We’re deep in the dreary months of winter with long nights, biting winds, and gray skies. You layer on your gear to go outside, you arm yourself with shovels and scrapers just to get out, and you prepare to battle another unrelenting freeze. These are bleak and brutal times.

Like Odin emerging from the darkness, a league of saviors has come to our aid: 12 breweries united in the battle against the dreary winter are marching on Norfolk. Reaver Beach hosts the hoard of brewing teams at their Colley Avenue location with the only known cure for the doom and gloom: Strong Ales. Reaver Beach and the eleven visiting breweries have toiled away and trained relentlessly to build the best Strong Ales they can. On Saturday, February 5th, they all gather to showcase these exclusive brews alongside food trucks, vendors, live music, and more.

Bleak and Brewtal: Strong Ale Festival is a boozy afternoon celebrating high-ABV beers and the only excuse you need to throw off your winter worries. Exclusive releases from Reaver Beach, Adroit Theory Brewing Company, Benchtop Brewing Company, New Realm Brewing Co. – VA, MoMac Brewing Company, The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Coastal Fermentory, Rip Rap Brewing Co., Big Ugly Brewing, The Garage Brewery, Nansemond Brewing, and Brothers Craft Brewing will be on deck for unlimited tasting samples for ticketholders. That’s a tasting lineup unlike any others in the region, dedicated to the Ales that pack an extra punch.

Pair these insanely tasty ales with Flavor Savor BBQ’s culinary masterworks and Not Your Routine Poutine. These classic comfort foods will be decidedly bold to match the many ales you’ll be tasting. Attendees will even have the chance to chop down that seasonally driven darkness with some serious metal too. Kin’Folk Axe Throwing will be onsite to let your rage out on that cold weather. Dream of summer and the end days of winter when you try to land your axe on target.

Between tasting and chopping, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy. There will be seven vendors onsite and two excellent musical acts. Nate and Jarvis of the highly-acclaimed local group Paper Aliens will take stage 1-3 pm. Later, the acoustic duo Fox and the Bear will fill the venue with their musical prowess. Vendors for the day include Sons of Vikings, Monstro Coffee Co, Bootstrap Burts Hot Sauce, ReDew Designs, Pawsnickity Pets, William Kemp Pottery, and – of course- your favorite local merch stand by Norfolk Currents.

Forge onward to the gates of Reaver Beach this Saturday to crush the cold weather and revel in the strength of Ales. The halls of Valhalla will surely remember the glorious times that festival-goers will have.

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(original story found here: https://nfkva.com/drink-is-for-the-bleak-12-brewery-strong-ale-festival-comes-to-reaver-beach-nfk/?fbclid=IwAR0HDh1ETnuYDtR71LNRU1QPGpqsHwq3hozGkcAkePQAj-nRPerpNDyVIWQ)

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