8 Reasons ‘Charlotte’s Got A Lot’ for Craft Beer Lovers

North Carolina, land of mountains, fresh air and the beer-friendly laws that allow small breweries to thrive, and at the same time, attract larger West Coast breweries to set up new homes.

But if you’re only making trips to Asheville, you’re missing out. Charlotte’s slogan “Charlotte’s Got a Lot,” is no joke, particularly if you’re a craft beer explorer. Fresh off 40 hours in Charlotte, here are 8 reasons you’ll dig the #cltbeer scene.

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Railhouse Brewery | Mastiff Oatmeal Stout

ABV: 6.5% | IBU: 33

Before we find ourselves too far removed from winter, I wanted to share a stout I discovered recently, Mastiff Oatmeal Stout from Railhouse Brewery. Railhouse is veteran-owned (hence the patriotic bottle cap) and -operated in Aberdeen, North Carolina. Aberdeen, like many towns home to NC brewers, is relatively small and out of the way. Located a couple hours south and west of Raleigh and an hour due west of Fort Bragg, you might never hear of it were it not for the beer. Read More

Wicked Weed | Oblivion

ABV: 8.7% | IBU: negligible

We use a lot of colors when we talk about beer. This beer is amber. That beer is black. This one is straw. That one is brown. These are all quite common. Yet, for all of my beer-drinking life, I have only infrequently come across the color red. Maybe it’s my geography. Some of the world’s best-known and most highly acclaimed beers come out of Belgium, among them a variety of reds. Rodenbach’s Grand Cru, Duchesse de Bourgogne from Brewery Verhaeghe, and New Belgium’s La Folie are just a few examples.

In spite of (and thanks to) my geography, I’ve been fortunate enough to come across a delectable sour red ale from one of North Carolina’s finest breweries, the Asheville-based Wicked Weed Brewing Company. They call it Oblivion, and they give it a little story. Read More

6 Reasons Sierra Nevada’s New NC Taproom Will Impress You

Tuesday, March 10, 2015, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. opened its East Coast Taproom and Restaurant on an expansive wooded property in Mills River, North Carolina, two miles west of the Asheville Regional Airport and about 20 miles south of downtown Asheville.

From the commanding presence of the 200-barrel brewhouse, to the Taproom and Restaurant featuring more than two-dozen beers and a menu that doesn’t look anything like your typical pub fare, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company built this facility to impress. Here are the six things that’ll stand out on your visit. Read More

Mother Earth | Dark Cloud

ABV: 5.1% | IBU: Low

Out in rural, eastern North Carolina, there lies a town called Kinston. Kinston boasts as the home of at least a couple of highly notable entities: Mother Earth Brewery and the Chef and the Farmer, a fine-dining restaurant with its own show on PBS. Since we’re all about the beer here at PorchDrinking.com, I’ll leave the food commentary for another day, but I thought I should mention it in case any of you find yourself in the area. Read More

Red Oak Brewery | Hummin’ Bird Helles Golden Munich Lager

ABV: 4.5 | IBU: ~18

In addition to their flagship Amber Lager, Red Oak Brewery produces another beer deserving of extra attention, the Hummin’ Bird Helles, a golden Munich lager.

If … Read More

Wicked Weed | Black Angel

ABV: 6.6% | IBU: 16

In the shadow of the mountains of western North Carolina lies a beautiful, eclectic city called Asheville. While it’s known for many things, one of the greatest is its big and burgeoning beer scene. With dozens of quality craft brewers in the area, it takes something bold and unique to really stand out among such strong competition. Fortunately, we have just the thing in our review today of Wicked Weed Brewing’s Black Angel, a black sour ale aged in bourbon barrels on “obscene amounts of tart cherries” (it says so right on the bottle). Wicked Weed Brewing specializes in uniquely sour beers (among a slew of hoppy beers and Belgian styles), and Black Angel is perhaps one of their greatest creations. Read More

Asheville Brewing Company | Ninja Bread Man Porter

Somewhere between the huge patio (where vintage airport chairs used to serve as seats), the killer pizza, cornhole and the mini hop infusing baskets, Asheville Brewing Company has become the place that’s often my first stop in a city so full of incredible beer.

When we hit up ABC’s downtown location to grab lunch before heading to some breweries, I thought the biggest surprise was there were enough Big 10 conference football fans in the house to convince the manager to turn the tv to the Minnesota vs. Ohio State game (a rarity in the South, my friends).

But my beloved brew pub had yet another surprise waiting: the delightful Ninja Bread Man Porter.

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Wicked Weed Brewing’s Funkatorium

If you love serious sour and funk, be warned: you won’t want to leave Wicked Weed Brewing’s Funkatorium in Asheville, North Carolina. You’ll wonder if they’d notice if you hid among the barrels and spent the night. At 5’4”, this thought seriously went through my head.

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Highland Brewing Co. | Thunderstruck Coffee Porter

ABV: 5.8% | IBU: 26

With a name like Thunderstruck Coffee Porter, the expectation is clear. Highland Brewing‘s winter seasonal should bowl us over with its coffee essence. Read More

Red Oak Brewery | Bavarian Amber Lager

ABV: 5.0% | IBU: 20

I attended a soirée recently. Have any of you ever attended a soirée? If not, it’s just like a party, only with a French word. My … Read More