From Moonshine to Mountain Views: Inside Sips of Culpeper

We interviewed Winona Pritts, Business Development Manager for Culpeper County Economic Development in Virginia, about the Sips of Culpeper trail and passport.

For someone who hasn’t explored Culpeper for craft beverages, what is Sips of Culpeper, and what makes the trail worth making time for?

Sips of Culpeper is really about rediscovering what’s right in our own backyard. We created the trail to encourage both residents and visitors to explore all seven of our wineries, breweries, and distilleries—because while many people have a favorite spot they return to, there are so many incredible experiences across the county that deserve to be discovered.

What makes Culpeper special is the balance. You can start your day in our historic downtown—grabbing a bite, doing a little shopping, or stopping into a brewery—and within a short drive, you’re out in the countryside surrounded by rolling farmland, mountain views, and working farms that are growing the very ingredients used in your glass.

Six of our seven locations are based on farms, producing everything from grapes and hops to fruits for cider, which creates a connection between the land and the experience you just don’t find everywhere. Each stop has its own personality, its own story, and its own reason to come back—so whether you explore in a weekend or over the course of a year, there’s always something new to savor. 

The trail has some genuinely unique claims, such as America’s first legal moonshine, Virginia’s first Winery-Brewery-Distillery Trifecta. How does that kind of history shape the identity of Culpeper’s craft beverage scene? 

Those milestones—like Belmont Farm Distillery being home to America’s first legal moonshine, and Old House Vineyards pioneering Virginia’s first winery-brewery-distillery trifecta—are definitely points of pride for our community.

But what really defines Culpeper’s craft beverage scene is the variety of stories behind each location. Some are rooted in agriculture, some in history, some in personal passion or family tradition—and all of them offer something a little different.

You might find yourself sipping on a farm that’s been part of the landscape for generations, or enjoying a drink in a space connected to Civil War history, or relaxing in a downtown taproom with a completely different energy. That mix of experiences is what shapes our identity—it’s not just one story, it’s a collection of them.

The trail spans downtown taprooms, rural farm operations, even a brewery sitting on top of a Civil War hospital site. How did you go about curating which stops belonged? 

We actually didn’t approach it as a curation process in the traditional sense. Sips of Culpeper was designed to be inclusive of all of our wineries, breweries, and distilleries across the county.

The goal wasn’t to pick and choose—it was to create a program that supports the entire craft beverage community and encourages exploration across all of it. As new operations open, they’re invited to join the trail as well.

That approach keeps the experience authentic and ever-evolving, while making sure every business has the opportunity to be part of the story.

Finish the trail and you get a limited-edition whiskey glass. Tell us about that reward and why you chose it.

Each year, we introduce a new collectible item that participants can earn by completing the trail. When we launched in 2024, it was a pint glass. In 2025, it was a stemless wine tumbler. And for 2026, we went with a whiskey glass.

We love the idea that no matter what your drink of choice is across Culpeper, you can enjoy it in a glass that reflects the experience. It also highlights the variety of what our locations offer.

The glass itself features a custom Sips of Culpeper design created by a local business, and it’s produced by a Virginia-based company. It’s a limited run each year, which has made it feel even more special—some participants have even completed the trail multiple times just to collect extras as gifts.

But beyond the item itself, the reward is really about the journey. We’ve had participants tell us they visited locations they’d never been to before just to earn the prize—and ended up finding new favorite spots they now return to regularly. That’s exactly what we hoped for.

What’s your personal favorite stop on the trail, the one you’d send a first-time visitor to without hesitation?

That’s the one question I can’t quite answer with just a single stop—each location offers something so different, and it really depends on what kind of experience someone is looking for.

If you’re up for trying something new, Belmont Farm Distillery is known for creative drink concoctions, and you can’t go wrong asking for a recommendation or even letting the team surprise you.

For live music and scenic views, Death Ridge Brewery is a great choice.

If you’re staying downtown, Far Gohn Brewing Company has a unique tavern-style atmosphere and great pizza to go with their beer.

Mountain Run Winery is perfect for relaxing outdoors—their historic corn crib tasting room and the stories tied to the property add a lot of charm.

At Old House Vineyards, there’s truly something for everyone, from sangria to multiple tasting spaces, each with its own feel.

Families love Old Trade Brewery for its playgrounds, food, and space to spread out, plus the chance to explore the farm.

And WAR Craft Brewery is a fun spot to settle in with a flight and a stack of board games.

The best recommendation is honestly to try a few and see which one fits your mood—you’ll probably end up with more than one favorite.

What problem were you trying to solve when you decided to launch a digital passport for the trail? 

The biggest challenge with the physical passport came down to timing. During busy weekends or events, participants often had to wait to get their passports stamped, and staff were trying to keep up while also serving customers.

The digital passport solved that friction for both sides. It allows users to check in easily and track their progress in real time, while giving our partners one less thing to manage during their busiest moments.

One unexpected benefit has been how engaged people have become. We’ve received an incredible number of photos from participants sharing their experiences along the trail. Being able to highlight those moments has added another layer of connection and community to the program that we didn’t anticipate, but really value.

What does a successful year with LoyalBrew look like for Sips of Culpeper? 

Success for us goes beyond numbers. Of course, we want to see people using the passport and exploring the trail, but what matters most is the experience behind it.

A successful year means participants are enjoying the app, discovering new places, and taking pride in what Culpeper has to offer. It means our partner locations feel supported and that the program adds value without addingstress.

At the end of the day, if more people are exploring, trying something new, and walking away with a deeper appreciation for our local businesses and community, that’s exactly what we set out to achieve.