Winter hasn’t given us much snow this year, but the chilly damp makes gathering around a crackling fire feel awfully good. Whether you’re snuggling with your love or telling jokes with a group of besties, those flickering flames help you bond, especially if you pair them with fantastic Beerwerks brew and some comfort food. Visit one of our breweries with fireplaces or fire pits to make the most out of this chilly weather.
Heliotrope Brewery
Head south to Lexington to check out Heliotrope Brewery, the newest stop on the Beerwerks Trail. Enjoy the exposed brick, modern fireplace, and the welcoming atmosphere while you order from a menu of small-batch, artisan ales and lagers that utilize Virginia and North Carolina malt. Heliotrope also sells wine and cider. Give your belly some love with one of Heliotrope’s incredible gourmet sourdough pizzas that include traditional pies as well as delicious topping combinations like salt roasted beets, mozzarella, and savory buckwheat granola or rojo-braised local pork, barbeque sauce, swiss and pickles. Also on the menu are an assortment of sides and desserts.
Pale Fire Brewing Company
Belly up to the spacious u-shaped bar in Pale Fire Brewing Company’s tap room. Better yet, sink back in the couch in front of the Little Free Library area’s fireplace. Settle in for a long winter’s night of sipping, reading and toasting your toes. Sometimes this area heats up even more with live music and events. The brewery, which is a space in a renovated ice house in downtown Harrisonburg, serves delicious craft beer as well as sides of local nibbles from Route 11 Potato Chips, Chelsea’s Spicy Pretzels, and Whitley’s Virginia Peanuts. Not drinking beer? Enjoy draft kombucha or cold-brew coffee.
Seven Arrows Brewing
One of our favorite winter pleasures is basking in a fire’s warm glow while enjoying a seasonal beverage and comfort food. Snag a seat in front of the fireplace at Seven Arrows Brewing while sampling a flight. Grab a bite from on-site Nobos Kitchen, which serves an extensive menu from 11 a.m. to late at night. Pick from burgers and sandwiches, appetizers and salads, and entrees like pierogi casserole with seasonal veggies, chorizo, and layers of cheese and golden fried pierogies.
Stable Craft Brewing
Stable Craft Brewing offers several choices for where to get cozy. Warm up in front of the welcoming fireplace in the spacious tap room. For a different kind of feeling, you can gather around the fire pits outside and take in the scenic views. A third option is to rent one of Stable Craft’s cool heated igloos that seat up to eight people. With a delicious tap list and regular fun, seasonal events and activities, Stable Craft serves a full menu of appetizers and salads, burgers and tacos, and Skilletplates full of steak, chicken, and really fancy mac and cheese.To make a complete night of it, consider one of Stable Craft’s on-site suites.
Skipping Rock Beer Company
Skipping Rock Beer Company is situated in the pastoral countryside just west of Staunton. Sample Skipping Rock’s selection of craft beers on tap in the tap room or cozy up around the crackling flames of a fire pit outside. Fun events like trivia and regular live music as well as a family atmosphere will make you return to Skipping Rock again and again. For hungry patrons, Skipping Rock has a dedicated food truck serving tasty pub fare topped with bacon jam and beer cheese.