It’s hard to say what the closing of Richbrau means for the Richmond beer scene. Some are quick to criticize the beers that were being made there, but over the past decade this brewpub introduced a lot of folks to craft beer that otherwise wouldn’t have thought twice about it.

So it’s with an equal sense of pride and dismay when I tell you that I brewed the last batch of beer at Richbrau.

A little over a week ago, I joined brewer Mike Banks in creating a straight-up British style Oatmeal Stout. From milling the grain to pumping wort into the fermenter, I worked alongside Mike from start to finish. And what a satisfying experience it was.

After crushing nearly 500 pounds of grain in the grist mill early Friday morning, we set to work. Water was dialed in at the proper temperature, malt sugars were steeped from grain to create wort, yeast was pitched to start fermentation. It was pretty much how you’d expect to make a batch of beer – only on a much larger and more technical scale.

I’ll save you some of the rather dry, process-oriented details. While having the opportunity to brew there was fascinating for me, the topics of conversation were just as engaging.

In our downtime, we mused on the state of craft beer in the metro area, brewing techniques, personal taste preferences, and the general perception of Richbrau’s beer. You know, stuff that any two men with an abnormal love for beer would talk about.

Mike discussed the criticism that Richbrau’s beer was “not crafty” enough, but had no qualms about making styles of beer that he loved. He also admitted that he was shooting for drinkable beers that the public could enjoy. Sometimes, he’d stray off the beaten path to liven things up for the more seasoned beer drinkers, but often it was about creating quaffable brew that the restaurant-going public favored.

Elaborating, he said, “Most of my friends aren’t in the beer world. They’re just normal folks who like to have a beer. Sometimes, that means just sipping something flavorful that you don’t have to think too much about. It’s kind of relaxing.” Mike even cited the late, great British beer writer Michael Jackson when talking about beer being more than just a beverage, but an experience – and the external factors that make beer a great social lubricant.

Regardless of what you thought of their beers, their service, their food, their business practices, the fact remains that Richmond has lost yet another source for local beer.

Ironically, just last weekend I paid a visit to the Virginia Historical Society museum and saw those famous old, empty Richbrau cans, commemorating the advent of canned beer in America. Now, it appears that this famous Richmond name is relegated to the history books, once again only to be viewed behind plate glass.