For Greater Williamsburg’s craft beer scene, 2017 has been a year of firsts — and brewers are staking their claim as pillars of the local economy.
First, the milestones.
Virginia Beer Company celebrated its first birthday in March.
Alewerks opened an off-site tasting room in September in the Williamsburg Premium Outlets.
Amber Ox Public House and Billsburg Brewery opened their doors for the first time later in the fall.
And in December, Alewerks took home first place among Hampton Roads breweries in Veer Magazine’s Golden Tap Awards.
“We have a pretty strong beer scene and its only growing stronger, and that’ll be something people gravitate toward,” said Amber Ox’s Master Brewer Greg Fleehart.
There are now five craft breweries operating in six locations across Greater Williamsburg. If things are getting crowded, the area’s brewers are showing no signs of concern.
“We’ve found new friends with the existing brewers that are here,” said Billsburg’s CEO and Master Brewer Dave Baum. “We’ve proved there is a brotherly camaraderie between the breweries. We haven’t felt like the new kids on the block, but the welcome addition.”
Brewers and representatives who spoke with WYDaily agreed with Baum, and said they would rather collaborate than compete with their fellow brewers.
For example, when Brass Cannon Brewing lost a piece of equipment critical to its operations this year, President Phil Norfolk said he called Alewerks and received a replacement part that day.
Why help a business competitor? A rising tide lifts all boats.
“The more breweries there are in Greater Williamsburg, the more people are going to give it a try,” said Alewerks Marketing Director Jeff Phillips. “If Virginia Beer Co. is bringing new people into the craft-beer scene, we can only stand to benefit from that. If we’re making good beer in Williamsburg, then Billsburg and VBC only stand to benefit.”
With the proliferation of craft brewers, both Phillips and Norfolk said they see tourists in the breweries on a regular basis, as more people look to the Williamsburg area for its beer.
That helps the region appeal to tourists who are looking for things to do between visits to the historic attractions.
“Williamsburg is a tourist town, and having another draw is good,” Norfolk said.
Virginia Beer Company’s co-founder Robby Willey has a similar take.
He is a member of the City of Williamsburg’s Economic Development Authority, and he said a focus of the EDA has been to help foster more food and beverage offerings to draw tourists to the community— and get them to come back.
“We’re trying to build this diverse and welcoming culture, so that no matter what stop you make in Williamsburg, you can keep making those stops on every visit,” Willey said.
Breweries serve yet another function, according to another brewer: they’re not just magnets for tourists, they’re also community gathering spots for locals, and they’re stepping into a role as hosts of public events, Baum said.
When the city’s New Year’s Eve tradition First Night folded, Amber Ox took the lead in planning a block party for the community, he said.
Billsburg is also planning its own New Year’s Eve celebration.
To Baum and other brewers, the growth of Williamsburg’s beer scene is an important piece of the economic puzzle.
“It confirms for me we’re all directionally aligned,” Baum said. “This is the new way of tourism.”
