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Strangeways Brewing

Strangeways Brewing is a one-of-a-kind, 8,400 square-foot production brewery that is open to the public daily. It houses multiple tasting room spaces, and always has 36+ unique beers on tap. RateBeer named Strangeways “Best Brewery Tap Room in Virginia” in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. One of the tasting room spaces houses an exquisitely peculiar bar, laden with hundreds of curious oddities and breweriana pieces. A second tasting room space allows you to view the brewing equipment and processes alongside a backdrop of 200+ spirit and wine barrels, in which a variety of unique beers are carefully aged for your imbibing pleasure. In addition, there is an outdoor Biergarten where you can enjoy the weather, grab a bite to eat from the ever-rotating food trucks on site, relax with the pooches, or play some cornhole. The exquisitely peculiar main bar, along with funky decor showcased by local artisans throughout the brewery, are not to be missed while visiting RVA.

Savor locally hand crafted beers on premise by the glass or tasting goblet. Take beer to-go by the bottle, Growler, Grunt, Can-Able Crowler, or Blue Ball mason jar, and procure some unique brewery merchandise during your visit. Outfitted with a 20 barrel brewhouse, this is where we unhinge the status quo, break through the boring, and invite the unknown. Make Strangeways Brewing one of your adventure destinations for regular tastings, tours, event/private party bookings, and whatever strange events we come up with.

In search of craft beer out of the ordinary? So are we. That’s why we spend our days toiling away, creating exquisitely peculiar concoctions to satisfy the most curious of cravings, persnickety of palates and inquisitive of individuals. That said, we strongly encourage you to do two things: Think Strange. Drink Strange. You’ve already taken the first step.

About Strangeways

Neil Burton, the founder of Strangeways Brewing, has always had a penchant for exploring the unknown, especially when it comes to beer. As a result, he has found himself in some of the more peculiar corners of the world tasting as many unique beers as possible. What he discovered on his journeys is not of great importance. But what he returned with is—a profound passion for, and acute knowledge of, implausibly good beer.

Combining this fixation on great beer with his penchant for the unfamiliar, Neil imbedded himself in Virginia’s burgeoning craft brew culture. Realizing he didn’t want to merely be a spectator of the craft beer business, Neil began tirelessly working towards the goal of what would eventually become Strangeways Brewing.

We fought the law and our law won.

At first, Neil intended to create a new brand of beer by utilizing another’s existing brewing facility (often referred to as alternating proprietorship). However, he quickly found that the law would not allow for such an arrangement. So, working with Virginia legislators, he set to change the law. And it worked. But by the time the bill had passed (House Bill 359), Virginia’s mushrooming craft beer industry had experienced historic growth and breweries no longer had the capacity to make their space available to others. Still, Neil was pleased to have helped broaden the possibilities for future brewery projects to enter the craft beer market.

With more than three years of research and business planning behind him, Neil had devoted so much time and effort to the venture that he knew he could take on opening his own brewery—just not alone. Fortunately, at the Governor’s signing of the bill he had proposed, he met someone with a love of beer that is equally irrational only to his own.

Strangeways becomes a two-headed-beast.

It could be kismet, or it could be completely random that Neil should meet long-time brewer Mike Hiller. Either way, it seems the two are nothing short of a natural pairing. Combining Neil’s industry knowledge and entrepreneurship with Mike’s extensive brewing experience, all the pieces just fit. Their mutual desire to use the finest ingredients, pursue the imperfect, entertain their curiosity and add an element of anomaly to the brewing world is indeed what fuels the strange in Strangeways Brewing.

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