North Carolina is the craft brew capital of the South. With nearly 30 working breweries across the state and almost as many brewpubs enthusiastically serving up locally made, small-batch beers, you’re never far from a handcrafted brew.
Many of Charlotte’s breweries and brewpubs offer event space, rentals or private tours and tastings perfect for encouraging groups to let their hair down. After all, nothing signals the end of the work day and the time to relax like a tall cold one, and many of these beers can’t be sampled anywhere else.
Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (704.525.5644; www.oldemeckbrew.com) was founded in 2008 in south Charlotte to bring the freshest beer possible to the city. Its highly rated flagship brew, OMB Copper, is a German-style lagered ale, full-flavored and smooth. The property offers a tap room with a German beer hall atmosphere and panoramic windows overlooking the brewery. It can welcome seated groups of 80 and up to 200 for standing receptions. Private tours are available for groups of 50 at a time.
Rock Bottom Brewery (704.334.2739; www.rockbottomsouth.com) is known for its innovative Southern cuisine and award-winning beers, including Iron Horse Stout and Sweet Magnolia Brown Ale. Groups as large as 500 can be accommodated with a complete buyout; there’s a private dining room suitable for 60 and an outdoor courtyard that can host 100. Group tours of 10 to 15 can explore the small brewery, and brewer Evan Carroll can facilitate private tastings.
Growlers Pourhouse (704.910.6566; www.growlerspourhouse.com) serves up all-American craft beer, including many local varieties, in NoDa (North Davidson), a trendy arts district. Named one of America’s best beer pubs in 2011 by Draft magazine, Growlers shares a kitchen with its sister restaurant, Crepe Cellar. Each property has about 45 seats, and most private events are held either in the Crepe Cellar or in a nearby 30-person art gallery with neighborhood views. Don’t miss the house-made sausages.
Not far away, NoDa Brewing Company (704.451.1394; www.nodabrewing.com) kicked off production and opened a tap room in late 2011. Demand for its chocolate porter and ale varieties, all made with fresh hops and malt, have skyrocketed. The tap room seats 99, and event rentals are available before 4 p.m. Gourmet food trucks—another enticing local trend—can be arranged to appear for private parties. Every Tuesday, the brewery taps a small research-and-development batch to test on its appreciative customers. Birdsong Brewing Company (704.332.1810; www.birdsongbrewing.com) is located next door and offers private tastings for groups as large as 50 and tours for 25 at a time.
