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Lickinghole Creek brewery partners with Bob Marley’s half brother

Posted at 9:23 AM, Nov 03, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-03 09:24:32-04

Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, located in Goochland, sits on 290 acres.

GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. – A solid craft beer is a roadmap guiding the drinker through the region, offering insights about local agriculture, landmarks, and folklore – and revealing the dreamers behind the brews.

In Richmond’s exploding beer scene, most roads now lead to beer, be it a hop down the street, or a 40-mile jaunt that delivers you to Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery (LCCB) in Goochland County.

The tasting room is nestled inside a Virginia-style horse stable and surrounded by 290 acres. In 2013, it was the first working farm brewery in the state, established after a local zoning ordinance change, followed by Senate Bill 430 allowed for limited beer production on Virginia farms.

LCCB co-founder and CEO Lisa Pumphrey’s roots are deep in Richmond, but her journeys have stretched around the globe; from work with elephants in South Africa to genetic identification of grizzlies in Montana’s Glacier Park.

Most recently, it was a trip to Jamaica that inspired the next chapter for Pumphrey. She announced Thursday that Richard Booker, Bob Marley’s half-brother, is her new partner in a venture that will deliver Virginia beer to the Caribbean

It won’t be the first LCCB shipped overseas; business has been jamming lately. Pumphrey just closed a deal to export several pallets to France, and earlier this week clients in the Netherlands reordered.

But this Jamaican partnership has a deeper mission – to improve community access to clean water.

Lisa Pumphrey in Jamaica. Submitted photo.

Pumphrey first visited Nine Mile in the Saint Ann parish of Jamaica in 2016. The area is best known as the birthplace of Bob Marley and home to the mausoleum where he and his mother now rest.

Pumphrey’s cousin introduced her to Booker, who operates Mama Marley’s restaurants. He sells the recipes and hot sauces made once made by Cedella Marley Booker, the mother he and Bob Marley share.

“The water situation kept eating at me all year,” Pumphrey said of that first trip. “There is a water system, but it doesn’t go into hill communities.”

She described how rainwater catchment is the primary way to access water in the hills; through concrete runoff areas or tanks attached to homes.

The water is collected and boiled for consumption – a time consuming process that put things into perspective for Pumphrey.

Lisa Pumphrey with Richard Booker, in Jamaica. Submitted photo.

“They have taught me so much in terms of their resilience, in terms of how they make ends meet,” she said.

This is how the concept Goodwater was born.

Not only will this serve as the name of the nonprofit, but also the name of the Shockoe taproom which opens on Black Friday. A portion of proceeds from their new flagship Nine Mile Goodwater IPA will help improve clean water access in Jamaica.

The beer is already on tap at the Goochland location.

The first round of cans will hit Goodwater on its opening day, and have presold out for local distribution. The second round will head to Jamaica in the beginning of 2018. Another beer in the portfolio will be a stout with blue bonnet peppers and some with Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans.

Searching for Goodwater. Lisa Pumphrey in Jamaica. Submitted photo.

Pumphrey wants to eventually establish a larger brewery in Jamaica where a brewing exchange program between the two breweries could help develop marketable, agricultural skill sets for the Jamaican community.

It satisfies the soul of this former wildlife biologist when she can marry economic benefits with a greater purpose.

“I get really, really motivated when what I’m selling creates something good for others,” Pumphrey said.

Lively up yourself, because Goodwater, located at 1717 E. Franklin St., officially opens Nov. 24.

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Lickinghole Creek (@lccb_farmbrews )announced a partnership with Richard Booker, Bob Marley's half brother. Sales of 9 Mile Goodwater IPA will help get people in Nine Mile, Jamaica access to clean water. Eventually they hope to open a brewery in Jamaica. Watch the video to learn more, or click the link in our bio for more details! . . . #rva #rvabeer #Craftbeer #onelove #dronestagram #drone #cheers #happy #love #lccbsunflowers #vatourism #vaisforlovers #vaagriculture #djimavic

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