Snowshoe WV Craft Beer Scene
As ski season fast approaches and the resort fills with skiers and guests, the Snowshoe WV craft beer scene is heating up with the opening of the Old Spruce Brewery on Rescue Road. No longer will craft beer lovers have to leave Snowshoe to quench their thirst. The brewery has come to the mountain.
After a winter day on the slopes or a summer hike along the many trails, guests and locals will enjoy year-round beers and seasonal offerings, available in pints, flights or growlers. From the full-service kitchen, patrons can dine on items such as gourmet tacos, loaded nachos, sliders and other mouthwatering fares.
One Man’s Vision
For owner Lawrence Walkup, building a world-class destination brewery in a remote area like Snowshoe wasn’t easy or cheap. Procuring the building materials, labor, and technical expertise needed to construct a high elevation brewery presented many unique challenges. But step inside the rustic yet modern facility at the entrance to Silver Creek, and you’ll agree it was worth it. The Old Spruce Brewery sits on a 4,000 square foot footprint and has over 10,000 square feet of space when you factor in two levels, wide decks and a spacious beer garden. With a capacity of 300 people, Old Spruce is now one of the largest brewpubs in West Virginia. The brewery’s craft beers will be served on the main floor. And if beer isn’t your thing, head upstairs to the well-stocked whiskey bar and have a drink under the sun or stars on the spacious deck.
Walkthrough the facility and we can’t help but notice a vein of local flair running through it. Bar areas, stairways and public areas are decorated in rich woods and metals. The sleds adorning the walls were sourced by a local company. A large, eclectic glass bottle chandelier hangs over the main taproom. More than half of the main floor is dedicated to the brewery. The gleaming stainless steel brewery system gives Old Spruce’s head brewer, Chris Eure, the ability to brew two different batches of beer a day. The finished beer is held in two 10-barrel bright tanks for a few days to allow proper carbonation and then stored in kegs in Old Spruce’s cold room. What types of craft ales, you ask? Great question.
Craft Beer at Old Spruce
The brewery will be a must-visit for craft beer lovers who enjoy being served by knowledgeable staff. Each server is a certified cicerone meaning they have passed an exam and have a solid and well-founded knowledge of beer. Five year-round beers are offered as well as seasonal offerings.
One of the most popular beers is the Honey Red IPA, made from honey sourced from the Snowshoe region. This beer is a light reddish amber in color with a moderate-sized head. Clean and sweet on the front end, the Honey Red IPA has characteristics of dark caramel or toffee. You can expect a medium to high hop’s flavor with a bitterness level from medium to very high. The Honey Red IPA goes great with a plate of sliders.
The Blonde Ale has colors ranging from pale yellow to gold and is often referred to as a golden ale. It has a medium white head and fantastic clarity. The taste is slightly sweet but can have hints of toast or wheat. It’s an easy beer to drink and pairs well with any sandwich from the kitchen.
Gold to deep amber in color, the ESB (extra special bitter) is an English-style pale ale known for its pleasing malt aroma. The head 
is white to off-white and there is great interplay between the malt and the hop bitterness. The first sip will coat your palate with pleasing notes of toffee and caramel.
Old Spruce’s Porter is a medium-bodied dark ale with a beautiful creamy head and notes of roasted coffee. Moderate in body and carbonation, the Porter pairs wonderfully with a thick, juicy burger.
Last but not least, we have Old Spruce’s Hazy IPA. In recent years, these IPAs have carved out a significant portion in the craft beer universe. Known for its orange-yellow pour and tropical aroma, with hints of pineapple, passion fruit and citrus, the Hazy IPA has a bright taste on the front end and subtle fruity tang on the back end.
Try the gourmet tacos with Old Spruce’s Hazy IPA and thank us later. Season-based offerings are still in the planning stages. Old Spruce hopes to offer a Scotch Ale soon. Later in 2020, plans are to produce a spruce beer with locally sourced spruce tips instead of hops.
Craft Beer Options on Snowshoe
There are options for Snowshoe WV craft beer outside of the brewery. The Foxfire Grille, located in the village, offers a nice selection of IPAs and stouts from breweries around the country, as does nearby Cheat Mountain Pizza. The new brewery will help supply two of Mr. Walkup’s other establishments on the mountain: Old Spruce Draft House and Old Spruce Tavern. Mr. Walkup has owned the Old Spruce Tavern since 2010 after serving as Snowshoe’s food and beverage director. Both establishments are in Snowshoe Village. The Old Spruce Draft House offers craft beers from around the state of West Virginia in twelve rotating taps. Guests can fill 32 ounce growlers with their favorite beer. The Old Spruce Tavern features 50 bottled or canned beers and three rotating craft brews from around West Virginia.
More than a Brewery
Aside from the tasty craft libations, delicious fare, and rustic decor, Old Spruce is sure to become an entertainment destination on the mountain. The second floor features a 1,000 square foot grass-carpeted room where guests can enjoy games like corn hole, Bocce ball, foosball and duckpin bowling. Downstairs, the main taproom will often feature live local music that will flow outside when the weather cooperates.
With the addition of Old Spruce Brewery, Snowshoe WV craft beer has never been in better shape.