It’s Friday afternoon, and a third of the tables at Good Ship Brewing & Eatery in Hopewell — including all the seating at the bar — are already occupied. The brewery, conceived a decade ago by owner Donnie Barber and his father, had only opened for business that Monday. Yet word appeared to be spreading fast.
Barber approaches a customer and asks what they’re drinking. It’s a brown ale, one of the brewery’s first four offerings. “Have you tried it with an orange slice?” he offers, and quickly gets one for him. “The beer is brewed on candied oranges. It helps bring out the flavor.”
The family-run brewery is the first in the city.
“The whole plan was location, location, location,” says Barber. It’s why he strategically bought the building right across from the Beacon Theatre — the first thing many patrons see upon exiting. At a soft opening several weeks ago, Barber said the demand was so great, he needed to turn away 80 people.
In anticipation of heavy business, Barber has also purchased a building next to the brewery, as well as 10 acres of property in Prince George for storage.
Head brewer Alejandro Ramos agrees that an expansion, based on current demand, is a wise move. “Hopewell is thirstier than I expected,” he says, grinning.
Ramos, who worked previous stints at Three Notch’d Brewing Company and Red Bear Brewing Co. in D.C., found his current position by “pure luck.” After a layoff, Ramos did some searching online, and discovered by chance that Good Ship was seeking a brewer.
“It seemed like a good opportunity,” he says. “Luckily, I was picked.”
The taproom currently has four offerings, with a pilsner and an amber lager set to debut in February. The eventual goal is to expand to 12 taps, a broad enough selection for every palate.
“I want to make the type of beer that local people would want to drink,” Ramos says.
A German-headquartered company, Deutsche Beverage Process, designed the brewhouse — a five-barrel system with 10-barrel fermenters. The brewery also plans to offer wine and cider in two to three months. The grapes come from Afton Mountain Vineyards in the Blue Ridge area.
The brewery also serves seven different types of pizza, appetizers ranging from ahi tuna to dumplings to chicken wings and several desserts
Good Ship’s neighbors have provided much-welcomed assistance to the fledgling brewery. Ramos, who is friends with workers at Blue Bee Cider, has received tips while the first batch of cider is being prepped. Also, 5 Fields Brewing in Charles City lent a hand by supplying about a dozen of the brewery’s kegs.
“It takes a village,” Barber says. “Everyone worked so hard to make this dream pay off.”
A lifelong Hopewell resident and a third-generation residential homebuilder, Barber credits his father with the idea for a local brewery.
“His thinking was, ‘Let’s build something for everybody,’” Barber says.
Presentation was also important to Barber, who also co-owns Vision BBQ in Charlottesville. A wooden sign hangs above the entrance, giving the place a hometown feel. Live bands play on a corner stage near the entrance on Thursdays through Saturdays. The taproom seats about 130 people.
“At night, it’s like you’re walking into an old-school tavern,” says Barber.
Good Ship Brewing and Eatery is located at 204 E. Cawson St.
