Ten years ago legislation passed in Richmond allowing farm breweries to begin operating in Virginia. Loudoun’s beer scene - already on the map with several urban breweries – exploded in the decade since. From small, family-run breweries on rural dirt roads to sprawling mountain-top taprooms and beer gardens in farm fields, you won’t lack for a cold craft ale in any corner of the county. One of the pioneers on the scene was rustic Old 690 Brewing Company, tucked away in a green holler between Purcellville and Hillsboro.
“We knew it (farm brewing) would take off,” said Ronda Powell, co-owner of Old 690.
“So many of today’s breweries started on the porch at Old 690. We met with future brewery owners, they saw what we were doing and how they could improve upon it. We were the trailblazers for the industry.” Ten years on, Old 690 is more popular than ever, famous for innovative IPAs, seasonal beers such as the Wicked Old Lady Pumpkin Ale and live music.
As Virginia Craft Beer Month kicks off this week, it’s worth paying a visit to Old 690 and some of the other trailblazers of the booming Loudoun beer scene.
Farm Brewery Heaven
While Old 690 is rustic and intimate, Dirt Farm Brewing on the slopes of the Blue Ridge above Bluemont is grand scale. Owned by the Zurschmeide agribusiness family, the tasting room is fronted by a sweeping stone patio with rolling lawns and spectacular views of the Piedmont.
“What makes Loudoun’s beer culture so unique is all the different offerings and business models,” said Dirt Farm co-owner Janell Zurschmeide. “Whether industrial, downtown or in a rural setting, there’s something for everyone. Craft beer builds communities.”
Dirt Farm takes the farm aspect of the business seriously: apples, peaches and pears grown on the family’s farm are used in many of the beers; the all-time bestseller is the Tart 31 Cherry Ale, which is made from sour cherries harvested in their orchards each June. “Some say it drinks like wine,” said Janell, which would be appropriate given the family owns neighboring Bluemont Vineyard.
Using Local Produce
Talking local produce, Vanish Farmwoods Brewery in Lucketts has used hops grown on the 50-acre property in some of its beer while Flying Ace Farm Brewery & Distillery in Lovettsville uses rare heirloom Bloody Butcher corn in one of its cream ales.
For the ultimate farm beer experience, head to Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery in Waterford where the Farmhouse Ale – a hoppy, fruit-forward saison with hints of pepper and herb – was made entirely with ingredients grown in Loudoun, right down to a strain of yeast extracted from the grounds. Visit on a Saturday and you can drink it while browsing the dozen produce stands as part of the brewery’s weekly Farmers Market.
No. Eleven Kolsch
With such an exciting and enterprising beer culture in Loudoun, is it a surprise that a sporting legend – Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman – is part of the scene? This summer Zimmerman partnered with Middleburg’s Lost Barrel Brewing to create the “No. ELEVEN Kolsch” – a crisp, refreshing ale made with German hops and named for the number Zimmerman wore in his illustrious career with the Nats. Available at the Lost Barrel taproom and throughout Virginia and DC, including Nationals Park, a portion of the proceeds will go to Zimmerman’s ziMS Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis.
Good beer and a good cause? We can all drink to that.
