Reaver Beach Brewing Co. was founded in 2010 by newlyweds Justin and Kristin MacDonald. To Justin, Virginia Beach is something more than a spot on a map. Growing up in a military family, and later joining the service himself, "home" was something of an abstract concept. Moving every few years to a new state or new country meant that home was wherever he happened to be at the moment. Settling in Virginia Beach changed that. This is of great significance to our name; the Beach is an adoptive home and one he's proud of, city and brewery alike. Kristin, a Virginia Beach native and long-time entrepreneur, has spent her entire life in Coastal Virginia. Our salty air and ocean-going culture are a part of her. She is the matron, taskmistress, and a serious driving force at the brewery.
Beginning humbly in the Fall of 2010, we first began producing beer on an incredibly small pilot system, making roughly 12 gallons at a time. While it was an exciting and enjoyable time, making such small batches was not very efficient from a labor perspective. Waiting in the wings was a used 5 barrel (~155 gallon) brewhouse we purchased from a small brewery in New Hampshire. The problem? We had to wait for a natural gas line to be dug to our building. Once we finally had fuel, we fired up the 5 barrel and ran it hard for the next 3 years.
