The foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains rise quickly as you drive west from Charlottesville. Snake into those hills a little bit and you’ll find Waynesboro and Staunton, where a wealth of history and wonderfully preserved architecture surrounds several craft beverage producers worth seeking out.
If you’re getting an early start, head over to Crucible Coffee Roasters, located in the Staunton Wharf Area Historic District. Owners Brandon Bishop and Kean Ivey have converted a former auto garage into their coffee roastery and cafe. Bishop and Ivey have been friends since they attended Miller School together, and each brings coffee industry experience to the partnership. Both Bishop and Ivey are originally from small mountain towns, and they opened in Staunton because it’s a place where they knew they could build relationships with regular customers. Crucible has also sought out local partnerships and provides espresso service at nearby Reunion Bakery.
Just a few steps away, you’ll find the tasting room of Ox-Eye Vineyards. The vineyards themselves are in the Shenandoah Valley, an area becoming known in the Virginia wine industry for cooler temperatures, lower rainfall, and limestone soils. At their highest point, Ox-Eye’s vineyards reach 1,830 feet with east-southeast facing slopes, allowing sun exposure during the day while preserving cooler temps at night. Owners John and Susan Kiers specifically chose this site in order to focus on German and Austrian grapes, which are less common locally. Ox-Eye is well regarded for its riesling, which is among the best expressions of the grape in Virginia. The vineyard’s 100 percent estate-grown wines are also noteworthy for varieties such as grüner veltliner, traminette, pinot noir, and lemburger (also known as blaufränkisch).
For excellent beer, head to Basic City Beer Co. in Waynesboro. Historically, Basic City was an industrial town focused on steel making, located next to Waynesboro at the crossroads of two railroads. Present day Waynesboro is the result of a merger of the two cities, but in the old times, the Waynesboro side of the river was dry, and Basic City was the place to get a beer. The brewery was founded in 2015 by the Lanman brothers and is housed in a former industrial complex once home to metalcrafters. The renovated space speaks to this history, and features indoor and outdoor seating, a large selection of taps at the bar, and food service. While the success of the brewery led to a second location in Richmond in 2018, this is a truly local producer that takes its name and inspiration from its Waynesboro roots.
And if you get bored of central Virginia, blast off to the red planet. Or, at least, check out Ciders from Mars, which opened a tasting room, production space, and laboratory in downtown Staunton this May. Co-owners Nikki West and Jeremy Wimpey are focused on sourcing local apples for cider and other local fruits for co-ferments. Prior to opening, they established an apple orchard in western Augusta County to grow apple varieties specifically suited for cider making, and West, a geochemist by training, did coursework at the Cider Institute of North America. In her role as cidermaker, West’s background in science is part of the brand identity, emphasized by the 100ml laboratory beakers used to serve tasting flights. West also clearly sees cider as an artistic endeavor and seeks synergy between science and art. Ultimately, the goal for the downtown Staunton space is that it becomes not just a place for their cider, but a community space to experience local music and art.
Tips for tippin’ it back
Crucible Coffee Roasters
The true rewards of buying from an area roaster is coffee that is extremely fresh. In addition to seasonal selections of single-origin producers, Crucible offers four house blends that cater to different tastes. Before the Dawn is a combination of Central and South American washed and natural beans. It’s a bold, darker roast full of chocolate and smoke flavors. ($10/12oz) cruciblecoffee.com
Ox-Eye Vineyards
Riesling is the star at Ox-Eye. The 2019 Riesling ($18/750ml) is high-toned, off dry, with lemon-lime citrus flavors and hints of honeysuckle. The 2019 Scale House Reserve Riesling ($22/750ml) has more weight and texture, with flavors of white peaches and nectarines and a long citrus acidity on the finish. Both are excellent examples of what riesling can be in Virginia when grown in cooler-climate vineyards. oxeyevineyards.com
Basic City Beer
A full range of styles is available on tap and there are also cans for purchase. The Thresh ($9.99/6-pack), is an excellent version of traditional hefeweizen that is smooth and easy drinking with forward banana and clove flavors. Also recommended, the Motown Maibock ($10.99/6-pack), a German-style lager traditionally released in spring. Basic City uses the increasingly popular New Zealand Pacifica hop in its version, lending floral and orange citrus aroma to a bready, malty body that’s slightly reminiscent of graham crackers. basiccitybeer.com
Ciders from Mars
The highly recommended Pathfinder ($16/750ml) is one of two flagship blends at Ciders from Mars. It balances a bright fruit acidity with just a hint of residual sugar. The result is crowd-pleasing and easy drinking without being overly sweet. You’ll find a bottle disappears much more quickly than expected. cidersfrommars.com
