About us

St. George Brewing Company

Founded in 1996 by Ron and Carolyn Walkup, St. George Brewing Company was born from humble beginnings and a passion for traditional craft beer. What started as a small brew-on-premise operation in Virginia Beach called B.A. Brewmeister quickly evolved into something much bigger.  Bill Spence, recently retired from military service, saw an opportunity at a time when Virginia’s craft beer scene was still in its infancy. Alongside the Walkups and small group of partners, he helped transform the operation into one of the Commonwealth’s earliest microbreweries.

St. George Brewing Company first opened its doors in the historic Kecoughtan area of Hampton. Soon after, brewer Andy Rathmann joined the team as the brewery’s first Master Brewer. Armed with a brewing education from UC Davis and years spent exploring the beer cultures of England and Germany, Andy helped establish the foundation of what St. George would become: a brewery dedicated to classic, old-world ales and lagers brewed with authenticity, patience, and craftsmanship. And on October 21, 1997, St. George Brewing Company's first commercial beer was born: the simply-named, Pale Ale.

Then came disaster.

On Christmas Eve in 2000, a devastating fire destroyed the original brewery. Around here, we sometimes joke that perhaps our namesake’s legendary dragon finally decided to strike back. Whether myth or coincidence, the fire forced the brewery to rebuild almost from scratch.

In 2001, St. George found its new home just outside NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, where the brewery remains today. At the time, Virginia law did not allow breweries to operate tasting rooms, meaning visitors could tour the brewery but couldn’t legally enjoy a pint on-site. That finally changed in 2012, ushering in a new era not just for St. George, but for craft breweries across Virginia.

Today, St. George Brewing Company remains proudly independent and deeply rooted in the community that helped it grow. While our foundation is built on traditional English and German beer styles, we’ve never been afraid to experiment, explore, and have a little fun along the way. No matter the style, our philosophy remains the same: brew exceptional beer with integrity, craftsmanship, and no shortcuts.

More than anything, St. George is about people. We’ve worked hard to create a brewery where strangers become regulars, regulars become friends, and everyone feels welcome to pull up a chair and stay awhile. That sense of community has been at the heart of St. George Brewing Company since day one.

In April of 2026, a new chapter began when Scott and Tina Luers purchased St. George Brewing Company from founder Bill Spence. Familiar faces to longtime patrons, Scott and Tina had already become an important part of the brewery family through their ownership and operation of the brewery’s on-site food truck, The Hungry Dragon. Their passion for hospitality, community, and craft beer made them a natural fit to carry the St. George legacy forward.

While ownership has changed hands, the spirit of the brewery remains the same. Bill Spence continues to play an active role in brewing and daily production operations, ensuring that the traditions and standards that built St. George Brewing Company continue for generations to come.