My fall road trip through West Virginia’s eastern panhandle was full of so much beauty: historic sites, quaint towns, rolling mountains and plenty of fall foliage. But no trip of mine is complete without a brewery visit (or several) and I certainly got a taste of some great West Virginia brews. Here are the beers I tried during my time in the Mountain State.
Mountain State Brewing Company
Mountain State Brewing Company is one of West Virginia’s oldest distributing microbreweries. This brewery started in Thomas, WV and now has several locations across the region. While none of their taprooms were in my travel path on my road trip, I did enjoy trying two of their flagship brews on tap in restaurants I visited.
Paired with a delicious smoked chicken platter at The Anvil Restaurant in Harper’s Ferry, I had Mountain State’s Almost Heaven Amber Ale, a smooth and malty 5.2% amber ale with a caramel finish. Later on in my trip as a 7:30pm nightcap (everything closes early around there!) at Angus & Ale in Berkeley Springs, I had Mountain State’s light and hoppy 5.4% Seneca IPA.
Abolitionist Ale Works
Abolishionist Ale Works in Charles Town is named for the area’s rich history of abolitionists – the prominent courthouse building just down Washington Street from the brewery was the setting for the trial of John Brown, one of America’s most famous abolitionists who led a slave revolt in nearby Harper’s Ferry that ended up being a major event in the lead-up to the American Civil War. Abolitionist Ale Works emboidies the spirit of rebellion in their fun selection of beers. And not only can you drink here, you can stay here – upstairs from the brewery is an AirBnB rental that includes a free growler. I stopped in for a brew on my afternoon exploring Charles Town and enjoyed a 5% Apricot Fig Gose that was juicy, sour and salty, brewed with apricot, fig, and sea salt.
Harper’s Ferry Brewing
After an afternoon in Charles Town I headed to Harper’s Ferry Brewing. This brewery is actually located in Purcellville, VA across the river from Harpers Ferry. I had intended on hanging out here for a while and grabbing some food for dinner, but being a bitter cold Saturday evening, the place was packed inside. They have lovely outdoor areas with scenic views up the Potomac River looking towards Harpers Ferry, but it was too cold to enjoy. I stayed long enough to snap some pictures and down a Two Bridges Blonde Ale, a 5.5% ale that was sweet and fruity and brewed with mango and pink guava.
Berkeley Springs Brewing Co.
Visiting Berkeley Springs, America’s first spa town, I made a stop at Berkeley Springs Brewing Company, which I would say ended up being my favorite from the whole road trip. Berkeley Springs Brewing brews their beers with the fresh mineral spring waters that the town is known for, and is nestled in the woods with a cozy lodge feel to it.
They have a nice menu of BBQ food, and I opted for a pulled pork sandwich. There were too many beers here that I wanted to try, so I decided to do a flight to start and greatly enjoyed all four of my choices. Here was my perfect flight:
Leaf Peeper – a 6.1% Altbier with a rich, smoky and malty taste
Apple Butter Beer – a delicious 6.8% fruited beer with hints of apple, cinnammon and clove
Stump Stumble Oatmeal Stout – a 5.8% oatmeal stout with strong roasty coffee notes
Berkeley Brown – a smooth, malty and sweet 6.3% American brown ale
I enjoyed the stout so much that I decided to finish out with a pint of it. Between the atmosphere and great beers, I adored Berkeley Springs Brewing and would gladly go back!
C to Shining C 
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