030 – Josh Hunt, Beer Run and Kardinal Hall

Meet Josh Hunt of Beer Run and Kardinal Hall! I love beer. So it was only natural Beer Run was one of the first places The Hubby and I visited when we moved to Charlottesville. Which meant co-owner Josh was one of the first food folks I met. We sat at the bar where he welcomed us, recommended some beers, and the rest is history. Based on that visit alone, we knew we'd moved to the right place.

Beer Run is a beloved part of the community, a place where folks young and old meet, eat, and drink beer. A family restaurant, something Josh and his stepbrother John Woodriff didn't forsee when they designed a "grab-and-go" store. But "family restaurant" is in Josh's DNA since his mother ran The Virginian as well as Rococco's when he was a kid.

Beer Run has been the recipient of many accolades, including  Draft Magazine’s America’s 100 Best Beer Bars 2014 and 2015 and the Nature Conservancy’s 2013 People’s Choice Nature’s Plate Award. It's easy to see why - most of its food is sourced locally and its 17 taps (rotated on a daily basis) and 800-1,000 bottles and cans keep customers well-versed in all things hops.

Now Josh and his brother are expanding, opening Kardinal Hall just this October, a bocce and beer garden with German-style cuisine and 24 beer taps, 1 cider tap, 2 wine taps, and 1 kombucha. Not to mention the plethora of choices in bottles and cans. The building sits in a historical Coca-Cola plant, one of three Art Deco buildings still in Charlottesville. You can even see the syrup stains on the floor. The outside is festive, decorated in white lights overseeing picnic tables and a bocce ball court. Perfect for meeting friends.

In this episode, Josh teaches me the difference between lager and ale, something I can never seem to keep straight, and we discuss the surge of breweries exploding along Preston Avenue and in the Charlottesville area in general. We also discuss his recent health scare and how he's miraculously beating the odds. Josh is an incredible guy and it was an honor to speak with him. I cannot fathom how something like this affects a person and his entire family and outlook and Josh remains positive, cheerful, energetic, and just lovely to be around. He's someone you like knowing. It's one of my favorite conversations to date and I know you'll enjoy it too. Please join us!

This episode is sponsored by In A Flash Laser Engraving.