CHARLESTON,WV — Stumptown Ales of Davis was named West Virginia Brewery of the Year, 2017, by the beverage media website BrilliantStream.com. In determining the award, BrilliantStream.com looked at the quality of the beer produced, as well as the brewery’s overall business activity and the public’s response to it across 2017.
“In its two and a half years of operation, Stumptown Ales has set the standard in West
Virginia for India Pale Ale, which is America’s most popular craft beer style,” said
Charles Bockway, editor and publisher at BrilliantStream.com. “They have done more
than anyone else to put West Virginia on the IPA map. This year they solidified their
position as a top-tier brewery in the state.”
Stumptown Ales is owned and operated by Davis residents Jonathon and Cindy
Robeson. Since opening in August 2015, they have fought to keep up with the rapid
growth in demand for their beer. Their business has undergone several brewing
equipment expansions but has now run out of space at its current location. Their
popular but small taproom has also become crowed and needs more space. In
response, the owners recently announced plans to build a new larger brewery and
taproom, overlooking the Blackwater River in Davis.
Over the past few years, West Virginia has experienced a big upturn in the number of
breweries producing beer in the state. In 2010, only six breweries operated in the state.
Today, 26 breweries hold licenses, and two or three more will likely open in 2018. The
brewery industry is among the strongest growth areas in the manufacturing sector in
West Virginia.
“As in any selection process of this sort, a good amount of subjectivity is necessarily
involved,” said BrilliantStream.com publisher Charles Bockway. “This ranking tries
to capture who had the most momentum throughout the year. It’s a snapshot that takes
in many factors.”
BrilliantStream.com is the leading beverage media outlet covering the West Virginia
craft beer market. It is an independent, non-commercial website that has no ties to any
beverage alcohol producer, importer, distributor, or retailer.
