Richmond, Virginia’s new craft brewery is creating quality beers with a local focus. Their dual mission caters to the growing craft brew movement as well as the burgeoning buy-local movement.
Initially, says co-founder Eric McKay, their goal is to create quality beers that are unique, appealing to both new and seasoned craft beer drinkers. By focusing on less common styles, they avoid competing with the many popular craft beers that are already out there, focusing on crafting a quality brew that stands apart.
“We want to keep it interesting, unique and original,” says Brian Nelson, Hardywood’s brewmaster.
McKay and co-founder Patrick Murtaugh became friends in college and decided to start a brewery about ten years ago. The inspiration came from McKay’s stay in Australia, at Hardywood Park ranch, where the host was a home brewer. Since their decision, they have learned the ropes of the industry and brewed their own beers. McKay earned an MBA in marketing and Patrick his Siebel certification, joining his great grandfather and great uncle as Siebel graduates, and studied brewing in Germany.
As I’ve written about the craft beer movement and experienced it nationally and locally, I’ve seen how Richmonders have embraced quality brews–and I’ve seen how they support their own. Hardywood’s concept plays into both.
Local focus
Richmond’s new brewers aren’t from Central Virginia, but they decided that this would be the perfect place for Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Richmond has only two local breweries, so there’s plenty of room for more. Perhaps more important is Richmonders themselves. Hardywood Park co-founder Eric McKay describes the enthusiasm he has discovered here. “I don’t know if I’ve seen anything quite like Richmond,” he says, “for building community within craft beer lovers.” The passion for craft beer is strong and growing.
And Central Virginia is where Hardywood wants to stay. “We want to focus our energy here,” says McKay. For starters, distribution will remain local indefinitely. The partners intend to engage with the local community and build relationships, not use Richmond simply as a base for national expansion.
Engaging the community begins at the company’s brewery in Richmond’s Northside. The facilities will be open for tours and tasting. Hardywood will also host events at restaurants and stores throughout the community, building relationships and educating consumers.
Hand in hand with today’s passion for craft beers and independent breweries is the passion for supporting local products. Hardywood is positioned on both sides of these movements–they are counting on local support for their beers, but also determined to contribute to the movement. Already, they have utilized local businesses for brew ingredients and packaging needs.
Further, initial distribution will focus on local independent restaurants and retailers, where their beers will be available on tap and in large bottles. After all, McKay explains, the small independents have helped spread the excitement for craft beer, “so we want to be sure to give back to them.”
One unique idea for engaging the community is Hardywood’s “RVA IPA.” The India Pale Ale (IPA) style depends upon hop plants-the fresher the better. To make this RVA (Richmond, VA) community beer, Hardywood plans to give away rhizomes of hops to home hobby hop growers to cultivate, and then use the harvest for the finished brew.
To ensure that their impact on the community will be entirely positive, Hardywood brews will be green–not St. Patrick’s Day green, but sustainable. Their new facilities are wind powered, one of few breweries on the East Coast to make that claim. As part of the Dominion Virginia Green Power program, the energy they use is sustainable.
In addition, their spent grain-that part of the brewing process where the barley, wheat, or hops are discarded-will be used locally for composting and as supplemental feed for livestock.
Creating quality craft beers
All of this effort at community support would be short-lived, however, without enjoyable beers. A taste of the first two beers affirmed that this goal is within Hardywood Park’s reach.
Hardywood Singel, their flagship beer, is a Belgian abbey-style blonde ale, a bit dry with a whiff of tropical fruit in the aroma. It has a complexity that can appeal to beer geeks, yet it’s also very drinkable-mild, without overpowering flavors.
Fall 2011 they featured a seasonal pumpkin beer, with farmhouse ale as the base, using locally grown pumpkins and atypical spices: allspice joins traditional spice add-ins, while fresh Ceylon cinnamon sticks and fresh chopped ginger replace ground spices. The result is earthy and aromatic, a beer well suited for fall’s cooler temps, changing leaves, and hearty foods. Holidays brought a gingerbread stout, which morphed into a coffee stout, using coffee roasted locally. Virginians have more quality small batches to look forward to as the seasons change.
So far, it seems that Hardywood’s dual focus is well spent. The Singel is available throughout the area, and the Gingerbread Stout was rapidly tapped out whenever it appeared.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the reception,” says McKay. He describes the thrill he and Murtaugh are getting from Richmonders’ reactions: “To see someone taste our beer and enjoy it and get enthusiastic.”
As more people try Hardywood Park beers, that reception will certainly improve.