Woodbridge / Lake Ridge Beer - Waters End Brewery

The last stop on the Woodbridge / Lake Ridge brewery review tour is in the Lake Ridge area, almost a stone’s throw from Lake Ridge Park and Marina along the Occoquan Reservoir.  Their names fits their location.  Waters End.  Located in the Dillingham Square shopping center (directions here) and across the parking lot from a long-standing Lake Ridge bar/restaurant; Brittany’s.  Waters End opened September of 2016 and is opened 5 days (Wed-Sun) a week.  Their hours and other information about events, etc. can be found on their website (below). 

The second smallest brewery in these reviews, Waters End is just that; a brewery.  They only serve the beer they produce, no wine or liquor, nor do they serve food.  However, they do have a selection of chips, jerky, pretzels and soda’s you can buy to snack on.  They also have a “Nitro Coffee” you can enjoy there or take with you, just in case you need that ‘extra’ jolt of caffeine late in the day to help you make through.  Patrons are encouraged to bring in their own food or have it delivered.  The recently opened Lake Ridge Paisano’s Pizza (and other stuff) is across the parking lot and will bring your food right over.  There are also several other establishments (DQ, Sweeto Buritto, etc.) where you can get food.  There is a notebook full of menus by the bar from local restaurants that will deliver whatever you are craving so you can continue to sit back and enjoy their beer.

The atmosphere is very laid back and family friendly.  A couple of TV’s and a section where they even have toys for the young ones to play with.  Sometimes that kind of freaks me out.. it reminds me of a scene from the movie “Sweet Home Alabama,” but you know… it kind of works out fine here!  Don’t worry though… even if you don’t bring your kids they do have games for adults as well.  If your delivery guy forgets to include enough plates of forks with your food delivery, the folks behind the bar got your back with some extra plates and plasticware.  All ordering is done at the bar.  On weekends (Sat-Sun) they do have an outside area with tables and ‘cornhole’ so you can get out and toss a few bags.

Are you here for the kids though?  Games?  Take-out and delivery?  I hope not!!  I come for the BEER!  So, let’s get to it!  They generally offer 6-8 beers on tap and to determine which one you wish to favor, you can order up a flight of three 6oz pours for $10 and try them out.  The average price for a standard 14oz pour is $5.85 and for the more specialized or high gravity beers the average 10oz pour is $6.50.  The average price for a 32oz growler works out to be $9.15 and the average for 64oz works out to be $18.15.  They will also give you $2 off a full pour when you purchase a 64oz fill!  Waters End is also the only brewery in the area that also sells (limited selection) 5-liter Mini-Kegs for $45.  Now if they would only get a 32oz ‘Crowler’… 😐.

Waters End was also the 1^st brewery in the area to offer a beer club… which they were selling the night they opened!  The Waters End Brew Beer Club currently has over 330 member which enjoy several perks.  Membership does have its privileges and for membership fee of $150 you get:

• Larger pours (16oz) in a Beer Club glass at no extra costs
• Larger pours (11.5oz) of their premium or higher gravity beers that usually come in a 10oz pour
• $3 off every 64oz growler fill
• $1.50 off every 32oz growler fill
• 4 FREE beers for friends (standard pour)
• FREE growler (64oz) fill in your birthday month
• Access to exclusive events (beer releases, food and beer pairings and more)
• Free 6oz pour during each Beer Club beer release
• Members only 32oz stainless steel growler
• W.E. Brewery 64oz glass growler
• W.E. Beer Club glass
• Your choice of W.E. brewery hat or shirt
• Taproom, table and barstool reservation options
• 25% discount on all merchandise purchases

But wait… they also offer one other membership the other breweries do not… a “+1 Membership”.  For $50 you can add a second person to your membership where they get the same beer discounts as the full member, to include:

•  Larger pours (16oz) in a Beer Club glass at no extra costs
•  Larger pours (11.5oz) of their premium or higher gravity beers that usually come in a 10oz pour
• $3 off every 64oz growler fill
• $1.50 off every 32oz growler fill
• Invitation to all “Members-Only” events (beer releases, food and beer pairings and more)
• Free 6oz pour during each Beer Club beer release
• 25% discount on all merchandise purchases

Let’s break it down using the same standard I’ve been using.  Members drinking a min of 4 beers per week will get you an additional 8oz of beer a week.  So, in 1.5 weeks you get the equivalent of on standard 14oz poor or $5.85 in additional beer; $11.70 a month and $140.40 a year.  Now, based on the $150 membership fee, you would think the cost is not worth it.  However, this review and the previous review on Growling Bear has shown me that using “4 weeks a month / 12-month average” is not really a good way to evaluate the additional beer and savings you get.  As such in my next blog post comparing and summarizing all 5 beer club memberships, all will be recalculated to 52-weeks for the year, instead of 4-weeks/1-month/12-months averages.

Now it is time to put it all together.  With your $150 membership, you get a T-shirt ($18) or Hat ($22) 64oz growler ($10) a special stainless steel 32oz growler ($35), free birthday month 64oz growler fill ($18.15).  You also get 4 free beers for some friends which is an additional $23.40.  This is all BEFORE taking the free beer from the larger pours into account.  Subtracting these perks which total $104.55 (I went with the T-shirt) from your $150 you are left with $45.45 to apply towards the savings you have for the larger pours in beer… which was $140.40 a year.  So, subtracting that from the $140.40 you are left with a total of $94.95 worth of free beer. 

So, totally worth it!!  Remember, I will be recalculating everybody in the next blog post and I already know the saving will be even better.  What about the ‘+1 Membership”?  Well, you get $140.40 of beer with the larger pour and a free 64oz birthday fill worth $18.15 and 4 beers for friends at $23.40 for a total of $181.95.  Subtract the $50 and you have gotten $131.95 worth of free beer over the year.  Again, totally worth it!!  For their next year, the membership option is a little different for those renewing, so go by the brewery and check out the options you have if you are already a member.

Ok, so it’s time to discuss what bothers me about Waters End.  First and foremost; COASTERS!!  I believe this is the only brewery I have been to that does not have their own coasters and just uses standard bar napkins.  Even with the napkins, there hardly ever seems to be any around!!  As one that tended bar in his early days, a napkin or coaster is a must.  Second thing is the TV’s.  With only two TV’s you would think one on each side of the bar, but nope… they are both almost in the same corner of the bar with nothing in the middle or the other side of the establishment.  So, if that end of the bar is packed watching the Caps or Nationals, you’re kinda screwed unless you want to walk across the parking lot to Brittany’s and watch the game.  Third is the acoustics.  It does not take much music or number of people to make the place very loud making it difficult to have a regular conversation.  Finally would be the lack of outdoor seating.  With outdoor seating limited to Sat/Sun it sucks that you can’t sit out and relax on a Thursday afternoon.  I am sure it is some ABC or shopping center thing that keeps them from it, but it sure would be nice if there was more.  

That’s it!  Waters End Brewery.  For me a great family friendly neighborhood brewery where you can relax, order in and enjoy some great beers.  Their one-year anniversary if coming up so look for more information on their website.  Maybe I will see you there!!

Website:  http://www.watersendbrewery.com/

Twitter       Instagram  

This concludes my review of the 5 breweries in the Woodbridge / Lake Ridge area.  The next posting will be a recalculated summary of all the beer club memberships these establishments offer and which is the one that has the best bang for your buck!  Be sure to check it out and please leave your own comments and thoughts below.  Oh… I write these sometimes while sitting at these establishments enjoying a great beverage, so if you find a mathematical error… 😐 please let me know!!  It is not intentional!