I've started and saved a draft for this review about a dozen times. That's also the same amount of times I've been here since they opened. The 1st time I came here I was immediately impressed by how finished the space was. Now, we enjoy seeing all the different growlers for all over that look down on the taproom. They host some great food trucks and events here. I personally love some to their beer yoga taught by Erin Sonn. Now for the most important part, their beer! Right out of the gate their Bulkhead Brown and Quayside Kolsch were really solid beers (I think my very 1st visit was 2 weeks after they opened). And they still are. Their brown is one of my faves, an underrated style. My husband loves their kolsch and they can it now which is awesome. Their Ghost of the Mariner, an imperial stout, is another face of mine. If you like saisons, you can't go wrong with their Sirens Lure. This is their beer that took gold in its category at the Great American Beer Festival before they were even a year old! I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the staff here. Both new and old have been awesome. Really looking forward to what Charlie and Casey do next! read more

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Low key local brewery in Northern Virginia. Nice staff who will let you try anything on tap. However they don't serve food, only beer. You can get a taste for $3, glass for $6, flight of 4 for $10, or a growler refill for $15. There's 20% off with a yelp check in which is awesome! Also veteran owned! All the brews have cutesy sea/sailing names and they have some beers with 9.5%-10.5% alcohol although sadly you cannot get a growler of the strong brews. I recommend the Ghost of the Mariner (9.5% stout with chocolate notes) and the Siren's Lure (Saison). There's no food, so that knocks them down a star although there is a food truck outside on Fridays and Saturdays and Antonio's Beltway Sliders will deliver inside. Also you can bring your own food, which is cool but would have been nice to know. It's in a large warehouse, so not that big on atmosphere but it's good for groups and low key. read more

Excellent beer selections and staff is always super knowledgeable and generous with the pours. I'm always torn on getting one beer over another so I usually get the flight option and can always find great tasting craft beer. You have got to try this place out. read more

Fair Winds Brewing - Platter - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

I've been to the brewery twice and each time has been great. Pretty easy to find just south of the newly renovated Springfield Town Center. I started with the sampler of their four beers and can't pick my favorite. The Kolsch is crisp & clean. Can't wait to have a pint again this summer. I'm a hops fan and so are they. The Pale Ale and IPA are great examples of the styles. The Red is a very complex beer with a definite Belgian influence. Has hints of a Belgian Abby Dubbel. On my second time there they had already added a stout to their lineup. (On NITRO!) Got a growler for St. Patty's Day. It's all about the beer, but the food trucks were great. Different ones each time I was there. Nice to have the variety in the food and beer. I look forward to returning to see the next beer in the lineup. There is just something fun about enjoying beer in the place it is made. Can't get better than that. read more

Fair Winds Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

While I wouldn't drive 30 minutes from DC just to make a trip to Fair Winds, if I were in the area I would stop by this adorably nautical-themed, veteran-owned brewery. Having finished a 10-mile hike, we craved nothing more than a cold beer. Despite the fact that it was a busy Saturday at the brewery, the bartender was more than friendly about letting me try three different beers before I ultimately settled on Siren's Lure, which was the perfect combination for me: light ale but 7.2% ABV. Delicious. Some may view the fact that they have no food as a downside, but I personally was happy that I could bring my Goldfish snackers as a perfect salty accompaniment. In fact, I saw some people who had a full-on feast at Fair Winds Brewing, including a Costco-sized tray of cocktail shrimp. (This was a child's birthday party. As I suspected, northern Virginia is filled with children.) TIP: check in on Yelp to get 20% off!! read more

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Fair Winds Brewing is the closest brewery from where I leave, about a 10-15 minute drive. I met up with a friend on a Friday evening. For a Friday evening, it was crowded but we were still able to get a table. They had a ton of beer on tap and it was a large variety of beers. The beers I tried where - All Hands Anniversary Ale - ABV 10.5% Sessions in the Abyss - ABV 4.5% Following Cs Pale Ale - ABV 5.5% Howling Gale IPA - ABV 7.2% My favorite was the Sessions in the Abyss. They do not serve food (however according to the website food truck(s) come on the weekends) but you can bring your own food. The flight was really inexpensive. It wasn't the best craft beer that I had, but with Fair Winds located so close to my house I will definitely be coming back. Like other reviews said check in on Yelp to receive 20% off you bill! read more

Fair Winds Brewing - Flight - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

The beers were all ok. We liked the Session IPA, the Shellback, and the Stout. I liked the dank IPA and the Saison wasn't bad. It's hard with all the competition out there right now to give more then 3 stars if there isn't anything that really jumps out. All the beers were drinkable, just no strong pull to return. read more

This place was amazing. Some friends of ours had their reception their two years ago and that was my first time visiting. I loved all the different beers (not that i tried all of them) and the awesome service. Apparently lately every night they have a different catered food that they promote on their website. When we went on Friday it was a bbq style spot the brisket was delicious. We were grateful that even though this bar doesnt specifically serve food they thought enough to bring caterers in. Another good thing to note starting in July you can now bring your fury friend with you thanks to some vote by Fairfax. So now all under one roof its adults, kids, dogs and beers... what more could you want. read more

Fair Winds makes some nice ales, particularly their saison. They do not make good lagers. Every lager growler that I have bought has been undeveloped and off-tasting, and I have bought several. I received good service the first years that I went there for fill ups and 6-packs, but it has really fallen off lately. I was lied to several times about re-stocking of t-shirts that I wanted to get, rejected from buying beers that were listed as available, and generally ignored at the bar. There are dozens of good breweries around, so I will abandon Fair Winds. Forge Brewery around the corner has impressed me with their lagers and friendliness, so I think I will go there now, even though their specials aren't as good. read more

Great beer and the staff is amazing! It's great to see the Brewery start to hold events again.

This places was pretty busy for a Sunday night. We came on Father's Day to check out the local brewery. Brandon our brewtender, server was super cool. Answered all our questions and gave recommendations. He had a great sense of humor and told us that Wednesday's were half price growlers fills. Score! It's a few minutes away from Burke where we live. They have games to play and a real chill atmosphere. Will come back for sure. read more

4/5 Multiple visits 2015-2017. We've been following Fair Winds since they opened. They are more of a production brewery with a tasting room which is really a good thing. They have several continuous production base beers in addition to a number of seasonal and limited releases. Their kolsh is one of the best I've tasted on this side of the Atlantic. They specialize (like all smart breweries in this area) in IPAs. I'm not much of an IPA fan so that's the only reason I wouldn't go any higher on the rating. If you do happen to like IPAs this is an excellent place and probably worth a 5 rating. read more

Went here for the first time this past weekend. Definitely crowded for Covid times, but masks are required upon entry/while ordering/walking around. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Had the Siren's Lure and Berry Tart Ale. Both very good!! It has an industrial aesthetic and is dog friendly, so pretty cool. They have food trucks, and you can byo/order food in as well. Already planning my next visit. read more

We really appreciated the service at Fair winds. This was my first time out in months. They had the social distancing and sanitizing down packed. You only have 1.30 for a seating. They clean everything for the next seating coming in. It was a bit unusual getting used to this new social norm. Fair winds 100% pulls it off. Thank you to Alvin, Carey and Jennifer. You all were phenomenal. read more

Great beer and great service whether it's a couple drinks late afternoon or on a busy evening. Love that they have a food truck, but that they also allow you to bring food in. Beer sampler is great to find a new favorite and Thursday night trivia is a lot of fun. read more

Hands down my favorite local brewery. Fair Winds is a hidden gem loved by locals. The brewery is always family friendly and pet friendly when the weather is agreeable and the patio is open. The beer is great, they have a few staples with rotating seasonal brews that are always amazing. The bartenders are super friendly and always willing to help suggest a beer that you will like. Prices are super reasonable and they run awesome specials like half price growlers on Wednesdays. Food trucks are on site most days and always hit the spot! Keep up the good work! read more

Brewery is very fun. It's in a random, office park and you would never know it's there driving by. They have a small outdoor area. You can bring your dogs to the patio. We came on Saturday and it was PACKED because the weather was gorgeous. I think there were only 2 bartenders who were working so the service was extremely slow. It would take about 15 minutes to get a beer, but it happened. They also called out last call at 8:30pm, so that was a bit confusing. I don't think they serve food there (they had a pizza truck with decent prices. I would return, but hopefully the service would be better. read more

A few friends and I stopped in on Memorial Day weekend and had a great time. Their inside space is pretty big and well air conditioned. We did the flight and especially enjoyed the peach beer. They had a stand selling empenadas and such inside. There were also dogs indoors which was nice but I'm not sure if they only allowed it because it was 90 degrees out that day. read more

I can't speak highly enough of this place. We come here at least once a week. Great beer, great atmosphere, great people. Not a single bad beer on tap, the Howling Gale is amazing and their new Mosaic IPA is great as well. The employees are very friendly and great people, the new taproom manager Michael is very friendly and a great addition to the place! I hope to see them succeed in getting their beers in stores and on tap all over DC! read more

Fair Winds Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

Love a microbrewery with great variety. Way more than just IPAs here. Something for every beer lover. I love Dank and Stormy. The Kolsch is great too! read more

I enjoyed myself. They brewed some good beer, for a good price. I'll be back; recommended. Tip: check the hours; they close early. read more

Fair Winds Brewing - A hint of the goodness... - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

After a morning of hiking at Mason neck State Park, we were happy to replenish our spent fluids with some terrific IPAs, lagers and porters. The brewery is kid friendly and has a nice selection of beverages but alas no food. There is a deli nearby where we grabbed burgers and subs to go along with our beers. The food truck did stop by later on, after we had already started the walk to the deli so by the time we arrived back with food the food truck was on the scene so we ordered a side from them. read more

I was hoping for more of a bar type thing with food but I don't drink beer and don't like it. They do have beer and are a dog friendly bar so that was pretty neat. this is in a hidden area you wouldn't think a bar/brewing company exist there but it does. It looks like it will be a cute spot in the summer. read more

My colleagues enjoyed the beer during a friend's retirement party. But I was disappointed that they offered almost nothing for someone like me, gluten intolerant, but accompanying beer-drinking friends. They offer cheap sodas, but no cider, no wine, and no decent sodas. read more

Best brewery in the area. Many IPAS and rad food trucks. The bartenders are super friendly. It can get busy, esp on the weekend. Come early! Dog and ubereats friendly. read more

Good brew scene. I tried their Saison which was delicious. Brewery is tucked away in a quiet industrial area next to a residential Area and some trails. read more

Fair Winds Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

The beer, atmosphere, and staff are fantastic. Good people being safe during these difficult times. I'm looking forward to them fully reopening and can't wait to try more beer. Music was a bit loud and off atmosphere for my taste. read more

We attended a birthday party at Fair Winds over the weekend, and though we have long been fans of Quayside Kolsch, visiting the brewery made me love this place even more. I enjoyed the Siren's Lure and I really appreciated the great service that the staff offered. We will be back the next time we are in Northern Virginia! read more

Beers were just okay. They need working fans or air conditioning because my group of friends and I were dying.. Especially in a place where people are drinking so body temps get hot easier, the need cool air. The customer service was very friendly though. I might come back just because the location and I'm hoping next time they'll have better selections of beer and cool air. read more

Fair Winds Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

Came here for a goodbye party and loved the atmosphere! Very relaxed and low key. The staff is also friendly and easy going. They sectioned off a portion of the bar just for our party (there are 2 entrances to the brewery, so this worked out perfectly), and we had our own bbq and finger foods set up for grubbing. You're able to order food from area vendors as well and have it delivered there. The beers were pretty good! And decently priced (~$6). I stuck to the Kolsch and Siren's Lure, which were both fairly refreshing. I took sips of friends' darker beers and enjoyed those as well. I'll probably try a flight of 4 beers next time I'm here! The place is very clean and has a open/spacious layout. It's also kid-friendly (they have a small game area) and is Coastie-owned! read more

Hidden in a commercial park, Fair Winds is one of the best close in breweries in VA. About a mile south of Springfield Mall, FW has about a 60 foot U-shaped bar and 9 of their own beers on tap. No food is served, but similar to other nano-breweries they have a food truck in the parking lot. (Usually pizza) Prices are average with $7. 16oz drafts. Please contrast this with their alter ego down the street (Forge Brew Works) which has $6-7 draft that are 13oz pours. I believe that both places allow food to be brought in or delivered by local restaurants. (Too bad there aren't any nice places close by.) A flight of 4 beers is $12 (pricier than most) and growlers are now $20. (UPDATED Oct 18 - Pricey) [Aside: why do breweries charge, and people pay, more for a growler than a 6 pack? Notice to all Brewers -- growlers should be priced below a 6 pack -- less beer, less material, less labor.] Back to the review .... Usual variety of beers, I like IPAs and prefer the Howling Gail IPA to their ESB. Recommended. Tag team this place and Forge and support your local breweries. If the half price growlers on Wednesday or the cask ale on Friday (Firkin Friday) stick, I may be back with another star. read more

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I really like Fair Winds Brewing. I've tasted most of their beers and there isn't one I don't like. My favorite is the Siren's Lure Saison. The space is large and set up well. It's great for a get-together with friends, or just to grab a quick beer and a bite and go. Every time I've been there, it's been full of people, but they still have plenty of room for large groups. I can't say more good things about the staff - always friendly and willing to answer questions. I definitely recommend Fair Winds. Give it a try! read more

Great veteran owned brewery with friendly staff. Enjoyed the band Bourbon Moon while we were there! read more

Fair Winds Brewing - Plank of beer! - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

This place gets a 5 star for relaxing atmosphere and set-up, but a 3 star for food menu options. The location is perfect for anyone working in the Lorton/Springfield area looking to blow off steam after a long week. Tucked away near the Loisdale-Newington intersection, the brewery is located in an industrial warehouse district at the end of a row of warehouses. The layout is open and very cool as they've designed it almost like a mock garage with roll-up doors for when the weather permits...They have corn hole, giant jenga, water pong and other fun activities that go hand in hand with downing a fresh pint. The staff is friendly, sarcastic, and most importantly, knowledgeable about their trade. Their beer is quite tasty, with decent kölsch and saison options, but their real stars are the red ales, IPAs and stouts. Prices are great for the quality of beer you are getting. The only real limitation to this place is they have nothing besides their brewery items to offer...VERY limited snacks and non-alcoholic options... but they do allow you to bring food in from outside vendors, so I wouldn't write them off entirely! read more

I've tried every brew they have - I like them however they are stuck on "hoppy" Don't think they are diverse enough on their selection. If I had a friend that did not like IPA beer I would not take them to fair winds. Port City does this job very well and give everyone with varied tastes a few selections. However, to be fair this is a fairly new brew house so we will see how it goes. I've been here many times and one thing comes to my IT'S FRIGGEN HOT IN THERE! You HAVE to cool this place down when it's hot out. Having the whole room dripping of sweat is unacceptable. The ONE fan the ONE time I did see it was put out for a company reserved party. Love the atmosphere, most of the bartenders are cool, and it's got a nice industrial feel in the tap room. The food truck (savory delicatessen) is hella slow as well. I have ordered with them several times and the food is pretty good (the Cuban sandwich) but really slow in coming. However, they will text you when you food Is done, because that's how long it takes. If you can wait, great if not well you decide. The Pizza truck is GREAT, never had a draggy experience there and the owner is personable and a football fan as well (however his team choice needs some readjusting! lol). He can talk the talk, and can put out the pies in due time!!! So in the end: Give it a shot for sure if you love IPA's and give it try it if you don't, you may find a selection you like. Try the NITRO stout it really interesting and tastes GREAT - non hoppy! Peace- read more

Board games and beer--say no more! Can't go wrong with that combo. Their beer selection was fantastic, I loved the variety and found the staff to be very helpful in making selections. They have lots of seating and a lovely assortment of board games! While they don't serve food, they do have a food truck outside of the brewery where you can order BBQ to take inside the brewery to eat. You are also able to bring outside food/snacks--we brought cheese and crackers--or you can also have local food delivered there! Pretty cool. Side note: I would never have found this place had friends not made the recommendation. It's located in sort of an odd warehouse type area of Lorton. Not too easy to locate. read more

I have only been here a couple of times for trivia, but I liked it. The beer was reasonably priced... bar staff was friendly... the environment is open, well-lit and airy (like I prefer a brewery to be). I only tried a couple of beers (sorry I can't remember the names) but they were pretty pleasing to the palette and very drinkable. Both times I have been here the place was pretty full with people who seemed to be enjoying themselves. A perk is that they allow you to bring your own food since they don't serve food. We stopped at 5 guys up the road and grabbed a sack of burgers and fries and brought it with us. Which was sort of cool to be able to do that. Lots of crossfitters who stop in after working out (there is a crossfit gym like on the same stretch of road somewhere) so don't expect the dress-code to be super snooty. It's completely chill. Which is sort of refreshing. Definitely recommend. read more

Fairwinds is one of the breweries closest to where I live. They are located in an industrial park on Newington Road. Their brewpub is austere but very neat and clean. There are windows in the brew pub that look into the brewing area that has several large stainless steel vats. They had about 10 different brews to select from that included a Kolsch, (hoppy) session, IPA, pale ale, dark ale, stout, and porter. They offer flights with a selection of 4 beers in 4 ounce glasses. They also sell single small and large glasses for consumption on the premises. I liked the Siren's Lure Session and the Blackened Seas cherry porter. They sell some snacks but do not serve food. They have notebooks with menus from nearby places that will deliver to the brewery. Occasionally a food truck sets up in their parking lot. Currently the only way to take away their beers is in growlers or kegs; they do not currently bottle or can their products. I recommend this brewery to those in the area and will likely return when I'm in the area. read more

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Loved the environment! There was music with very open areas. I was only able to try their Anniversary ale! It was great! Their customer service was phenomenal! I ended up purchasing four of their 22 ounce bottles! I plan on going back soon so I can review their other beers. read more

Fair Winds Brewing - Anniversary Ale 2017! - Breweries Near Me - Lorton, Virginia

I was staying the nearby Embassy Suites (which should be walkable as it's only a few hundred yards away, but requires passing under a narrow railroad trestle which is simply harrowing at night!) alone on a business trip. I visited the Fair Winds Brewery on each of the two nights I was a guest of the hotel. The staff and patrons were friendly and welcoming. The bar itself as well as the atmosphere is very laid back and a great place to hang out with other people, catch up on emails/work and drink a beer. Over the 2 nights, I believe I sampled all the beers they make and all of them were great. At the end of my stay, I took home a 6 pack of each beer they had available. I'm in this area quarterly and definitely plan to return to Fair Winds. [please make it walkable!] read more