Center of the Universe Brewing Company

Stopped here traveling on 95. Did not disappoint. Not many ipas so if you're an IPA drinker you'll be disappointed. HOWEVER I believe they have one of the best beers on the same level as the original bourbon county and original KBS. It's called Bunny, a triple stout aged in wine barrels. Shockingly a 4 pack is only 15 bucks. Oh and they have an arcade too. Amazing place and great beer selection.

Awesome brewery with fun for everyone! Great options and variety on beer. We went on a Sunday and they have bingo every hour for $20 gift card to each winner. Very great experience and the food truck was great! We had a blast and will definitely be back!

This place is awesome and I can not say enough about the staff. They are super kind and friendly. The beer is tasty, and they do a good job with the food trucks . Of course Sunday bingo is a hit for my entire family. We spend sunday afternoons there and just have a blast. The arcade is pretty fun.

Stopped here on my way through Virginia and had a really great time. Love that you could do a flight of four or of eight because that really lets you sample the menu. The brewery itself has a great layout where there's a game room as soon as you walk in to the right which is great for kids then there's the bar area which has a very sleek style to it and you can continue through to the outside area as well. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Get their flagship IPA!

Awesome local brewery. Great selection and atmosphere. Cool selection of pinball machines and arcade cabs as well. Also have a nice patio section with a stage. One thing to know before going, they don't take cash. Not a big deal, just something to be aware of. Highly recommend!

I am delighted to review this place. First time here and I have to say...this place is AWESOME!. Best local beer, good food and great environment in one place. The best part is their social responsibility and commitment to help local organizations such a Feed More. I had a nice conversation with Thom about why helping local non profits and support other local businesses. Such a great and interesting story! I highly recommended to visit this place, their beer, food, service and environment amazing....plus po

Update 9/1/23: food trucks on schedule! Check their Facebook page for updates. Love the pocahoptas, chameleon IPA is always my take home. River city woodfire pizza is a homerun. Can't go wrong here on a Friday night. Original review: NO FOOD! I was very torn between 4 and 5 stars, if I could have given 4.5 stars I would have. My experience was great, they had really great beer, a good atmosphere, great service, but no food. I thought it was strange that they don't allow you to start a tab, they only allow y

Great brewery with many good beer options. I opted for a raspberry wit since it was a warm autumn afternoon. Hit the spot. Nice sitting spots both indoors and out. Recommend this brewery for both beer and atmosphere! Pick up some 4-packs to go while you are there.

Great environment with plenty of table games and a whole arcade section. The outdoor area had tons of space and a stage for live music. Overall the beer was good, obviously some beers are hit or miss. They also sell mixed 4 packs to go!

Everything about this place is great. A lot of solid, classic style beers with some experimentals. Cool vibe with retro decor and pinball machines inside and picnic tables surrounded by and covered by hop vines outside (and dog friendly!). And the staff is the absolute best of any brewery in the area! A lot of fun regular and special events, including bingo every Sunday. Well worth the quick detour back into the industrial park.

Such a great local, yet worldly place at the same time. I've been coming here since they first opened. The varying Chameleon IPA ??selections have always been my go-to! ??

Great place to grab a "Great Lebowski" themed beer, the "Jesus"was wonderful! I felt as if I was wearing a purple jumpsuit and getting ready to knock some pins. Has a cheers like ambiance, seeing there are many local regulars. Close enough to Richmond to make a trip and far enough out to actually enjoy the time not in the city. Lots of activities they have bingo, bluegrass jams, and a burlesque monthly, not all the same night but they are there! Love this place! I hope to return soon!

A wonderful gathering place for friends and family. Great beer paired with Freekin? Rican (Puerto Rican Food) served on the back terrace. Inside with big screens, pinball machines, and generic tabletop games. I recommend the White Queso Chicken Nachos and the Monkey?s Uncle on draft. Would love to comeback for the next live music event! Thanks again!

Had a great evening here. The service was absolutely phenomenal and the beer selection was amazing .

What a great place! After staying home for a few months, we were looking for a place to go since things are opening back up slowly. This place was amazing! They had the social distancing down and the staff was amazing. We ordered the chicken nachos and I had the Orange Blossom Honey Ale and all I can say is WOW! The drinks and the food were top notch! And yes, I took some of really Honey Ale home! Highly recommended and we will definitely be going again!

Great place, food trucks were on point. Live bands make the atmosphere.

Looked like a cool brewery. But it was cold and the attendant said they were not going to turn in the fire pits in the garden and dogs are not allowed inside. Disappointed.

Love this place - come here often. They have a good list of staple beers but also some experimental or one-off stuff. Often have a food truck out front, usually good music playing, and we love the staff - they're friendly, casual, and quick with a full pour!

Finally!!! A quality microbrewery with great personality and welcoming staff. Oh, by the way, currently the summer tap selections are light and delicious. Flight samples (in order of preference): #1 Pineapple Whip: surprisingly subtle flavor and refreshing; #2 Wheat Ale: a familiar yet different wheat experience; #3 Brewski Lager: a true lager, rich flavor where it needs to be; #4 Richmond Rally Cap: Whoa! An orange shandy. First time, aside of the typical lemon shandys, that I hope catches on for its

Stopped by last night. The staff never acknowledged our presence. There were 6 of us. First time. A simple hello and letting us know it was all self serve would have been nice. The food truck was awesome and the guitar player was good.

We recently held our wedding welcome event at Center of the Universe Brewery and could not have been happier with our experience. The staff went above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly. They were incredibly kind and attentive, assisting us with setting up a slideshow and a Spotify playlist, which added a special touch to our evening. The girls behind the bar were fantastic, serving our guests with enthusiasm and professionalism. Chris, the manager who coordinated everything, was a pleasure to wo

Situated north of Richmond in Hanover, this brewery not only provides a variety of tasty beverages but also features friendly, helpful service for those interested in learning more about their current beer selections. Along with offering bingo every hour on Sundays and live music, they also have a fantastic outdoor area. They release great new beers regularly, and now offer pitchers for most selections!

Very nice brewery. I'm a dark beer fan and I really enjoyed Orange Is The New Stout! 6 pinball machines to pick from plus board games on a shelf.

Local owned brewery with a great selection of beers. Nice interior and interesting events. Great place to relax and mingle

Great place to feel like "normal" again after visiting beer garden, rethemed as a summer camp fun (for social distancing)

Nice place with friendly staff. They have a large selection of beers. Due to covid they have tables spread out which leaves a lot of space. They have pinball machines and a Puerto Rican food available.

Staff was very friendly and helpful. Awesome kick back vibe with several pinball machines. Winter brews are stout heavy which is good for me! Thanks for making my service animal and I feel so welcome.

Fantastic microbrewery. Beautifully crafted beer. Friendly service. Great atmosphere. Check out the foodtoo.

Great beer, love the Lebowski and space themes Came in when they were playing bingo and it was....eerily quiet. No food, but the arcade was super cool tho

Had a great experience. I was curious about two beers, they gave me a taste of both, and that made my decision so much easier! They have a great variety. Definitely recommend, and will be back.

Great brews, lo-key environment, fun weekend events, good staff.

Nice enough venue, one decent country band but otherwise the "scene" was a little too manbun, pastel colored hair for my taste! Few more American flag shirts and not so many males in skinny jeans would help...

I didn't think much of this place. The"choclate festival" was a crowd of people. So many that there was not enough places to sit. The "choclate beer" was basically amalty beer with a splash of flavoring... And not much flavor. I did like the lager beer though... I was disappointed in the fact that the only food was an outside vendor. Crepes ... I and they weren't very good. Cold and not too tasty. I honestly don't think I'll go back.

I had a great experience here. The venue is very nice, especially outside. The beers were all good. The customer service was outstanding. A worker, I believe his name was Tom, was very inviting and welcoming. When I was finished he was very helpful with recommendations for the area. His friendly attitude and eagerness to help are rare qualities. If he was a manager or owner, he is certainly one I would want to work for!

The beer is great! Always something new. And pretty tasty. If you're looking for food, look elsewhere, there's always the very same food truck there that has mediocre over priced food. It would be nice if they changed out food trucks every now and again for something different. They had a Publix food truck there the other day and it was fabulous. I would?ve given them five stars, but two stars off for the food or lack there of.

Great beer. Nice tasting room. Knowledgeable staff. My favorite brewery in RVA.

This place was hopping Saturday afternoon. Had to wait in line to get our first beer. After that we found seats at the pouring station and we were off to the races! Enjoyed the orange wheat beer and the Shandy. I also ordered the Chorizo nachos and they were awesome! Will have to try them again as it was late in the day and several beers later. Will confirm the awesomeness on my visit there next time!

We went here last night for my husband?s 40th birthday party. Thom was amazing helping us plan a day and time. Anna Britt was the manager last night and she was absolutely phenomenal. So accommodating, letting us set up how we wanted to and having really as many tables as we needed. Super great experience here with the best customer service!

Really bad experience with management and staff. Was cut off after 3 light beers over a three and a half hour period. I'm glad they're so litigious to the abc codes, but I hadn't driven myself there nor acted inappropriate so it was pretty frustrating. Mostly so because I was done drinking , hadn't asked for any more, but folks twice my age at the other side of a 10 person table were treated really rudely when they tried to order for themselves. Overall strange experience and wouldn't recommend the beer , l

This brewery was awesome! The beers were tasty and they had an arcade! If you have kids make sure to bring cash with you though since they are cashless and don't have an atm. They do have a change machine though. The Homeland IPA was the beer I tasted this time and there's a cause behind the sales for the beer that goes to our Veterans.

Wonderful evening listening to Russ Groover share songs from his youth and young adult life! Russ is a talented soloist and guitarist! I so enjoyed singing along at my table as I traveled down memory lane! Thanks for the wonderful evening with beautiful music and good friends!

Great staff, brews were awesome and loved the pinball machines!!!

Great brewery, with tons of fantastic beers to try. They have a neat table to sit at in the middle

Been waiting to visit since the beginning of Covid...we always have kids with us so brewery visits were always an adventure with Covid. Happy to report we loved it. Super friendly staff, beers were refreshing and easy to drink. Taproom is huge with plenty of seating and games, pinball etc. Was raining so didn't get to utilize beer garden but looked perfect for a sunny day. Ordered from on-site kitchen...so good!!! Delicious, homemade food and that can be hard to find at a brewery. Definitely recomme

The beer was good but, the bartenders had the personality of a wet paper bag. If they would put a smile on their face it would make a big difference. Two nights in a row, different set of bartenders, same experience.

Nice place to go have a beer. I got a flight of non-ipa beers, and they had a good selection to pick from. The game room was a nice addition! Kids enjoyed that while the adults relaxed.

A great stop for anyone on 95. Get off the highway and get a good beer. This is where locals go and it's easy to see why. Inside and outside seating, live bands, pinball (LOVE!!!), and good for parties. Bring a roll of quarters, your kids, and dogs. This is the place to be for those who want something easy and fun. They do have good options as well as a drive through window for the patio! Enjoy!

Excellent visit. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Great beer and good prices! Major plus that everyone wore masks whenever not at tables, and respected social distancing. Will definitely be back!

Great beer! Ray/Rays is my favorite. Tried the sampler but they were out of Chin Music so the bartender omitted that one without replacing it with something else. Service not so good almost like they couldn't be bothered. Really liked the beer but I'll go to the store next time to get it.

Solid beer and an even better atmosphere! They were diligently cleaning and everyone was very friendly. The pinball machines were cool as well as the outdoor seating area.

Great place! It was a lot bigger than I anticipated. Plenty of seating and space inside and out. Stopped by on a Friday afternoon for happy hours : ). Didn't have a beer I didn't like. The food truck that day was burger/bbq (so sorry don't remember name), but it was delicious!

When I visit local breweries I am always there for the IPAs. If you check out COTU make sure you try the Chameleon series. I thought the Ray Ray's Front Porch was solid session brew. My last visit Dylan helped me out and he was very professional. I was very impressed with his knowledge of all the craft beers COTU offers. I'm looking forward to my next visit soon

The hipster scene of breweries in RVA takes a normal, real world turn here. Beer is delicious and the beards are those of working men and not douchy hipsters. Service is great and they have regular events to make it special every time. Love this place!

My neighborhood brewery- the beers have gotten a lot better and the new interior is great- always some good food trucks to choose from and fun events. Best seasonal beer is the raspberry lemonade wheat beer! Its dangerous and so refreshing too! See me below drankn one! Bands bands and mo bands!!!

Great place with nice people. There is a good variety of beer depending on your taste and the staff will definitely help you find the one that most closely matches your tastes. I am a fan of the sampler where you get a bunch of half beer so that you can taste some of everything.

Best beer at a "micro brewery" I've ever visited. I tired the award winning Irish Red and I can confirm the accolades. The blood orange milk stout and the Jesus double imperial were spectacular as well. I'm coming back tomorrow.

This place is a must go if you're near Ashland. The beer is always good, the staff are always nice, and the atmosphere is very cool. They also cater, and you can get a private room. Highly recommended, and go check out their sister brewery Origin in Ashland. Love them both!

We went in for a beer on our normal travel route every year. We usually order pizza from a restaurant near by, and have beers and fun. This year,they said we can't bring in food. 30 minutes later, people ordered three pizzas. They told us sorry, still can't. Never going back.

Some of the crew ventured out to the Center of the Universe for happy hour recently and found that the contrary to her claims, Brittany Spears is not actually the center of the universe, and in fact it's much closer to Richmond VA than anyone had previously guessed! Not only that, but we discovered that excellent locally brewed beer is the most important substance known to man, at the Center of the Universe. The COTU Brewery is still fairly young on the Richmond brewery scene, but has made a very strong an

Living in Central Illinois, I rarely have an opportunity to drink anything from Center of the Universe. However, my Mom loves me and knows what I like and she has been bringing bottles of El Duderino to me when she visits. Perhaps it's a peace offering or bribe to let her stay in our home. Whatever it is, it works and I LOVE El Duderino. While visiting my parents, I finally got to visit the home of El Duderino. We were so excited to get there, we showed up at 3pm, an hour early. Oh the disappointment! Aft

Seems like a great place for my grandparents - Open air patio but not pet friendly - or really people friendly. limited counter service only inside the bar with no food, no water : all the service is in a taco truck outside

A wide variety of delicious beers. A friendly and knowledgeable staff. A great atmosphere. I recommend COTU as a place to fill your growlers or fill your evening. I don't pass though VA without stopping in.

This place is very nice, clean and great beer. Has 9 beers on tap and the prices are very reasonable. Live music today and outdoor beer garden. Drove 1 1/2 to get here and would do it again.

Came out for Circle the Wagons. Great time, great food. Special thanks to Grandpa Eddie's for giving me a free water when all I had to pay with was a card. Came back for their barbeque, delicious!!!

Beer is absolutely delicious the staff is great and they had a great food truck worth the drive to come here in the rain

We were staying at the Americamps Campground and took our British friends there and we all loved it. We won and lost at Sunday Bingo so returned to have our free dinner. Freakin Rican is wonderful both full meals and taoas style. Definently try both.

Cool place, with games and ample seating. One would think the prices would be less than the bar down the road pouring the same beer... nope..

Great atmosphere and fantastic people. Love that this place is family friendly, and also has don't fun going on. Ghostbusters pinball is the icing on the cake!

COTU has the best beer... love the Pocahontas IPA especially. The brewery tasting room is a fun place with great staff. They have live music on Friday and Saturday nights (at least). Conveniently located across I-95 from the Bass Pro. Ashland is great. Be sure to check out the Ashland Coffee & Tea for great live music (they also serve COTU beers and other alcohol, along with great food).

Great environment. Lauren was super chill, and full of beer knowledge. Definitely a keeper for a beer business. Good times, and thanks for being open on Easter. Far out dude, duder, or el duderino if you're not into that whole brevity thing.

Solid beer, cool place.

Been here several times before. Good beer, great outdoor seating. Sat outside with my dog on a gorgeous night. Highly recommend!

Cannot recommend Center of the Universe enough. We typically go twice a week and the staff is absolutely amazing. The beer is pretty darn good too ??.

Hourly bingo on Sundays and a game room full of pinball machines. Tacos were amazing, definitely recommend the Godzilla toppings.

If I could give them a Zero ...I would... it was a Horrible experience. I had my son and his girlfriend but they only allow 21+ they would not let us in. Apparently they don't need my money. They just lost a life time customer... Oh well, there are plenty of other breweries around!

The Dreamsicle Whip tangerine blonde ale 5.7% ABV is the best

Very nice! Can't believe we live than 15 min away and never been until today? looking forward to going back to this hidden gem for sure!

Love their beers and the staff is so friendly and helpful! Live bands frequently and the Freekin Rican Puerto Rican inspired foods are delicious!

Best beer brewing place in rva! Great service, good beer and pinball! Love love love this place!

My family and I had a great time commemorating my brother's on his birthday here. Everyone was kind and gracious and there were other memorial celebrations there also. But, we needed food.??

Service was terrible, the dude couldn't even be bothered to pretend to care. He tossed our beers at us and basically was ready for us to leave him alone. The beer was great but I'll be getting them from the store.

Nice brewery to stop in at if in the area. Seem to have a beer for everyone. Our group varied greatly in our preferences and we all found something we liked.

Handled pandemic rules perfect. Pleasant from the get go. Schwarzenegger yummy! Duderino Smooth! Pineapple Whip refreshing! Freaking Rican tasty and very nice! Bingo was fun! Thanks!

Always a nice time. Great beers. Great food trucks. Fun indoor and outdoor areas.

Cool place, with good beer and service. Retro arcade games were a draw for the crowd

It's a nice venue. Their beer garden is well designed with hops growing all around. Really good beers to choose from.

I came in looking for one brew, bummed to find out they had quit making it. Fell in love with "Travesty" though. Good beer and good service definitely worth stopping in and having them pour you one. Will be back.

The beer is always cold and a great variety! They now serve food too! The Freckin Rican! Big outdoor space and stage too!