August Is Virginia Craft Beer Month

The Virginia General Assembly has declared August to be Virginia Craft Beer Month.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 522 Offered March 5, 2012 Commending the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild. ----------
Patrons-- Carr, Bell, Richard P., Bell, Robert B., Cline, Crockett-Stark, Greason, Landes, Loupassi, McQuinn and Tyler; Senators: Barker, Deeds, and McEachin 
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WHEREAS, the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild works to promote the interests of small, independent, and traditional brewers of beer and currently 40 craft breweries operate in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild was established in 2010 to promote economic development, streamline business processes, develop good relationships with business partners, and encourage tourism efforts; and

WHEREAS, Virginia’s craft breweries already are an economic engine in the Commonwealth; most sell their beverages only in Virginia, thus the money raised from sales of craft beers and the revenue from tourists visiting the breweries remains largely within the local economy; and

WHEREAS, the members of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild also contribute to the state’s economic growth through job creation, the purchase of locally grown barley and hops, and the donation of spent brewing grains to local farms to be used as animal feed; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild has designated August as Virginia Craft Beer Month, encouraging residents and visitors alike to patronize the dozens of traditional craft breweries in the state; a festival will be held August 18, 2012, in Nelson County, which will feature the Virginia Beer Cup competition to determine the best craft beer in the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the good work of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild to promote Virginia’s small breweries; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Mike Killelea, chairman of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, as an expression of the General Assembly’s appreciation for its efforts on behalf of economic development in the Commonwealth.

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Many Virginia breweries are planning events to celebrate the first ever Virginia Craft Beer Month. Visit the Virginia Tourism web site, www.Virginia.org/CraftBeer/ to find events near you.

The month long celebration will culminate with a Craft Beer Festival at Devils Backbone Brewery in Nelson County on August 25.