Looking for a little happiness? Highmark Brewery is the place to go, says Ned Flemming.
By Ned Flemming
LIBATIONS REVIEWER
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When I first walked into Highmark Brewery (just over the Rappahannock River in Stafford), I couldn’t help but to think, “That is a big, beautiful board of beers!” A balanced mix of flagship beers and a rotating cast of seasonal/experimental beers that are more than just complimentary was a wonderful sight. Dominating another of the walls is the Highmark motto: In Pursuit of Happiness. A perfect sentiment for both the purveyors and the imbibers of the beer; it perfectly sets the mood for the space and experience.
At the poured concrete bar, there are 16 taps behind the bar, 8 flagship beers (beers available all year) and usually another 8 seasonals. From kolsch to stout to IPA, there is something for everyone. I discovered while chatting with one of the bartenders that all of the flagship beers except for the brown ale are the original homebrew recipes from co-founder Mark Thorsted. They are what started the place, and they keep bringing people back. That speaks volumes for Mr. Thorsted’s talent. Underneath the flagships are the seasonals and they may be one-offs, brewer experiments, or celebration beers.
I always like to start by ordering either a kolsch or a pilsner when going into a new brewery. I have found that these beers are a good barometer of a brewer’s talent. Both the kolsch and the pilsner are German style beers that are light in color and ABV(alcohol by volume), easy drinking, and refreshing. Neither are particularly difficult to brew, but surprisingly, breweries don’t seem to put a lot of effort into them. I have had a fair share of indifferent kolschs and pilsners. Highmark passes this particular test with, ahem, high marks. Their Blue Stone Kolsch is superb. It is a light yellow in color, almost see through, and manages to be both crisp on the tongue and finish with a hint of sweetness. At only 5% ABV, it’s easy to drink and super refreshing on a summer day.
The Freshwater Blonde is another great choice for the summertime, its golden color is a bit hazier than the Blue Stone. It isn’t very malty, has almost no bitterness, and I found it to have a little zip at the end. It’s the lowest ABV of the flagships at 4.5%, but its flavor means you won’t notice the low alcohol. The third of the lighter beers is the Yellow Belly Pale Ale. At 6.5% ABV it’s a little stronger than a typical pale ale, but its aroma and taste are worth it with lots of citrus coming through in both. It’s a solid pale ale, low bitterness, just enough malt, and a bunch of citrus.
Every brewery needs to have an IPA on tap, and Highmark has two: the eponymous Highmark IPA and the Medicine Man Double IPA. When I first moved here, I asked around about local IPAs and nearly everyone I talked to put these at the top of the list. And deservedly so.
The Highmark IPA is prototypical American IPA, big flavor, good bitterness, and a great citrus aroma. The Medicine Man is not the Highmark IPA with a bigger ABV, instead it’s a very ambitious hazy West Coast IPA. It is ambitious because these are two different IPA philosophies married together. West Coast IPAs are typically very bitter and clear looking in the glass, while hazy or New England IPAs go the opposite way with sweeter juicy flavors and an unfiltered process that leaves them looking cloudy in the glass.
Medicine Man is slightly hazy, slightly juicy, and has enough pine like bitterness in the finish to balance everything out. Like I said, it’s an ambitious beer, but man does it deliver. It’s so delicious you will want to crush it and get the next one right away, and you can do that. Even with all that going on, the Medicine Man has a restrained 7.5% ABV.
Rounding out the flagships are the dark beers. The River Rock Stout has a wonderful malty coffee aroma, and it tastes a lot like it smells, with hints of coffee and chocolate and a ton of malt. With a deep rich brown complexion, it drinks very light and has just a hint of bitterness to keep it from being too sweet. A solid choice for all the stout lovers out there. The Brothers Cup Brown Ale is very biscuity and malty, with a full mouth feel. The hints of hazelnut at the end add a nice finish.
The Black Wayne is an inhouse black and tan, something I haven’t come across before. It is a combination of one part Yellow Belly to two parts River Rock. While it doesn’t have the distinctive separation of dark beer sitting on top of light beer that a Black and Tan is known for, it is in fact similar in color to the River Rock, it does taste like a Black and Tan should. Very smooth and velvety, the richness of the stout cut with the crispness of the pale ale. It may not be for everyone, but everyone should at least try this, because it is not something you can see, or taste, everywhere.
The timing of your visit will determine what is available on tap from the bottom half of the Beer Board. The last time I visited there was a sour, a porter, a saison, an IPA, a Belgian Quad, and a Mexican lager. As a head brewer once told me: “Variety on the board brings people back.” I am a big fan of the Live and Let Rye (and not just because I love a clever beer name) and the Highmark Mexican lager. The first one is a bit spicy, the other a bit sweet, both are delicious. Try them if they have them.
There are also hard seltzers, which I did not try (seltzer’s never been my thing). They have several fruit flavors that the bartender adds to the plain seltzer. The flavors include a blueberry lemonade and key lime. But the really intriguing thing is for a small charge (50 cents) you can add them to a beer. I did not get to try this, but I will next time I go back. Adding a bit of blood orange or blackberry flavoring to a beer seems like it would be worth sampling. And as with most breweries, you can order a flight of four beers to sample, or (as I was delighted to discover) a half pour of something. They also have different flavors of Kombucha for any nondrinkers. No non-alcoholic beers, which my wife finds disappointing. She is happy to join me on my, let’s say research visits to breweries, but feels left out of the experience when there are no NA beer options.
In addition to the beer, Highmark has a welcoming nature. I have sat at the bar several times and each time ended up in conversations with the people beside me. The bartenders are personable, knowledgeable, and know the regulars by name and beer. It’s a very comfortable and easy place to have a pint or two and get pulled into in a conversation. I have found myself talking about my favorite Richmond breweries, local history with a retired professor, and which area breweries have the best pizza (Iron Pipe Alewerks in Orange, apparently).
The meandering discussion also touched on Highmark’s mug club, which they call the Founders Club. It is reasonably priced at $75 dollars the first year and only $52.52 a year after that (I asked and was told there is no significance to the number 52). When I asked about the perks of it, my barstool neighbor leaned over to me and said, “You almost need a spreadsheet to keep track of them all.” And he was right. Make your own inquiries at the bar, but I think you will find the juice is worth the squeeze.
It was during one such conversation that I happened to ask the bartender about his T-shirt. It was an Out of the Darkness T-shirt, and he said that every 1st Saturday of the month the brewery hosts the local American Foundation for Suicide Prevention group. They come in and hold raffles, giveaways, and promote suicide prevention awareness. This being a cause close to my heart, I was happy to hear that the brewery had this type of outreach into the community.
They also have the more traditional brewery/pub offerings in the evenings, including Happy Hours, Trivia on Wednesdays and an Open Mic Night on Thursdays. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Being an educator by trade, I also appreciate that they give a discount to teachers on Wednesdays. You do need your school ID for the discount, but as Sean Connery’s character in the Untouchables said, “Who would claim to be that who was not?” Indeed.
There is also an outdoor seating area with a lot of shade and comfortable picnic tables. These are conveniently located near the food truck parking area. You can usually find local offerings such as Rosie’s Pizza and Doner Kebab and Marie Cheryl’s tacos. (I have a friend who famously plans his trips to Highmark around Marie Cheryl’s availability. Good on you Karl!) But if you don’t like the food truck selection that day, Highmark also offers a limited food menu. There are pizzas and such, but the German Pretzel is the rockstar. You might look at the price and think, “Who wants to spend $15 on a pretzel?” The answer is “You do!” You want to spend that much money because it is 2 lbs of salty deliciousness that comes hot out of the oven on a pizza tray. With cheese and mustard, it is easily enough for 4 people to share. Or don’t share and keep it all for yourself. Either way you’re gonna be happy you spent the money.
Highmark is also a very dog and family friendly establishment. Your well behaved and leashed four legged friends can be inside or outside. And there is even a photo board at the end of the bar celebrating them. For those with kids, there are games available for borrowing and sodas for drinking. The house WIFI is free and reliable, which every brewery going parent knows is essential for keeping all ages of kids entertained.
From the quality beer, to the thoughtful details, to the welcoming community there, I find Highmark Brewing to be a great place to stop in and to pursue a little happiness. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what breweries are really for?
Until the next brewery, my friends.
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