BY KITTY L. | SHIROOKAMI - DOGS.UNITE | 7.21.2021
THIS IS BARELY NAKED
It’s just after 3 in the corner of a quiet, undisturbed strip mall, and crowds of people have already begun to gather under the tents and awnings of an outdoor bar. Adjacent to the patio, customers begin to stream into the heart of a small brewery, being greeted by familiar faces, requesting dog beds to be laid at their feet. Here, the sounds of televisions and loud music typical of breweries are replaced by conversations over relaxing, barely audible rock. As we open the door to access the bar, a small, black dog with a particularly flat back passes us and rests at the feet of a gentleman who is sharing stories with friends and customers. The gentleman is Barry Boyd, founder of Stafford’s hidden gem of a brewery, Barley Naked, with his long-time companion, Barley.
Barry and Barley. | Kitty L. / SHIROOKAMI
The Dog Appeal
Barley Naked has been serving award-winning beer to the Stafford community since 2018. Though it’s not uncommon for breweries to allow dogs in outdoor areas, Barley Naked sees high paw-traffic indoors and outdoors due to its focus on families and friendly service towards pets. Dogs are not simply permitted, but more than encouraged to be a part of the Barley Naked experience. “We have some stipulations with dogs,” explained Barry. “Our primary requirement is that every dog must have a designated driver.” In fact, customers can pull out full-sized, plushy dog beds for their pooch. There are plenty of dog bowls to go around, and a convenient care area is only steps away from the outdoor bar, complete with a pet waste and cleaning station.
Hops chillin' in the brewery. | Kitty L. / SHIROOKAMI
A Dream Come True
It all started with a fateful meeting at the MCX Package Store in Quantico, where Barry and his wife, Missy, met with friends Mechelle and Bill Ayres. Missy and Mechelle were coworkers at Ebenezer Church, and Barry began to share his love for beer with Bill. “If it wasn’t for that single meeting on that day, Barley Naked would not be here. It’s interesting how the most mundane, non-interesting meetings between two individuals can have that much of an impact on your life later on,” said Barry. “He was telling me how much he loves beer, and I was telling him how much I love beer. He loves it so much that he homebrews, and I looked at him and said, what? You can homebrew? Say what!” It was then when one of Barry’s passions transformed into a new idea.
"Our primary requirement is that every dog must have a designated driver.”
- Barry
Barry cooks like it’s nobody’s business, but never imagined being a chef cooking for several people. The idea of homebrewing was the perfect outlet for this kind of creative passion. He started with a simple Mr. Beer Kit, and it progressed into a serious hobby, then a business, then a craft. “Every homebrewer dreams of owning their own brewery. I myself dreamt of having my own brewery as early as 2006, thinking it’s a good job after I retire from the Coast Guard,” he explained. “The more you homebrew, the better you get, and the better the beers become. Eventually, you’re drinking a beer that you think to yourself, this is as good if not better than what I can buy at the store.” After three years of homebrewing, Barry was ready. The name, Barley Naked, was not inspired by Barley, but came to Barry in a dream in 2010. With the help of family, friends, and investors, Barley Naked was finally established.
Today…
Since then, Barley Naked has won several awards, and provides superior drinks in a unique environment for dog lovers. Their most popular drink is the highly popular Cream Ale, which is considered by many customers to be the best cream ale in the region. This best-seller has a lightweight, mild taste that is absolutely refreshing.
More adventurous customers may enjoy the heavy coffee aroma that emanates from their award-winning Irish Prenup. This sweet and smooth beer has the aftertaste of coffee and chocolate, despite having none of these ingredients. Dark, yet intriguing, the Irish Prenup manages not to overwhelm the tastebuds with hops.
Super sampler of what Barley Naked has to offer. | Kitty L. / SHIROOKAMI
In contrast, one of the lighter offerings is the Lemon O’Shandy. This incredibly smooth, sweet drink has a wheat beer base that is mixed with fresh lemonade. Customers who drink this shandy are often reminded of enjoying a breeze at their favorite pleasure beach – the perfect beer on a summer day.
And for those who do not drink alcohol, the ginger kombucha is a must. This healthy drink, which is originally brewed by Ninja Kombucha in Richmond, has a crisp ginger flavor against the mild, effervescent taste of fermented green tea, which opens the airways. A very warm aftertaste lingers with each sip, increasing the crispness of the kombucha as we reach the bottom of the glass.
Blueberry-lavendar (left) and lemon-ginger (right) kombucha offerings. | Kitty L. / SHIROOKAMI
Just last week, the team won first place in Battle of the Brews, hosted by Northern Virginia Magazine, despite being the smallest of all breweries. Last year, they were also awarded the Great American Beer Festival’s Bronze Medal for their Irish Prenup (Sweet/Cream Stout category). Their Cream Ale has also won an award. More importantly, they win the hearts of customers, especially those who own dogs, because of their unique commitment to incorporating pets as important guests.
Barry, a Dog Whisperer
Barry, who grew up on a Pennsylvanian farm, lived around dogs his entire life. There had never been a time in his life where there was not a dog in his household. Having become somewhat of a dog whisperer, he explained that being mindful of a dog’s state of mind is especially important during times of high activity. “Every dog that comes here, I touch, because if they’re happy with me, they’ll be happy with anyone,” said Barry. He tells us of a Great Dane who became stressed during a very crowded day inside the bar before the outdoor bar and patio were available. “I’ll touch and I’ll pet every animal that comes here, and I did the same thing with a big dog a couple times as I was serving that table. It was super crowded. The big dog hanged onto me, looked up at me, and I just looked at him. I knew he didn’t want to hurt me. He was just uncomfortable. The owner realized he was probably at wit’s end, and they left. That’s why I go to every dog, to interact with animals.”
Foot traffic into the brewery. | Kitty L. / SHIROOKAMI
Nowadays, though, Barley Naked has plenty of space for furry friends, as the outdoor arrangements have greatly expanded. Barry and the Barley Naked team continue to closely observe all their dog patrons, being mindful of the fact that people’s inhibitions tend to lower a lot as they are drinking. Eleven-year-old Barley, who was rescued by Barry as a puppy on the side of the road, is happiest when she is at the brewery. She works with the young newcomer, a miniature boxer named Hops, to welcome guests and spread joy. “When people come here, if you listen, we don’t have televisions here,” said Barry. “We actually want people to sit down and talk, to converse and get off their phones, not watching TV in the background. People come here for the beers, enjoy the beers, but also enjoy the company of their friends here, including furry friends – especially furry friends – because people are happy when they see animals.”
Bri and Hops soaking up rays at the patio. | Kitty L. / SHIROOKAMI
Both Barley and Hops will go from table to table and greet people, waiting for opportunities to go inside and outside, and even walk customers back to the brewery. Some patrons are so familiar with Barley and Hops that their dogs have become very comfortable and playful towards the wonderful pair. Hops in particular loves to be involved in the brewery process. “Hops loves the sun, she just loves to lay here and sunbathe,” explained Bri, Barry’s daughter and owner of Hops. “She even loves the fire when we are brewing in the back. Even when it’s 90 degrees, she likes to be back by the fire. She’s crazy!”
The Love of a Dog
The Barley Naked philosophy towards pets is driven by Barry’s passion for people. Although you can get great traditional beers at the bar, you don’t have to drink alcohol to partake in the unique social experience. Barley Naked provides specially crafted, non-alcoholic kombuchas from Ninja Kombucha in Richmond, as well as sodas, so people of all ages and those who prefer not to drink can enjoy the brewery.
The brewery is a judgement-free zone. Especially in our current times, which is marked by division and isolation, the idea of getting together and having fun is difficult to find. “People come here for various reasons, whether they are happy, or sad, or angry. We need to be very gracious with them and listen in order to figure out where they are in life. That’s a skill that has been lost in today’s society,” Barry explained. “Here, we don’t have noise or television here, no sports or news, because there are multiple points of view society today can’t agree on. Nobody is willing to secede on anything or meet halfway, or there are two teams in sports pitted against one another. So, no televisions here. If you get people a beer, though, think about what that does to you, physically, intellectually, and emotionally. It calms you. Over a beer, you’ll find more of what people have in common than what divides us.”
"Over a beer, you’ll find more of what people have in common than what divides us."
-Barry
Even without beer, though, dogs will always be the ones to avoid judging their people. Barry pointed out that dogs in general complete us as human beings. “We are all missing something, whether it’s companionship, love, or just that constant being there no matter what happens and being happy to see you. That’s the gift that dogs give to us. You can have the worst day, come home, and as soon as they see you, they are so happy. There’s no guilt, only the guilt that you have about being away from them all day. Dogs are amazing.”
A Bright Future
Barley Naked is still growing. From a small corner lot, it acquired a vast outdoor dining area, and will soon expand into adjacent lots. Regular patrons can expect an upscaled and spacious interior that can accommodate more guests and live performances. Bri, who recently graduated from UVA with a degree in English, is making her parents proud with her involvement in marketing the brewery. Staffordites who haven’t visited this amazing establishment should not miss the chance to bring their family and friends, both two and four-legged.
Stella and I check out BN faves. | Kitty L. / SHIROOKAMI
BEER
- Bad Principles: A very smooth New England IPA with a subtle grapefruit taste.
- Full Moon: An ultra-smooth hefeweizen with a light taste.
- Lemon O’Shandy: An incredibly smooth, sweet beer with a wheat base mixed with fresh lemonade. The flavor is reminiscent of being at a pleasure beach.
- Déjà vu: Fruity with strong notes of apricot and peach.
- Summer Fling: A nice, easy-going taste comparable to Budlight with a slight bitter taste.
- Cream Ale: A very popular order with a lightweight, refreshing, and mild taste.
- Irish Red: A smooth red ale with notes of toffee.
- Irish Prenup: Dark but intriguing, sweet and smooth beer with the aftertaste of coffee and chocolate, despite having none of these ingredients.
- Luftkuss: Somewhat sweet German Pils which goes down smooth.
- Hop Naked: A West Coast IPA which has a strong, crisp, and bitter flavor.
KOMBUCHA
- Blueberry lavender: Bluish, mild-tasting green tea with a floral and fruity berry flavor that is more sweet than tart.
- Ginger: Crisp kombucha with a very warm aftertaste that opens the airways.
OTHER
- Yoo-hoo®: The familiar chocolate drink for all ages!
How did you like it?
Let us know about your experiences and favorites at Barley Naked in the comments!