Virginia Craft Brewers Represent in UK’s Largest Beer Festival

Five Virginia craft brewers were on-hand to represent Virginia in the United Kingdom’s biggest craft beer festival, Craft Beer Rising, at the Old Truman Brewery in London on February 22nd thru 24^th. This three-day event hosted more than 175 breweries and 12,000 beer lovers from around the world, and these five breweries were there to let the world know Virginia craft beer ranks with the best.

Virginia Beer Co in Williamsburg, Champion Brewing in Charlottesville, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery in Goochland, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery in Richmond, and Port City Brewing in Alexandria did an outstanding job showing that Virginia craft beer has earned its place in the world.

The “Virginia is for Craft Beer Lovers”-themed booth space was provided to the Virginia breweries by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) Office of International Marketing. According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture Virginia is currently home to over 240 craft breweries, a 550% increase since 2012, and the number is still growing.

The UK is the second largest importer of American beer, accounting for about 10% of beer exports. The VDACS believes that by giving Virginia craft brewers who have the production capacity, creativity, and interest in expanding sales into foreign markets the opportunity this type of exposure, it will open up those markets to those breweries.  Currently both Licking Hole Creek and Hardywood Park are being distributed in the UK, but after this festival, there could be a lot more interest overseas in what’s brewing in Virginia.