It was a solid idea back in 1999. Two friends, inspired by the growing brewery scene out West, decided to start their own brewery in Virginia. Starr Hill Brewery started as a brewpub and shared space with a music hall of the same name in Charlottesville. It was the second craft brewery to open in the Commonwealth and quickly grew in popularity thanks to its proximity to the music industry and making beers available at festivals such Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.
Awards soon followed from both the Great American Beer Festival and the Great British Beer Festival, and by 2005, Starr Hill moved into a former food plant in the nearby town of Crozet, where it gained the distinction of being the first production craft brewery in Virginia.
In 2012, state laws changed, making it easier for breweries to operate and get their beer to the public. Starr Hill, which had enjoyed a relatively stable market, suddenly needed to rethink the way they did business, focus on strengths, and come to terms with the fact that nothing was sacred, from labels to recipes.