STAFFORD, Va. – More than 100 people gathered at Embrey Mill Town Center on Friday morning as four Stafford County craft breweries unveiled a set of beers brewed specially for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. in 2026.
The announcement came during the Fox 5 Zip Trip broadcast just after 9 a.m., where the plaza buzzed with vendors, nonprofit groups, a police and fire presence, and a live DJ providing a festive soundtrack. Each brewery created a unique beer inspired by American history and available starting today.
Doug Meyer, chief brewer and owner of Full Distance Brewing Company, held up a bottle of Quantico’s Crossroads Pale Ale and described it as “brewed in American 18th-century style. Big change from British ales by use of other malts and our access to corn in America.” Meyer said the hoppy pale ale is 5.5% alcohol by volume and is being released immediately.
At Six Bears & a Goat Brewing Company, Director of Marketing and Brand Development Lindsey Heppner introduced Revolutionary Red, an Irish-style red ale with the same 5.5% ABV. “We’re just really excited to be a part of this campaign,” she said. “We have these limited edition growlers that you can fill up at the breweries. We’re just really trying to showcase local beer and what we have to offer in this area.”
Adventure Brewing Company co-owner Stan Johnson described their entry, Quarter Millennium, as an English Bitter that is “actually a sweet beer” despite the name. Johnson said Stafford’s brewery community is tight-knit: “We love working with the other breweries. It’s a pretty awesome scene here in Stafford.”
When asked to take the pulse of the local brewery industry, Johnson said, “The local brewery industry is always a mix between surviving and exploding. Right now, we’re dealing with a lot of changes in the market. Beer nationally has dropped as a silent drink, and we’re all working within that construct. But we’re all doing okay. Again, we work as a team often together with the different breweries, and we support each other and keep things going up.”
Johnson encouraged residents to help the industry thrive: “Support local. Drink local. Come out, try our beers. We’ve all got so many different styles—Adventure’s got 33 different beers on tap right now, seltzers and that kind of stuff—so there’s always something for everybody.”
At Barley Naked Brewing Company, founder Barry Boyd introduced Founding Fathers Vienna Lager, brewed entirely by hand without automation. “It’s just a traditional Vienna lager that immigrants brought over from Europe many, many years ago,” Boyd said. “We’ve adapted it, and we hand-brew everything that we do at Barley Naked. There’s no automation. It’s a labor of love.”
Boyd credited the brewery’s loyal following: “The community supports us 100%. We try to take care of the people. We do our best with the beer. We keep winning awards with our beers, but we take care of the people, and the people like that. You take care of the people, everything else will take care of itself.”
All four special VA 250 beers are now available at their respective breweries, with some offering limited edition growlers for customers to take home.
