Enjoy Virginia Beauty and Beer at Blue Mountain Brewery and Barrel House

Blue Mountain Brewery opened in 2007 as the first brewery in Nelson County, Virginia. Located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it has become a regular stop for locals and travelers alike.

The brewery has two locations, the brewpub in Afton and the new Blue Mountain Barrel House in Arrington. Combined, the two breweries produce 10,000 barrels of beer annually.

Both location also grow hops. The two hop fields in Afton and the new hop yard in Arrington grow 1,000 hills of Cascade variety hops.

Blue Mountain Brewery is also a member of the Virginia Green program. The brewery works to not only reduce waste and recycle, but also treating the brewery and restaurant water so that clean water is returning to the earth.

The Blue Mountain team includes Taylor Smack, Mandi Smack, and Matt Nucci. Taylor received the Certificate of Brewing Technology from the Siebel Institute, and he was the head brewer at Goose Island in Chicago and South Street Brewery in Charlottesville.

Mandi came from the publishing and marketing business and works as CFO for Blue Mountain. Matt has a business development background and oversees the brewer operations in Afton for Blue Mountain.

Blue Mountain Brewery purchased South Street Brewery in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2014. Both Taylor and Mandi worked at South Street Brewery. Taylor was brewer from late 2001 to early 2007.

The Blue Mountain Restaurant & Brewery is located just off Interstate 64 near the Wintergreen Resort and Shenandoah National Park. The restaurant features a gorgeous outdoor dining area and stunning lodge-like restaurant.

The beers on tap at the brewpub during our visit included…

• Classic Lager – a 5.3% ABV bright gold, crisp Continental-style Lager with Pils malt and Noble hops.
• South Street Brewery’s 365 Shandy – a 5% ABV Beer/Lemonade blend.
• Rockfish Wheat – a 5.3% ABV Bavarian-style Hefeweizen with banana and clove flavors.
• Riprap Pale Ale – a 4.2% ABV American Pale Ale.
• Full Nelson – a 5.9% ABV American Strong Pale Ale with a medium malt backbone and Cascade hop flavor.
• A Hopwork Orange – a 7% ABV Orange-Infused IPA brewed with Simcoe, Cascade and Centennial hops and orange peel flavoring.
• Summer Haze Pale Weissbock – a 7.8% ABV Weizenbock.
• O.F.B. Mild Ale on Nitro – a 4.8% ABV English-style Dark Mild Ale.
• Blue Reserve – a 7% ABV Belgo-American Ale brewed with Cascade hops grown onsite.
• Blue Toad Hard Cider’s Blue Ridge Blonde – a crisp and fruity cider.

Beers are available in samplers of eight to ten 2.5-ounce pours. Growlers can be filled to go, and many beers are available in 6-packs or 750mL bottles to go.

The restaurant menu features appetizers like Smoked Chili Tossed Edamame, Oven Baked Crab Dip, Hummus Plate, and BMB Nachos. Wings, pizzas, and salads are available, as well as sandwiches like the Beer-Boiled Local Bratwurst, Traditional Reuben (which can be made with tofu!), Chicken Salad Sandwich, Virginia Pulled Pork Barbeque, and several types of burgers.

A children’s menu and gluten free menu are both available upon request.

The restaurant in Afton is open Monday through Saturday 11 AM to 10 PM and Sunday 11 AM to 9 PM. Tours are offered on Saturday from 12 to 4 PM. Tours run about 20 minutes and reservations are not required. Live music takes place on Fridays and Sundays.

The Blue Mountain Barrel House is only 30 miles south of the original location near Routes 29 and 56. This location offers a large outdoor area with picnic tables and a firepit and views of the hop farm. There are tables inside by the bar and an upstairs space offering views of the brewery.

The beers on tap at the Barrel House during our visit included…

• Classic Lager – a 5.3% ABV bright gold, crisp Continental-style Lager with Pils malt and Noble hops.
• Überpils – a 7% ABV German-style Imperial Pilsner brewed with Hallertau hops.
• A Hopwork Orange – a 7% ABV Orange-Infused IPA brewed with Simcoe, Cascade and Centennial hops and orange peel flavoring.
• Full Nelson – a 5.9% ABV American Strong Pale Ale with a medium malt backbone and Cascade hop flavor.
• Dark Hollow – a 10% ABV dark, roasty Imperial Stout aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels.
• South Street Brewery’s Satan’s Pony – a 5.3% ABV Amber Ale with caramel malt notes.

Beers can be purchased by the pint (10 ounce pour for Dark Hollow) or a sample flight. Most beers are available to go in bottles or cans and in growlers.

•  Check out a retro Steph’s New Brew Review: Dark Hollow

The Food Truck at the Barrel House serves appetizers like Hummus Plate, BMB Nachos, and chicken wings. Sandwiches include Garden Veggie Wrap, Skyline Turkey Wrap, Nitro Chili Dog, Traditional Reuben, and BMB Classic Cheeseburger.

The Barrel House in Arrington is open Sunday through Thursday 11 AM to 8 PM and Friday and Saturday 11 AM to 9 PM. The food truck is open Friday 5 to 9 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM.

If you’re in the area, both Blue Mountain Brewery locations can’t be missed, especially on a nice day. Grab a pint and a bite to eat and enjoy the beautiful scenery Virginia has to offer.

Afton, Arrington, Blue Mountain Barrel House, Blue Mountain Brewery, Mandi Smack, Matt Nucci, Nelson County, South Street Brewery, Taylor Smack, Virginia