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

How To participate in the YoCo Brew Trail

Grab a passport at any participating stop on the YoCo Brew Trail!
Visit at least 10 listed YoCo Brew Trail locations and get a stamp at each location!
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.
Tag @visityorkcountysc and use the hashtag #YoCoBrewTrail
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.

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

The Best Breweries in the Charlotte Suburbs