Category: News

Blacksburg, Virginia, September 28, 2017– Epic times are brewing at this year’s Blacksburg Brew Do, an award-winning craft beer festival held from noon-5pm on Saturday, October 7^th at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center. The festival includes two cooking and brewing demonstration tents that will engage and entertain festival goers throughout the day.

The Cooking with Beer tent, sponsored by Kroger, will feature local chefs showcasing recipes incorporating the beloved beverage of the day. The schedule of events for the Cooking with Beer tent is as follows:

12:30                   Beer Marinated Flank Steak with Black Rice and

Roasted Beet Salad with a Cranberry Gose Vinaigrette

Chef Chris Martin, Kroger

Chef Beth Richey, First We Nourish

1:30                     Smoked Smack Onions 

Chef Nick Edwards, BBQ Treat

2:30                     Beer Cheese Soup with Andouille Sausage

Chef Chang Lei Yun, Preston’s Restaurant

This year Starr Hill Brewery is sponsoring a crowd favorite, the Brew Tent. Here, local beer experts will lead discussions on beer and share their knowledge and skills on the art of homebrew. The Brew Tent schedule is as follows:

1:00                     Q&A Session with Starr Hill

Philip Drotleff, Brewer, Starr Hill Brewery

2:00                     Homebrew Demonstration: Equipment and Mashing
NRV Brewer’s Guild

3:00                     Homebrew Demonstration: Boiling
NRV Brewer’s Guild

3:30                     Vendor Relationships in Brewing
Thom Bradley, VT Business of Brewing

4:00                     Homebrew Demonstration: Fermentation

NRV Brewer’s Guild

“Each year, we get great feedback from attendees about how much they enjoy the cooking and brewing demonstrations offered at the festival,” said Blacksburg Partnership President Diane Akers. “We are thrilled that Kroger continues to sponsor the cooking area and excited to have Starr Hill Brewery onboard this year as the brew tent sponsor.”

In addition to the two demonstration tents, Blacksburg Brew Do will have a variety of food options from local restaurants and food trucks.

Participating Restaurants:

BBQ Treat

Blacksburg Bagels

Bull and Bones

The Cellar

The Chocolate Spike

Creole That

Hethwood Market

Holiday Inn NRV Mall

Manns Sausage

Nomad Coffee Co.

Till & Grill

Tickets for the 9th annual Blacksburg Brew Do can be purchased here or at both Blacksburg Kroger locations. Advance purchases are recommended, as day of event tickets will sell out quickly.

For complete information about the festival, visit http://www.blacksburgbrewdo.com or follow Brew Do on Facebook and twitter at www.facebook.com/blacksburgbrewdo and @bburgbrewdo.

Blacksburg, Virginia, September 22, 2017– One year before hitting its 10^th anniversary, Brew Do is already looking like a sellout, one of a kind day of fun. The event will welcome a record 60 breweries, pouring over 100 different types of craft beer, served up with local eats and beautiful October weather.

In addition to some of Virginia’s finest, known for their recent growth in the craft beer industry, Brew Do will also offer a number of unique, hard to find beer styles and selections in addition to fall favorites and brewery flagships.

New this year is the Premier ticket, offering a limited number of attendees, one-hour early attendance and the opportunity to taste special selections not available to the general public.

Get your tickets today at www.blacksburgbrewdo.com or at any Blacksburg Kroger store. Advance purchases are recommended, as day of event tickets will sell out quickly.

Don’t forget to follow Brew Do on Facebook and Twitter for the latest beer news and day of festival information.

Participating Breweries

 

Alewerks Brewing Company	Heritage
Apocalypse Ale Works	Highland Brewing Company
Ballast Point	Kentucky (Alltech)
Basic City	New Belgium
Bells Brewery	O’Connor Brewing Co.
Blue Mountain Brewery	Old Bust Head Brew Co.
Bold Rock Hard Cider	Oskar Blues
Boulevard Brewing Company	Pale Fire Brewing Co.
Brewery Ommegang	Parkway Brewing
Brothers Craft Brewing	Potters Craft Cider
Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill	Right Mind
Champion	Rising Silo
Chaos Mountain Brewing	The River Company Restaurant & Brewery
Cigar City	Seven Arrows Brewing Co.
Clubtails	Shock Top Beer
The Damascus Brewery	Smartmouth Brewing Company
Deschutes Brewery	Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers
Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company	South Street Brewery
Elysian Brewing	Starr Hill Brewery
Evolution Craft Brewing	Stone
Fair Winds	Studio Brew
Firestone Walker	Sweet Water
Foothills Brewing	Three Notch’d Brewing Company
Fordham & Dominion	Troegs Craft Brewery
Founders Brewing Company	Twin Creeks
Goose Island Beer Company	Victory Brewing Co.
Green Flash	Wild Wolf Brewing Co.
Greenbrier Valley	Winchester Ciderworks
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery	Wolf Hills Brewing Co.
Heavy Seas	Wyndridge Farm

 

Blacksburg, Virginia, August 28, 2017– Tickets for Blacksburg Brew Do, the New River Valley’s award-winning craft beer festival, go on sale August 28^th at both Blacksburg Kroger locations and online at http://www.blacksburgbrewdo.com/tickets/. This year’s event, to be held on October 7, will feature over 100 beers including, but not limited to, pale ales, stouts, ambers and seasonal selections, from more than 50 breweries from Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic, and beyond. Festival attendees will also receive a commemorative tasting glass and full access to festival events, including beer seminars and homebrewing demonstrations at the Starr Hill Brewery Brew Tent, Kroger “Cooking with Beer” demonstrations which showcase some of the area’s top chefs, live music and much more!

Tickets for 15 4-oz. tastings are $30 in advance and $35 at the gate.

NEW THIS YEAR: Premier tasting tickets are $55 in advance and $60 at the gate, allowing ticket holders one hour early festival access to enjoy beer and food beginning at 11am instead of noon. These tickets also include access to the Premier Beer Tent which includes 6 additional exclusive beer tastings, cocktail and moonshine samples from Belle Isle Craft Spirits, snacks, and seating.

ID is required for all tasting tickets.

Admission only tickets for designated drivers and guests ages 13 to 20 are $10. Children 12 and under are free. The festival may sell out, so purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended. This year’s event will be held at 1600 Innovation Drive in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center from 12-5pm, rain or shine.

For a list of breweries, event details, and to purchase tickets, visit www.blacksburgbrewdo.com or follow Blacksburg Brew Do on Facebook and Twitter at www.facebook.com/blacksburgbrewdo and @bburgbrewdo.

Blacksburg, Virginia, August 25, 2017 – The Blacksburg Partnership, a non-profit economic development organization serving the Blacksburg area, is seeking volunteers to help with the 9^th annual Blacksburg Brew Do, the New River Valley’s award-winning craft beer festival. The event will be held at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center on Saturday, October 7 from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm (with Premier Access from 11am – 12pm), rain or shine.

Nearly 300 volunteers will perform an assortment of tasks before and during the festival.  Positions include ticket sales, ID checkers, parking attendants, VIP tent hosts, beer pourers and many more. Outgoing personalities are desired to help in the cooking and beer demonstrations tent, while volunteers with exceptional organizational skills are needed for the ticketing and vendor check-in areas.  Organizations wishing to volunteer as a group are welcome.

Volunteers will receive a Blacksburg Brew Do “Crew” T-shirt, souvenir beer glass and full access to festival events before or after their shift.  To be considered for a beer pouring volunteer, you must be 21 or older. Those volunteers 21 and older will also receive 6 tasting tickets for beer samples. To register to volunteer or for more information, please visit the festival website at www.blacksburgbrewdo.com/volunteer.

Check out www.blacksburgbrewdo.com for a list of participating breweries, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, and complete festival details. Call 540.443.2008 or email info@blacksburgbrewdo.com for additional information, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Blacksburg, Virginia, August 23, 2017– The Blacksburg Partnership and The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center announce the 7th annual Blacksburg Brew Do Beer Dinner to be held Friday, October 6th at Preston’s Restaurant.

Grab your craft beer-loving crew for this entertaining social event and bond over your love of great beer and fine food. Preston’s specialty menu will feature seasonal cuisines paired with complementing brews from the region’s newest craft brewery, Ballast Point. Experts from the brewery will share their brewing techniques, talk about industry trends, and the art of pairing dishes with the perfect beer.  This is your chance to learn from the pros and get warmed up for the festival the next day.

“We’re so excited to be working with Ballast Point and Preston’s restaurant this year. Every year Preston’s raises the bar with outstanding menu options and beer selections, and this year is no exception. We can’t wait to share this tradition with other craft beer fanatics like ourselves,” said Blacksburg Partnership President Diane Akers.

The multi-course menu for the evening includes the below dishes, each paired with a Ballast Point Brewing Company beer:

Hors d’oeuvres

Pastrami Salmon Rye Toast

Whole Grain Mustard

Grunion Pale Ale

Whipped Boursin

Stuffed Mini Red Potatoes

Surprise Pairing

Soup

Beer Cheese Soup

Aged Cheddar, Smoked Sausage, Soda Bread, Chive Cream

Longfin Lager

Appetizer

Braised Pork Belly

White Cheddar Grits, Fig Glaze

Unfiltered Sculpin Extra Hopped IPA

Salad

Radicchio Salad

Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Arugula, Marcona Almonds, Lemon Confit, Shaved Parmesan, Beer Bread Croutons

Sea Rose Tart Cherry Wheat Ale

Main

Duck Confit

Tart Cherry Risotto, Brussel Sprout Leaves, Gorgonzola

Sour Wench Blackberry Ale

Sweets

Mascarpone & Balsamic Cheesecake

Stout Biscotti

Cinnamon Raisin Commodore American Stout

Tickets for the Blacksburg Brew Do Beer Dinner are $59 per person plus tax and gratuity. Space is limited. Call Preston’s Restaurant at 540-231-0120 for reservations or purchase tickets online at http://www.blacksburgbrewdo.com/beer-dinner/.

For a list of breweries, event details, or to purchase tickets to the festival on October 7, visit www.blacksburgbrewdo.com or follow Blacksburg Brew Do on Facebook and Twitter at www.facebook.com/blacksburgbrewdo and @bburgbrewdo.

Blacksburg, Virginia, August 15, 2017– The Blacksburg Partnership announces the seventh annual Howls and Meows charity fundraiser to be held in conjunction with Blacksburg Brew Do, an award-winning craft beer festival. This year’s event will be held on October 7^th from noon-5pm (with Premier ticket access from 11am – 12pm) at 1600 Innovation Drive in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center.

This year Howls and Meows will benefit the Crazy Cat Lady Animal Rescue, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit working to find permanent, loving homes for their fosters while providing them with temporary shelter and responsible medical care.

The Crazy Cat Lady Animal Rescue is dedicated to educating the public on the importance of pet sterilization, responsible pet ownership, and the humane treatment of animals. Additionally, they strive to reduce cat overpopulation by ensuring all of their fosters are sterilized and by participating in Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs. Since 2014, they have placed over 160 foster animals into permanent homes. You can help by adopting, volunteering your time, donating wish list items, or donating money to their emergency fund.

Be sure to drop by the Crazy Cat Lady Animal Rescue booth at Brew Do on October 7^th, where they will have some of their fosters up for adoption and where they will be selling t-shirts to help raise money for their organization. In addition, raffle tickets for participating brewery growlers and swag and will be sold throughout the festival with the proceeds benefiting the charity.

For a list of breweries, event details and to purchase tickets, visit www.blacksburgbrewdo.com or follow Blacksburg Brew Do on Facebook and twitter at www.facebook.com/blacksburgbrewdo and @bburgbrewdo.

Blacksburg, Virginia, July 25, 2017– The Blacksburg Partnership, in coordination with Starr Hill Brewery, announces the 9^th annual Blacksburg Brew Do Homebrew Competition.  Homebrewers from across the region are invited to see if their brew is good enough for “Best in Show.” This is a non-sanctioned event. Winners will be announced during the Blacksburg Brew Do, a craft beer festival, on October 7, 2017 at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center.

Submissions are broken into four simple color categories for logistical purposes: Amber, Dark, Light, and Specialty. Each brewer may submit up to three different brews.  The cost is $5 per entry.

Entries must be delivered to the Vintage Cellar on Monday and Tuesday, September 11^th and 12^th from 5:30-6:30pm. Vintage Cellar is located at 1338 South Main Street in Blacksburg. An additional drop off for those in the Roanoke region will also be held on these days from 5:30-6:30pm at the new Starr Hill Pilot Brewery and Side Stage located at 6 Old Whitmore Avenue in Roanoke.

All first, second, and third place winners will be listed on the Brew Do website and will receive a complimentary ticket to Blacksburg Brew Do. First place winners will receive a complimentary Premier access ticket. Second and third place winners will receive a complimentary regular admission ticket. Winners in each category will advance to the “Best in Show” round, which will be announced the day of the festival. The winner of “Best in Show” will have the opportunity to brew their recipe at the new Starr Hill Pilot Brewery in Roanoke, as well as win a customized growler made for this year’s competition by Star City Growlers.

At the festival, beer lovers can hang out at the Starr Hill Brewery “Brew Tent”, where brewing seminars and demonstrations will be hosted throughout the day. The Kroger “Cooking with Beer” will feature local chefs preparing and sampling their favorite recipes incorporating the beverage of the day- beer!

Homebrewers interested in competing must download and complete the entry form at www.blacksburgbrewdo.com/homebrew.

Check out www.blacksburgbrewdo.com for a list of participating breweries, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, and complete festival details. Call 540.443.2008 or email info@blacksburgbrewdo.com for additional information, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Blacksburg, Virginia, July 14, 2017– The Blacksburg Partnership, a non-profit economic development organization serving the Blacksburg area, announces plans for the 9^th annual Blacksburg Brew Do festival on Saturday, October 7. This year the festival welcomes back the best in craft brewers from the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond, offering another outstanding selection of ales, lagers, stouts, pilsners, ciders, and specialty beers. Delicious food, cooking and brewing demonstrations and live entertainment will compliment a great day of beer tasting.

 

New this year is the option to purchase a Premier Tasting Ticket, offering attendees the chance to get a jump on the day with early access to the festival beginning at 11a.m., along with additional exclusive beer tastings not available to regular admission attendees. “We’re excited to offer the Premium ticket option for our avid craft beer tasters,” said President Diane Akers. “I think this change is going to give our guests a truly enhanced experience.”

 

Brew Do takes place at 1600 Innovation Drive within the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (CRC). Parking will be available at the Chicken Hill lot on campus, and shuttles will run from ­­Chicken Hill to the festival grounds.

 

Tickets go on sale in early September at both Blacksburg Kroger stores and online at www.blacksburgbrewdo.com.

 

• NEW THIS YEAR: Premier tasting tickets are $55 in advance and $60 at the gate, allowing ticket holders one hour early festival access to enjoy beer and food beginning at 11am instead of noon. These tickets also include access to the Premier Beer Tent which includes 6 additional exclusive beer tastings, snacks, and seating.

 

• Regular tasting tickets are $30 in advance; $35 at the gate. NEW THIS YEAR: tasting tickets instead of wristbands. Attendees will receive tickets for 15, 4-oz beer tastings and have the ability to purchase additional tasting tickets throughout the day at designated locations on the festival grounds. These additional tickets will be available for 5 for $10.

 

• Non-Tasting tickets are $10.

 

Hundreds of volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks before and during the festival.  All volunteers will receive a Blacksburg Brew Do volunteer t-shirt, a souvenir tasting glass, and access to the festival before or after their shift with six tasting tickets. To become a volunteer or learn more, visit www.blacksburgbrewdo.com/volunteer.

 

Save the date for Saturday, October 7, 2017, and be sure to follow the festival on Facebook and Twitter for exciting updates. For complete details, visit www.blacksburgbrewdo.com or call 540.443.2008.