Half your group wants Cabernet Franc. The other half wants a cold IPA. In Loudoun County, nobody has to compromise, because the county pairs more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms with about 30 breweries, many of them a short drive apart in the Blue Ridge foothills.
Here’s what to know before you mix the two on one of your wine country tours, from tasting order to pacing.
What Is a Mixed Tasting Day in Loudoun County?
A mixed tasting day is one outing that combines winery tastings and craft brewery stops on a single route. It works well in Loudoun County, about 25 miles west of Washington, DC, because many farm breweries operate on farmland near vineyards.
Most Virginia wine country tours focus on vineyards alone. A mixed day adds at least one Northern Virginia brewery, so wine fans and beer fans each get a stop built for them. You get the best of both worlds in one trip.
Two terms you’ll hear all day:
- Tasting flight: a set of small pours served together so you can compare styles side by side.
- Farm brewery: a brewery on agricultural land that brews with ingredients grown on that farm.
In 2015, Loudoun became the first county in Virginia to approve local rules for farm breweries. That decision opened the door for taprooms in the same countryside as the wineries. If beer is the main event, our brewery tours in Loudoun County build the whole day around it.
Should You Start With Wine or Beer?
Starting with wine often makes sense, since dry whites like Viognier and lighter reds carry delicate aromas that hoppy or roasted beers can drown out. The order changes how each drink tastes, not how you feel the next morning. Your group’s taste decides the final order.
Reasons to taste wine first
- Bitter hops from an IPA can linger on the tongue and flatten a white wine’s fruit.
- A fresh palate picks up more of the wine’s aroma and finish.
Reasons to start with beer
- Your group leans heavily toward beer, and wine is the side trip.
- Your route starts in eastern Loudoun, where Northern Virginia’s suburban breweries sit closer to DC and Dulles.
Is the “beer before wine” rule true?
In a 2019 study, researchers from Witten/Herdecke University and the University of Cambridge tested both orders with 90 volunteers. The order made no difference to hangovers, while heavy drinking caused them either way.
How Should You Split Your Stops Between Wineries and Breweries?
Pick one anchor drink for most of the day and one accent stop for the rest. A full-day tour runs about seven hours from pickup to drop-off and fits three or four stops. A wine-led group might visit two wineries and one brewery, and a beer-led group can flip that ratio.
| If your group is | A mix to consider |
| Mostly wine drinkers | 2 wineries + 1 brewery |
| Mostly beer drinkers | 2 breweries + 1 winery |
| Evenly split | 1 winery + 1 winery-brewery + 1 brewery |
| Booking a half day (about 5 hours) | 1 winery + 1 brewery |
Allow about one to two hours at each winery. Even the best wineries in Loudoun feel rushed when you squeeze in extra stops, and trying to see everything means biting off more than you can chew.
Where in Loudoun Can You Pair Wineries and Breweries Easily?
Western Loudoun puts the two closest together. Around Bluemont, Hillsboro, Purcellville and Waterford, farm breweries and vineyards share the Blue Ridge and Piedmont countryside. Eastern Loudoun, near Ashburn, is home to more urban breweries.
People searching for the best wineries in Loudoun County, Virginia often overlook how close good beer sits:
- Bluemont: Bluemont Vineyard sits at 951 feet on the first ridge of the Blue Ridge. Its sister property, Dirt Farm Brewing, shares the same road.
- Hillsboro: Hillsborough Winery, Brewery & Vineyard pours wine from one brother and beer from another in the same tasting room.
- Waterford and Purcellville: Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery and Adroit Theory bring farm and craft beer into wine country.
- Ashburn: Lost Rhino Brewing Co. sits in eastern Loudoun, closer to DC and Dulles.
Our CEO, Nich Kendall, grew up in Round Hill, so these back roads are home turf for us. Our Loudoun County wine tours use that local knowledge to shape each route.
What Should You Tell Us Before We Plan Your Day?
Every group drinks differently, so we don’t hand you a fixed route. Share your preferences, and we plan the stops, order and pace around them. The more you tell us, the better the day fits.
Your group’s tastes
- How many prefer wine, beer or both
- Favorite styles, such as dry whites, bold reds, IPAs, lagers or stouts
- Any must-visit winery, Northern Virginia farm brewery or distillery
Your plans and logistics
- Group size and the occasion you’re celebrating
- Your tour date and how flexible it is
- Pickup and drop-off addresses
- Full day or half day
- Lodging help, if you’re staying overnight
On our private wine tours in Northern Virginia, your Tour Concierge builds the itinerary from these details, handles the driving and keeps bottled water on board.
How Much Are You Drinking When You Mix Wine and Beer?
More than most people expect, because beer servings hold more liquid. A U.S. standard drink contains 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol, which equals about 5 ounces of 12% wine or 12 ounces of 5% beer, according to the NIAAA.
A quick comparison
Pour sizes vary by venue, so here’s simple math with example pours:
- Wine tasting: five 1-ounce pours of 13% wine add up to about one standard drink.
- Beer flight: four 5-ounce pours of 6% beer add up to about two standard drinks.
At those sizes, one brewery flight matches two winery tastings. Ask the staff about pour sizes at each stop.
How to pace yourself
- Eat a proper meal during the day.
- Drink water between stops.
- Use the dump bucket at wineries; nobody minds.
- Share flights at breweries.
Every guest on our tours must be 21 or older.
Key Takeaways for Your Mixed Tasting Day
A day in Virginia’s wine country doesn’t have to stay wine-only:
- Taste wine before hoppy beer to keep flavors clear.
- Choose an anchor drink and keep the day to three or four stops.
- Stay in one area, such as Bluemont or Hillsboro, to keep drives short.
- Count the beer pours, because they add up faster than wine.
Plan Your Winery and Brewery Tour With Cork & Keg
Ready to mix it up? Our Northern Virginia wine tours are private, and we build each route around your group with wineries, breweries and distilleries in any combination. Tell us your preferences, and we’ll plan the day accordingly. Our Mercedes Sprinter seats up to 13 guests, and partner buses carry groups of 14 or more. We reply to every quote request within 24 hours, so request your quote and let us match you with the Loudoun wineries and taprooms that suit your group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we add a distillery to a winery and brewery tour?
Yes. We can add a distillery or restaurant alongside, or in place of, a winery or brewery.
Can we book a mixed tasting tour on a Saturday?
Yes. Saturday bookings use our all-inclusive option, and we don’t offer half-day tours on Saturdays.
How far ahead should we book a wine and brewery tour in Northern Virginia?
Book at least a month ahead, and earlier for large groups. We run no more than two private events a day, so busy dates fill fast.
Can you pick us up in DC or at the airport?
Yes. We pick up wherever you’re staying and offer transfers from Dulles, Reagan National, BWI and Leesburg Executive Airport.
Can you drive us if we already chose our stops?
Yes. We can follow your itinerary and handle transportation, with a professional concierge on board.
How much should we tip our Tour Concierge?
Tips reflect your experience, and most guests give about $20 to $30 per person. All gratuities go straight to your concierge.