Drinking Beer in Charlotte

[rjp212]

Here's some speculation (favoring Charlotte) on the Stone thing:

http://blog.craftbeertraders.com/is-stone-hinting-charlotte/

 

The one thing I don't understand, though, is this: "Charlotte is expecting the announcement of a new brewery on 7.04.14.".

 

Anybody know anything about that?  I tried googling, but couldn't find anything.  Nor do I know what they mean by "Charlotte".

 

Was anything announced?

[grodney]

Regarding "The Beer Growler":

 

Yep -- small chain out of Atlanta. Nice tap lists. Easy policy (1 time growler fee ($5**), then exchange for either size). No prices listed -- but if they're reasonable, they should do fine I think.

**Their site also says they'll fill your own growler, but they have to sanitize it first -- they don't mention if they charge a fee for that.

 

Announced on the Facebook that they are opening July 10 at 1427 South Blvd.

[grodney]

Went to the Whitewater Center Jul 3 for the fireworks.  I'm really NOT a constant complainer, but two problems:

 

The beer lines were LONG.  We got there about 7pm, and the 2 main lines had to be at least 20 minutes probably more.  My wife heard a guy at the back offer $20 for a beer somebody had just purchased.  Luckily, I found a much shorter double-line at the kayak hut.  It was maybe 5-10 minutes.  

 

The second problem was that they wouldn't let me get more than one beer.  I had my wife's ID with me, but they didn't care.  I had seen earlier (and saw later) people walking away with 2 beers, so maybe I just got the turbo enforcers.  Isn't it standard practice to let people get 2 beers at a time?  Prettymuch at ANY festival?  I questioned a guy about it later, and he told me it was ABC rules, which I figured was B.S.  But doing some googling, I find some "happy hour" rule sheets produced by ABC that say:

"

Q: Can a bartender sell more than one drink to a customer at a time? 

A: NO. ABC Rule 2S.0232 (3) states, “an on‐premise permittee or his agent shall not sell more than one drink to a patron for his own consumption

"

 

That seems to support the one-drink-only claim, although it opens the door to a shady loophole for a second ID, since presumably it wouldn't be "for his own consumption".  It's also confusing that I can find reference to this law only on a Happy Hour FAQ sheet, and am having trouble finding the law standing on its own. 

[rugger62]

Went to the Whitewater Center Jul 3 for the fireworks.  I'm really NOT a constant complainer, but two problems:

 

The beer lines were LONG.  We got there about 7pm, and the 2 main lines had to be at least 20 minutes probably more.  My wife heard a guy at the back offer $20 for a beer somebody had just purchased.  Luckily, I found a much shorter double-line at the kayak hut.  It was maybe 5-10 minutes.  

 

The second problem was that they wouldn't let me get more than one beer.  I had my wife's ID with me, but they didn't care.  I had seen earlier (and saw later) people walking away with 2 beers, so maybe I just got the turbo enforcers.  Isn't it standard practice to let people get 2 beers at a time?  Prettymuch at ANY festival?  I questioned a guy about it later, and he told me it was ABC rules, which I figured was B.S.  But doing some googling, I find some "happy hour" rule sheets produced by ABC that say:

"

Q: Can a bartender sell more than one drink to a customer at a time? 

A: NO. ABC Rule 2S.0232 (3) states, “an on‐premise permittee or his agent shall not sell more than one drink to a patron for his own consumption

"

 

That seems to support the one-drink-only claim, although it opens the door to a shady loophole for a second ID, since presumably it wouldn't be "for his own consumption".  It's also confusing that I can find reference to this law only on a Happy Hour FAQ sheet, and am having trouble finding the law standing on its own. 

 

It's more to try and control under age drinking. It's the operators choice. A lot of events uptown have a 2 drink max for that reason. Source: I volunteer at events and am pretty familiar with what goes on 'behind the scenes'.

[tozmervo]

Yeah, the gist is that the operator should know that you're not buying a beer and turning the corner to hand it to a kid. 

[rugger62]

Last week as I drove by OMB's new location I noticed they were clearing out a lot of the under brush on the Tryon side of their property while leaving a good bit of the tall trees. Wasn't it mentioned that they were going to have a beer garden/patio area? Is this to be the location of said beer garden? If so, I feel this to be a huge upgrade from their previous outdoor patio. Very chill spot to enjoy a brew or two under the trees.

 

I haven't seen drawings posted, but there is going to be an outdoor biergarten somewhere.

[grodney]

OMB Grand Opening at new location has been delayed to Aug 15, due to construction delays.

No word from Sugar Creek Brewing yet, but that obviously puts them in the last half of Aug at the earliest.

 

Edit: Sugar Creek is brewing their first batch today.  A commenter says "can't wait to try it in October", although Sugar Creek's website still says "Coming August 2014".

Edited July 8, 2014 by grodney

[InSouthPark]

OMB Grand Opening at new location has been delayed to Aug 15, due to construction delays.

No word from Sugar Creek Brewing yet, but that obviously puts them in the last half of Aug at the earliest.

 

Edit: Sugar Creek is brewing their first batch today.  A commenter says "can't wait to try it in October", although Sugar Creek's website still says "Coming August 2014".

 

I wouldn't be surprised if OMB was brewing at the new location very soon (if not test brewing already). Construction delays could slow the "Grand opening" but still allow back of the house operations. That would free up some of the smaller fermenters/brite tanks for Sugar Creek to brew on. Of course grand opening delays mean delayed refit of the Olde Meck tap room, but I can't imagine there is much they need to do in the brewery itself.

 

PS - A batch of pale ale (which they brewed yesterday) only takes about 2 weeks to make and they won't be holding on to Pale Ale for 3 months before selling it. If they are brewing this week, look for this to selling in August (Sept at the latest). A saison can take longer (up to 4 weeks). So at the least, OMB has two empty brite tanks they are "letting" Sugar Creek use.

[grodney]

Sycamore tweeted that their brewhouse (brewing system) is a week from being done, and said they're still on track for September.  Oh, and they're hiring for the taproom: http://www.sycamorebrew.com/opportunities/

 

Lenny Boy's expansion to a full (small) brewery and taproom is apparently complete, and they'll be tapping 5 flagship beers on Friday.  Daniel at Charlotte Beer has the story: http://www.charlottebeer.com/2014/07/09/lenny-boy-tapping-flagship-beers-on-friday-july-18/

 

So what's your take on Heist?  Reviews since they got a new brewer seem to indicate the beer is better, but not outstanding.  But on the food side, the reviews (and responses from Heist) seem to indicate they have gone to a whole new menu that is all small plates (tapas-ish).  In addition, it seems like their Sunday brunch used to get raves, but the last few brunch mentions on Yelp have been pretty negative.  I don't know, maybe my personal experiences there are clouding my judgement, and I have no idea how busy they are or how much business they do, but I could see them folding in the next 12-18 months.  I could see somebody re-opening that space as a brewpub with more traditional food.

Edited July 10, 2014 by grodney

[rugger62]

I wouldn't be surprised if OMB was brewing at the new location very soon (if not test brewing already). Construction delays could slow the "Grand opening" but still allow back of the house operations. That would free up some of the smaller fermenters/brite tanks for Sugar Creek to brew on. Of course grand opening delays mean delayed refit of the Olde Meck tap room, but I can't imagine there is much they need to do in the brewery itself.

 

PS - A batch of pale ale (which they brewed yesterday) only takes about 2 weeks to make and they won't be holding on to Pale Ale for 3 months before selling it. If they are brewing this week, look for this to selling in August (Sept at the latest). A saison can take longer (up to 4 weeks). So at the least, OMB has two empty brite tanks they are "letting" Sugar Creek use.

According to OMB's facebook, their bottling & kegging lines are running at the new location as of 7/2. I go by there most days on the way to the gym (shoutout to Crossfit South Tryon and the Rugby Athletic Center). There is new steel going up on the Tryon side, maybe for an interior section of a biergarten? I'll try and get a pic of the conceptual drawing.

[HopHead]

Sycamore tweeted that their brewhouse (brewing system) is a week from being done, and said they're still on track for September.  Oh, and they're hiring for the taproom: http://www.sycamorebrew.com/opportunities/

 

Lenny Boy's expansion to a full (small) brewery and taproom is apparently complete, and they'll be tapping 5 flagship beers on Friday.  Daniel at Charlotte Beer has the story: http://www.charlottebeer.com/2014/07/09/lenny-boy-tapping-flagship-beers-on-friday-july-18/

 

So what's your take on Heist?  Reviews since they got a new brewer seem to indicate the beer is better, but not outstanding.  But on the food side, the reviews (and responses from Heist) seem to indicate they have gone to a whole new menu that is all small plates (tapas-ish).  In addition, it seems like their Sunday brunch used to get raves, but the last few brunch mentions on Yelp have been pretty negative.  I don't know, maybe my personal experiences there are clouding my judgement, and I have no idea how busy they are or how much business they do, but I could see them folding in the next 12-18 months.  I could see somebody re-opening that space as a brewpub with more traditional food.

 

I haven't tried Heist's beers since they hired the new brewer. I've heard from several people in the know that it was a big improvement over their old beers, though they still don't compete with NoDa, OMB, Birdsong and Triple C in Charlotte. I had their Porter which was ok, not great and I think a Hefe that was forgettable. But that was before their revamped their beer lineup so I can't really comment on the new recipes. I think what will ultimately decide if they stay in business is their food. Being a Brewpub sets them apart from the rest of breweries. As long as they keep that going, they should be ok. They don't need outstanding beer necessarily. My wife had their brunch a couple times and really liked it. 

[Urbanity]

 

So what's your take on Heist?  Reviews since they got a new brewer seem to indicate the beer is better, but not outstanding.  But on the food side, the reviews (and responses from Heist) seem to indicate they have gone to a whole new menu that is all small plates (tapas-ish).  In addition, it seems like their Sunday brunch used to get raves, but the last few brunch mentions on Yelp have been pretty negative.  I don't know, maybe my personal experiences there are clouding my judgement, and I have no idea how busy they are or how much business they do, but I could see them folding in the next 12-18 months.  I could see somebody re-opening that space as a brewpub with more traditional food.

 

I didn't even know they had a new brewer.  I went twice and tried most of their offerings and honestly was really unhappy with most.   It's a shame as the space is great and they are great people there, but I just kind of walked away from them in my mind.

 

I would be willing to give them another shot though. 

 

I agree with Wend28 though about the brewpub aspect of their business model working in their favor.   

[tozmervo]

Judging from the parking lot and patio crowds, Heist is not going anywhere.(Also, best brunch buffet in town.)

[SouthEndCLT811]

The Beer Growler had a good crowd when I was in there at 6. They have 45 beers on tap, some of which I've not seen elsewhere in Charlotte. Haven't bought a growler of 3C IPA before but I thought $10.99 for 64oz was reasonable. The guy working the register said they had been pretty busy but they had only opened around 5. Definitely glad this place is 3 blocks from my place!

[Guest]

Speaking of Growler Shops, I got the plans for CRAFT Tasting Room and Growler Shop today. Check them out. Plans for 1000 sq foot beer garden along the grass lawn and the shop will be located in the building with the garage doors. 

• 36 Taps, 

• Seating for 25 inside, 75 outside. 

• Deli with Hot Food, Cold Food. Mostly specializing on the higher end side. Charcuterie, Italian Flatbreads, Meats and Cheese. 

 

If I lived in the area I would be ECSTATIC. Sounds like a great place! Common Market Watch Out!

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.219751,-80.856835,3a,75y,322.08h,82.04t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1stWfjLcRtlHfqtB2m3HHMCQ!2e0

Great addition to the neighborhood. 

They hope to open by Panthers Season.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Guest

[grodney]

(Also, best brunch buffet in town.)

 

That's what I'd heard and read too, but then I read these on Yelp:

 

6/16/2014:

"

The food offered in the buffet was....awful.  Scrambled eggs tasted like they were either liquid or powdered.  The baked brie tasted burned and the chocolate combination tasted like an accident.  Gross.  The salad and dressing were excellent so I filled my plate up with that.  The mussels were cold and just not tastey.  

Bottomless mimosas were $12 which we had read in a review that they were $10.  The buffet was $16 a person.  We walked out of there mad and had paid $80 for a terrible brunch experience.

"

 

6/8/2014:

"

I came here with high expectations for their brunch. Sadly it was a let down. All

the food (except for the pizza) was cold. Eggs were stale, biscuits had become hard. I tried a few iterations of food figuring I had just caught the tail end of a dish but no, fresh dish of jerk chicken ravioli which was lukewarm, dry ravioli and chicken.

"

 

Those reviews plus the somewhat radical change of menu to small-plate made me wonder.  But I guess if they're always crowded, good for them.

[nonillogical]

That's what I'd heard and read too, but then I read these on Yelp:

 

6/16/2014:

"

The food offered in the buffet was....awful.  Scrambled eggs tasted like they were either liquid or powdered.  The baked brie tasted burned and the chocolate combination tasted like an accident.  Gross.  The salad and dressing were excellent so I filled my plate up with that.  The mussels were cold and just not tastey.  

Bottomless mimosas were $12 which we had read in a review that they were $10.  The buffet was $16 a person.  We walked out of there mad and had paid $80 for a terrible brunch experience.

"

 

6/8/2014:

"

I came here with high expectations for their brunch. Sadly it was a let down. All

the food (except for the pizza) was cold. Eggs were stale, biscuits had become hard. I tried a few iterations of food figuring I had just caught the tail end of a dish but no, fresh dish of jerk chicken ravioli which was lukewarm, dry ravioli and chicken.

"

 

Those reviews plus the somewhat radical change of menu to small-plate made me wonder.  But I guess if they're always crowded, good for them.

Unfortunately the one and only time I've gone for brunch, after hearing rave reviews from all my friends, I had pretty much that same experience. Everything was cold except for my made-to-order omelet. I haven't written the place off, and would be willing to go back to try dinner, but my girlfriend just gets mad thinking about the place and won't go back. 

[grodney]

The Beer Growler had a good crowd when I was in there at 6. They have 45 beers on tap, some of which I've not seen elsewhere in Charlotte. Haven't bought a growler of 3C IPA before but I thought $10.99 for 64oz was reasonable. The guy working the register said they had been pretty busy but they had only opened around 5. Definitely glad this place is 3 blocks from my place!

 

That's great.  Somebody tweeted a pic of the prices, and they looked pretty good.  NoDa W&W is the same price as in-brewery.  $11 for 3C might be cheaper than in-brewery.  Birdsong's are $1 more than in-brewery.  Unknown's session is $12, which I think is WAY cheaper than in-brewery.

 

The non-Charlotte stuff looked reasonable as well, with lots at $11 and some even lower.  Of course lots of higher prices, on specialty beers and/'or high ABV stuff.

 

$11 is only 2.75 per pint.  Still expensive compared to 6-pack prices, but you can't get 6ers of a lot of these, plus the tap/bottled debate.

Edited July 11, 2014 by grodney

[tozmervo]

Unfortunately the one and only time I've gone for brunch, after hearing rave reviews from all my friends, I had pretty much that same experience. Everything was cold except for my made-to-order omelet. I haven't written the place off, and would be willing to go back to try dinner, but my girlfriend just gets mad thinking about the place and won't go back. 

 

Hmm, that's too bad, I wonder if they've had some changes. Last time I wast there for brunch was maybe April? (As mentioned, it's too pricey to go very often.) But at that point, anyway, the whole thing was delicious. Don't think I ate again that day.

[Niner National]

I've always thought their brunch was okay, but not spectacular.

 

I don't do expensive brunches very often, so I'd rather just pay the $5 extra and go to Bistro La Bon for a truly well done brunch experience.

[tozmervo]

Picked up a 64oz Endless River from the Beer Growler this evening. Their prices are indeed all that and a bag of name brand chips!

[ScottCLT]

Hmm, that's too bad, I wonder if they've had some changes. Last time I wast there for brunch was maybe April? (As mentioned, it's too pricey to go very often.) But at that point, anyway, the whole thing was delicious. Don't think I ate again that day.

I've been there for brunch several times and always had a great experience. I never experienced cold food at all - in fact everything was delicious and fresh. Anything from the typical breakfast items to oysters, fried chicken, pizza, etc. It changes each time. It has been a while since I've been, so maybe it's not what it used to be, but it was a once-great brunch spot at one point, at least. The only problem we had was with the service with bottomless mimosas...you pay $10 or $12 or whatever only to find your glass empty for way too long before someone got around to refill it.

[nonillogical]

Picked up a 64oz Endless River from the Beer Growler this evening. Their prices are indeed all that and a bag of name brand chips!

I got a 64 and a 32 there today as well and was very impressed by their prices. It's a shame that zoning will not allow them to operate as a bar, they have plenty of space to install some tables! With that many taps I'm sure they'd be popular. Is this something that could change in the future?

[HopHead]

I went by the Beer Growler yesterday too. Agree on the prices. Very good. I think every customer in there was asking there inability to add seating due to zoning. The owners were even perplexed by it.

[grodney]

Additional clarity on the 2nd location for NoDa Brewing:

http://www.charlottemagazine.com/Blogs/On-Tap/July-2014/The-anatomy-of-an-award-winning-beer/

 

In short, they've narrowed their search to 3 locations, all within 1.5 miles of the current brewery.  The new location would be open within a year, and would eventually have a taproom (though not right away).

 

"

With the addition of the new tanks, however, that will also cap the brewing space for NoDa. So the Fords have been steadily looking for a second production facility and have narrowed it down to three locations, all within a mile and a half of the current brewery (the timeline to open would be within a year, and Suzie says, NoDa’s second building will have a taproom as well, though probably not right away).

"

 

 

p.s. We went to The Beer Growler on Saturday -- they had 4(!) guys working behind the counter.  There were 3 other groups when we got there at about 6pm, but it was empty when we left.  Sure is nice having a parking lot there.  Although I'll probably frequent it the most by hopping off the train on my way home.

Edited July 14, 2014 by grodney