In 2009, Charlotte, North Carolina was the largest city in the United States without its own brewery. Today, Charlotte is one of the fastest growing cities in the entire nation and has a craft beer scene to match. Charlotte and its surrounding areas are currently home to fifteen breweries with another dozen on the books to open in the very near future. The breweries in the Queen City, as Charlotte is efficiently called, are a diverse group providing something for every beer lover. Whether you are seeking traditional German or Belgium styles, or looking for popular IPA’s, Charlotte has you covered. You can even find experimental styles, barrel-aged selections, sours, organic beers, and other unique creations for those with a more adventurous palette. Craft beer is becoming a part of the very culture of the city, and each and every brewery prides itself on the quality of the beers. The Charlotte beer community is a closely knit group, even forming the Charlotte Brewers Alliance to help the city’s breweries tackle common obstacles. It is not uncommon to find beers from other breweries to feature beers from other breweries in their taprooms, and work together on collaborative projects. This unity is one of the major reasons the craft beer scene in Charlotte continues to gain national notoriety.
Over the next several weeks CLTBEER will take you on a tour of the Charlotte area breweries. Stay tuned, next week we hit the South End of the Queen City and highlight The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. Prost!