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.
The goal is an ambitious one, but not without precedent. In the same way Left Hand Brewing Co. took on (and largely beat) Guinness in its home state of Colorado, Denver’s Bierstadt Lagerhaus is aiming to take on Stella Artois in Denver.
Three beer veterans with different backgrounds but the necessary skill sets banded together five years ago to open Two Roads Brewing Company. It not only turns out their own beers but also contracts recipes for celebrated and sought-after brands.
Pennsylvania’s Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co. has remained flexible in adapting its business plan and operations as needed and has charted a route to sustained growth in the process.
Crooked Stave was founded in the spirit of methodical and relentless exploration—which has led to some serendipitous discoveries and developments (including a remarkable amount of vertical integration for a brand their size) as the brewery has grown.
Thanks to a commitment to growing deliberately and strategically even when faced with outsized consumer demand, Great Notion Brewing had an amazing first year and is headed into the next phase in a long conversation that started in a garage not long ago.