Benchtop Brewing Company

Brewery

4.7 (421 on Google)

About Benchtop Brewing Company

Benchtop Brewing Company is the original Benchtop tasting room and brewery, in Norfolk's Chelsea neighborhood. You can drink a beer while looking out over the Elizabeth River Trail, which winds right past the taproom. The brewery says its Oyster Gose, made with local oysters, won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2017.

Founder and head brewer Eric Tennant spent 15 years as a food scientist before trading his lab coat for brewer boots. The name comes from the lab, where a first prototype is called a benchtop sample. Eric and Talia Tennant run it as a family-owned business.

Twelve taps rotate through IPAs, sours and a lager program built on custom wooden foeders. Look for foeder lagers like Crispy Whip, and odd ones like Quick Pickle Gose.

Local restaurants and food trucks sometimes set up here. It is one of the most reviewed beer spots in Norfolk on this site.

From Benchtop Brewing's own website, read September 24, 2026.

Amenities

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Map

Google rating

4.7out of 5

4.7 on Google from 421 reviews, as of November 2026.

Questions people ask

Can I book a private event at Benchtop in Norfolk?

No. The Norfolk brewery does not close or rent out for private events.

Is there food at Benchtop Norfolk?

Sometimes. The Norfolk taproom partners with local restaurants and food trucks from time to time.

What kind of beer does Benchtop make?

It rotates twelve taps through IPAs, goses, sours and foeder-conditioned lagers. Its best-known beer is the Oyster Gose, brewed with local oysters.

Which breweries are close by?

Smartmouth Brewing Co. is 0.1 miles away. Afterglow Brewing and Coelacanth Brewing are both 0.8 miles away, and The Veil Brewing Co. is a mile away.

Answers come from Benchtop Brewing's website, read September 24, 2026.

Breweries near Benchtop Brewing Company

Before you visit Benchtop

Grab a seat with a view of the Elizabeth River Trail. Check the Norfolk On Tap page on benchtopbrewing.com before you go, since the twelve taps rotate.

Eat before you come unless a food partner is posted, because there is no kitchen promise in Norfolk. Friday through Sunday the taproom opens earlier in the day.

Smartmouth Brewing Co. is a two minute walk away. Afterglow Brewing and Coelacanth Brewing are a short drive away, both about 0.8 miles off.