WILMINGTON — The Wilmington area continues to grow its reputation as an “Asheville East” of craft breweries — there are now 18 in the region — and we’ll be here to keep you in the loop. Our craft beer tracker is a place to keep up with scheduled beer releases, festivals, special casks, and more for the week ahead. We’ll publish every week and update as information comes along.
Schedules can fluctuate inside the brewhouse, so check the breweries’ links for updates on their Facebook pages. Brewers and taproom managers: keep us informed at pcd@localvoicemedia.com.
This week in craft beer Monday, September 16 – Sunday, September 22
Bill’s Brewing Co. | 4238 Market Street in midtown Wilmington
Recent Release: JP’s Pilsner. Beer description: “Clean and easy to drink. Perfect for football season tailgating!”
- Brewing Philosophy: “We strive to create beer that everyone can enjoy, from the craft beer connoisseur to individuals new to the craft beer scene.”
- Brewers’ Top 3: Dog Haze of Summer NEIPA, Schwarzbier, and Wave Break IPA
- Founded: June 2016
Broomtail Craft Brewery | 6404 Amsterdam Way, King’s Grant area of Wilmington
‘Sour Sunday’ Release: Blueberry Passion Fruit Bam (6% ABV), a golden sour fermented with blueberries and pomegranate on their house lactobacillus culture.
- Brewing Philosophy: “To enrich the world by using scientific art coupled with the natural resources and living organisms provided by Mother Nature developing unique, high-quality beer for all to enjoy.”
- Brewers’ Top 3: Galloping Gose’ – series of light sours using natural lactobacillus and brewers yeast in fermentation to develop smooth, refreshing, true to style Gose’; Acerbic Ecstasy – flagship IPA, a hybrid English / West Coast IPA; Moe Beer – signature brown ale, highly crushable and pairs well with almost any dish.
- Founded: 2014
And keep up with their souring/barrel-aging facility and taproom in Ogden, The Sour Barn (7211 Market Street).
Edward Teach Brewery | 604 N 4th Street in downtown Wilmington
New Beer Releases (sometime this week): a Witt, Raspberry Witt, and Oktoberfest.
- Brewing Philosophy: We focus on balance within each beer style we make & enjoy brewing everything from Lagers to IPAs.
- Founded: December 2017
Flying Machine Brewing Co. | 3130 Randall Parkway in midtown Wilmington
Collaboration Batch (Release TBD): a West Coast IPA alongside Minor Key Brewing’s Richard Van Dorn, who has roots in Oregon.
Collaboration Batch (Release 9/28): Trophy Brewing from Raleigh will be coming to town to collaborate on a Festbier for Oktoberfest 2019. To celebrate, they’ll be partying in Oktoberfest fashion on Saturday, September 28 with German sausages, live music, and a traditional barrel tapping to release the Festbier.
- Brewing Philosophy: “We want to mix new age ideas with old school techniques to bring a new era of innovation to the marketplace.”
- Brewers’ Top 3: Vimana (a Kölsch), Hollow Bones (a Roggenbier), and Hollow Wolf Lord (a double New England IPA)
- Founded: June 2016
Flytrap Brewing | Located at 319 Walnut Street in downtown Wilmington
Tap Release (Sep. 11): Plum Dubbel, with rich flavors of dark fruit and caramel.
- Brewing Style: “A neighborhood brewery specializing in small batch American and Belgian style ales that are guaranteed to be at the peak of freshness.”
- Brewers’ Top 3: Our Saisons, our Rotating House IPA, and our Kettle Sour Ales
- Founded: October 2014
Front Street Brewery | 9 N. Front Street in downtown Wilmington
- Brewing Style: “Specializing in American and Belgian style ales and small-batch brews.”
- Brewers’ Top 3: Amberjack ESB, Napoleon Rye-namite, Tiny Tim’s Christmas Ale
- Founded: 1995
Good Hops Brewing | 811 Harper Ave in Carolina Beach
Tap Release (Sep. 11): a small batch of ShooFly Lager.
- Mission: “To make and drink damn tasty beer, offer a comfortable neighborhood gathering place and support all things local.”
- Flagships: Donna Golden Ale, Flip Hop IPA, Stanky Yankee Hazy IPA
- Founded: 2014
Ironclad Brewery | 115 N. 2nd Street in downtown Wilmington
Stay tuned to their Facebook page (link above) for any releases.
- Brewing Philosophy: “We strive to provide each beer enthusiast with a unique experience by infusing traditional styles with unexpected ingredients: Fermentation of the Imagination!”
- Brewers’ Top 3: Smoked Honey Lager, Cukes of Hazard, and Navigator Double Bock
- Founded: 2015
Mad Mole Brewing | 6309 Boathouse Road near Bradley Creek in Wilmington
New Beer Release (Sep. 12): Dano’s Amber Ale. “With years of perfecting this recipe home brewing, Dano’s Amber has a clean malty backbone with subtle spice and a splash of fruit aromas,” according to the beer description.
New Beer Release (Sep. 6): 1 Mole IPA, their newest New England IPA.
- About: “Wilmington’s first solar-powered brewery. Spun off from a local software company, Mad Mole combines technology and art to brew better beer.”
- Founded: June 2018
Makai Brewing Co. | 5850 Ocean Highway W. in Ocean Isle Beach
Tap Release (TBD): Carolina Tropical IPA.
- Brewing Philosophy: “Extending the reach of North Carolina craft beer ‘toward the sea’ with consistent flagships and diverse small-batches inspired by the Hawaiian Islands, the Carolina Coast, and our local community.”
- Brewers’ Choice: Carolina Tropical IPA, Nightingale Coffee Porter, Fire Knife DIPA
- Founded: 2017
New Anthem Beer Project | 116 Dock St. & 110 Greenfield St.
Can Update: Outrage, Super Low, Illest, Hammer, Cage, Joliesse, and Little Star available at their new 110 Greenfield Street location.
- Brewers’ Choice: Rusty Cage, Five Thieves, Hillbilly Prophet
- Founded: 2016
Red Hare 34 North Experiment Station | 4802 Main St. in Shallotte
Stay tuned on their Facebook page (link above) for any releases.
- Brewing Style: “Our style is fun, approachable beers. Specialize in lagers and crushable IPA’s to experiment wilds and sours, all usually with a classical and historically accurate base but with our innovative spin.”
- Brewers’ Top 3: Soft J IPA, SPF 50/50 Tangerine, and Putin’s Paradise Russian Imperial Stout
- Founded: 2012 (Shallotte location opened April 2018)
Salty Turtle Beer Co. | 103 Triton Lane in Surf City
The brewery will be closed from Monday, September 16 to Sunday, September 22 for taproom and brewery upgrades.
- About: “Veteran-owned brewery located in Surf City, consisting of 10 rotating taps and a family-friendly taproom featuring food trucks and live music.”
- Brewers’ Choice: Coastline Kölsch, Hey Zay NEIPA, Swingbridge Breakfast Stout
- Founded: Dec. 2017
Skytown Beer Company | 4712 New Centre Dr. in Wilmington
Recent Collaboration Release: Mole Town Road (6.8% ABV), a West Coast IPA brewed and dry-hopped with Falconer’s Flight and Simcoe hops in collaboration with Mad Mole Brewing.
- Brewing Philosophy: “We want to highlight the homebrewing recipes created by owners Chef Stephen and beer sommelier Hayley on a larger scale all while incorporating and starting new beer trends,” head brewer Ben Quinones said.
- Brewers’ Choice: Cashmere-Dragon (a NEIPA), New Fake Doors (a Citrus Saison), and Pinchelada (a Mexican Lager).
- Founded: November 2017
Waterline Brewing Co. | 721 Surry Street in Downtown Wilmington
4th Annual Oktoberfest Under the Bridge: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m., in celebration of Munich’s famous beer festival.
- Brewing Philosophy: “Brewed Under the Bridge with a focus on traditional, easy-drinking beer styles with the occasional twist.”
- Brewers’ Choice: Our top-selling Kolsch, awarding-winning Coffee and Cream Pale Ale, and the annual release of our Whiskey Barrel Aged Tennessee Tripel.
- Founded: 2014
Waterman’s Brewing | 1610 Pavilion Place near the Wrightsville bridge
Recent Tap Release: Goseway (4.8% ABV), a tart, lime gose-style beer made with Wrightsville Beach sea salt provided by Sea Love Sea Salt Co.
- Brewing Philosophy: “Love your liquid!”
- Brewers’ Choice: Abundant Sunshine IPA, Knothead ESB, Makin’ Me Hazy IPA
- Opened: July 2017
Wilmington Brewing Co. | 824 Kerr Avenue in midtown Wilmington
Recent Release: FU Dorian IPL (6.7% ABV) in collaboration with Bond Brothers Beer Company in the Raleigh area. A dollar from every pint will be donated to hurricane relief.
- About: “Homegrown from a small home-brew shop to an 11,800 square-foot facility. WBC includes a 3bbl and 25bbl brewery, tasting room, and a home-brew supply store.”
- Brewers’ Choice: Tropical Lightning IPA, Blair’s Breakfast Stout, Jalapeño Saison
- Opened brewery/taproom: 2014
Wrightsville Beach Brewery | 6201 Oleander Drive near Bradley Creek
Oktoberfest Lager Release (Friday, Sep. 20): the brewery’s third rendition of a traditional Marzen beer will be released on the first day of the official Oktoberfest in Munich. “Rich depth of malt flavors, dark amber color, coming in at 5.7% [ABV],” owner Jud Watkins described the beer.
- Brewing Style: “Wide variety perfect for sipping on the beach, including a year-round selection of lagers.”
- Brewers’ Choice: Carolina Harvest Ale, Raspberry Berlinerweisse, bourbon barrel-aged Masonbarrel Barleywine
- Founded: 2016
