by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jan 31, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
A weekly roundup of local and craft beer that can be found at Wilmington breweries, in bottles, or in cans. These are not beer reviews and should be used for entertainment purposes only.
Latest Rotating IPA: The newest rotating house IPA from Flytrap is a West Coast style brewed with CTZ, Centennial, & Simcoe Hops.
Strawberry Rhubarb Barrel Sour: This beautiful golden sour drinks dry, like extra-brut champagne, with a bracing sourness. Almost a full year of aging in oak with a mixed culture has yielded marvelous layers of subtlety that can’t be rushed. And 50 lbs. of real strawberry and rhubarb add a soft whisper of refreshing fruit. A 5.4% ABV gem.
Imperial Stout: This 8.7% imperial stout has fresh notes of vanilla up front with a smooth coffee finish.
Kill the Headlights: A Citra double dry hopped IPA ringing in at 7.8% featuring pale malt, wheat, and some Munich. The hop bill features Citra, falconers flight, centennial, and calypso.
3rd Street Lager: This lager got a facelift! The bitterness has dialed back to create a grassy, easy-drinking brew that clocks in at 5%.
All The Cool Kids Are Doing It: This is a soft, citrusy, hazy pale ale. It’s a lighter alternative to its bigger, juicier NEDIPA siblings.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jan 30, 2019 | Blog, Community
Photo Courtesy: John Calvano
The Behind Bars series focuses on those that serve us our favorite libations at craft beer-focused breweries, bottle shops, bars, and restaurants.
This week Cece Calvano from Cape Fear Wine & Beer joins us!
AT: What is your favorite thing about bartending?
CC: How dynamic it is! Every day is new and different and presents it’s own challenges. Every now and then I think about my old office job and my brain explodes with monotony.
AT: Do you have any advice for current or future bartenders?
CC: What I often see, especially when it gets busy, is a lack of patience for our customers. I’m guilty of it myself. But I try to remember, these people aren’t walking into a restaurant because they literally have to eat to live, they’re walking into a craft beer bar because they want to be there. They’re choosing to spend their increasingly rare free time with us, in our establishment. Reward them, not just with our beer, but our service as well.
AT: If you were a beer, which one would you be and why?
CC: Can I say sake? Cause you know…technically…
Or I could say a double IPA, which is like the mullet of beers, I’m all business, but I’m also ready to party.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jan 23, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Community
Cheers to Makai Brewing in Ocean Isle on their one year anniversary!
Some people mistakenly think that our Brunswick County beaches completely shut down in the summer and there’s nothing to do. Not the case if you’re a fan of craft beer. You can visit Check Six in Southport, Red Hare in Shallotte, or Makai Brewing in Ocean Isle who just so happens to have a birthday this weekend.
Makai Brewing is throwing a big first anniversary party on Saturday, January 26th from noon until 9pm. Panacea will have the Booch Bus parked outside all day if you’re craving kombucha, and if you’re hungry you can snag a lobster roll from the Butcher of Brunswick or a snack from A&M’s Red Food Truck if you’re there later in the evening.
They’ll have live music going all day featuring Charles Richards, Jeff Thomas, Elliott Smith, and Jared Michael Cline.
You can also expect to see fresh batches of Carolina Tropical IPA, Fire Knife Imperial DIPA, and Nightingale Coffee Porter!
So snag a couple friends, travel south to Makai Brewing, and wish them a very hau’oli lā ho’omana’o.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jan 16, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Community, Local Beer
Waterline Brewing Company, fondly regarded as the brewery under the bridge, is now hosting a movie night on Thursdays. Local blues legend, Randy McQuay, is the host. “He calls the new series a ‘passion project’ meant to feed his soul and yours,” according to taproom manager Maria Speaks.
It’s the building itself that brought McQuay to Waterline. He used to have a studio in the Art Factory, which shares a building with Waterline. “It’s a pretty magical building,” says Speaks.
Rob Robinson, owner-operator of Waterline Brewing, and McQuay have been in talks about this for quite some time. They thought it would be good to test out in the slower, cooler months when people are more keen on spending time inside.
McQuay is trying to keep it light-hearted, selecting fun movies like The Big Lebowski and Blues Brothers. “He’s trying to provide a fun evening for all demographics,” according to Speaks.
But don’t worry, McQuay isn’t giving up slinging tunes. You can still find him crooning in the taproom on a fairly regular basis.
Check out our Events Calendar for details on upcoming movie nights and other events.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jan 9, 2019 | Blog, Bottle Shops, Community, Local Beer
The Behind Bars series focuses on those that serve us our favorite libations at craft beer-focused breweries, bottle shops, bars, and restaurants.
First up we’ve got Kyle Harshner, owner-operator of Bombers Beverage Company in Downtown Wilmington.
AT: What are your favorite things about bartending?
KH: Human interaction is very important and the bartender is the hub of social interaction. Helping someone discover a beer they’ve never had or a wine that really blows them away is the highlight of my day. Pointing people in the direction of my favorite places to eat and drink while they explore our ever growing town. Listening to people talk about this that and the other, while offering advice that promptly gets ignored as they drunk dial an ex-lover… So people for the most part.
AT: Do you have any advice for future craft beer bartenders?
KH: Trends come and go. Hazy, milkshake, pastry and brut are just some of the trend words thrown around today, and I can’t even imagine what they will be in the future. Sometimes sticking to the classics is best… A well made IPA or god forbid a lager! But always keep an eye on what’s coming over the horizon.
AT: If you were a beer, which one would you be?
KH: I would be my favorite beer LONDON PRIDE! It’s malty sweetness accompanied by a bitter backbone, in my opinion, really puts together the perfect beer. It’s not too boozy and is absolutely something to be enjoyed in all seasons. I don’t know how it would really describe me in any way, I just think everyone should drink it.
