Posted on March 19, 2020
An open letter to our legislators.
If you are in the hospitality industry, we ask that you join us in writing our elected officials during this difficult time.
My name is Phillip Ray. Together with my brother, Chris, I own and operate Center of the Universe Brewing Company and Origin Beer Lab located in Ashland, Virginia. My brother and I rely on the staff of our small business for our livelihoods and they rely on us for theirs. We made a deal with them: they trade us their most precious commodity, their time; and in return, we offer them a safe and reliable place to work, a benefits package that provides health care in case of illness, a savings plan for their futures, a fair livable wage and a comfortable work – life balance. This week we are forced to break that deal.
This is by no means the first time our small business has faced hardships, but this is an unprecedented situation – one which I do not believe we can survive without your help. We have lost two of the three markets where our goods are sold and our revenues have been cut by 70% because of this. I am writing today to ask for your help. I am asking for you to help not just our business, but the 30 million small businesses in this country who are suffering.
Now is the time to help the workers in this country who contribute the most to the economy and receive the least amount of remuneration for their efforts. Now is not the time to send multibillion dollar bailout packages to multibillion dollar corporations. Those companies received their bailouts in 2018 with the historic corporate tax cut you voted into law. The result of that bailout was not improved salaries, increased benefits packages, or even a safety net for workers or the companies themselves. Instead, the corporations you bailed out participated in record stock buy backs and paid massive dividends to their shareholders. They used their bailouts for the benefit of a few wealthy stakeholders. Now, when crisis hits, they want you to use taxpayer money to bail them out again.
This is the definition of privatizing profits and socializing losses. For far too long, this country has asked the most financially vulnerable among us to bear the brunt of the fiscal pain when disaster strikes and reap the fewest rewards when the economy is booming. This crisis has proven to be no exception.
Small businesses in this country are often inefficient and ours is no exception. This inefficiency is exactly what keeps the economy moving. We spend the majority of our budgets on humanpower and earn razor thin margins. Our revenues do not sit in our checking accounts or investment accounts or in our own stock ownership. We do not have executive payrolls or massive lobbying budgets. We earn and spend our money locally, benefiting the greater economy not just our own.
We are the businesses that drive the economy. I call on you now to see past your campaign contributors, fundraising sponsors, and lobbyists and start representing the voters of this country. Do not fail us again.
Pass legislation that immediately puts money into the hands of small businesses and working Americans. Pass legislation that guarantees every American access to health care. Pass legislation guaranteeing all Americans with a full time job can support their families. Pass legislation that protects every American during times of crisis. I call on you to pass these laws and to pass them today. This is the deal you made with the American people when you asked for our votes. Now is the time to honor that deal.
Faithfully,
Phillip Ray
Co-Founder, Center of the Universe Brewing Company & Origin Beer Lab
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Posted on February 5, 2020
Saturday, March 7th will bring back a taproom favorite and the first Satellite-brewed beer that was ever released in 16oz 4pack cans! Satellites Rewards is our our FREE membership program, and each year the top earning Satellites get to brew whatever beer they choose at Origin Beer Lab. Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Porter, dreamed up and brewed by Satellite Rewards Members and father-daughter pair Rand & Amanda, is a delicious 6.5% ABV beer brewed with vanilla & cinnamon.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Porter was constructed using Maris Otter, Flaked Oats and Barley, Carafa 3 Dehusked, Crystal 90, and Double Roasted Crystal malts. Chinook hops round out the flavor and the additon of vanilla and cinnamon make for the perfect cookie inspired brew!
Freekin’ Rican – Puerto Rican Food Carts & Catering will be on site with delicious Puerto Rican inspired food. Kick off your freekin’ weekend with this delicious porter!
Posted on February 5, 2020
Center of the Universe is proud to host the 6th Annual St. Paddy’s Day Celebration to support the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an organization which has been providing lifesaving childrens cancer research since the year 2000. This FREE celebration is open to the public and will take place from 12pm-10pm on Saturday, March 7th. Bring your green hat, high spirits, and thirst for FUN. Below are a few more details on the event:
🍀 LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY
Band Schedule:
12pm – 1:30pm Gift Horse
2 – 3:30 The Royal We RVA
4 – 5:30 Flashlight Tag
6 – 7:30 Something Shiny Band
8 – 9:30 Pizza Scissors
💚 Food Trucks
Two Kings Concessions, LLC
Grandpa Eddie’s Alabama Ribs & BBQ
Freekin’ Rican – Puerto Rican Food Carts & Catering
🍀 Raffle Prizes (all proceeds benefit St. Baldricks)
💚 Special Beer – Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Porter Release
This taproom favorite, brewed with vanilla and cinnamon, makes for the perfect cookie inspired brew. This beer will pair wonderfully with some of the Irish inspired food items available at the event.
As if you needed another excuse to drink beer, eat great food, listen to live music, and raise money for a very worthy cause!
Posted on February 5, 2020
🍫🍻❤️ Don’t wait until the last minute to go shopping for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day… Or better yet, why not celebrate early at the 2nd Annual COTU Chocolate Fest! This intimate setting will feature some of Richmond’s finest chocolatiers alongside handcrafted jewelry, artisan gifts, and live music in our Private Events room. The Freekin’ Rican – Puerto Rican Food Carts & Catering will provide a light menu for the day as well as some chocolatey treats. Come see us as we celebrate the love of chocolate, beer, and the people we share them with!
What makes the day even sweeter? We will also be releasing The Box of Chocolates Stout, an annual favorite, along with 5 delicious variants for some serious pre-Valentine’s Day fun. The Virginia Lottery will be on site with games and giveaways as well as chances to win cash & prizes 🍫🍻❤️
VENDORS LIST:
🔺 Pencraft & Post
🔺 Taylor Made Chocolate
🔺 Custom Candyy
🔺 Ko Designs
🔺 Bright Body
🔺 Custom Candyy
🔺 Donna’s Baking Creations
🔺 TM Designs Custom Gifts
🔺 Godiva Chocolatier
🔺 Freekin’ Rican – Puerto Rican Food Carts & Catering
Posted on September 11, 2019
🍻🎶🔷 Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi!!! 🔷🎶🍻
Ladies and gentlemen, grab your lederhosen and your beer steins! 2 Days of Oktoberfest celebration return to Center of the Universe Brewing Co. on September 27th and 28th. This FREE event is open to all and will feature traditional live German music, German inspired food, German style brews, The 2019 Das Bier Run and a few other fun surprises!
🔶🔷 Day 1: Friday, September 27th 4:00pm – 10:00pm 🔷🔶
Friday, September 27th, the taproom will be transformed into a traditional German festhalle! Come grab a stein of our malty, refreshing Oktoberfest beer, throw on your lederhosen and dance the polka with The LOW’n’BROWS who will be taking the biergarten stage for a day of nonstop German music, food and beer! Read on below for 2 Days of German fun. Prost!
🔷 THE MUSIC 🔷
🔹 The LOW’n’BROWS – (Friday Only)
The LOW’n’BROWS are a German “Oompah” Band out of Fredericksburg who have been playing professionally as a group for over 21 years specializing in polkas, waltzes and other traditional “hofbrauhaus” music. Their upbeat traditional German tunes are sure to delight those who enjoy singing and dancing of all ages!
The Low’n’Brows will be playing from 4:00pm – 9:00pm
🔶🔷 Day 2: Saturday, September 28th 12:00pm – 10:00pm 🔷🔶
Saturday, September 28th, the taproom will be transformed into a traditional German festhalle and the 2019 Das Bier Run will take place early in the day! Come grab a stein of our malty, refreshing Oktoberfest beer, throw on your lederhosen and dance the polka with ACCA (Shrine) Temple Sauerkrauts German Band who will be taking the biergarten stage for a day of nonstop German music, food and beer! Read on below for 2 Days of German fun. Prost!
🔶 THE MUSIC 🔶
🔸 ACCA (Shrine) Temple Sauerkrauts German Band – (Saturday Only)
The ACCA (Shrine) Temple Sauerkrauts German Band are no stranger to the Richmond Oktoberfest scene! The Sauerkrauts, an all-volunteer band, have been playing together since 1977, with the proceeds from performances benefitting families of patients at the Shriners Childrens Hospital.
The Sauerkrauts will be playing from 12:00pm – 5:00pm
🔶🔷 THE BEER 🔷🔶
Center of the Universe’s Oktoberfest is our take on the classic Munich fest biers. German Munich and Vienna malts are used to give the beer a slightly sweet and malty flavor with some toasted notes as well. Noble German hops were added during the boil, adding just enough bitterness to balance out the flavors of the malt. We then chose a Czech yeast strain that accentuated the malt and fermented nice and clean. After fermentation COTU Oktoberfest went through an extended cold conditioning period known as lagering. After lagering, the beer was filtered, removing any yeast that had not yet dropped out naturally. COTU Oktoberfest is malty, clean and refreshing. Golden to amber in color, we think our Oktoberfest would be right at home in the festival tents of Munich. Or Virginia. Prost!
5.7% ABV/25 IBUs/7 SRM
🔷🔶 2019 Das Bier Run 🔶🔷
DAS BIER RUN: We’ve got the steins if you’ve got the time! Plus incredible beer to fill them with, too. It’s OKTOBERFEST time again and Center of the Universe Brewing is throwing a party and then some!
Start the day with our DAS BIER RUN. Grab your buddies and make a team of either 2 or 4 people….. Or take a shot at the SOLO CHALLENGE!
We’ll have a MASS start at 11:00 am in front of our brewery.
Teams: Each team will do what it takes to do 4 of our 1 MILE Laps. At the completion of each lap, you will check in & hand off your baton to the next team member.
Solo: Easy! Run 4 laps…. you will have to check in with each lap!
Get in TODAY. Once a wave fills, we move to the next wave pricing.
SWAG:
– STEIN – That’s right….. ONE SUPER SIZED STEIN…. You need something to drink our beer in… So here ya go!
– T-SHIRT
– More fun stuff coming soon!
REGISTRATION & PRICING
1. RELAY TEAM (4 & 2-PERSON) – TEAM CAPTAIN WILL REGISTER FOR EITHER 2 OR 4 PERSON TEAM, then on next page CREATE A NEW TEAM, and then PAY for Team.
-Team members will need to register by visiting our registration page and clicking on whichever your team captain registered for (2 or 4 person), then on next page JOIN AN EXISTING TEAM using your team captain’s information. (You will not be charged. You’ll just have to repay your Team Captain.)
2. SOLO – Go Ahead… What are you waiting for? Anytime you are ready…..GO!
PRICING….. (see below) is based on Waves of 20 ENTRIES. Once those 20 are filled, pricing moves to next wave.
4-Person Relay Team Pricing:
WAVE 1 – $85 : 4-person team ($21.25/person)(80 participants)
WAVE 2 – $100 : 4-person team ($25/person)
WAVE 3 – $115 : 4-person team ($30/person) TIL RACE CAPACITY
2-Person Relay Team Pricing:
WAVE 1 – $50 : 2-person team ($25/person)(30 participants)
WAVE 2 – $60 : 2-person team ($30/person)
WAVE 3 – $70 : 2-person team ($35/person)TIL RACE CAPACITY
SOLO:
WAVE 1 – $25 : Individual (20 participants)
WAVE 2 – $35 : Individual
WAVE 3 – $45 : Individual -TIL RACE CAPACITY
RACE CAPACITY: 500 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS
Click the link for more info- https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Ashland/DasBierRun
Posted on January 15, 2019
We’ve got the steins if you’ve got the time! Plus incredible beer to fill them with, too. It’s OKTOBERFEST time again and Center of the Universe Brewing is throwing a party and then some!
Start the day with our DAS BIER RUN. Grab your buddies and make a team of either 2 or 4 people….. Or take a shot at the SOLO CHALLENGE!
We’ll have a MASS start at 11:00 am in front of our brewery.
Teams: Each team will do what it takes to do 4 of our 1 MILE Laps. At the completion of each lap, you will check in & hand off your baton to the next team member.
Solo: Easy! Run 4 laps…. you will have to check in with each lap!
Get in TODAY. Once a wave fills, we move to the next wave pricing.
SWAG:
- STEIN – That’s right….. ONE SUPER SIZED STEIN… You need something to drink our beer in… So here ya go!
- T-SHIRT
- More fun stuff coming soon!
REGISTRATION & PRICING
- RELAY TEAM (4 & 2-PERSON) – TEAM CAPTAIN WILL REGISTER FOR EITHER 2 OR 4 PERSON TEAM, then on next page CREATE A NEW TEAM, and then PAY for Team.
-Team members will need to register by visiting our registration page and clicking on whichever your team captain registered for (2 or 4 person), then on next page JOIN AN EXISTING TEAM using your team captain’s information. (You will not be charged. You’ll just have to repay your Team Captain.)
- SOLO – Go Ahead… What are you waiting for? Anytime you are ready…..GO!
- PRICING….. (see below) is based on Waves of 20 ENTRIES. Once those 20 are filled, pricing moves to next wave.
4-Person Relay Team Pricing:
WAVE 1 – $85 : 4-person team ($21.25/person)(80 participants)
WAVE 2 – $100 : 4-person team ($25/person)
WAVE 3 – $115 : 4-person team ($30/person) TIL RACE CAPACITY
2-Person Relay Team Pricing:
WAVE 1 – $50 : 2-person team ($25/person)(30 participants)
WAVE 2 – $60 : 2-person team ($30/person)
WAVE 3 – $70 : 2-person team ($35/person)TIL RACE CAPACITY
SOLO:
WAVE 1 – $25 : Individual (20 participants)
WAVE 2 – $35 : Individual
WAVE 3 – $45 : Individual -TIL RACE CAPACITY
RACE CAPACITY: 500 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS
Posted on January 15, 2019
Back by popular demand, Beer, Bingo and Bloodies is here to stay on Sunday afternoons. Enjoy a little pick me up from a beer bloody and try your luck at our hourly bingo game for a chance to win COTU swag and prizes. Win Sundays by having your fun and drinking it too!
