2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup Winners

By Annie Tobey | August 9th, 2022

106 breweries entered 33 different style categories

Strangeways Brewing accepting an award at the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners on Aug. 8, 2022, at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery West Creek. Image by Annie Tobey

The Virginia Craft Brewers Guild (VCBG) held its award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners on Aug. 8, 2022, at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery West Creek. Several Richmond-area breweries entered and walked away with awards.

“It’s fitting that on the 10th anniversary of SB604, the Virginia Craft Beer Cup has the most competitors in its history. The VCBG is initiating new marketing programs to drive thirsty consumers to tasting rooms to help grow independent craft beer,” said

Brett Vassey, VCBG president and CEO, reminded attendees that 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of SB604, the law that enabled breweries to sell beer in their taprooms and enabled the growth of craft breweries in the Commonwealth.

A record 106 breweries competed in this year’s competition, including 14 new participants. Brewers were able to submit up to four beers to be judged in 33 different categories. A record 396 beers were entered in the competition.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recognition of August 2022 as Craft Beer Month in the Commonwealth of Virginia illuminated the statistics and benefits of craft beer locally:

Virginia is home to 314 licensed craft breweries.
The craft beer industry is a growing industry with $1.7 billion total economic impact and 14,263 jobs in brewing, distribution, retail and related businesses.
The production of craft beer stimulates economic growth in Virginia by supporting local farmers of grains, barley, fruit, vegetables, and hops, the manufacturing sector, distribution networks, and community revitalization.
Craft breweries support tourism revenue: 26% of tasting room patrons visit from outside the city, town, or state where the brewery is located.
Since the passage of SB604, the number of breweries in Virginia has grown 500%.
The Virginia craft beer industry ranks #1 in the South for breweries per capita and #17 in the United States.

2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners

ALTERNATIVE GRAIN(S) or SUGAR(S)

First Place: Makers Craft Brewery, Bragadocious
Second Place: Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Lucky Cat
Third Place: No award in this category

AMBER ALES

First Place: Lake Anne Brew House, Reston Red
Second Place: Iron Pipe Alewerks, Sassenach
Third Place: The Garage Brewery, Rusted Nail Amber Ale

Bingo Beer Company at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup. Photo by Annie Tobey — Bingo Beer Co.

AMBER LAGERS

First Place: Caboose Brewing Company, Vienna Lager
Second Place: Bingo Beer Company, Costa Chica
Third Place: Black Hoof Brewing Company, Full Quiver Marzen

AMERICAN LAGERS

First Place: Richbrau Brewing Company, Richbrau Lager
Second Place: Cedar Run Brewery, Tiller Lite Lager
Third Place: Harvest Gab Brewery, Stud Lite

BELGIAN WIT

First Place: Port City Brewing Company, Optimal Wit
Second Place: Ornery Beer Company, Down Wit It
Third Place: No award in this category

BRITISH BITTERS

First Place: Cooling Pond Brewery, Boswell’s Tavern Very Special Bitter
Second Place: Dancing Kilt Brewery, Bitter Duergar Ale
Third Place: Caiseal Beer and Spirits Co., Red Ale

Three Leg Run at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup. Photo by Annie Tobey — Three Leg Run

BROWN ALE

First Place: Tradition Brewing Company, Tradition Honey Brown
Second Place: Skipping Rock Beer Company, Roasted Pecan Brown Ale
Third Place: Three Leg Run, Paper Boy Brown Ale
Honorable Mention: Caboose Brewing Company, Boxcar Brown

CREAMS and BLONDES

First Place: Pale Fire Brewing Company, Taking Water
Second Place: Barley Naked Brewing Company, For Fox Sake
Third Place: Old Ox Brewery, Cream Ale

DARK EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Twin Creeks Brewing Company, Black Bar Bier
Second Place: Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Rusty Roadrunner Lager
Third Place: Barley Naked Brewing Company, Drop Your Schwarz

DOUBLE IPA

First Place: Alesation Brewing Company, Hopsneeze Gen2
Second Place: Tucked Away Brewing Company, Not My Problem
Third Place: Chaos Mountain Brewing, Shut Up John

Strangeways Brewing at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup. Photo by Annie Tobey — Strangeways Brewing Co.

EUROPEAN SOUR

First Place: Strangeways Brewing Company, Uberlin
Second Place: Stable Craft, Porch Sipping
Third Place: No award in this category

EXPERIMENTAL

First Place: Benchtop Brewing Company, Trial of Dmitri
Second Place: Benchtop Brewing Company, Rice Cubed
Third Place: Blue Mountain Barrel House, Raspberries on Acid

FRUIT

First Place: South Street Brewery, Bluesbuester
Second Place: Big Ugly Brewing, Hot Pursuit
Third Place: Blue Mountain Brewery, Drink a Peach
Honorable Mention: Lake Anne Brew House, All That Razz

GERMAN AND AMERICAN WHEAT

First Place: 2 Silos Brewing Company, Hefe
Second Place: The Virginia Beer Company, Saving Daylight
Third Place: Barnhouse Brewery, Harvest Hefe

HAZY IPA

First Place: Three Notch’d Brewing Company, King of Clouds Juicy IPA
Second Place: Stable Craft, Robot Cowboy
Third Place: Long Way Brewing, Forecast: Downpour

Stone Brewing Richmond representatives at the at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup. Photo by Annie Tobey — Stone Brewing, Richmond

INTERNATIONAL LAGER

First Place: Caboose Brewing Company, Bienvenidos Mexican Lager
Second Place: Stone Brewing, Stone Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager
Third Place: 2 Silos Brewing, Dos Silos

IPA

First Place: Precarious Beer Project, Chug Rug
Second Place: Ornery Beer Company, Pacific Waves
Third Place: Big Lick Brewing Company, The GreeHeen

IRISH RED

First Place: Old House Vineyards, Irish Red
Second Place: Barley Naked Brewing Company, Rockhill Irish Red
Third Place: No award in this category
Honorable Mention: Tradition Brewing Company, Red Willie

KÖLSCH

First Place: Decipher Brewing, Barley Late Kölsch
Second Place: Jack Mason’s Tavery and Brewery, Log Hopper Kölsch
Third Place: Bear Chase Brewing Company, Kodiak Kölsch

Fine Creek Brewing at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild (VCBG) held its award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners on Aug. 8, 2022, at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery West Creek. Photo by Annie Tobey — Fine Creek Brewing

MIXED FERMENTATION

First Place: Richbrau Brewing Company, Passionfruit Guava King of Strays Sour Ale
Second Place: Fine Creek Brewing Company, Biere De Coupage
Third Place: Fine Creek Brewing Company, Barrel Aged Golden Sour

MONASTIC ALE

First Place: Nansemond Brewing Station, Golden Express Belgian Singel
Second Place: Great Valley Farm Brewery and Winery, Belgian Blonde
Third Place: Barking Rose Brewing Co + Farm, Downton Abbey Ale

PALE ALES

First Place: Alewerks Brewing Company, Chesapeake Pale Ale
Second Place: Olde Salem Brewing Company, Moonlight Mile
Third Place: No award in this category

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup. Photo by Annie Tobey — Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

PALE EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Harvest Gap Brewery, Devil Dog
Second Place: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardywood Fighting Hokies Lager
Third Place: Black Hoof Brewing Company, Broadside

PILSNER

First Place: Caboose Brewing Company, Das Gut
Second Place: Blue Mountain Brewery, Classic Lager
Third Place: Beltway Brew Co, Pilsner

PORTERS

First Place: Port City Brewing Company, Porter
Second Place: Heliotrope Brewery, Charm Offensive
Third Place: Alewerks Brewing Company, Protocol Porter

Crazy Rooster Brewing Co. at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup. Photo by Annie Tobey — Crazy Rooster Brewing

SAISON

First Place: Crazy Rooster Brewing Company, Touche De Gris
Second Place: Barking Rose Brewing Co + Farm, Farmhand
Third Place: Eastern Divide Brewing Company, Siege of Savannah Saison

SMOKE

First Place: The Farm Brewery at Broad Run, Piggyback
Second Place: WildManDan Brewery, We are Pivo
Third Place: Stone Brewing, Stone Smokin’ with The Gnomies

SPECIALTY IPA

First Place: No award in this category
Second Place: Benchtop Brewing Company, Blanc Water
Third Place: Lost Barrel Brewing, Tangerine Imperial IPA

STOUTS

First Place: Harpers Ferry Brewing Company, Pollywog Irish Stout
Second Place: Moon Hollow Brewing, New Moon Milk Stout
Third Place: Gloucester Brewing Company, Shucking Good

STRONG ALE

First Place: Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Bishops Pass Ale
Second Place: Decipher Brewing, Artemis
Third Place: Water’s End Brewery, Barley Beast

STRONG EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Wasserhund Brewing Company, Zero Tolerance
Second Place: Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, Prototype Delta Delta 1 Doppelbock
Third Place: Broken Window Brewing Company, The Lumber Snack

Richbrau Brewing Co. at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild award ceremony for the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup. Photo by Annie Tobey — Richbrau Brewing Co.

VEGETABLE/SPICE

First Place: St George Brewing Company, Honey Mead Lager
Second Place: Richbrau Brewing Company, Edgar Imperial Coffee Stout
Third Place: Cova Brewing Company, Coffee Snob

WOOD

First Place: The Farm Brewery at Broad Run, Breezy
Second Place: South Street Brewery, Barrel Aged Satan’s Pony
Third Place: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardywood Gingerbread Barleywine
Honorable Mention: Cedar Run Brewery, Barrel Aged Old Odder Barley Wine w/ Vanilla

BEST IN SHOW

First Place: Decipher Brewing, Barley Late Kölsch
Second Place: Harvest Gap Brewery, Devil Dog
Third Place: Port City Brewing, Optimal Wit

Award winners will be featuring their beers in their tasting rooms and through wholesale and retail partners.

To plan a taproom trip:

Enjoy these award-winning Virginia Craft Beer Cup beers and many more throughout the Commonwealth and here in Central Virginia. Three useful guides for your trip include: