Author Archives: admin

About admin

I am a writer. And a musician/songwriter. And a husband/father. I love good beer, the outdoors, the embrace of family, the company of true friends, the telling of a good story and the inner peace derived from quiet reflection in solitude. Recently I have specialized in beer writing. My most recent adventure is "Virginia Beer: A Guide from Colonial Days to Craft's Golden Age" published fall 2018 by University of Virginia Press. In October 2014, "Richmond Beer: A History of Brewing in the River City" was published by History Press. "Charlottesville Beer: Brewing in Jefferson's Shadow," followed in January 2017. Send me an email at rvabeerguy@gmail.com. As you can see from this site, however, my interests are broader than beer. Spend time, leave a comment or just enjoy. Lee

Persimmon Beer: From African Roots to Southern Icon

Posted on November 25, 2022 by admin

             When Ardent Craft Ales in Richmond, Va., used a recipe from a 1700s cookbook to make a batch of persimmon beer in 2014, the effort made international headlines.                “A drink brought back from … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | 1 Comment

Brewery hit buzzsaw supporting historic Black TV show

Posted on February 6, 2021 by admin

It’s easy to imagine the pitch that must have been on the table in the boardroom of Milwaukee’s Blatz Brewing Company in 1951. “Look, boss, the world’s most popular radio program is going to this new format—yes, television. They’re switching … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment

1930s beer ads teach lessons about Black lives that have mattered throughout history

Posted on July 30, 2020 by admin

Note: This article was written in July 2020 during the turmoil following the death of George Floyd and in the light of our ongoing struggle to confront racial issues, particularly Richmond’s monuments to the Confederacy. Among the lessons learned during … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment

Beer and race: a complex history still playing out

Posted on January 7, 2020 by admin

     More than 80 years ago, Reuben Ray and Grady Jackson, both African-Americans, sat in a bar they co-owned in Detroit and wondered why whites, rather than those of their own race, were delivering beer to black businesses on … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment

Starr Hill adds bright light to RVA’s constellation of breweries

Posted on December 13, 2019 by admin

Pardon me if you sense a bit of sentimentality sprinkled in this account. In September 1999, I drove to Charlottesville to interview Mark Thompson for one of my “Beer Guy” columns in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Thompson had moved into a spot on … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment

Roll out the red carpet for top Virginia beers

Posted on June 20, 2019 by admin

Old-timers in the Virginia beer community can remember pitching tents in the woods and meadows of Nelson County as part of the annual ritual to taste and toast the best of craft beers in the Old Dominion. The 2019 Virginia … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment

The Great New York ‘Bier’ Trials; Or, How Lager Changed America

Posted on March 19, 2019 by admin

Jacob Haas got out of bed on Tuesday morning, May 18, 1858, and began the day his usual way—with a glass of beer. As he dressed, his routine continued with another glass. And another. And another. By late morning, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment

Peter and James: The Tale of Two Hemingses

Posted on February 11, 2019 by admin

Note: I have long been fascinated by the tale of Peter and James Hemings, brothers and slaves of Thomas Jefferson. This was written as a precursor—a rough rough draft—of a possible screenplay, one I doubt will ever be fully fleshed. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment

Historic recipes getting new life among craft brewers

Posted on September 14, 2018 by admin

John Marshall, fourth chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and a Richmond resident, was known to favor other drinks over beer, but he would certainly smile on the historic molasses beer brewed at Ardent Craft Ales in collaboration with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment

From Waynesboro to Manchester–Basic City comes to RVA

Posted on July 27, 2018 by admin

The vacant Twisted Ales brewery site in Richmond’s Manchester area didn’t last long, as Waynesboro’s Basic City Beer Co. quickly moved to stake out its second location in Virginia. Basic City co-founder Bart Lanman and brewmaster Jacque Landry join Jay Burnham and me for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer adventures | Leave a comment