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Ardent Craft Ales
01/15/2013 6:15 AM by John M
Michael Lee’s Food Reviews has a set of photos from the Ardent Craft Ales shed, Jefferson Avenue’s “brewery-in-planning”:
We have been brewing as homebrewers out of a garage in Church Hill and finalizing recipes on a half-barrel pilot brewing system for the past two years. We are finalizing the negotiations for a location in Scott’s Addition to open a new craft brewery in Richmond in 2013.
Ardent Craft Ales
@ArdentCraftAles | Facebook
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Wish you were sticking around and could find a place in the neighborhood.
*Really* wish Ardent would stay in CH!! We need a brewery!
Agree with #1 and #2 above! Why not move across the street to the law office that’s for sale? That would be the PERFECT fit!
I also agree with the previous posts. Find a spot on the Hill!!
Movie theater on 25th Street!
I too would love craftbrew in Church Hill, but I imagine this might be about zoning.
Find a church not in use and make it “Church” Hill brewery, like in Pittsburgh……
Ardent is making a good decision.
I was just talking about these guys. I concur with the bulk of the thoughts, not just because it would be awesome to have them stay in the neighborhood, but because Church Hill is QUICKLY becoming (arguably “has become’) a hot spot for dining. The relationships that could be forged in just a few block radius with existing restaurants could be incredible. It’s worth considering, at the very least.
@zookeeper – I love the Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh. Awesome idea!
Agree that it would be great for them to be east of Capitol. Have to travel west too often as it is for things, especially beer!
Good point #10! Plus CH has beer in its history – the infamous Chimborazo beer vaults! Using the old movie theatre is a such a cool idea.
@#6 – You’re correct; it’s a zoning issue. I spoke with these guys about it about a year ago. If I remember correctly, breweries are permitted by right in the M-2 Heavy Industrial District and the B-7 Mixed Use Business District. It could also be permitted via a SUP. Since Church Hill doesn’t have any of the zoning to support such a use, and since the rezoning/SUP process can be rather costly (and unpredictable sometimes), it’s my assumption that’s why they’d prefer to relocate to somewhere where it’s permitted by right. Are there any lawyers specializing in zoning in the area who’d be willing to do this for Ardent as a pro bono service? I’d love to see a brewery located at the old industrial building at the intersection of S. 31st St. and Williamsburg Ave.
These guys brew tasty beer! Wish they’d stay in Church Hill but acknowledge the zoning issue.
I think the zoning issue is an excuse that’s being used to do what they want – move to Scott’s Addition. Our councilwoman would move heaven and earth to attract a business to that or any corridor in the East End.
Hi, this is Tom from Ardent. First, let me thank everyone for the kind words of support. When we rented the garage in 2010 (in order to move out of our kitchens and begin thinking about a possible commercial effort), we had no idea anyone in the neighborhood would even notice us. Over the years, more and more have people stopped by our Sunday brew sessions to say hello and try a sample or two, and it’s been great. We hope that everyone knows that when the doors are open, everyone is welcome to share the fruits of our labors. We love our neighbors and our neighborhood! I have lived on 26th for over ten years and it’s been thrilling to watch the recent growth of bakeries, restaurants, and small businesses in our neighborhood. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?
Unfortunately, #14 is right: the zoning and general plan for the neighborhood does not support the “use” necessary for a production craft brewery. This is not an oversight or a failing on the part of the city; rather, the city’s planners recognize that an industrial use like a brewery (even a craft brewery) is disruptive, smelly–we love it but not everyone does, and presents parking problems that all of our neighbors may not welcome. In the end we decided not to fight city hall, because we respect the fact that a production brewery may not be a good fit for everyone else who lives here.
With that said, if we do indeed succeed with our plan for a larger commercial enterprise, there is no reason the garage should remain empty. There are a number of people who are not a part of Ardent and regularly brew their own recipes at the garage. Why can’t that continue? We welcome anyone interested in brewing (or anyone else really) to come by on Sunday with his or her questions and/or home brew samples. Come by, hang out, pitch in if you feel like it, and if you want to brew, we’ll help you figure out how. Nothing would make us happier than to pass the garage on to another group of folks that want to continue the craft revival in our neighborhood.
And on another note, if things work out well for us, we hope to maintain our connections with the neighborhood in any way we can. We hope the Church Hill restaurants will see fit to carry our beer and, who knows, maybe Virginia will legalize off-premise brewery tasting rooms, a practice allowed in other states. Ultimately, we want to give back to the neighborhood that has given us so much. As for me, no matter where the brewery lands, I will continue to live in and support the Hill.
In any case, we’re still here for now, so we’ll see you next Sunday.
Best,
Tom