The perfect stopover spot for visiting the Blue Ridge Tunnel or Skyline Drive. Basic City Beer has loads of outdoor seating, a broad array of craft brews, great pizza, and plenty of games for the kids. In warmer months, you can catch local bands on the weekend. This is a relaxed environment for locals and visitors alike. The tasting room and brewery are housed at the base of Afton Mountain in an old metal factory. The inside can get a bit noisy due to the acoustics, but the outdoor patio is the perfect place to relax after trekking in the woods.

Drinks

Fifteen to twenty beers are always on tap here, ranging from IPAs to bock and stouts. Standout brews are the Daily Pils (a standard on local restaurant menus), the Lore, an Imperial IPA, and Masala, a Chai Stout. If you’d like to taste a bit more than the standard 2 oz. tasting pour, you can order pours in 4, 8, or 16 ounces. For non-drinkers, there is local kombucha available.

Menu

The Basic City taproom is home to Lost Town Billy Pie Pizza, which specializes in wood-fired handmade pizzas with gourmet ingredients. Customize your pie ($13-15) with Calabrian chiles, mushrooms, sausage, prosciutto, or arugula. There are shareable side dishes as well. Marinated olives and lupini beans ($6) pair well with beer and will hold you over until the pizza arrives! BBQ and nachos are available, too.

Pros

Kid-friendly with lots of games, Excellent, affordable gourmet pizza

Cons

Casual vibe and lots of gravel

Alternatives

Blue Mountain Brewery, Brewing Tree

FAQ

Where is the best place to stay near Basic City Beer Co.?

Afton Mountain Inn is a beautiful countryside specialty hotel, ideal for couples. For larger parties or a girls’ weekend away, take a peek at Afton Clubhouse (3 bedroom house) or Afton Farmhouse (4 bedroom house). Both properties are fully-renovated and are a short 15-minute drive to Basic City Beer Co., as well as dozens of other wineries, breweries, and other attractions along route 151. Check out this map for a complete list.

Is Basic City Beer dog and family-friendly?

Yes, you’ll find that the patio is contained, making it safe for kids to run around and share yard games.

Is Basic City far from other attractions in Nelson County?

Don’t let the Waynesboro location fool you - this is the closest pizza and beer you’ll find to the hiking trails. Head west down the mountain as you come off exit 99 for Skyline Drive, and you’ll be there before you can say “Appalachia”!