Best of the Brew Brews to Taste Charlottesville is proud to be home to a myriad of microbrewers, tap houses, distilleries and establishments that specialize in crafting or carrying outstanding handmade beers, ciders and spirits. Thomas Jefferson took great interest in creating not only wine but also beer and cider. Monticello, in conjunction with our own homegrown Starr Hill Brewery, has crafted an artisanal beer: Monticello Reserve Ale.
T ours & T astings G uide
A wonderful way to spend a fall afternoon or evening, the Brew Ridge Trail, which features a variety of the area’s local breweries, starts in historic Charlottesville and meanders through the scenic Albemarle and Nelson counties. There are many local limousine and taxi companies that offer special rates for tours of the trail. A map of the trail can be found online at BrewRidgeTrail.com. Virginia also has a long history of whiskey distilleries. The distillery at George Washington’s home Mount Vernon (in Northern Virginia) is still in operation and was once the largest in America, producing 11,000 gallons in 1799. Whiskey lovers can also tour a distillery in Sperryville and visit two Nelson County distilleries making local craft vodka, gin and bourbon. Spirits are high for the future of Virginia spirits.
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Fall 2016