After spending the day walking on the deck of the U.S.S. Wisconsin, enjoying the beauty of the Norfolk Botanical Garden, or discovering naval history at Nauticus, you are probably ready for a great beer. Well, just outside of downtown Norfolk is a fun, family-friendly / pet-friendly brewery crafting delicious beers and seltzers in all styles. Built in 2022, Afterglow Brewing was established in Norfolk by Josh Evans to symbolize innovative beer, community, family, and friends.
Last week we were fortunate enough to catch up with Josh Evans, owner of Afterglow Brewing. We talked about the brand, the beer, and the story that makes up Afterglow. Josh, a Virginia native, grew up on the Eastern Shore before moving to the Hampton Roads area in 2007. Josh was a physical therapist by trade and beer enthusiast by passion. The path to turning this passion into a business started with home brews, and many local competitions. Josh won a few awards for his various beers; he would always try to make beer that he could not easily find at the grocery store and then push the limits a bit.
Like most brewers, Josh loves beer and loves to think outside of the box when creating new brewing concoctions inspired by beers he loves. But Josh isn’t just a self-taught home brewer, he took his passion further and completed the Craft Brewing certificate program through Cornell University. He brews with the state-of-the-art BrewHa equipment from Canada and is the first brewery to use this system in the state of Virginia. Josh prides himself on recycling the used grain to local farmers in the Hampton Roads area. Just two examples of how Josh and Afterglow brewing are innovating in the beer industry and supporting their local community.
When I walked into Afterglow Brewing it felt like hanging out with friends. The guests were friendly and quick to share their favorite parts of Afterglow. Of course, I had to sample all the beers on tap. My favorite was a unique Rye IPA (All Rye, All Rye, All Rye), which was something I had not had before, but is a clear favorite at Afterglow. I also tried the Sour on tap (Pucker Punch), which lived up to the name. It was a fantastic beer, but my face demonstrated the pucker of this great sour. Regardless of your favorite beer or style, go check out the selection at Afterglow Brewing.
Afterglow Brewing is a stress-free, family friendly environment for the Hampton Roads community. Josh, his wife, and two daughters have cemented their place in the community, creating a relaxing work environment where people can enjoy great craft beer every day. Make sure to Afterglow Brewing on your list during your next visit to Norfolk Virginia, and make sure to Rate it on The Bar Book!
