Review Archives

Old Spruce Brewing makes mountainous brews

Charles Bockway — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 01:00:29 +0000

These days, a visit to Old Spruce Brewing, high up on Snowshoe Mountain, is a visit with brewing excellence. Since its founding in 2019, Old Spruce Brewing has climbed its own mountain. Its rise to the craft beer stratosphere has… Continue Reading…

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Bartenders of Brewers Row — Tristin Lusk

Charles Bockway — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:06:10 +0000

In the downtown Charleston beer scene, few things are better than finding a Lusk at dusk. Dropping into Fife Street Brewing’s taproom any evening Tristin Lusk is on duty is special. If you are not familiar with the brewery’s beers,… Continue Reading…

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Short Story’s rise, one step at a time

Charles Bockway — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:47:33 +0000

Often, we don’t much notice a brewery’s incremental changes, made over time, little tweaks to beers that hopefully make them better. What this Tweak Culture demonstrates is a brewery’s leadership by a mature brewing team. I’m talking about brewers for… Continue Reading…

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New Realm Brewing Greenville

Charles Bockway — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:55:42 +0000

Taking the slow road to Atlanta so I could stop and check out the New Realm Brewing taproom in Greenville, South Carolina. I love it when my hotel is just a block away from a craft brewery taproom. A block… Continue Reading…

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Craft Beer Industry Trends Review

Charles Bockway — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 15:45:58 +0000

We present thoughts and discussion of the top trends, influences, and movements that defined our West Virginia craft beer market and industry over the past year.

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WV’s most awarded beer does it again

Charles Bockway — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 16:53:24 +0000

West Virginia currently has what could arguably be America’s best Robust Porter. Seriously. How so, you ask? Anytime a West Virginia brewery can send a beer all the way out to Denver to America’s top and toughest beer competition and… Continue Reading…

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Mountaineer Brewfest 2025 brings it

Charles Bockway — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 22:54:02 +0000

Through the years I’ve come to crown Mountaineer Brewfest as the very best beer festival in West Virginia. It may not offer the world’s most exotic beers, but It doesn’t need to. That’s because it shines with the deepest community… Continue Reading…

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Weathered Ground Brewery turns 8

Charles Bockway — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 00:12:30 +0000

The beer spirits sure gave us a beautiful day on the mountain for Weathered Ground Brewery’s eighth anniversary celebration on Saturday. And it sure looked like a record crowd showed up for the festivities. Weathered Ground staff held up exceptionally… Continue Reading…

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Watson addresses industry with confidence

Charles Bockway — Thu, 29 May 2025 14:47:58 +0000

As Bart Watson hits the middle of his first year as Brewers Association (BA) president, I was most curious to learn how he sees the current state of the craft beer industry (mid-2025). I got a good read on that… Continue Reading…

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Showing some beer love for Louisville

Charles Bockway — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 18:29:30 +0000

Yes, Louisville, Kentucky, is very much a bourbon town these days—at least it is in national reputation. Distilleries or bourbon specialty bars seem to be on most every corner of the city’s main business district. In a contrarian sort of… Continue Reading…

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The glow of Short Story Morgantown

Charles Bockway — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 17:39:31 +0000

Every beer (and picture) tells a story In this photo essay about Short Story Brewing’s new Morgantown taproom, we get a feel for the total experience it offers. It’s not only a place to savor some tasty Short Story IPAs… Continue Reading…

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Octoberfest 2024 Beer Tasting Notes and Favorites

Charles Bockway — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 18:42:02 +0000

Oktoberfest season has arrived and Oktoberfest beers are everywhere. On this episode of West Virginia Beer Roads, we review 12 Oktoberfest-style beers available in West Virginia. Podcast hosts Erin and Charles are joined by Chris Brown, president of the Kanawha… Continue Reading…

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How they do it at Mountaineer Brewfest

Charles Bockway — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 23:57:33 +0000

No one does it better than Mountaineer Brewfest (MBF). The 2024 edition did it again. An incredible outpouring of folks from around the region filled the festival grounds all afternoon and evening last Saturday. A warm, but not-too-hot, August evening… Continue Reading…

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2023 – a beer review in photos

Charles Bockway — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 16:00:33 +0000

Reporting for Brilliant Stream and West Virginia Beer Roads took us many places in 2023. Today in photos, we review a few of those places and events from the year. We (Charles Bockway and Erin McCoy) hope you also had… Continue Reading…

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WV Beer Roads tumbles into the pumpkin patch

Charles Bockway — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 21:31:48 +0000

With crisp autumn evenings beginning to envelop us across West Virginia, it’s a sure sign that Pumpkin Beer season has arrived. Listen in to the West Virginia Beer Roads crew as we sample and report on six seasonal pumpkin spice… Continue Reading…

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Parkersburg Brewing stays on course

Charles Bockway — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:07:07 +0000

Throughout its roughly seven-year history, Parkersburg Brewing has been one of West Virginia’s most traditional, stay-the-course ale brewers — one seemingly less swayed than many of its brethren by contemporary, heavily-hyped beer trends. Parkersburg Brewing (PBC) blazes its own trail,… Continue Reading…

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Rails & Ales names Best of Fest brews

Charles Bockway — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 02:17:45 +0000

Each year at the Rails & Ales craft beer festival, it’s always fun to see what experienced beer judges will pick as the Best of the Fest beer. Held in Huntington, West Virginia, Rails & Ales is the state’s largest… Continue Reading…

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Biggest West Virginia Beer Stories of 2022

Charles Bockway — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 22:38:02 +0000

We all enjoy taking a quick look back at the previous year’s top West Virginia Beer Stories. Here’s what the Brilliant Stream team thought most significant. # 1 – Five new breweries open in the state In chronological order, the… Continue Reading…

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One day a year not enough for Orval

Charles Bockway — Mon, 23 May 2022 18:52:13 +0000

Sometimes a brewery does not have to make a long list of popular beers to be considered among the world’s best. Sometimes, it takes only one. Orval Trappist Ale undoubtedly deserves its high ranking. I’m guessing that too few contemporary… Continue Reading…

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It’s always the season for Saison

Charles Bockway — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 20:42:03 +0000

While originally a beer style brewed in Belgian farmhouses for summertime consumption, Saison is now a perfect all-year-round beer. With its lovely appearance and unique flavors, Saison is a beer that may capture your heart, just as it did mine.… Continue Reading…

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Bricks & Freefolk pull off extraordinary pairing

Charles Bockway — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 19:54:25 +0000

Last night, when I went to Charleston’s Bricks & Barrels restaurant for the Freefolk Brewery beer pairing dinner, I originally planned only to make a nice social media post about it and leave it at that. But then I experienced… Continue Reading…

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OktoberWest and Bridge Valley Program

Charles Bockway — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 17:12:45 +0000

News from Bridge Valley CTC brewing technology program and Charleston's OktoberWest festival.

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Swilled Dog cider-based Sangria hits WV market

Charles Bockway — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:04:35 +0000

Will this new Swilled Dog seasonal cider product become one of your favorite summertime beverages? Read on and find out. The cidery describes its Swilled Dog Sangria as a spring/summer seasonal craft cider made with a blend of apple varieties… Continue Reading…

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2020 WV Brewery Honor Roll

Charles Bockway — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 14:50:06 +0000

It can surely be said that 2020 has been one heck of a challenging year to be in the beer business. Every brewery has had to adjust on the fly, more than once, in order to remain relevant and remain… Continue Reading…

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Top 15 WV breweries on Untappd 2020

Charles Bockway — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 20:13:15 +0000

See who were the best WV breweries in 2020 according to Untappd.

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OOM-PAH: WV Oktoberfest beers arrive

Charles Bockway — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:36:57 +0000

While we don’t have the physical Oktoberfests at which to drink beer this year, we can still celebrate with Oktoberfest-style beers wherever we are. West Virginia brewers are rolling out excellent examples of the traditional, malty Märzen style fest brews… Continue Reading…

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005 – Roundtable takes on Legislation

Charles Bockway — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 17:58:57 +0000

The 2020 West Virginia legislative session is now in town, so our minds turn to policy matters. Today, the West Virginia Beer Roads Roundtable puts forth a number of proposals to address deficiencies and issues in our alcohol regulatory structure.… Continue Reading…

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Summit Beer Station turns Six

Charles Bockway — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 17:36:05 +0000

There is no better party for West Virginia beer than the one Summit throws annually in Huntington. A big crowd of craft beer fans had a great time as Summit Beer Station celebrated its 6th anniversary yesterday. As usual, Summit… Continue Reading…

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Postcards and beer culture from Montana

Charles Bockway — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:58:34 +0000

This summer, I made my first ever visit to the State of Montana. I’m not getting any younger, and I decided there’s no time like now to get out and see the national parks, wildlife, and historical features that region… Continue Reading…

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Hightower Brewing is king of the hill

Charles Bockway — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 18:37:50 +0000

Megan and Greg Whiting built their little brewery on a quiet hilltop about a mile back from the Ohio River near Rayland, OH. What Hightower Brewing Company has proven since is that it is truly the king of the hill.… Continue Reading…

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Fresh Fest so much more than a beer fest

Charles Bockway — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 00:36:31 +0000

I may have attended the most significant beer festival of the year last Saturday in Pittsburgh. I’m short of superlatives to adequately describe the super good vibe that Fresh Fest Beer Fest generated. In this time of racial, gender, and… Continue Reading…

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What WV breweries could do better

Charles Bockway — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 22:26:48 +0000

While I’m tickled pink over the progress made by our West Virginia brewing community, that doesn’t mean everything is hunky dory. In a break from Brilliant Stream’s normal promotion of all the good things about WV beer, today the focus… Continue Reading…

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Mountaineer Brewfest shines for charity

Charles Bockway — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 19:38:24 +0000

Wheeling’s Mountaineer Brewfest takes a back seat to no other festival in West Virginia when it comes to supporting local charities. The festival raised an amazing $20,000 last Saturday for the Upper Ohio Valley Sexual Assault Help Center, Inc. In… Continue Reading…

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Hoppy makes me happy – Celebrate IPA

Charles Bockway — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 20:06:36 +0000

Since someone declared this National IPA Day (#IPAday), it seemed like a perfect time to take a look at a few of West Virginia’s premier contemporary examples of the style. While West Virginia brewers have been producing various IPA-style beers… Continue Reading…

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Visiting Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley Beer Trail

Charles Bockway — Thu, 10 May 2018 15:22:15 +0000

In America’s rapidly changing beer landscape, breweries often pop up at rate very hard to keep up with. Areas, which just a decade ago had only a handful of breweries, are being transformed into attractive beer destinations. Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley… Continue Reading…

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Lost River Brewing Company, a retrospective

Charles Bockway — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 22:48:27 +0000

When I got the news that Lost River Brewing Company closed at the end of January, it started me thinking. Although I only visited there a few times during its roughly nine years of existence, I liked the place. I think… Continue Reading…

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Cabin Fever Fest delivers showcase for WV brewers

Charles Bockway — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 16:35:24 +0000

Last Saturday’s Cabin Fever Craft Beer Fest in Morgantown was not a festival dominated by large national or regional craft beer breweries. In fact, they were non-existent. How impressive it was that over 1,500 people came out to support an… Continue Reading…

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Huntington’s sour beer festival produces happy faces

Charles Bockway — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 20:46:30 +0000

Last Friday’s in-your-face sour beer festival in Huntington gave local beer fans all they could ask for. If you need evidence that West Virginia’s beer festival scene is maturing, this is it. As the state’s first festival featuring primarily sour… Continue Reading…

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Jackie O’s Brewery anniversary event hits the right notes

Charles Bockway — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 20:16:47 +0000

How do you hold onto the title of the area’s best brewery, year after year. You work at it; that’s how. Jackie O’s Brewery of Athens, Ohio, has to be the sharpest brewery in our shed when it comes to special… Continue Reading…

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Hops & Heat Highlights

Charles Bockway — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 17:16:38 +0000

Hops & Heat has evolved into a really sweet little craft beer festival. Put on as a fundraiser for Charleston Main Street’s East End programs, it’s hard to think of a more entertaining neighborhood festival than this. Hops & Heat… Continue Reading…

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Oktoberfest Pipestem adds merriment to southern WV landscape

Charles Bockway — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 23:03:14 +0000

Featuring everything from actual weddings and a Miss Oktoberfest contest to $10 bourbon flights, tie-dyed T-shirt vendors, and free tattoos, Oktoberfest Pipestem surely reigns as the most eclectic Oktoberfest celebration held anywhere in West Virginia. The fest took place on… Continue Reading…

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Visit the unique, distinct Charleston-Huntington Brewery Trail

Charles Bockway — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 14:31:48 +0000

ECLIPSE DAY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT We invite you to experience the remarkable, absolutely unequalled Charleston–Huntington Brewery Trail. Our trail has the unique distinction of being the sole ale trail in the nation with only one brewery. We take the worry out… Continue Reading…

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Beer tastings from West Virginia Craft Beer Week

Charles Bockway — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 14:41:25 +0000

There’s something about getting to sample a bunch of West Virginia-made beers that makes me happy. I remember all too well when you could rarely find any West Virginia beer on tap in Charleston. This week two local beer outlets… Continue Reading…

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Tasting Panel IPAs December 2016

Charles Bockway — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 19:21:56 +0000

Six well-experienced, well-traveled craft beer drinkers participated in BrilliantStream.com’s December tasting panel by evaluating four IPAs. Five of the panelists were IPA fans, while one panelist was neutral on the style. All had sampled many IPAs from breweries around the country in recent… Continue Reading…

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Omer Vander Ghinste sours in West Virginia

Charles Bockway — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 14:19:35 +0000

There comes a time in the life of a craft beer drinker when nothing but a sour beer will do. When that happens, we are fortunate in West Virginia to have an increasing number of exceptional sour beers to choose from.… Continue Reading…

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DBBC Family Member Beer Project

Charles Bockway — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 15:25:11 +0000

If you see a Devils Backbone Adventure Pack on your retailer’s shelf labeled Family Member Beer Project and wonder what it is, here is the answer. It is a set of beers primarily developed by the non-brewer employees of Devils Backbone Brewing Company (DBBC)… Continue Reading…

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Foam at the Dome reprise

Charles Bockway — Tue, 24 May 2016 14:37:30 +0000

In Foam at the Dome, Charleston recently experienced its biggest-ever craft beer event. Given a couple of weeks to digest its successes, it becomes evident that this festival scored well on multiple fronts. With 2,500 people in attendance, Foam was right up there… Continue Reading…

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Ohio Brew Week among best of breed

Charles Bockway — Tue, 17 May 2016 12:07:09 +0000

For one week each July, craft beer takes over Athens, Ohio. It’s Ohio Brew Week (OBW), and there’s no better time for a road trip. Ohio Brew Week was among the first of the now ubiquitous week-long craft beer celebrations that… Continue Reading…

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Bonded by Bottles – the next big thing

Charles Bockway — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 16:44:14 +0000

With the opening of Bonded by Bottles, Jeff McKay has become a serial beer-trepreneur. The affable proprietor of Summit Beer Station, Huntington’s first craft-only draft house, now also operates the region’s most dynamic craft-beer bottle shop. It’s a craft-exclusive concept we’re most familiar with in North Carolina.… Continue Reading…

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