Ironically, the Tyson's Gordon Biersch Brewery is not far from my home, yet I only seem to visit once a year. Probably a general aversion to the Tyson's Mall, or any mall really. That's a shame because brewer Justin Damadio brews really good German styled beer. My go to is the Export Export lager, decently hopped and clean. It's a good indicator of the brewery's quality since you can't hide many defects in a light lager. I usually avoid the Marzen and Maibock because these styles are too sweet for my tastes, so move to the banana rich Hefeweizen or the dry Schwarzhier. On this visit, Damadio had brewed a Rye Lager, which is both spicy and hoppy. If you care for even more hops, there's also an IPA and a new Belgium Pale Ale, less IBUs than the Rye Lager, but the hops are more prevalent on the palate. I'll most likely be back on a Tuesday in July since the brewery is hosting special events this month on those days. Check out their events pdf. Across Route 7 from the mall is another brewpub, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse. We visited this establishment and learned that the beer is not brewed onsite, it is shipped from their facility in Texas. Thus, they won't be included in the #VABreweryChallenge, but there are a few decent offerings on tap. The seasonal Nit Wit was fresh and spicy as one would expect from a wit and the Harvest Hefeweizen is another summer option.
