by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Apr 4, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Community
Thanks to Hannah Soper from Wrightsville Beach Brewery for joining us Behind Bars this week! You can find her at the brewpub near the beach slingin’ tasty suds and amazing, creative snacks.
AT: What’s your favorite thing about bartending?
HS: I really love the camaraderie, community, and team that has been created at Wrightsville Beach Brewery. The level of expectations and standards that has been upheld has made working here a blast. It’s a great family!
AT: Do you have any advice for current or future craft beer bartenders?
HS: Spend the extra two minutes getting to know your guest’s taste. Your knowledge of your product can help a craft beer enthusiast or a beginner find the right beer that enhances the entire experience. There are a lot of people taking a first dive into the craft beer world & it helps them understand that there is something for them in the big sea of beers! Also, your brewer is your best resource!
AT: If you were a beer, which one would you be?
HS: A brut IPA, because while bubbly & unassuming, it can hold its own & its memorable.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Mar 28, 2019 | Blog, Bottle Shops, Breweries, Community
Beach Boots: An Evening with the Pink Boots Society
This Friday at Fermental, join the Wilmington Chapter of the Pink Boots Society for an evening of celebrating women in beer!
I’m a little biased this week, since I’m one of the Chapter Leaders of PBS Wilmington, but I can also guarantee the event is going to be great. We’ve got some beers coming from the Biere de Femme festival, which happened earlier this year at Highland Brewing in Asheville, and was hosted by Pink Boots NC. We’ll also be featuring several beers from local area breweries that are either brewed by women or at breweries owned by women.
My personal favorite is Light Urple–a collaboration beer that I had the privilege of brewing with some of the ladies from The Crooked Lotus in Sneads Ferry, and Bill’s Front Porch in Wilmington. It’s a Belgian pale ale brewed with honey, butterfly pea flower, and the proprietary Pink Boots hop blend from this year. It’s dry, hoppy, and a beautiful, rich purple color.
Come hang out with me and the other ladies at Fermental from 5-10p this Friday. Trust me–we’re a hell of a good time.
If you’d like information about Pink Boots Society, or have questions about joining, please visit pinkbootssociety.org or reach out to me, Joan, at the.enbrewsiast@gmail.com.
Here is a link to the Facebook event
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Mar 21, 2019 | Blog, Bottle Shops, Breweries, Community, Local Beer
What better way to celebrate Cape Fear Craft Beer Week than a *free* shuttle to scoot you around and sip local liquid!? The Port City Brew Bus is doing just that this Saturday, March 23 from 11 am to 5 pm. Two different buses will be running two independent routes, both of which are starting downtown.
Read on to learn about the Hop On/ Hop Off brewery shuttle routes and what I would get if I got to ride the buses that day! ( And don’t forget to tip your driver!)
Route A:
Starting/Ending at Bombers Beverage Company: Bombers is arguably one of my favorite bottles shops in town for definitely two, but possibly more, reasons–the selection is great and the people who hang out there are amazing. (To be fair, the owners are two of my best friends…I got married there, after all.) It would behoove you to just pick Kyle or Sunni’s brain and ask them what you should drink. They’ve never lead me astray.
Edward Teach Brewery: I’m a big fan of a fruit beer, so I would definitely go for Teach’s Peaches, a peach wheat ale. It’s perfect for our imminent spring, and the brewery does a great job of introducing fruit without presenting cloying sweetness.
Broomtail Craft Brewery: Get a Moe Beer. It’s a super delicious brown ale named after a very sweet dog, and they’ve had it on draught since day one.
The Sour Barn: The sister brewery to Broomtail is a fabulous mecca for fans of sours. The blackberry gose came out most recently. I only had a pint, but I could have easily (responsibly) had a pitcher.
Flytrap Brewing: My very, very favorite beer (maybe in the city) is Hoppy Tripel. It’s a dangerous one since it creeps up over 8%, but since you’ll be at the end of your tour and I KNOW you’re not driving home, you’ll be fine.
Route B:
New Anthem: I recommend closing your eyes and pointing at the draught board at New Anthem and ordering whatever you land on. You won’t be sorry. I had a pour of The Feels today and loved it.
Waterline Brewing: This tour is going to be great for hop heads. The Waterline Black IPA is awesome. It’s roasty, hoppy, and clean, and I highly recommend drinking it. I think it’s fabulous.
Wilmington Brewing: One of my favorite things to do is drink a Tropical Lightning from the source, but if you’re nervous about it being too boozy, try a Beach Time Session IPA.
Wrightsville Beach Brewery: At the end of a long day (whether or not it includes a long day of drinking) the first and last things I want are the same–a good, crisp lager. The Lame Street Lager from WBB is perfect.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Mar 13, 2019 | Blog, Community
This week we’ve got the bar manager from Rebellion joining us Behind Bars. Rebellion is an awesome southern-inspired restaurant with an amazing tap list that focuses on local Wilmington Breweries. If you haven’t bee there yet, we recommend you try the wings or the mac & cheese.
AT: What is your favorite thing about bartending?
AH: My favorite thing about bartending is the fast paced environment and the ability to meet so many different walks of life. I’m always on the go and interacting with different people, so to have a job that encompasses that is really rewarding. It’s not only the stories and the different life styles that is intriguing, It’s also how everyone has an eclectic taste for what they love to drink. I love talking guests through the menu and suggesting new and exciting things that they have never had. There is nothing better than finding people a new cocktail, or beer to fall in love with.
AT: Do you have any advice for current or future craft beer bartenders?
AH: My advice to upcoming craft bartenders would be to know what product you are selling and listen to your guests feedback. With the craft beer scene constantly changing and evolving, there are so many different breweries and beers to choose from. You have to appreciate what your guests preferences are and cater to that. Just because you might love a certain brew or style doesn’t mean the mass majority will too. Knowing exactly what you are selling and how people receive it will take you a long way in the craft beer world.
AT: If you were a beer, which one would you be and why?
AH: If I were a beer I would be Wicked Weed Brewing’s Milk and Cookies Stout. Very bold but still has a little hint of sweetness. Would make a great addition to any beer list. A beer for all kinds of taste.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Mar 7, 2019 | Blog, Breweries
Ever wished you could drink a beer that was good for you? Like actually good for you? Well, wait no more!
Panacea Brewing Company, Wilmington’s local kombucha creator and purveyor, is now brewing beer. Their first brew is a 6% ABV lemon, lavender, hops, gluten-free kombucha beer.
You can find it on draught in their taproom, located at 102 Old Eastwood Road, unit A5, Tuesday-Sunday from 10:00am-9:00pm.
Art & Robin Hill have been slinging the local ‘booch since 2016, and Wilmington is better for it. Their liquid is available around town, both at their taproom and in various locations around the Wilmington area including Waterline Brewing and Luna Caffe.
Unclear as to what kombucha is? It’s a fermented tea that’s barely alcoholic (typically .01%ABV) that bears gut-friendly bacteria which encourages happy digestion amongst other things.
