Olivia Noble and her wife Katie Lancos love to hike the area around Sperryville and fell in love with the town. They purchased the historic Hopkins Ordinary building last year from its previous owners, who had established the bed and breakfast’s on-site brewery 10 years ago.
Prior to living in Sperryville, the couple lived in Washington, DC. Noble notes how easy it was to get to Sperryville from DC (typically a 90-minute drive). Noble calls “a quick escape for anyone looking to get out of the city.”
Historic Building
The original brick building of Hopkins Ordinary — listed on the National Register of Historic places — was built around the year 1820 by John Hopkins. It included a tavern in the basement and an inn called an “ordinary” for guests on the main floors.
In the mid-1800s, the wood frame portion of the inn was built, which doubled its size. By the 1920s, the building’s running water and electricity became major selling points for the Sperryville Inn (as it was called at the time). As cars became more prevalent, the name changed to the Lee Highway Hotel.
In the 1970s, the hotel closed. The property was converted to four rental apartments out of the dozen guest rooms. The proprietor at the time built the cottage behind the hotel from two additional buildings on the property. The apartments became the “old Sperryville Hotel.”
New owners purchased the building in 2001 and returned it to its original use of hosting overnight guests. In 2014, Hopkins Ordinary became Virginia’s first BBA: bed-and-breakfast-and-aleworks.
A Welcoming Spot
“We love having both the B&B to be able to host guests, make delicious breakfasts, and welcome new visitors to Sperryville and the brewery to be able to connect with locals and make some really excellent beer,” Noble says.
Noble compared the brewery to the beloved sitcom Cheers — a community meeting spot of sorts.
The brewery is open year-round from Thursday through Sunday. There is a biergarten in the back and a taproom inside.
“The brewery in the winter is a special place. We have a fire in the fireplace in our taproom almost every day we’re open,” Noble says. “It’s a special treat to cozy up by the fire with a delicious beer or cocktail and play a game, read a book, or connect with friends.”
Noble and Lancos rotate their menu frequently. They usually have 10 beers on tap, all made in-house, and wine, cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages as well. Their beer is typically German- or Belgian-style. Flagship beers are Little Devil Blonde, Second Breakfast Stout, and The Innkeeper’s IPA.
Guests at Hopkins Ordinary tend to be couples. However, the on-site cottages are great for families as they offer more space and flexibility. “Our cottages are also pet-friendly, so we get a number of folks traveling with dogs who stay with us as well,” Noble says.
Explore the Sperryville Area
Guests often come to hike in Shenandoah National Park. Others come to explore the wineries and restaurants in the area and do shopping at the local shops and boutiques in town.
“For being a town of only 300 people, Sperryville has a lot going on,” Noble says. “It’s just eight miles from Shenandoah National Park, making it a fantastic place to stay if you are planning on hiking in the park. And we also have restaurants like Three Blacksmiths, Rappahannock Pizza Kitchen, The Black Twig, and New Iberia Kitchen — all within walking distance. And other standouts like the Inn at Little Washington and the Blue Door are just a short drive away.”
Hopkins Ordinary’s rooms include private bathrooms and hot breakfast in the morning. Sperryville also has three breweries in town, a craft cocktail bar, a distillery, a bakery, and a coffee shop.
Feature image courtesy Hopkins Ordinary
