Charlotte Specials

Happy Hour may be illegal in North Carolina, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t specials to save here and there! Check out some of our favorites from around the Queen City:

Rhino Market & Deli

Any deli sandwich + a pint of beer for $11.50 on Mondays

Kid Cashew

$6 Craft cocktails on Thursdays

Taco Boy

$5 Casa Margaritas on Tuesdays

Sea Level

$1.50 Oysters from 2-6pm on weekdays

Salud Beer Shop

Choice of cheese, tomato, or margherita pizza + 4 wings for $15 Monday-Friday 11am-5pm

State of Confusion

$3 Double Mimosas & $5 Bloody Mary’s Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-2:30pm

O-Ku

Half off sushi on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4-7pm

Craft Tasting Room

$6 cheese and charcuterie plates on Wednesdays

What are your favorite specials in Charlotte? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

Charlotte Brewery Specials (2024)

It's a new year and it’s time to save that money, honey. I am so sick of living in a state where Happy Hour is illegal and constantly paying $8+ for a beer, so I decided to round up Charlotte’s brewery specials for each day of the week.

MOnday

Another Brewery: $5 Jager, Rumple Minze, and Fireball

Birdsong: $12 Rewind pitchers

Brewers at 4001 Yancey: $5 CLT Brew’d drafts

Burial: $5 Lagers

Divine Barrel: $10 Flights

Fonta Flora: $1 Off pints

Frothy Beard: $5 Pints

Hi-Wire: $4 Select pints

Lower Left Brewing: $1 Off pints

Monday Night Garden Co.: Rotating $5 pint and $8 Mules

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery: $0.75 Cent wings

Panzu: $6 Pints

Protagonist: 1/2 Off cocktails + $6 Hank pint and a slice from 4-6pm

Salud Cerveceria: $5 Pints

Suffolk Punch Brewing (South End): $7 Smashburger and fries and $5 pours of Blue Daisy Pilsner

Vaulted Oak: $1 Off pints

Tuesday

Another Brewery: $5 Jager, Rumple Minze, and Fireball

Birdsong: $3 Rotating drafts

Brewer’s at 4001 Yancy: 1/2 off Apps

Burial Beer: $5 Pints of Prophetmaker

Devil’s Logic Brewing: $10 32oz Crowlers to-go & $4 select pints & half-off glasses of wine

Fonta Flora: 15% Off to-go beers

Hi-Wire: $15 Flagship pitchers

Lenny Boy: 50% Off bottles of wine

Monday Night Garden Co.: $5 Taco Tuesday pints

NoDa Brewing: $2 Off to-go beers

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery: $8 Zack’s special

Panzu: $4 Guest taps, taco specials

Pilot Brewing: 1/2 Off shots and 20% off snacks

Protagonist: $2 Off drafts + $6 Hank pint and a slice from 4-6pm

Resident Culture Plaza Midwood: $4 Island Times

Suffolk Punch Brewing (South End): $10 Chicken tenders & fries

Wednesday

Another Brewery: $5 Jager, Rumple Minze, and Fireball

Birdsong: $4 Pints of Lazy Bird, Higher Ground, and Jalapeno

Brewers at 4001 Yancey: $1 Wings (in-house, minimum 5)

Burial Beer: $5 Pints of Surf Wax

Devil’s Logic Brewing: Half-off apps from 3-6pm

Fonta Flora: $1 Off Appalachian Wild Ales & wine pours

Hi-Wire: $12 Flights

Monday Night Garden Co.: $8 Wine glasses + $30 wine bottles

Panzu: $2 Off wine glasses, $8 off wine bottles and $11 wings

Pilot Brewing: $3 Select beers

Protagonist: $5 wine pours and $12 bottles + select Bourbon on special + $6 Hank pint and a slice from 4-6pm

Resident Culture Plaza Midwood: $4 Select pints

Resident Culture South End: $5 Drafts, $10 flights, $12 steins, $17 pitchers

Salud Cerveceria: $15 Wine tasting

Suffolk Punch Brewing (South End): Half-off salads

Triple C Brewing: $15 One topping pizza & any draft

Vaulted Oak: $1 Off glasses of wine & 20% off to-go crowlers

THursday

Another Brewery: $5 Jager, Rumple Minze, and Fireball

Blue Blaze Brewing: $4 Off pitchers

Brewers at 4001 Yancey: $6 Feature burger + side

Burial Beer: $10 Burger & Fries, $5 Lightgrinder

Fonta Flora: $1 Off in-house cans and $2 off to-go 4-packs

Lenny Boy Brewing: $5 pretzels and $10 flights

Monday Night Garden Co.: $10 Signature cocktails + free draft beer with to-go beer purchase

Panzu: $10 Cocktails

Petty Thieves Brewing: 1/2 Off wines—bottles + draft

Protagonist: $15 2 topping slice, salad and beer from 11-4

Resident Culture South End: $4 Yard Ripper Seltzers

Salud Cerverceria: $5 Side pours + $9 chicken wings

Southern Strain: $1 off pints

Suffolk Punch Brewing (South End): Half off beers and $1 wings

Friday

Another Brewery: $5 Jager, Rumple Minze, and Fireball

Brewers at 4001 Yancey: $10 Growler fills

Lenny Boy: $10 Pitchers + $10 Growler fills

Monday Night Brewing: Buy one get one free pizzas from 12-3pm

Protagonist: $15 2 topping slice, salad and beer from 11-4

Triple C Brewing: $15 Burger and Beer from 12-3pm

Saturday

Another Brewery: $5 Jager, Rumple Minze, and Fireball

Town Brewing: $5 Mimosas

Sunday

Another Brewery: $1 Raw oysters + $5 Jager, Rumple Minze, and Fireball

Birdsong: $6 Mimosas

Blue Blaze: Half price wine by the glass, $9 pitchers of Yellow Blazer, $4 off all pitchers

Brewers at 4001 Yancey: $5 Crowler fills

Devil’s Logic Brewing: $4 Mimosas and beermosas

Divine Barrel: $5 Small batch pours & wine

Fonta Flora: $1 Off dimple pours

Free Range Brewing: Half off mimosas

Frothy Beard: $5 Pints

Hi-Wire: $5 Mimosas and beermosas

Lenny Boy: $3 Kombucha-mosas

Monday Night Garden Co.: $5 Select Stout, sangrias and mimosas

Panzu: $8 Mimosas + $10 Bloody Mary’s

Pilot Brewing: $5 Goblets, Bloody Mary’s, and mimosas

Protagonist: $6 Mimosas

Petty Thieves Brewing: $5 Mimosas and Saisons

Resident Culture South End: $5 Mimosas, $8 Bloody Mary’s

Salud Cerveceria: $5 Mimosas, beermosas and Micheladas

Southern Strain: $5 Cherrymosas

Town Brewing: $5 Mimosas

Vaulted Oak: $5 Mimosas

Happy savings! Cheers —Alexis

The Best Breweries Within 1.5 Hours of Charlotte

The city of Charlotte has a ton of fantastic breweries, but sometimes you get sick of going to the same places all the time or you want to get out of town for a little adventure. Here are the best breweries within an hour and a half drive from Charlotte that are worth exploring:

Fonta Flora Whippoorwill Farm in Nebo, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 36 minutes

Okay yes, this is slightly further than an hour and a half but I promise you it’s worth those six extra minutes. Fonta Flora has been a powerhouse in the North Carolina brew scene since they opened in 2013. They are consistently pushing the boundaries with their Wild Ales and have absolutely nailed the Lager game. They recently dipped their toes into the Hazy IPA world as well with several collaboration brews and they have each been phenomenal.

In 2018 the Fonta Flora opened Whippoorwill Farm. This location is an expansive farmland with a plethora of outdoor seating and a small barn that houses the brewery and indoor seating. Singlewyde is their onsite food truck that makes incredibly delicious wood fired pizzas and other fantastic snacks. There is no better way to spend an afternoon than at on the grassy lawn of Whippoorwill Farm.

High Branch Brewing in Concord, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 30 minutes

High Branch is located in Gibson Mill, an old—you guessed it!—mill, with a food hall coming soon. They opened in 2015 and were originally in a smaller space in the mill. They make superb beers of all styles, but their Hazy IPAs and Fruited Sours are their best work.

Newgrass Brewing Company in Shelby, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 55 minutes

Newgrass is best known for their insanely flavored Fruited Sours, and for good reason, but don’t sleep on their Stouts either. A flight is definitely the best approach at their taproom to try a variety of their brews. They have a two story taproom with games and a small side patio space. They also offer a full farm-to-table food menu with delicious eats.

LESSER-KNOWN BEER CO. in Winston-Salem, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Lesser-Known is the newest brewery in Winston-Salem and already the best brewery in town. They focus on underrepresented beer styles, the majority of which are Lagers. Lesser-Known is just south of downtown and has a nice patio space as well as a small indoor taproom. They have a small food menu when they don’t have a food truck onsite. They are quickly gaining notoriety and should not be missed. Inside their taproom The Walk In has guest taps and guest bottles as well.

Slow Play Brewing in Rock Hill, SC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 32 minutes

Slow Play is located right behind Winthrop University’s campus just across the border from Charlotte in South Carolina. They make great IPAs and Fruited Sours in particular, and you are bound to find a style you like on their large menu. They have frequent live music and other events to keep you entertained and a nice patio for relaxing outdoors.

Cibi Cibi is their onsite food truck serving up hot chicken sandwiches, smash burgers, and an array of other tasty dishes and sides. This is one of the best food trucks in the Charlotte area, so be sure to arrive hungry.

Percent Tap House in Harrisburg, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 26 minutes

Percent Tap House is the closest brewery to Charlotte on the list but it is still overlooked. Percent is a quaint little brewery in a shopping center in the CLT suburb of Harrisburg. They are part beer bar, serving up some killer guest taps. Their own beer is top notch as well—their IPAs, Fruited Sours, and Stouts have all been great. They have a small indoor taproom and a patio for enjoying your brews.

Royal Bliss Brewing in Denver, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 30 minutes

Royal Bliss is located in a shopping center in Denver, just northwest of CLT. Their IPAs, Pale Ales, and Pilsners are their strengths and there is always good vibes. They have a nice turf patio space, an upstairs deck, and spacious taproom overall. Their beers are great, but their grilled cheese sandwiches are next level. The Carolina Mac Melt with macaroni, muenster, and mozzarella (pictured above) is one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I’ve ever had.

Incendiary Brewing Company in Winston-Salem, NC

Distance from Uptown Charlotte: 1 hour, 16 minutes

Incendiary in located in the Bailey Power Plant with industrial vibes and large outdoor space. They opened in 2018 with noteworthy IPAs and Lagers. Snag a pizza from Cugino Forno next door to enjoy with your brews! I also recommend checking out Fiddlin’ Fish while you’re in the Winston-Salem area!

What are your favorite breweries Worth the drive from Charlotte? Let me know in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

The Best Brewery Food in Charlotte

I’ve done the excruciating work of eating and drinking at every brewery that has their own food in Charlotte and created a ranking of the absolute best food at breweries around the city. A lot of breweries have rotating food trucks, but these are places with a permanent onsite restaurant or food truck.

Brunch at Legion SouthPark

In ranking order, here is the best brewery food in Charlotte:

Salud Cerveceria

Salud has hands down the best brewery food in Charlotte. Their pizzas are arguably the best pizza in Charlotte and their appetizers, salads and sandwiches also reign supreme. Order upstairs in the brewery or downstairs in the beer bar and bottle shop.

Livy’s Neapolitan Pizzeria at Heist Brewery and Barrel Arts

Coming in at a close second place is Livy’s at Heist’s Barrel Arts location. Their Neapolitan pizza is extremely delicious and their appetizers are also fantastic.

Heist Brewery NoDa

The original Heist location in NoDa comes in at third place just behind Barrel Arts. Their large menu is consistently delicious and offers anything from an appetizer to a full entrée and even brunch.

El Toro Bruto at Resident Culture South End

El Toro Bruto started off as a pop-up and quickly gained popularity across Charlotte. They opened inside Resident Culture’s South End taproom and offer mouth-watering tacos, burritos, breakfast, and more.

Legion Brewing

Legion has four taprooms in Charlotte and they all have kitchens, but the menus at each spot are very similar so I’ve lumped them together versus ranking each one individually. They are in Plaza Midwood, SouthPark, West Morehead and their Trolley Barn location is in South End. Expect apps, sandwiches, salads, entrees, and brunch. The Legion pretzel is always a favorite, and West Morehead and SouthPark also have pizza.

The Dumpling Lady at Resident Culture Plaza Midwood

The Dumpling Lady easily has the best dumplings in the city and quite tasty noodles as well. The menu tends to be a bit spicy so it is the perfect pairing with a crisp Resident Culture Lager. The food truck is permanently at Resident Culture in Plaza Midwood and they are also in Optimist Hall.

Lenny Boy Brewing Company

Lenny Boy’s menu has a variety of appetizers and sandwiches. Their pretzels are delicious and they offer several different varieties—the everything pretzel with beer cheese and house-pickled veggies is top notch. Lenny Boy’s charcuterie is also not to be missed!

The Suffolk Punch

Suffolk Punch specifically crushes the brunch game. They even have weekday brunch instead of just weekend brunch like most places. Their main menu is also delicious and quite large—there is something for every palate!

Katsu Kart at HopFly Brewing

Katsu Kart specializes in Japanese Katsu Sandos that are unique and phenomenal. They have a permanent truck parked on the side of HopFly and another truck that rotates around the city.

Brewers at 4001 Yancey

Yancey’s menu is consistently delicious. Whether it is a unique appetizer, a pizza or a beer dinner, everything is always done well. They have more of a restaurant vibe than a brewery so it is a great spot for a regular sit-down meal.

Brewers at 4001 Yancey

Other CLT breweries with food, in alphabetical order:

Burial Beer Company

Burial’s Charlotte taproom menu is simple with burgers, fries, wings and tacos.

Devil’s Logic Brewing Company

Devil’s Logic has a very small menu with a couple of snacks, two types of pizza, a cuban sandwich and pork carnitas tacos.

Gilde Brewery

Gilde has a full menu of German classics such as pretzels, schnitzel, spaetzle and more. They also have brunch on the weekends.

Middle James Brewing Company

Middle James has a full food menu with appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, brats and salads.

Midnight Mulligan Brewing

Midnight Mulligan’s menu includes appetizers, flatbreads, salads, sandwiches and brunch on the weekends.

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Olde Meck has a full food menu with German fare, salads, appetizers, burgers and sandwiches. They also have brunch on the weekends.

Protagonist LoSo

Protagonist in Lower South End is best known for their massive pizza slices and whole pies. They also have appetizers and salads.

Sugar Creek Brewing Company

Sugar Creek has a bit of a unique menu with soups, salads, small plates, paninis and doner kebabs.

Town Brewing

Town’s menu includes appetizers, sandwiches, salads, flatbreads and weekend brunch specials.

Izzy’s at Triple C Brewing Company

Izzy’s menu includes pizzas, appetizers, wings and sandwiches. I expect some folks will be outraged with this not being included in the “best brewery food” list above, particularly with the hype around their burger, but I have found the food to be very underwhelming.

Weathered Souls Brewing

The menu here was designed by Chef Greg Collier from Leah and Louise and includes things such as toasts, oysters and salads.

Wooden Robot South End

Wooden Robot’s food menu is based around appetizers and sandwiches. They also have their own coffee.

Fonta Flora x Papi Queso at Optimist Hall

Breweries at Food Halls:

Fonta Flora Brewing at Optimist Hall

Fonta Flora is a superb brewery and their location at Optimist Hall makes it easy to snag food from one of the vendors upstairs and bring it to the taproom or patio. My favorite tenants are The Dumpling Lady, Papi Queso and Suarez Bakery, but there is a huge variety to choose from. You can also order online and just pop up into the food hall to grab your goods when they are ready.

Free Range Brewing at Camp North End

Free Range opened a taproom at the fabulous Camp North End. This outdoor food hall and event space is full of different types of vendors. My favorite food stops are Babe and Butcher, Bleu Barn and La Caseta.

What do you think is the top brewery food in Charlotte? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

The Best Breweries in the Charlotte Suburbs

Charlotte has a lot of fantastic breweries and the Charlotte suburbs are packed with breweries as well. Some of these are better than others, so this guide will share the best breweries outside of the 485 loop in the Charlotte suburbs.

Want to stay within the city limits? Check out my Charlotte guide here. Looking for more breweries on the South Carolina side of the border? Check out my blog on the YoCo Brew Trail.

Here are the best breweries in the Charlotte suburbs, in no particular order:

Keepsake Brewery: Gastonia, NC

Keepsake is putting out delicious easy drinking beers in Gastonia. Their specialty is Lagers which they make extremely well. They have a cozy taproom and back patio space.

High Branch Brewing Co.: Concord, NC

High Branch is located at Gibson Mill in Concord and makes some stellar brews. Their IPAs and Stouts are what they do best but they always have a variety of beers on tap. The taproom vibes are chill, they have an outdoor space, and frequently host food trucks and events.

Slow Play Brewing: Rock Hill, SC

Slow Play is in Rock Hill! You can generally find almost any style of beer on their tap list, but their Sours are what they do best. They always have fun events happening such as live music, a disc golf league, and more!

King Canary Brewing: Mooresville, NC

This is a unique brewery in a converted house on Lake Norman. They have a nice outdoor space and seating upstairs and downstairs inside. There are some partial lake views from some areas of the brewery as well. King Canary specializes in IPAs and has great vibes.

Percent Tap House: Harrisburg, NC

Percent Tap House is a beer bar, bottle shop and brewery in a Harrisburg shopping center. They always have a large selection of guest taps available and their house made brews are delicious. They have a small indoor space and an outdoor patio with frequent food trucks. Their Sours are what they do best.

Replay Brewing: Fort Mill, SC

Replay is a game-themed brewery at Kingsley in Fort Mill. There are pinball machines, arcade games, video games and more. They always have a variety of beers on tap but their Sours and Lagers are what they do best. You can get food from the neighboring restaurants such as the delicious Taco Molino.

Royal Bliss Brewing Company: Denver, NC

Royal Bliss makes insanely delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and great IPAs. They have a lovely outdoor space with a turf patio area and an upper deck along with their indoor seating. Royal Bliss is a great spot to visit after a hike at Lake Norman!

What are your favorite breweries in the CLT suburbs? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis

My Top Beers in September & October 2022

September and October brought more fantastic adventures & ales—who would’ve guessed!

In September I spent 17 days exploring the Southwest in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, Sedona, Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, the greater Las Vegas area, Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park.

October brought the Snallygaster beer fest in Washington D.C. with a stop in Richmond on the way and a relaxing mountain weekend in Bryson City, NC! I also had the privilege of visiting Asheville twice and spending lots of quality time in Charlotte!

All of this lead to some killer beers—below is my top beers in September and October, in no particular order:

All We Become Is Just Dirt In The Ground at Burial Beer Company in Charlotte, NC

This is an Imperial IPA mashed with oats and barley, whirlpooled with Incognito, Cryo, and Phantasm, made from New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc skins, then double dry-hopped with Simcoe, Citra, El Dorado, and doses of Citra and El Dorado Cryo.

Burial continues to put out bangers from all sides of the spectrum—Pilsners, IPAs, Stouts—you name it. It is surreal to think that their Charlotte taproom has only been open for 5 months, so many great beers have already been had here!

All We Ever Wanted Was Everything collaboration brew from Other Half Brewing in New York, NY and Root + Branch Brewing in Copiague, NY

This is an Imperial IPA with Citra, Riwaka and Motueka hops from two of the best IPA breweries in the country—Other Half and Root + Branch. I was luck enough to have this one on draft at Other Half’s Washington D.C. taproom and in a can from the release in NYC and I loved it both times!

Cake Day from Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim, CA at The Wandering Tortoise in Phoenix, AZ

Cake Day is a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Chocolate Cake Stout aged in a combination of Bernheim, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, and Old Fitzgerald barrels with a blend of Ghanaian and Ecuadorian cacao nibs, vanilla frosting and sprinkles. This was brewed to celebrate Bottle Logic’s 8th Anniversary and was truly superb. The Wandering Tortoise is a fantastic beer bar in Phoenix with a huge draft list and fantastic can and bottle selection as well.

Double Dry Hopped Double Citra Daydream from Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

This is an Imperial Oat Cream IPA with Citra pellets and Citra Lupulin. Other Half does it again—no surprise there. This was a stellar brew and the perfect accompaniment for a relaxing weekend in the mountains.

The Heart of Chaos Triple IPA from Fidens Brewing in Colonie, NY at Snallygaster

The Heart of Chaos is a Triple IPA with Citra, Nelson and Mosaic hops. This was brewed to celebrate 3 years of Fidens! This was my favorite beer from the Snallygaster beer festival in D.C. and a delicious brew.

Dagligt intag collaboration brew from Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA and Omnipollo in Sundbyberg, Sweden

This is a Fruited Berliner Weisse with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries and milk sugar. Trillium and Omnipollo’s collabs are always next level, but Dagligt Intag took it to the extreme. This beer is absolutely loaded with fruits but is still incredibly balanced and delicious.

Spellbinder at Wren House Brewing in Phoenix, AZ

Spellbinder is Wren House’s house Hazy IPA with Cascade, Mosaic and Citra hops. This beer won gold in the Hazy/Juicy IPA category at Great American Beer Festival in 2020, so I am not alone in my assertion that this is a fantastic beer. I enjoyed everything I had at Wren House and the vibes were great as well.

Check back next month to see my top beers of November!
Cheers—Alexis

Exploring the YoCo Brew Trail

York County, South Carolina is Charlotte’s southern neighbor that is just a quick 25 minute drive from Uptown! York County includes the cities of Clover, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, Rock Hill, Tega Cay, and York. The new YoCo Brew Trail has 13 stops that are super fun to explore, with lots of delicious beers, great food options, and relaxing patios. There are also several great walks and hikes in York County so you can pair your morning hike with an afternoon beer! Scroll down for all of my recommendations!

How To participate in the YoCo Brew Trail

1. Grab a passport at any participating stop on the YoCo Brew Trail!

2. Visit at least 10 listed YoCo Brew Trail locations and get a stamp at each location!

3. Visit the York County Visitor Center at 130 E. Main Street in Rock Hill, or visit the Anne Springs Close Greenway Gateway Canteen for your free swag! This year the swag is a fun pint glass! If you visit the Greenway Gateway Canteen you also get a fun bonus sticker.

4. Tag @visityorkcountysc and use the hashtag #YoCoBrewTrail

5. Drink responsibly! There are 13 spots on the YoCo Brew Trail which are a world of fun, but as always please drink responsibly.

Stops along the YoCo Brew Trail

1873 Brewing, Fort Mill

1873 has a small tap list and sandwiches and snacks on their food menu. They also have wine and non-alcoholic options. Their taproom has TVs for sports and a patio as well.

Amor Artis Brewing, Fort Mill

Located on the main strip of Fort Mill, Amor Artis is a local favorite. Their taproom is beautifully designed with plants everywhere, exposed brick, and large windows over looking Main Street. There is both a back patio and an upstairs rooftop bar. Amor Artis has a wide variety of beers but their Sours and West Coast IPAs are what have impressed me the most. They also have wine and non-alcoholic options.

Carolina Brew Supply, Rock Hill

Carolina Brew Supply started as a homebrew supply store and is now a brewery and winery. They also offer a food menu with shareables and sandwiches. They offer winemaking classes and have frequent events at their taproom.

Dust Off Brewing, Rock Hill

Dust Off is located in downtown Rock Hill with a beautiful mural on their side wall and outdoor seating. One of their owners is a veteran so their beers and overall theme are all related to the military. Their food menu offers shareables and sandwiches.

Lake Wylie Brewing, Fort Mill & Rock Hill

Lake Wylie Brewing has two locations—Fort Mill and Rock Hill. Fort Mill is their original location offering a full brewpub menu and large outdoor patio. Rock Hill also has a full food menu. Each location has similar tap lists and are both very family friendly.

Legal Remedy Brewing, Rock Hill and Legal Remedy Brewing Riverwalk

Legal Remedy is York County’s oldest brewery and opened their Old Town location in 2015. Their original taproom has a beautiful, large patio space and a full food menu. Their second taproom is near the Riverwalk and also has a large patio and full food menu, but tends to specialize more in cocktails.

Model A Brewing, Tega Cay

Model A is located in a strip mall in Tega Cay. They have a nice patio space, a full food menu, and frequent events such as live music. They are consistently changing up their tap list and have fun offerings like a dill pickle beer or your classics like Hazy IPAs.

Replay Brewing, Fort Mill

Replay is a game-focused brewery located in Kingsley Town Center. They have board games, video games, pinball and more, plus they are dog and kid friendly both inside and out. They always have a wide variety of beers on tap but their Sours and Lagers are what they do best. If you are hungry you can have neighboring Taco Molino delivered to your table.

Rock Hill Brewing, Rock Hill

Rock Hill Brewing has a small but varied tap list along with ciders, wine and non-alcoholic options. You can order Millstone Pizza directly to your table at the taproom if you are hungry. They have frequent live music and other events.

Slow Play Brewing, Rock Hill

Slow Play is one of the most popular breweries in York County, and for good reason. They have great beers, a beautiful patio space, and frequent events. Their tap list is always extensive, but their best beers are their IPAs and Sours. You must visit Slow Play while hungry as they have arguably the best food truck in the Charlotte area onsite—Cibi Cibi. They specialize in hot chicken sandwiches, burgers, and other handhelds.

Bonus Stop: Anne Springs Close Greenway Gateway Canteen, Fort Mill

Check out the Greenway Gateway Canteen for a drink before or after a lovely stroll in nature! If you complete your passport and have this bonus stop you will also receive a bonus sticker. They host a summer concert series on Thursdays in May and June and have frequent events. Entrance to the greenway is $12 or you can get a membership for reduced rates.

Morning Hikes, Afternoon Beers

The best way to experience the YoCo Brew Trail is by pairing it with some of the great hikes and walks in York County! Some of my favorites include:

• Anne Springs Close Greenway: There are several trails in this expansive area. My favorite is the Lake Haigler Loop. It is an easy, 3.5 loop that is mostly flat. The fall is a great time to soak in the colors of the greenway. Be sure to check out the swinging bridge and the Greenway Gateway Canteen for a snack or drink! Admission to the Greenway is $12 or you can get a membership for reduced rates.

• Piedmont Medical Center Trail: This is a 4.6 out and back trail, so you can do as much or as little as you’d like. It is paved the entire way and runs along the Catawba River. The Riverwalk where the trail starts and ends is home to several spots you can visit before or after as well—The Pump House, Legal Remedy Riverwalk, and Grapevine are solid options.

• Baxter Village Trail: This is a nice and easy 9 mile trail network right along the Catawba River. It is mostly shaded by tree cover as well which is a nice protection from the sun. The entrance to the trail is the Baxter subdivision neighborhood, but don’t fret, it is actually incredible peaceful and you’ll quickly forget that you parked next to someone’s house.

• Another option to get outside is to visit the Glencarin Garden! You can see azaleas, dogwoods, wisteria, crape myrtles, camellias, annuals, hardwood trees and more. The peak bloom period is typically the last week of March through mid-April, but it is always a beautiful place to visit. Admission is free.

Lake Wylie Brewing at Common Market

Bottle Shops in York County:

Common Market: Rock Hill

Grapevine: Fort Mill, Riverwalk, York

Main Street Bottle Shop: Rock Hill

The Vault: Clover

Tipsy Bottle: Fort Mill

Coming soon to the YoCo Brew Trail:

Off the Tracks Brewing: Rock Hill

The Print Shop by Amor Artis: Fort Mill

Middle James Brewing: Rock Hill

My Top Beers in April 2022

April was a crazy month of travel and beers—so crazy in fact that I didn’t write a March top beers round up because I was on the road at the end of March and first couple of weeks of April, sorry friends! This past month I visited Wilmington NC, Charleston SC, Savannah GA, Miami FL and Seabrook Island SC. I also attended two beer festivals in April—Cape Fear Craft & Cuisine in Wilmington and Wakefest from J. Wakefield Brewing in Miami. That all adds up to a lot of beers, so the ones that made the cut here are truly the best of the best!

In no particular order, here were my top beers in April 2022:

MawMaw’s Humbleberry Pie collaboration brew from Two Tides Brewing in Savannah, GA and Inner Voice Brewing in Decatur, GA

MawMaw’s Humbleberry Pie is a Fruited Sour with raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla, cinnamon and graham cracker. It is packed with flavor and extremely easy to drink, but still comes in at 7% ABV.

Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Stepping on Toes collaboration brew from Westbrook Brewing in Charleston, SC, The Eighth State Brewing Company in Greenville, SC, Evil Twin Brewing in New York, NY and Edmund’s Oast Brewing in Charleston, SC

This is an Imperial Stout aged in Laird’s applejack apple brandy barrels for over two years then infused with toasted coconut, banana, macadamia nuts and vanilla beans. This beer is basically everything I love infused into one brew—apple brandy barrel aged, coconut, banana, and vanilla! This was an exceptional brew. I had the original Stepping on Toes last year and this one completely blows the other out of the water. Highly recommend if you can get your hands on it!

Simple Thoughts from Tripping Animals Brewing in Doral, FL

Simple Thoughts is an Imperial Stout aged for 15 months in bourbon maple barrels and conditioned with wild Thai banana, coconut, cacao nibs, peanut butter and Madagascar vanilla beans. Peanut butter Stouts can be a miss for me, but I was thoroughly impressed with this brew at Tripping Animals. Everything I had there was fantastic!

Around The Sun 2 from Edge City Brewery in Charlotte, NC

Around The Sun 2 is a Sour IPA hopped with Citra and conditioned on mangos, tangerines, kiwis and Cloister honey. Edge City released this beer for their 2nd Anniversary in April, and the first version of Around The Sun was released last year for their 1st Anniversary. This beer is the perfect balance of tartness, fruitiness, and smoothness. I had this beer 3 times in 24 hours, so I can definitely say I fully endorse it.

Citra Cutting Tiles from Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA

Cutting Tiles is Trillium’s single hop Double IPA series with raw wildflower honey. This Citra version of Cutting Tiles was fantastic! Anything Citra is usually going to go over well, but the addition of the honey sweetened things up a bit and smoothed out the beer. Another win from the folks at Trillium!

Napping Under the Echo Tree from Lua Brewing in Des Moines, IA

Napping Under the Echo Tree is a Fruited Sour with dragon fruit, passionfruit, mango and guava. This was my first time trying anything from Lua and I absolutely loved it! I will definitely be hunting for them on my Midwest road trip this summer!

The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism Chapters 1, 2 & 3 from Root and Branch Brewing in Copiague, NY

I did a side by side of all three chapters of The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism and thoroughly enjoyed each one! Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength is a Double IPA, Chapter 2: Freedom Is Slavery is a Triple IPA and Chapter 3: War Is Peace is a Double IPA. Each Chapter was pretty similar, but overall Chapter II was my favorite!

CHECK BACK NEXT MONTH TO SEE MY TOP BEERS OF MAY 2022!
CHEERS—ALEXIS

My Top Beers in February 2022

February brought a slue of fantastic beers! I also took trips to Greenville, SC and up to Michigan, so that led to some great beers as well. Fingers crossed we are moving towards warmer weather and more patio beers in the coming weeks!

In no particular order, here were my top beers in February 2022:

Tulip from Fidens Brewing in Colonie, NY

Tulip is a Double IPA brewed with Citra and Simcoe hops. Fidens has really fine-tuned what a Double IPA should be and Tulip is a prime example of this. Smooth, juicy, flavorful, and delicious.

Never Gonnagetit³ from The Veil Brewing in Richmond, VA

This is the triple fruited version the Veil’s mixed berry gose with raspberry, boysenberry, and blackberry. Anything mixed berry is always going to be a win from my perspective and this was delicious. Shout out to Salud Beer Shop for hosting a Veil tap takeover so we can have their RVA goodness in CLT.

Ana from Fair Isle Brewing in Seattle, WA

Ana is a tropical Saison refermented on Ananasnaya Kiwi fruit from Red Cedar Farm in Poulsbo, WA. In my opinion, Saisons are always best enjoyed on a beautiful day sitting outside (preferably also with a cheese board). I have been hyping Fair Isle up since I visited their taproom in July and Ana reminded me of just how good their beers are. If you haven’t jumped on this train yet I highly recommend it!

I Once Left My Mind In A Bed-Stuy Juice Bar Collab from Burial Beer Co. in Asheville, NC and Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

This killer collaboration is mashed with oats and candi sugar, whirlpooled with Incognito hops, and triple dry-hopped with Mosaic, El Dorado, Blanc, Motueka and Riwaka hops. It is another banger from the folks at Burial and Other Half, which should come as no surprise.

All Is Not Lost from Petty Thieves Brewing in Charlotte, NC

All Is Not Lost is a Saison brewed with ceylon tea and lemon peel before being refermented on Asian pear puree. Petty Thieves always has a wide array of beers to choose from but I’ve found their Saisons to be my favorites. All Is Not Lost was superb—the pear flavor was not too overpowering but the perfect balance of fruity and refreshing.

Stress Dream collab from The Eighth State Brewing Company in Greenville, SC and Fidens Brewing in Colonie, NY

Pictured left, Stress Dream is an Imperial Stout with Monteblanco Passion Fruit Washed Coffee Beans from @methodicalcoffee , Toasted Coconut, Strawberry, Papua New Guinea Vanilla, Peruvian Cocoa Nibs, and Caramel. When two of the best in the game team up your expectations are pretty high, but Eighth State & Fidens did not disappoint. I am excited to open the bottle of this that I got soon too!

Crunchtime from HopFly Brewing in Charlotte, NC

Crunchtime is an American Lager from one of Charlotte’s newest breweries, HopFly Brewing. They opened in March 2020 in Rocky Mount, NC and just expanded to CLT last week. If you haven’t already checked out their new space in South End get on it! They do each style of beer well, but I found Crunchtime to be well-rounded and refreshing—perfect for their rooftop patio space.

Dots on the Wall from Birds Fly South Ale Project in Greenville, SC

Dots on the Wall is a Farmhouse Style Table Beer. Did you ever think a Table Beer would make a top beers list? I certainly didn’t, but Dots on the Wall has flipped that idea on its head. This was a fantastic, easy-drinking beer that still had plenty of flavor.

Hopnosis from Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, CA

Hopnosis is a West Coast IPA with Mosaic Cryo hops. This was a superb West Coast IPA from the folks at Firestone Walker who have been honing in on this style of beer for over 15 years. Learn more about Hopnosis in my PorchDrinking Beer Feature linked here!

Curtains Closed from High Branch Brewing in Concord, NC

Curtains Closed is a Hazy Double IPA with oats and Sabro, Citra, Azacca, and Centennial hops. High Branch is best known for their IPAs and Curtains Closed was perhaps the best one that I have had from them.

Ghost Big Sherb from HOMES Brewing in Ann Arbor, MI

Ghost Big Sherb is a Smoothie Sour with milk sugar and double fruited with blackberry, black currant, and plum, then aged on vanilla bean. HOMES always makes delicious beers, particularly their Sours. It was fruity without being overly sweet or thick, and I thoroughly enjoyed every sip.

Check back next month to see my top beers of March 2022! Cheers—Alexis

My Top Beers in November 2021

November brought the least amount of beers I’ve drank in quite some time, so this month’s list is short and sweet! In no particular order, here are the top beers I had in November 2021:

Time is a Flat Circle collaboration brew from Heist Brewery in Charlotte, NC and Fidens Brewing Co. in Albany, NY

This is a Hazy Double IPA dry hopped with Rakau, Nelson Sauvin, and Motueka hops. A local collaboration with one of the hottest breweries in the country right now? Yes please! This is an absolute juice bomb and incredibly smooth.

Potato at New Origin Brewing Co in Asheville, NC

Potato is a New England IPA dry hopped with Idaho Gem and Citra hops. New Origin is Asheville’s newest brewery and they are already making waves. Their IPAs and Lagers were fantastic, I highly recommend checking them out next time you’re in AVL.

Like Whoa collaboration brew from Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA, Other Half Brewing in New York, NY, and Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA

Like Whoa is an Imperial IPA with Citra, Galaxy, Motueka, Topaz, & Wai-iti hops. This is part of the Freaky Friday collaboration series and a true delight. That should come as no surprise given the three breweries involved!

LAX2JFK: In The Clouds collaboration brew from Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA, Other Half Brewing in New York, NY, and Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA

LAX2JFK: In The Clouds is an Imperial Oat Cream IPA with Citra, Mosaic, Motueka, Simcoe, Citra Cryo, and Simcoe Cryo hops. This brew has incredible mouthfeel and is loaded with flavor thanks to that stacked hop profile. Yes this is the second beer on this month’s list that is a collaboration from Monkish, Other Half, and Trillium—this stacked team can do no wrong.

Deep Orbit Centaurus from Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

This is an Imperial Stout with vanilla, figs, almonds and cinnamon. Other Half’s Stouts are frequently overlooked and Deep Orbit is just another reminder that they can make more than Hazy IPAs. The adjunct combination is delightful and pairs nicely with the thick body of the base Stout.

Check back next month to see my top beers of december and my overall top beers of 2021! Cheers —Alexis

City Brew Tour Charlotte Experience

City Brew Tour Charlotte just launched in the summer of 2021, providing all-inclusive tours of breweries in Charlotte! They let us join a tour to see what it is all about and share our experience with you!

Your ride for the day!

What is City Brew Tour Charlotte?

“You drink…we drive, guide, and educate.” —sound pretty good to me! City Brew Tour Charlotte is a way to experience multiple breweries with a designated driver and learn more about both the brewing process and the breweries themselves in Charlotte. You get to go behind the scenes at breweries, learn about the history of beer on your journey, and taste a variety of local beers.

City Brew Tour Charlotte has both public and private tours for events such as bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthdays, and corporate functions. The tour starts and ends in front of The Westin in Uptown, Charlotte.

Things to know:

• You need to wear closed toed shoes, as you’ll be going into the brewing space at breweries.

• The breweries change for each tour, so what we experienced may be different than what you experience! City Brew Tour Charlotte partners with several breweries in the city so it’s not the same set stops each time.

• The van has a cooler in the back, so if you purchase any beer to-go you can keep it cold for the rest of the tour.

• The beers are selected for you by the guide, but if you want to try something different you’re welcome to buy it separately.

Overall we enjoyed our experience and it would be great for people visiting Charlotte or new to the CLT beer scene. My one critique would be that we did feel quite rushed at stops 2 & 3, but overall I would recommend it!

The brewery dog at Armored Cow

Stop 1: Armored Cow Brewing

Armored Cow Brewing was the first stop on our brew tour! They opened in 2019 in the University City neighborhood in North Charlotte. They have multiple gluten-free beers which is pretty unique for a brewery! We tried four beers at Armored Cow and got to go into the brewhouse to see where the magic happens. We also got to meet their adorable brewery dog and learn about the first half of the brewing process.

Delicious Juicy IPAs at Resident Culture

Stop 2: Resident Culture Brewing Company

Resident Culture was the second stop for us on City Brew Tour Charlotte! Resident Culture is my favorite brewery in Charlotte so I was super excited it was included on the tour. They opened in 2017 and are located in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte. Resident Culture is known for their IPAs, but their Lagers and Stouts are not to be overlooked either! At Resident Culture we went behind the scenes to see and learn about the second half of the brewing process and tried three beers.

Lunch flight at Midwood Smokehouse with local brews

Stop 3: Lunch at Midwood Smokehouse

Our third stop on the brew tour was Midwood Smokehouse for lunch. We visited the location in Park Road Shopping Center, and their original location is in Plaza Midwood. City Brew Tour Charlotte orders ahead for everyone, so be sure to mention on your reservation if you have any dietary restrictions. The menu included their famous BBQ and a few side dishes. There is also a preset beer flight of local brews. Our flight included beers from The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Wooden Robot Brewery, NoDa Brewing Company, and Catawba Brewing Company.

Behind the scenes at Lower Left Brewing

Stop 4: Lower Left Brewing Co.

Our final stop of the tour was Lower Left Brewing Company. Lower Left opened in 2019 and they are located in the Lower Southend (LoSo) neighborhood of Charlotte. They always have a good variety of beers on tap and a nice patio. Here we sampled a few more beers and went behind the scenes to see their small brew space. From Lower Left we headed back to Uptown to be dropped off at City Brew Tour Charlotte’s hotel partner, The Westin.

Behind the scenes at Resident Culture

Want to check out City Brew Tour Charlotte? Book your Tour here!

My Top Beers in June 2021

June absolutely flew by but it was still packed with some delicious beers! We took two trips to Atlanta, a quick stop in Greenville, and hosted our first fully vaccinated bottle share. In no particular order, here were my top beers in June 2021:

Check out my guide to Atlanta here!

Emergency Chute from Variant Brewing Co in Roswell, GA

Emergency Chute is an Imperial New England IPA. It is brewed with Vic Secret, Simcoe, and Citra hops resulting in a smooth and juicy flavor. This was my first visit to Variant and first time trying any of their beers. I was super impressed!

Self-Reliance: Strata from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

Self Reliance is Hill Farmstead’s Farmhouse IPA series. This version is brewed exclusively with Strata hops. It was brewed in March 2020, conditioned in puncheons for four months, and then double dry-hopped. Every beer in this series has been fantastic!

The Time Between Dog and Wolf from Resident Culture Brewing in Charlotte, NC

The Time Between Dog and Wolf is an Imperial Pastry Stout. It was Bourbon Barrel Aged for 14 months in Willett Bourbon barrels that previously housed dark, robust maple syrup from High Low Farm in Woodstock, VT and single origin coffee beans from Finca La Laja in Veracruz, Mexico sourced by Pure Intentions Coffee. It is rich, flavorful, and thick. Best served with Ashworth Cookies.

Dot Matrix collaboration from The Eighth State Brewing Company in Greenville, SC and BlackStack Brewing in St. Paul, MN

Dot Matrix is a Mixed Fermentation Gose with malted wheat, passionfruit, raspberry, guava, grapefruit and black truffle sea salt. This collab is tart, fruity, and delicious. These breweries have been two of my favorites for quite a while now, but I am continually impressed by the beers they produce.

Vary from Halfway Crooks in Atlanta, GA

Vary is a Czech Pilsner with Saaz hops and Czech yeast. This is the malty version of another one of their Czech Pilsner’s, Var. Don’t let the term malt scare you here, it is still clean and crisp as you want a Pilsner to be. Halfway Crooks absolutely crushes the Lager game so it’s no surprise that they are on the list. It was difficult to choose which Halfway Crooks beer to add here out of the 6 beers from them I got to try this month!

Check back next month to see my top beers of July!
Cheers —Alexis

My Top Beers in May 2021

May brought my first real beer trip out of state since pre-covid! I visited St. Louis for the first time and had some fantastic beers, check out my guide to St. Louis here! May also brought some stellar beer trades from out of state! In no particular order, here were my top beers in May 2021:

German Chocolate Stout from Wellspent Brewing in St. Louis, MO

This is an Imperial Stout aged on coconut, cocoa nibs, and vanilla beans. It tastes exactly like German Chocolate Cake and was absolutely phenomenal! Thick, chocolatey, and just the perfect hint of coconut and vanilla. I definitely recommend checking out Wellspent if you’re in the St. Louis area!

Twice The Daily Serving: Tropical Punch from Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA

I always love the Twice The Daily Serving series from Trillium and this one was no exception! It is a Berliner Weisse with guava, passionfruit, mango, pineapple, and lime. It is thick, juicy, and packed with flavor. Most Berliner Weisses and Fruited Sours have a pretty low ABV but this one packs a punch at 7%! I cannot wait to visit Trillium in July for the first time, it is going to be epic.

Abraxas from Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis, MO

Abraxas is an Imperial Stout brewed with ancho chili peppers, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks. This is a classic Imperial Stout released every year and has been one of my favorites for a while. This was my first time getting to try it on draft though and it was even better! I love the combination of spiciness and sweetness.

Even More Hydra collaboration brew from Mortalis Brewing in Avon, NY and Evil Twin Brewing in New York, NY

This is a Fruited Sour with blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, marshmallow, and cacao nibs. I’ve been lucky enough to have a couple of the Hydra series from Mortalis and they have been delicious. This one is a special collab brew making it even more fun and it’s a hearty 7% ABV.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Ego Death from Resident Culture Brewing Company in Charlotte, NC

This Bourbon Barrel Aged version of Ego Death is an Imperial Stout conditioned on toasted hazelnuts and cacao nibs and aged in Willett bourbon barrels for 14 months. This is straight fire! The non-barrel aged version of Ego Death is also very good, just obviously without the bourbon kick and a thinner Stout overall. BBA Ego Death was a knock-out. I was blown away by how well the flavors worked together. I cannot wait to try the vanilla variant of it that we got as well!

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A from Narrow Gauge Brewing in Florissant, MO

This is an Imperial IPA triple dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy, and Nelson Sauvin hops. This is named after the Konami Code for all you gamers out there. Narrow Gauge makes absolutely fantastic beers and I was thrilled to get to visit their taproom outside of St. Louis. I snagged a 4-pack of this juice bomb of an IPA to bring back to CLT with me because it was so good!

CHECK BACK NEXT MONTH TO SEE WHAT MY TOP BEERS OF JUNE 2021 WILL BE!

CHEERS -ALEXIS

My Top Beers in March 2021

March was full of fantastic beers and a trip to Raleigh visiting some amazing breweries and sharing some fantastic beers! You can also tell from my selection here that we’ve finally seen a turn in the weather—this month includes many more fruity and refreshing beers!

In no particular order, here were my top beers in March 2021:

Lunchbox Series Blackberry PB&J from Funguys Brewing in Raleigh, NC

Funguys releases different variants of their Lunchbox Series of Smoothie Style Sour Ales, each that are Peanut Butter and Jelly inspired. This one is brewed with peanut butter, blackberry, and lactose, and truly tastes like you’re biting into an elementary school lunch sandwich. All of their Sours are incredibly delicious so you really can’t go wrong, but this one really exceeded expectations.

Deferred Stimulus from Cerebral Brewing in Denver, CO

Deferred Stimulus is a Double IPA with Galaxy and Cashmere hops coming in at 8.4% ABV. Cerebral makes some of the best Juicy IPAs in the game and this one is no exception! The color is warm and inviting, the smell is fresh and hop-filled, and the flavors are powerful and smooth. I absolutely love getting my hands on Cerebral’s brews and can’t wait to visit them again in the future!

Summer Jam: FrosE Collaboration from Barrel Culture Brewing and Blending in Durham, NC and Kings Brewing in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

This collab is a tiki-drink inspired Fruited Sour Ale with pineapple, mango, coconut, and key lime. At 7% ABV, this is a powerful Sour from two fantastic breweries. It is thiccc, packed with flavor, and super easy to drink. I had this one on tap during our visit to Raleigh and it was so good I also scooped a 4-pack to go!

Abstract Harvest from Heist Brewing and Barrel Arts in Charlotte, NC

Abstract Harvest is a Fruited Berliner Weisse with passionfruit, pink guava, pineapple, and lactose. It is extremely refreshing but super packed full of flavor. At 7.8% ABV it is definitely a boozy brew, but the fruits hide the alcohol and it is super easy-drinking. Pair this with a pizza from Livy’s and you won’t be disappointed!

Self-Reliance: Motueka from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

This batch of Hill Farmstead’s Farmhouse IPA, Self-Reliance, has hand-selected Motueka hops from Freestyle Farms, their agricultural partner in Upper Moutere, New Zealand. It was conditioned in oak puncheons for 3 months and then bottled since March 13, 2019. This was truly phenomenal and will probably be one of my favorite beers of the year.

Intern Backpack collaboration from Other Half Brewing in New York, NY, Shared Brewing in Maplewood, MO, and Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA

Intern Backpack is an Imperial IPA with hand selected Centennial and Nelson Sauvin hops plus Vic Secret and Galaxy hops. This is a true juice bomb coming from three of the best breweries in the country—Other Half, Monkish, and Shared. Shared is by Side Project Brewing and where they create their non-Barrel Aged beers. I look forward to getting to try more of their fantastic creations!

Soft Parade from Short’s Brewing in Bellaire, MI

Soft Parade was my original favorite craft beer! I grew up in Michigan so Short’s and Soft Parade were everywhere, but now as a North Carolinian I rarely get to revisit this delicious classic. Soft Parade is their flagship Fruit Ale brewed with pureed strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. It is fruity and refreshing but still 7.5% ABV!

Extra Extra Juicy Bits from WeldWerks Brewing in Greeley, CO

Juicy Bits is already a phenomenal beer and one of the best IPAs in the country. Extra Extra Juicy Bits is the Double Dry Hopped Double IPA version of this classic beer with Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops. This is an incredible beer and one of the top IPAs I’ve personally had. Don’t want to take my word for it? This brew won a gold medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival in the Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale category.

Check back next month to see my top beers of April!

Cheers -Alexis

Charlotte Breweries with Heated Outdoor Patio Options

COVID-19 has certainly shifted the way that we’re able to enjoy breweries, but winter adds a whole new layer of complication. Now more than ever it is important to support your local breweries and to do so safely. Grab some cans or bottles to-go, buy gift cards for later, pick up some swag to represent them, or enjoy some beers outdoors!

Below is a list of Charlotte breweries with heated outdoor patio options so you can enjoy your favorite breweries while staying outdoors and warm during the cold months ahead:

• Divine Barrel: heaters

• Resident Culture: heaters

• Triple C: firepit

• Blue Blaze: firepit

• Birdsong: firepit

• Lenny Boy: firepit

• NoDa: firepit

• Petty Thieves: firepit

• Suffolk Punch: heaters on the patio, heated tent

• Wooden Robot: heaters on the patio at their South End location and fire pits at The Chamber in NoDa Thursday-Sunday

• Unknown: firepits and heaters

• Protagonist LoSo: firepits and heaters

• Salud: heaters

• Legion SouthPark: heaters

I will update this list as others add heated options or anything above changes!

Cheers to cozy beers outdoors,
Alexis

The Best Breweries to Drink Outside at in Charlotte

Warm weather is here and so is patio season! Here are the best breweries in Charlotte to enjoy your brewski outdoors at:

Wooden Robot Brewery

Both the South End and NoDa locations for Wooden Robot have great outdoor seating options. At The Chamber in NoDa there is a nice outdoor patio plus there is a rooftop bar! At the original location in South End they have a large patio and garage doors that roll up when the weather allows.

Resident Culture Brewing

Resident Culture is my favorite brewery in Charlotte and you can enjoy their delicious beers on their an expansive outdoor area. You can choose to go for the deck option or the lawn option, depending on availability and whether you’re looking for sun or shade.

Edge City Brewery

Edge City is located in the MoRa neighborhood and has a beautifully designed patio space! They also have massive fans for the warmer days to keep you comfortable.

Petty Thieves Brewing Co.

An eclectic brewery in northwest Charlotte with a great patio! They have a large pergola, a fire pit, and plenty of seating options.

The Suffolk Punch

Ample outdoor options between their patio and the courtyard area. They’ve got an outdoor bar and $3 beers on Thursdays and Sundays!

NoDa Brewing

NoDa has a plethora of outdoor space with fire pits, yard games, and a walk-up bar. Their menu always boasts a variety of beers to choose from for any palate. They’ve got frequent events as well!

Blue Blaze Brewing

All of Blue Blaze is outdoorsy, so it’s no surprise that they’ve got a great outdoor space! Their nature-y outdoor area is along the trees and has fire pits and rustic vibes.

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Olde Meck has a huge beer garden with ample seating, fire pits, multiple outdoor bars, and even a playground! Plenty of space to enjoy their traditional German beers!

Devil’s Logic Brewing

Devil’s Logic has a fantastic rooftop patio with views of the Charlotte skyline! It is a great place to hang out on a beautiful day.

Birdsong Brewing

Birdsong has a strong environmental focus as a solar powered brewery and many green practices, so it is no surprise that they value their outdoor space! Choose whether you’re feeling picnic table vibes or relaxing in an Adirondack chair.

Town Brewing

Town has a relaxed outdoor area to enjoy their beers and full food menu. Get the pretzel, you won’t regret it!

Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts

A huge outdoor space that even includes an outdoor stage! Get yourself a Hazy IPA and soak up some Vitamin D. They also have great pizza from their partner Livy’s!

Sycamore Brewing

For many Sycamore is probably the first brewery that comes to mind when thinking about drinking a beer outside—they have a large outdoor beer garden! Expect to find it packed when the weather is nice.

What’s your favorite brewery to drink outside at in charlotte? let me know in the comments!

Your Guide to the NoDa Neighborhood of Charlotte

What does Noda mean?

North Davidson is the main street of the neighborhood, so the abbreviation of that is NoDa! It is in the northern section of the city and one of my favorite neighborhoods! The main area of NoDa is walkable but parking can be a headache so prepare yourself to either pay to park or hunt for a free spot for awhile on the weekends.

NoDa is a very artsy neighborhood with hipster vibes and several murals. The neighborhood has changed a lot over time but has still maintained a lot of its character. Previously it was home to the largest concentration of textile mills in the US and now many of those factories are apartments. The Lynx rail line connects NoDa to Uptown, Southend, and other popular areas of Charlotte now as well.

Adventures and Ales Top Recommendations:

Salud Cerveceria and Salud Beer Shop: Brewery upstairs, beer bar and bottle shop downstairs. Each floor has a distinct atmosphere so be sure to check out both!

Idlewild: A unique cocktail bar with no menu—you tell them the types of things you like and they craft something for you. This is a fantastic spot with great vibes. Reservations recommended.

Fairweather: A cute little bar for cocktails with a small food menu. They are the sister restaurant to Idlewild. Oysters are a large menu focus and they are just $1 on Mondays! Reservations recommended.

Ever Andalo: A delicious Italian restaurant! I highly recommend reservations but you can also throw your name on the list and grab a drink from somewhere nearby.

NoDa Company Store: This bar has a great outdoor patio and delicious sangria to enjoy on it.

The Chamber by Wooden Robot: The NoDa location of the popular Southend brewery. They have more farmhouse-style ales and a rooftop deck.

Divine Barrel Brewing: Another great brewery, they are slightly up the road from the main hustle and bustle of NoDa but still walkable. They host frequent events as well!

Heist Brewery: Delicious brewery food and great beers!

Sabor: Counter-service delicious Latin Street food!

NoDa Brewing: NoDa’s Tryon Street is not walkable from the central NoDa area but definitely worth checking out! They’ve got a large outdoor space and a wide variety of brews.

The OG NoDa

Other ideas:

Protagonist Clubhouse: A nano-brewery with lots of guest taps and sleek vibes.

Haberdish: A popular Southern-style restaurant with a lively atmosphere. Reservations are limited so plan ahead! Do note they offer brunch on weekdays, but not on weekends.

Billy Jack’s Shack: A dive bar with tasty bar food like fried mac nuggs and sliders, with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

Cabo Fish Taco: Mexican-style restaurant with solid tacos

Figo36: An Italian restaurant and wine bar. They have a very pretty space and tasty eats.  

The Dog Bar: Exactly as it sounds! A bar where you can bring your dog to run around off-leash. There is an annual membership of $10 and you need to fill out registration forms for your pup, then you can hit the bar while they make new friends!

Reigning Doughnuts: A little doughnut window behind Growler’s with a variety of flavors

Growler's Pourhouse: A beer bar with 14 taps and an accompanying food menu.

Jeni’s Ice Cream: Located next to Wooden Robot, the ever-popular ice cream chain never disappoints

Popbar: Another dessert option, Popbar offers gelato on a stick!

Neighborhood Theater: Local music venue

Goodyear House: A great restaurant with a killer outdoor patio. Reservations recommended.

Bar a Vins: A wine bar with a small snack menu. As a forewarning if you get a bottle they will charge you an additional $10 to drink it onsite even though you are buying it from them.

NoDa Company Store

The Belmont Area

Belmont and Noda are super close together and easily walk or bike-able between the two areas. Be sure to check out these spots in Belmont while you’re exploring NoDa:

The OG NoDa Brewing: NoDa’s original location specializing in sour and barrel aged beers. A smaller, funkier taproom than their newer location on Tryon.

Free Range Brewing: A farmhouse-style brewery with a large event space and chill vibes.

Rhino Market & Deli: A great spot to grab breakfast or lunch with a variety of sandwiches, salads, and soups. They’ve also got beer and coffee.

Amelie’s French Bakery & Cafe: Eventually this ever-popular bakery will be relocating from their original location, but Amelie’s produces some of the best baked goods in North Carolina!

The Hobbyist: A coffee shop, bottle shop, and beer bar combo. Especially nice when the weather is nice and the garage door is open!

Abari: A retro game bar with 9 craft beer taps, cocktails, and spirits.

Optimist Hall: A large food hall with a plethora of options to choose from. Papi Queso and The Dumpling Lady are my favorites!

Fonta Flora’s Charlotte taproom is located in Optimist Hall and definitely worth checking out! They’ve got fantastic wild ales in particular.

Birdsong Brewery: A bit further south but it is still easily walkable from other spots in NoDa! They are solar-powered, make some really tasty beers, and offer free peanuts!

The Chamber by Wooden Robot

What’s your favorite spot in Noda? Let me know in the comments!