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For nearly two years, the new Norfolk taproom of Reaver Beach Brewing Company has been one of the most eagerly awaited openings in Hampton Roads beer. In addition to the flagship Hoptopus IPA that graces countless taps around the region, the brewery kicks out some of the area’s most highly esteemed barrel-aged beers.
The 6,500-square-foot Norfolk brewpub, which will be located at 3800 Colley Ave. in the old Milan post office, is planned as a hefty upgrade to the cozier Virginia Beach taproom: more beers on tap, more space for drinkers, multiple floors, arcade games, art on the walls, a patio on the loading dock and a small slate of Norfolk-only beers.
“The way we’ve talked about it is it’s inverted compared to our Virginia Beach location,” said general manager Joshua Bennett. “Virginia Beach is a small taproom with big production. It’ll be a big taproom and small production in Norfolk.”
After more than a year of construction- and pandemic-related delays, Reaver Beach was finally able last week to announce the Norfolk location’s opening date.
But their planned grand opening was not to be: Fans of the brewery will have to wait until Friday, Feb. 19.
In the sort of announcement that’s become nearly routine from Hampton Roads businesses since last year, Reaver Beach sent notice on social media Sunday that a brewery employee had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The brewery announced that it would shut down its Virginia Beach taproom out of an “abundance of caution,” but said the affected employee had not been at the brewery since their known exposure, nor had they interacted with customers.
The abundance of caution also extended to the Norfolk grand opening, which is being pushed off until the brewery has time to test all of its employees.
“We want to ensure a confident bill of health for the Reaver Beach team and all of you before we open our doors,” the brewery said in a statement. “Our entire staff, for both locations, is being tested and we will only open with a negative-result team. As planned, our staff will be masked, tables will be distanced, markers will be placed, occupancy will be monitored, and social distancing will be enforced.”
“It’s times like these that you have to be transparent and make the tough decisions,” Bennett wrote in a text to The Pilot.
When they’re able to show it off, the new taproom will be worth the wait, Bennett said. It will feature an epoxy-poured bar, natural light, and Edison bulbs hung from the ceiling. There will also be an upstairs mezzanine space reserved for adults only.
“That’ll be a 21-and-up space for folks that are looking to do that adult time,” Bennett said of the upstairs mezzanine. “And then on the first floor, you’ve got your dogs, your kids — everybody can come in and still enjoy Reaver Beach with their family and the Reaver way that we do things.”
A patio on the loading dock will offer a few picnic tables for those who want to drink a beer outside.
Most of the brewery’s production, and all of its barrel-aging, will still happen in in Virginia Beach. But the Norfolk brewery will also feature a small, 3.5-barrel brewing system — enough to fill three to five dedicated tap lines. The Norfolk-exclusive beers will be brewed by Stu Kersting, a former brewer at Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing and assistant brewer at Reaver’s original location.
“We’ve got a test batch of Crunchy Man Czech Pilsner that was a huge success over the summer,” Bennett said. “That’s going to be our dedicated light, low-ABV, sessionable beer — a one-for-everybody beer similar to our house lager that we keep in Virginia Beach. And then for the other stuff, (Kersting) will have that system to do whatever his heart desires.”
Let's Eat
The rest of the taproom’s 23 tap lines will feature beers made in Virginia Beach, from barrel-aged sours to boozy stouts. Nitro taps will also be on-hand for beers that taste better with tiny bubbles.
Food will come from a rotating menagerie of food trucks, and the brewery has installed multiple 30-amp circuits for the trucks to plug in. Guests can expect trucks to be present from Thursday to Sunday, though those days may change depending on demand.
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Bennett said they’re holding some surprises back for opening day and keeping a lid on pictures of the “magnificent” bar. There also is a massive mural painted by an art student from Old Dominion University — an octopus crawling up from the depths.
In their statement, the brewery thanked its fans for their continued patience, as they take all necessary precautions in advance of the delayed grand opening.
“We’ve been waiting to join this community for a long time, and we want to show up safely, for you. We want to show up ready, for you. And for the longest time, we’ve wanted to pour our beer, for you. So with grace, we ask that you please hold your excitement for just one more week.”
Reaver Beach Norfolk plans to open at noon on Feb.19 at 3800 Colley Ave., Norfolk, 757-904-5344, reaverbeach.com. Planned opening hours are 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, noon to 10 pm. Friday and Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Matthew Korfhage, 757-446-2318, matthew.korfhage@pilotonline.com