(Matt Topping enjoys the taste of success — and Hawaii — at COVA Brewing Company.)

By Jeff Maisey

It’s a big deal to win an award — gold, silver or bronze — at the World Beer Cup competition. For a brewery to garner consecutive golds for the same entry is nothing short of amazing.

Such good fortune was recently bestowed upon COVA Brewing Company, a small, neighborhood brewery in the East Beach section of Norfolk, when Aloha State of Mind scored its second gold in the Contemporary Gose category.

Aloha State of Mind is a smooth, beautifully brewed sour made with passionfruit and hibiscus. Both the recipe and name were inspired by head brewer Matt Topping’s time in the Aloha state. Topping lived on the Hawaiian island of Maui for nearly three years and worked as a brewer at Maui Brewing Company.

COVA Brewing Company beers are almost exclusively sold at the brewery. They operate a 7-barrel brewhouse with three 7-barrel fermentors and two 15-barrel fermentors.

I sat down with Matt Topping over a couple of Aloha State of Mind beers to discuss COVA Brewing Company’s recent accomplishment.