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 2 – Sunday, September 8
Bill’s Brewing Co. | 4238 Market Street in midtown Wilmington
Recent Release (Aug. 21): 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
Bottle Release: mob•oc•ra•cy, a saison beer aged for two years in pinot noir barrels with cherry and mango.
- 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 (Friday, Sep. 30): the Lemon-ted Addition, a lemon zest session IPA brewed at 4.9% ABV.
Limited Release (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
Cask Beer Release (Sunday, Sep. 1): a special collab cask beer, cocktail-inspired with smoked cherries and lemon peel on top of their Empire of Air, a New England pale ale.
- 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 (Sunday, Sep. 1): Raspberry Blackcurrant Saison.
- 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
Upcoming Release (Friday, Sep. 6): 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 (Aug. 29): a small batch of blueberry wheat beer made with local blueberries from Carol Sue Blueberry Farm.
- 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
Recent Release: Kamanawanaleiya Peach, a pale ale dry hopped with Citra and Amarillo hops and conditioned with peaches.
- 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
Limited Can Release: Perpetual Outrage, a double dry hopped American IPA, available at their new taproom on 110 Greenfield Street.
- Brewers’ Choice: Rusty Cage, Five Thieves, Hillbilly Prophet
- Founded: 2016
Red Hare 34 North Experiment Station | 4802 Main St in Shallotte
Recent Can Release: Limited 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
Growlers and crowler fills are available for Hurricane Dorian prep.
- 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
Tap 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
2019 NC Brewers’ Cup: Waterline won second place for its Wee Heavy in the Scottish and Irish Beer category.
- 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
Tap Release: Strawberry Basil from their Sandglass Sour Series (4.3% ABV). The beer description reads, “Notes of basil on the nose will entice you into this easy-drinking sour ale. This clean, crisp ale is tart, yet balanced with sweet summer strawberries and an herbal finish.”
- 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
Upcoming Seasonal: They just brewed their annual Pretty Pumpkin Ale with their neighbors at Apple Annie’s Bake Shop.
- 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
Tap Release: Porter City Java, a Pompano Porter brewed in collaboration with Port City Java (6.3% ABV). Beer description: “We’ve blended in a cold brew dark roast Sumatra for an awesome beer with a strong coffee flavor but almost no bitterness.”
- 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
