Old Bust Head

Brewed in the tradition of an English Pale Ale, but infused with the spirit of new American craft brews, our flagship beer is drinkable, balanced, and enjoyable year- round. Additions of Goldings, Fuggle, and Cascade hops provide our pale ale with the aromas of floral hop tones and subdued fruitiness, as well as imparting a refreshing, clean bitterness. Our use of caramel malt in the grain bill balances out our generous hop additions, and provides the beer with a smooth and bready backbone. Perfectly balanced and sessionable, it’s our brewmaster’s favorite beer!

Citra and Hallertau Blanc shine brightly in our intentionally hazy Double IPA! Certain Swagger blazes a new trail in our Double IPA line, with a soft and pillowy mouthfeel, and the looks to match. A heavy dry-hop of Citra and Hallertau Blanc hops lend Sauvignon Blanc and white grapefruit aromas, and the unmistakable flavors of fresh mango juice and passion fruit. And just to make sure you can taste every pound of hops in this ultra-fresh brew, we left this one completely unfiltered!

Rich and full bodied, our Chinquapin Chestnut Porter is sure to please fans of more robust beer styles. Not content with just paying homage to the American Chestnut, or Chinquapin, by name, every batch of Chinquapin Chestnut Porter is made with a heaping portion of real chestnuts. Brewed together with a blend of dark malts, our porter has hints of cocoa, roasted malts, coffee, and, of course, hearty and sweet chestnuts. As a thank you to the tree that makes the smooth, nutty taste of our porter possible, a portion of the proceeds from Chinquapin Chestnut Porter will be donated to The American Chestnut Foundation, where it will be used to help reintroduce American Chestnut trees to the forests of the Eastern United States.

Crisp as the colors at the start of the first polo chukker, our deep golden Czech pilsner as easy drinking as it is flavorful. Brewed in the tradition of classic Bohemian Pilsners, Chukker has an appealing spicy and floral character from the use of noble Czech Saaz Hops, perfectly balanced with light tones of toasted bread from pilsen and caramel malts. Enjoy a Chukker with its noble pedigree, like the game once played by Sultans and Kings!

At first glance, Covert h’Ops could easily be confused for our Russian Imperial Stout, Gold Cup. But, hidden behind the dark exterior are layers and layers of com- plex hops. Kettle additions of CTZ, Northern Brewer, and Cascade hops give Covert a strong bitterness, pine notes, and grapefruit tones, that contrast and compliment flavors of dark chocolate and roasted espresso coming from the malts. A generous dry-hopping of Mosaic and Cascade hops, at a rate of one half lb per bbl, lends Covert h’Ops a strong, and unexpected, tropical and floral hop aroma. Revealing layers of the unexpected, Covert h’Ops Black IPA is aptly named for the secret intelligence operators who used to occupy our brewery buildings.

2+ lbs per barrel of Galaxy and Mosaic hops, and a heavy tropical aroma of pineapple and mango, with a hint of peach. Smooth flavor. Clean finish with a bit of bitter at the end. Great overall summer beer.

Tons of hop character but very low bitterness due to late hop additions in the kettle and whirlpool. Dry hopped twice; once during primary fermentation, once during aging.

Named for the golden chalice bestowed on the winner of the Virginia Gold Cup races—an antique cup first granted to horse and rider by Catherine the Great—our Russian Imperial Stout with its black, velvety, opulence is as rich and complex as the Czarina who was a fan of the dark brew. A dark-berry sweetness underlies roasted tones of bittersweet chocolate and espresso coating the mouth with a smooth, lingering, fullness worthy of the cup!

With bright lemony flavors from Sorachi Ace Hops and a pleasing bit of spice from a touch of Rye Malt, you’ll find our Goldvein American Wheat Lager as precious as the gold once mined 30 miles south of Old Bust Head. A clean and refreshing lager for the summer, don’t miss the rush for this golden brew.

From Civil War scrawls on the walls of Graffiti House to illicit aerosol artistry we all endeavor to leave our mark. Our Graffiti House West Coast IPA asserts its presence with a potent aroma of passion fruit, mango, guava, and citrus. The bold and juicy tropical body is a unique signature of the Mosaic hops, while Cascade hops contribute to a clean citrus finish for a flavor so singular it leaves its own indelible impression.

Virginia Hop Harvest Tasting Notes: A truly local brew, Virginia Hop Harvest has a lively hop complexity that can only come from brewing within days of harvest. To make this limited release batch, whole hop cones travelled from local Fauquier and Rockbridge County farms to be brewed next day at Old Bust Head. The 2-row barley is Virginia-grown and malted just 40 miles west of the brewery, providing a fresh malted base, while local Apple and Cherry Wood Smoked malt brings a smokey boldness to the front end. This is a big beer with strong hop flavors of grapefruit and citrus followed by the welcome bitterness of resin and pine. Deep lingering hop tones remind the drinker of the fresh hops used in the brewing process - a beer to make Virginian’s proud!

A creamy tan head and the aroma of sweet honey and oats set the palate for the honey, oat, and milk chocolate flavors arising from oats and roasted malts. Subdued roasted tones and a hint of honey carry through to a light coffee finish.

Few may know the story that haunts the Old Jail (Gaol) in nearby Warrenton, Virginia, but everyone can enjoy the pumpkin and peach essence that haunt, but do not overpower, our Old Jail Pumpkin Ale. An aroma of sweet spice and pumpkin pie precede the body of caramel nuttiness with hints of molasses, roasted brown sugar, and vanilla. A dissipating touch of smokiness from the Cherry wood Smoked Malt adds a fresh baked flavor to this frighteningly delicious Pumpkin-Peach Brown Ale.

Limes, oranges, and salt collide in our tart and funky Gose base, for a new take on a beach side classic

Pink Lemonade Sour Ale aged with Raspberries and Strawberries.

Just like the lovers of fine stock who raised ‘improved’ Shorthorn cattle in the barns across from Old Bust Head, we’ve raised the bar for an American favorite with our Shorthorn American Pale Ale. This fine brew starts off with lemon and grapefruit notes on the front end, followed by spicy tones, and a clean, soft, bitterness, and finishes with a touch of malt sweetness. Shorthorn, like its namesake, is a gentle giant that commands attention!

Named for the rural Fauquier village where hundreds of ducks return in the Spring to make their summer homes, our Sumerduck Saison is our harbinger of spring with fruity Belgian esters, a subtle tartness, and delicate earthy notes. A touch of rye adds a peppery spice, and wheat malt a silky mouth feel to this easy drinking Farmhouse Ale.

Our deep amber Vixen Irish Red, has a luster as rich as the thick-coated red fox that roams the local wood. Medium bodied, with a clean finish, Vixen draws you in with a sweet caramel allure up front and gives chase with hints of roasted malt through the taste. A tea-like soft bitterness on the backend is so pleasing, you just may find you're reaching for another glass of this wily brew.

Breaking away from the recent trend of super-hopped IPAs, Wildcat is brewed to provide the aroma and taste hop- heads crave, without overwhelming your pallet. Brewed with four different hops, and five different malts, our IPA is com- plex, while still remaining approachable. Magnum, Cascade, Liberty, and Saaz hops lend our IPA a citrus aroma, with a touch of noble hop distinction and herbal complexity, and a smooth, clean bitterness. The use of five different malts in our grain bill provides Wildcat with the complex flavors of malty sweetness, bread, and caramel that we use to round out our brew. Just like the ‘Free State’ community that inspired its name, Wildcat IPA blazes its own path into history.