This article regards brewing in North Carolina.
The earliest documented commercial brewery in North Carolina was in the Moravian town of Bethabara in Wachovia. According to the Moravian Diaries, a log house was constructed for a distillery and brewery in 1756.[1] The May, 1764 brewery and distillery inventory listed 270 gallons of brandy, 40 gallons of rye whisky, and 90 gallons of beer on hand.[2] The Bethabara brewery and distillery continued operating until the last brewer moved away in 1814.[3] The Bethabara brewery operated longer than the Single Brother's Brewery in nearby Salem, NC
In 1985, Uli Bennewitz pushed a change in the North Carolina law books. This change made it legal for a brewpub to exist under state laws. The next year (1986) Bennewitz opened NC's first brewpub, Weeping Radish Bavarian Restaurant.
On August 13, 2005, House Bill 392 from the NC General Assembly was signed by then-Governor Mike Easley. HB 392 (commonly known as the "Pop The Cap" Bill[4] ) defined a "malt beverage" as any "beer, lager, malt liquor, ale, porter, and any other brewed or fermented beverage" that contained between .5% and 16% alcohol by volume.[5] This represented an increase from the previous limit of 6%. As of 2021, there were more than 340 active breweries in North Carolina.[6]
Name | City | County | Opened | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
26 Acres Brewing Company | Concord | Cabarrus | 2019 | [7] |
Angry Troll Brewing | Elkin | Yadkin | 2016 | |
Appalachian Mountain Brewery | Boone (original) Mills River (2nd location) |
Watauga Henderson |
2013 (original) 2014 (2nd location) |
[8] |
Asheville Brewing Company | Asheville (3 locations) | Buncombe | 1998 (original) 2006 (South Slope) 2012 (South Asheville) |
[9] |
Ass Clown Brewing | Cornelius | Mecklenburg | 2011 | |
Beech Mountain Brewing Company | Beech Mountain | Avery | 2014 | [10] |
Birdsong Brewing Company | Charlotte | Mecklenburg | 2011 | [11] |
Black Creek Brewery | Roxboro | Person | [12] | |
Blowing Rock Brewing Company | Blowing Rock (2 locations) Hickory (3rd location) |
Watauga Catawba |
2005 (original) 2013 (Ale House & Inn) 2018 (Hickory) |
[13] |
BMC Brewing | Pittsboro | Chatham | 2021 | [14] |
Bond Brothers Beer Company | Cary (2 locations) | Wake | 2016 (original) 2021 (Eastside) |
|
Boojum Brewing Company | Waynesville | Haywood | 2014 | [15] |
Boondocks Brewing | West Jefferson (2 locations) | Ashe | 2012 (original) 2014 (Brew Haus) |
[16] |
Booneshine Brewing Company | Boone | Watauga | 2012 | [17] |
Bright Penny Brewing | Mebane (2 locations) Rocky Mount (3rd location) |
Alamance Nash |
2017 (original) 2021 (Tanger Outlets) 2024 (Rocky Mount) |
[18] |
Brown Truck Brewing Company | High Point | Guilford | 2015 | |
Brueprint Brewing Company | Apex | Wake | 2014 | [19] |
Burial Beer Company | Asheville (original) Raleigh Charlotte |
Buncombe Wake Mecklenburg |
2013 (original) 2019 (Raleigh) 2022 (Charlotte) |
[20][21] |
Burlington Beer Works | Burlington | Alamance | 2019 | |
Buzzed Viking Brewing and Meadery | Concord (original) Locust (2nd location) |
Cabarrus Stanley |
2020 (original) 2022 (2nd location) |
[22] |
Cabarrus Brewing Company | Concord | Cabarrus | 2015 | |
Camelback Brewing Company | Sanford | Lee | 2012 | |
Casita Brewing Company | Wilson | Wilson | 2021 | [23] |
Cavendish Brewery | Gastonia | Gaston | 2016 | [24] |
Clouds Brewing Company | Raleigh (original & 2nd locations) Durham (3rd location) |
Wake Durham |
2014 2016 |
[25] |
Cotton House by Triangle Beer Company | Cary | Wake | 2018 | [26] |
Crank Arm Brewing Company | Raleigh | Wake | 2016 | |
Crossbones Brewing | Dunn | Harnett | ||
Deep River Brewing Company | Clayton | Johnston | 2013 | [27] |
Edge City Brewing | Charlotte | Mecklenburg | 2020 | [28] |
Fainting Goat Brewing Company | Benson (original) Fuquay-Varina |
Johnston Harnett |
2015 (original) | [29] |
Fiddlin' Fish Brewing Company | Winston-Salem | Forsyth | 2017 | [30] |
Foothills Brewing | Winston-Salem (2 locations) | Forsyth | 2005 (original) 2015 (tasting room) |
[31][32] |
Forgotten Road Ales | Graham (original) Greensboro (2nd location) |
Alamance Guilford |
2019 (original) | [33] |
Four Saints Brewing Company | Asheboro | Randolph | 2015 | [34] |
Goofy Foot Taproom Brewery | High Point | Guilford | 2018 | [35] |
Goose & Monkey Brewhouse | Lexington | Davidson | 2020 | [36] |
Green Man Brewery | Asheville | Buncombe | 1997 | [37] |
Grove Cartel Brewing Company | China Grove | Rowan | 2021 | [38] |
Gypsy Road Brewing Company | Kernersville | Forsyth | 2018 | [39] |
Hatchet Brewing Company | Southern Pines | Moore | 2019 | [40] |
Havoc Brewing Company | Pittsboro | Chatham | 2023 | [41] |
Haw River Farmhouse Ale | Saxapahaw | Alamance | 2014 | |
Hidden Gate Brewing | Greensboro | Guilford | 2023 | [42] |
High-Wire Brewing | Asheville (original, 4 locations) Durham Wilmington Charlotte |
Buncombe Durham New Hanover Mecklenburg |
2013 (original) 2015 (Biltmore Village) 2018 (Durham) 2020 (Wilmington) 2022 (Charlotte) |
[43][44][45][46] |
Hoots Beer Company | Winston-Salem | Forsyth | 2013 | [47] |
Hugger Mugger Brewing Company | Sanford | Lee | 2018 | [48] |
Incendiary Brewing Company | Winston-Salem (original) Lewisville (2nd location) Raleigh (3rd location) |
Forsyth Wake |
2018 (original) 2022 (2nd location) 2023 (3rd location) |
[49][50] |
Joymongers Brewing Company & Barrel Hall | Greensboro (originak) Winstom-Salem (2nd location) |
Guilford Forsyth |
2016 (original) 2018 (Winston-Salem) |
[51] |
Kettell Beerworks | Banner Elk | Avery | 2010 | [52] |
Lesser-Known Beer Company | Winston-Salem | Forsyth | 2022 | [53] |
Little City Brewing Company | Raleigh | Wake | 2016 | [54] |
Little Brother Brewing | Greensboro (original) Graham (2nd location) Kernersville (3rd location) |
Guilford Forsyth |
2018 (original) 2020 (Graham) 2023 (Kenersville) |
[55][56] |
Little Oblivion Brewing Company | Graham | Alamance | 2021 | [57] |
Lost Province Brewing Company | Boone (2 locations) | Watauga | 2014 (original) 2021 (Hardin Creek) |
[58] |
Lucky City Brewing | Reidsville | Rockingham | 2021 | [60] |
Makai Brewing Company | Ocean Isle Beach | Brunswick | 2017 | [61] |
Middle James Brewing Co. | Pineville | Mecklenburg | 2019 | [62] |
Midsummer Brewing | Mount Airy Westfield |
Surry Stokes |
||
Mother Earth Brewing | Kinston | Lenoir | 2008 | [63] |
Natty Greene's Brewing Company | Greensboro | Guilford | 2004 | [64] |
New Belgium Brewing Company | Asheville | Buncombe | 2016 | [65] |
New River Brewery | West Jefferson (2 locations) | Ashe | 2019 (original) 2021 (taproom/brewery) |
[66] |
New Sarum Brewing Company | Salisbury | Rowan | 2014 | |
NoDa Brewing Company | Charlotte (3 locations) | Mecklenburg | 2011 (original) 2015 (North End) 2018 (Airport pub) |
[67][68] |
Oden Brewing Company | Greensboro | Guilford | ||
Old Armor Beer Company | Kannapolis | Cabarrus | ||
Paddled South Brewing Company | High Point | Guilford | 2021 | [69] |
Pilot Brewing Company | Charlotte | Mecklenburg | 2018 | [70] |
Pinehurst Brewing Company | Pinehurst | Moore | 2018 | [71] |
Quick Trigger Brewing Company | Ahsokie | Hertford | 2017 | [72] |
R&R Brewing | Mt. Olive | Wayne | 2018 | [73] |
Rail House Brewery | Aberdeen | Moore | 2010 | [74] |
Railwalk Brewery | Salisbury | Rowan | ||
Red Moose Brewing Company | Pittsboro | Chatham | 2021 | [75] |
Red Oak Brewery | Whitsett | Guilford | 2007 | [76] |
Reynolds Brewery | Eden | Rockingham | 2021 | [77] |
River Club Concern | Madison | Rockingham | 2018 | [78] |
Salud Beer Shop Nanobrewery | Charlotte | Mecklenburg | [79] | |
Seaboard Brewing | Matthews | Mecklenburg | 2019 | |
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company | Mills River | Henderson | 2012 | [80] |
Skull Camp Brewing Company | Elkin (original) Mount Airy (2nd location) |
Yadkin Surry |
2014 (original) | |
South Line Brewing | Cary | Wake | 2023 | |
Southend Brewing Company | Greensboro (original) Boone (2nd location) |
Guilford Watauga |
2019 (original) 2023 (Boone) |
[81] |
Southern Pines Brewing Company | Southern Pines (2 locations) | Moore | 2014 (original) 2020 (Pennsylvania Ave.) |
[82] |
Static Line Brewing Company | Sanford | Harnett | ||
Steel Hands Brewing | Greensboro | Guilford | 2022 | [83] |
Steel Strings Brewery | Carrboro | Orange | 2011 | [84] |
Sweet Union Brewing | Indian Trial | Union | 2017 | [85] |
Tarboro Brewing Company | Tarboro | Edgecombe | 2017 | [86] |
Thirsty Skull Brewing | Siler City (original) Pittsboro (2nd location) |
Chatham | 2021 (original) 2022 (Pittsboro) |
[87] |
Thirsty Souls Brewing | Mount Airy | Surry | 2017 | [88] |
Toasty Kettlelyst Beer Company | Gibsonville | Guilford | 2018 | |
Tobacco Road Brewing | Raleigh Durham |
Wake Durham |
||
TwoBoros Brewing | Wilkesboro | Wilkes | 2019 | [89] |
Uwharrie Brewing Company | Albemarle | Stanley | 2023 | [90] |
Vaulted Oak Brewing | Charlotte | Mecklenburg | 2021 | [91] |
Vicious Fishes Brewery | Angier (original) Fuquay-Varina (2nd location) Apex (3rd location) Cary (4th location) |
Harnett Wake |
2023 (Cary) | [92] |
Weeping Radish Farm Brewery | Grandy | Currituck | 1986 | [93] |
White Elephant Beer Company | Mount Airy | Surry | 2019 | |
White Street Brewing | Wake Forest | Wake | 2011 | [94] |
Wiseman Brewing | Winston-Salem | Forsyth | 2017 | [95] |
Wooden Robot Brewery | Charlotte | Mecklenburg |
Name | City | County | Opened | Closed | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
217 Beer Works | Wilson | Wilson | 2015 | 2020 | [23] |
Biltmore Brewing Company | Asheville | Buncombe | [96] | ||
Bourbon County Brewery | High Point | Guilford | [97] | ||
Bulgarian Brewing Company | Greensboro | Guilford | [98] | ||
Good Vibes Brewing Company | Carolina Beach Wilmington |
New Hanover | 2014 | [99] | |
Kernersville Brewing Company | Kernersville | Forsyth | 2023 | ||
Kind Beers | Charlotte | Mecklenburg | [100] | ||
Lumina Winery & Brewery | Wilmington | New Hanover | 2012 | [101] | |
Mansfield Brewery | Greensboro | Guilford | [102] | ||
Rusted Mill Artisan Ales | Gastonia | Gaston | [103] |