Nestled just off of Hull Street Road in Moseley, Virginia, Hidden Wit Brewing Company opened in mid-November to enthusiastic patrons in an area where dining options and breweries are sparse. And although the location might be off the beaten path for some, for co-owner Dave Butler it made perfect sense.
“There’s a huge population of neighborhoods right over here and things are coming this way,” Butler says. “The goal was always to create a nice getaway just outside of the suburbs where people could bring their families, enjoy great craft beer and great food.”
Spread out over ten acres, the sprawling property has play sections, outdoor spaces for fire pits and lawn games, and Butler has ideas for using as much of the area as possible as well as incorporating events in the future, including oyster roasts, whole hog barbecues, and live music.
The brewery has a 20-barrel brewing system, with room for 18 beers on tap, but brewer Chad Ritter makes a point to have a diverse cross-section of beers for people to drink, and notes that at most breweries there are going to be several IPAs, along with an imperial stout and a sour beer. However, Hidden Wit will be a little different. “I said from day one when we were planning this, we’re going to have … a beer for every IPA that’s on the menu. We will never have more than half IPAs on tap,” says Ritter.
More surprising, perhaps, is the quality of food at the brewery. Instead of food trucks which are typically found at local breweries, there is a full kitchen. “We’re trying to do creative and classic food that goes well with beer,” says Butler, who tapped Jason Kane, former sous chef at Red Salt Sushi and Chophouse.
The menu includes typical fare such as salads and burgers, but a New York strip steak and pork schnitzel also have a place on the menu. All sauces are made in-house, and dishes such as fish and chips and braised short ribs utilize the beer that is made on site.
Kane says he wants diners to have an “elevated experience and just eat really good pub food.” He is also looking forward to the spring and summer, when he plans to not only work with local farmers for ingredients, but will also plant an on-premise garden to utilize components for seasonal dishes.
Hidden Wit Brewing Company is located at 21110 Hull Street Rd. in Moseley. For more info, visit their website here.
