The winner of “Best in Show” craft beer at the 2023 Virginia Craft Beer Cup awards was Crimson Gaze by Benchtop Brewing. Based in Norfolk with a secondary tasting room in Richmond, the brewery bested more than 100 breweries from the Commonwealth to win the title. Crimson Gaze is a combination of a red ale and an IPA, which the team compromised to call a “hoppy red ale.” Crimson Gaze also won first place in the competition’s Specialty IPA category. The brewery’s awards didn’t stop there—their Brown Bear Honey Pot Batch 4 won first place in the mixed fermentation category and the brewery’s Crispy Whip won second place in the Pale European Bitter/Pilsner contest.
R. L. JOHNSON is our Co-Publisher and Creative Director. Bethke studied at the prestigious ArtCenter College of Design and began her career as a professional photographer in Los Angeles. She moved into graphic design and art direction when she relocated to Charlottesville in 1994. As our company’s co-founder and visionary, she enjoys all aspects of storytelling.
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