Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, amidst an endless sea of wineries, Virginia’s own Napa Valley holds a small swath of land also designated for craft beer. Not only is the ever-expanding Starr Hill Brewery located in Crozet, just outside Charlottesville, but another up-and-comer calls nearby Afton home.

Just beyond scenic Charlottesville, but before you hit Waynesboro, is the Blue Mountain Brewery. Home to such acclaimed beers as Full Nelson Pale Ale and Dark Hollow, Blue Mountain is set in some of the most picturesque landscape of Virginia’s countryside. It’s comfortable and cozy, like an old country home, only with everything brand new and a brewery attached. Inside is a classy stone fireplace, several wooden tables and a sleek bar setup that has a backing glass window featuring the fermentation tanks in the brewing area.

Brewmaster Taylor Smack is a generous and welcoming host, not to mention one with a considerable amount of beer cred. Hailing from Chicago’s famous Goose Island brewpubs as the former head brewer, in addition to running the brewing operations at the South Street Brewery in Charlottesville, Smack has obviously logged some hours as a skilled craftsman of better beer. And his new outfit is no exception.

Upon arriving at the establishment late morning on Saturday, with a fortunate break in the cloudy weather, me and Steve eagerly awaited a quick look-see at the facility. We got right in for the tour, which really could’ve just involved turning your head left, then right to see the entire place. But that’s what made it a more interesting and personal experience, which is one thing I feel this brewery strives for. Taylor gave us a rundown of the beers they produce there, some general beer knowledge, and answered a few questions we had on our minds as we wrapped up the tour.

One thing I was curious about was the brewery’s lock on hops, inquiring as to how Blue Mountain would weather the storm, especially being such a young operation working on such a small scale. Taylor replied that with his hop farm producing enough Cascades for the beers they brew, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem to supplement their supply, and they wouldn’t have to worry about purchasing that particular hop on the open market. Without their own crop, they’d be paying up to 2000% more than they would have a year or two ago for the same type of hop, as Cascades are immensely popular and increasingly scarce.

Smack then pointed out a few barrels in the corner wrapped in plastic that had been delivered. You guessed it, bourbon barrels. For their Dark Hollow release, they age an Imperial Stout (that uses English Crystal and Chocolate malt) in these charred oak barrels for 100 days to impart that bourbony goodness into the beer. The sample we enjoyed was aged in Jim Beam barrels, but for next year’s batch they had Wild Turkey barrels being filled that very day. The Beam barrel-aged bottles were still a new release, having just come out on Friday, so Steve and I grabbed a couple bottles each on the way out.

Not only that, another standout beer we grabbed was the Evil 8° Belgian-style Dubbel. Plenty of dark fruit, primarily plum and raisin, came forth on the palate on the first sip, with hints of fig and a sugary base that certainly warrants giving the place of origin on the label a second-take. Very Belgian in character, and a bold move for a small, regional brewer. Then again, Smack’s experience speaks for itself, and certainly shows in the beer. This also deserved a purchase, and a six-pack found its way into my hands quite easily after giving it a taste in the restaurant.

I’ve got to say, the food was fantastic as well. This place really has it all; lots of mountain charm, a laid-back atmosphere, and plenty of delicious food and beer. And I’ve got to give credit to their entire beer lineup, too. The Kölsch is crisp and clean, with a tinge of spiciness from the hops and a considerable amount of grainy Pilsner malt flavor. The Full Nelson was plenty hoppy for a regular pale ale, and the lager was definitely not without merit.

If you’re ever in the area, Blue Mountain Brewery should be on your list of places to visit. What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than drinking fine beer with a good meal in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains?