Three Notch’d Brewing Company

This past Friday night, my husband and I decided to go grab drinks at the new Three Notched Brewing Co. in IX art park! It was FABULOUS!! They are located in a previously empty warehouse right on the edge of IX. Which means it’s super awesome on the inside.

Atmosphere: 5/5

The atmosphere at TNBC is quite spectacular. Laid back are some words that come to mind. They have long picnic style tables instead of individual ones, to encourage social interaction, they have table service for just drinks (um, yes please!), and whatever their playlist was, it was perfect for drinking! As an added bonus, this place is family friendly! (Nope, this is not a dream parents!) No joke. They have a little play area for kids to hang out in while parents have some well-deserved drinks! They also have craft soda flights so the kiddos won’t feel left out.

Dress code: Casual

Staff: 5/5

The staff here is beyond awesome. There is someone at the door who greets you and asks you where you want to sit and whether or not you want food. They then lead you to your seats, give you menus, and within 5 minutes, someone was there to help us with our choices! The service was fast, efficient. After ordering, we got our flights in under 5 minutes. It was ridiculous!

Flight price: $6 for 4 beer flight, $8 for a 6 beer flight

Wine/Cocktail prices: Ranged from $8-$12

Brews: I ended up getting a four-beer flight, with the IX Lemongrass Rye, Hydraulion Irish Red, Brother Barnabas Tripel, and the Blackberry Gose. Wow, they were good!

My personal favorite was the Blackberry Gose, but honestly, they were all fantastic. For the most part, they were all smooth going down. The Lemongrass had a really nice balance to it, and it had a pleasant after-taste. The Irish Red was good, but a bit harsher, definitely hoppier compared to the others that I tried. Barnabas Tripel was super carbonated, which I ended up liking, and had a very crisp finish to it. The Blackberry Gose was basically like drinking liquified Sour Patch kids but with alcohol. Very tart, and crisp! I think this one was seasonal though, so better go get some while it lasts!

Overall, this was a stellar place. This would be a great place to have a friends night out, and honestly a great place for a date as well! Very versatile, and fun. Drinks were fantastic, staff was incredible, I will totally be going back!

**Side note: This Three Notch’d has a full-service kitchen as well! I haven’t tried the food, unfortunately, but will update the post as soon as I do! The menu looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it!

 

Website: Three Notch’d Brewing Co. & Craft Kitchen

 

Advertisement

Hardywood Pilot Brewery & Taproom

A couple of weekends ago, my husband and I went to Hardywood to celebrate the release of the Gingerbread Stout (my husband’s favorite). I am not a beer girl, but was pleasantly surprised by Hardywood! The beer was pretty good, and the atmosphere was top notch!

Atmosphere: 4/5

The mood is really chill. It’s a semi-quiet taproom, so a great place to go have a chat with your mates, but no dancing on tables, or any such nonsense here! (Singing might be acceptable, however) Music was good, seating area was fabulous, they had games you could play, and the bartenders were playing hangman on napkins with people. Can it get any better?

Dress code: Casual

Staff: 5/5 

I had never been to Hardywood before this, and one of the beers I chose in my flight, I ended up being repulsed by. The super awesome bartender was understanding and let me replace it free of charge! They are also really friendly and help guide your beer choices to cater to your tastes. (Very important for first-timers, such as myself!)

Flight price: $12 

Growler prices: $20

Brews: I got the three flagships (Singel, Vipa, and Pils) and the seasonal favorite, the Gingerbread Stout. (GBS)

Out of the three flagships, my favorite was the Singel, least favorite was the Vipa. The Singel was a light beer, that, to me at least, felt smooth going down, and had a nice finish to it. The other two flagships seemed average at best, but Hardywood really shines when it comes to its darker beers and seasonal options. (Rasberry Stout. Everyone go have some. OMG!)  Let me start this by saying: I do NOT drink dark beers. Ever. I DO, however, drink the GBS! I thought I would hate it, but it was fantastic! It was rich and flavorful without being overly sweet or gimmicky.

***Pregnant women! They have non-alcoholic drinks too! YAY! 

Overall, it was a good time. It was relaxing, and I felt like I could have probably gone up to the bartenders and asked an array of stupid questions and would not have been judged for being a beer virgin. This is my husband’s favorite brewery, so he’ll vouch for it every time! Go check them out! They have a great location right on Main St. in Charlottesville!

Website: Hardywood

Address: 1000 W Main St a, Charlottesville, VA 22903