10 Ways to Celebrate NC Beer Month in Charlotte
There are countless ways to pour your own craft beer adventure during NC Craft Beer Month in Charlotte.
by Cassie Townsend Sep 29, 2022
With over 115 craft breweries, cideries and bottle shops in the region, Charlotte celebrates NC Craft Beer Month in a big way. Here are 10 ways you can join in and get the good times flowing.
Hop on the NoDa Craft Beer Trail
With two trail options stretching just over two miles through Charlotte’s art district, the NoDa Craft Beer Trail brings together craft beer, food, art and the creative community of NoDa. Trail travelers will sip their way through an easy-to-follow interactive map curated with recommended brews and bites as well as travel distance between each destination.
Book a Brewery Getaway
There are infinite ways to experience the Queen City’s expansive beer scene, but the easiest may be through the Charlotte Brew Badge, which makes planning a cinch and unlocks exclusive discounts at select Charlotte breweries. Craft the perfect CLT brewery crawl with a 1- or 3-day pass and receive a $10 voucher to use at each stop. For the full luxury experience, book a stay at The Westin Charlotte or Charlotte Marriott City Center and take advantage of their Brewery Adventure Packages.
Say Prost! at a Charlotte Oktoberfest
The German festival of beer, food and Gemütlichkeit (a word used to convey good cheer and friendliness) has officially arrived stateside. Revelers can choose from one of several Oktoberfests being held around Charlotte in October including: Das Best Oktoberfest at Ballantyne’s Backyard on October 15; Gilde Oktoberfest at Gilde 1546 Brewery from September 30 - October 2; and the 2022 North Carolina Oktoberfest at Cabarrus Arena & Events Center on October 29.
Celebrate Charlotte Craft Beer Week
Charlotte’s original Craft Beer Week is back. From October 21 - 30, breweries, cideries, bottle shops and taprooms around the city will be celebrating the Queen City’s rich and diverse craft beer and cider community with special events and promotions. The week will be headlined by the Safer Spaces Job Fair hosted by Resident Culture Brewing - Plaza Midwood on October 26, the Bad Review Night at Free Range Brewing on October 28 and the LoSo Halloween Crawl on October 29.
Earn Rewards with the Hopp App
Hopp is an app that rewards you for supporting local Charlotte breweries every time you use it. Points can be redeemed for prizes, activities and gift cards all over the Queen City. Users can search participating breweries and establishments by neighborhood or venue type, track which breweries they've visited and participate in local restaurant and brewery loyalty programs, all through the Hopp app.
Explore the State Fair's NC Public House
The North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh is a family tradition that dates all the way back to 1853. The impressive 334 acres of fairgrounds is home to rides, food stalls and entertainers of all sorts that attract nearly 1 million visitors during the fair’s run. This year, the NC Craft Brewers Guild will host an NC Beer Night on Friday, October 14, as part of the NC Wine and Craft Beer exhibit at the NC Public House within the NC State Fair. On Saturday, Charlotte will be doing a craft beer takeover at the NC Public House where visitors can sample sips from all around the Queen City.
Get Into Character at the Renaissance Festival
There are plenty of libations and merriment to go around when the Carolina Renaissance Festival comes to town. Fair favorites include the jousting field, artisan market, falconry demonstrations, mermaids and, of course, BrewFest Weekend. This year, BrewFest falls on October 15 and 16, and promises a selection of micro-brewed ales, beer games and a “Saucy Maiden Costume Contest.” BrewFest activities start at noon and go until 4 p.m.
Pour an Award-Winning Craft Brew
Charlotte’s craft beers have earned several national accolades over the years. From Devil's Logic's 2022 World Beer Cup medal winner, Komunity Kolsh, to NoDa Brewing Company's 2020 and 2018 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal winner, Gordgeous, it’s not hard to make your own flight of award-winning Charlotte brews. Browse through the round up of award winners here.
Try Hundreds of Taps at Your Fingertips
If you’re the type that would rather stay in one place and let the beer come to you, then you’ll be right at home in one of Charlotte’s tap taverns. Charlotte Beer Garden boasts the world's largest selection of draft beers under one roof with over 430 taps and a beautiful outdoor patio space. World of Beer has space for the whole group to gather 'round and try out new suds as well as a full menu of shareables and entres. South End is home to Charlotte’s first self-serve bar, Hoppin’, featuring 60 self-serve taps pouring craft beer, wine and rosé.
Think Outside the Hops at a CLT Cidery or Seltzery
While it’s technically NC Craft “Beer” Month, fans of locally-brewed beverages would be remiss if they didn’t add a sampling of Charlotte craft cider and seltzer to their “must try” list. Red Clay Ciderworks offers up a list of year-round core ciders including Queen City Common and In the Buff as well as seasonal specials like Chai Jacked, a chai spice pumpkin cider, and Wool Socks, a mulled black currant cider. Wesley Heights is home to Charlotte's only seltzery, Summit Seltzer Co., featuring an array of locally-produced seltzers. About an hour outside the city, visitors to Windy Hill Orchard & Cidery can pair apple picking with a pint from the Hard Cider bar on select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the picking season.
