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 ingredients. 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. Flying Ace Distillery & Brewery in Lovettsville uses their own rare heirloom Bloody Butcher corn in one of their cream ales 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. More recently, low and non-alcoholic beers, notably a Run Wild IPA at scenic Bear Chase Brewing Co. and cans of non-alcoholic Wheat and American Blonde at Lark Brewing Co. are making it onto Loudoun menus. Cheers! TASTE WHAT'S Don’t miss Virginia Craft Beer Month each August! Check out the events calendar at VisitLoudoun.org 46 | VisitLoudoun.org
Explore Loudoun Official Visitor Guide 2025 Explore Loudoun Official Visitors Guide: Page 46
