Hall of Fame: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

First Place: Ardent Craft Ales

3200 W. Leigh St.
359-1605
ardentcraftales.com

Second Place: The Veil Brewing Co.

Third Place: Isley Brewing Co.

Hardywood lured beer lovers to its brewery on the wrong side of the railroad tracks with live music and a circle of food trucks. Now it’s building a $28 million production plant, tap room and amphitheater in Goochland County, too. Ardent Craft Ales also was an early arrival on the brewery scene. “We’ve had people in the neighborhood say this is their new back porch to drink beer,” head brewer Kevin O’Leary told Style in 2014. Back then, Ardent had already come a long way from its roots as a home-brewing co-op in one of the founder’s Church Hill garage. Soon, with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery leading the way, Ardent was ready to get on board and surf the craft beer wave. Now, there are plans for an expansion of its Scott’s Addition digs: Ardent bought its building in March and plans to install bigger tanks and double the size of its taproom.