Brothers Chris and Phil Ray opened COTU in their hometown of Ashland, just twenty minutes from downtown Richmond, to celebrate a wide range of ale styles, and that’s exactly what you’ll find on the production brewery’s seasonal beer menu. COTU produces seasonal specials and a core lineup that includes Pocahoptas, a West Coast-style IPA, and an easy-drinking Slingshot Kölsch. Check out COTU’s collection of pinball tables and a pup-friendly patio with food trucks on the weekends.

Located in the quiet Lakeside neighborhood of Richmond’s North Side, Final Gravity has 15 to 20 taps that provide a versatile selection of IPAs and lagers. Original Gravity, a nicely stocked supply shop for home brewers, is the precursor next-door, and there may be no better place to talk shop with experts.

The Answer’s 56 taps pour a mix of inventive sours, super fruity quads, and smooth stouts. Thanks to the influence of sister Vietnamese restaurant, Mekong, the brewpub has one of the best bar menus in town, with options like rocket shrimp, crispy spring rolls, and pan-fried pork dumplings. In 2018, the James Beard Foundation named founder An Bui a semifinalist for Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer.

It might be tempting to overlook the second-oldest craft brewery in Virginia, but don’t be fooled — Charlottesville-born Starr Hill continues to produce some of the best beers around at its Richmond outpost. A rooftop boasts views of other breweries scattered across Scott’s Addition. While IPAs are the brewery’s strong suit, sours and stouts like a Little Red Rooster coffee cream brew are equally pleasing.

Väsen’s Belgian-meets-American style marries funky Belgian sours with cool IPAs and DIPAs. Co-founders (and cousins) Joey Darragh and Tony Giordano are committed to sustainable production and donating to environmental causes. Weekly events include climbing, running, and mountain biking clubs, all of which make enjoying Väsen’s Styrian Saison that much more refreshing.

Since opening in 2016, the Veil came out swinging, claiming awards for Best New Brewer in Virginia and #3 Best New Brewer in the world, according to Rate Beer. Each of the brewery’s three locations has a distinct vibe. The original in Scott’s Addition is an austere lounge with a solid line-up of food trucks on the weekend. An industrial-modern stunner in Forest Hill shares a space with Y Tu Mamá taqueria, Blanchard’s Coffee, and Charm School Study Hall. The eclectic and cozy Funkhaust Café taproom in the city’s West End has a small but significant sampling of crushable beers. 

Owned and operated by Courtney Mailey, Blue Bee Cider bills itself as Virginia’s first urban cidery. Right in the middle of Scott’s Addition, Blue Bee’s stone-walled patio is transporting, reminiscent of a European garden. Truckle Cheesmongers, a cheese and charcuterie counter, sells scrumptious grilled cheeses next to the indoor cider salon. Snag a cheese board and blackberry ginger frosé before posting up on the patio.

One of Richmond’s most celebrated breweries, Hardywood earned a following for its Gingerbread Stout (GBS among devotees), which draws long winter lines. The brewery’s 20-barrel brew house also puts out a well-rounded collection of lagers such as Hardywood Pils and IPAs like the piney Great Return.

A hopping North Side spot, Tabol is a small-batch brewery that excels at making sours and classic styles like the Aspect lager, a malty, dry beer that stands up brilliantly to the food truck fare customers consume on a sprawling deck on the weekends. Tabol uses wood barrels and foeders to age and ferment wild ales like Yo Soy Nada, which picks up its characteristic tang from prickly pear and lime.

The beer-brewing offshoot of Cirrus Vodka, Main Line focuses on live music and chill vibes with IPAs, stouts, and hard seltzers that go down easy. Try the crisp, clean Zeitgeist Kölsch on a hot summer day, or the Fresh Fluff American Stout for a creamy, marshmallow-tasting beer that borders on dessert.

From its a sleek and sophisticated tasting room in the Fan neighborhood, Canon & Draw pours fruity goses and malty porters as well as selections from sister brewery Steambell. Grab a group of friends for a night of trivia and pool at this cozy taproom. 

The only East Coast location of 25-year-old, California-based Stone Brewing has more than 20 taps pouring year-round and special releases. That includes Richmond originals like Give Me Stout or Give Me Death, a hoppy, berry-tinged imperial stout brewed in collaboration with locals Ardent Craft Ales and Hardywood. Non-beer lovers who tag along will appreciate Stone’s Buenavida Hard Seltzers, available in black cherry, mango, and watermelon lime.

Triple Crossing feels a bit like a hidden gem in Richmond’s Fulton neighborhood, offering visitors a a draft list brimming with hazy IPAs and crispy lagers, a satisfying food menu that includes Neopolitan-style pizzas pulled from a gorgeous wood-fired oven, and a pet-friendly patio. Try the Precursor Pils for a taste of summer in a pint glass.