If you've been following along with THEbreweryauthority over the last couple years, you know we specialize in small brewery towns in America. There's something about the small town charm of a town like Roanoke that makes the experience even more special. THEbreweryauthority has been to some spectacular small towns across the United States like Lancaster Pa, Fort Collins Co, Rapid City Sd, and Harrisonburg Va. Not far down I81 South in Virginia is Roanoke. Actually, this whole highway corridor is brewery rich with countless historical towns filled to the brim with history, culture, and of course, breweries. However, Roanoke should be considered the cherry on top!
Why Roanoke?
THEbreweryauthority LOVES small town brewery destinations for one particular reason. As brewery travelers we like to take in that big city atmosphere with none of the headaches of navigating big city traffic or massive crowds. Often the price difference between modestly sized towns and large, bustling cities is quite noticeable as well. With five breweries smack dab in the middle of the downtown, Roanoke fits our criteria perfectly as a small town brewery destination. The closeness of the breweries in Roanoke provides another benefit, which is walkability. Let's face it. As brewery travelers you want to hit as many breweries as possible which means drinking A LOT of beer. Even if you're ordering one flight, those tasters tend to add up. So being able to walk to the next one can be a real advantage rather than driving or having to find a driver. Walking from brewery to brewery avoids those costly Uber rides and having to wait forever for the driver to show up. Most of Roanoke's breweries are only a few minutes apart or in some cases right across the street like Big Lick Brewing and Golden Cactus Brewing!
Exploring The Breweries
Picking a favorite brewery in Roanoke is like picking a favorite child. You can't do it! So let us show off the best parts of each.
Big Lick Brewing
As Roanoke's first nano-brewery, Big Lick has built quite the reputation, not only in Roanoke, but also the entire region. We actually visited Big Lick a couple times in our travels and ALWAYS recommend these guys. For starters, Big Lick brews arguably the best beer in town. I can always count on them for phenomenal hazy and west coast IPAs to fill up my cooler. In addition to the amazing beer quality, the biergarten is the place to be when the sun comes out. Hell, one can even enjoy a beer at night in the dead of winter when the fire pits are raging! The awe-inspiring mural on the adjacent wall only adds to the atmosphere.
Golden Cactus Brewing
I know I said it's impossible to pick a favorite brewery in Roanoke, but Golden Cactus, across the street from Big Lick, makes that difficult. Let me start by saying Golden Cactus may be one of the most visually appealing breweries you will ever lay your eyes on, both inside and out. The color scheme they use feels more like a brewery from a much warmer climate, perhaps the southwest? The pinball machines and retro game setup only contribute to this truly unique taproom experience. Everywhere you look there is some sort of odd decor that you may not have noticed in previous visits. But wait! We can't forget about the beer which rivals their brewery neighbor across the street, Big Lick. This one, two punch of breweries, literally across the street from each other, satisfies even the most picky brewery snob.
Twisted Track Brewing
Giving off a totally different vibe than Big Lick and Golden Cactus is Twisted Track, which awaits you only a couple blocks away. Twisted Track Brewing took over operations from another brewery and rebranded itself into a high energy music venue with a train theme. The entire taproom is lined with garage doors that swing open into the patio area. The massive speeding train mural on the wall sets the mood for this family friendly taproom and the open, airy atmosphere begs you to visit with the whole family. Not only does Twisted Track have beer (obviously), but they also have a full menu of cider and wine so there's no reason not to bring those pesky friends who despise beer.
Three Notch'd Brewing
Three Notch'd is no stranger to THEbreweryauthority. We have visited their unique locations in Richmond and Harrisonburg and were impressed each time. The Roanoke location lives up to the reputation of other locations. A modest, two-story taproom complete with a full service kitchen to pair with all the great beer offerings. Three Notch'd even provides their own line of non alcoholic beers! You would think after several visits we'd run into the same beer twice, but that's not the case. Three Notch'd always has some new and exciting beer available in additon to their flagship favorites.
Olde Salem Downtown Taproom
A few years ago we had the opportunity to visit Roanoke. Unfortunately, time only allotted a few hours in town, so we decided to check out the Deschutes location downtown. Fast forward a few years later and we find out Olde Salem Brewing has opened up a location where Deschutes once resided. I must say, the brewery taproom has a more "local" feel whereas the previous owners failed to grasp that atmosphere. Honestly, the beer is way better too! and just a stone's throw from Three Notch'd? Win, win!
A Few Old Goats Brewing
If you are feeling ambitious about your brewery adventures, just beyond Golden Cactus Brewing you have A Few Old Goats Brewing, or AFOG for short. To us, AFOG seems like a hyper-local brewery taproom. Being out among the suburbs, I can see the locals enjoying a few pints here. This laid back, chill taproom environment screams old school homebrewers with beer styles like red ales, saisons, milk stouts, and of course a basic pale ale. I'd recommend AFOG for those of us who need a break from those double hazy IPAs, marshmallow coconut pastry stouts, and thick smoothie sours. Back to basics at AFOG, which is VERY much a compliment.
Starr Hill Pilot Brewery
Like Three Notch'd Brewing, Starr Hill is a regional favorite and also like Three Notch'd, THEbreweryauthority has enjoyed a few other locations. Each location pushes forward a certain uniqueness that only the best breweries can pull off. Spoiler....the Richmond rooftop location ranks number one for us! However, the Roanoke location is nothing to scoff at with that small, local atmosphere coming into play. This location also feature a sound stage and you guessed it, experimental pilot batches of beer. Who knows? You may see one of those pilot beers on a shelf at your local store one day!
Is That All???
No! You may need TWO days to take in the entire brewery scene of Roanoke. Considering the size of this "city" says so much about how much the breweries have become an integral part of the community. Honestly, you could spend a week here with all the great restaurants and beer bars. Aside from the beer, this region has so much to offer. THEbreweryauthority travels this corridor of Intersate 81 quite often and are ALWAYS amazed by the sheer beauty of Virginia's Blue Ridge and its' mountains. After traveling all over this country, it's obvious Virginia's Blue Ridge is vastly underrated, both for beer and nature.
Clearly, if you have read any of our articles or followed along our travels you know we absolutely love small town America and its' breweries. The amount of small, historical towns along this stretch of highway is astounding. Sounds like a great road trip, right? Add to the fact that all these small towns have breweries waiting for you and you have a recipe for an amazing getaway. Towns like Pulaski, Blacksburg, Lexington, Staunton, Harrisonburg, and all the way up to Winchester have some amazing experiences up their sleeves. Perhaps with the most, right there in the middle, is Roanoke.
Make sure to check out the Cheers Trail which has some amazing rewards for you when you visit Virginia's Blue Ridge breweries! Thanks for ready, cheers!
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