No doubt Charles Washington had an opportunity to taste the “small beer” brewed by his brother George Washington. The tradition of local brewing in Jefferson County continues, with more modern flavors. The Observer staff sampled a few local brews recently (and plans to continue their research).
Family Business Sees Growing Market For Local Beer
Aaron Blessing, who recently joined Bavarian Brothers Brewing as the head brewmaster, recounted the origin of his “beer journey” — “I started home brewing for off-campus parties when I was a student at Shepherd University in the late 1990s. I was renting a house in Harpers Ferry with a roommate who was from England. He introduced me to a whole different world of English and European style beers.”
Blessing found work as a carpenter after graduation but he continued with his brewing hobby. The housing recession that hit bottom in 2008 changed his path when he took a job with Mountaineer Brewing in Morgantown. Starting off on the packaging line, “pushing a broom” as he described it, his home brewing experience paid off and he was promoted to assistant brewer after a year. In the late 2010s, experienced brewers were in high demand. Blessing ended up at Vanish Brewery in Lucketts by 2017, and was soon recruited by Antietam Brewing to run the brewing operation there.
Blessing noted that it’s a big change moving from the large production environment to the Bavarian’s single-barrel system, but he says the tap room experience allows for a lot more creativity and customization. “It’s an opportunity to create a curated experience” for the customers who appreciate good beer.
Bavarian Brothers Brewing, 164 Shepherd Grade Road, Shepherdstown (at the Bavarian Inn Resort). Open daily. Web: BavarianInnWV.com.
Farmhouse Brewing In Charles Town
Michael Vance, the brewmaster at Abolitionist Ale Works, considers himself a beer geek. He’s always experimenting, which is part of the reason why his lineup of 20 brews on tap changes every week. Vance considers himself a farmhouse style brewer, using wild yeasts in his beer. Some of his experiments include mixing multiple strains of yeast in a single batch to create tastes not typically found in production-style brewing.
Vance doesn’t have a large space for his brewing system, so of necessity he does a lot of his fermenting in barrels. Unlike stainless steel fermenters, the barrels are not temperature controlled, so Vance will be sampling each barrel over the course of several weeks to get it to where he wants it. As he describes it, “I let the yeast do its own thing, and give the beer more time to mature. Time is one of the ingredients that’s missing from a lot of beer.”
Michael’s brother Josh handles the tavern side of the business. Their goal was to create a friendly neighborhood pub for locals — and welcome visitors who appreciate their hand-crafted beer. The tavern will fit 100 comfortably, with a small outdoor garden in the rear. Josh says he plans to host live music this summer, restarting a tradition that has been on pause for a few years. Abolitionist will also be hosting a beer garden at WV Fest (Jun 15, downtown Charles Town).
Abolitionist Ale Works, 129 West Washington St, Charles Town (downtown). See website for hours: AbolitionistAleWorks.com. Tel: 681-252-1548.
New Brewpub Across The River From Shepherdstown
As the saying goes, if Jeff and Dorrie Pilot had a nickel for every time they were asked when their craft brewery on Shepherdstown Pike would open, they would be rich. Four years after the couple purchased the Sharpsburg property where a VFW Post had once operated, Potomac Ridge Brewing has officially opened its doors.
Potomac Ridge Brewing’s on-tap offerings include their own recipes as well as a rotation of beers from other craft breweries in the region. A dozen distinctive pizzas are on the menu including the Forager, with locally grown mushrooms, the Pickle Pie, and the Mountain Mama with pink ‘shine sauce. An assortment of other food items and full-serve bar service rounds out the menu.
On opening day last month, unseasonably warm weather drew visitors out to enjoy the new establishment’s covered outdoor pavilion and firepit. On the same 8-acre property, the Pilots offer a different type of beverage at Little Brick Coffee which opened in December 2022.
Potomac Ridge Brewing, 16609 Shepherdstown Pike, Sharpsburg MD (just over the river). See website for hours: PotomacRidgeBrewing.com. Tel: 240-200-9832.
What’s Brewing Nearby
Rippon Brewing Company
A farmhouse brewer using hops, barley, wheat & rye grown and malted locally on Rippon Lodge Farm. Taproom open Fri & Sat (starting April 1), 4-7 pm. 2153 Berryville Pike, Rippon WV. Web: RipponBrewing.com.
Amani Brewing Company
Small craft brewer with taproom and kitchen. Regular schedule of events, kid & dog friendly. 654 Ropp Drive, Martinsburg WV. See website for hours: Amani-co.com. Tel: 301-842-4406.
Cacapon Mountain Brewing
Cacapon Mountain calls itself a family-friendly brewpub. Located at 42 Williams St, Berkeley Springs WV (in the old sock mill), the on-site brewery takes advantage of the famous spring waters. The taproom hosts live music and kids are welcome if accompanied by a parent. Outdoor seating is available (dogs welcome outside, but not in the taproom). See website for hours: CacaponBrewing.com.
By Steve Pearson