Hardywood buys Starr Hill in major Virginia beer deal
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Two brands, now one Richmond-based owner. Image: Courtesy of Hardywood
Richmond's own Hardywood Park Craft Brewery just acquired Starr Hill, bringing Virginia's two largest craft brewers under one company.
Why it matters: Hardywood is becoming an even bigger force in Virginia's craft beer industry, just months after it took over some production for Legend Brewing Co.
State of play: Hardywood and Starr Hill Brewery, the 7-year-old operation out of the Charlottesville area, are the state's No. 1 and No. 2 craft brewers by volume, according to NielsenIQ data cited by the companies.
- The all-equity deal closed Oct. 1, per the breweries.
- The brands, breweries and taprooms will stay intact and all employees — around 180 in total, per BizSense — will remain in their current roles under the deal.
The intrigue: The acquisition expands the breweries' existing relationship. Last year, Hardywood took over production of Starr Hill's wholesale beers at its West Creek facility.
- And Starr Hill has had a presence in Richmond since 2019, when it opened its Scott's Addition taproom.
Fun fact: Collectively, Hardywood, which was founded in Richmond in 2011, and Starr Hill have nine taprooms in the state, including three in the Richmond area.
- Together, they draw more than 900,000 visitors a year, per the companies.
Between the lines: It's been a rough few years for the craft beer industry, marked by brewery over-saturation and sluggish sales — and Richmond hasn't been immune.
- In June, Hardywood agreed to produce and distribute Legend's flagship Brown Ale as both breweries acknowledged the challenges facing the industry.
- And in April, Japanese beer brand Sapporo sold the Stone Brewing brand and closed its Richmond taproom — but kept its massive Richmond brewery as a production hub.
Zoom out: Statewide, the once-booming craft beer market is contracting: Virginia lost eight craft breweries between 2023 and 2025, per Brewers Association data.
- Meanwhile, overall beer (and all malt beverage) sales by volume in Virginia have fallen about 11% since 2022, per a review of Virginia ABC data.
What's next: Locals should expect to see guest taps, special releases and merch from both Hardywood and Starr Hill at each's sister locations in the weeks ahead.