Did you know North Carolina has the most breweries of any state south of Pennsylvania and east of Texas? I didn’t, so when I heard about their first “North Carolina Beer Month“, I had to share the exciting news as North Carolina is the South’s suds stronghold.
To celebrate the state’s craftsmanship and the destinations where it’s nurtured, breweries, hotels, restaurants and other businesses are combining forces with the North Carolina Brewers Guild and North Carolina Division of Tourism for the inaugural North Carolina Beer Month, April 2013.
To give perspective just how booming the North Carolina craft beer movement, here is a North Carolina Beer stat map by Wort & Yeast, yes, it’s a few years old, but STILL, the numbers are impressive:
Here are the 8 North Carolina Beer Month in April 2013 Highlights:
1. “Beer City USA” Experience, April 12-14, Asheville: Lodging at Aloft Downtown Asheville, a LaZoom Comedy Tour, visits to Highland Brewing and other hops spots, dining and more.
2. Hickory Hops, April 20, Hickory: Festival hosted by Olde Hickory Brewing with 40-plus regional breweries, music, food and the Carolinas Championship of Beers.
3. Spring Fling, April 6, Pittsboro: Spirited local festival featuring food, music and a new release from Carolina Brewery.
4. French Broad River Floats, April 20 and 27, Asheville: Asheville Adventure Rentals excursion plus a tour and tasting at Altamont Brewing, a hot new arrival on the Asheville beer scene.
5. NC Beer Lover’s Weekend, April 26-27, Greensboro: Lodging at the stellar O. Henry Hotel plus a beer dinner and beer-cooking class.
6. NC Brews Walkabout, April 27, Blowing Rock: Tasting tour through the lively Blue Ridge Mountains town with lodging packages that include a branded NC Beer Month stein from Traditions Pottery.
7. Brewgaloo, April 27, Raleigh: Downtown celebration of the area’s beer craftsmanship and culinary creativity.
8. New releases: General Lenoir’s Old Ale from Howard Brewing in Lenoir, based on a Revolutionary War hero’s recipe; Up On the Sun, a Belgian-style saison from Birdsong Brewing in Charlotte; Pisgah Cosmos Baltic Porter from Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain; Oyster Stout collaboration from Wilmington’s Front Street Brewery and Charlotte’s NoDa Brewing; and a Red Rye Ale from brewers in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Visit www.NCBeerMonth.com for details and more ‘brew’-ha-ha. And to plan your stay for North Carolina Beer Month, head to www.VisitNC.com.
More North Carolina Brew News
North Carolina Brewers Guild Brewery Map
NC Beer Guys Blog – honest reviews of North Carolina beers, events, tours
NC Brewing – ‘Pouring you the news of North Carolina brews’
Beer stat map by Wort & Yeast. Top photo courtesy of Visit North Carolina and beer taps photo courtesy of Carolina Brewery.