Charlotte

No doubt, North Carolina’s brewing scene arrived a while ago. There’s Duck Rabbit in Farmville, Foothills in Winston-Salem and a truly incredible mass of creativity in Asheville. All great places, and none of them in Charlotte. And here we are, writing about Charlotte. Why?

Historically and geographically, Charlotte’s at the center of it all. Raleigh-Durham has the tech sector, Asheville has the counterculture. Charlotte is what ties the two together. It’s the regional economic powerhouse that has, over the past few years, mushroomed into a national finance center. If you wear a suit and shiny shoes to work, chances are, you and your suit and your shiny shoes will wind up blowing in and out of town sometime. Got to be prepared. Because, if the last year has taught us anything, it’s that these finance types really, really need a good drink or two. So let’s help them out. What follows are the top beer destinations in Charlotte, as ranked by the BeerFly users on BeerAdvocate.com.

Charlotte’s in an interesting stage in its own evolution. A couple decades of explosive expansion have left a tall, gleaming downtown, a few up-and-coming post-industrial warehouse districts, booming suburbs and a cultural infrastructure still growing into all that growth. Hence, most of the excellent local taps you’ll find in town come from out of town. That’s changing. The Olde Mecklenburg debuted this year with a mission to bring fresh, local German ales and lagers to your mouth. Do try to help them out with that. They’re on the south side of town, just off the interstate, should you feel like swinging by and saying hello. Which is actually the point here, isn’t it?

A newish light rail line connects Uptown, the central business district, with the city’s South End. It’s a neighborhood of low-slung former mill buildings that have been reclaimed by artists and other folks in search of good times. It’s also the city’s most pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. So take advantage of that. Pop into a gallery. Grab some produce at the outdoor Camden Market. And grab a beer and some grub at Mac’s Speed Shop or the Common Market.

Plaza-Midwood looks similar, but feels less polished. It’s what the city used to be, before the big money rolled in. Now it’s where the cool kids live. Fortunately, the cool kids have good taste in beers: the Philosopher’s Stone and the Thomas Street Tavern are both worth the quick trip from downtown.

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
The new kid in town, Olde Mecklenburg began brewing early this year. The place, specializing in German styles, is already drawing high praise for its Alt, OMB Copper. Don’t sleep on Mecktoberfest, either.

Rock Bottom
The brewpub chain’s local incarnation pours taps that range from reliably solid to pretty damn good—the latter category being populated by darker offerings. Iron Horse Stout is your can’t-miss choice here.

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
As normally happens when Flying Saucer rolls into town, these guys boast the biggest beer selection around. The location, outside the UNC Charlotte campus, can be a bit of a hike, but the thirsty traveler will surely find a just reward.

Duckworth’s Grill and Bar
A nice selection of craft brewing’s all- stars and real cheap eats on Charlotte’s south side keep the locals—especially the locals with low tolerances for uptown beer runs—quite happy. Nights with $2 taps can’t hurt, either.

Red Lion [closed]
A family-friendly bar with a beer list that hits all the highlights—Bell’s, Dogfish Head, Rogue and Stone are among the usual, and always-welcome, suspects.

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, Uptown
One BeerFly user warns against a “really garish primary color scheme that sort of makes you feel like you’re drinking in a preschool.” Your word of caution is taken. We’ll see you with an appetite for great pizza, a thirst for Bell’s and Terrapin on tap, and a pair of military-grade sunglasses.

The Wine Shop at Rivergate
The name says wine, though beer is anything but an afterthought here. Two hundred beers are available for takeout, but what’s the rush? Grab a few rarities from the cooler, pair them with a cheese plate and a grilled sandwich, and stay a while.

Mac’s Speed Shop and BBQ
Well-mannered bikers, punks, families and college kids all flock to Mac’s for some killer BBQ. The truly huge beer list (150 bottles, give or take) is a nice, if unexpected, bonus.

Thomas Street Tavern
The crowd at Thomas Street skews younger, and beer is served, though it isn’t the focal point it is at some other places in town. So why its inclusion on this list? A stadium-seating ping-pong table setup gets that job done.

The Philosophers Stone Tavern
Two bars, two patios, two jukeboxes and a kitchen that’s open until 2 a.m. Coincidence? Or divine something or other? Probably the latter: A decent selection of craft brews really rounds out this Elizabeth good-times party spot.

Revolution Pizza and Ale House
Revolution features more than 40 taps. A dozen of them are locals. Nearly all were brewed with solid ingredients, and love. And they’re poured the same way. This is the epicenter of beer culture in Charlotte’s North Davidson arts district.

The Pizza Peel and Tap Room
Pizza and beer. Sensing a pattern here? Like Revolution, this is a former Mellow Mushroom location gone indie; like its crosstown sibling once removed, the Pizza Peel takes some great bones—an oven and a whole mess of taps—and fills it out with some real soul. Quietly, one of the city’s best. ■