Over the past few years, Fredericksburg has been blessed with incredible new cideries, breweries, and bars. These establishments have solidified our city as a wonderful destination for authentic drinks and fun nightlife. Perhaps the culmination of this fun, though, is the new location for Harry’s on William Street. No, I do not mean Harry’s Alehouse, although that is a great addition as well; I mean the brand-new Harry’s Tasting Room, located right next door.
My girlfriend, Marissa and I have been anxiously anticipating the opening of Harry’s Tasting Room, ever since we saw the sign pop up over Winchester Street a few months ago. Now that the Tasting Room has opened its doors, we were fortunate enough to pay it a visit last Saturday.
We had high expectations for what Harry’s Tasting Room would offer, and our expectations were far exceeded. What could have been a small room with a few taps and bottles of wine is instead a flourishing full bar with stunning decour and master mixologists. The taps are filled with extraordinary, renowned draft beer, the cocktail list is intricate and exemplary, and the wine list is exquisite.
I naturally stuck to my draft beer, sipping on a delicious, Pen Druid Wild IPA from Sperryville; it did not disappoint. Marissa diversified her taste in cocktails, enjoying a Smoked Blackberry Mule, followed by a vodka martini; both, according to her, were fantastic. The bartenders were personable and talented, and we got to know them through lengthy conversations. It is not common to be served by bartenders who can make conversation while efficiently mixing drinks, but they certainly lived up to the task.
Harry’s Tasting Room is a fantastic addition to the downtown Fredericksburg bar scene, as exemplified by my increasing desire to return. While they are only open on Friday and Saturday nights at the moment, they intend to host public events, including First Thursday Whiskey Nights (the first of which is tonight), and potential movie nights in the future. Regardless of the event’s theme, I cannot deny that I will almost certainly attend. We are lucky to have a location as wonderful and unique as Harry’s Tasting Room in Fredericksburg, and the owners and staff of Harry’s should be immensely proud of what they have achieved.
Follow Harry’s Alehouse on Facebook.