The farm breweries along the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail offer more than just pretty views and refreshing sips. They’re working landscapes where agriculture, craft, and life meet. Our farm breweries draw directly from the land, and local farming practices influence what ends up in your glass. For a deeper experience, ask yourself (or your server) how they connect with place, and how that connection impacts the process of brewing, from field to fermentation tank.
Cave Hill Farms Brewery
Cave Hill Farms Brewery’s brewing process is tied to its history, which stretches back to 1759 when King George II granted the land rights to the Hopkins family. This connection to the soil (and a three-centuries of adapting to changing farming practices) is central to the brewery’s operation today.
Despite periodically changing crops and species of livestock to keep up with modern trends over the years, Cave Hill is committed to local sourcing, growing their own barley and hops, and using time-honored recipes and methods, a concept they call “Old Ways, New Days.” Cave Hill beer incorporates water “known for its rich vitamins and crisp taste” that’s pumped from a well that the family has maintained for generations.
Visitors can relax in the taproom, a modernized and converted dairy loafing shed or explore exhibits in the onsite historic farming museum. When the weather cooperates, the fun spills outside to the patio (with umbrellas and string lights). Visitors can also stroll around the farm. There’s a lot to see: an enormous American flag, lots of selfie backdrops, and a silo-top viewing platform that provides a wide perspective on the farmscape.
White Oak Lavender Farm & Purple WOLF Vineyard
White Oak Lavender Farm combines lavender farming, viticulture, and relaxation to create a sweet smelling farm brewery experience. Just a few deep breaths will unknot your shoulders and bring your blood pressure down! Spring and summer visits pamper the senses with lavender breezes and views that fell off of postcards. Plus, you can pick lavender when it’s blooming. Fall brings the harvest of the grapes, which are pressed and made into Purple WOLF wine. Visitors can sample wine, craft beer, or hard cider, many of which feature lavender influences. On hot days, cool down with lavender ice cream and lemonade slushies.
White Oak Lavender Farm’s interior and exterior spaces are filled with thoughtful seating areas, interactive gardens, and a walking labyrinth for meditation. There are yard games and spaces for children to play or meet farm animals, including sheep and alpacas. Visitors can take educational tours to learn more about lavender cultivation and about how essential oils are extracted through a steam distillation process. And if you want to remember your visit, the lavender store has amazing-smelling products year round.
The Alpine Goat Brewery
The Alpine Goat Brewery brings Austrian Biergarten vibes to the Valley. After visiting family in Austria, founder Eric Pisk was inspired by the social ritual of gathering for fun and conversation over food and beer. He envisioned the Alpine Goat as a place “where strangers become drinking companions, and everyone is welcome.”
This brewery specializes in German and Austrian beer styles, but focuses less on particular ingredients and more on recreating the atmosphere and traditions central to lively European beer halls. The Alpine Goat has room for everybody in its generous gathering spaces.The large rustic taproom has huge windows looking out on the grounds and the Blue Ridge. Outside guests will find yard games, conversational seating areas, fire pits, a stage, and plenty of room for families with kids and dogs. Look for goats to pet, live music, community events, and food trucks on the weekends!
Stable Craft Brewing
Stable Craft Brewing is more than a taproom. It is a cornerstone of the Valley’s growing agritourism movement. The brewery’s story began with the owners of Hermitage Hill Farm and Stables looking at their enormous barn and picturesque farm and seeing something more: a place where agriculture and hospitality could coexist. The vision required more than just renovation of structure. It required advocacy and trips to Richmond to champion the very legislation that allows agritourism venues to welcome guests onto working farms today.
Having successfully bridged that gap, Stable Craft now offers a seamless mix of rustic charm and modern luxury. It’s a living landscape where visitors can explore sustainable farming practices, enjoy live music by a firepit, dine in the pub-style restaurant, and enjoy award-winning craft beer and cider. With plenty of family-friendly events, onsite suites for overnight stays, and expansive facilities for wedding receptions, Stable Craft successfully marries the grit of a working farm with the polish of modern hospitality.
Great Valley Farm Brewing
For Nathan and Irma Bailey, Great Valley Farm Brewing is all about the land. Since acquiring their 27-acre property and planting a small vineyard in 2008, they have transformed it into a multi-faceted destination for both wine and craft-beer enthusiasts. Their early years were defined by brewing small-batch, Belgian-style beers. The arrival of their first wine vintage in 2019 marked a new chapter.
The atmosphere is just as inviting as the menu. Grab an Adirondack chair, set up a picnic, and enjoy the hills rolling toward the Blue Ridge Mountains. Pro tip: Keep your eyes peeled! Since the farm neighbors the Virginia Safari Park, exotic animals like camels or ostriches occasionally make cameos in the view.
Rockbridge Vineyard & Brewery
After years of honing his craft across Germany and California, Shepherd Rouse returned to Virginia to build something special. Alongside his wife, Jane Millott-Rouse, he established Rockbridge Vineyard & Brewery with a focus on high-quality, small-batch production. For years, they perfected their award-winning wines using traditional methods and a mix of vinifera, hybrid, and native grapes to capture “the essence of the vineyard.” Now, they’ve brought that same dedication to their one line of finely crafted beers.
Whether you prefer a crisp wine or a local brew, there is a seat waiting for you. Relax in the rustic barn-style tasting room, or head outside to enjoy the scenery. From the red farm buildings and grape arbors to the view of the distant mountains, Rockbridge offers a beautiful backdrop for live music, picnics, and peaceful afternoons savoring some of the area’s best wine and beer.
These six farm breweries along the Beerwerks Trail show a deep connection to the Valley. Whether your interest lies in the history of farming, the science of distillation, or the social ritual of a European beer hall, you’ll find a space to relax and breathe deeply at one of the Trail’s farm breweries.
