WILMINGTON — Starting Friday, residents of the Cape Fear community can enjoy a week’s worth of craft beer festivities.
The Cape Fear Craft Beer Alliance is hosting the second annual Cape Fear Craft Beer Week, running from March 23 to April 1.
According to the Brewers’ Association, a craft beer is defined as having an annual production of less than six million barrels and less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned by a beverage alcohol industry member.
The Cape Fear Craft Beer Alliance is not-for-profit organization with a mission to promote awareness and increase visibility of craft beer in the Cape Fear Region through education and participation in community events.
“We support craft beer–not just the ones made here locally– because they’re usually small businesses, very community-oriented and these breweries make sure the money stays right here in Wilmington,” said CFCBA President Jeremy Tomlinson. “We create jobs and use local services to boost our community. That’s what’s important to craft breweries.”
The Craft Beer Week is continuing the tradition of recognizing the Cape Fear Region’s thriving craft beer culture through a week-long celebration that attracts beer tourism, draws awareness and serves as a showcase for the Cape Fear’s breweries, bottle shops, restaurants and craft-centric businesses.
“There is a Wilmington Beer Week that’s put on by Lighthouse in the Fall and we wanted to come up with more of a collaborative beer week, getting all the breweries involved to share the planning to put something together for the spring,” said Tomlinson. “Also, April is the North Carolina beer month and we thought this would be a great lead in.”
The week of events showcases beers brewed in and beyond the Cape Fear region and invites participants to explore events such as An Evening with Westbrook Brewing at Fermental on March 24, Beer Week Yoga at Wilmington Brewing Company on March 27 or the Exclusive Beer Release: Suicide Quad at Front Street Brewing Company on March 29.
Related stories: For a craft brewery culture to survive and thrive, it takes a little help from friends; From prohibition to today: The demystification of local, craft beer
The week starts with the Ultimate Brewing Championship on Friday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hannah S. Block Community Arts Center.
The competition invites Cape Fear craft brewers to showcase their creativity by using unusual North Carolina-specific ingredients to create a custom beer in the style of their choosing.
“We have 13 of our local breweries pick ingredients out of a hat—last year we had someone pick bacon and melon–and the brewers have to make a beer out of it,” Tomlinson said. “We have a tasting event and everyone votes for their favorite. It’s definitely along the lines of a people’s choice award. We’re also going to have three beers that are not a part of the competition that people can just drink.”
The closing event is the Cape Fear Craft & Cuisine, Craft Beer Week’s food and beer pairing event which will feature chef-created cuisine paired with local and North Carolina craft beer.
The Cape Fear Craft & Cuisine will be on Saturday, March 31 at 6 p.m at the Airlie Gardens.
For more information on events throughout the week, please contact beerweek@capefearcraft.org or visit the Cape Fear Craft Beer Week website at http://capefearcraftbeerweek.com.
