by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Sep 8, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
A weekly roundup of local and craft beer that can be found around the area on tap, in bottles, or in cans. These are not beer reviews and should be used for entertainment purposes only.
Pretty Witty: 5.7% Traditional, but with a culinary twist! Inspired by Chef Stephen’s signature ice cream flavor- Lemon & Rosemary, this wit is zesty, crisp and flavorful with real lemon peel and rosemary from their garden!
Raspberry Blackcurrant Saison: 6% Tart, earthy blackcurrants marry with tangy sweet raspberries to give Flytrap’s house Saison a fruity twist to celebrate the end of summer.
Staghorn: 6.6% This witbier features Staghorn sumac, red clover flower, Seville orange peel, and toasted coriander. Fermented in gin barrels.
Mobocracy: 6.9% Part of the Barrel Aged Sour Series, this beer was aged in Pinot Noir barrels with Cherries and Mango.
Strawberry Basil Sour: 4.3% Yet another refreshing addition to the Sandglass Sour Series! Notes of basil on the nose will entice you into this drinking sour ale. This clean, crisp ale is tart, yet balanced with sweet summer strawberries and a herbal finish.
Strawberry Blonde: 4% This light and refreshing ale combined with fresh strawberries. The strawberries contribute an aroma of perfectly ripened fresh summer fruit and a beautiful pink hue. It is complemented by a hint of Damiana, an herbal remedy native to Mexico. Strawberry Fields forever!
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Sep 5, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
Hurricanes come in all shapes and sizes, as do the snacks we buy to prepare for them. From impulse buys like four different kinds of Doritos, to staples like PB&J, most people end up with a wide array. Hopefully you prepared your best coolers with plenty of else to keep food fresh and also your stash of hurricane brews.
Check out our recommended hurricane snack & beer pairings to try while you’re stuck inside.
Pairing: Hefeweizen (or Witbier) & Moon Pie
Banana notes from hefeweizen, as well as citrus and clove notes will make that silky chocolate and creamy marshmallow sing. Plus the crisp finish of the brew will cut through the sweetness.
Local love: Pretty Witty from Skytown Beer Company, Hefeweizen from Waterline, U-352 from Waterman’s Brewing Company
Pairing: Stout & Chili fritos (or just chili!)
If you’re like me, you’ve either started buying stouts in hopes 
of cooler temperatures, or you have a couple still sitting in the back of your fridge from last winter. Roasty coffee and bitter dark chocolate notes are perfect for the zip and spice of chili and chili Fritos. If you’ve got them both check here for a recipe for a Walking Taco.
Local love: Oysterman Stout from Wrightsville Beach Brewery, The Illest from New Anthem Beer Project, Rappe from Broomtail Craft Brewery, Pablo Escobier from Ironclad Brewery
Pairing: Pale Ale/IPL & Dried Fruit
Got some dried apricots laying around? Maybe some raisins? Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Dried Mango Slices? These babies are begging for a dry, mellow pale ale. Delicate hop bitterness is exactly the finish to balance out fruity sweetness.
Local love: Falconer’s Flight Pale Ale from Flytrap Brewing, Planetary Winds from Flying Machine Brewing Company, Citra Pale Ale from Bill’s Brewing, Wailele SMASH Pale Ale from Makai Brewing
Pairing: Amber lager & Beef Jerky
No hurricane party is complete without beef jerky! A malty, crisp amber lager pairs perfectly with the sweetness, salt, and spice of all kinds of beef jerky–from a laid-back BBQ flavor all the way to Carolina Reaper.
Local love: Warrior Monk from Salty Turtle Beer Company, German Lager form Edward Teach Brewing
Pairing: IPA & Chef Boyardee
Who doesn’t love the creamy tomatoey goodness of a can of Spaghetti-Os? Well, probably someone who’s been eating them for days on end cold. But, give them some new life with a bold, tropical IPA. The bright fruity flavors won’t clash with the tomatoes–I promise! I just wouldn’t pick something brewed with actual fruit.
Local Love: Tropical Lightning IPA from Wilmington Brewing Company, Port City IPA from Front Street Brewery, Boston Mole Party from Mad Mole Brewing
BONUS PAIRING!
And at the end of the day, when it’s too hot to sleep and ya just need a little extra buzz, round up your (of age) family and friends and try pairing booze with other booze! Make it a contest and whoever wins gets to pair your breakfast with a beer! Some of my favorite booze-on-booze pairings are:
Rye IPA with Rye Whiskey (thanks to Front Street Brewery for introducing me to that!)
Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout with Red Wine (Chill that red if you’ve still got ice)
Fruited Wheat Beer with Aperol or Campari Sprits
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Sep 5, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
Photo Courtesy Mad Mole Brewing
Axel- Photo Courtesy Salty Turtle
Dog owners REJOICE! SB 290, signed into NC law by Governor Cooper and effective September 1, officially allows animals in taprooms that are “not engaged in the preparation of food on the premises.” It’s still up to the breweries to decide if they want your furry friends to hang out, but legally speaking, they will be in compliance with health codes if they do.
You may be surprised to hear that dogs were not previously allowed in NC brewery taprooms, and that’s because the law was very loosely enforced.
Boone- Photo Courtesy Flytrap Brewing
Most taprooms in Wilmington already have policy in place to ensure that patrons who bring in their four-legged companions remain safe and happy (and the pups do too). “Pet friendly to friendly pets” is a sign you might see at spots around town, and leashes are always a must. Some dogs (including my own) don’t do so well with other puppers on-leash, which is important to determine before you’ve got a pint in your hand.
Local breweries are thrilled that the new bill has passed.
Flying Machine Brewing Company celebrated the passing of the bill with their Who Let the Dogs In event on the first. It featured live music from Hank Barbee, Poor Piggy’s food truck, and free 10-minute dog washes from K9000 as well as “dog beer” made from bone broth and a cask ale benefitting local nonprofit paws4people.
So leash up Fido and go grab a pint at your favorite Wilmington brewery!
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Sep 1, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
A weekly roundup of local and craft beer that can be found around the area on tap, in bottles, or in cans. These are not beer reviews and should be used for entertainment purposes only.
Barnacle Bill’s: 5.7% A malt-lovers dream, this beer is roasty and toasty with a delicate nuttiness. Semi-sweet chocolate arrives on the palate and light-roast coffee is on the finish. All the flavor of a stout, but light enough for warm summer months.
Condor Pilsner: 4.5% Brewed in the authentic old-world style with European malts and lots of Hallertau hops, this refreshing Czech pilsner is bright and punchy with a brisk finish. Think light beer doesn’t have any flavor? Czech again.
JP’s Pilsner: 5.5% Czech-style Pilsner brewed with traditional Saaz hops. A light and refreshing lager to enjoy on the Front Porch.
Kitten Biscuit: 8% It’s baaaa-aaack This New England-style double IPA is brewed with lactose to create the juice bomb of your dreams.
Wailele: 5.5% Makai kept it simple with a single malt (vienna) and single hop (cascade) for this incredibly easy drinking pale ale. Wailele is hawaiian for waterfall, or otherwise known as a cascade.
Lemonted Addition: 4.7% Session IPA aged with lemon zest. The aroma and flavor are a balance between the dominant centennial piney notes and a very refreshing lemon finish.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Aug 27, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
A weekly roundup of local and craft beer that can be found around the area on tap, in bottles, or in cans. These are not beer reviews and should be used for entertainment purposes only.
Morty’s Mind Blower: 7.4% Brewed and dry-hopped with a ton of Mandarina and Simcoe hops, this NE IPA presents a uicy, fruity aroma with a silky smooth body from oat and wheat additions. Spiritual cousin of Get Schwifty, on of Skytown’s flagship beers.
Mole Town Road: 6.8% This in-town collab between two Wilmington Breweries is a West Coast IPA brewed and dry-hopped with Falconer’s Flight and Simcoe hops.
Russian Imperial Stout: 9% Big, bold and deceptively smooth, Waterline’s Russian Imperial Stout is deliciously dark with notes of plum, cherry and chocolate with a full body and silky finish.
Double Dry Hopped Pilsner: 5.4% Dry hopped with Idaho 7 for an awesome fruit-forward flavor in a crisp, clean pils.
Little Star: 4.6% A clean, crisp Kellerbier brewed with rice.
Peach Tangerine BAM!: 6% A juicy, fruit-forward Golden Sour that goes down easy with warm summer nights.
by Jeremy | Aug 22, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
Each year the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild puts on the NC Brewers Cup inviting North Carolina Commercial Breweries to enter their beer in to a BJCP sanctioned competition. This year 10 different local Wilmington-area breweries won 14 medals including 5 gold medals. See all the results from the NC Brewer’s Guild. NC Brewers Cup Results
| Wilmington Brewing Company |
Best of Show HM |
Gold |
Gold |
| Flying Machine Brewing Company |
Bronze |
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| Makai Brewing Company |
Silver |
Gold |
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| Bill’s Brewing Company |
Silver |
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| Waterline Brewing Co |
Silver |
Silver |
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| Mad Mole Brewing |
Silver |
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| Wrightsville Beach Brewery |
Bronze |
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| Edward Teach Brewing |
Gold |
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| Front Street Brewery |
Gold |
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| Red Hare |
Bronze |
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