The Queen City on the Rise

It’s no secret that North Carolina has become a darling in the world of craft beer, a destination like few others, and likely the hottest of the southeastern spots for the good suds stuff. Certainly other states are progressing quite well, and South Carolina is no slouch, and one or two of its breweries are often at the top of best national beer lists, but it’s the Old North State that, brewery for brewery, wins the day.
However, for long periods of time, North Carolina’s title was built on a single city: Asheville. Certainly there were other top-notch breweries in other cities across the state. For years, Duck Rabbit Brewery, the dark beer specialists, gave folks a reason to visit Farmville, NC. Winston-Salem’s Foothills Brewery was winning national awards before the rest of the southern states were brewing beer. And the Carolina Brewery had Tarheels drinking craft beer back in the mid-’90s.
Yet it was the mountains and the area surrounding Asheville that did, does and will continue to get the brewing plaudits in N.C. It’s an amazing town, and deserves the accolades. Nevertheless, and for good reason, folks are looking more centrally these days, as Charlotte is making a push to become the next jewel in NC’s beer crown.
For the longest time, I held a grudge against Charlotte. A former girlfriend moved there, it didn’t end well. Numerous visits offered either a ghost town on the weekends, or the epitome of Banker-Fratville. It seemed to have no soul, no vibe, the town just seemed fake. I overlooked Charlotte for good reason, who cares if they had a mediocre pro football team and a non-hornet basketball team, it wasn’t worth the time.
No more, Charlotte is worth the time, and as a beer destination, it should be on your list. With about 10 solid if not above average breweries, and word of more than 20 more in the works, the largest city in North Carolina may not play second fiddle to Asheville for long.
While the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery supplied the Bank of America town with beer for nearly ten years, it was the arrival of NoDa, and it’s ridiculously delicious Hop, Drop and Roll IPA, which fired the first shot in Charlotte’s beer revolution. Several other top notch brews, and a campaign to show us your cans pushed NoDa to the top. Add to that list wonderful offerings from Triple C Brewing Co., Birdsong Brewing, and one of my newer favorites, the Unknown Brewing Co., and stopping off in CLT is a chore no more.
Innovative brewing and creative canning catch the tongue, nose and eye from the off. Unknown’s Over the Edge IPA is a nearly 7 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) west-coast inspired delight that goes down easy, but is tangy and tasty. Pre Game is a nice little 4.5 percent ABV session ale, while Ginger Wheat is only slightly ginger, solidly wheat, and refreshing all the way.
Made with black tea leaves and orange blossom honey, Hospitali-Tea is a south amber ale that really shows off it southern side, and is the closest beer to sweet tea I’ve ever encountered. I look forward to the 12.4% Russian imperial stout Dirty Commie Heathen this winter. People can change, and so can towns. It’s time to give Charlotte, NC another try. I will, I hope you’ll join me. Enjoy the brews…Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.