by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jul 29, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
Fans of Bill’s Front Porch can anticipate some changes coming in the next week–but trust us, change is good!
After three tasty years of fried chicken plates paired with fresh, local beer, the brewpub has decided to move in a different direction. That move will focus in on the beer, and give the taproom more of that classic taproom feel, complete with bar service and a more limited food menu.
“Our focus when we opened Bill’s Front Porch & Bill’s Brewing has always been the beer, and of course a place to get my Dad’s fried chicken,” says owner Brookes Musser of the impending changes.
And you’ll still be able to find John Musser’s fried chicken…but only on Thursdays and Sundays.
The new menu will include the brewpub’s famous soft beer pretzels, fried green tomatoes, tater tot skillets, wings, and a rotation of sandwiches.
But they’re not skimping on the specials. There are three delicious days of features.
Wednesday: $3 pints and music bingo
Thursday: Mussers Famous Fried Chicken Plates and $5 flights
Sunday: Brunch only! Featuring homemade empanadas, fried chicken & waffles, famous fried chicken plates, and other rotating signature surprises
Customers will go to the bar to order, then seat themselves. Food will be brought to the tables, but otherwise folks will continue to order rounds from the bar. And those rounds can include taproom-only releases, which will also be available.
The greatest thing is that the changes made will allow the brewery to focus on their new facility, which they’ve been chipping away at on Cinema Drive
behind Capt’n Bill’s. The new space will include a new brewing system (the original will remain at the Front Porch for test batches and experimental brews) and a canning line to ensure maximum enjoyment of Bill’s beers. A big taproom will accommodate guests, as will a rooftop patio overlooking the volleyball courts at Capt’n Bill’s.
“With the arrival of our son in early December, we knew we had to reign some things in,” explains Musser. “Running Capt’n Bill’s, Bill’s Brewing, Bill’s Catering, Bill’s Food Truck and Bill’s Front Porch is a lot to say the least. We want to enjoy this process, enjoy life with our new child, and enjoy continuing to grow in the craft beer industry. So, these changes will allow us to do that. We can’t wait to see what new releases Jim and his team develop for the taproom, and of course, what rotating dishes Joel creates in the kitchen.”
The food truck will also continue to operate, as will the kitchen at Capt’n Bill’s.
New hours of operation, effective July 31st, are:
Wednesday 4-9pm
Thursday 4-9pm
Friday 4-10pm
Saturday 11-10pm
Sunday 10am-3pm
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jul 29, 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.
Tropic Fire: 4.6% This tropical golden ale is full of juicy pineapple with a hint of Serrano spice. The fruity, peppery aroma will draw you in to your first sips of sweet pineapple, followed by a dry, fiery finish. The lingering spice is sure to keep you coming back for more.
Tripel Play: 8.6% Need a Summer sipper to beat the heat while watching the game? This stunning light golden ale is a game-changer. Light and easy to drink, but full of flavor, with Belgian overtones of plum, bubblegum, and spice. And only 8 grams of carbs per serving, thanks to it’s strikingly dry finish. Flavorful, light, and low carb? That’s three easy outs. You’ll be back at bat again in no time.
Profusion 3.0: x.x% This New England style IPA was designed to create a violent juicebomb for your facehole. Featuring Galaxy, Citra, Mosaic, and Lemondrop hops!
Brüturtle: 7% A light, effervescent brut IPA with delicate notes of Meyer lemon and a bright finish. Perfect for hop heads who need something a little lighter for summertime.
Strawberry Pineapple BAM!: 6% A light, fruity sour that is perfectly crushable.
Belgian Golden Strong: 9.4% This new brew is part of Flytrap’s High Gravity series. It features light notes of fruit and subtle complexity in every sip.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jul 25, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Community, Local Beer
Photo Credit: Cape Fear Solar Systems
Get ready for an awesome Saturday at Wilmington’s solar powered brewery, Mad Mole!
The brewery entered and won the Brews from the Sun competition, hosted by Solar United Neighbors (SUN), and will be honored by the organization this Saturday with a big party at the brewery.
Out of the twenty one US solar powered breweries that entered the competition, the three from North Carolina came out on top with Mad Mole in first, Birdsong in second, and Wiseman in third. The two other categories available for entry were brewpubs and regional breweries. All categories were in accordance with the Brewers Association definitions.
Saturday will be a day filled with music, food trucks, and many toasts to environmental sustainability. Attendees will find Salty Sistas and Pepe’s Taco’s to snack on, and entertainment will be provided by Wildcat 69 and John Rogers. The brewery also just canned their first batch, so on top of growlers and crowlers, there will also be four packs of Boston Mole Party NE IPA to take home.
Solar United Neighbors will also be in attendance to present Mad Mole with their award. So whatever your plans are, cancel ’em! Let’s show SUN all of our pride and excitement for being home to America’s Favorite Solar Craft Microbrewery!
More details can be found here
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jul 23, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
Throwback Thirsty: 6.8% A West Coast IPA brewed and dry hopped with Topaz; piney, resinous, and slightly dank. A collaboration beer brewed with Mike Donohoe, owner of Session Beer Market, as a celebratory sipper for Skytown’s first anniversary and Session’s second anniversary.
Boston Mole Party: 6.4% Their original juicy IPA recipe with pounds of Mosaic, El Dorado and Citra hops. This ultra-refreshing IPA is very light on malts, but heavy on citrus and grapefruit with touches of stone fruit and blueberries aromas. Now available in 16oz cans!
Loco Mocha: 7% A seasonal IPA brewed with Simcoe, Mosaic, and Loral hops. Aged on cacao nibs and coffee.
Good Peach: 6.8% A blend of golden sour and mixed culture saison with a healthy dose of peaches to create a fruity and refreshing summer brew.
Rosé IPA: 5.2% After a small, experimental batch in the spring, the folks at WBB knew they had to make it again! A crisp, bright, fruity IPA for summer sipping!
Grandma’s Kitchen: 5.2% Ed Teach’s German Lager is a showcase for the balance of Munich malt and Nobel hops. This time it’s aged with Madagascar Vanilla beans, this beer offers a rich & bready malt profile with a balanced sweet vanilla finish that is reminiscent of fresh baked goods.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jul 16, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
It’s time to talk about Kölsch! You’ve probably had a cold, crisp glass of the straw-colored liquid, but do you know its history?
Kölsch comes to us all the way from Cologne, Germany. The city takes so much pride in its liquid, in fact, that there are laws in place to prevent anyone outside of the Cologne from calling their beer a “kölsch.” All others are considered to be “Kölsch-style ales.” In the grand scheme of beer, kölsch is a relatively new style, barely dating back 100 years. And it drinks like a lager, but it’s an ale…but it gets treated like a lager. Confused? Well you should be. It’s confusing.
Let’s break it down a little further.
At the end of the day there are only two kinds of beer–lagers and ales. Lagers take a long time to make because they’re fermented at low temperatures. Ales move significantly more quickly and ferment at higher temperatures.
Kölsch uses ale yeast for fermentation, but at some of the lowest temperatures possible for ale yeast to perform under. It’s then lagered (stored to increase clarity) for four-ish weeks. It’s a very similar process to making lager, but it ends up being ale.
None of this is really important for drinking the liquid, but we figured it would be nice to know.
The Port City has a broad spectrum of kölsch for locals and tourists to sip the summer away with. It’s a perfect summer beer because it’s crisp, bitter, and typically on the lower end of both ABV and carbonation; it’s a beer meant to be consumed in quantity. In Germany, it’s served in traditional glassware called a stange and bartenders won’t stop filling your glass until you put a coaster on top to indicate you’re done. (At Flytrap Brewing they serve in the stange as well, but you gotta ask the bartender for another when you’re done. Silly NC beer laws.)
Here’s a list of all of the kölsch available in the Greater Wilmington Area:
–Flying Machine Brewing Company Vimana (available in cans)
–Flytrap Brewing Kölsch (available in bottles)
–Front Street Brewery Coastal
-Salty Turtle Beer Company Coastline
–Waterline Kölsch
–Wilmington Brewing Company Beer Garden
–Wrightsville Beach Brewery Cobia
Special mention for a fruited take on the style:
–Mad Mole Raspberry Kölsch
So find a Wilmington taproom and order a kölsch to crush!
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Jul 15, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
Tides of Tangerine: 7% Let the tangy goodness of this summer wheat ale guide your taste buds to bliss. As smooth as the glassiest day at sea, this tart, tangerine wheat ale is balanced with a refreshingly sweet finish. Never underestimate the strength of the tide, as it can be more powerful than it seems.
Sweet Boy: 8.4% A big, bold and beautifully light bodied west coast double IPA. Crisp citrus notes and all American hops. Named for Head Brewer Dani’s gorgeous, loving Saint Bernard, Sweet Boy.
Cucumber Berliner Weisse: 4.8% Introducing Flytrap’s first ever Berliner! The tart and refreshing nature of this brew is accentuated by the cooling addition of local cucumbers.
Beach Time: 5.4% A summer crusher session ipa full of citrus, pine, and tropical fruit hop flavors. Available in 16oz cans.
Southern Cross 2019: 7% Citra and Motueka hops in the kettle & dry hop, smooth and citrus-forward hazy IPA. A beer brewed yearly in honor of those who have or are still serving within Marine Special Operations Command.
Subconscious Illusion: 7.2% Double dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado. Limited to one growler per person. Available by the pint Saturday at Broomtail and Sour Barn as long as it lasts.
