Once winter settles on Southwest Virginia finding fun things to do and not freezing becomes more of a challenge. Luckily, Stable Craft Brewing has a solution: Igloos!
Before the microbrewery craze swept through Southwest Virginia, us beer lovers relied on local bars for our social drinking needs. Now there are dozens of microbreweries across the area and Stable Craft Brewing has become one of our favorites.
Stable Craft Brewing manages that ever elusive feat of having great beer, great food, and great atmosphere.
Situated 15 minutes outside of Waynesboro, Virginia, Stable Craft Brewing is tucked neatly between miles and miles of farmland. The brewery boasts local, national, and international awards for their tasty brews.
But that’s just the beer. They also have some top notch cider and a really tasty menu including some delicious desserts.
Beyond that, there is actually a kids menu available. We’ve been to many, many microbreweries and a kids menu is the exception, not the rule.
Those are the reasons to visit Stable Craft Brewing anytime.
If you want a unique winter experience, then you need to check out the Igloos.
Stable Craft Brewing Igloos
Spring, summer, and fall in Virginia is beautiful. However, we have four full seasons and winter is the price for the seasonal bliss we enjoy the rest of the year. Apologies to all you cold weather lovers.
We are always on the lookout for fun things to do in winter while we wait on spring and an end to the bitter chill.
Recently, Carrie and some of our friends celebrated her birthday in an igloo at Stable Craft. We were a little nervous about how warm it was really going to be in the igloo, but once we got in, we found it was perfect.
How Was the Experience?
After we realized we would be comfortable, we were excited to get our drinks and some grub. Our server was super friendly and we quickly got drinks and appetizers.
We already really loved the beer and food at Stable Craft Brewing, that was no different. The atmosphere in the igloo was amazing. Being under the lights in our cozy igloo with a group of friends for a couple hours was paradise, or as close to paradise as you can get on a cold winter’s night.
Because it was cold and dark and December, there wasn’t anyone around except for the people in other igloos. I never heard any sound from the other groups and it somehow felt private being in a transparent dome bathed in light.
How it Works
From November to mid March you can reserve one of Stable Crafts Igloos. To book an igloo, you have to make a reservation online and pay a fee for the time slot. For that reservation and fee, you get an igloo that holds up to eight people and $50 towards food and drinks.
When we booked the igloo it was around $165 for the 1 hour and 45 minute block, although we were actually there a little more than 2 hours. We split that cost with our friends, it worked out to be about $55 per couple.
Depending on when you book the amount for booking could be less.
When you arrive, check-in at the bar and you will be taken back to your igloo. Once you are seated, the server assigned to your igloo will take drink and food orders. Our server stayed very busy and we never wanted for anything.
The only other fee worth mentioning is that the bill will have a 25% gratuity added onto the final meal cost. The igloo rental is not factored into that gratuity. I think 25% for the amount of running the servers do between the igloos and the main building is definitely appropriate.
Was it Worth it?
Well, if you’ve been reading this far, you probably know I’m going to say yes.
I have a touch of ADHD and being sequestered in our igloo was great. I never felt the overstimulation that usually happens when we go out and having a personal server was a nice touch.
For the best experience you need to bring a few friends or at least one other person. A one person igloo is a sad igloo.
You don’t need to have visited Stable Craft Brewing to feel comfortable booking an igloo. The staff has always been friendly and this was no different.
Anyone wanting a tasty meal and to spend some time with friends would be the ideal group for an igloo.
We had the igloo for about two hours and that was plenty of time to share a few stories, eat appetizers, a meal, dessert, and a enjoy a few beers. No one came to rush us out when our time was up.
Afterward we spent a little time warming ourselves by one of the firepits before we headed out. All in all it was a great night.
If there was one thing I would change it would be the way they split the bill. It can be on one bill or two, but we had three groups so we had one person pay and then the other two couples paid them back.
It wasn’t a big deal and I suppose if that sort of thing spoiled an evening for me I probably wouldn’t be the kind of person that had fun.
I’d definitely like to make renting an igloo at Stable Craft one of our winter traditions.
Other Recommendations
If you are looking for something equally awesome to do with a trip to Stable Craft Brewing we think it’s hard to beat going to Blue Ridge Tunnel. The reclaimed railway is so amazing and it can be walked or biked.
It’s about 25 minutes from Stable Craft Brewing and an equally unforgettable experience. Plus it’s underground so no matter the temperature it stays in the 50s in the tunnel.
whoiscall says
Great article!