Find Your Way to Lost Rhino Brewing

Lost Rhino Brewing Company was first mentioned on Beer Busters Podcast when Bone Dusters Paleo Ale was released in late June. This “prehistoric ale” is a Belgian Amber beer fermented with yeast scrapped from a whale fossil dating back 35 million years.

Lost Rhino Brewing Company is located in an industrial complex in Ashburn, Virginia. Founders Matt Hagerman and Favio Garcia were both brewers at Old Dominion Brewing Company prior to its relocation to Delaware. It was at that point they decided to start their own brewery.

Brewing officially began at Lost Rhino in May 2011. Much of the brewing equipment at Lost Rhino is from the previous Old Dominion Brewing Company. They started off with four 50 barrel fermenters. They currently produce just under 5,000 barrels annually.

Earlier in the day, before visiting Lost Rhino Brewing Company, we enjoyed lunch at Mellow Mushroom where I enjoyed a pint of Rhino Chasers. The 5.6% ABV / 45 IBU Bohemian-style pilsner was grassy and floral with moderate bitterness, and it paired quite nicely with my tempeh hoagie.

We visited Lost Rhino on a busy Saturday afternoon. There are three rooms offering biergarten style tables and benches, however the front room by the bar is air conditioned. There were families, beer geeks, and couples all enjoying pints and snacks. Despite the crowd, I didn’t wait too long to get served at the bar.

Beers can be purchased in 5 ounce, 8 or 9 ounce, and 14 or 16 ounce pours. Pricing and size depend on the beer style. A Brewers Flight is available, with 5 pre-chosen beer samples, or patrons can create a Custom Flight.

I enjoyed the Brewers Flight, which included:

• Elder Wight – limited release Elderflower Wit; a spiced Belgian wit that is effervescent, spicy, floral, and aromatic. 5.4% ABV / 15 IBU
• Rhin O’fest – Amber Märzen; malty, smooth, toasty amber lager. 5.5% ABV / 34 IBU
• New River – Pale Ale; an American-style pale ale with citrus aroma and flavor and balanced bitterness. 5.4% ABV / 34 IBU
• Native Son – Virginia Ale; the first ever beer brewed with 100% Virginia ingredients is malty, slightly smoky, fruity, and a tad sweet. 6.7% ABV / 20 IBU
• Wandering Belgian – India Pale Ale; this IPA boasts herbal notes with a dry, hoppy finish. 6.1% ABV / 60 IBU

The Rhin O’fest was my favorite. This 2013 GABF Gold Medal winning beer boasts tons of delicious toasted malt goodness and makes me want to break out my dirndl right now. I also enjoyed the citrus punch and drinkability of New River.

After that, I enjoyed an 8 ounce pour of the 8.3% ABV / 101 IBU Deadfish. The aromatic Double IPA packed a punch of pine and tropical spiciness with a strong malt backbone. I also picked up a growler of the 6.2% ABV / 65 IBU Face Plant. The American-style IPA is malty, citrusy, and resinous with moderate bitterness.

Beer can be purchased to go in 32 ounce glass growlers or 2 liter flip top growlers. Some beers are also available to go in 22 ounce bottles or 6 packs of cans. Glassware, t-shirts, and hats are also available for purchase.

For the non-beer drinkers, Lost Rhino brews their own Root Beer. Bottles of soda from Maine Root are also available including Blueberry and Lemon Lime. There are local wines from Casanel Vineyards, including a Cabernet Sauvignon. My designated driver was thrilled about the self-serve cooler of ice cold water in the tasting room.

In addition to the tasty beverages, Lost Rhino also offers a diverse food menu. Appetizers include housemade pickles and housemade nuts as well as the very popular Bavarian Pretzel served with spicy German mustard. The Lost Rhino Nachos are served with Beer-B-Que pulled chicken and spicy Face Plant IPA queso.

Salads include the Summer Salad (spinach and arugula mix, basil, diced tomatoes, red onion, raw milk cheddar crumbles, with lemon/olive oil dressing) and the Brewhouse Salad (tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, red onions, goat cheese on mixed greens, with your choice of salad dressing).

Entree choices include Loaded Hot Dog (celery salt, diced tomatoes, diced onions, and diced pickles), Veggie Wrap (roasted red pepper hummus, shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, sliced red onion in a whole wheat tortilla wrap), Besto Pesto Panini (fresh arugula, tomato, provolone, sliced ham, housemade pesto on ciabatta bread), and Smoked Turkey Bacon Avocado (smoked turkey, crispy bacon, fresh avocado, with red onion on toasted whole wheat).

Brewery tours are available from 1 to 5 PM on the hour on Saturdays. Sign up at the bar with a valid ID.  The tour costs $8 per person and includes 4 samples of beer. Tours are done on a first come, first served basis. Reservations are not accepted.

There is live music performed at Lost Rhino on the weekends with Colebrook Road and Will Walter performing the weekend of our visit. On September 10, the MegaFauna IPL release party will take place at the brewery with proceeds from pints and limited edition Save the Rhino t-shirts donated to the African Wildlife Federation to help the rhinos. You can  donate online if you are unable to attend the event.

Another upcoming event is RHIN O’FESTivus on October 4. The event will include German pretzels, food trucks, live music, a kids’ area, and beer… of course. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Non-drinker tickets are $10. Click here to buy tickets now.

Lost Rhino beers are distributed throughout Washington, D.C. and Virginia. They plan to expand distribution to Southern Maryland in the future.

Next time you find yourself in the Ashburn, Virginia area (perhaps you just finished checking out the Spaceship Discovery at the Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center?) definitely stop by Lost Rhino Brewing. The atmosphere is fun, the food is tempting, the water is ice cold, and the beers are delicious

Ashburn, brewery, brewpub, Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Virginia