Beers in the wild and wine in your trunk

A Woman with Backbone

How’s this for a job description: Hike East coast mountains, drink beer, take pictures, and get paid $20,000. That’s the deal Devils Backbone Brewing Company announced this year, and unsurprisingly, outdoor enthusiasts flooded the brewery’s inbox with applications. After reviewing thousands of eager hiker-drinkers’ pitches, DBBC appointed UVA alum Kristen Musselman to be its first Chief Hiking Officer.

Musselman, who currently works as a wilderness therapy field guide in Colorado, says she’s ecstatic to be spending the next six months hiking through all 14 states of the Appalachian Trail, while exploring little-known paths and outlooks along the way. “Like most things, there is no guidebook or roadmap that could have properly prepared me for how to be alone on this trail adventure,” says Musselman. “It’s the skinned knees, sweaty back, failed summits, and wrong turns that have continued to teach me how to be an outdoors woman and have given me the courage to continue taking on new challenges.”

Part of the hiking officer’s job is to visit each state’s best overlook, as chosen by Devils Backbone Instagram followers. To commemorate the journey, the brewery partnered with artist Dr. Tyler Nordgren to create Savor the View Vienna Lager labels that feature images of the overlooks.

“My three big passions are movement, people, and spending a ton of time outside, which is exactly what the CHO position was offering,” says Musselman. “I have such love for the outdoors and for connecting folks to the things that build them up.”

As for her recommendations for unknown hikes around Charlottesville? “First of all, I love Devil’s Marbleyard for a stunning boulder field climb, the Rivanna Trail for a trail run, or one of the many wineries, breweries, or coffee shops around the C’ville area for a post-hike read,” Musselman says. “Venturing a little further, a trip to Wintergreen, Sky Meadows State Park, Raven Rocks, or Bearfence Mountain are well worth the drive.”

Follow Kristen Musselman on her interstate journey via the brewery’s Instagram @devilsbackbonebrewingcompany.

Love of nature

Starr Hill Brewery is also connecting with the outdoors. The beer maker recently announced its Love Your River campaign, in partnership with the James River Association. For the month of May, one dollar from every six-pack sale of The Love, its unfiltered wheat beer, will go to river cleanup efforts. Additionally, Starr Hill is hosting two designated cleanup days for the James, in Lynchburg on May 2, and in Richmond on May 16. Volunteers will receive a T-shirt and an invitation to a thank-you reception. As the JRA says, “Be a James changer!”

Splendy’s back

C’ville frozen dessert lovers got some good news last week: Splendora’s Gelato is back. Its new brick-and-mortar location in The Shops at Stonefield is not open yet, but gelato (including many classic flavors) is available for pickup or delivery on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The virtual-for-now shop is also offering a variety of vegan cupcakes, with some of the proceeds going to AAPI Women Lead, which is dedicated to advancing the rights of Asian and Pacific Islander women in the U.S. Check out @splendyscville Instagram to see what gelato flavors are currently on tap, and text (757) 408-0719 to place an order.

Wine-ing back up

Another sign that life is returning to normal, or at least getting close: Market Street Wineshop will welcome shoppers inside beginning May 1. The local mainstay has kept the vino flowing during COVID by maintaining a personal connection with customers, and those services won’t change, says co-owner Sian Richards. “We have customers who drop us a line when they need a restock, and we put together a case of wines to their taste and budget,” she says. “Others ask us to pick out what we think will go with dinner that night, or their weekly menu, and then they just pop by to grab their order curbside.”

Special beer packs, a continuation of virtual wine tastings, and a refresh on the food and cocktail selections are among the reasons to keep your card on file at MSW. To learn more, visit www.marketstwine.com. —Will Ham