After event center option denied by county, Dinges goes with brewery
By Randy Arrington
STANLEY, April 19 — A long line forms to try some “Horseplay,” while others have some “Blue Ridge Concern.” Some are looking to “Saddle Up,” as others simply want to enjoy “Coal Ridge.”
The influence of Nelson Housden and his horses are all around the room, from photos dating back to the 50s, to the saddle mounted on the wall, to the brew named after his former race horse “Light The Fuse Gladis.” The patrons in line are standing in former horse stalls, in a building that was once just an old red barn.
“When [our daughter] wanted to get married here, she said it was ugly, and I said… it could be beautiful,” Daphne Dinges recalls.
Jeff and Daphne Dinges are busy folks. In 2014, they purchased Stanley Auto Parts and Stanley Auto Service from Louis Bosley, which Daphne still manages. Jeff and his daughter Victoria oversee five poultry houses handling about 90,000 chickens every seven weeks. Now the couple, along with their daughter Danielle, are operating the Page Valley’s newest brewery.
“We’re good at time management,” Jeff mused on Saturday. “Besides getting all this ready, the actual part of brewing is actually relaxing.”
On Saturday, dozens of supporters, local leaders, family and friends gathered at 1750 Honeyville Road to mark the grand opening of Coal Ridge Brewery.
“On behalf of myself as mayor and the Town of Stanley, we welcome Jeff and Daphne, and Coal Ridge Brewery,” Stanley Mayor Michael Knight told the crowd gathered for a ribbon cutting. “We know they’ll do a great job here. They are very responsible. It will be a good asset to Stanley, and we support business around Stanley as well as those in Stanley.”
Despite sitting a little outside the corporate limits, Stanley officials acknowledged the benefits to the Town.
“They already operate a great business within Town limits — Stanley Auto and NAPA parts, they have mechanics to do service and the parts,” Town Manager Terry Pettit said. “We hope tourists come here and then will stop in Town…come to our events year-round, and enjoy our pool in the summertime.”
While the initial renovation was sparked by a wedding, Jeff and Daphne recognized the potential in the space. After the board of supervisors denied a special use permit to operate an event center at the site following concerns by neighbors over traffic and noise, they opted to go the way of a brewery. With grain grown and brewed on site, the agribusiness is considered a by-right use on land zoned for agriculture.
Saturday’s opening, represented the end of a long process.
“It feels really good that we actually got to use it,” Daphne said. “After the wedding, people wanted to use it, and we were like, okay we’ll get a permit… but that didn’t work out.”
“We were looking for an opportunity to have people come out and enjoy a space and relax and not be rushed…everybody is so rushed, even us…we want people to come out and sit down,” Jeff said on Saturday. “A good way to get people to come out and enjoy the facility is through craft beer…we have a light lager named Coal Ridge.”
The former horse farm pays tribute to its roots, while offering a taste of the new. Food trucks and live entertainment will be coordinated by Danielle, with upcoming performances by Will Reed and bluegrass from Beth Rodgers.
“I am very happy to have the additional option for people within the county, local, and visitors, to come and enjoy this beautiful outdoor area…the work that was done on this is so impressive,” County Administrator Amity Moler said after the ribbon cutting.
Despite being denied by the county in their first attempt as an event center (in a split vote), Jeff complimented Moler and county staff as being “really supportive” during the process. Daphne also thanked the more than 600 supporters that signed their petition to pursue an event center, and those who continue to support them now as “Your Local Farm Brewery.”
“I’m super happy to have something else to do here in Stanley,” said District 3 Supervisor Ryan Cubbage. “I was just talking about that with some of my friends…it’s a beautiful area, they’ve got live music, some corn hole boards out and several things going on, so I’m excited. I think it’s going to be a good thing.”
Jeff and Daphne say they don’t know how much they’ve put into the old red barn.
“We never kept track of it,” Daphne said.
Whatever it was, it fueled Daphne’s vision to transform horse stalls into a showpiece that’s sure to impress locals and tourists alike.
“We want to promote a sense of excitement…we’ve heard a lot of that in the community, a sense of excitement …and relaxation, at the same time,” Jeff said. “Families are so stressed and so rushed any more, and we are guilty of it… but we want people to come in and not feel like they are at a restaurant where they have to eat and leave. If they want to sit here and enjoy themselves for an hour, they can do that…or if they want to go outside, sit on the patio and enjoy the view, they can do that.”
“Like it used to be in the old times,” Daphne added, “with people together, some music and a sense of community.”
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Craft Beers at Cold Ridge Brewery
- Alma Ale – 4.5% – Blonde Ale, light, fresh and easy drinking
- Coal Ridge – 4.2% – Light Lager, clean, light and refreshing
- Light The Fuse Gladis – 7% – IPA, fruit, citrus, piney and dark – nice malt and assertive bitterness
- Saddle Up – 5.5% – Wheat, light & fresh finish
- Horse Play – 5.5% – Wheat, mango
- Blue Ridge Concern – 5.5% – Sour, citrus blueberry
COMING SOON
- Old Stanley – 6.4% – Hazy IPA, citrus, tropic ripe mango & juicy with a full soft finish
- Out of the Gate – 5% – Pilsner, light, crisp citrus with a nice bitter balance to finish
- Red Gate Road – 4.5% – Citrus amber, smooth with balanced complexity from chocolate malt tones
To learn more about the Page Valley’s newest brewery, CLICK HERE.
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