Our Story
Where It All Began
Every adventure starts with a journey...
Bear Chase Brewing Company started out as just a crazy idea hatched by five close friends in the middle of 2017. Initially, the intention was to turn the historic homestead into a premier bed and breakfast lodge, and this quickly came to fruition. But, we also saw the property’s potential as a destination farm brewery unique in the Bluemont area.
We wanted to be one with the land, so we have re-purposed several parts of the property for our farm brewery, such as using the original farm barn as our Brew Barn for our beer production. We have utilized reclaimed timber throughout the property to use in our Taproom, as well as carved custom taphandles from different species of trees on our acreage.
History of the Property
Bear Chase Brewing Company is a destination-style farm brewery nestled high along a wooded mountain ridge in western Loudoun county on a beautiful 35 acre estate featuring a commanding 40 mile view of the Virginia hunt country. The credit for our brewery’s name goes to the family who sold us this spectacular property back in 2017. The actual inspiration for the name Bear Chase was derived from the family’s dogs who apparently were quite fond of chasing the resident black bears around the family homestead. It had been called Bonnie Brae previously (circa 1905-1980). Bonnie Brae is Gaelic for “pleasant hill”. The very first recorded owners broke ground on this land roughly 120 years ago, and since that time the property has had a purpose in supporting the work and craft of its owners. Long ago our current Bears Den bar area is where the office of a well-respected architect did his drafting and honed his craft. For 35 years the architect’s wife, an accomplished pianist, taught piano in an adjacent room. A talented entrepreneur of iron works also called this home. So, it felt right to continue the tradition in applying our own tradecraft—brewing and proudly serving award-winning craft beer and hard cider.
From Our Farm to Your Glass
Bear Chase is currently growing hops, and plans to plant an orchard of fruit trees in the Spring as well as expand our hop fields to yield even more ingredients for our brewery. We will continue to utilize the brisk mountain water to create unique beers, and draw inspiration from our beautiful landscape.
For anyone who enjoys great craft beer and wants to spend quality time with family and friends, the picturesque views, mountain air, and natural beauty surrounding the newly completed Bear Chase Brewing Company Brew Barn and Taproom has no equal. With 35 secluded acres for guests to enjoy and explore, this is destination brewing at its best!
Meet The Team
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Ken Wilson, Head Brewer
Ken Wilson is the Production Manager at Bear Chase Brewing Company and an expert in the field of craft brewing. With his recent graduation from the Advanced Brewing Theory Program at the World Brewing Academy, he has taken his knowledge to new heights, poised to help take Bear Chase to the next level. Wilson has spent nearly a year dedicated to this intense course through the Siebel Institute of Technology, with 25 hours a week spent in lectures and chat sessions focused on advanced commercial brewing techniques, packaging raw materials, quality control, and sanitation. His favorite part of the program was the course on yeast management, which emphasized the importance of understanding the life cycle of yeast and how much they contribute to making beer. Beyond his latest diploma, Wilson is also a certified sommelier through The Culinary Institute of America and has an Associate's Degree in Culinary Arts from the same institution. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Hospitality Management Program at the Harvard School of Business. Prior to joining Bear Chase in 2018, Wilson worked in high-end catering, but he turned his 25-year-long hobby of creating small-batch craft beers into a career. Wilson finds brewing similar to creating culinary dishes, as both require a hands-on approach and are extensions of his personality. He takes great pride in creating a high-quality product for people to enjoy. Despite his professional accomplishments, Wilson feels that his greatest achievement is his family – two awesome daughters and a wife who takes care of him. To sample some of Ken's latest creations, head over to Bear Chase Brewing Company at any time!
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Chris Suarez, General Manager
Chris has been in the hospitality industry his whole life, and turned his focus more towards beer while he was in Denver Colorado as he picked up the hobby of Home Brewing. Chris has been able to travel the country and work in some great locations but found Loudoun County to be his home. Chris met his wife Karen in Loudoun County and they have a ball of hair Golden Retriever, Samson. Chris took one step on the property after hearing the dream from ownership and knew that he had found his new dream job.
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Ben Goode, Caretaker/Property Manager
Ben is a carpenter by trade but wears every hat at Bear Chase Brewing Company. We were able to recruit him from Rust Manor where he worked as caretaker for almost 4 years. Ben is from Loudoun County, and when he had the chance to be a part of an up-and-coming Farm Brewery in Bluemont, he couldn’t say no. Although Ben has preferred to drink Coors light in the past, he is slowly growing in the craft beer world and now is a fan of our Helles Lager!
Where It’s Going
Bear Chase Brewing Company is quickly becoming a place where people come to enjoy some of Loudoun County’s best craft beer and have a great time with friends and family. Visit us soon! While you’re here, explore our beers, check out our upcoming events, or visit the taproom.
