Can Charlottesville, Va Duplicate Asheville, NC’s Success With Craft Beer Tourism? Three Notch’d Brewmaster Dave Warwick Offers His Answer.

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Editor’s Note: This is episode three in a three episode Dave Warwick series.

Dave Warwick is a “glass is half full” kind of guy. I like that about him. This dude sees the positive in life, which is on display in Episode 3 of “The Dave Warwick Experience” on The I Love CVille Show.

I asked Dave what it would take to duplicate Asheville, North Carolina’s booming beer economy in Charlottesville, Virginia. Here are some of the highlights from Dave, the founding brewmaster at Three Notch’d Brewing Company.

“Of the 6 breweries in Charlottesville, they are not going anywhere. That’s for sure,” Warwick said. “We are very lucky that the six we have are really, really solid. They are making great beer. Super, super stable.”

Here are the five breweries in CVille City Limits: Three Notch’d, South Street, Random Row, Hardywood and Champion. Technically, Reason Brewery is located just over the City line in Albemarle County.

Interesting fact: CVillian Brewing Co. is the only CVille-based brewery that I can recall ever failing in town. This tiny brewery was previously located on West Main Street in the current Snowing In Space spot.

“The wine industry really paved the wave for Central Virginia to develop a palette,” said Dave, who indicated that Asheville was the epicenter for craft beer on the East Coast. “The wine industry told people a long, long time ago that [the marketplace] will pay extra [money] for flavor. Craft beer [in Charlottesville] fits right in there. Incredible restaurants [in Charlottesville] fit right in there.”

Dave acknowledged that Asheville has a higher concentration of breweries in one location when compared to Charlottesville. He said this cluster is helping spur beer tourism around Asheville because it’s creating a destination experience. This is similar to what’s happening in Scott’s Addition in Richmond, Virginia.

“One thing Asheville has that Charlottesville doesn’t have yet is one pocket where most of the breweries are,” David said. “Charlottesville needs one destination where you can really walk. … A little corner of the world where there are only breweries.”

Dave thinks the Charlottesville beer ecosystem could one day evolve into something similar to Asheville’s.

“The people are here in Charlottesville. The support from the population is there,” Dave said. “The potential is there.”

Editor’s Note: This is episode two in a three episode Dave Warwick series.

My first crush?! That’s easy. Kelly Kapowski from “Saved By The Bell.”

Dave Warwick’s first crush? Hhhmmmm… Well, you won’t hear this answer from many 40-year-old dudes.

“I can’t believe I’m telling this to all of Charlottesville,” Dave said. “My first coming into adolescence, learning about the birds and the bees, my first crush was Cricket, aka Christine, from “The Young And The Restless.”

I got into “The Young And The Restless” mainly because of Cricket!”

Dave, the super talented founding brewmaster at Three Notch’d Brewing Company, joins me on The I Love CVille Show powered by Greenberry’s Coffee and Scott Wagner Chiropratic and Sports Medicine.

In Episode 2, you really see why people love Dave Warwick the person. The dude is funny and he likes to have a good time. Dave epitomizes the work hard, play hard mindset.

Watch Episode 1, “The Evolution of Three Notch’d Brewing Company: From 3 Dudes At McGrady’s Irish Pub To A Charlottesville, Va Craft Beer Icon,” below.

Editor’s Note: This is episode one in a three episode Dave Warwick series.

Please Picture This: Brewmaster Dave Warwick is reppin’ Rock Bottom Brewing Company as a brewmaster at the first ever Virginia Craft Brewers Fest in Devils Backbone. Dave’s pouring beers. He’s chatting with people. Two Charlottesville, Va entrepreneurs named Scott Roth and Derek Naughton beelined to Dave. Scott and Derek have an idea. They want to open a brewery in Charlottesville, Virginia. It’s 2012. Dave is engaged to Michelle, his soon-to-be wife, and they live in Arlington, Virginia.

“I was a little short with [Scott and Derek when we met]. We exchanged information, and I didn’t think anything of it until a couple days later,” remembered Warwick, the founding brewmaster at Three Notch’d Brewing Company. “Then, I talked to Scott Roth on the phone for about an hour, and I was like, ‘Oh, these guys aren’t messing around.'”

After speaking with Scott, Dave walked into his bedroom to think. It’s August, 2012. When he was done thinking, he headed straight for Michelle.

“[Michelle], what do you think about moving to Charlottesville?” he immediately asked her.

Before Dave joined the Three Notch’d team in the summer of 2012, three dudes were chilling at McGrady’s Irish Pub. They were drinking beers. They were spit-ballin, brainstormin, banterin back-and-forth. Basically, bull-shittin, until something stuck.

“The next thing you know, the idea went from a tiny little system in someone’s basement to taking over almost all the Monticello Dairy Building,” Warwick said.

Those three dudes were Scott Roth (President & Founder), Derek Naughton (Founder) and George Kastendike (CEO & Founder).

“This is really at the very beginning of the craft beer explosion in 2012,” Warwick said, “and [Scott, Derek and George] knew they really wanted to be a part of it and jump in big.”

Get to know the evolution of Three Notch’d Brewing Company through the eyes of founding brewmaster Dave Warwick on The I Love CVille Show.

If you liked this article, you might also enjoy During The Hannah Graham Investigation, Coy Barefoot Was The Face Of Charlottesville, Va Journalism and Is Charlottesville, Virginia A Better Place Today Than It Was 30 Years Ago?

At I Love CVille, we feature the best of Charlottesville, Virginia. You’re going to love the I Love CVille network.

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CEO Jerry Miller

Jerry Miller is the CEO of The Miller Organization, The I Love CVille Network, VMV Brands, The Blue Ridge Venture Fund, I Love CVille Real Estate and Charlottesville Business Brokers which are all headquartered in Downtown Charlottesville, Virginia. Jerry is passionate about the #ShopLocal movement and supporting locally-owned businesses. Get to know Jerry at JerryMillerNow.com.