Well, this was a twist we didn’t see coming. Back in early August, The Burn reported on plans for a new brewery in western Loudoun called Loco Lion. At the time, we didn’t have too much information.
Now, Loco Lion Brewery has announced its grand opening date – Saturday, October 4 – and it turns out there is a distinct British bent to the establishment.
“Offering breathtaking views of the western Loudoun countryside, Loco Lion is adding a distinctive British and American craft beer experience to Loudoun’s thriving brewery and winery scene,” an announcement read. “Loco Lion offers food, wine, music, and 10 rotating craft beers. The food menu features British and American cuisine.”
And sure enough, we have our first look at the the brewery’s “Bites” menu and it includes dishes such as Classic Sausage Rolls, a Steak & Ale Cornish Pasty, and a Bubble & Squeak Pizza, which is “topped with mashed potatoes, savory cabbage, sweet caramelized onions, and rich Lancashire cheese.”
You can check out the full Bites menu at Loco Lion below.
The owners of Loco Lion are the wife-and-husband team of Laura Starego and Nigel Rourke. Starego is American-born, but as you might guess with a name like Nigel, he’s originally from Great Britain. Thus the British influence on the brewery.
Loco Lion is located at 36577 Heskett Lane in Hillboro, north of Purcellville.
By the way, the name of the brewery has a cool backstory too. In the early 1980s, two lion cubs – Justin and Jezebel – were moved from an animal park in Reston to a farm in Hillsboro.
They lived in a big fenced enclosure for several years and were a hit around town, with Justin even riding on a float in a parade through town.
Eventually, the lions passed away and today, they are buried on the 26-acre property where Loco Lion is getting ready to open.