A look inside the first brewery on Virginia’s Eastern Shore
BL and I trekked out to Chincoteague as soon as we heard that Black Narrows Brewing Co. was finally open. We’d been anticipating it for awhile; after meeting owners Jenna and Josh Chapman and sampling some of their beers at MARSHFest over the summer, we were practically counting down the days til their brewery in the old oyster shuckin’ house on Chicken City Road would officially open for business. We love beer and we love Chincoteague (Narrows’ IPA “a Come Here” was named for folks like us), so a microbrewery on our favorite pony island is basically a dream come true.
It’s only a few months old now, but Black Narrows is already something for the island, the peninsula and the state of Virginia to be proud of. I’ll be writing more on them in the near future, especially as we approach our second Shore Craft Beer Fest: Chincoteague on April 28, but until then, here are a few photos from our first Black Narrows excursion a few months back. Photos by me and BL Strang-Moya.
Don’t let this golden hour photo fool you — it was very cold out when we stopped by the brewery. Once the weather warms up we’ll be able to have a pint on their porch, pictured here, or in their backyard area that opens on May 25. If you’re a Delmarva local, you’ll get a kick out of the brews and their names. This picture is a little outdated now, but Salts, one of their mainstays, is named (and brewed with the flesh of) Chincoteague’s famous oysters. Chicken City is named after the street, and for the notoriety of the island’s chicken houses. Cockle Creek is a stream that runs between the Chincoteague Inlet and the bay, and a Come Here is named for non-Teaguers like BL and I. You get the picture. You’re best off just sampling them all. Black Narrows is a family business, so you’re likely to see any combination of Jenna (pictured here) and Josh Chapman and Bob, Wendy and Katie Huntley inside keeping things running.And when you’re like me and you live almost an hour from the island, you get a crowler or five every time you’re in town. Then you finish your beer and you don’t want to throw the can away because the artwork, by Jessica Battista, is so beautiful. Gratuitous picture of beer because BL likes taking pictures of beer (he even has an Instagram for it). I’ll be updating you with more on this brewery soon. In the meantime, ever the connoisseur of sour beers, I recommend the Picked & Preserved.
