Drinking Beer in Charlotte

[kermit]

Random beer notes, questions, thoughts and musings:

Has anyone been over to Blue Blaze in the past few months? I have not, and I haven't seen there beer on tap anywhere lately (but I think cans are still in Teeters). Just wondering if they are hanging in there as a mostly neighborhood place.

Its starting to feel (to me) like a bunch of the hype / buzz / energy has come out of the craft market over the past few months ("if you aint seltzer or 'light' beer then you aint crap"). I'll strike my semi-annual note of concern that closures of some of our weaker brewers (the demise of Bold Missy, was rumored here 6 months ago?) may be on the horizon. I know there were other things going on but the continued vacancy at Max and Lola's reinforces this feeling.

• Any news on the uptown outpost of D9? Was that part of a larger project? Seems to have gone quiet and we are approaching peak spring-time beer gardening.
• I am rarely passing by at peak hours, but the 36th st wooden robot does not appear to be getting big happy hour crowds (no weekend data)
• Breweries I have heard very little from lately: Free Range, Blue Blaze, Divine Barrel, Triple C (but their event space makes it to my social media a bunch) and (strangely) Birdsong.
• Stopped at Catawba a few weeks ago -- was very disappointed with beer quality in tap room -- possible I choose my beers badly, but it left a bad impression. Felt like they were selling a bunch of small batch stuff that they should have dumped.
• Still order a Sycamore occasionally (when there is no other choice) -- still disappointed, but I'll admit, I am not their demographic.
• I wish Heist's beers were more readily available (I rarely see them other than a couple of tap appearances at CM)

Brighter notes:

• Protagonist looked like it was doing very well during happy hour this past Friday
• Based on peering in windows alone, Sunstead appears to be ready to open any minute (no idea about permits, etc.)
• I continue to be pleasantly surprised by beer quality from Town (mostly purchased at Common Market, still have not been to brewery)
• Very impressed that NoDa is continuing to churn out interesting (and high quality) small batch beers. I hosted a conference here a couple weeks ago and many attendees raved about their brewery visit. Radio Haze continues to be my go to  daily drinker.
• (not craft related). As I rode the BLE home on Thursday a guy got on at Tom Hunter with a plastic painters bucket full of well-iced Rolling Rocks. He didn't offer me one, but I was impressed. Blue Line beers should be more of a thing! (its commuter rail but byob is common on Metro North in NYC and Metra in Chicago)

Edited November 10, 2019 by kermit

[Matthew.Brendan]

1 hour ago, kermit said:

(not craft related). As I rode the BLE home on Thursday a guy got on at Tom Hunter with a plastic painters bucket full of well-iced Rolling Rocks. He didn't offer me one, but I was impressed. Blue Line beers should be more of a thing!

I know they hardly even check for tickets but I feel like should a security guard board the train they wouldn’t look so kindly on having an open alcoholic beverage?  But then again maybe not, rules enforcement seems to be sporadic and rather laissez-faire. 

[wilmore]

6 hours ago, kermit said:

Random beer notes, questions, thoughts and musings:

Has anyone been over to Blue Blaze in the past few months? I have not, and I haven't seen there beer on tap anywhere lately (but I think cans are still in Teeters). Just wondering if they are hanging in there as a mostly neighborhood place.

Its starting to feel (to me) like a bunch of the hype / buzz / energy has come out of the craft market over the past few months ("if you aint seltzer or 'light' beer then you aint crap"). I'll strike my semi-annual note of concern that closures of some of our weaker brewers (the demise of Bold Missy, was rumored here 6 months ago?) may be on the horizon. I know there were other things going on but the continued vacancy at Max and Lola's reinforces this feeling.

• Any news on the uptown outpost of D9? Was that part of a larger project? Seems to have gone quiet and we are approaching peak spring-time beer gardening.
• I am rarely passing by at peak hours, but the 36th st wooden robot does not appear to be getting big happy hour crowds (no weekend data)
• Breweries I have heard very little from lately: Free Range, Blue Blaze, Divine Barrel, Triple C (but their event space makes it to my social media a bunch) and (strangely) Birdsong.
• Stopped at Catawba a few weeks ago -- was very disappointed with beer quality in tap room -- possible I choose my beers badly, but it left a bad impression. Felt like they were selling a bunch of small batch stuff that they should have dumped.
• Still order a Sycamore occasionally (when there is no other choice) -- still disappointed, but I'll admit, I am not their demographic.
• I wish Heist's beers were more readily available (I rarely see them other than a couple of tap appearances at CM)

Brighter notes:

• Protagonist looked like it was doing very well during happy hour this past Friday
• Based on peering in windows alone, Sunstead appears to be ready to open any minute (no idea about permits, etc.)
• I continue to be pleasantly surprised by beer quality from Town (mostly purchased at Common Market, still have not been to brewery)
• Very impressed that NoDa is continuing to churn out interesting (and high quality) small batch beers. I hosted a conference here a couple weeks ago and many attendees raved about their brewery visit. Radio Haze continues to be my go to  daily drinker.
• (not craft related). As I rode the BLE home on Thursday a guy got on at Tom Hunter with a plastic painters bucket full of well-iced Rolling Rocks. He didn't offer me one, but I was impressed. Blue Line beers should be more of a thing! (its commuter rail but byob is common on Metro North in NYC and Metra in Chicago)

Max & Lola's was selling crapty non-local beers for ~$7, so I'm not sure if that portends anything about the local craft market. 

Free Range is supposed to open a new location at Camp North End, not sure on the timeline for that. 

Blue Blaze has pretty much always been non-crowded, with a handful of neighborhood folks. It had a good crowd on Open Streets but that was the only time I've been there and felt like it was a viable business. 

Wooden Robot South End actually doesn't have a huge crowd on weeknight happy hours either, except for trivia nights (at which Jacob kills it) and run club type things, I think they make their bread on the weekends and 36th street is likely no different. 

It's interesting that Heist stuff isn't that readily available, as they clearly have a good bit of production space with the new brewery (which has been surprisingly uncrowded at most of my visits, as it's probably my overall favorite taproom in the city). 

[Madison Parkitect]

How long has Charlotte been able to buy Elysian? I just noticed it in stores and I'm glad to be able to have a PNW beer again. Has it been here for a while?

[grodney]

4 minutes ago, Madison Parkitect said:

How long has Charlotte been able to buy Elysian? I just noticed it in stores and I'm glad to be able to have a PNW beer again. Has it been here for a while?

I don't think I've seen it locally, so not long?  Although I might have seen it but not known it, as my conscious existence is programmed to ignore AB InBev products, hahahaha!

 

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by grodney

[CTiger]

10 minutes ago, Madison Parkitect said:

How long has Charlotte been able to buy Elysian? I just noticed it in stores and I'm glad to be able to have a PNW beer again. Has it been here for a while?

Pretty sure when they got bought by ABInbev they ramped up distribution pretty quickly after.  I remember seeing it pop up in places last year for sure.

[InSouthPark]

6 minutes ago, grodney said:

I don't think I've seen it locally, so not long?  Although I might have seen it but not known it, as my conscious existence is programmed to ignore AB InBev products, hahahaha!

 

10 minutes ago, Madison Parkitect said:

How long has Charlotte been able to buy Elysian? I just noticed it in stores and I'm glad to be able to have a PNW beer again. Has it been here for a while?

Space Dust has been in Teeters  for a  couple years. 

[Madison Parkitect]

4 minutes ago, InSouthPark said:

 

Space Dust has been in Teeters  for a  couple years. 

That's what I saw and where I saw it. Space Dust is their big seller and they're not really a craft brewery anymore, but I'll take what I can get when I'm in the mood for something from that part of the country.

[Desert Power]

On 11/9/2019 at 8:09 AM, kermit said:

/old man yells at clouds/

I was back at Haberdish for the first time in a while yesterday. The food was really good,  but I think I am seeing a trend of crappy tap curation in local restaurants and it is making me sad. Other than Gordgeous (and maybe the Fullsteam pilsner) there was nothing else local (or truly micro) on the beer list.  When the beer list is anchored by Founders All Day, Wicked Weed Pernicious and Bud Light, I really get the feeling that the bar manager is just phoning it in. Unfortunately I am starting to see this kind of tap curation in restaurants all over town — one token local and then a bunch of mediocre macros dressed up to look like good beer.  We live in a remarkably good beer town, why aren't restaurant managers taking advantage of that?

/rant/

The pickles at Haberdish are amazing!

You're supposed to be drinking the cocktails there.

[kermit]

19 hours ago, Desert Power said:

You're supposed to be drinking the cocktails there.

Yea, I know. But fried chicken and beer is a perfect pair.

(and I spent most of my life rebelling against the $9 cocktail crowd)

Edited November 12, 2019 by kermit

[kermit]

On 6/26/2019 at 5:47 PM, CLT> said:

Interesting news. This could be cool, and finally gets Charlotte a major production brewery. Though the folks at Olde Meck might not be thrilled

One of the oldest beer-makers in Germany plans massive brewery in Charlotte
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/article231928643.html

I am surprised this was only 6 months ago. Can we write this off as drunken CEO banter yet?

The Observer story said we should have begun to see the beer in town back in August (including grocery stores, sports events and festivals) and the brewpub was planned “by the end of the year.” The company said they had narrowed the brewpub location down to “five sites.”

Edit: Untappd shows some purchases of their Pils have happened at Total Wine and Boardwalk Billy’s. Untappd users only give the beer 3 stars.

I am pretty sure UP would have smoked this out by now if any of it was actually happening. No doubt the project turned out to be much more complicated than the company anticipated, but they were so  specific about their plans back in June that it appeared that most of the problems had already been solved.

The company does have this Charlotte specific page on its US website: https://www.gilde1546.com/brewery-project/  (I believe the page was updated on October 26)

Quote

Gilde  Brewery Charlotte, North Carolina 
We are building an authentic German Brewery in Charlotte, North Carolina. We will provide a unique customer experience that immerses itself in centuries of German brewing heritage. We will combine the traditional German art of brewing with the creativity of the American craft beer movement.
The beers produced at the brewery will be authentic German beers.
Training will be of the utmost importance and every brewer in our American facility will be taught by our experienced brew masters in Germany.

PRESS & INQUIRIES [email protected]

in their History and Heritage section of the web site they said this on October 30th

Edited November 17, 2019 by kermit

[cltbwimob]

3 hours ago, kermit said:

I am surprised this was only 6 months ago. Can we write this off as drunken CEO talk yet?

The Observer story said we should have begun to see the beer in town back in August (including grocery stores, sports events and festivals) and the brewpub was planned “by the end of the year.” The company said they had narrowed the brewpub location down to “five sites.”

Edit: Untappd shows some purchases of their Pils have happened at Total Wine and Boardwalk Billy’s. Untappd users only give the beer 3 stars.

I am pretty sure UP would have smoked this out by now if any of it was actually happening. No doubt the project turned out to be much more complicated than the company anticipated, but they were very specific about their plans back in June.

The company still has this Charlotte specific page on its US website: https://www.gilde1546.com/brewery-project/  (I believe the page was updated on October 26)

in their History and Heritage section of the web site they said this on October 30th

The beer is here.  It’s sold in multiple places around town.  Haven’t had a chance to try it yet but intend to do so in the near future.  As for the brewery, I was wondering when they would announce something myself, but not willing to write it off yet.  How many times have we seen a project get announced with a prospective completion date only to see it go dark for a while, then out of nowhere construction crews appear onsite?

[grodney]

Kit is having his 3rd anny party today and tomorrow.  Lots of rare and cool stuff on tap.  He also had Cold Mountain as of yesterday, but I hate that stuff.

And don't forget Hoppy Holidays release a week from today.....black Friday.  It's what I always do while the wife and mother-in-law are out shopping.

Non-Charlotte, but still close to home......RIP New Belgium.  Not that I've had any lately, but you just never know when you've had your last Fat Tire or Ranger IPA.  This one hurts, coming from Nebraska where you could get Fat Tire long long ago before the craft boom......that was one of the original craft beers with actual depth of flavor and nuance.

[Matthew.Brendan]

Regarding Blue Blaze I saw that the Giant Penny on Plaza had a bunch of their cans stocked.

 

 

[cltcane]

On 11/17/2019 at 8:48 PM, cltbwimob said:

The beer is here.  It’s sold in multiple places around town.  Haven’t had a chance to try it yet but intend to do so in the near future.  As for the brewery, I was wondering when they would announce something myself, but not willing to write it off yet.  How many times have we seen a project get announced with a prospective completion date only to see it go dark for a while, then out of nowhere construction crews appear onsite?

Just had one at the Gilde Rathskeller in Hanover.  The staff didn’t speak much English, so I didn’t ask about this (not that they would have any idea).  Their flagship is a decent hoppy Pilsner, but Hanover is the only city in Germany I’ve ever seen it.

[Desert Power]

On 11/25/2019 at 3:43 PM, Matthew.Brendan said:

Regarding Blue Blaze I saw that the Giant Penny on Plaza had a bunch of their cans stocked.

 

 

These feels really random.

[kermit]

On 11/25/2019 at 3:43 PM, Matthew.Brendan said:

Regarding Blue Blaze I saw that the Giant Penny on Plaza had a bunch of their cans stocked.

 

 

Is that a good thing?

[Matthew.Brendan]

Well the Penny does seem to rotate a diverse stock of local craft beers, so I give them props for that. Solid pricing too.

[kermit]

1) Town Brewing continues to pleasantly surprise me with their beer quality. Emotional Support Badger is a very good ESB (on tap at Optimist Hall last night)

2) [not Charlotte related] Here is an interesting story on Ballast Point, the ‘it’ macro-micro brewery from a few years ago (Grapefruit Sculpin!). They were bought out by Constellation brands two years ago (for $1 billion) but the brand declined and was just sold again, this time to [a group of investors who also own] a 600 barrel brewery in suburban Chicago (for well less than $100 million it sounds like).  Not sure what the lesson is here but it does show how far and how fast established breweries can fall when they loose their local roots.

https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/sightlines/2019/12/3/a-falling-starconstellation-offloads-ballast-point-for-a-fraction-to-unknown-investors

Edited December 4, 2019 by kermit

[InSouthPark]

3 hours ago, kermit said:

1) Town Brewing continues to pleasantly surprise me with their beer quality. Emotional Support Badger is a very good ESB (on tap at Optimist Hall last night)

2) [not Charlotte related] Here is an interesting story on Ballast Point, the ‘it’ macro-micro brewery from a few years ago (Grapefruit Sculpin!). They were bought out by Constellation brands two years ago (for $1 billion) but the brand declined and was just sold again, this time to [a group of investors who also own] a 600 barrel brewery in suburban Chicago (for well less than $100 million it sounds like).  Not sure what the lesson is here but it does show how far and how fast established breweries can fall when they loose their local roots.

https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/sightlines/2019/12/3/a-falling-starconstellation-offloads-ballast-point-for-a-fraction-to-unknown-investors

Regarding # 2 - Conspiracy theorist are hoping the other 4 silent investors are the 4 original owners that sold for a billion.   How funny would that be?  Even if they paid $100mil, they could treat it as a "pet project" since they already made all their bank. 

[grodney]

Holy cow, until being summoned to the Grocery thread, I'd forgotten that Lower Left even existed.  Anybody been there?

I haven't been to Armored Cow or Robot 36th or Protagonist either, but I literally forgot about Lower Left.

[grodney]

Death to bombers!  I don't follow Triple C, so I didn't know they released Up All Night in cans!!  This is awesome.  Even with the bodega markup (typically $1-$4) at Rhino for $21/4-pack (3oz/dollar), that's way cheaper than a $10 bomber (2.2oz/dollar).  Not to mention I'm not compelled to drink 22oz of a 10% beer, hahahaha.

[hambone931]

2 hours ago, grodney said:

I'd forgotten that Lower Left even existed.  Anybody been there?

I like it. No frills. It feels like you are hanging out in your friend's garage bar with a kegerator.

[InSouthPark]

2 hours ago, grodney said:

Death to bombers!  I don't follow Triple C, so I didn't know they released Up All Night in cans!!  This is awesome.  Even with the bodega markup (typically $1-$4) at Rhino for $21/4-pack (3oz/dollar), that's way cheaper than a $10 bomber (2.2oz/dollar).  Not to mention I'm not compelled to drink 22oz of a 10% beer, hahahaha.

The Bourbon Barrel aged version comes out next Thursday, also in 4 packs.  $30 for a 4 pack.  Last year bombs were $14 or $15/ea.  So an easy $10+ savings on the 4 pack per oz.

[kermit]

Sunstead (Gold District) appears to be ready to open. The word from a neighbor is they have brewed three beers done, but would like to have 10 available when they open. My second-hand source said they should be open in "early January."

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by kermit