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.
Events
LagerFest 2019 (Saturday, Aug. 24 from 12 to 6 pm): Wrightsville Beach Brewery’s second annual LagerFest, a summer celebration of North Carolina lager beers, held at the brewery’s beer garden ($35 a ticket).
Dog Celebration Day (Sunday, Sep. 1): Flying Machine Brewing Co. is teaming up with K9000 Dog Wash USA to “celebrate dogs and their rightful place in our retail society” after passage of House Bill 290, allowing dogs into craft breweries. More details to come on the brewery’s Facebook page (link above).
Craft Beer 101 (Monday, Sep. 9 from 6 to 8 pm): a course at the Cape fear Community College ($75 registration fee) taught by local experts and business owners. The course will cover ingredients, beer styles, and the evolution of the brewing process via lectures, brewery visits, and tastings.
Halfway There Craft Beer Walk (Saturday, Sep. 21 from 12 to 9 pm): marking the halfway point to Cape Fear Craft Beer week in March, 18 local breweries will be setup at different venues downtown Wilmington to each release a new beer for the year (advanced registration is $10). More information can be found on the link above.
This week in craft beer Monday, August 19 – Sunday, August 25
Bill’s Brewing Co. | 4238 Market Street in midtown Wilmington
Draft Release (Wednesday, Aug. 21): JP’s Pilsner, “clean and easy to drink. Perfect for football season tailgating!” co-owner Brookes Musser said of the beer.
- 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
Collaboration Can-Release (Sunday, Aug. 18): Coastal Love Hazy IPA, a collaboration beer brewed last year with Wicked Weed Brewing and Green Man Brewery in Asheville for the Surfrider Foundation Cape Fear Chapter for Hurricane Florence relief. A portion of proceeds from every beer sold will go towards people in the Cape Fear region still recovering from the storm. The beer took gold in the Juicy/Hazy/NEIPA category during the 2019 U.S. Open Beer Championship.
- 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
Limited Release (Thursday, Aug. 22): Hold My Beery, a blackberry saison brewed at 4.9% ABV. Beer description: “A light American wheat beer that has ruthless additions of Centennial and Columbus hops in the whirlpool and dry hopping. The aroma is a bright mix of pine and citrus with a dank resin flavor profile that finishes clean off the palate, now with a light blackberry touch.”
- 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
Taproom Bottle Release (Saturday, Aug. 17): Forgotten Farms & Fields of Stone, lagered in stainless before fermenting on raw honey while resting in Vermont gin barrels with a light addition of hand-charred lemon (9% ABV). Served uncarbonated with the option of “on the rocks,” in homage to the Bee’s Knees cocktail that inspired the beer.
- 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
Rotating Release: a new batch of their Rotating House IPA is on draft, brewed with El Dorado and Mandarina Bavaria hops (see a photo at the top of this article).
- 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
Draft Release (Friday, Aug. 16): Bilyberry Wheat, made with fresh, local blueberries.
- 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
Recent Release (Thursday, Aug. 8): Strawberry Blonde, brewed at a drinkable 4% ABV and brewed with — you guessed it — strawberries and complimented with Damiana, an herbal remedy native to Mexico.
- 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
Can-Release (Thursday, Aug. 15): four-packs of Tunnel Digger, a New England Style IPA, available at the taproom.
- 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 (Aug. 21-23): Kamanawanaleiya Peach NEIPA.
- 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
New Taproom Opening (Wednesday, Aug. 14): Read about their new 30-barrel brewhouse and 3,000 square-foot taproom in the thriving South Front District here.
- Brewers’ Choice: Rusty Cage, Five Thieves, Hillbilly Prophet
- Founded: 2016
Red Hare 34 North Experiment Station | 4802 Main St in Shallotte
Can Release: A limited amount of cans of Hasenpfeffer Oktoberfest lager (5.5% ABV).
- 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
Tap Release (Wednesday, Aug. 14): Warrior Monk, a “toasty, biscuity” Vienna lager. A dollar from each beer sold benefits Paddle 4 Troops, an organization that supports local veterans and provides scholarships to students.
- 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
Re-Release (Friday, Aug. 16): Das Boot, a German-style festbier brewed at 6% ABV. “Perfect for weather that’s just starting to turn. Malty, bready, yet nice and light. Prost!” head brewer Ben Quinones said.
Release (sometime this week): Morty’s Mindbower, a New England IPA brewed and dry-hopped with Mandarina and Simcoe hops. “Juicy, fruity aroma, with a silky smooth body from oat and wheat additions. Spiritual cousin of Get Schwifty, one of our flagship beers,” Quinones said. Check their Facebook page (link above) for the release.
- 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
Recent Re-Release (Aug. 4): Russian Imperial Stout, brewed at a strong 9% ABV.
- 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 Beer Releases: the new U-352 Hefeweizen, a more drinkable version of the German Wheat style, and Beach Bunny IPA and Shore Break session IPA.
Upcoming Release: SSS–Triple Berry (a sour).
- 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
Brewhouse Expansion: the brewery is currently setting up new tanks in an expanded brewhouse.
Can-Release: Jason, Stop Texting Your Mom, a double-dry-hopped New England style IPA named in honor of an employee. “One of our staff, Jason Semer, is the best — and his mom is awesome,” co-owner Michelle Savard said. “They keep in touch a lot.”
- 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
Lagerfest 2019 (Aug. 24): in celebration of North Carolina lager beers (more information at the top of this article).
- 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
