NoDa Brewing Co. in Charlotte, NC, is heralded for its devotion to rye.
Charlotte, NC
It’s no secret that Asheville is king of the Carolinas when it comes to craft beer culture. It’s home to a dozen breweries and counting. Happily, the other pockets in Cackalacky are catching up, and Charlotte, a little over a hundred miles east, is staking its claim as an emerging beer town. That might sound strange considering it’s the Tar Heel State’s largest city and home to a handful of Fortune 500 companies, not to mention the NASCAR Hall of Fame, but locally brewed beers are a relatively new deal here.
North Carolina beer featured prominently in national media outlets when Charlotte hosted the Democratic National Convention, including Raleigh-based Lonerider Brewing crafting the “official beer” of the CNN Grill. Once the market was tapped, it just keeps flowing and growing. Guiding us through Charlotte’s scene is Win Bassett, executive director of the North Carolina Brewers Guild (and former All About Beer staffer).
If at all possible during a beercation, stay active. In Charlotte, that means heading to the U.S. National Whitewater Center (5000 Whitewater Center Parkway) with a man-made recirculating river with Class II-IV rapids. Fun for couples, just the guys, or the whole family. The impossibly good deal of the AllSport Pass includes all of the following: whitewater rafting, whitewater or flatwater kayaking, “War Canoes,” stand-up paddle boarding, a mega zipline, 46-foot mega freefall, rock climbing, adventure/ropes course, mountain biking and more. The center also organizes Microbrews Cruises, wherein participants paddle down the Catawba River before arriving to a campfire dinner hosted by rotating breweries from far and near.
Win points out that the story of Charlotte craft beer starts with the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (215 Southside Drive) in the South End district. OMB started brewing its authentic Bavarian lagers in 2009, always adhering to the Reinheitsgebot—the German Beer Purity Law—so you won’t find outrageously flavored beers, but you will discover a killer altbier in its OMB Copper. Soak up the suds in the traditional bierhall or soak up some rays out in the biergarten. Visit on weekends for free tours at 2, 3 and 4 p.m.
A year later, Four Friends Brewing (10913 C Office Park Drive) opened its doors with easy-drinking beers such as Queen City Red, taking its name from CLT’s nickname, even if several other American cities also call themselves Queen City.
Then in 2011, also in South End, came Triple C Brewing (2900 Griffith St.). The beautiful wood-rich taproom has a picture window revealing the gleaming brewhouse where three levels of beers are born. Dip your toes into the water with a single-C beer such as Golden Boy. Ain’t nothing intimidating about a 4.5 percent beer that’s a golden treasure of refreshment. Among the CC Series is the quintessential Greenway IPA (6.5%, 65 IBUs) as well as an intriguing Smoked Amber that “people flock to,” according to Bassett, which is accentuated with German chocolate wheat malt. For the advanced connoisseur, the CCC Series is reserved for high-gravity or barrel-aged beers such as Baby Maker Imperial IPA and Up All Night Breakfast Porter.
From there, Bassett’s tour heads a few miles up to the hip North Davidson Arts District, better known as NoDa. So it stands to reason that by late 2011, NoDa Brewing Co. (2229 N. Davidson St.) arrived on the scene and, as Bassett says, has “made the most noise” thanks, in part, to its NoDable releases of one-offs each Tuesday.
NoDa’s affinity for incorporating rye shows in a few beers, most notably NoDaRyeZ’d (for pronunciation help, think of what a notary public does), a double RyePA, as well as other styles such as Rye Not (stout), Rye So Serious (Belgian dark strong) and Ramble On (red ale). Then again, its Coco Loco American Porter garnered a medal at last year’s Great American Beer Festival and the brewers play around with it, as is the case with their version made with rum-soaked vanilla beans.
Opening directly across the street from NoDa is Birdsong Brewing (2315 N. Davidson St.). Bassett says brewer Conor Robinson is a wee 24 years old, but is “pumping out great beers” indicative of a mature craft palate. Robinson added some heat to Birdsong’s standard Free Will Pale Ale to create Jalapeño Pale Ale. In addition to coriander as a traditional witbier ingredient, Robinson’s use of thyme makes Doin’ Thyme Wit a savory, food-friendly beer.
Increasing Charlotte’s brewery population to six will be brewing operations in the new Heist Brewpub (2909 N. Davidson St., Suite 200). Calling its menu “twisted American cuisine” from fire-cooked foods down to house-made sodas for kids and non-imbibers, this pub situated in the Heist Building will offer Charlatans, er, Charlotteans, another opportunity to drink local. In fact, if all goes according to plan, brewery No. 7 will open with the currently-in-planning Free Range Brewing.
When it comes to beer bars, while there are over two dozen affiliated with Charlotte Beer Week, Win’s top picks begin with Mac’s Speed Shop, a Carolinian institution with two locations in Charlotte (2511 South Blvd. in South End and 2414 Sandy Porter Road in Steele Creek). Here at this biker-themed bar, you’ll not only find great BBQ such as hickory smoked brisket, but also a whopping beer menu with beers from breweries across the state, such as Big Boss, Duck Rabbit and Highland.
As if to illustrate that it’s built on the strength of the beers, The Liberty (1812 South Blvd.) is bolstered by columns made of actual kegs. Draft offerings run the gamut from Old Meck right up the road to rare kegs from San Diego’s Ballast Point, to say nothing of its impressive bottle (and can) list. While the Charlotte Observer says the bar has best “new school” burger, it’d be perfectly easy to nosh on its array of munchies and small plates with the likes of house-made pretzels, BBQ pork rinds, and house-cured meats, as well as the beer drinker’s favorite, poutine.
While in NoDa, Bassett suggests Revolution Pizza (3228 N. Davidson St.) for its signature NoDa pie (topped with pulled pork, peppadew peppers and caramelized onions, and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Oh my!). He further suggests pairing it with either the NoDa Coco Loco (great with pork) or Birdsong’s Jalapeño Pale Ale (“to bring out the spiciness of the peppadew”).
While down in South End, visit Duckworth’s (4435 Park Road, as well as 14015 Conlan Circle in Ballantyne), where the draft list runs 60 beers long and you can order “beer blends” such as “Cream of Wheat” made with part hefeweizen, part stout. The food menu also features pizzas but continues onto Carolina BBQ, and a page full of Philly-style sandos.
Before returning home, fill up your shopping baskets and, in turn, your trunk or checked baggage, at Common Market (two locations: 2007 Commonwealth Ave. in Plaza Midwood, or 1515 S. Tryon St. in South End) where there are free craft beer tastings most Wednesdays at the Plaza Midwood location and Thursdays at new the South End one. Also new on the scene is Salud Beer Shop (3306 North Davidson St.), a cute bodega with hundreds of bottles (and six taps) to choose from.
