Drinking Beer in Charlotte

[elrodvt]

You need to go to Old Meck's new digs. Its glorious. I'm going to go to Sycamore and Sugar Creek in November, can't wait!!! I'm also going to fly home two suitcases of Hop Drop and Roll (so good)

Have you ever flown home beer before? I have a lot of awesome sours from Crooked Stave Brewery, in Denver, that I need to get here. I assume you don't let anyone know what's in there! My understanding is that the shippers, UPS etc.., will not ship it - although I've never asked myself.

[Guest]

Have you ever flown home beer before? I have a lot of awesome sours from Crooked Stave Brewery, in Denver, that I need to get here. I assume you don't let anyone know what's in there! My understanding is that the shippers, UPS etc.., will not ship it - although I've never asked myself.

I've successfully flown home all kinds of beverages. 

Last year when my wife and I went to Napa, I flew home 3 cases of wine, and the cheapest bottle of Macallan 18 I've ever found (something absurd like $100 instead of $200), and I've flown home a couple 4 packs of Hop Drop a few times. Also Bojangles Biscuits, LOL.

[kermit]

Tweeter sez that Unknown is adding some classic arcade games to the brewpub.

 

Glad they are doing something in there (and the city needs more throwback arcade action desperately)

[grodney]

Tweeter sez that Unknown is adding some classic arcade games to the brewpub.

 

Glad they are doing something in there (and the city needs more throwback arcade action desperately)

 

And when I saw what games they were, my only thought was "Man, I wish they could have gotten some old games (i.e. from my era)!".  Ha ha. 

 

Good to see progress from Free Range.  Primal up in Huntersville has been posting lots of construction updates, but I don't see any way they can open this month, as they have stated.

[InSouthPark]

Have you ever flown home beer before? I have a lot of awesome sours from Crooked Stave Brewery, in Denver, that I need to get here. I assume you don't let anyone know what's in there! My understanding is that the shippers, UPS etc.., will not ship it - although I've never asked myself.

 

No problem shipping UPS or Fedex. Technically illegal to use USPS but they are working to change that. I have used all three to trade beers and never had a problem. Fedex home is usually they cheapest by a few bucks *(if you skip USPS).  Biggest problem around here is finding bottle shipper boxes. uhaul sometimes has them (and you can get them online). 

 

When we go to Napa, we always ship it home rather than use the airline. At least there you can get it insured via UPS. I have a friend that uses a the Wine Check luggage all the time and has had a 100% no break success rate on 100 some trips around the world. He is the highest level on some airline and doesn't have to pay for two bags so he always fills it with beer to bring home wherever he goes. He got the luggage out in napa on sale for $50 but you can find it online as well.

 

http://www.thewinecheck.com/

[Guest]

No problem shipping UPS or Fedex. Technically illegal to use USPS but they are working to change that. I have used all three to trade beers and never had a problem. Fedex home is usually they cheapest by a few bucks *(if you skip USPS).  Biggest problem around here is finding bottle shipper boxes. uhaul sometimes has them (and you can get them online). 

 

When we go to Napa, we always ship it home rather than use the airline. At least there you can get it insured via UPS. I have a friend that uses a the Wine Check luggage all the time and has had a 100% no break success rate on 100 some trips around the world. He is the highest level on some airline and doesn't have to pay for two bags so he always fills it with beer to bring home wherever he goes. He got the luggage out in napa on sale for $50 but you can find it online as well.

 

http://www.thewinecheck.com/

I won't ship wine just because I cannot count on them being kept in a temperature stable environment. Plus, at most wineries they have travel boxes that are very very very very well cushioned. I actually added bubble wrap inside as well. I stood at the bottom of bag drop and caught them as they came down. I'd rather spend $25 to travel with it than $100 to ship it in a less than perfect temperature. 

[archiham04]

And when I saw what games they were, my only thought was "Man, I wish they could have gotten some old games (i.e. from my era)!".  Ha ha. 

 

Good to see progress from Free Range.  Primal up in Huntersville has been posting lots of construction updates, but I don't see any way they can open this month, as they have stated.

I am still waiting with anxious anticipation for the announcement of the rumored brewery in the Brodt's building on Commonwealth.  Anyone know anything more about this?

[ah59396]

I am still waiting with anxious anticipation for the announcement of the rumored brewery in the Brodt's building on Commonwealth. Anyone know anything more about this?

I've been told the Brodts building is in very rough shape. Not sure what that all entails, but it may explain the delay.

[go_vertical]

I won't ship wine just because I cannot count on them being kept in a temperature stable environment. Plus, at most wineries they have travel boxes that are very very very very well cushioned. I actually added bubble wrap inside as well. I stood at the bottom of bag drop and caught them as they came down. I'd rather spend $25 to travel with it than $100 to ship it in a less than perfect temperature. 

 

I worked for UPS down in Florida about six years ago. I will say that if you are shipping bottles there is no such thing as too much cushioning. Believe me the kids that work inside those warehouses are not concerned with treating your package with care. And I can tell you from personal experience that the temperature in the back of those trailers and package cars can easily top 125 degrees during the summer months.

[HopHead]

I have to travel down to Tampa for work several times a year. I always bring back something from Cigar City when I'm down there. I usually wrap the beer in cardboard and a towel. Never had a beer blow up. I'm too paranoid to ship something for the reasons go_vertical stated. 

[InSouthPark]

I won't ship wine just because I cannot count on them being kept in a temperature stable environment. Plus, at most wineries they have travel boxes that are very very very very well cushioned. I actually added bubble wrap inside as well. I stood at the bottom of bag drop and caught them as they came down. I'd rather spend $25 to travel with it than $100 to ship it in a less than perfect temperature. 

 

Most places (at least places in Napa/Sonoma) won't even attempt to ship if forecasts are 80+ (usually May-September) unless you pick next day due to the heat. A fully loaded case of wine is/was just shy of $50 to ship from CA to NC (from a shipping depot, not the winery).  If that is your second checked bag, you pay $35. And having to lug a 50lbs box through the airport buses/trains along with your other luggage sucks. If you are talking airports other than SFO or CLT, that might be different. I rather pay the $15 extra rather than trying to lug another bag/box on one of the damn airport shuttles.

 

But yes, you can certainly do it and If you get the wine box luggage thing (we call our friends R2D2) it makes it really easy when you can wheel it around the airport. 

 

 

I have to travel down to Tampa for work several times a year. I always bring back something from Cigar City when I'm down there. I usually wrap the beer in cardboard and a towel. Never had a beer blow up. I'm too paranoid to ship something for the reasons go_vertical stated. 

 

If you buy an actual wine/beer shipper, there is very little chance of damage. You could drop it off a roof and doubt you would loose any. 3" of styrofoam all around every bottle. I have 3/6/12 bottle shippers and while the cardboard boxes are in rough shape, the styrofoam has yet to get wet *knock on wood*.

 

If I just have a few bombers and a sixer of jai alai, wrapping in a tshirts and putting into your checked bag is a no brainer.

[tozmervo]

The trick I learned was wrapping a bottle tightly with saran wrap. Even if the bottle cracks, the saran will keep it held together enough to contain liquid. 

[HopHead]

Charlotte, the next great beer town. They didn't get to visit some others in town like OMB and Triple C, but they definitely had a nice impression. Also, last time I checked Unknown is actually in SouthEnd: http://firstwefeast.com/drink/charlotte-north-carolina-beer-trip/

[elrodvt]

That's awesome. I love the google doc on micro locations and planned openings too. Great work by someone here?

[grodney]

I love the google doc on micro locations and planned openings too. Great work by someone here?

 

Yep, that's mine -- thanks!  Note it doesn't include cideries or anything outside Meck County.

 

Updates today:

- Barking Duck (in Matthews) has re-opened after running out of beer their 1st day open in Sept.  They have reduced their hours and are now open Wed 5-10 and Sat 12-10, at least for now.

- Primal Brewery (in Huntersville) originally was saying Oct 2014, but their latest comment on Facebook says November is a good guess-timate.

 

Quick-reference: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmDt3ts8a8dLdDVkUWxkOEtoZmJZNUN2ZEhiZ19CWHc&usp=sharing

Map: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zvfji2eVQoVE.kz5BFo-0quQ8

[grodney]

Other updates:

- Wooden Robot got a "coming soon" page and newsletter sign-up on their website.

- Three Spirits posted to Facebook.  He got his website up -- just a "coming soon" page with newsletter sign-up.  He also said he's facing delays, but is still looking at Spring opening, though he can't tell if it's early Spring or late Spring.

- Archive answered a question on Facebook.  They are only brewing test batches, and have no idea where they will be located -- other than somewhere in Charlotte.

 

So in short:

• Nov 1 - Sycamore (south end)
• Probably this year - Primal (Huntersville)
• Maybe this year - Salud nano (noda), Bayne (Cornelius), Free Range (noda)
• Targeting Spring next year - Wooden Robot (south end), Three Spirits (south of south end)

[elrodvt]

Are there any mead places around? Really missing Redstone.

[Niner National]

Are there any mead places around? Really missing Redstone.

There are some in NC, but none in Charlotte that I know of.

[InSouthPark]

Are there any mead places around? Really missing Redstone.

 

Carolina Beer Temple in downtown Matthews has a dedicated mead tap and some others by the glass. Good people there.

 

http://carolinabeertemple.net/

[grodney]

So which HTs in town carry OMB? I looked at the store Uptown and didn't see any (even though the OMB site says it is carried there).

 

I just checked the uptown HT and there are plenty of 6-packs of Copper and Mecktoberfest.

[plaza-midwooder]

Any more news on a brewery moving into the old Brodt Music Factory?

[grodney]

Two items of note:

- Free Range posted another picture of more progress -- this time interior framing being done.

- The Beer Growler tweeted a picture of new tables (see below), and said come in for a flight.  I asked how the flights work (price, number, size), but no reply yet.  As I mentioned earlier in the thread, one of the owners told me they could do 3oz at a time with no change in license or zoning, so I'm guessing that's what they're doing.  (Note the 4 samples for free are not close to 3oz -- probably more like 1oz or less.)

 

 

Edited October 15, 2014 by grodney

[HopHead]

Two items of note:

- Free Range posted another picture of more progress -- this time interior framing being done.

- The Beer Growler tweeted a picture of new tables (see below), and said come in for a flight.  I asked how the flights work (price, number, size), but no reply yet.  As I mentioned earlier in the thread, one of the owners told me they could do 3oz at a time with no change in license or zoning, so I'm guessing that's what they're doing.  (Note the 4 samples for free are not close to 3oz -- probably more like 1oz or less.)

 

 

 

So basically the sample sizes will be what you get at most beer festivals? LOL. Glad they are finally doing this though. That whole zoning thing still baffles me. 

[grodney]

So basically the sample sizes will be what you get at most beer festivals? LOL.

 

Yeah, I was trying to draw a distinction between the samples that they have offered for free since they opened vs. a 3oz pour that would be part of a purchased flight.

 

The samples are understandably very small, while I expect the flight pours to be the full 3oz they are allowed.

Edited October 15, 2014 by grodney

[grodney]

Okay, the word on flights at The Beer Growler is 4 pours of 4oz each for $7.  That's a dollar more than I wanted it to be, but I guess it's worth it to try some of those higher dollar beers without having to buy a 32oz or 64oz growler.

 

(For comparison, Duckworth's is 4 pours in 4.5oz glasses for $6, but they disallow some of the highest priced beers.)

 

 

Edit: As tozmervo points out below, The Beer Growler prices on growler fills are GREAT.  I didn't mean to have that fact get lost.

Edited October 15, 2014 by grodney