Visitors from around the world quench their thirst for a great vacation in Virginia.
They are pleasantly surprised to discover a state spilling over with vineyards, micro-breweries and brewpubs!
Wine & Cider: Fruits of the Vine
Since 1607, Virginians have embraced wine as a staple of culinary society and an exportable cash crop. Commonly known as The Father of American Wine, Thomas Jefferson introduced his countrymen to the European custom of taking wine with meals and obliged George Washington by choosing the spirits for the first White House wine cellar.
Speaking of George Washington, check out his Distillery at Mount Vernon! Interpreters demonstrate the functionality of this, the largest 18th century distillery in America. More Distilleries
Craft Beer: What's Brewing?
Across Virginia travelers discover both large-volume breweries and microbreweries, all hand-crafted for limited distribution. Enjoy nearly a dozen microbrewery-restaurant establishments known
as brewpubs, too.
Travel to Northern Virginia for a tour of Capital City Brew Co. in Arlington. See how the brewmeisters combine fresh ingredients like hops, barley and yeast to produce uniquely flavored beverages.
Enormous copper brewing kettles greet visitors to two brewpubs in the capital city of Richmond. From the deck overlooking the city, sip your brew at Legend Brewing Co. or at the cities newest brewery, Hardywood Park.
Care to make your own version? Take a trip to the Shenandoah Valley to dive right in at Queen City Brewing in Staunton. There you can experiment and create your own brew, wine or soda!
Other Virginia breweries include:
Moonshine: Legal Sipping
Visit Stillhouse Dillstillery at Belmont Farm in Culpeper to see how legal moonshine - Virginia Lightning - is made, and take home a bottle or two from their gift shop.
See how the spirits come about when you tour A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg.
In Purcellville, you can tour Catoctin Creek Distillery, producers of award-winning Rye whiskeys, brandy, and seasonal specialty liqueurs.
Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville is the only distillery in North American malting their own Barley. Take a tour and then take home their Single Malt American Whisky and "Applewood-aged" Rye Whisky.
Whatever your taste, you will find plenty to quench your thirst in Virginia. Here's to a great Virginia vacation!