A new craft brewery with a distinct German flair, Laudenbach Brewing, will bring a unique mix of classic German beers and modern craft favorites to Stafford this fall. Founder Zack Guy’s vision is to create a warm, friendly atmosphere that mimics a Bavarian courtyard and offers a diverse selection of beers that cater to all tastes. The brewery is located at 45 Centreport Parkway.
“The goal is to create a quaint taproom with a sense of comradery. We want our customers to leave wanting to come back,” he explained.
True to its name, Laudenbach Brewing will pay homage to traditional German styles, leaning heavier on those, while still offering an inclusive range of crisp lagers and hop-forward IPAs to complex stouts and seasonal brews
While he’s keeping the specifics of his brewing techniques under wraps, Guy is excited about incorporating German-inspired brewing traditions into his recipes. “There are many styles of German beer that are interesting as much as they are foundational to beer,” he noted.
The brewery will offer a membership program, the Bierliebhaber’s Club (German for “Beer Lovers”), which will provide exclusive rewards to its members for an annual fee. Laudenbach plans to partner with food trucks and will also offer pre-packaged snacks for a quick bite.
Guy hopes to open Laudenbach Brewing in late October, with a soft opening a few weekends before the official launch. He aims to have at least eight styles of beer on tap for the opening, eventually expanding to 12 taps. Special events and promotions are also being planned in collaboration with a small business marketing company, though the exact details are still in the works.
Guy credited the VA Small Business Development Center with getting the brewery off the ground, and said the Stafford County Business Development team was also helpful in providing data on the area, future developments, and connections with various county officials.
Guy said he chose Stafford because of those connections, combined with the fact that Stafford is his hometown with a huge support network. He also credited his family and network with helping him build the brewery and help his ideas come to life.
He added, “It sure takes a village to raise a brewery!”
