FOOD & DRINK GUIDE Brewing With so much fertile farmland producing fresh fruit and grain, it’s no surprise Loudoun has become a vibrant craft beer destination. More than 30 breweries make up the county’s LoCo Ale Trail, in a variety of locales – trendy urban taprooms, Piedmont farm beer gardens, mountaintop tasting rooms – few regions can match. While many breweries incorporate some local ingredients, some are inspired by the old European "land beer" ethos requiring beer be made solely with regional ingredientss. Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery in Waterford leads the way, producing the first all-Loudoun grown beer – the crisp, citrusy Loudoun Grown Farmhouse Ale – in which every ingredient came from the farm or the county. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery in Lucketts uses hops from its five-acre hops field, while Dirt Farm Brewing in the Blue Ridge makes fruit-forward seasonal IPAs using peaches, strawberries and cherries from their own orchards. As with all creative subcultures, Loudoun brewmasters are constantly innovating. You’ll find everything from crisp lagers and hoppy ales to malty barrel-aged stouts fused with herbs, honey, flower petals, coffee, wine or whiskey, many made with obscure yeast strains from Sterling-based lab Jasper Yeast. TASTE WHAT'S Don’t miss Virginia Craft Beer Month each August! Check out the events calendar at VisitLoudoun.org 44 | VisitLoudoun.org
Explore Loudoun Official Visitor Guide 2023 Explore Loudoun Official Visitors Guides: Page 44
