The two largest craft brewers in Virginia now answer to the same company. Hardywood Park Craft Brewery and Starr Hill Brewery announced Wednesday that Hardywood has acquired Starr Hill in an all-equity transaction that closed October 1.
If you’ve been paying attention, this didn’t come out of nowhere. The two have run an operational partnership since 2025, and this deal makes it permanent. According to NielsenIQ data cited by the companies, Hardywood ranks first among Virginia craft brewers by volume and Starr Hill ranks second. Put them together and you have a company with a lot of weight in the state’s beer market.
For people who just want to know whether their favorite pint is changing, the short answer is no. Hardywood keeps brewing in Richmond, Starr Hill keeps brewing in Crozet, and both keep their own names, recipes and taprooms…