Ocelot Brewing Company

This is our second time visiting Ocelot and I must say, why haven't we been here sooner!? It is an amazing brewery and now that they are coming up on their one year anniversary, it's clear that this brewery isn't going out of business any time soon. Let's see what we think!

Steff Reviews Ocelot Brewing Company:

Probably the only thing I can say that I don't like about Ocelot is the fact that they are in an industrial park and they lack a patio. There is something so relaxing about sitting on a patio on a hot summer day and enjoying a nice brew. However, the inside is pretty awesome. Super high ceilings and a huge space make up for the lack of outdoor space. Our first time here was a Monday morning so you could imagine that they weren't busy at all. I'm sure there are other people out there that drink on Monday mornings, right?? I know who you are! Josh and I both ordered two flights. They had enough beers to choose from that we each got different things so we could share. They definitely pour heavy on the flights! And we made the mistake of not eating any food before we went. So we were feeling a little toasty after we put a few down. My first initial opinion on the beers....oh em gee! Their IPAs are too die for! They normally do a different IPA every week or so, so it will keep us coming back just to see what new beers they have. A few of my favorite IPAs are Marbles, Space Cadet, and Vandals. They are all hop forward with my favorite thing....AROMA! Can I just also say their Vienna Lager "Guilty" is probably one of the best Vienna Lagers I've ever had! Devils Backbone kind of ruined that style of beer for me. Their Vienna Lager just blew up, you can find it at any bar, and it's seriously just a below average lager. Ocelot crafted a better Vienna Lager and actually took the time to give it a real name (way to be lazy Devils Backbone). After hanging out for awhile, we got to talk to Adrien one of the brewers and owners. We've been to a lot of breweries, here in VA and a lot in Vermont as well. Sometimes when you talk to the brewers they have a super inflated view of themselves. They think just because they brew beer that they are somehow above you. This is not true here at Ocelot. Adrien was humble and super appreciative of our comments on the beer. We told him we thought Ocelot was probably one of the best breweries in VA (finally!) and he thanked us immensely and also gave us a couple tastes of their latest IPA straight out of the fermenting tank. Speaking to him along with drinking some great brews made our trip to Ocelot that much better and we will definitely be supporting them long term.

The second time we visited Ocelot we came on a Monday morning as well. You might wonder why we always choose Monday mornings to get lit up. Well simply because Josh and I are usually both off on Mondays. And is there anything better to do than drink on a Monday?? That's what I thought... If this visit had been our first time we might not have liked it as much. There was a NATCA meeting going on so there was probably about 50+ people there. We sat at the bar and instead of getting flights this time, we had a few pints. I got the new IPA Home* and I cannot rave about this beer enough. It is the perfect IPA. It has the best aroma, it's super hop forward, and the color is a pretty unfiltered yellow. I haven't tasted a beer like this from any brewery in Virginia. And this is exactly the type of IPA that I love, so hats off to you Ocelot! You have got my support from now on. I wanted to taste their Russian Imperial Stout Painless because I always love a good RIS. And this one was great. It should probably be called Dangerous because at around 12% ABV you can knock this one back quick and not realize it! The beers and the bartenders made up for the meeting that was going on. Adrien also came out and said hello. It just goes to show that they really care about their customers if this was only our second time there and they remembered us. We will definitely be back to Ocelot as much as we can. Not only is it fairly close to us, I will drive to get great beers. Unfortunately we couldn't make it to their one-year anniversary this past weekend since it was the Apple Blossom Festival in downtown Winchester, but we will for sure be back soon!

Josh Reviews Ocelot Brewing Company:

The 1st time I had ever heard of Ocelot was at the Bull Run Fall Beer Festival. I got to sample a beer called Watch Me Disappear. Let's just say I went back for another sample, then another and probably a few more. For lack of a more original way of wording, I pretty much disappeared into that beer! So when Steff and I had a Monday off, we decided to do some day drinking, which can be tough because not many places are ever open on a Monday! After some quick research on Google and Yelp! we found that Ocelot opened at 1. Road Trip! I bolted out the door and was ready to go!

Like a lot of breweries, it's in an industrial park and can be difficult to find. Once you get the hang of it, I could get there blindfolded. That might be because I'm following the aroma of delicious beer! Once we entered we were greeted with smiles and friendly bartenders who asked us what we wanted. Dumbfounded we stood there with jaws dropped staring at their awesome chalk board. Overwhelmed with all the choices and unable to commit, the bartender suggested we try a flight and handed us a list to choose from. There were so many beers on tap that Steff and I both had a flight and none of them overlapped! I could rant and rave about specific beers, but I'm gonna try to keep on track and talk about the brewery as a whole. Large variety of beers, IPAs, Sours, Stouts, and more, and all were amazeballs!!

As we hung out and started to feel the beers kick in, a bearded fellow came up and started talking to us about beers. He asked where we were from, what brought us to Ocelot, and then after awhile of small talk introduced himself as Adrien, one of the owners/brewers. What a cool, down to earth humble guy! If the beers, atmosphere, and artwork weren't enough to make me a fan of this place, Adrien sealed the deal! Through and through, having been back a few times since then, I'm proud to say.... Ocelot in my opinion is the BEST brewery in the state of Virginia!

Is there a brewery you would like us to visit?? Let us know! Till next time...

J + S