Brewgaloo Shop Local Raleigh Beer Festival

On Saturday April 27th the North Carolina Beers blogger headed to Raleigh for the Brewgaloo by Shop Local Raleigh.  This one was quite different than Hickory Hops in a number of ways but it was still a good festival and the bad weather held off till it was over.  There were some great breweries there and I saw old friends and made a few new ones during the event.  This event was free to enter and they sold tokens and tickets to taste or drink beer.  5 tokens were $25 or you could get a ticket for 5 tastings for $5.  Someone stole the box of tickets so if you got there early you could only buy the tokens.  Eventually someone was thinking outside the box and went and bought rolls of raffle style tickets that they started using.

There were over 25 breweries there with most of them from the Triangle area.  We did spend some time at the Highland booth since we thought it was pretty cool that they were the only Western NC brewery there.

Here is a list of who we saw:

Big Boss, Lonerider, Roth (Which is now Gizmo but James is still the brewer), Aviator, Natty Greene's, Carolina Brewing Company, Carolina Brewery, Sub Noir, Crank Arm, White Street, Triangle, Raleigh (With the lovely Kristie at the helm of the Brewery and the booth), Mystery, Duck-Rabbit, Starpoint, Mother Earth, Deep River, Foothills, Four Friends, Olde Hickory, Highland, Railhouse, Mash House, Bombshell (coming soon), and Outer Banks.

Most of the breweries were super nice and this blogger has learned that if you're nice to the brewers they are nice to you.

It was  obvious that the event organizers didn't expect the crowd that eventually showed up but they still handled it well.  I have no real complaints but some suggestions for the organizers should they plan another beer festival.  First of all set an admission price for drinkers and another price for non-drinkers/designated drivers.  $35 and $10 seem to be fair prices.  The lines at the token booths were outrageously long and this would prevent that.  I also would keep the kids out.  A beer festival shouldn't be a place for anyone under the age of 21.  People are drinking and we all know what too much booze does to ones equilibrium and no one wants to worry about tripping over a small child or a stroller.  Finally I'd place the music away from the beer vendors.  The breweries that were near the stage had a hard time talking to their customers and customers had a hard time talking to the breweries.  Even if they don't implement these changes I will still go back if they have another one.

In the future I think I will post a "how to" on going and enjoying a beer festival.  The next blog post will be from the Eastern part of NC and maybe even a South Carolina brewery.

Prost!!!

News & Record : Article on this blog

News & Record :: The story about this blog.  Brad Kesler did an excellent job.

The Huffingtonpost of NC Beers

When brewers await your arrival & give you personalized tours & free beer you know your reputation precedes you. Thank you to the brewers that have accepted us with open arms and to the brewers we've not been to just be patient. We're on our way...

Prost!!!

11th annual Hickory Hops

On Saturday April 20th I took a break from visiting the NC Breweries and decided to visit them all in one location.  If you have never been to a beer festival you have never experienced beer.  I am unable to do a complete review of all the beers and breweries and truthfully it wouldn't be fair to each of them.  This is a review of the Hickory Hops and how to fully experience a Beer Festival.

Hickory Hops 2013 was the 11th annual Beer Festival in Hickory.  There were 35 Breweries from North Carolina, 3 from South Carolina, 2 from Georgia and 2 Distributors representing approximately 165 different beers.  It's physically impossible for any one person to drink 165 different beers in the course of 6 hours.  You are typically given a 4oz sampler glass so to try all of them would be the equivalent of 55 beers in a 6 hour period.  Even the best Senior in college studying for a masters in power drinking would be hard pressed to complete that task.  Not to mention there is no way to fully enjoy the beers available and would be a total waste of the admission fee.  The only award given for getting drunk comes with handcuffs and a night in the local jail.  Line up a designated driver before the festival or take a taxi. The best advice I can personally give is to pace yourself.  Don't be afraid to tell the bartenders to only give you 1/2 a glass.  Also pick one style or two similar styles and stick with them.  If your a hop head try the IPA's and Pilsners.  If your into malty beers stick with the Porters and Stouts.  Another trick is to look through the list of brewers and pick the ones you want to try.  I recommend trying ones you've never had before because in reality if you've already had it you can probably have it again.  It's easy to have a good time and stay sober or at least upright and walking in a semi-straight line.  It's OK to go alone as you will be sure to meet some great folks while there.  If you go alone remember to have a taxi lined up or someone to pick you up at the end of the day.

The breweries present were in alphabetical order:

Asheville Brewing
Asheville, NC

Aviator Brewing
Fuquay Varina, NC

Bearwaters Brewing Co.  (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Waynesville, NC

Bearwater Brewing Beer Bus

Birdsong Brewing
Charlotte, NC

Blind Squirrel Brewing (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Plumtree, NC

Boone Brewing
Blowing Rock, NC

Brevard Brewing Co. (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Brevard, NC

Bull City Burger and Brewery (Their first time at Hickory Hops)  NC Beers Review
Durham, NC

Carolina Brewery  NC Beers Review
Chapel Hill, NC

Catawba Valley Brewing
Morganton, NC

Deep River Brewing Co.  (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Wendell, NC

The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Farmville, NC


Foothills Brewing  NC Beers Review
Winston-Salem, NC

French Broad Brewing
Asheville, NC

Frog Level Brewing Co. (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Waynesville, NC

Front Street Brewing
Wilmington, NC

Fullsteam Brewery  (Their first time at Hickory Hops) NC Beers Review
Durham, NC

Green Man
Asheville, NC

Heinzelmannchen Brewery
Sylva, NC

Highland Brewing
Asheville, NC

Heist Brewery (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Charlotte, NC

Hops Restaurant and Brewery
Mathews, NC

Howard Brewing (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Lenoir, NC

Huske Hardware House
Fayetteville, NC

Lexington Avenue Brewery
Asheville, NC

Liberty Steakhouse NC Beers Review
High Point, NC

Loe's Brewing
Granite Falls, NC

LoneRider Brewing
Raleigh, NC

Mash House Restaurant & Brewery
Fayetteville, NC

Mother Earth Brewing
Kinston, NC

Mystery Brewing
Hillsborough, NC

Erik Lars Myers with Mystery Brewing

Nantahala Brewing Company
Bryson City, NC

Natty Greene's Brewing Co.  NCBeers Review Greensboro  Review Raleigh  Review Lee St.
Greensboro, NC

New South Brewing Company
Myrtle Beach, SC

NoDa Brewing Company
Charlotte, NC

Olde Hickory Brewery
Hickory, NC

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
Charlotte, NC

Oskar Blues (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Brevard, NC

Outer Banks Brewing Station
Kill Devil Hills, NC

Pisgah Brewing
Black Mountian, NC

R. J. Rockers Brewing
Spartanburg, SC

Red Brick Brewing Co.
Atlanta, GA

Roth Brewery
Raleigh, NC

Sierra Nevada
Mills River, NC

Southern Appalachian Brewery
Hendersonville, NC

SweetWater Brewing
Atlanta, GA

Thomas Creek Brewing
Greenville, SC

Tipping Point Brewing (Their first time at Hickory Hops)
Waynesville, NC

Top of the Hill  NCBeers Review
Chapel Hill, NC

Triangle Brewing
Durham, NC

Triple C Brewing Co.
Charlotte, NC

Trophy Brewing Co.
Durham, NC

Westbend Vineyards and Brewhouse
Lewisville, NC

Wicked Weed Brewing
Asheville, NC

Mary with Rogue

 

Michael Ruff was Harold Hollister in the movie Lincoln

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Bull City Burger and Brewery

This is a must go place on the NC Beer tour.  Sadly they may have to discontinue their Saturday tours due to space in the brewery portion of the establishment but let's hope they are able to keep it going as Seth Gross gives one of the best tours I've been on to date.

Seth has a degree in microbiology from the University of Florida and is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.  He has more than 27 years of restaurant experience in all facets from dish-washing to cooking to front of the house service to restaurant management. He professionally brewed beer for Goose Island brewery at the Clybourn St. brewpub in Chicago, IL. Seth has brewed beer and formulated recipes that have won gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival.  He has had a thirst to brew beer since the day he left Goose Island.  Seth is the "Goldylocks" of NC Brewers saying that Boston and Chicago were too cold, Florida and Arizona were too hot and North Carolina is just right
 

Parrish Street Pale Ale.This Pale Ale-style beer has an alluring autumn hue. Aromas of caramel, orange zest and light floral hops greet the nose.There is a pleasant sweet malt character up front followed quickly by apricot. The finish is crisp and hoppy, providing a nice counterpoint to the malt. Sporting a fuller body, it is richer and hoppier than our Golden Ale. Despite the name“pale,” this style of beer is darker in color than our Golden Ale. Parrish Street was known as “Black Wall Street” with many local black owned businesses located on Parrish. Hops:Northern Brewer, Goldings, Fuggles

Merrick Märzen.  A spring lager brewed in the traditional old world German style. This is a Märzen or Maerzen lagered beer. Slightly amber-orange in color, malt driven with a hint of sweetness and very clean from start to finish, the hop profile is all German with spice and earth while characteristically not very hoppy on the nose. This lager style is about clean flavors emphasizing malt versus the floral fruitiness of an ale. The lightly toasted Munich malts lend a cracker/bread crust like quality balanced by the bitter German hops. This beer is named for John Merrick, one of Parrish Street and Durham’s founding fathers also called the first dreamer and leader in his time. A former slave, who learned to read and write in a Reconstruction school, Merrick was born on September 7, 1859 and died August 6, 1919. He was a business man, involved in Durham real estate, created several landmark African-American owned businesses, and is one of the three founders of NC Mutual Life Insurance Company still around today.

Wa WA Yonda Blonda (Blonde Stout) From way, way yonder, we present something cutting edge. Well, maybe cutting edge. Ground breaking? Perhaps.Experimental? Definitely. If the West Coast brewers can brew a black India PALE Ale, then we can brew a blonde Stout. Wa Wa is a beer brewed to Stout specifications, with the exception of the darker grain plus a little secret. Body, hops,alcohol and carbonation are the same as a classic Stout.What is a stout without its roasted malts? It’s Wa Wa YondaBlonda Stout. Close your eyes, take a sip, and you decide. Is it a Blonde Stout? Named after the Carr family farm, off Chapel Hill Road called Wa Wa Yonda farm. The street Wa WA Ave is there now. 

Morven’s Alley American Style IPA. Loaded with hop aromas from start to finish, this IPA flaunts it, daunts it and is all about pleasure. Just like famed Morven’s Alley at Golden Belt, aonce haven for gambling, liquor and well all things that go with them. This menage a tois sandwiches Centennial between bitter and aroma. Hold and take it for a spin.  My "go to" beer for this brewery.

Jack Tar Stout.  The Jack Tar is a super drinkable black beer aka “black ale” in Ireland. It won’t fill you up and has plenty of hop and dark malt bitterness to keep the first sip as vibrant as the last. There’s a pot of gold at the bottom of every pint, but be careful not to swallow it by accident on the last sip. The Jack Tar was a hotel located at the end of Parrish Street where the big bull now stands. It was imploded in 1975 in front of a crowd of people from all over NC early one Sunday morning.

A must visit when in Durham.  The food is just as good as the beer with the same attention to detail.  It's also the only brewery I've ever been into that actually has a disco ball in the brewery area.  These guys have it going on.

Prost!!!
 http://bullcityburgerandbrewery.com

Seth giving the tour

Tapwall

 

Fullsteam

Fullsteam has a mission and that is to explore what it means to be a distinctly Southern and North Carolina brewery.  They brew beer with local, seasonal ingredients. Anything from NC six-row barley, grits, basil, honey, paw paws, persimmons, sweet potatoes, oats and other off the wall stuff as well.  They are truly seeking to build a North Carolina beer economy.

They are not an ordinary brewing operation and their community tavern is not an ordinary bar.  They are family friendly and dog friendly.  They also have ping-pong, vintage video games, pinball, corn hole and darts.  Well worth the stop even if you have the kids and dog.

El Toro is a lager-like classic cream ale — yet another American original. This easy-drinking “beer beer” has a 100% North Carolina grain bill (90% Riverbend Malthouse six-row barley, 10% Lakeside Farms corn grits).


Beasley’s Honey White. Uses locally farmed wildflower honey.  It's an interesting wheat beer and I actually enjoyed it even though I'm not a Wheat kind of guy.  It does have a smooth finish.

Carver Sweet Potato.   North Carolina is the largest U.S. producer of sweet potatoes. In their quest to work with local Southern ingredients as much as possible, the humble sweet potato is an obvious choice. Perhaps less obvious: their decision to avoid cloying spices that would only serve to mask the savory-yet-delicate flavors. Why “Carver?” It’s their small tribute to the amazing Southern environmental scientist and farmer, Doctor George Washington Carver. While he may be better known for his work with peanuts, Carver was also passionate about the sweet potato.  250 pounds of local sweet potatoes per batch (one-third of the base fermentables).

Fullsteam Southern Lager Call it “Southern Lager” or even “Lager” if you like, but they simply call this beer “Fullsteam.” I call it a California Common or a Steam Beer (Yes, that is a style) and they have hit it on the head.  One of my favorite styles but not a lager and not an ale but a Steam Beer.   Caramel in color, with a woodsy aroma and biscuity malts. A must try and I call it my "go to" beer for this brewery.

Cackalacky. Brewed in partnership with CACKALACKY™. Ginger Pale Ale (GPA) is refreshing, hoppy, and zippy.  It's much like a homebrew that I did in 1999 and recreated with a new homebrewer earlier this year.

Hogwash is a hickory-smoked brown porter Bacon beer! They house-smoke malted barley over hickory wood, imparting a sweet, subtle smoke to our hickory-smoked brown porter. Depending on your comfort level with smoked beers, you may find Hogwash subtle or overwhelming. Try it with North Carolina barbecue for some smoke-on-smoke action, or go for the Trifecta of Awesome: bacon, beer, and chocolate!  

Working Man’s Lunch
A tribute to the Southern tradition of an RC Cola and a MoonPie. It is brewed with biscuity malts, vanilla, and chocolate nibs from Raleigh’s own Escazu Artisan Chocolates. They get a little zany and brew with a German Weizen yeast strain to impart estery banana notes.  Probably their most popular beer and my 2nd choice behind the Fullsteam Southern Lager.

All in all a great brewery and a great place to visit.  As I said earlier it's not an ordinary brewery and I highly recommend a visit for a brew or 8.  They also are not so arrogant that they don't mind having other beers on tap. 

Prost!!!
http://www.fullsteam.ag/

Fullsteam Brewhouse

Tap Wall

Pig Pounder Brewery (Preview)

Pig Pounder is coming soon to Greensboro.  The brain child of Marty Kotis it is most certain to be a success as soon as it opens later this year.  Marty has hired Sam Rose and was able to steal him away from Highland Brewing in Asheville.  Sam is an experienced brewer with a plethora of knowledge about brewing and beer.  The beers will be available at Darryl's Woodfired Grill, The Marshall Free House (Opening soon), Burger Warfare (Opening soon), Yo Daddy and in the tasting room at Pig Pounder Brewery.  In The Marshall Free House location they will have a Beer Engine and serve Cask beers from Firkin's or Pin's.  The ale or beer firkin (from Middle Dutch vierdekijn meaning "fourth") is a quarter of an ale or beer barrel.  This unit is much smaller than the wine firkin. Casks in this size (themselves called firkins) are the most common container for cask ale.  A pin is equal to half a firkin (4.5 imp gal or 20 l).  Once this brewery opens you can bet that I will be visiting and doing a complete review of the brews and have a picture or two.  No pictures for now as they are still in construction phase and I don't want to give away too much information.  Keep a watch on the North Carolina Beers Facebook Page and the Pig Pounder Page for more information and construction updates.

Cheers!!!
http://pigpounder.com/

Natty Greene's Greensboro (Lee St. Brewery)

I decided to visit the Natty Greene's brewery house in Greensboro on Lee St. This isn't the same as the Elm St. restaurant and brew house this is where they brew their staple beers found all over the state in restaurants, bars, grocery stores and bottle shops.  The beers brewed here are Southern Pale Ale, Guilford Golden, and Buck Shot Amber for the year round brews and seasonals like Freedom American IPA, Red Nose Winter, Wildflower Witbier, and Old Town Brown. 

This brewery is smaller than I expected with the volume of beer that I see around the state.  Natty Greene's is the 2nd largest brewer in the State according to beer tax revenue paid.  I met Dan when I arrived and he was very knowledgeable about beer and the process at Natty Greene's.  He started as a bartender in the Elm St. location and was able to work his way to the brew house.  He really enjoys beer and talking about beer and is a great ambassador for Natty Greene's 

I was allowed to visit the brew operation where I met Scott the head brewer and he was busy brewing.  The smell from the brew kettle was phenomenal as this was the first time I've been in a brewery when they were actually brewing.  As small as the brewery is they are certainly the hardest group of brewers I have met to date.  Scott knows his stuff and has proven himself to be an excellent brew master.  Scott's brewing experience goes back to 1987 in Winter Park, Florida and includes stops at the World Brewing Academy in Chicago and Doemens Academy in Munich, Germany where he earned his brewing diploma in 2003, before landing in Colorado at Left Hand Brewing Co. Scott came to Natty's in August 2004when we opened our first pub opened in Greensboro; thus, he's the creator and originator of the majority of styles in the market today.

I was then able to meet with Sebastian Wolfrum the Director of Brewing Operations.  Seabass, as he's known around the brewery, hails from Southern Bavaria and came to Natty's in May 2006. He manages everything regarding brewing for the entire Natty's operation. He apprenticed and later worked at Ayinger in Germany and was awarded the German Certificate as a Brewer and Malster in 1999. Seabass, is a master and takes pride in the quality and consistency of his brews.

Most folks that know me know that I have not been a huge fan of Natty Greene's but after my visit today my opinion has changed drastically.  After seeing their operation and realizing how hard these guys work they all deserve a raised glass.  Next time you're in an establishment that has Natty Greene's have one and know that it was a labor of love, blood sweat and tears to get that beer to your glass. 

Cheers!!!
http://nattygreenes.com/

 

 

The brewing operation at Lee St.

Starpoint Brewing

When I started this project I was hoping to find some true handcrafted beers.  It's nice to see the brewing operations of breweries that have spent tons of money in copper kettles and highend brewing systems but to get the feel of a true hand craft beer one would hope to find a gem like Starpoint.  This brewery is well off the beaten path and they really don't offer tours.  Even the locals don't know where it is and I was lucky enough to litterally stumble apon it after a wild guess and knocking on the door of a house.  Owner, head brewer, chief bottle washer and creator extrodinair Tim Harper was kind enough to invite me into his very small but efficent brewery located in a detached garage looking building on his property.  If you notice my other reviews include the address of the brewery I won't be posting Starpoint's here.  If you are lucky enough to find it I am sure Tim will welcome you but you won't be able to say I told you how to find him.  If you do find the address don't rely on GPS to get you there. 

I spent well over an hour checking out his system and chatting with him about brewing and NC beers.  Tim has done what every homebrewer dreams of doing but most homebrewers don't have the gumption to dive in and take a chance.  Tim brews great beers on a small scale and I recomend all of them if you can find them.  Starpoint is North Carolina's best Microbrew secret.  Out of respect for Tim I am not going to give away all his secrets as I did promise him I'd keep most of what he shared with me between us.  You can find 22 oz. bombers at Weaver St. Market and The Carrboro Beverage Shop in Carrboro and also at Best Way in Greensboro.  There are other resturants and bars that carry his beers as well.  The beers are distributed by Proof Wine and Spirits all over the state.  

The initial success of Starpoint Brewing is due to Tim's focus on producing the freshest and highest quality beer. Starpoint uses whole cone hops, premium malts, and time honored brewing techniques to craft the best beers for their customers. They are very proud of their product and are completely commited to providing the best beer you’ve ever had. 

Booghi Sattva APA American Pale Ale
Clean, crisp and refreshing, Booghi Sattva is brewed with 5 malts and 3 hop varieties. Clear as a bell and well-balanced, this is a very smooth and drinkable pale ale. 5% ABV.

Surfin’ Buddha IPA India Pale Ale
Balanced and smooth, Surfin’ Buddha is not your typical IPA. Built on 5 malts and 4 hop varieties to maintain balance between the ingredients, this is an India Pale Ale for all beer lovers. 6.5% ABV

Mornin’ Wood DIPA Double India Pale Ale
Earthy, Piney, and full-flavored double India pale ale. The focus is incorporating hop and malts into a balanced flavor fest. With 5 malts and heavily hopped by 5 hop varieties it is overflowing with flavor and the hop spice is well balanced . 8.2% ABV

Chapel Pils German-style Pilsener
Bright and crisp German-style Pilsener brewed with Hallertauer, Hersbrucker, and Tettnanger hops and German Pilsener and Vienna Malts. Lagered for at least a month before transferred to kegs and bombers, this is the freshest German-style Pilsener that you will find produced in North Carolina. 4.5% ABV – available in limited quantities until late Spring of 2013

Cheers!!!
http://starpointbrewing.com/ 

Carolina Brewery Chapel Hill

Carolina Brewery is much like Natty Greene's in the fact that they have two locations.  This review is on the Chapel Hill location and the small batch brews that are available there.  I will be taking a trip to Pittsboro soon and writing a separate review on that location as well. 

As you walk in you immediately notice the brew kettles and fermenters right behind the bar.  I really liked this touch and as a home-brewer and lover of beer I sat at the bar right in front of the operation.  This is where they brew the in-house pub craft beers.  They brew their distributed beers at the Pittsboro location and they will be reviewed separately.  The staff was very friendly but the manager never came out to speak with me even after the staff advised her that I was there and writing about their beers.  I sensed a little arrogance in the place and that is a character trait of many small breweries. Another thing I really liked was their beer menu has a complete description of the beers along with the ingredients, ABV and IBU's.

Franklin Street Lager is made with an all malt recipe as a Bohemian – style pilsener beer. It contains gentle bitterness, soft maltiness and is hopped true to style with Czech Saaz hops. This clear golden beer style which utilizes bottom fermenting yeast was developed in 1842 in the town of Pilsen at a time when all other beers were cloudy.  Another good example of a beer to convert the masses.  Theve done a good job on this one.

Funky Monk Ale is an attempt to be a trappist style.  You can taste the European Malts and the Belgian yeast but this is a so-so beer and I wasn't impressed.

Old Familiar Barley Wine is an authentic barley wine. It has strength and body approaching that of a wine. It is nicely balanced with Cascade hops. At 8.5% ABV it is interesting and complex and not too bad for the style.

NoDaRyeZ’d  Double Rye India Pale Ale is a collaboration with NoDa Brewing in Charlotte. A solid malt backbone with a hefty amount of Rye, to further the grain bill, plus a 7 hop blend gives this beer an “American” IPA flavor and aroma but also accentuate the spiciness of the Rye.  With 90 IBU's and 8.6ABV it's not for the "light" beer drinker. 

Tripel is very malty and strong and if it wasn't for the Fuggle, Saaz and Hallertauer hops I couldn't say anything nice about this beer.  I think the yeast had some issues with this batch so I will reserve further comment for when I can try another batch.  This one however was not a good beer.

Old North State Stout is made with roasted, pale and caramel malts and English hops. Together they combine to make a full flavored ale with notes of dark chocolate. This would be my "go-to" beer as I felt it was the best small batch they brewed.

I must say I wasn't impressed with the small batch stuff as I have been with some of the other beers I've had from Carolina.  I am sure the Pittsboro review will be much better than this one as I do believe this company brews some good beer.

Cheers!!!

http://www.carolinabrewery.com/index.html

Top of the Hill

Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill wasn't the easiest place to find but then again I did go in the back door.  Once inside I was impressed and devastated all at the same time.  My first thought was a place as nice as this either A. can't brew good beer, B. their going to be so arrogant I'm going to be pissed off or both.  Well, let me start by saying I was dead wrong on both A and B.

When I arrived I ended up in The Great Room.  Top of the Hill has three levels and three bars.  I'll get into that a little more here in a bit.  The young gentleman that met me at the door was very nice and polite and after I shared with him what I was doing he told me to just follow him.  He took me up stairs the back way and through the kitchen on the third floor and right into the main restaurant and brew area.  He introduced me to Chris Atkins.  Chris seemed to be busy but as soon as we were introduced he told me to meet him at the bar.  He ordered up a flight of beer and we started talking about beer.  Chris, the newest edition to the brewing team, is a born and bred Durham-ite. A UNC Greensboro graduate, Chris went on to complete the Brewing Science & Technology Program at the World Brewing Academy and graduated from the Doemens Academy in Munich, Germany. Chris interned at the Lonerider Brewery in Raleigh before joining the Top of the Hill team he started out as a home-brewer and has a true love for the craft.  Chris is truly an asset to Top of the Hill and they are lucky to have him. 

We started with a flight that had Kenan Lager, Caldwell Cream Ale, Old well White, Plott Hound Pale Ale, Singleton Ale, Rams Head IPA.  We then had some Cask Ales and I'll mention that later as well.

Kenan Lager is a typical lager that every brewery in America makes to please the masses.  Kenan is one of the best ones I've had.  Readers of the blog know that I am not a huge fan of this style and will let you decide.  I'll just say that this one wasn't repulsive to me and I could drink it and be happy.  Kenan is one of their three year round brews.

Caldwell Cream Ale really impressed me as it's served on Nitrogen and I've been really getting into the nitro beers of late as I feel they represent the true flavor of beer.  If your a fan of Pubstyle ales then this one is for you.

Old Well White is a Wheat Beer and readers of the blog know that I am not a fan of the wheat brews.  Any fan of wheat will almost certainly enjoy this beer.  This is one of their year round brews.

Plott Hound Pale is mostly impressive as I've never had anything that compares to this.  I'm a Hop Head and this one is well balanced with four type of malts.  This beer is also brewed with 96% of the ingredients coming from North Carolina.  So this is a true North Carolina beer and my favorite on their list.  Not for the faint of heart but a true joy for the experienced beer drinker. 

Singleton Ale was created out of an argument.  This beer is brewed with only one Pale Malt and just the Liberty hops.  It's a high gravity and very complex brew and everyone should at least get a sample of this.  They also have this available in Cask on occasion.

I finished the flight with the Rams Head IPA.  This would be my "go to" beer from here only because it's one of their three year round beers and fits my taste perfectly.  Not overly hoppy as an IPA so even the non-ipa drinker can still enjoy it.  

We finished the flights and I was introduced to Aaron Caracci the other brewer.  Aaron was finishing up some work but I had a chance to chat with him for a bit as well.  Aaron is not your typical brewer.  He had no knowledge of brewing before being hired.  He has grasped a hold of the craft well and you would never know he got the job while playing golf.

Chris, Aaron and I went down to the Back Bar.  Available at the Back Bar only, Cask Beer is a throwback to how beer was made in the 1800’s. Beer is dry-hopped in a firkin, served through a manual beer engine & served between 50-55! which allows natural subtle nuances of flavor to emerge. Top of the Hill is the first establishment south of the Mason-Dixon line to have its own cask beer program.  The beers change constantly as one would expect with cask beers.  I was able to have the Smoked Porter Cask and it was truly heaven in a glass.  I was then able to have the ESB and if you were to close your eyes you would feel like you were have a beer in a pub in 1860.  Both of the cask ales I had were top notch and I'd recommend everyone to visit the Back Bar just to have a sample of true craft beer at it's finest.

Located in the space once occupied by the legendary Carolina Theatre, The Great Room Complex is the only large scale event space located directly on Franklin Street. They host weddings and rehearsal dinners to full-scale galas and concerts.

Finally it is worth mentioning that Top of the Hill also has it's own distillery. Their spirits include hand-crafted vodka, gin, & whiskey, created from scratch, using only organic Carolina wheat and botanicals distilled in a copper pot & columns from a 5th generation German still maker.

I must say that Top of the Hill was a great experience and I will be returning.

Cheers!!!!
http://toporestaurant.com/