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