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Reid and I were totally star-struck.

There they were, two members of Yes sitting an arm’s length away in a hotel lounge in Hampton, and Reid and I were speechless. Didn’t ask for autographs. Didn’t tell them how much we loved their music.

The Rickenbacker bass I bought in 1971 is still going strong.

More than loved, actually, because we spent hours and hours and hours learning the licks and nuances of songs like “Roundabout” and “Close to the Edge.” The technical demands of the time signatures, chords and riffs put musical meat on our bones.

More than that, the bass playing of Chris Squire, Yes’ co-founder, had changed my musical world. I grew up with classical training, but I cut my rock teeth on Paul McCartney, whose lyrical bass lines undergirded the Beatles’ music. I truly knew I wanted to be a bassist, however, when I heard John Entwistle’s playing on The Who’s “My Generation.” Good Golly! A bass solo like a rocket going from one ear to another in your head! I want that!

John Paul Jones. Noel Redding. Jack Bruce. Jack Cassidy. All great, and I learned from them all. But when Reid, my younger brother, guitarist extraordinaire and musical soul mate, brought home “The Yes Album” in the summer of 1971, something clicked. The bass sound — full, round, deep, clean, crisp, bright, sustained — and the playing — delicate at times, hard and heavy at others — defined something that had existed unformed in my head. Like someone articulating perfectly something you had always wanted to say.

We saw Yes that fall at University Hall at William and Mary. Yes was on its “university tour,” playing to college crowds hip enough to get progressive rock. Not that Yes invented it — King Crimson and others had a slight lead on them — but this was heady, intelligent stuff. We had fifth row seats. (Laughable in hindsight, Yes was the opening band for Ten Years After, of Woodstock fame.) It was a powerful show, satisfying in every way. “Close to the Edge” had just been released, but as I recall much of their set was from “Fragile,” (that’s the one with their most identifiable hit, “Roundabout”). Steve Howe on guitar, Jon Anderson on lead vocals, Bill Bruford on drums, a very young Rick Wakeman on keyboards and Squire on bass. What a huge sound.

At the heart of that sound was Squire’s bass. He played a Rickenbacker with Rotosound round-wound strings (which were developed by John Entwistle). The sustain and clarity were unlike anything I’d heard. That winter, I bought a Rickenbacker. The night I brought it home I stayed up so late playing it that I fell asleep with the bass lying across my stomach.

We saw Yes again at Baltimore Civic Center on their “Tales From Topographic Oceans” tour, and by the time the band came to Hampton in 1977, their lineup had changed. Drummer Alan White, not Bruford, was sitting with Squire just a few feet from us in that hotel lounge. It was several hours before their show at the Hampton Coliseum, and they were chilling. Nursing a couple of beers. Graciously accommodating fans coming up and saying the silly things fans say, like “I’m your biggest fan!”

Reid and I, however, were really their biggest fans. We’d begun the day with steely resolve. The plan was to go to Hampton early in the day, track down where Yes was staying and, by jiminy, meet up and hang out with whomever we could find in the group. Steve Howe was tops on Reid’s list; Squire on mine.

We went to a Hampton music store and asked if anyone knew where Yes was staying. Nobody was sure but one guy tossed out some possibilities. We went to one hotel. No luck. At the second, we decided to sit for a bit. Sure enough, Squire and White ambled in wearing their rock star clothes (they were obviously from another planet) and plunked down at the table right next to us.

You never know how you’re going to react in intense, life-defining situations — in combat, for example. Or on a first date. Or when your rock idols are sitting close enough to share a beer.

In retrospect, we certainly should have at least bought them a beer. That’s what Reid said when we were reminiscing last week about the episode. That’s when we got the news that Chris Squire died from erythroid leukemia. He was 67.

I’ll be 67 in November. I still have that Rickenbacker bass. I still can play that signature bass lick in “Roundabout.” I still get chills listening to Yes’ best moments — the closing chorus to “Close to the Edge,” for one. And I still feel Squire’s presence and influence in my playing.

Reid and I look back on that episode and laugh now. I think Squire would have chuckled as well. I couldn’t say it then, so I’ll say it now.

We were your biggest fans.

Garden Grove Brewing Co. broke new ground recently when it became the 100th licensed brewery in Virginia.

On Valentine’s Day, co-owners Ryan Mitchell and Mike Brandt will again break fresh ground, not only by debuting Richmond’s newest brewery but also by introducing some unique beers to the area.

Mike Brandt (left) and Ryan Mitchell are opening Garden Grove Brewing Co. in Carytown. Photo by Lee Graves

In a sector dominated by IPAs and hopheads, Brandt acknowledges being a “yeast guy.” He’s also a wine guy, having worked at two Virginia wineries, and he intends to use that experience to create blends and brews ranging from a refreshing wine-beer hybrid named Honey Sparkler to a complex imperial stout fermented with saison yeast and intended to be blended over time with younger batches.

“We’re not trying to be different just to be different,” Brandt said. “We are who we are. It’s not forced.”

Garden Grove, located between Nacho Mama’s and Philly Steak & Gyros in Carytown, plans to have at least six beers on tap when doors open on the 1,600-square-foot tasting room. Patrons can choose to sit on rescued church pews, on stools made by Mitchell and Brandt or on comfy sofas amid empty barrels and half-barrels. Corrugated steel combines with lights in Mason jars and salvaged oak, pine and spruce on the ceiling. Strips of walnut at the bar and elsewhere add elegance to the rustic feel. Games for children and their own nonalcoholic ginger ale add to the options.

Brandt and Mitchell intend to challenge drinkers. Take, for example, The Farmhouse, a Belgian ale “that cherishes and toys with the saison tradition.” Brandt lists peach, honeysuckle, fresh-cut flowers, rose hip, citrus and other aromas in the nose. The flavor profile? Look for grapefruit zest, umami, passion fruit, spice and other tastes.

I had a sample of the Honey Sparkler and predict it will turn heads and raise eyebrows — in a good way. Brandt describes it as “a confused soul that is reminiscent of a fine sparkling wine.” The drinkability — light, refreshing, effervescent, fruity with balancing acidity — belies the 8 percent alcohol. And it’s gluten-free to boot.

On the darker side, Solera Stout will benefit from fractional blending over time, with small portions of older batches blended into younger batches. The “solera” technique is common in wine, but Brandt said blending is less common in beer, outside of lambics and other Belgian styles.

“Belgian brewers have worked on it harder than anybody else,” he said.

The process of getting Garden Grove going has definitely been hard work for Brandt and Mitchell. Finding a site, getting the proper approvals from city, state and federal officials, installing the three-barrel brewing system, adapting the infrastructure (much of which they have done themselves) and getting the tasting room completed have extended by months their projected opening.

The idea for Garden Grove blossomed through Mitchell’s love of craft beer and desire to introduce new tastes to the beer world. “I’ve always had a passion for creating something that I had a vision for,” Mitchell said.

He advertised for a brewer, received more than 100 applications, narrowed that to five and found some magic in a fellow who just happened to live behind his grandparents’ house in Newport News. When Brandt told Mitchell, “‘You’re never going to know me till you try my beer,’” something clicked.

“There was this real sense of the alignment of moon, sun and stars,” Mitchell said.

Now they’re sharing a vision of offering beer lovers a sense of exploration. Brandt’s background in science — he is an agricultural scientist at Virginia State University and involved in an endeavor growing organic grapes — allows him to dial in specific traits to beverages without being at the mercy of variables in ingredients.

“We want to let people know that we’re in tune with ingredients and bring out the best in those ingredients,” Brandt said.

They also want to be in tune with local businesses, particularly in urging people to support restaurants in Carytown and beyond. The city classifies Garden Grove as a brewpub, but it will be selling only pre-packaged food.

Their business plan is to produce 250 to 500 barrels in the first year with limited distribution in kegs by Free Run Wine Merchants. They intend to start a tasting panel to evaluate their beers “to make sure they’re world-class,” Mitchell said.

Eventually they plan to offer sours, using space in the upstairs part of the building so wild yeast doesn’t contaminate their other yeasts. And they’ve already started to work with RVA Yeast Labs.

“They’re close, and they’re so good to work with. If I say I want this particular strain, they’ll get it for me,” Brandt said.

“Yeast flavors are the number one thing for me.”

Some particulars

Garden Grove Brewing Co. is located at 3445 West Cary Street and will be open Tuesday through Saturday. Eventual plans are to have nine or 10 beers on tap.

Here’s a rundown on some Garden Grove beers, provided by the brewery:

The Farmhouse (Belgian saison). 6 percent ABV. IBUs 36. “A delicious blend of fruit and spice on a barley, wheat and rye base.”

Tasting notes: Aroma — peach, honeysuckle, banana, rosehip, citrus, fresh-cut flowers, pink and black peppercorn, cantaloupe.

Flavor — grapefruit zest, herbal, mmami, tart, passion fruit, citrus, spice.

The Knight (Belgian tripel). 9.1 percent ABV. IBUs 32. “Esters and phenols take flight at 9.1 percent ABV with the right amount of malt character to keep it grounded.

Tasting notes: Aroma — honey, banana, apple, spice, pepper.

Flavor — ripe fruit, banana, honey, estery, citrus, pear, French bread.

Southern Hemi India Pale Ale. 7.1 percent ABV. IBUs 60. “This IPA featuring hops entirely from New Zealand and Australia introduces a fruit-forward hop character completely unique from West Coast, East Coast and British IPAs. The malt character is rich, yet the beer is still dry and crisp, ensuring that the hops are the star attraction.”

Tasting notes: Aroma — mango, white grapefruit, boxwood, honeydew, lime, lemon thyme.

Flavor — mango, lime, passion fruit, Cointreau, white peach, limestone, citrus zest, pineapple, candied papaya.

Ronnie’s Red Ale. 6.8 percent ABV. IBUs 56. “Our British red ale is an exercise in malt and hop excess.  The malt and hop characters are in a battle to be the stars.”

Tasting notes: Aroma — caramel, plums, toast, earth, floral, spice, herbal, currant, bramble, thyme.

Flavor — malty, caramel, biscuit, floral, earthy, herbal.

Carytown Brown. 5.6 percent ABV. IBUs 36. “A British-style brown with an American twist. Clean, drinkable with a restrained bitterness but quite rich in caramel, chocolate, and nuts. Nutella and peanut butter on toast.”

Tasting notes: Aroma — earthy, toast, chocolate, mellow coffee, nutty.

Flavor — toast, chocolate, coffee, Nutella, rich malt.

Solera Stout. 8 percent ABV. IBUs 58. “We aim to have an ever-evolving complex imperial stout reminiscent of a fine port by using the Solera System. We generally blend in up to 10 percent of older vintages of our imperial stout into the most recent batch in the fermenter.”

Tasting notes: Aroma — dark chocolate, coffee, chicory, ripe fruit, banana bread, dried berries, licorice.

Flavor — chocolate, lightly roasted coffee, Bananas Foster, star anise, leather.

Honey Sparkler. 8 percent ABV. IBUs none. “A confused soul that is reminiscent of a fine sparkling wine. Our Sparkler is formulated with white sorghum, orange blossom honey and finished with a touch of the French hop variety Strisselspalt to heighten the fruity aromas. Great acidity, effervescence, fruit and delicious honey flavors make it thirst-quenching. Gluten-free.”

Tasting notes: Aroma — orange, tangerine, floral, honey.

Flavor — orange, floral, crisp, tart, citrus zest.

First impressions go a long way. Take, for example, the reaction of Steve Gonzalez, research and small batch manager at Stone Brewing Co. in California, to his first sample of Virginia hops.

“The Cascades were really shockingly awesome — very classic rose, pine, resin and citrus. They were intense and clean,” Gonzalez said.

Steve Gonzalez is research and small batch manager at Stone Brewing Co. in California.

Shock and awe might also characterize the first impression that Greg Self had of Stone’s World Bistro & Gardens at Escondido.

“I was blown away by the layout and landscaping — the massiveness, even beyond the beer,” Self said. “It was a real eye-opener on what’s to come for Richmond.”

Self, affectionately known as “the Growler King” for his beer duties at the Whole Foods Market in Short Pump, was among a group at Stone recently to collaborate on a limited-release beer for the mid-Atlantic market. Stone co-founder Greg Koch joined them for lunch, and brewmaster Mitch Steele participated in the sessions.

Stone announced last year that Richmond would be the site for its East Coast facility. A 200,000-square-foot production facility in the eastern part of the city — between downtown and Rocketts Landing — is envisioned in the first phase; the second phase will yield a restaurant and beer garden as well. Total investment is expected to be $74 million and 288 jobs will be generated.

Part of Stone’s brewing portfolio includes collaborations in a “Mixtape” series, and partnering with Whole Foods will make Volume 11 in that string.

“Using Virginia hops was my idea,” Self said.

Several members of the Old Dominion Hops Co-op networked to see who could best supply the Cascade hops, and growers at Kelly Ridge Farms in Meadowview and Misty Trail Hop Yard outside Waynesboro came through with pellets as well as some whole-cone hops.

The response was a unanimous thumbs up, Self said.

“Mitch Steele and everyone else was blown away by their hops,” he said.

The Mixtape series, all limited-release offerings, consists of blends of existing Stone beers with special ingredients. Members of the group sampled various combinations, but beer lovers will have to wait until May to get their own taste.

For now, Gonzalez said, “the beer will be a blend of core Stone IPAs with some cool botanicals and an extra dry-hop hit of the Virginia Cascade hops.”

Self said he plans to hold a special event at Whole Foods when the beer is released, and members of Virginia’s hop-growing community will definitely be on the guest list.

The experience of working with Stone folks and spending time at the expansive Escondido facility left Self feeling “jazzed up” about the brewery’s local partnership potential and the sheer magnitude of what Stone, the 10th largest craft brewery in the nation, will bring to RVA. The World Bistro & Gardens site has an expansive restaurant with a diverse selection of beers, an outdoor bar and patio, and manicured gardens with nooks for small groups.

“I heard it out of the mouth of Greg Koch — Richmond is going to be bigger,” Self said. “And I don’t doubt them at all.”

If only Stone Brewing Co. could bottle some of this San Diego sunshine and send it to Richmond.

I’ve felt guilty basking in the warmth and brilliance of Southern California weather while RVA has been fighting ice and freezing temperatures recently.

To top it off, I’ve been savoring some of my favorite beers — Arrogant Bastard, Ruination IPA, Enjoy By IPA — fresh from the source.

A display at Stone Brewing Co. shows the hops, barley and water that go into its beers.

Some of those beers, and many more, will be coming to Richmond before long. And beer lovers can do as I’ve been doing — sitting in a spacious restaurant, strolling through manicured gardens and drinking unique beers while looking upon the gleaming tanks and bubbling fermenters that produce them.

I got an up-close-and-personal view of Stone’s Escondido operation, thanks to a trio of employees — Chris Cochran, community relations manager; Nickie Pena, media coordinator; and Sabrina LoPiccolo, public relations specialist.

A fermentation tank does its job at Stone’s Escondido brewery.

They took me through the 55,000-square-foot brewery and the 60,000-square-foot bottling and packaging facility (where Stone beers are cranked out at a rate of 600 12-ounce bottles per minute, or 300 22-ouncers per minute).

Steve Gonzalez, Stone’s research and small batch manager, explained the six-barrel test batch system, where experimental recipes are developed in collaboration with brewmaster Mitch Steele. The test batches go through several stages of development, and potential brews are not unveiled until perfected. Gonzalez alluded to one batch he was working on but intimated he would have to kill me if he told me details. He did, however, let me pour in a bucket of Citra and Centennial hops (deftly done, I must say).

Steve Gonzalez tends to one of the test batches under development.

In the quality assurance area, Rick Blankemier, quality control supervisor, outlined the multifaceted approach to ensuring consistency, with analyses ranging from high-tech lab equipment to personal sensory evaluation.

“Oh, you mean you drink it,” I attempted to quip.

“We like to call it tasting,” he said and smiled.

With each bottling run, they pull samples to test from the beginning, middle and end of the process. In addition, bottles from past runs, past years, are kept for reference. One bottle of Stone Old Guardian Barleywine dates to 2000, he said.

That’s not long after Greg Koch and Steve Wagner, homebrewing buddies and fellow musicians, launched Stone in nearby San Marcos. Since the founding in July 1996, they’ve relocated and expanded to meet demand and facilitate growth. Total barrelage in 2014 was just over 287,000, a 35 percent increase from 2013 and keeping Stone 10th among U.S. craft brewers. (One barrel equals 31 U.S. gallons.)

The Richmond brewery, planned to be 200,000 square feet, is expected to crank out 100,000 barrels the first year (early 2016 perhaps) and 600,000 in year eight. The investment in the brewery, restaurant and beer garden is pinned at $74 million and expected to generate 288 jobs.

As my three hosts and I sat outside in that crystalline sunshine eating lunch, Cochran asked about Stone’s reception in the RVA beer community. I told him I had sent out an informal survey to RVA brewers and brewery owners to get a sense of their opinions. Those who responded were overwhelmingly positive about Stone’s products and having Stone come to Richmond.

They also expressed optimism about Stone’s impact on the local scene — a dozen breweries and counting. The major criticism focused on the deal that helped land Stone.

That deal includes roughly $7 million in city and state grants plus more money in incentives. The brewery will be constructed by the Richmond Economic Development Authority using about $23 million in city bonds; Stone will lease the building once it’s constructed. The second phase — the restaurant and beer garden — will also utilize city bonds to the tune of $8 million. A few other incentives sweeten the deal.

The brewers and beer lovers I have spoken with — and from what I have read in media coverage — say basically, “Treat the small local businesses the same way you treat the big guys.” Some in the Richmond area have had to machete through tangles of local bureaucracy and have not always felt fully embraced by local officials, though many acknowledge that is improving.

In an interview with Richmondbizsense.com, Koch responded to concerns about the city fronting construction of the facility. “The city is not bankrolling this project. … It would be much less expensive just to take some parcel and build a new building that doesn’t have all these complexities and challenges built into the project. However, this is a unique opportunity to revitalize a part of town and to work with the city to create an economically viable scenario. Just from a governmental perspective, or just from a private business perspective, this wouldn’t be viable to sink money into. But when we link arms and we say, ‘We can accomplish this together in a public-private partnership,’ then it makes sense, and here’s something the city and the region benefits from enormously because it’s taking something that’s non-economically viable and making it economically viable for both parties.”

Given those concerns, I told Cochran and the others that there is genuine excitement about Stone coming to RVA. And judging from my experience in San Diego, there is much to be excited about.

Two days before my official tour, I took a sneak preview of the Stone World Bistro and Garden in Escondido. The entrance facing Citracado Parkway is unassuming, with no garish signs and no glowering gargoyles (they are the signature element of the brewery’s logo, and though they look devilish, their menace is meant to ward off evil spirits).

Stone’s gargoyle theme finds many faces.

You pass through a massive entrance of stone (what else?) into a store area with shirts, caps, books and more. The restaurant continues the stone theme with a touch of green from bamboo growing in the center. The room has a spacious feel with high ceilings and lots of elbowroom. The beer menu includes dozens of local, California and imported beers in addition to Stone products, and the draft list is split evenly between Stone and guest beers. I ordered the Tilapia Ceviche; it was fresh and delicious.

Beyond expansive glass walls, a patio extends the seated area (there’s an outside bar), and paths weave among pockets of lush vegetation, where picnic-style tables invite guests to lounge in that balmy sunshine (believe me, those folks need a good dose of RVA winter to appreciate their weather).

Taps feature guest beers as well as Stone brews in the Escondido bistro.

Cochran, Pena and LoPiccolo radiated enthusiasm about Stone’s operation (well, they’re paid to be enthusiastic but it comes across as genuine). Cochran rattled off numerous philanthropic endeavors that benefit from Stone’s involvement and largess (revenue in 2013 was $136.3 million, resulting in three-year growth of 118 percent). LoPiccolo described Stone’s 19-acre farm, which generates produce, eggs and other food items for the restaurant. Pena detailed the water conservation efforts — how 35,000 to 40,000 gallons of water a day are reclaimed for heating, cooling and other purposes (not brewing). She also talked about how Stone bottles and kegs are refrigerated almost from the moment they are packaged to ensure freshness.

I matched their enthusiasm when I talked about RVA’s scene — it’s small compared with the nearly 100 breweries in the San Diego area. But creativity and quality in Richmond have led to gold medals, glowing media reviews and growing national attention. The addition of Stone, I hope, will elevate Richmond’s status as a craft beer destination.

That will be a bright day indeed.

Jan. 10, 2015. 7ish a.m. The southern rim of the Grand Canyon.

We store memories in snapshots. We live in movies.

We think in terms of moments, as if time were like words, separated by space, distinct and individual.

But the world comes to us in a flow — continual, connected, moving, ever-changing but never-changing in its constancy.

These thoughts formed as I watch the sun rise over the Grand Canyon. I had forgotten my camera. I would not be able to record this moment. Was it in the car? Had I left it in my motel room? Should I go look for it?

I stood on a narrow tooth that jutted out from a paved walkway, part of the Rim Trail that traces the canyon. I faced the east and watched the dawn unfold, at first in blushes of pink and blue, then more intensely in crimson and gold. A layer of clouds — cotton billows — moved in from the southwest; in the western sky the moon watched its dominion fade.

To my left was the canyon. Ahead, I could almost see the spot on the horizon where the sun would emerge. Almost. Just a few baby steps on this pitted slab of rock, freshly frosted by the night.

No guardrail protected me from the canyon’s immensity. I had never fully appreciated my fear of heights until this visit, actually until this morning, when the jagged vastness held a beautiful terror, like the siren’s song. “One step closer to the edge and you can see better,” the ravines and buttes whispered. Even the breeze pushed me in that direction.

I grappled with nagging questions. Should I move closer to the edge, improving the view but heightening my anxiety? Should I get my camera? Was I wuss? Was I a loser, forgetting the one way to save and share this moment?

That’s when I realized—this moment was not a moment. The sunrise was not a transition from night to day. It was not an entity unto itself. It existed within a continuum of eternal revelation. Even the saying, “Be in the moment” put brackets on this — on every — experience. Be in the flow, I thought.

The blue-gray vagueness of the ravines and crags below was gaining detail. I wanted to see it better. I also wanted to look directly at the spot the sun would emerge. I inched left and leaned so I could see past branches of the scrub pines that had compromised not only my view but also my desire to achieve some perfection of the “moment.” But the only thing between me and a perfect experience, I thought, was my concept of imperfection.

I recalled the many mornings living on Afton Mountain in Virginia when I would get up to watch the sun rise. There, I had a clear view of the spot where the sun would break the Earth’s plane. I savored the moment — yes, the moment — of first sight, when I could say, “Yes, there is the sun. The sun itself.” It was a magical experience, though fleeting, for it emerged quickly.

Today, I waited for the same magic. Initially, I thought it occurred when the point of my focus turned brilliant orange through a slit in the blanket of clouds. But scant minutes later, I knew I had been premature. That same point turned blood red, as if the sun had stabbed an opening to the day and dawn was oozing across the horizon.

The panorama was exquisite. From east to west, I followed the emerging clarity of line and hue. The jaws of rock became crisp; the strata gained definition; the ochre and butternut nuances evolved in subtlety.

I was glad I had stayed to witness the light wash over the Earth on this day, one of each in the five million years since the Colorado River and its tributaries began carving its identity. The river flows a mile below, still etching. Now I can see it, and it fits into the metaphor my mind projects onto the scene. The river flows.

I will never forget this moment.

9:06 p.m. Denver time, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014

First, thanks to all those who expressed condolences about the germs that attacked me during my flight to Denver. Some good meds and some excellent beer proved therapeutic. But anything I say about how a beer tastes must be taken with a grain of malt, for I was wrapped in a cloud of sensory deprivation throughout the first night of the Great American Beer Festival.

Dave Warwick of Three Notch’d Brewing Company poses with admiring fans at the Great American Beer Festival.

Painting this scene is challenging. The spectacle of people by the thousands, most in a party mood, flocking to stations where more than 700 breweries pour 3,500-plus beers in a cavernous hall creates a bit of a carnival atmosphere. Guys dressed as airline pilots, women wearing Viking horns, dudes in Amish beards and hats, damsels in sheep outfits — all contribute to the festive air.

The real attractions are the brews, of course. I started the night with Neil Burton, owner of Strangeways Brewing in Richmond, pouring me the first-ever sample of Soledad. Inspired by the late Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez (barrels arrived the day Marquez died), the brew uses a variety of ingredients, from bananas to mangoes, aged in rum barrels. It was a most excellent way to start the 33rd annual GABF. Not far away, Sean and Lisa Pumphrey were pouring Lickinghole Creek beers, volunteers were dispensing Hardywood Park samples and other Virginia breweries — O’Connor, Devils Backbone, Starr Hill, Lost Rhino, Port City and Three Notch’d — were serving as well.

Sean-Thomas Pumphrey (left) of Lickinghole Creek and Kevin O’Connor of O’Connor Brewing Co. are among the Virginia brewers at the GABF.

The hunt quickly turned to finding what beers were drawing the most attention.

“Funky Buddha. Go to Funky Buddha,” I overheard one fellow urge his buddy.

Ok. I joined a line of about 35 people heading toward the Florida brewery’s table. “You’ve got to try the Nikolai Vorlauf,” said Mike Roberts, a Boston man standing in front of me. “I think it’s my favorite beer.”

He was referring to the barrel-aged Nikolai Vorlauf Imperial Stout, and I was glad I’d heeded his recommendation. Big, creamy, complex — all the things you want from an imperial stout. And that’s just in a one-ounce taste.

Another brewery creating a big buzz was Toppling Goliath, from Decorah, Iowa. The line stretched even farther here. Was the attention surprising for the brewers?

“I want to say yes, but not really,” said Scott Johnson, the brewery’s office manager. “It’s been a really amazing last couple of years. Especially the stout — people have been going crazy for it.”

That would be Assassin, another imperial stout. A double imperial stout, for that matter. Extreme. Extremely good. So good that Johnson had little trouble talking me into getting back in line for another Toppling Goliath brew, Intergalatic Warrior IPA (the names comes from Warrior and Galaxy hops used in the brew. I was afraid to ask where they got the name for Assassin).

The evening passed one ounce at a time, one brewery at a time, with me bouncing from spot to spot on a transcontinental treasure hunt. Lines moved quickly (my longest wait was six minutes). People shared insights about favorites freely. The hall bubbled with chatter, except when a beer glass mishap prompted a cheering roar.

It’s been a few years since I’ve been to the GABF. The one observation I’ll risk is that interest is not dominated by or limited to breweries in the traditional meccas — Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado.

The all-America theme was best expressed in my favorite exchange of the night. I’d been talking with a couple of bleary-eyed Colorado guys in line for beers from Jolly Pumpkin, a brewery out of Dexter, Michigan. I asked one of the two which of the brews he liked best.

“They’re all good,” he said. “We’re not starving for craft beer in this country.”

“I’m starving for craft beer in my pants,” his buddy said.

His friend paused. “That’s a really weird thing to say.”

Wednesday, Oct. 1, 10:09, Chicago O’Hare time.

Will RVA beer history be made in Denver this week?

A Richmond brewery has never won a medal at the Great American Beer Festival, to my knowledge. Could this be the year?

If so, I plan to be on the scene. If not, I’ll still be on the scene, and regardless of any outcome concerning medals, I fully expect Richmond — and Virginia — to continue gaining attention for the exciting beer culture.

Last year, after all, the Old Dominion turned many heads by finishing fourth in the medal count. Only California, Colorado and Oregon — craft beer meccas by any measure — received more.

Medals are only one standard, however. How has Richmond showed its beer bounty? Let me count the ways:

• Frommer’s pointing to the RVA beer culture, along with the restaurant scene, as a reason to make the city a top travel destination in 2014.
• Outstanding reviews from top publications, such as BeerAdvocate’s score of 90, or “outstanding,” for two Lickinghole Creek beers (the Short Pump Saison and Magic Beaver Belgian-Style Pale Ale beer), plus writer Joshua Bernstein giving high praise to Strangeways Brewing (and Devils Backbone) in a GABF preview for the Denver Post. And there’s always the legendary perfect score accorded Hardywood Park’s Gingerbread Stout.
• Mekong Restaurant again being a winner in voting for best beer bar on craftbeer.com.
• Richmond making the short list for Stone Brewing Co.’s East Coast facility (whether they come or not, it’s a nod to the scene).
• Thumbs-up visits by top beer folks, such as Julia Herz, craft beer program director for the Brewers Association, based in Colorado.

Beyond Richmond, credit veterans Starr Hill Brewery and Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in the greater Charlottesville region for setting a high standard in Virginia. Devils Backbone has repeatedly won top awards in its category and last year carried the load for Virginia with six GABF medals. Starr Hill founder Mark Thompson was winning GABF medals back in the 1990s and has been a leader in the state scene, most recently as president of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild.

So, while I’m at the GABF, I hope to chronicle adventures in Beertopia, both by tracking our local folks and by taking stock of the more than 700 breweries pouring 3,500-plus beers. Oh, and by checking out the bars and beers in greater Denver.

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Stay tuned.

For all of the fresh faces and new beers at the 2014 Virginia Craft Brewers Fest, it was a familiar crew that took the stage for the best-of-show awards yesterday in Nellysford.

Devils Backbone Brewing Co. celebrates winning gold best-of-show at the Virginia Craft Brewers Fest

Devils Backbone Brewing Co. not only achieved a three-peat for the best-of-show gold medal with its Turbo Cougar Blonde Bock, but the host brewery swept the category by winning the silver and bronze as well.

“It’s stunning,” said Devils Backbone founder Steve Crandall. “I was really hoping that we wouldn’t. When they called us up for the bronze, I thought, ‘Well, that’s cool.’ And then they called us up for the silver, I thought, ‘No way would we get the gold, too.’

“The brewers that we have are amazing,” Crandall added. Devils Backbone has 14 brewers, he said, 12 at the Outpost production facility near Lexington and two at the Basecamp brewpub in Nellysford.

Eight Richmond area breweries also won medals, including three awarded to newbie Triple Crossing Brewing Co. One of those was a bronze in the imperial IPA category for Street Cred, brewed in collaboration with Brandon Tolbert of The Answer Brewpub.

Scott Jones (from left), Jeremy Wirtes and Brandon Tolbert shared a medal for a collaboration brew at the Virginia Craft Brewers Fest

“It’s pretty surreal,” said Scott Jones, co-founder of Triple Crossing along with Adam Worcester and Jeremy Wirtes. “It was something we didn’t expect. We knew Jeremy was brewing some great beers.”

“It’s great to have validation outside of our local community, which has been so supportive,” Wirtes said.

Medals also went to Legend, Hardywood, Strangeways, Extra Billy’s, Ardent, Center of the Universe and Midnight breweries in the RVA area.

The competition was considerably stiffer this year, the third for the festival, which is sponsored by the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild and the signature event of Virginia Craft Beer Month. Over the course of two weekends, judges evaluated 221 entries in 21 categories. That’s up from 131 beers in 14 categories in 2013.

Medals are only one measure of quality. Judges are bound by strict stylistic guidelines, and many brewers these days take pride in pushing the envelope with creative ingredients. Beers such as the Lickinghole Creek’s Rosemary Saison and Adroit Theory’s Fear is Your Only God — another saison but an imperial version brewed with Mosaic hops, French yeast and aged in Sauternes barrels — created considerable buzz in yesterday’s crowd.

About 2,500 people attended this year’s event, which showcased beers from 52 Virginia breweries (up from 31 in 2013). Though the weather didn’t match last year’s sparkling conditions, rains abated after showers in the morning and held off until after the awards ceremony. The No BS! Brass Band closed the festival with snappy tunes that kept attendees dancing despite the soggy conditions.

The happy feet reflected a buoyant sense of good times in a burgeoning industry. Virginia has seen 75 percent growth in the number of breweries since a signature law, Senate Bill 604, was passed in 2012 allowing breweries to sell pints and growlers on site.

One of the new faces was Old Bust Head Brewing Co. from Vint Hill in Fauquier County. The brewery, which won two medals in the judging, began brewing on a 30-barrel system in its production facility early this year but just opened its tasting room last weekend.

“After four years of planning, it’s nice to be in the game, said Ike Broaddus, one of three partners at Old Bust Head. “The industry is still new in Virginia. Everybody knows they’re part of something.”

“Everybody’s welcoming us with open arms,” said Jaimis Huff, sales and marketing manager for Old Bust Head.

The brewery’s logo features a goat, which Broaddus explained. “We wanted to reflect Fauquier County’s agricultural nature,” he said. “We have goats on our farm. They’re the most playful, loyal, sturdy and honest animals. We thought they were the perfect image to portray what we want to be.”

Adventure Brewing Co., another first-timer at the festival, developed its name with a little less certainty. John Viarella, one of three homebrewers who started the brewery on a three-barrel system just outside Fredericksburg, said the founders sat around a table ready to brainstorm names. The first suggestion, “Adventure,” got thumbs up all around.

Viarella voiced a common sentiment among brewers new to the gathering. “It is the craziest thing to be here … next to people who are legends in the industry. It’s a huge jazz for me,” he said.

Even veterans have a sparkle in their eye about the blossoming scene. Kristi Mathews Griner, director of brewing operations for Capitol City Brewing Co., which has been around since 1992, said, “It’s gorgeous. It’s beautiful to see.”

Capitol City, known for its medal-winning Capitol Kolsch, now has two sites — the original location at 11^th and H streets in downtown D.C. and a production facility in Shirlington — and Griner said they’re brewing as much beer as ever.

“It’s awesome to see the craft beer industry grow,” said Leon Harris, a Cap City brewer.

The festival reflected growth in nearly every part of the state. Young Veterans Brewing Co. of Virginia Beach established a distinctive presence by serving beers from a military-issue Army “wall” tent with an American flag. The brewery opened Sept. 7, 2013, and has created an identity with offerings such as Semper FI.P.A. (brewed with Citra hops), Pineapple Grenade (a hefeweizen) and Beach Stormer (a black rye IPA).

Thomas Wilder, owner-president who served in Iraq, said he was glad to join ranks with the other state breweries. “This is pretty awesome. We take pride in being from Virginia. I think this is actually cooler than the Great American Beer Festival, to be part of this community,” he said.

Joe Hallock, owner of Chaos Mountain Brewing Co. near Roanoke, echoed those thoughts. “It’s a little overwhelming, to be honest,” he said. “This is some pretty good company — there are some pretty incredible beers being brewed in Virginia.”

With such conspicuous growth in the sector, what’s the next step for the industry in Virginia? Crandall talked about developing more agricultural resources such as hops and barley, not only to foster local enterprises but also to keep brewers supplied with high-quality staples of the trade. The state’s craft beers constitute only 2 percent of all the beers consumed in Virginia, as opposed to about 8 percent nationally, so there’s plenty of room for growth, he said.

And judging from the number of new brewers that took the stage to have medals draped over their necks, there will definitely be a growing market for high-quality ingredients in the Old Dominion.

“It’s great to see these new breweries coming in and taking gold medals,” said Aaron Reilly, an assistant brewer at Devils Backbone Basecamp. “The people in Virginia want quality products and they want local products, and we’re happy to be part of the team of breweries in the state to supply that. It’s just a great time to be a beer drinker in Virginia.”

Here are the full results of the judging for the Virginia Craft Brewers Cup:

Best of Show — Gold: Devils Backbone Outpost, Turbo Cougar; silver: Devil’s Backbone Basecamp, Smokehaus Lager; bronze: Devil’s Backbone Basecamp, Berliner Metro Weiss.

American and German Lager — Gold: Devils Backbone Outpost, Turbo Cougar; silver: Blue Mountain Brewery, Living Helles; bronze: Devils Backbone Outpost, Schwartz Bier.

 Pilsner — Gold: Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Rhino Chaser Pilsner; silver: Legend Brewing Company, Pilsner; bronze: Mad Fox Brewing Company, Praha Pils.

 Vienna and Oktoberfest — Gold: Devils Backbone Outpost, Vienna Lager; silver: Sunken City Brewing Company, Sunktoberfest; bronze: Lost Rhino Brewing Company – RhinoFest.

 Kolsch and Blonde Ale — Gold: Champion Brewing Company, Killer Kolsch; silver: Parkway Brewing Company, Bridge Builder Blonde; bronze: Capitol City Brewing Company, Capitol Kolsch.

Light and Amber Hybrid Beer — Gold: Bull and Bones Brewhaus, Appalachian Alt; silver: Sunken City Brewing Company, Steemboat Beer; bronze: Champion Brewing Company, Stickin’ in my Rye.

English, Scottish and Irish Ale — Gold: Apocalypse Ale Works, Heavy Red Horseman; silver: Midnight Brewery, Rockville Red; bronze: Old Bust Head Brewing Company, Bust Head English Pale Ale.

American Pale Ale — Gold: Beach Brewing Company, Ghost Ship; silver: Triple Crossing Brewing, Easy Now; bronze: Center of the Universe Brewing Company, Ray Ray’s Pale Ale.

American Amber and Brown Ale — Gold: O’Connor Brewing Company, Red Nun Red Ale; silver: South Street Brewery, Browntown; bronze: Wolf Hills Brewing Company, Creeper Trail Amber Ale.

Porter — Gold: Parkway Brewing Company, Raven’s Roost Baltic Porter; silver: Old Ox Brewery, Black Ox; bronze: Port City Brewing Company, Porter.

 Stout — Gold: Apocalypse Ale Works, 6^th Seal; silver: Chaos Mountain Brewing, Coco Borealis; bronze: Three Notch’d Brewing Company, Oats McGoats Oatmeal Stout.

India Pale Ale — Gold: Starr Hill, King of Hop; silver: Port City Brewing Company, Monumental IPA; bronze: Sunken City Brewing Company, Red Clay IPA.

Imperial IPA — Gold: Three Brothers Brewing, Admiral; silver: AleWerks Brewing Company, Bitter Valentine; bronze: Triple Crossing Brewing, Street Cred.

German Weizen — Gold: Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Final Glide Hefeweizen; silver: Extra Billy’s, My Only Weiss; bronze: Smartmouth Brewing Company, Sommer Fling.

Strong Ale — Gold: Wild Wolf Brewing Company, Wolfinstein; silver: Triple Crossing Brewing, Yoke of Oxen; bronze: Old Bust Head Brewing Company, Gold Cup Russian Imperial Stout.

Belgian and French Ale — Gold: Old Ox Brewery, Saison d’Ox; silver: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Singel; bronze: Bull and Bones Brewhaus, Sun Lit Wit.

Belgian Strong Ale — Gold: Chaos Mountain Brewing, Agents of Chaos; silver: Apocalypse Ale Works, Lustful Maiden; bronze: Blue Mountain Brewery, Marsedon.

Sour Ale — Gold: Devil’s Backbone Basecamp, Berliner Metro Weiss; silver: Champion Brewing Company, Tart Berliner Weiss; bronze: Strangeways Brewing Company, Uberlin Berliner Weiss.

Fruit Beer — Gold: Wolf Hills Brewing Company, Watermelon Wheat; silver: Devils Backbone Outpost, Pear Lager; bronze: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Virginia Blackberry.

Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer — Gold: Blue Mountain Barrel House, Spooky; silver: Ardent Craft Ales, Honey Ginger; bronze: Wild Wolf Brewing Company, Ginger Lager.

Smoke-Flavored/Wood-Aged Beer — Gold: Devil’s Backbone Basecamp, Smokehaus Lager; Silver: Starr Hill, Bourbon Barrel Bandstand Barleywine; bronze: Blue Mountain Barrel House, Dark Hollow.

 Specialty Beer — Gold: AleWerks Brewing Company, Lover’s Greed; silver: Starr Hill, Whiter Shade of Pale Ale; bronze, Devils Backbone Outpost, East/West India Pale Lager.