Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Shore.
Hi Anna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The farm brewery started as a hobby 30 years ago. My husband (an engineer) and I (a chemist) enjoyed the science and art of brewing and in an era before there were so many options, brewing our own beer meant many more style choices.
We love to hike, and were familiar with the area around Blacksburg, having gone to Virginia Tech, When a property in Catawba became available in 2020 we chose to move and make the brewing hobby into a business.
What we didn’t know was how much community we would see come together. Solstice Farm Brewery is kid and dog friendly. We have dart night, book club, art classes, family game day, a free library, music scheduled and unscheduled. Our hops have been shared; we hold home brewing competitions and classes.
We embrace giving back, with scholarship and food bank support, Appalachian Trail events, and Trout Unlimited nights.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We did have some “not in my neighborhood” concerns to smooth. We held an open house early, before we were finished with our building modifications. We spoke and answered questions for the local community Ruritan group. Now our community is our biggest supporters!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a small farm with brewery. We grow hops, pumpkins, berries, rhubarb, walnuts. We use these in our brewing.
We have the beauty of the mountains and nature around us and this contributes to the specialness of Solstice Farm Brewery. We brew award winning beers, more than 63 different styles. Some are barrel and bottle conditioned.
Aside from beer, we make hard seltzer with 20+ flavor options. Plus we serve create your own sodas and a long list of alternative beverages (herbal teas, hop water, for example).
We host gatherings from baby showers to birthday parties; engagement parties to weddings, receptions, and anniversary celebrations; family game days to musician jam sessions. Dogs and children have space to enjoy.
Humming birds and butterflies abound in our wild flowers. Deer and bear appear occasionally.
Solstice Farm Brewery is a confluence of nature, community, and craft brewing.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Opening was a big risk! We came from steady jobs in large institutions. We weren’t in the brewing industry. We had never farmed.
We moved here, knowing our vision but not knowing a soul here.
We bought a property in disrepair that needed conversion.
We didn’t know the water quality, water being the main ingredient in beer.
We believed we could make it work. Why? We believe in the building of community. By creating a welcoming space, we hoped people would embrace our vision.
It is still hard, though, every day the economics are tightening. Weather is chaotic in the mountains and that can make or break weekend sales. Burnout is a real threat, since we live on the property – there’s little “getting away”.
Risk, though, creates rewards that were not there working for large institutions. Risk has pushed us in new directions, made us realize we can create a vision.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.solsticefarmbrewery.com
- Instagram: @solsticefarmbrewery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SolsticeFarmBrewery
