Pizzas and beer at Camp Trapezium.
Outdoor space at Camp Trapezium
The Orchard series at Camp Trapezium.
The mill at Camp Trapezium.
A bedroom at the Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The inviting Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The charcuterie board includes farm-fresh hardboiled eggs and various pickles made in-house from produce grown on-site, alongside meats, cheese and flatbread.
Pizza standouts—all made to order in a Neapolitan oven and served hot an bubbly—include the Dearborn featuring red sauce, prosciutto, a five-cheese blend, goat cheese, figs and honey drizzle; and the Crazy Nessie with olive oil and garlic, prosciutto, lemon, farm pesto and fresh mozzarella
Pizza standouts—all made to order in a Neapolitan oven and served hot an bubbly—include the Dearborn featuring red sauce, prosciutto, a five-cheese blend, goat cheese, figs and honey drizzle; and the Crazy Nessie with olive oil and garlic, prosciutto, lemon, farm pesto and fresh mozzarella
The Airbnb at Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
Camp Trapezium offers an Airbnb.
Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
As summer winds down, you might be looking for one more getaway. Trapezium Brewing Co. offers Camp Trapezium for a beverage-focused getaway in Amherst, Va., plus a new outdoor event space in Petersburg and a soon-to-open taproom in Church Hill
Camp Trapezium (140 Union Hill Road) in Amherst Va., is just under two hours away and provides a farmhouse Airbnb and brewery/restaurant on-site, plus a central location for area activities.
This is Trapezium Brewing Co.’s second location that has been open for about a year. After opening the flagship brewing facility in Petersburg in 2016, the owners acquired Amherst Milling Co., which was originally built in 1890, as well as a farmhouse and about 100 acres in Amherst, Va, in 2017.
Farmstay experiences have been growing in popularity as a way to more deeply appreciate the ingredients and labor it takes to create quality craft beverages. Trapezium is one of the first breweries in Virginia to provide the opportunity to eat, drink and stay in one place while exploring the ingredients that are going into the beer and food you’re consuming up close and in person.
But first, Trapezium had to overhaul the 130-year-old mill to get Camp Trapezium up and running.
“The mill was in horrific shape,” co-owner Emily Sanfratella says. “It was termite-ridden and structurally unsound.” But it was also one of the last standing flour mills in Virginia. After it was a mill, the space was also used as a feed store and became a community gathering place for the Ameherst community. The Trapezium team wanted to preserve it while making it a hub for the Amherst community once again.
“It was a massive undertaking to make it look like we had done as little as possible,” Sanfratella says. “We salvaged as much as we could, and we wanted people to recognize the space.”
Refinished wooden beams, and industrial exhaust fan and antiques from the old mill are incorporated alongside a new bar and tables and chairs in the warm décor, making it easy to envision the building’s original purpose while sipping a barrel-aged beer made on-site with local ingredients. Out back, the wheel the powered the mill is still visible from the scenic patio.
Inside, Trapezium produces limited production, small-batch beers, experimenting with techniques like barrel aging, mixing cultures, and spontaneous fermentation. Because of the small production, many of the beers brewed at the Amherst location can only be found there, although a few are available at the Petersburg brewery as well.
“The process is more similar to winemaking where every time it’s a little bit different,” Sanfratella says. The spacious property is also home to a farm and the crops are incorporated into the beers. For example, every year the brewery makes an Orchard series. Right now they are pouring a Petite Blueberry golden ale brewed with second-use blueberry skins for a dry and tannic finish. Orchard Series: Strawberry is slightly tart and jammy with a funky finish and slight carbonic bite. One of our favorites was Birds of a Feather: Henry, a blend of two separate barrel fermentations of Amarillo hops that tastes almost like a white wine with notes of grapefruit zest, fresh pineapple juice, and an earthy, dry finish.
Camp Trapezium’s produce also makes appearances on the brewery’s food menu. The charcuterie board includes farm-fresh hardboiled eggs and various pickles made in-house from produce grown on-site, alongside meats, cheese and flatbread. The pesto as well as many of the pizza toppings also come from the farm. When you visit, try the seasonal pizza, which is a changing creation starring the current harvest. Other pizza standouts—all made to order in a Neapolitan oven and served hot an bubbly—include the Dearborn featuring red sauce, prosciutto, a five-cheese blend, goat cheese, figs and honey drizzle; and the Crazy Nessie with olive oil and garlic, prosciutto, lemon, farm pesto and fresh mozzarella. The menu also includes wings, a Bavarian pretzel, cookies and milk, and other brewery-friendly noshes.
After a bunch of funky beers and pizza, you might not want to drive back to Richmond. Luckily, when purchasing the property, the owners also acquired a farmhouse that they converted into an Airbnb featuring eight suites that can be rented individually or as the whole house. Each room features clean, midcentury-modern inspired décor with its own bathroom. Camp Trapezium is also in the process of adding a primitive camp area where visitors can register, pay a fee and set up a tent for actual camping.
If you visit on a Saturday night, be sure to plan ahead and pick up some pastries for breakfast or order some extra pizza for the mini fridge in your room. The rooms are equipped with Keurig machines, but the bakeries and coffee shops in the area are all closed on Sundays.
Hiking: Camp Trapezium is just about 30 minutes from Crabtree Falls, the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River, as well as the James River Foot Bridge, an abandoned railroad bridge that’s now a pedestrian causeway with sweeping river views, as well as several other trails. Check out visitamherstcounty.org for details on trails, parks and other attractions nearby.
Wine and beer: Blue Mountain Barrel House & Smokin’ Barrel Restaurant (495 Cooperative Way, Arrington) and Wood Ridge Farm Brewery (165 Old Ridge Road, Lovingston) are located nearby and often feature live music. There are also several vineyards. Lovingston Winery (885 Freshwater Cove Lane, Lovingston) boasts a year-old homey tasting room, sweeping views, wine flights, and cheeses and cupcakes to snack on. Mountain Cove Vineyards (1362 Fortune’s Cove Lane) is one of Virginia’s oldest wineries and its patio is a calming respite. Co-owner Al Weed has been managing the vineyard since 1974 and has been active in securing state support for Virginia’s farm wineries. If you’re lucky, he’ll serve your tasting and tell you some of the history.
Orchards: The only thing you can’t get at Camp Trapezium is breakfast (unless you save some of your pizza in the in-room fridge, that is). On your way in, stop at Drumheller’s Orchard (1130 Drumheller Orchard Lane, Lovingston) for peach or cider donuts, depending on the season, along with freshly picked produce, jams and soft-serve ice cream. Pick-your-own fruit is also available.
One More Mill: If you wind your way to Amherst through Charlottesville, Va., and want to extend your mill history tour, stop at The Wool Factory (1837 Broadway St., Charlottesville) and grab lunch at Selvedge Brewing. Located within Charlottesville’s historic Woolen Mills site that was founded in 1868 and produced military fabrics, uniforms and cloth, you can now enjoy a selection of small-batch, culinary-inspired beers and food to go with it.
The Petersburg Trapezium Brewing Co. (423 3rd St., Old Towne Petersburg) is the brewery’s original 30-barrel location where the flagship beers are brewed. There’s also a tasting room with a Neapolitan pizza oven and a spacious patio. Most recently, the owners acquired a field and harbor adjacent to the brewery to use as an event space: “It’s a gathering space for Petersburg to have its own events and celebrations,” Sanfratella says.
And, the Church Hill location in the former Richmond Association of Masonic Lodges building continues to progress with a projected opening date of October or November—this is slightly delayed from the original projection of late summer due to staffing shortages. Sanfratella says they are currently finalizing the interior décor and converting old pews into tables and benches.
The Orchard series at Camp Trapezium.
Pizzas and beer at Camp Trapezium.
Outdoor space at Camp Trapezium
The mill at Camp Trapezium.
A bedroom at the Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The inviting Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The charcuterie board includes farm-fresh hardboiled eggs and various pickles made in-house from produce grown on-site, alongside meats, cheese and flatbread.
The Airbnb at Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
Camp Trapezium offers an Airbnb.
Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
Megan Marconyak has been devouring every fresh flavor she can find and capturing it in writing for over 15 years. Drool along with her dining adventures, and send her your #RVADine tips on Instagram, @MeganMarcoStyle.
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Pizzas and beer at Camp Trapezium.
Outdoor space at Camp Trapezium
The Orchard series at Camp Trapezium.
The mill at Camp Trapezium.
A bedroom at the Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The inviting Airbnb at Camp Trapezium.
The charcuterie board includes farm-fresh hardboiled eggs and various pickles made in-house from produce grown on-site, alongside meats, cheese and flatbread.
Pizza standouts—all made to order in a Neapolitan oven and served hot an bubbly—include the Dearborn featuring red sauce, prosciutto, a five-cheese blend, goat cheese, figs and honey drizzle; and the Crazy Nessie with olive oil and garlic, prosciutto, lemon, farm pesto and fresh mozzarella
Pizza standouts—all made to order in a Neapolitan oven and served hot an bubbly—include the Dearborn featuring red sauce, prosciutto, a five-cheese blend, goat cheese, figs and honey drizzle; and the Crazy Nessie with olive oil and garlic, prosciutto, lemon, farm pesto and fresh mozzarella
The Airbnb at Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
Camp Trapezium offers an Airbnb.
Camp Trapezium in Amherst, Va.
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