James River Brewing Company

Beer on River's Edge (or should we say bend?)

It’s been a wild ride through the rapids for the folks at James River Brewing, but things are most definitely looking up. 2015’s Virginia Craft Brewing Festival could very well be the start of new fortunes for Scottsville’s little brewery that could.

Fresh off winning a Gold in the German Wheat category for Fluvanna Fluss and Bronze in the Belgian Strong category for their flagship brew Green Eyed Lady, the crew at JRBC has been making some serious changes on site that reflect the upgrade in quality and consistency of the brews.  With a new outside bar and beer garden behind the tasting room, live music and trivia nearly every week, and a generally friendly small town atmosphere, JRB is hitting a real sweet spot these days. Walking into the room and being greeted by a friendly face and a bar full of locals, it looks like a brewpub out of a time before craft beer was big business, when you could meet the brewmaster and shoot the breeze with the owners for a spell. You mean getting a quality local brew at the source doesn’t mean fighting the hoards just to get up to the tap?! Count this thirsty guide looking for a relaxing watering hole IN!

While not in close proximity to the other breweries Charlottesville has become known for West of town, quaint Scottsville is worth a visit all its own. In recent times, there has been an effort to renovate the downtown stretch of Scottsville, which now boasts small local shops and a farm to table restaurant serving excellent food. The sleepy town on the James is straight out of a different time, and a visit is incomplete without a walk down to the riverfront and a ride on the Hatton Ferry, the last pole driven ferry in America.

After tumultuous beginnings with frequent ownership changes and a reshuffling of brew masters, James River seems to be changing tact for the better. Come check out this hidden secret in Southern Albemarle before it’s no longer so hidden.