent of fresh pine needles, grapefruit zest, and sweet shortbread. The flavor combines resiny, spicy, hops with richer malt tones and a bright upfront bitterness that mellows toward the finish.

Grains: Murphy & Rude 6-Row Pale, Vienna, Caramel Malt, Acid Malt
Hops: Simcoe, Chinook, Citra
Yeast: Kveik
Other: none

Style: IPA
ABV: 7.0%
IBU: 8
Package: Draft Only

Vitalism is a hazy IPA dry hopped with Mosaic and Cashmere. Combined these two hops produce a bright aroma of tropical fruit, with notes of freshly cut papaya and peach nectar. The flavor carries some of these fruity tropical tones but also introduces bergamot, citrus zest, and mild floral notes. Vitalism has a medium body and a round mouthfeel that is paired with enough bitterness to avoid feeling too rich.

Grains: Pilsner, Flaked Oats, Flaked Wheat, Chit Malt, Acid Malt
Hops: Mosaic, Cashmere, Cryopop
Yeast: Kveik

Style: Foraged IPA
ABV: 7.2
IBU: 50
Package: Draft & 32oz. Crowler Cans to-go

There is something about the smell of fresh pine needles that evokes a sense of crisp winter days and long cold nights. We hoped to capture some of that in this IPA by brewing it with Virginia and Loblolly pine tips along with a malt base featuring Murphy & Rude Soft Red Wheat. Pine tips like these can add a wide range of flavors and aromas that go beyond just pine. The Virginia Pine we used displays more on the aroma, showcasing a distinct citrus character alongside fruity hops. The Loblolly brings more earthy resiny notes to the flavor and a minor herbal note to the finish.

Grains: Pilsner, Murphy & Rude Soft Red Wheat, Murphy & Rude Cimmerian Wheat, Acid Malt
Hops: Simcoe, Mosaic, Cashmere, Chinook
Yeast: House Ale
Other: Foraged Virginia Pine Tips, Foraged Loblolly Pine Tips

Style: Porter
ABV: 6.8%
IBU: 30
Package: Draft & 500ml Bottles

We worked with Batteaux Coffee Co, a family owned and operated coffee roaster located just down the road from our brewery, to select a Medium Roast coffee that would complement and elevate this traditional Porter.

Conditioning the beer on the coffee resulted in a surprisingly easy drinking porter. It has a big aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and cold brew, with more subtle notes of cocoa nibs and pecans. The flavor has a pronounced black coffee note, but also highlights of baking chocolate and toasted biscuits. While medium bodied, this Porter has a mild bitterness that creates a dry finish.

Grains: Vienna, Munich, Murphy & Rude Brown Malt, Honey Malt, Chocolate Malt, Crystal Malt, Black Malt
Hops: Falconer's Flight
Yeast: House Ale
Other: Batteaux Coffee, Medium Roast

Style: Brett Saison
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 30
Package: Draft & 750ml Bottles

This Saison was made with the intention of highlighting what we like so much about Brettanomyces. It was brewed with a blend of Murphy and Rude 6-Row Pale and Malted Wheat, as well as a generous addition of Mountain House Wildflower Honey. We open fermented it with our preferred house Saison yeast and then transferred it to Blenheim Vineyards’ Petit Verdot Barrels. There we introduced our favorite isolate of Brettanomyces bruxellensis, which produces a restrained funk alongside subtle citrus and tropical notes. We rested the beer in those barrels for nine months before packaging it and allowing it to naturally condition for another eight months.

This process produced a beer with a delicate profile that is both approachable and complex. The aroma is a funky blend of white grape, rambutan, and dried lemon. The flavor is Brett forward, with notes of leather and fresh hay, as well as light citrusy tones of yuzu and citron. At first the body of this beer is round but that quickly gives way to a subtle tartness, and bitterness, that accent a dry finish and lively carbonation.

Grains: Murphy & Rude 6-Row Pale, Murphy & Rude Malted Wheat
Hops: Barbe Rouge
Yeast: House Saison, Brettanomyces bruxellensis
Other: Mountain House Wildflower Honey

Style: Brett Saison
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 30
Package: Draft & 500ml Bottles

We brewed this Saison with a base of Murphy & Rude Virginia Pils and European malted spelt, before we open-fermented with a co-pitch of Saison yeast and our favorite isolate of Brettanomyces bruxellensis. After primary fermentation we dry hopped it generally with New Zealand Nectaron & Motueka. We then packaged it and allowed it to naturally carbonate and condition for almost 10 months before release.

The resulting beer displays a fragrant sweet bouquet of dried pineapple, tropical smoothie, and peach candy. The flavor is more citrus leaning with pronounced notes of calamansi, fresh orange juice, and mild earthy brett funk. The body is soft and round, but is quickly cut by vigorous natural carbonation and a dry finish that highlights a mild refreshing tartness.

Grains: Murphy & Rude Virginia Pils, Malted Spelt
Hops: Nectaron, Motueka, Hallertau Blanc
Yeast: House Farmhouse Blend
Other: Clear Belgian Candi Sugar

Style: Bière de Vin 

ABV: 5.5% 

IBU: 35 

Package: 750ml Bottles

This Bière de Vin is a blend of two Brett Saisons, one aged in wine barrels for 20 months and the other for 9 months, that were blended and then conditioned on Cabernet Sauvignon grape skins from our friends at Blenheim Vineyards.

Prior to conditioning, this blend was a fruity and funky Saison with floral notes and a crisp minerality. It had some mild yeast derived spice, alongside light malt tones of hay and wheat flour from a grist of Murphy & Rude 6-Row and Epiphany malted Triticale

Conditioning on the Cabernet Sauvignon for three months transformed the beer significantly, lending it a beautiful garnet hue and a fruit forward aroma of cranberry and tart cherry. The brett in this beer still makes itself known, blending a pleasant leathery funk with aromatics of dry red wine. Natural carbonation adds a liveliness to the mouthfeel, and brings flavors of strawberry and raspberry to the foreground, while allowing darker notes of pomegranate and oak to still shine through. The finish is incredibly dry with noticeable tannins and a very gentle acidity.

Grains: Murphy & Rude 6-Row Pale, Epiphany Modern Pilsner, Epiphany Malted Triticale, Murphy & Rude Soft Red Wheat
Hops: Nugget, Elixir, Barbe Rouge

Yeast: House Saion, Brettanomyces Bruxellensis

Other: Blenheim Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Pomace, Mountain House Wildflower Honey

Style: Bière de Printemps
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 30
Package: 750ml Bottles

Literally meaning “Spring Beer,” our Bière de Printemps is brewed as a celebration of the return of warmer weather. While every year’s version is different, they are always beers that are designed to be refreshing, highly drinkable, and brett forward. This year's version is an open fermented Farmhouse Ale, brewed with a base of Murphy & Rude Virginia Pils, as well as European malted spelt. It was fermented with a co-pitch of Saison yeast and Brett Brux before being packaged and allowed to naturally carbonate and condition.

The culture that fermented this beer dominates its aroma, which is fruit forward, displaying notes of tart calamansi, alongside funky muscadine, and citrusy chamomile. The flavor allows notes from the malt to come through, creating a blend of dried grass and hay, with funkier notes of over-ripe papaya and pineapple. The body has some roundness but is quickly cut by vigorous natural carbonation and a dry finish that highlights a subdued refreshing bitterness.

Grains: Murphy & Rude Virginia Pils, Malted Spelt
Hops: Hallertau Blanc
Yeast: House Farmhouse Blend
Other: Clear Belgian Candi Sugar

Bière de Noël, 2023

Style: Bière de Noël
ABV: 9.6%
IBU: 20
Package: 750ml Bottles

Bière de Noël is a style traditionally brewed as a celebration of winter. They are rich, strong, dark, Belgian and French Ales that are often brewed with a modest amount of spices. Ours follows in this tradition and is brewed with clove, ceylon cinnamon, sweet orange peel, and a moderate amount of vanilla.

This produces a deceptively sweet and fruity bouquet of dried fig, Glühwein, and spiced cookies. The flavor is less sweet, and features notes of dried cherries, dates, and a blend of spices from both the yeast, and the addition of cinnamon and clove. At first sip, this beer has a creamy texture and medium body, but natural carbonation and a subtle warmth, that hints to its strength, help to dry out the palate.

Grains: Weyermann Barke Pilsner, BEST Vienna, Dingemans Special B, BEST Chit, Murphy & Rude Cimmerian Wheat
Hops: Nugget
Yeast: Belgian Ale
Other: Belgian Extra Dark Candi Syrup, Sweet Orange Peel, Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, Ceylon Cinnamon, Clove

16.9oz. Can