Short Story Brewing

Craft Beer Blossoming in WV

I remember the days when I thought craft beer meant ordering something like Shock Top or Blue Moon. While those days were mostly in college and many students still have that experience, the explosion in craft brewing has been welcome by everyone that loves beer. The selection we now have available to us is astounding. Living in West Virginia, I spent most of my adult life jealous of the breweries that were popping up everywhere but here. Thankfully, over the past few years, we’ve started to play catch up with a small but quickly expanding collection of breweries.

Rural Breweries

Although many parts of the country have had an influx of trendy new breweries in urban areas, West Virginia has seen much of its growth in truly rural areas. One of my favorite breweries near my home in Morgantown is Short Story Brewing in Rivesville, a small town of just under 1,000. The location strikes a nice balance between the trendiness and its rural routes. The building is reminiscent of a modern-looking barn with views of small farms and fields completing the view. The first floor is decorated with a mix of bright whites and deep blacks, accented with rustic metal light fixtures, subway tiles, and rustic wood. The upstairs is more rustic with the feel of a farmhouse, giving the sense of two separate but cohesive spaces.

Thankfully, I was able to visit shortly before the pandemic to have a more “normal” experience. A friend and I sat at the bar, where we had a great time with the bartender and one of her friends. The staff was very friendly and showed us the hospitality typical of West Virginia. A more recent experience was much more subdued, although we won’t hold the pandemic against Short Story.

Short Story’s Menu

What didn’t falter under the pandemic is the menu. For food, they offer a selection of wings, sandwiches, and, of course, pepperoni rolls. If you aren’t from around here, you should definitely acquaint yourself with the latter. While the menu doesn’t throw anything unusual at you, it has all been very good. I’m always a sucker for anything buffalo chicken and their hoagie does not disappoint.

Of course, these are all side dishes next to the beer.

The Beer

Many people from the hotspots of brewing may still find our selection lacking but we’ve come a long way. For a while, the quality of the beers was mediocre and lacked variety. As the situation has matured, many of the brewers have refined their beer and there is a lot more experimentation.

I’m much more of a light beer guy so I recommend starting with the Lamplight pilsner or the Chasing Daylight IPA. You can’t go wrong with these styles and I think they do a great job with these mainstays, which is why they always have them on tap. Where I think certain breweries shine, at least for me, are in the rotational beers. The two I tried on the most recent trip were both sours. They were two versions of their Logic Machine, one Blueberry Lemon and the other Mango Pineapple. If you like sours, both are worth trying. Not being overly sour I think they would be easy drinking for most people.

All around, it’s a solid place to visit. The atmosphere is trendy without coming off as trying too hard. When the weather is nice, the deck is a great place to enjoy with a group of friends or for a little relaxation in rural West Virginia.