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ORAL HISTORY

Brian Nelson

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

Brian Nelson is the head Brewmaster at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Brian grew up around a family dinner table with his parents and two older sisters during his childhood south of Richmond, VA. He started homebrewing in his senior year of college after reading Charlie Papazian’s The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. After a career as an automotive engineer, Brian and his wife Denise moved to New Zealand, where he learned the ropes as an assistant brewer. After Brian moved back to Richmond, he connected with Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh. Brian joined Eric and Patrick’s team, as they were planning to open Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. The three did a pilot brew before the brewery opened, which would be the flagship Hardywood Singel. Along with other breweries in Virginia, Brian and Hardywood were involved in advocating for Senate Bill 604, which allowed breweries to sell beer for on-site consumption. This bill transformed Virginia’s beer industry after being signed into law in 2012. Brian and others involved in the brewing operation rely on the local environment for ingredients and inspiration for their brews, such as The Great Return IPA, commemorating the return of Atlantic sturgeon to the James River.