CNBC: North Carolina's craft beer boom

I live in Western North Carolina and I love the fact I have 20+ breweries all within 45 minutes of me, most of which are closer than that. The beer scene here had a big influence on the graduate school I chose and will be attending this fall. Hell, there are two breweries ten minutes from my school!

 

Although it seems like there's a new brewery opening every week, not many seem to be offering anything great as far as I'm concerned. OB, wicked weed, no-da and wedge are really the only ones I'll entertain giving my money to at this point. That said, no-da and wedge can't even produce enough to distribute to the Raleigh area.

 

Evidently there are many who do not share your opinion.

 

I'd agree that a large % of the new breweries that have opened recently around the state aren't really anything special, but there's a lot more good ones than the ones you mentioned. Noda doesn't really make anything good other than Hop Drop IMO (definitely not that they can at least) and while I like the Wedge, I wouldn't even put it in the top 4 in Asheville (not judging on beer alone at least).

Foothills, Olde Hickory, Pisgah, and Mother Earth are several that immediately come to mind as putting out quality stuff all the time. And if you want to count ones that don't really distribute, I'd say Trophy, Fonta Flora, and Twin Leaf are all legit. And when Haw River finally opens, they'll be one of the better ones in the state as well.

 

Noda stuff USED to be in Raleigh, but not really since they won that gold. I haven't seen a can of Hop Drop in the Triangle in at least 2 or 3 months.

 

My first trade was for 2 cans of HDR. I don't even think there were extras involved. Love it.

 

Actually had a death by hops this past weekend and it was solid.

 

I've never been that crazy about Pisgah. I think Green Man is probably the best 'big brewery' in the state and Foothills is definitely up there too. I like Fonta Flora but I think they're like a mini Wicked Weed.

 

I have to second the notion that breweries in NC are opening like crazy but not making much that is crazy good. Not that trade interest is the only indicator of quality, but how many ISO's are posted for NC beers other than WW sours, Hop Drop, and occasionally Foothills Sexual Chocolate (and mostly BA Sexual Chocolate these days)? In Raleigh especially, the brewery scene is a mile wide and an inch deep. Too many folks with disposable income willing to throw money at anything perceived as hip, regardless of quality.

 

I would put Foothills over Green Man personally, but I do like them both. You think Fonta Flora is a mini Wicked Weed, wait until Haw River opens.

I wouldn't say I'm "crazy" about Pisgah, but I do think they make good stuff and they make a pretty wide variety of styles. Not all are homeruns, but some are I think (i.e. Vortex series).

 

Fonta Flora will be big. Mark it. Also noda produces a few awesome berrs that dont get canned. They just released a gose this week. Imp hdnr, hop cakes, and hot pistol being some favs

 

Fonta floras saisons are miles beyond ww imho brass monkey is one of the best ive ever had

 

Best beers ever produced in nc for me (in case you were wondering haha)
1 olde rabbits foot
2 snozzberry
3 hop drop
4 malice (the on tap version a while back. Bottles taste way different right now)
5 lindley park

 

I agree. Although I think the TakeTake that WW just came out with is the best saison I've had from them.

 

You must not have visited Burial Beer Co yet.

 

Must be very locally sold only in the NC Mountains. Only brews I've encountered from mentioned in post were Mother Earth and Highlands. Had a few Highlands and thought they were solid but nothing too special. Weeping Willow Wit by Mother Earth is probably one of the best Wit beers I've sampled to date. Not that anyone pays much attention to great Wit beers, but I really liked it.

 

Gotta give props to my local brewery AMB.
http://mountaintimes.com/watauga-news/articles/Beer--Beyond-id-025459