Carolina Beer Co.

Carolina Beer Co.Carolina Beer Co.
Carolina Beer Co.Carolina Beer Co.
Bar, Eatery

5501 Josh Birmingham Pkwy
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28208-5750
United States | map
charmeck.org

Located in Terminal D of Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.41
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
23
pDev:
15.84%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Billolick:
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Reviewed by Billolick from New York

3.58/5  rDev +5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
This place worked for me...had an hour or so layover...connecting flight's gate was in the same terminal...tap options seemed pretty tame, the best selection was at the kiosk where there were about a dozen quality mostly local options in cans...expensive...I wish every airport was as nice as this one and finding a place to buy a can of local DIPA before a flight is always a plus...not worth travelling across the airport for, but if things work out...give it a try
May 26, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of cratez
Reviewed by cratez from Canada (ON)

3.2/5  rDev -6.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.25 | service: 3.25 | selection: 3.25 | food: 3
What I had: Catawba Valley Firewater IPA on tap and a sample of Foothills Carolina Blonde.
What I liked: No issue finding seats at the attractive, well-stocked bar, bartender made good recommendations based on what we were looking for.
What I disliked: Beer selection is decent but small, service wasn’t as friendly as Taste of Carolina, didn’t notice any food options.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Overall Rating: 64
Jan 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3.47 by Zonian1 from Ohio

May 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by BarrelAgedG from California

Mar 30, 2016
Photo of Nctide
Reviewed by Nctide from Indiana

2.93/5  rDev -14.1%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Seems to be the best option in the clt airport for a good local beer. Olde mecklenberg and Noda were the 2 best Charlotte options. The place itself is unremarkable so just look at it as a small craft oasis in an airport. It's at the end of terminal d.
Feb 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by JackNip from Delaware

Oct 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by cptbenjamin from North Carolina

Oct 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by hockeypuck from Maine

Oct 31, 2013
Photo of metter98
Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.54/5  rDev +3.8%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.75
Vibe: The bar/restaurant is located near the end of Terminal D and was very quick to get to from the center atrium. The setup was your typical airport setup with stools at the bar and tables outside. The tables were outside in the concourse with a high ceiling so it sort of had an open air atmosphere.

Quality: Beers were served at the proper temperature in the proper glassware.

Service: I sat at the bar, so service was prompt, especially since it wasn't that long.

Selection: I counted four taps of local craft beers, including two from Foothills (Hoppyum and Carolina Blonde) and two from The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (Captain James Jack Pilsner and OMG Copper). Beers were available in 14 and 20 ounce sizes.

Overall: I had a short layover so I couldn't sample the food but it seemed like a nice spot to sit to eat if you had a couple of hours to kill. The beers seemed a little pricey, but not too bad when you consider the airport markup and that they offered local craft beers.
May 26, 2013
Photo of Jbd
Reviewed by Jbd from North Carolina

1.55/5  rDev -54.5%
vibe: 1 | quality: 1 | service: 1 | selection: 3
Where to start?

Well at 8pm 5/16/2013 my wife and I went to the Carolina Beer co. In CLT airport. This is what we found:

1). Tables were not clean
2). Area was 1/4 to 1/3 full with what appeared to be 4 waitresses, and it took more than five minutes to even get one to the table
3). Waitress was terse, ill-empered, and definitely disinterested. When I asked where I could find the beer selection, I got a huff and what seemed like a belligerent answer.
4). Then: "I'll be back in a minute when your ready". After about 5-10, we left.

Bottom line, don't waste your time, in fact if there quality assurance is anything like there service and service area, your just s likely to end up drinking something you don't want (or maybe even tainted).

DON'T GO THERE!
May 17, 2013
Photo of beer2day
Reviewed by beer2day from North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +10.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
As others have said, this place is not that remarkable ... except for the fact it is in an airport in North Carolina.

Located deep in terminal D. Not much of a walk and the people movers will help if you are in a hurry.

Smallish place with a small bar and a few tables. Beers come in pints and 23oz glasses, no matter what style you order. Two Foothills (including Hoppyum), an Olde Meck, and Carolina Blonde on tap. Several other crafts also offered, but those were the NC choices.

Food is pretty standard airport bar fare, nothing more. The selections kept my family happy.

If you have a layover in CLT, this place is worth the walk.
Sep 12, 2012
Photo of Daniellobo
Reviewed by Daniellobo from District of Columbia

3.65/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Maybe nothing extraordinary, but having a spot with regional craft brews in an airport terminal is remarkable. The brews offered are quality for the most part, personally keen on the foothills IPA. The service is fair given the circumstances, and so is the pricing for an airport. Food is OK airport fare with a nod to southern inspiration. The BBQ pulled pork sandwich was all right. Nothing really to go out of ones departing gate if this is not close, but when passing through I´m sure glad is here.
May 13, 2012
Photo of Tilley4
Reviewed by Tilley4 from Tennessee

2.28/5  rDev -33.1%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 2
Disappointing... Asked for an Endo IPA and what I got was clearly a wheat beer... I mentioned it to the bartender and he acted offended and pretty much implied that I didn't know what an IPA was supposed to taste like... I could've torched that ass but I chose to take the high road... This was a total waste of time... Very disappointing...not to mention that a 20 oz brew was almost 8 bucks... I was extremely disappointed in this place... Way too pricey and with the brew being wrong at the tap, I walked down to Chili's and had a Boston Lager that smoked the "IPA" I had at this place
Aug 10, 2011
Photo of MillRat
Reviewed by MillRat from Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +15.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
First things first. This in on the secure side of this airport. You're not going to get to this place unless you are flying into, out of, or connecting through this airport (since this is a US Airways hub, there's a lot of that "connecting through" traffic). Even the infrequent traveler is probably aware that businesses at airports, even on the non-secure side, seem to aim for a price/value equation where the customer scowls at the hapless ("Sorry, sir, I don't set the prices") cashier or waiter, but does not actually launch into an obscenity-laden tirade about how badly he's being ripped off. My ratings therefore compare this location (with 4 draft craft beers) to other airport secure-side competitors (with 0 craft brews), not to what one can find away from an airport. Figure a full point down in each category if you want to compare my ratings to a non-airport joint.

This place is located at the end of terminal D, on the other side of a bagel joint. Not exactly high-profile, but you don't have to help them pay the kind of rent they'd have if they were in the food court area, either. Decor is Applebee's-ish, but they do have a decent-size seating area.

Very nice brews, clean lines, and the barkeep knew the beers pretty well. I sat at the bar both times I connected through here, so I can't speak to the waitstaff's knowledge. Draft selection was two BMcs to 4 craft brews, crafts win.

Food was bar-food quality, the portions were perhaps a little smaller than might be found in the home brewpub. The menu was pretty limited and stuck to quick-turnaround items that work well with looming boarding calls.

Drink prices were even with other places in the airport, and food prices only a buck or so above what you'd pay for a soggy sandwich in plastic wrap.

Overall this might be the best food & drink value in the airport even if you don't like craft beers. I have yet to find another airport-based craft brew outlet that does this sort of thing detectably better that Carolina Beer Company does it here.
Jan 22, 2011
Photo of jrallen34
Reviewed by jrallen34 from Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -3.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5
I was dropped off at the airport 3 hours early, thanks to the gf family want to get rid of us, so thankfully I spotted this place to kill some time. The atmosphere is a an airport bar, enough said. They had 10 drafts, no bottles. Decent selection of widely available stuff (bl, sam, harp, stella) and 4 draft only locals. Staff was local yocals, semi-nice but didn't know squat about beer.

Better than most airport bars, and you can tick some local craft. I would for sure go back when I'm at the airport.
Nov 15, 2010
Photo of jgasparine
Reviewed by jgasparine from Maryland

3.58/5  rDev +5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Atmosphere- This is a difficult place to review- it's in an airport- so when compared with other Beer Bars around the globe, this place pales in comparison... but when compared to other bars in airports across the country, it is above average. I resolve that a 3.0 must be fitting in consideration of both perspectives.

Quality- The lines and glassware were clean. No specialty glassware- just good solid pint glasses filled with good solid brews. The establishment was overall clean, and created the impression of high-quality...

Service- Service was very prompt. Granted, I visited this location at 10:45PM, when the airport was "dead".

Selection- Several house beers, a rotating seasonal, and a couple of macro's to round-out the offering. Again, this selection was poor when compared to other Beer Bars around the country, but quite good when compared to other airport bars... a 3.5 rating here to satisfy both perspectives.

Value- Quite pricey for what you get- but this is located in an airport, where the overhead must be sky-high...

Overall- I would go back here whenever at CLT.
Nov 15, 2010
Photo of DesMoinesMike
Reviewed by DesMoinesMike from Iowa

3.53/5  rDev +3.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
When you travel through airports you rarely expect to have a good beer selection, so when I saw this place it was a welcome sight! I've never tried anything from this brewery before and it was good to try the local fare. Being October I went for the pumpkin beer and found it delightful. For food I got a carniverous pita and shared it with the wife. I liked it and I was filled up for our flight to the Dominican. The menu seemed to have typical brew pub food. The menu was rather large for the size of the establishment. The lack of wait staff aside this stop was a real treat. It sure beats McDonalds, Cinnabun, and what now passes as airline food.
Oct 19, 2010
Photo of jampics2
Reviewed by jampics2 from Ohio

3.45/5  rDev +1.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4
I was thrilled to find something beer related during a layover in Charleston. This place is nice looking with barrels providing the decor and some bar stools, tables, and high-tops.

The service was good, our server was nice and attentive. The selection was decent, 6 beers including a seasonal, but several of the beers were in bottles. The pumpkin beer was good, the brown ale wasn't. We had a panini and a pulled pork sandwich. The pulled pork was awesome. The fixin's were great too.

Just a little pricey but the best option in that airport. It's worth a walk if you have a layover, but nothing out of this world.
Sep 21, 2010
Photo of dickroop
Reviewed by dickroop from Maryland

3.83/5  rDev +12.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
I am a big fan of this outlet. It is in the international wing and close to the commuter flight terminal. The bar is small - only about 7-8 stools, but I've gotten good, reasonably quick service here. At $6 for a pint, the beer's pricy, but that's the airport. The beer has been tasty and fresh and welcome while waiting for flights. The food I had here was good - relatively simple but with integrity. The menu is pretty limited, and I believe it shares its kitchen with the adjacent eatery. This place is a little oasis of good beer, food, and service in a busy airport that is otherwise no fun. Recommended.
Feb 23, 2010
Photo of GJ40
Reviewed by GJ40 from North Carolina

3.36/5  rDev -1.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5
I stopped in on a recent layover from Seattle.

Carolina Beer Co is located way out in the end of Terminal D. It's not someplace many would happen upon by chance. They occupy a small area of a very large open space. It resembles a courtyard with stone pillars and open walls and ceiling. They also have a couple of TVs. It's got a decent atmosphere given it's in the airport.

They had four of their own on tap: Cottonwood IPA, Brown, Oatmeal Stout and Carolina Blond. They also had BMC and lots of liquor. They offer standard pint glasses and a larger pilsner glass. I went with a large IPA and it was better than I'd expected. At $7.29, it's priced about as you'd expect for an airport.

I would love to see more brewpubs and beer bars in airports. This one doesn't much compare to Portland (Rogue & Laurelwood), Denver (New Belgium) or Philly (Jet Rock) but it's worth a visit if you're passing through.
Apr 22, 2009
Photo of rodrot
Reviewed by rodrot from North Carolina

3.74/5  rDev +9.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Great place to stop for a quality beer when at the Charlotte airport. Even though it focuses mainly on the brews from Carolina Brewing Co, you can choose from a few Cottonwood beers and Sam Adams as welll. I sampled an Endo IPA and the Brown ale while waiting for my flight. My only gripe is that they card everybody. I mean EVERYBODY. It doesn't matter if you look 80 years old or 20 years old, you'll get carded. My guess is that ALE probably busted them or another bar in the airport for serving a minor. No big deal I guess, just thought I'd mention it.
Sep 26, 2008
Photo of klewis
Reviewed by klewis from Ohio

3.6/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 2.5
The CBC restaurant is surprisingly quiet and atmospheric considering that it is located in an airport; its tucked away location is a bit of haul but protects it from traffic and congestion, making it a nice place to relax. Despite having only two servers on the floor, the service was quite prompt. Five regular beers on tap as well as three seasonals available in bottles. The food was somewhat disappointing. It was delivered with fast food-like quickness and was hot and fresh, but the overall quality of our food fell short of the fare found at most brewpubs, and the limited menu offered very few choices for meals. The prices on beer and food are of course inflated, but reasonable for an airport location. My opinion of this place isn't outstanding, but there's no reason why you shouldn't be here if you have some time to kill in this airport.
Jul 13, 2008
Photo of Bierman9
Reviewed by Bierman9 from New Hampshire

4.08/5  rDev +19.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Having a 3-hour layover here at Charlotte airport, Alewife and I needed someplace to grab some dinner. Taking a look at the terminal directory, I spotted "Carolina Beer Co" and "coming soon". Let's take a walk and see what's what, I sez...

About two-thirds of the way down Terminal D, on the right, we found the pub to be open and doing a steady business. There's a small, 3-foot high brick wall enclosing the place, about 40'x60'. The bar is along the long side to the right, in the back left (and actually shares some counter space on the right with a bagel eatery). There are about 6-8 seats at the bar, then a couple dozen small tables scattered around the rectangle, plus some benches and tables along the short, back wall. There are also a few high tables and chairs on the outside of the perimeter wall. A couple of TVs hang behind the bar, which has loads of various liquor bottles lining the barback. Some empty, decorative kegs with the Carolina and Cottonwood logos sit atop the bar area. Atmosphere is decent, considering the location, with the lighting at a good level and tables and chairs being comfy enough. Our server was spot-on and friendly, taking care of all our needs (food and beverage wise!).

On tap were found the Carolina Blonde, Cottonwood Oatmeal Stout, Cottonwood Endo IPA and Cottonwood Low Down Brown. Bottles available were Cottonwood Low Country Pale, Cottonwood Irish Style Red and Cottonwood Pumpkin Spiced Ale (as well as Bud and Bud Lite...). I had 2x IPAs, and Alewife 2x Browns, both served in oversized weizen-style glasses. I noticed another patron with a sampler, which looked to be 5 glasses of about 5oz each. Not bad... Foodwise, we had some chili-nachos and split a beef brisket sammich, which was very tender and tasty. Meal sizes were smaller than expected, and prices were a bit higher than normal. Though, considering the location, it's not really that exorbitant.
I've gone through CLT a few times now, and it's a very nice airport. I'd gladly park myself back here if a layover allowed.

Prosit!!

4.08
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 - $$$

169
Jul 09, 2008
Carolina Beer Co. in Charlotte, NC
Place rating: 3.41 out of 5 with 23 ratings