2021 is finally here, and not a moment too soon! You’ve probably made a list of resolutions to improve yourself and live your best life. Resolutions can be tough to stick to, but we’ve come up with ways to reinforce them by combining them with chances to drink beer! Read on for how you can live your best life with help from the breweries along the Beerwerks Trail.
#1 Exercise More/Lose Weight
The Beerwerks Trail stretches over three counties in one of the loveliest parts of the country. There is no end to excellent hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, and more. For an easy stroll, try out the Chessie Trail in Lexington or Waynesboro’s South River Greenway. Verona’s Trails at Mill Place, the trails through Staunton’s Montgomery Hall Park, Harrisonburg’s Hillandale Park or Edith J. Carrier Arboretum are also all just moments away from downtown areas. Reward yourself with a refreshing beer after your walk!
In addition, some of our breweries occasionally convert their spaces to Saturday morning yoga studios or organize community runs and races (that conclude with a brew in the tap room, of course). It’s also a known fact that wearing inspirational workout gear (decorated with the names of your favorite breweries, naturally) will actually help you work out even harder as you imagine the brewed treat waiting for you after you finish. Check out breweries’ taprooms and websites for what’s available.
#2 Get Organized
We know this is a tough one. One look inside the garage or the junk drawer, and many of us run for the hills. But spending so much time at home has made us realize that it’s imperative to get organized. How about fortifying yourself with some beer? With a growler by your side you can conquer anything…including your pantry or your closet. Most of the Beerwerks breweries sell refillable growlers, which will stay fresh for about 7-10 days before you open them.
#3 Learn a New Skill or Hobby
So you’ve always wanted to try home brewing, right? There’s no time like the present. Stop in at The Friendly Fermenter for Brew-a-Beer workshops, advice, and supplies. Want to see how the professionals work? Why not schedule a behind-the-scenes masked tour at a brewery and follow in the brewers’ footsteps through the fermentation halls and quality labs? Learn about ingredients, packaging and inspiration. Several of our breweries will give you a tour of their facilities if you ask them nicely and make an appointment ahead of time.
Keep an eye out for special events at Beerwerks breweries including floral design and seasonal decoration workshops and painting sessions. Nearby businesses like Valley Pike Farm Market, JMD Market and Garden Center, and White Oak Lavender Farm hold events such as wreath-making and cooking classes. Beginning quilters can find inspiration in classes held at Harrisonburg’s Virginia Quilt Museum.
Other good places to learn a new skill or hobby include Rockbridge County’s Shenandoah Art Destination, an all-inclusive art getaway. Staunton’s Beverley Street Studio School and Waynesboro’s Shenandoah Valley Art Center also offer a variety of classes for adults. Harrisonburg’s Larkin Arts is officially in “hibernation,” but those interested in classes should follow on social media for pop-up opportunities. Be on the lookout, also, for the return of master classes at the American Shakespeare Center.
#4 Live Life to the Fullest
It’s been a long and quiet year, but there are many ways you can continue to eat, drink, and be merry. Here’s a sampling of regular events at our breweries. Check your favorite brewery’s events calendar for specifics about what’s on tap.
Trivia:
Skipping Rock Beer Company, Basic City Beer Co., and Redbeard Brewing Company all hold pub regular trivia nights. Redbeard also holds monthly Monday night movie nights and open mic nights.
Live Music:
- Cave Hill Farms Brewery has regular live music on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Seven Arrows Brewing often hosts live music on Saturday nights.
- Rockbridge Vineyard and Brewery has live music on Sunday afternoons.
- Restless Moons Brewing Company hosts live music as well as movies and comedy nights.
- Elkton Brewing Company offers live music on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Basic City Beer Co., Stable Craft Brewing, and Skipping Rock Beer Company often have live music.
#5 Save Money/Spend Less Money
While craft beer tends to be a bargain, keep an eye out on our breweries’ social media streams for specials on beer or food. Also check out our Trailblazer Beercation itineraries. These fun explorations of area lodging, dining, outdoor discovery, and entertainment target our best picks for different groups (like empty nesters or millennials). They’ll help you escape, but keep you local!
#6 Spend More Time with Family and Friends
We’re always celebrating at the Beerwerks breweries. Keep an eye out for holiday events, parties, charity fundraisers, celebrations for new beer releases, football games, horse races, and more. Lots of our breweries are child friendly and many even offer games or activities to keep kids busy. Basic City Beer Co., Skipping Rock Beer Company, Seven Arrows Beer Co., and Three Notch’d Valley Collab House have board games. Stable Craft Brewing’s Pints and Ponies and S’mores events are especially appealing to the younger crowd. Stable Craft also rents igloos where small groups can stay warm, even in the coldest weather.
#7 Travel More
We admit that travel is tough this year, but you could put a local spin on this one. Check out one of our hikes or bike rides that fall into the Beerwerks Trail footprint. You might also work on your Beerwerks Passport by venturing out of your immediate area to get those stamps and earn your new t-shirt. Do you live in Harrisonburg? Take a road trip to Lexington for a day of history and shopping followed by artisanal pizza and delicious beer at Heliotrope Brewery. Natural Bridge residents might enjoy traveling north for some thrilling winter fun at Massanutten Resort and a warm-up brew at Elkton Brewing Co.
#8 Read More
One of the great pleasures in life, especially after football season ends, is to curl up with a good book and a tasty brew. You can join the monthly Redbeard’s Readers Book Club and enjoy lively discussions on the chosen author, genre, or theme. Better yet, you can join in person or check in via Zoom. Another, less organized, way to enjoy books with your beer is to cozy up in the taproom at Pale Fire Brewing Co. and grab a book off the shelves.
If none of this interests you, check out the Green Valley Book Fair or one of the independent bookstores located in many of our localities.
- Lexington: The Bookery Limited
- Waynesboro: Stone Soup Books
- Staunton: The Book Dragon
- Harrisonburg: Downtown Books or Booksavers of Virginia
#9 Try Some New and Different Styles of Beer
Enrich your palate and your life by drinking a wider variety of beers. A good way to find out what’s out there and to keep track of what you’ve tried is to use the Untappd app. You’ll be able to read notes and reviews, find out what your brewery has on tap, and discover what new tastes your friends are recommending. Encounter beer terms you’ve never heard of before? Confused about the difference between ABV and ABW? Head over to Craftbeer.com and look up that unfamiliar word in their glossary. You’ll sound like an expert in no time!
So what are you waiting for? Improve yourself, enjoy yourself, and have your best year ever along the Beerwerks Trail.