Atwater Brewery coming to Wilmington

Move over Asheville, Wilmington is attracting the next move to NC.  Wilmington only has two breweries as of now but in this writers opinion it could support quite a few more.  That may happen with Atwater Brewery, crafter of the Dirty Blonde, VJ Black, & the infamous Vanilla Java Porter, is looking to expand its booming business in Michigan.  In order to facilitate distribution & to expand their market reach, they're specifically looking at Wilmington as a desirable location for production.  Although plans for expansion are only in the early stages, the Detroit-based brewery seems very intrigued by & interested in all of Port City's incentives.  Next week, Atwater representatives are scheduled to visit the Port City to discuss expansion ideas with local distributors & the mayor.  

Lonerider

Probably one of the most recognizable breweries in the state as they are everywhere.  Most decent pubs, restaurants, bars and watering holes will either have one or more of Lonerider's beer either on tap or in a bottle.  No matter how they serve it you can bet it will be good.  This writer has been a fan of Lonerider ever since I had my first Sweet Josie a few years ago after finding it at my local grocery store. 

Started in early 2009 CEO/CDO (Chief Drinking Officer) & Founder Sumit Vohra has worked tirelessly to brew a quality beer and also get his beer into the mouths of as many people as he can.  Now 4 years later they hold approximately 17% of the craft beer market in North Carolina.  With close to 100 craft brewers in the state and with some long time names here this is truly an amazing accomplishment. 

In a basic looking building in an area of Raleigh that looks more like you'd find a plant producing corrugated boxes sits the quaint little brewery that brews big beers. The only give a way that it's a brewery other than the name posted on the building is the very nice tap room attached to the front. 

This writer lived in Texas for a number of years and the tap room here at Lonerider has the feel of many of the bars I visited while living there but mostly resembles a bar in Houston TX I visited frequently called The Firehouse.  Unlike many tap rooms that don't give the feel of the brand Lonerider put some thought and effort in theirs and it shows that not only do they care about the beer but they care about the experience of drinking their beer on location.

As you enter the tap room or what they call The Hideout you notice the laid back atmosphere where leashed dogs are allowed on the patio but your horse must remain outside.

 As you enter the staff is friendly and very attentive almost immediately.  They were fairly busy on my visit but I still was greeted as I walked up to the bar.  Like most small craft brewers their beers are right in front of you proudly displayed.  You will recognize the staples but will also see the ones you can't get anywhere else.  

The menu board is nothing more than a dry erase board that tells me there is a constant change in the seasonal and limited releases.  

You will find the flagships:

Shotgun Betty uses her sharpshooting skills to target those that show a weakness for wheat beer with a body that won’t quit. This German-style hefeweizen features a rich, banana-clove nose and refreshing dry finish. 5.8% ABV

Sweet Josie This American brown ale is a complex beer balancing a nice hop bitterness with a generous amount of chocolate and aromatic malts. 6.1% ABV

Peacemaker Pale This well-rounded west coast style pale ale uses several hop varieties and a special blend of malts for a unique and bountiful hop aroma with a balanced bitterness. 5.7% ABV

As of this writing there is:

True Britt Behind this well-mannered facade lies the heart of an outlaw. True Britt is an English-style session ale that combines spicy hop flavors with a bready, malt backbone. Always trying to stay one step ahead of the law, True Britt is never one to stick around town too long. So enjoy this pub favorite before it’s gone. 4.8% ABV

The Preacher This Belgian-style Saison is created with an American twist. A spicy, fruity ale with a bright citrus hop kick.7.7% ABV

McComas Weissenhop The only way to describe this beer is to tell you to get one.  For the longtime reader of this blog it is no secret that I am typically not a fan of Wheat in beer.  Usually I don't even give it a thumbs up or down.  However this one is truly a wheat I could find myself drinking.  It's the brain child of Brewer David McComas and this beer matches his personality.  I asked if this one would be distributed and was told probably not.  Just another reason to get over to Raleigh to drink a pint or two of this one.  With Peacemaker being my "go to" for this brewery if David has this one or another one it's well worth getting.

My overall take of this brewery is it's a first class operation.  Their space may be small but they have a system that works. The smell of the wort in the brewery sent my senses reeling.  A phenomenal smell permeated the air as we chatted with David and Sumit in the brewery.

 One other thing of note is I noticed the cleanliness.  Now all breweries I've been in have been impeccably clean so this is not a jab at any of the others.  However this one seemed a little cleaner and more organized than any of the others I've been in so far.  If you're a home brewer or know anything about brewing cleanliness is key in producing a quality product.  I've been in a large commercial brewery in the past and it wasn't as clean and neat as Lonerider. 

I also can't say enough about the staff.  These guys have helped other brewers in the Triangle area and they have no arrogance what so ever.  They also do a program called "Brew It Forward" which is a home brew competition / charity event.  Visit http://loneridershowdown.com/ for more information on this program.

A quote found on their website describes them perfectly:

“Effect change, don’t be an audience. Walk your own path, and instead of thinking outside the box imagine what if there was no box.”

Cheers partner!!!

http://www.loneriderbeer.com/

The Mash House

The Mash House in Fayetteville is a first class operation.  They spared no expense in creating this location.  They are one of the few "traditional" breweries I've been to.  Brewmaster Reuben Stocks is a force to be reckoned with in the brew world and the awards on the wall are proof.  The staff was nice and friendly and while Reuben wasn't there when I was his presence abounds in the beers he produces.

Natural Blonde is a beer for the masses.  If someone want's an American adjunct then this is the beer for them.  Not my style with only 8 IBU's but I could drink this with someone on a front porch.

Hefeweizen  Do I really need to write this?  (You already know) Not my style but you may like it. With 10 IBU's it's a drinkable Hefe.

Irish Red Malty sweet with a nice finish brewed with the Horizon Hops with nodes of liquorice or anise.  I enjoyed this beer as it gave a flavor not like any Irish Red I've ever had.  I wish it had more than 7 IBU's but hey I'm a "hop head" and this brewer concentrates on the malts and I don't have a problem with that.

Peach Hefe Once again I'm not a fruity wheat kinda guy but the peach flavor resonates but is not over powering.  Your girlfriend will like this one. 

Schwarz Very roasty and malty an easy and smooth drinking brew with earthy undertones.

Nut Brown Standard and true to the style.  I'd personally like a more nutty flavor but I'm not sure this beer would balance as well if it was.  Order one up and drink to enjoy.

Brown Porter This one drinks like a porter should drink.  Very smooth and drinkable year round.  It's on the malty side and that gives this porter a distinct flavor profile that is interesting but not overpowering.

Stout I like stouts but typically I have to be "in the mood" for one.  This is as close to the "holy grail" of stouts that I have ever had.  Very European style and pushed out of a nitrogen tap.  Creamy and smooth with Chocolate and Caramel malts that give this a light and refreshing taste.  I usually don't pick the stouts as my "go to" beers but this one was a game changer.  It's as close to a cask as you are going to get in Fayetteville and well worth ordering one or two.  I'm not sure if this one has won any awards but it should win every event it's placed in.  A damn good beer.

Apricot IPA Yes, I'm a fan of the apricot IPA's on the market and this one is just as good.This one has the hop bitterness I like with the hint of apricot to fill the nose.  A must try if you like this style.

IPA at 47 IBU's this is on the low side for an IPA for me but it's well balanced with a nice aroma and finish that carries a malty undertone.  An nice brew for the IPA and non-IPA drinker alike.

I2IPA a double IPA that will (pardon the description) knock your dick in the dirt.  I loved this one but it should be called a Barleywine IPA (if there is such a style) as the ABV (which i don't know) has got to be up there.  Be careful when ordering this one especially if you are driving home.  The high gravity combined with the hoppiness make this one hell of a double IPA.  This beer proves that even as a malt style brewer they are not afraid to toss in some hops and ferment the malt like hop heads. 

Cheers!!!
http://themashhouse.com/

Huske Hardware House

Huske Hardware House almost didn't make it on my list of breweries to visit.  I looked at the name and thought immediately that it was some type of bar or some guys with a hardware store that had a Sabco Homebrew system in the back.  I'm glad I did a little more research and decided to stop in Fayetteville for this one.  The restaurant / brewery simply went back to the original name of the first tenant in the 109 year old building.  It's a stunning place to visit and as a lover of antiquities and old buildings it made me feel warm and cozy just being in the establishment.  They also have Conch Fritters on the menu and I know this is a beer blog but I love Conch Fritters and I did place an order.  The Conch Fritters were just as good as the beers produced here and even though I'm not a food critic (or any type of critic) I'm giving them 6 Cheers for the Conch Fritters.

Enough about old buildings and a food you've never heard of you're here for beer.

Watermelon Wheat  While I'm not a fan of wheat beers and I've only had one Watermelon beer in the past that I was not impressed with at all I was leery to even place this one to my lips.  But hey even I've got to take one for the team on occasion.  I was thrown back at how good this one was.  Even though it is a wheat you can actually taste the watermelon in this.  If you like the fruity wheat beers you'll take a growler of this one home I'm sure.

Level-Headed German Blonde (Kolsch) An easy drinking Kolsch style ale with Hersbrucker hops that give this a light, dry and refreshing taste. Hersbrucker Hops is similar to the noble hop varieties with its low co-humulone level. It is a definitive aroma variety with an alpha acid rating of 2.0%-5.0%. Hersbrucker Hops is a versatile one used in a great number of German style beers. Its essential oils rest in balance within the cone, and bring a mix of fruit and spice mixed with floral character. It's medium bodied and what I refer to as a lawnmower beer. ABV 5%

Farmhouse Ale Using four different Franco-Belgian malts, and the floral Strisselspalt hops. Strisselspalt is very much an aroma variety with a 1:1 alpha beta ratio and alpha acid content ranging from 3.0%-5.0%. It has a low co-humulone content as well measuring at 20.0%-25.0%. All oils are moderate with the exception of farnesene oil which barely registers. The aroma is described as having a mild pleasant hoppy bouquet.  Full bodied and one of the most interesting and complex Farmhouse Ale's this beer drinker has ever tasted.  ABV:  6.7%

Kill a Man Irish Red  Malty and heavier than one you can find in a store and has a smooth finish.  Nutty start with caramel, the Goldings and Willamette hops round out the finish.  Medium bodied and a nice beer to drink with friends.  Just don't kill them.  ABV: 4.9%

Ale Yeah A Northwest style American Pale Ale The Cascade hops give it the citrus flavor that this blogger enjoys.  I can't say much about this one other than it is my "go to" beer for HHH. ABV: 6%

Sledgehammer Stout The name fits this one well, it's a sledgehammer but damn it's good. Flavors of roasted coffee and the Galena Hops make this beer not for the faint of heart. When non-beer drinkers say "I don't like dark beer" this is the beer they are talking about.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm a fan of the Galena Hops anyway so the spicy character they give this beer really helps with the malt that is a huge part of this beer. It has a creamy texture like that of an Irish Stout but I'd be stretching it if I called it an Irish Stout.  This is truly a Sledgehammer. ABV: 6%

Spring of Pearl A very light beer with the flavor and feel of an American Style Adjunct Lager.  Not my favorite but order one of these for your buddy, wife or girlfriend while you drink the aforementioned Sledgehammer Stout.

Jacks Honey Badger Oh my damn!!!!  This one is truly off the hook and fermented in Jack DanielsTM barrels.  I never thought I'd like the taste of Jack with beer especially after my college days but this robust Honey ale that hints of the flavor of Jack DanielsTM is a truly great seasonal. 

 Their taps are on the level.  I am liking what I've been seeing with the creativity of tap handles and HHH is no different with the creativity of their handles than they are with their beer.

 Cheers!!!
http://huskehardware.com/default.aspx

St. Baldricks

On June 8th your blogger will be letting go of his iconic Handlebar Moustach for St. Baldricks helping kids fight cancer.  This event will be at the Railhouse Brewery in Aberdeen My goal is to raise $1000 total.  $500 for my Moustache and $500 for team members.  So join my team and start raising funds and get a headshave for a good cause.  Click on the link to take you to my page.

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/650486/2013

Cheers!!!

Front Street Brewery

Front Street is one of the oldest continual breweries in the State and located in a building rich in Wilmington history.  When they opened their doors they were the 9th craft brewery in the State and the only one in the South Eastern part of NC.  In July of 1994, plans were announced to launch Front Street Brewery - Wilmington's ONLY Microbrew Pub and Restaurant. The business formally opened in May 1995 and they have been brewing Wilmington’s freshest local microbrews and serving their famous Pulled Chicken Nachos ever since!

Coastal Kolsch This beer style is the favored beer of Cologne, Germany. Light bodied and golden in color. Unlike most German beers, Kolsch is an ale, not a lager. This ale is lightly hopped and has some fruity aromas.  I'm usually a fan of this style but this one seemed to be over carbonated. Ask for a sample before you order a pint just to be sure the carbonation is right.

Riptide Raspberry Wheat An American Wheat Ale with a raspberry flavor is one of their top sellers. Light bodied and delicately hopped, this aleis for the lover of fruity wheat beers but not at the top of this bloggers list of beers. 

Amberjack ESB A traditional English Ale.  The English’s idea of bitter is very different than ours.  This beer does not have much upfront bitterness.  It focuses more on hop flavor and aroma.  East Kent Goldings hops give this beer a nice earthy aroma and flavor.  English Crystal malt give this ale a nice amber color and a touch of caramel flavor. It's rare that I pick three "go to" beers but Front Street has three that stand out and this is one of them.  I'd love to have this out of a cask.

Low Country Biere Degarde A Sweet, coppery, old-fashioned French farmhouse ale with unique fruity and candy-like flavors. Malt-focused and very approachable but a punch in the mouth with it's complexity.  You will have fun drinking this one.

Ahtanum Amber (Single Hop Project Ale)  The name tells you the single hop that is used.  Ahtanum is an aroma/flavoring hop variety that is similar to Cascade or Amarillo. It has a citrus and floral character much like cascade with the addition of some piney or earth notes. Grapefruit quality is more forward in than in cascade as well. Alpha acids are lower than cascade at 4 to 6.5% AAU making Ahtanum a good choice for a flavor addition when you do not want to impart quite the bitterness of cascade or amarillo.  It's hoppy but not IPA hoppy.  This is another "go to" beer for me. 

Port City IPA I can't say anything about this beer other than it's a great IPA and is the third "go to" beer from this brewery.  Nicly hopped but not for the faint of heart or malt lover.  If you're a hophead sit down and have a few of these. 

Dream Tree Scottish Ale Very deep red in color and very lightly hopped. It is rich in flavor, yet not a heavy beer drinks like a good porter with it's touch of sweetness.
 
Spring Brew A deep golden beer with a smooth mouth feel and a complex malt flavor lightly hopped.  Worth a try.

Mutha Shucka Oyster Stout A collaboration with NoDa for NC Beer month this is the best Oyster Stout I've ever had.  It's subtle flavor is perfect for this style and I hope they continue to keep it going.  It seems like the perfect beer for a coastal brewery.

Tombrocker (Scottish Wee Heavy) Brewed once a year for Easter from a recipe the Assistant Brewer, Christopher perfected in seminary.  This unique and powerful heather ale is the unofficial beer of the Resurrection: full in body, vast in complexity, but gentle and smooth, with a deep maltiness.  Layers of richness unfold from kettle caramelization, bearing notes of clove, followed by the cool, floral sweetness of heather tips, and hints of roasted barley to dry out the finish.

Nobility  I had the honor of getting the last growler of this phenomenal brew.  Very creamy, smooth and easy to drink.  This single hop ale with a mix of two yeast give this beer a complex but refreshing flavor.

Next time you are in Wilmington a trip to Front Street is well worth the time.  Their beers and atmosphere proove that if you brew a good product and have a good attitude you can be sucessful and stick around.

Cheers!!!
http://frontstreetbrewery.com/

Lumina Winery and Brewery

*****UPDATE*****
We are sad to report that Lumina Winery and Brewery closed their doors on July 20, 2013.

*Original review is still posted below*

Lumina Brewing Company produces beer in small batches. They specialize in brewing German and Bohemian Style Beer. One of the few NC Breweries that brew in accordance with the Bavarian Brewing Tradition of “Reinheitsgebot”, the German beer purity law of 1516. This means that nothing is added to the beer except yeast, hops, water and grain. All of their Bavarian Style Beer contains malt and hops from Germany. The Brew masters have extensively traveled Germany and the Czech Republic and have visited many breweries to learn the art of old world style brewing.  A small location and they may or may not have all their beers when you arrive.  This was OK with me as I understand that when you brew that small and have a good product it's hard to keep up with demand. One must also remember they are a winery as well and while there are a number of wineries getting into craft beer they still have to keep their wine customers happy.

They only had two beers available for my trip and both were very nice and I recommend you try either one if you see them available somewhere.  The Whitetail Wheat is one of the few wheat beers I feel like I could enjoy a full glass of and readers of this blog know I'm not a wheat fan.  I also had the Racoon Red and was thouroly impressed with it and a 22oz bottle came home with me.  If you're in Wilmington stop by for a taste and take home a bottle or two.

Prost!!!
http://luminawine.com/our-brewery/

Railhouse Brewery

At each turn in the road on my NC Beer tour I am being amazed endlessly.  The fine folks at Railhouse are no exception.  Located in a city of 6428 people this small town brewery has a huge heart.  Started by two co-workers in corporate America they decided to get their hands dirty and give the world good beer with a great theme.  Mike Ratkowski and Brian Evitts have shown the world that you don't have to be in a big city or an area with other breweries to make a good product.  Their number one spokes person is Lisa Lange and if I owned a brewery she'd be the first marketing person I would hire.  It becomes apparent very quickly that Lisa loves Railhouse and its products.  Brian is also just as passionate about his beer as any brewer should be but unfortunately many are not and could learn from talking to him for a short time.  These guys are not arrogant and even serve other beers and have a huge shelving unit with other bottles, cans and growlers.

The brewery sits in a warehouse right on the Rail Road tracks and the old Aberdeen Rail House is in full view from the brewery steps. 

They are very military friendly and have a huge selection of flags from the armed forces.  These are not flags bought in an Army/Navy Store or a Flea Market these flags all have been donated by service men and women.  They have the American Flag that flew over Saddam Hussein's mansion after he was captured.  I was planning on getting a picture of it but didn't remember till after we had left.  They are also a very charitable company so you know that part of your beer dollars are going to be used in a philanthropic manner that is very admirable. 

The beers brewed all use traditional ingredients but we've all learned that every brewery has it's own flair.  The one thing that really stuck out to me and got me excited was when I found out they actually use open air fermentation.  Every home-brewer in the country is originally taught that you must use an "airlock" and keep your beer from the air and elements that may be floating around.  I've studied open air and I know in Europe it's quite normal for breweries to use open air.  It still astounded me that a brewery right here in NC uses such method.  There are pictures at the end of this review of the tanks with and without fermenting beer in them.

The Railhouse Pale is a very light well balanced with a slight haziness. Golden amber color with a mildly sweet finish.  If you typically drink the mass produced beers then this is the one you want.

KA-BAR Brown named after the knives of the same name and endorsed by the knife maker.  This could reasonably be called a nut brown but who want's to call something nutty with a name like KA-BAR?    At only 29 IBU's it's hoppy enough to balance out the malt and give you a well rounded beer with no hop finish.  Don't turn your nose away from this one due to it's dark chocolaty color as it's as smooth as any "lighter" beers you may drink.

Mastiff Oatmeal Stout is named after a good customer's dog which is a Mastiff.  This is their flagship beer and often called a "Summer Stout". (Hey why not?)  They will mix a nice lemon aid with it and while I was intrigued to try it I can only drink so much and still remember what to write.  I got a few of these in bottles and will be trying the lemon aid mix with it.  The beer itself is a very smooth and refreshing stout and unlike most stouts it didn't fill me up.  (Insert Less Filling, Taste Great line here)  At 33 IBU's and 6.5% ABV they brewed this beer to match the name.  It's a big beer but also very gentle. 

Vanilla Porter with just a hint of Vanilla you can't compare this to other porters of the same style.  It's not overly sweet and the malt is perfect to style.  True to the brewing style of Brian this beer is just as smooth as one would expect from this brewery.  While it wasn't my personal favorite it still deserves a try when you take a visit there.  At 32 IBU's it was hoppy enough for me to enjoy. 

Beergasm Barleywine is just that... A beergasm that will sneak up on you.  You don't taste the 10.5 ABV and the 46IBU's are hidden well.  Very malty and mildly sweet two of these and you're off your feet.  This beer is worth drinking but needs to be enjoyed with caution if you are driving. 

FCA IPA should be no secret as a hop head this will be my "go to" beer.  After my flight I ordered a pint and a growler came home with me.  It's not a West Coast IPA and it's not an East Coast IPA is what I was told.  You are probably thinking WTH is it then?  Drum roll please.....  It's a North Carolina IPA.  Unlike many IPA’s, the FCA IPA is well balanced between the malt and hops.  Starts with a light aroma of hops and a strong sweet hoppy taste in the beginning, but finishes smooth with only a slight lasting bitterness at the end.  At 7.5% and 73 IBU's I call this one a home-run. 

Wall of other breweries stuff.

 I need a shelf like this.  I'm afraid I'd fill it up to quick though. 

Tap Wall

 The tap wall litterly comes out of the cooler where the kegs are kept.  Who needs to tote kegs from one unit to another when one blows...  Just go in and reset it.

Brewery

 A very nice 15bbl Stainless system.

Open Air Fermentation

One last thing on the open air fermentation.  I did not take this picture but my iPhone camera did.  It was taken by the assistant brewery (who's name escapes me at this writing and I didn't write it down).  The fermenters are in a separate room but it's still open air. 

Cheers!!!
http://www.railhousebrewery.com/