Benchtop Brewing

Bench Top Craft Brewing is off the beaten path, but in a cool area with plenty of other things to do.There is inside seating in the tap room and also outside seating. I sat inside as it was November, but a warm November for Virginia.When I came in they were playing old school hip hop which I love, but about 30 minutes in they changed to that west coast alternative music that breweries are known for. So head phones in a vibe to my music.The BEER:Secret Stash... Sticke Altbier (pronounced "Shtick-uh ullt") 6% ABV... so very smooth, with malt and slightly hoppy. I love this.Jam Pact fruited Gose 7% ABV... It is a perfume gose. The combination is plum, strawberry and blackberry, but I got like raspberry which is Mt least favorite beer taste. It was okay.Proven Theory Citra IPA 7% ABV... It is a one note IPA, but that one note us quite perfectBrochachosaurus NEIPA 7.5% ABV... so very delicious, balanced and totally crushableSoft Kush Hazy IPA 7% ABV... higher in IBUs for a hazy, a tad bit dry, east coast or west coast flavor, quite goodBrown Bear Honey Pot 6-7% ABV... I only tasted this and it was a sour. It was the first thing I tasted. Description said Oud Bruim w/ cherries, but I didn't catch the cherries. I liked this spot. I would return.

I came for the Vuture Vegan Food Pop up shop. Not being a beer drinker, I didn't think there would be anything for me to drink while I waited. Boy was I wrong! The Lemonade spritzer/cider/I don't know what it's called/ I just know this cocktail was the cat's meow!!

I worked with the GM of Benchtop to arrange an informal small group gathering for a Friday night. It was right before their Oktoberfest celebration and they didn't need to accommodate our group but they made it work and I really appreciate it. Benchtop is in a quiet area of downtown. They had plenty of parking in a designated lot but there is also street parking. We had about 15 people and there was plenty of room inside for us together. There was also live music outside which was great. We used a single tab for our group and everything couldn't of been easier. The beers were tasty and we even indulged in some of their Jell-O shots. I'd definitely return to Benchtop and would encourage others to as well.

We were meeting with a friend and realized we hadn't tried the local Benchtop Brewing. We found their food truck schedule and saw that a taco truck was scheduled for Saturday and it was an easy decision after that. They open at 12pm on Saturday, and they already had some guests when we arrived at 12:05, so that seemed like a good sign. They have several tables but only one low top table, so I'm glad we didn't have to fight for it. High top tables with a toddler is a recipe for disaster!Staff were helpful and attentive and they had a few different styles of beer. I saw pilsners, IPAs, sours, and a couple stouts, so it seems they have you covered. The food truck underperformed in my opinion , which I don't blame on the brewery. My only suggestion would be to switch out or add a few more low tops and a few heaters to make it cozier. I'll definitely be stopping by again and am excited for any new beers they bring online.

Came here with a couple friends to try it out... they had a pizza food truck out front which I love to see. I pizza was okay, but that has nothing to do with the brewery so I'll leave it at that. I will say the service wasn't overly friendly like I'm used to, just kind of dull. I like a good upbeat friendly bartender but that's just personal preference. I did a flight because I like trying multiple beers at breweries. Here's what I tried and what I thought:Galactic Zombie: pretty hoppy beer, but very smooth and delicious.Proven Theory: My favorite of the day, great hazy IPA Soft Criminal: Probably one of the smoothest double IPAs I've had in a while. Very good.Jam Pact: Sour beer, but full of flavor. It's hit or miss on sours for me, but this one was very good.Love the vibe inside the place though, decent music, nice decor, was a nice little place here in Norfolk. I will definitely be back.

Went here on Sunday with my girlfriend, my kids, and a couple of friends. This was my first time here. Located in the hip brewery rich Chelsea area of Norfolk, lies Benchtop Brewery. This is your standard local brewery serving your standard brew variations. It wasn't bad by any means. It just didn't stand out in a very long list of local brewery's. We had a flight of four beers. We had a gose, porter, pale ale, and lager. None were bad. I particularly liked the Jam Pact Raspberry Gose as I have a taste for Gose's. In fact, they have quite an interesting selections of Gose's that might be the very reason why I go back. On this particular day, they had Hashi food truck on site. I will try to find a place to do a review for them specifically, but I can tell you the food was very well done. I mentioned that I brought my kids with me. A lot of brewery's have a family environment, but I don't feel that this is one of them. All my kids could do was play in the parking lot next to the patio and hang on the railings on the patio. I say that to say I wouldn't bring my children back here.

Pretty good beer and chill place to go to.Ambiance (3/5): indoor and outdoor seating. It felt like a normal brewery. Lots of high top seating. It had a cool mural to look at and you can see into the beer making area.Beer (5/5) We had their sours and all were pretty good. The Mermaid's Lure has oyster juice (?) in it. It was ok, but wouldn't get again. Quick Pickle was good. Jam Pact Tayberry was amazing; tasted like a berry smoothie.Parking (5/5): Tons of parking lot parking.

We visited Benchtop Brewing during a vintage market held in their back parking lot. It was a beautiful warm day, perfect for brews and shopping. The name escapes me but I indulged in their house IPA and my fiancé enjoyed a non-alcoholic hoppy Tea. Both were delicious and served in a chilled glass. Service was kind and efficient. There is plenty of space inside to sit and enjoy your beverages in AC. QR codes are located on the tables, making ordering easy. There are board games for added entertainment and plenty of patio seating outside. Restrooms were clean and well stocked.I really enjoyed our afternoon at Benchtop and I even scored a really cute $12 dress from one of the vintage vendors.

My husband and I hopped from brewery to brewery yesterday and landed at this one. Nice place with plenty of seating and plenty of drinks to choose from. I went with the Frozen Double Raspberry Beer - it was different! Lol very refreshing but I think for me maybe less raspberry since it was a little too sour. But that's just a personal preference. Bartender was friendly and helpful. and, for the hungry crowd, there was a food truck right outside.

Benchtop is one of the most creative breweries in the city. Their products are dynamic and amazing and include examples of almost any style one can imagine. The service was also great, as the beertender guided me through a couple flights to get a good sense of their offerings. They are located right on the Elizabeth River Trail, which makes it a perfect stop for a beer while on a ride. My only suggestions would be to offer some non-beer options and more regular food. I'd come here more if they did. My wife isn't a beer drinker but we will go out to breweries that have a cider or seltzer she will drink. It would also be nice if they had food trucks more often, to make it a destination for a night out. Overall, an amazing brewery and I will be back soon!