Right Around the River Blog
Richmond Beeristoric Visits Beer Caves at Rocketts Landing
Post Date: 11-13-2013
They came. They drank. They savored.
This past weekend, Richmond Beeristoric stopped by the beer caves at Rocketts Landing down by the banks of the James River and brought with them a group of nearly 100 enthusiastic beer drinkers. Coupled with blue skies and fair temperatures, their visit continued an annual tradition of learning about Rocketts Landing’s role in Richmond’s rich beer history — while sampling some delicious craft beer.
A one-day event that coincides with RVA Beer
Week, Richmond Beeristoric buses people to different beer-friendly
locations as they drink their way across the city. While stopping at local breweries
and restaurants to sample the best of RVA’s craft beer, they also learn about
the centuries-old beer history bubbling beneath the surface.
This is the fourth year that Richmond Beeristoric tour brought
visitors to the beer caves at Rocketts Landing. In a
nutshell, the caves are remnants from James River Steam Brewery, which D. G.
Yuengling Jr. opened in the 1860s and closed in 1879. The caves are between
45-feet and 95-feet in length, and though they’ve remained unused since the 19th
century, they still offer a glimpse into Richmond’s role in our nation’s beer
scene.
“The beer caves are important because they represent Richmond’s
historic beer industry and culture. By visiting and learning about these caves,
we are helping to keep Richmond’s history alive,” explains Eric Mink, an
historian and guide for the Richmond Beeristoric tour.
Visitors sampled local beer by Legend Brewery and home-cooked ribs by Extra Billy’s BBQ while taking in some pretty cool Rocketts Landing beer facts, such as:
- Richmond society loved the beer made at James River Brewery, claiming, “My god, what nectar was made!”
- A beer garden once existed on the grassy area above the beer caves and served as the meeting place for Richmond’s German society to talk politics. The beer garden stayed open long after James River Brewery closed.
All in all, we always enjoy when Richmond Beeristoric stops by for a visit at the Rocketts Landing beer caves! We look forward to next year’s visit — as well as continuing our tradition supporting Richmond’s historic beer culture.