Our Story

When Blane Perry moved to Virginia from Portland, OR, he found himself longing for a love he had left behind: Craft beer. The brewing movement was still in its infancy here; if he wanted a taste of the “Beervana” that he had left behind, he would have to create it himself.

Using brewing skills from his Portland days and a culinary flair honed during his stint as a chef, Blane set out to make the type of beer he wanted to drink, exploring traditional styles of beer with the occasional twist. Sure, a lager is refreshing on its own. But what if you added salt and a twist of lime? A sip of heaven.

Like most of his endeavors, Blane’s brewing quickly outgrew the hobby stage. (Take a look at his photography ‘hobby’ to see what we mean.) As he graduated to increasingly elaborate methods and equipment, and the brewing experiment evolved into an artform, his wife Stacey saw that it was time to get Blane’s creations out of the garage and into the world.

They set their sights on Historic Downtown Manassas, looking for a place that you could stop by after work, and feel like you were already home. The flavor of the experience, building a sense of community, is just important to the Perrys as their product.

Everything about Sinistral, from an inviting space that flows from taproom, to patio, to lounge, from a tap list that is light on boozy brews, beckons people to relax and linger over memorable conversations.

Sinistral is also family-friendly, by design. The couple’s two boys excitedly pitch in behind-the-scenes, and you will find them (virtually) behind the bar: Grey and Jackson, along with the children of brewery partners, Celeste and Ben Easlick, each have a signature beer named after them, lending a youthful whimsy to the brews.

That whimsical sense can be felt throughout Sinistral. At the end of the day, Blane sees himself as a Purveyor of Happiness: creating a gathering spot where the world slows down enough that you can catch up a little.