Brian Nelson
(Hardywood)
is a Mechanical Engineer, Brewmaster, and a creator and builder of ‘things’ at heart. Inspired by a book on the basics of brewing, he developed a fascination for the science, process, and engineering behind brewing. He started homebrewing in college and continued learning the craft as he moved around the US and at New Zealand’s #1 brewpub, Galbraith’s. He found a passion for the creation of, and satisfaction with, the brewing process and the delicious fruit it bears.
He has led the development and production of craft beers and other beverages at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery in Richmond, Virginia, from its ambitious beginnings in 2011. As he helped build Hardywood to be the leader in Virginia craft brewing, the goal was to push the conventions of brewing while keeping a balanced and grounded approach to what beer can be. At Hardywood, he partners with the Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech on brewing and their student exchange program with the Technical University of Munich in Germany, which he last visited in 2022.
In the Spring of 2024, Jessica and Brian collaborated on their first brew-centric trip together: the Bavarian Beer Experience. The week-long journey through Bavaria included stays in Munich, Bamberg, and Regensburg, a variety of private brewery tours, hops farm exploration, and enjoying a whole lot of great beer along the way. That trip proved the perfect start to a fruitful collaboration!
Belgian Beer Experience
Travel with a Brewmaster and cultural liaison to learn about brewing ingredients, equipment, processes, and food pairings while visiting unique and historic breweries. Experience the prolific craft beer scene, enjoy beer gardens, and discover independent brewpubs throughout Belgium. From Antwerp's amber "Bolleke" to unfiltered "Seef", rich and creamy red-brown Bruges ale to Ghent's herbal "Gruit", malty "Dubbel" to sour lambic traditions, explore all that Belgian brewers have to offer. You’ll experience exclusive behind the scenes tours, meet brewers from long family lineages of brewing, and savor tasty beer and food pairings. Brewmaster Brian will facilitate conversations with local brewers to get to the heart of key details and answer questions you didn’t know you had. You’ll be inspired by his own fascination with the brewing process, science, and engineering, combined with Jessica's attention to cultural highlights, and authentic immersion experiences.
Santé!
