Thursday, August 28, 2025
61.1 F
Beckley
More

    W.Va. brewery names new beer after famous local ghost

    Flowers adorn the grave of Zona Heaster Shue, legendarily known as the Greenbrier Ghost.

    Officials at the Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company announced today the unveiling of a new beer created in honor of the legendary ghost of Zona Heaster Shue, the "Greenbrier Ghost," testimony about which led to a murder conviction in 1897.

    Advertisement

    Zona's Revenge Wit, a wheat-based beer, or witbier, is the fourth beer the brewery has named after a legendary West Virginia character and is scheduled to be released selectively this week, according to Lisa Stansell, marketing director for the brewery.

    The brewery has heretofore also created beverages named for Bigfoot, Mothman, and Devil Anse Hatfield, all of which play a lead role in West Virginia lore.

    Stansell said the decision to honor Shue derived as much from the need to honor a legendary heroine as the chance to focus on a chapter in Greenbrier Valley history.

    Advertisement
    Advertisement
    Advertisement
    Advertisement

    "We wanted to honor a female legend with our new flagship, and, while there are many to chose from, we chose Zona Heaster Shue in order to highlight our own back yard of Greenbrier County," Stansell explained.

    Shue was found dead on the stairs of her home in rural Greenbrer County, ostensibly from natural causes. However, her mother revealed soon after that Zona's ghost had appeared at her bedside and revealed that her neck had been broken by her husband, Edward "Trout" Shue.

    Her body was exhumed, an autopsy was performed, and it was determined that her neck had indeed been broken. Trout Shue was found guilty of with the murder and remanded to the W.Va. Penitentiary at , where he later died.

    A historic marker off U.S. 60 near the site of Zona Shue's grave reads:

    Advertisement

    "Interred in nearby cemetery is Zona Heaster Shue. Her death in 1897 was presumed natural until her spirit appeared to her mother to describe how she was killed by her husband Edward. Autopsy on the exhumed body verified the apparition’s account. Edward, found guilty of murder, was sentenced to the state prison. Only known case in which testimony from a ghost helped convict a murderer."

    Stansell said the new beer was designed to have year-round appeal and possesses an alcohol volume of 5.2 percent and an international bitterness unit of 20.

    The wit will be available at the French Goat Beer-in-the-Garden event on May 17 in , at Timothy's at the Quarrier Diner on May 18 in , and at the brewery in Maxwelton on May 20 and again at the brewery's cheese pairing on May 21.


    Tales of other strange and wonderful curiosities in West Virginia


    Sign up to receive a FREE copy of West Virginia Explorer Magazine in your email weekly. Sign me up!
    David Sibray
    David Sibray
    Historian, real estate agent, and proponent of inventive economic development in West Virginia, David Sibray is the founder and publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390.

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Hot this week

    West Virginia Explorer celebrates record 3.3 million monthly users amid 25th anniversary

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Explorer, the state’s most...

    Retro commercial realty for sale near Hatfield-McCoy ATV trails in West Virginia

    PINEVILLE, W.Va. — Once a gathering place for miners...

    West Virginia monitoring seasonal hemorrhagic disease in deer populations

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Cases of hemorrhagic disease in deer...

    West Virginia reminds hunters about upcoming youth seasons, changes to regulations

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the first slate of youth...

    West Virginia sets new migratory game bird seasons and 2025-2026 regulations

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has set new season...

    Topics

    West Virginia Explorer celebrates record 3.3 million monthly users amid 25th anniversary

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Explorer, the state’s most...

    West Virginia monitoring seasonal hemorrhagic disease in deer populations

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Cases of hemorrhagic disease in deer...

    West Virginia reminds hunters about upcoming youth seasons, changes to regulations

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the first slate of youth...

    West Virginia sets new migratory game bird seasons and 2025-2026 regulations

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has set new season...

    WVU supply chain expert explains why Halloween is hitting shelves in August

    MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Have you noticed Halloween merchandise appearing...

    Naturalists share their favorite lesser-known New River Gorge hiking trails

    FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — On a soft summer morning in...

    Related Articles

    Popular Categories