Rum for it

More booze is on its way to Scott’s Addition. Brothers and co-owners Brad, Barton and Barry Haneberg have teamed up to launch Virago Spirits, a distillery that will soon serve and distribute rum, gin, brandy, herbal spirits and liqueurs.  

In an old warehouse at 1727 Rhoadmiller St., the distillery remains a work in progress. The front space, with Coke-bottle-style windows, high ceilings and exposed beams, will serve as the tasting room. Behind the tasting room is the production space, home to a brick-red, vintage 2,500-liter Charentals-style direct-fire still. It was previously used by a 150-year-old cognac producer in France. Barry Haneberg says the direct-fire system rather than steam makes distilling a slow, laborious process, but it produces a “cleaner, more flavorful product.”

The goal is to begin selling products at the distillery by mid-May, with the tasting room opening this summer and bottles hitting the shelves of ABC stories by July.

Hop to it

It’s part-restaurant, part-bar, part-beer store. The Hop Craft Pizza & Beer opened at 1600 W. Cary St. in the Fan in early April. More than 300 beers are available for dine-in, takeout and delivery. The menu features starters like a German-style pretzel and Korean barbecue wings, specialty pizzas, calzones, sandwiches and salads. For dessert you’ll find baked goods from Whisk like chocolate-chip cookies, salted caramel blondies and a rotating selection of cakes.

Hours are 11 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.

Eat more to feed more

It’s that time of year again: Richmond Restaurant Week, spring edition. Beginning Tuesday, April 24, chefs at 34 area restaurants will create three-course fixed price menus for $29.17 per person. The restaurants will then donate $4.17 from each meal to the hunger relief organization FeedMore.

Participating restaurants include Belle, Chez Foushee, Lehja, Millie’s, Pearl and Helen’s. For information and a list of restaurants, check out richmondrestaurantweek.com.