Hey all, heading to the mountains this week and want to make a stop in Hickory. Just wondering if there is a difference between the Olde Hickory Taproom vs. Station? If I can only go to one, which should I choose? Thanks in advance.
100% The Station. It will offer everything the brewery does plus more. Better food and also a bottle shop. They are litterally less than 100 yards away so hoth can easily be done but there is really no need for anything other than the station.
Station. The bottle shop alone is worth the stop. The Taproom is more a burger and beer place than a real brewery taproom. The station, while a little more expensive food wise, is quite a bit nicer and low key without being rushed out the door.
Both have their place as does their other location, Amos Howards (which is the original brewery). As others have said, Station will have everything Taproom has plus other (non-OHB) beers and maybe an additional OHB beer. Plus there's a small bottle shop (at least small for number of non-OHB beers), a cheese shop, and the food is different. Personally I usually go to the Taproom, but I'm local so that's a different story. There's a solid bottle shop (Craft Beer Cellar) less than a block away, so that's also worth stopping at. A bit further away is Hops & Grapes (another bottle shop). Another place in town with a decent tap list typically is Crescent Moon, also downtown.
I'm with @treznor , I'd personally eat at the tap room, the food is consistently good to great, while the food at the station can be pretty hit or miss (much more miss lately). The Tap Room's food is pub food, but I personally think they have one of the best burgers in town and their chicken fingers are amazing. As for beer, The Station has a HUGE selection, so I'd probably hit there after I ate at the Tap Room. Check out the Stations bottle shop and then walk across the road to Craft Beer Cellar to check out their bottle selection.
