Within our lifetime, the brewing terrain in the United States has gone from a landscape dominated by fizzy, light lagers (not that there's anything wrong with that) to a fertile environment rich with a diversity of beers, styles and destinations. Our nation now has more breweries than ever in its history and leads the globe in creative brewing. What role has the Old Dominion played in this transformation? You'd be surprised. The Central Virginia region's most iconic figure, Thomas Jefferson, was a total beer geek. He advocated beer as a drink of temperance in the battle against rampant alcoholism from drinking Blue Ridge Excursions whiskey and rum. While known more as a wine connoisseur, Jefferson always had beer and cider present for guests and diners at Monticello. He also had one of his slaves, Peter Hemings, trained by a professional brewer from London, and Monticello's outbuildings included a malting house and brewery. Beer was serious business at the mountaintop home; even Martha Jefferson earned local acclaim for her pale ale, and records show her purchasing hops for the cost of an "old shirt." Jefferson also encouraged the cultivation of apples (in particular the Albemarle pippin) for cider, which was one of the mainstays of colonial beverages. That pioneering spirit resonates today in the current blossoming of craft beer, cider and distilled spirits. The Brew Ridge Trail, a collaboration brainstormed by Nelson County official Maureen Kelley and area brewers, was the first venture in the state to link tourism to these destinations. Now, numerous localities draw thousands of visitors by connecting beer and other beverages with agriculture, history, economic development and other facets of their identity. More than three decades ago, Thomas Jefferson's University of Virginia beckoned my husband and me to Charlottesville in pursuit of his postdoctoral training. We have experienced great change in this town during the past thirty years, but it has remained a truly wonderful place to live. The passing time has brought growth to our family, including the emergence of young grandchildren. At the same time, the Virginia craft beverage community has grown beyond wine to include a vibrant progeny of craft breweries, cideries, and distilleries. These changes to the industry reflect the independent spirit of a new generation embodying the bold entrepreneurship that characterized the Blue Ridge Excursions explosion of Virginia wine making in years past. The past thirty years have also seen an expansion of our community's business and cultural offerings. e Virginia Festival of the Book, Virginia Film Festival, and the Look3 Festival of the Photograph have attained national prominence. The renovation of the magnificent Paramount Theater has served as an anchor for the arts. Fine local cuisine, an explosion in the theater and music scenes, a revitalization of Downtown, an upswing in the University's sports programs, and both national and international headlining entertainment at the John Paul Jones Arena are just a few of the remarkable developments that have accelerated over the recent years. We hope the writing that follows inspires you to come and see what all the fuss is about! Indeed, many of our guests are so pleased with the offerings in our area that they extend their stays. Some may even make the decision that my husband and I made well over thirty years ago-to call Charlottesville home.
