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 throughout as information comes along.
Remember, schedules can fluctuate inside the brewhouse, so check the breweries’ links for updates on their Facebook pages. Brewers, taproom managers, and owners — keep us informed at pcd@localvoicemedia.com.
This week in craft beer Monday, Feb. 11 – Sunday, Feb. 17
Bill’s Brewing Co. | 4238 Market Street in midtown Wilmington
They’ll be hosting a Pink Boots Society Collaboration Brew Day on Tuesday, February 12. The beer will be made for the Biere de Femme beer festival at Highland Brewing in Asheville on March 2.
On Sunday, February 17 (2-4 p.m.), Anita Riley, an assistant brewer at Lonerider Brewing, will be discussing education for women in the craft beer industry.
- 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
Keep your eyes on their Facebook page (link above) for a few new releases in the coming weeks: the Enkindled Smoked IPA, Nycto sour, Acerbic Wild, and The Ocean NEIPA (New England India Pale Ale).
The Enkindled is a smoked IPA back on tap for a short time. “A local favorite of the select few who like smoked beers,” owner Barry Owings said. “It’s our Acerbic IPA recipe with a portion of the base grain replaced with beechwood smoked malt from the UK.”
The Nycto is their first in a series of flagship dark color–light body sours. The first release is “fruitless” and will serve as the base for the upcoming fruited versions to be released monthly. Available at Broomtail and Sour Barn and distributed to regional restaurants and bars.
The Acerbic Wild is a limited release of their flagship Acerbic Ecstasy fermented on a wild farmhouse yeast. And The Ocean (of Hops) NEIPA-style is their next addition to the Plumbum Series.
- 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
Keep up with their souring/barrel aging facility and taproom in Ogden, The Sour Barn (7211 Market Street).
Check Six Brewing Co. | 5130 Southport-Supply Road in Southport
Their newest release is the Handley Page 1500, adapted from a 400-year old Scottish recipe then brewed and aged in barrels for a year.
- Brewing Philosophy: “Make the finest ales and lagers possible, using local ingredients whenever possible.”
- Brewers’ Top 3: Harley Pope Vanilla Porter, Aerial Aggression Double IPA, B-17 Bock
- Founded: June 2016
Edward Teach Brewery | 604 N 4th Street in downtown Wilmington
Nothing new to report here – watch their Facebook page (link above) for any releases.
- About:: “Set in a historic firehouse in Wilmington’s Brooklyn Arts District, we craft beers for everyone. Try our German or Black Lagers, Peach Wheat Ale, and IPAs.”
- Founded: December 2017
Flying Machine Brewing Co. | 3130 Randall Parkway in midtown Wilmington
Spring is coming and the upcoming “Kolsch weekend” (Feb. 15-17) will feature five different types of Kolsch. And go stop by to see if there’s anything in their three casks this past weekend: Hollowbones (Roggenbier) with orange zest and parsley, Stringfellow (English table) with hibiscus and rose hip, and Maker of Wings (American IPA) with strata hops.
Plus a beer and bonbon pairing on Valentines Day (tickets needed).
- 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
Their “Flagship February” spotlight is on the Rehder’s Red (pictured at right) which has been in their core lineup since day one. This slightly malty, balanced, American style Red is named after Stanley Rehder – a local pioneer of Flytrap preservation.
- 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
Out on draft this past weekend (Feb. 9-10) are the Spring Brew Bière de Mars and Figgie Smalls Barrel Soured Golden Ale.
The Spring Brew, which won gold at the Beer Cup in 2012, is a rare French farmhouse style known as Bière de Mars, brewed from barley, wheat, and oats to make a “classier version of the wheat beer.”
The Figgie Smalls is a golden sour ale began as the Porch Swing Orange Lager before being aged in an oak barrel for 6 months with a bucket of fresh figs from the Burgwin-Wright House Gardens. “Our wild yeast culture has turned it into an ultra-refreshing, lightly tart beer with a pleasant hint of oak and fruit, not unlike a sparkling wine,” sales manager Ellie Craig said.
- 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
Look out for a Valentine’s Day release of the Broken Hearted Stout this Thursday “with chocolates for your sweetheart.”
- 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
Nothing new to report here – watch 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
Their recent small batch of the Imperial Stout was brewed with 20 ounces of cold brew coffee that they made in-house. Then they added a house-made vanilla extract using vanilla beans from Fresh Market.
- 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. Unit 1 in Ocean Isle Beach
Nothing new here, but head brewer Gabe Ashmore has five brew days coming up so expect some releases toward the end of February or the beginning of March.
- 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 Street in downtown Wilmington
Their newest draft is the Bluebird IPA (pictured at right), brewed at 7.2 percent ABV with pale malt, wheat, and Centennial hops.
- Brewing Style: “Diverse and recognizable hoppy beers with a sidecar of barrel-aged dark beers and traditional styles from the UK and Belgium.”
- Brewers’ Choice: Rusty Cage, Five Thieves, Hillbilly Prophet
- Founded: 2016
Red Hare 34 North Experiment Station | 4802 Main St in Shallotte
Keep your eyes out for a release of a beer they brewed in collaboration with Bill’s Brewing on Saturday, Feb. 9.
- 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 Love Potion Porter will be released this Valentine’s Day (Thursday) – brewed with cocoa nibs and raspberry.
- 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
Waterline Brewing Co. | 721 Surry Street in Downtown Wilmington
Cape Fear Community College will be hosting a Craft Beer 101 class at Waterline Brewing on Monday, February 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. “In this course, you will be introduced to the basics of craft beer, including ingredients, beer styles and the history and evolution of the brewing process through a mixture of lecture, brewery visits, tastings and interactive conversations with experience craft beer professionals,” the course description reads.
- 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
Their latest, the Morning Glass Guatemalan Imperial Coffee Ale, is named for the “quite beautiful early morning time on the water” and features Guatemalan coffee beans from the Antigua Region roasted locally by Pine State Coffee.
“The roasted beans were introduced to the finished beer in a traditional cold brew process,” owner Craig Gee said. “The coffee beans were ground, sacked, and hung in the fermenter all on the same day to allow the fresh coffee aromas to really impart their fruity qualities to the beer.”
- 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
Their Jalapeño Saison is now on draft. “A local favorite with quite the fan club, a beer made with fresh jalapeños from our neighbors at La Huerta Produce,” co-owner Michelle Savard said.
- 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, Wilmington
On Wednesday, Feb. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m., they’ll be hosting an oyster bar where participants can pair local oysters with beer and wine.
Read about their latest collaboration with Tama Cafe, who used their brewhouse to create a line of carbonated green tea cans.
- 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
