And last but certainly not least, the finale of our Virginia Beach brewery tour. Actually, one may be least but more on that later.
Commonwealth Brewing Company (Virginia Beach, VA)
Built in an old fire station, this vibrant brewery in Virginia Beach, VA has enough beer and seating for 80+ patrons, and if it wasn’t a random weeknight we imagine the scene would be mobbed. The night is getting late, so we didn’t have a whole lot of time to chat with the bartender so we just ordered 12 of the 16 available beers and went to town.
Since we ordered 12 samples, I’m only going to highlight six of our favorites:
- Burgundy: This is a classic Belgian dubbel with a sweet flavor, great color and not too boozy in the palate. While this isn’t anything unique, it is a well-built take on one of our favorite styles.
- Trishna: This was Melissa’s favorite of the flight. A blood orange, lime zested, lemon juice, sour gose. While I don’t always care for sour beers, this beer came as advertised so it was appreciated all around. All the flavors described in the taste profile were present in a not overly-soured profile.
- Supernaculum: Described as a showcase for Takima Valley hops, this grapefruit and pine IPA sat at 7%, 70 IBU. I’m not sure what a Takima Valley hop is, but profile was bitter and clean; a good change up from the “juice bombs.”
- Big Papi: The best on flight IPA in Kyle’s and my opinion; which just so happened to be a “super juicy” DIPA. It’s a weak DIPA, with little potency and only subtle bitterness but the crispness was second to none. This was one of the few IPAs on our trip that I would consider purchasing over, and over again.
- Marvolo: There are only two things I can’t stand in this world. People who are intolerant of other peoples cultures, and the Dutch. However, the Dutch cocoa is highly appreciated in this dark coconut and cocoa roasted Imperial Stout. I’m not sure if it’s the coconut, or the chocolate, but the smooth texture was impressive despite the high abv (8.7%) and not being served from a nitro tap.
- Wapatoolie: This is the honorable mention beer IMO but it was one of Kyle’s favorites. It was a blend of pineapple and mango fermented with brett. Kyle was adamant that he could taste the pineapple and mango, but Melissa and I weren’t too sure. So heres to you Kyle-Kale; certified beerventurer.
Commonwealth Brewing Company is gorgeous. There really is no better description for the intricate and stylish renovation. However, the other word that comes to mind is expensive. The beer was great, but the price tag made this for one of our more expensive excursions. But you can’t put a price on quality and with that in mind, Commonwealth earns a must visit 4.15 out of 5.
Home Republic Brewpub (Virginia Beach, VA)
This is one brewery that we visited, but never got a chance to having a drink at. On a crowded Tuesday night, we were promptly seated out on the patio without so much as an issue. After about five minutes, we put in our drink orders. We waited patiently for close to 20 minutes before we flagged down the waitress. We were assured that the beer was on its way. Another 15 minutes go by and I run up to the bartender who told us that they were understaffed and the patio drink orders were never placed; which explains why there were no drinks outside at all despite being a full patio.
This is shitty management. I can understand being understaffed, and the bartender being overwhelmed, but if you’re a service professional you should not be lying to our faces and stringing us along for close to an hour.
Home Republic of Virginia Beach, VA doesn’t get a score. Instead it gets a big middle finger for wasting my time.
And thus ends our Virginia Beach leg of the trip. Thanks for reading and check back for our takes on Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Richmond stops!
