By Jennifer Waldera
Selvedge Brewing initially opened its doors in July of 2020 in The Wool Factory in Charlottesville. But with an eye on a space not shared with an event venue, the brewery recently transitioned in February to a new location. Now at the Bellair Market, the spot sports a wide open floor plan, large screen TVs, and plenty of room to lounge or gather.
At the heart of Selvedge’s brewery operation is the love of local ingredients. From malts acquired from Murphy & Rude and hops from Greenmont Hopworks in Esmont to sourced yeast from Jasper Yeast in Dulles, the beers exude the taste of Virginia’s makers. Likewise, the food offerings reflect the same dedication to supporting locals with a menu from renowned local chef Tucker Yoder that includes beef from Timbercreek Farm, hot dogs from Autumn Olives, and greens and other products from respected local purveyors.
“I am a big fan of buying local fresh things, trying my best to support those close to us,” Yoder said. “As much as possible we are trying to serve things that are fresh and local. Local beef, chicken, and the like. We have a freezer but it usually does not have much more than French fries.”
Yoder, a primarily self-taught chef, has previously led kitchens throughout the area for over two and a half decades, from Boars Head and Maya to the Clifton Inn, The Red Hen, and JM Stock Provisions. In addition to his work at Selvedge for the last four years, he is also at the helm of his own upscale restaurant, Broadcloth. At Selvedge, his focus is on pairing those local goods with the brewery’s high-quality beers.
“We want to serve things that work well with Josh’s beer and any beer really. At the new location we have made the menu a little smaller, eliminating some of the items that require more prep as well as adding things that people had been asking for for a while like the veggie burger.”
Selvedge’s brewer, Josh Skinner, has been with the brewery for several years but is no newbie to brewing. Not only did he start out as a home brewer over a decade ago, but he also took the in-person Concise Course in Brewing Technology at Siebel Institute of Technology before he brewed at Blue Mountain Brewery and then Champion Brewery, as well. All of his experience led him to be more passionate about how he approached the process of making beer, which turned into the perfect opportunity for him to brew for Selvedge.
“I wanted to shift gears and work in a brewery where I could be more hands-on in the process and have more control over the product every step of the way. Since we only sell our beer through our tap room, this allows us to ensure that our beer is always being stored properly and being served exactly how we intend it to be served,” Skinner said.
Skinner’s philosophy about brewing is focused, yet open-minded. The Virginia native embraces local ingredients but also stays true to styles, crafting brews that are as accessible as they are satisfying.
“I’m usually hyper-focused on balance when thinking about recipe development, or more importantly, the brewing process. If you study the parts of the world that have the most prolific or storied pub cultures (Czechia, Franconia, England, etc), the beers originating from those areas almost universally exhibit balance & drinkability. Ultimately, I want my beers to be the kind that people want to order another of. They should pair well with food and compliment conversation.”
If you’re looking for variety at a brewery, Selvedge has that, too. While Skinner says that his ultimate love is brewing a lager, there’s no shortage of other styles that he enjoys brewing and that can be found on Selvedge’s menu.
“I love brewing a wide variety of styles. I get really excited whenever I have the chance to brew a Barleywine, English Bitter, or Mild, but nothing quite drives obsession for me like brewing lagers. Lager provides such a rabbit hole to get lost in. Every time I brew one I learn something new, and that constant learning is what I love most about being a brewer. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention my love for the “farmhouse” ales and mixed culture beers of Belgium, but the market for those has sadly dwindled to a trickle in recent years and I don’t currently have adequate space to make those styles in tandem with “clean” beers.”
The brewery also likes to collaborate with other local breweries or create styles that support local organizations.
“Last year we did a collaboration with Tabol Brewing called ‘Tabolcloth’, an ode to the rustic beers of the Franconian countryside. Most recently we did a collab with Starr Hill RVA ‘If You Want To Destroy My Sweater’, a European Pilsner that used Belgian pilsner malt, a little biscuit malt from Murphy & Rude here in VA, Alsatian-grown hops & Swiss lager yeast.
“Each fall we brew ‘Infi-Knit Trail’, a Session IPA/Pale Ale which a portion of the proceeds go to the Rivanna Trail Foundation to help support their trail construction and maintenance efforts. Most recently we joined some of the other breweries in Charlottesville and brewed our own unique version of Simcoe for SARA, a collaboration with the Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA), who will receive a portion of the proceeds from the beer sales. Our version is a hazy IPA brewed with Simcoe Cryo & Elani hops. I’m really proud to have the opportunity to play a small part in their efforts.”
Even though the brewery just opened its newest location, it still has plans for more, including building out the brewery space and new beers to add to the menu. But the primary focus remains on providing top-notch beers to patrons from the brewing process itself to the way it looks when it lands at the table.
“The presentation of the beer is paramount to us. We use appropriate faucets (traditional, side-
pull, beer engine w/ sparkler, etc) and glassware for the style and ensure each pint is served
with plenty of foam for enhanced aroma, better mouthfeel, oxygen protection, and making it look
badass.”
