Hi-Wire regularly hosts aerial shows inside its taproom. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios
This article was originally published in December 2015. It was last updated in August 2023.
Charlotte and its surrounding areas are becoming a brewery mecca.
Breweries are everywhere — our airport, the mall, inside food halls and in nearly every neighborhood. In short, you can’t come to Charlotte without visiting one of our breweries.
Still to come: Saucy Brew Works has plans to open a brewery in Dilworth sometime in 2024, and local favorite Olde Mecklenburg Brewery announced it will be expanding to Cornelius and Ballantyne.
- Another Brewery, a mix between a dive bar and brewery, will open in place of Hippin’ Hops on North Davidson fall of 2023.
- Lost World’s Brewing will expand into Metropolitan this winter.
- Suffolk Punch will open its third location in Birkdale Village in 2024.
- Protagonist is closing its NoDa brewery in late October 2023. It’ll reopen in a bigger spot in Optimist Park sometime in 2024.
Looking for where to grab your next craft beer? Here’s a quick guide to breweries in Charlotte.
Armored Cow Brewing Co.
Armored Cow’s 3,500-square-foot taproom has 18 taps offering up a mix of both regular beer and gluten-free beer.
Location: University City at 8821 JW Clay Blvd.
Grab a pint of: Bang Bang, a hazy IPA made with El Dorado hops along with Mosaic and Citra hops (7.3% ABV)
Fun fact: Andrew Kalinoski, former head brewer at Sycamore Brewing, is the brains behind Armored Cow. Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Birdsong Brewing Company
Birdsong’s 30-barrel brewhouse and taproom opened in 2011 and has since become a go-to for unfiltered, American-style ale.
Location: Belmont neighborhood, 1016 North Davidson St.
The vibe: Expect a laid-back neighborhood feel. They have a nice patio space for warm weather days.
Grab a pint of: Higher Ground IPA, a West Coast-inspired IPA made with grapefruit and honeysuckle flavors (7% ABV)
Blue Blaze Brewing
Follow the Stewart Creek Greenway and you’ll run right into Blue Blaze. It has a large selection of American, English, and German beer — all brewed with locally sourced ingredients.
Location: West End at 528 South Turner Ave.
The vibe: Everything from the nature-inspired taproom to the rocking chairs outside reminds you of being in a cozy cabin in the woods.
Grab a pint of: Yellow Blazer Kölsch, a German-style golden ale (5% ABV)
Fun fact: The name is inspired by paint stripes, called blazes, that mark the Appalachian Trail. Photo: Laura Barrero
Brewers at 4001 Yancey
The 28,000-square-foot space houses four distinct brewing companies all under one roof. You’ll find Sixpoint, Victory Brewing Company, Southern Tier and Bold Rock Cider.
Location: Lower South End (LoSo), 4001 Yancey Road.
The vibe: Lively without feeling overwhelming.
Grab a pint of: Golden Monkey, a Belgian-style Tripel with banana and cloves by Victory Brewing (9.5% ABV)
Related Guide: Guide to LoSo: 16 things to do in Lower South End
Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Burial Beer Co.
The Asheville-based brewery is an established name in the beer community and is widely regarded as one of the top breweries in the country.
Location: Plaza Midwood, 1214-1216 Thomas Ave.
The vibe: The taproom and rooftop patio has a retro-yet-edgy feel with a display of old-school speakers lining the tap wall and a small selection of vinyl in the bottle shop.
Grab a pint of: The Heavenly Atmosphere of Unrelenting Nothingness, an imperial stout with flavors of hazelnut, cocoa nibs, toasted coconut, vanilla bean and sea salt (14% ABV).
Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Devil’s Logic Brewing
In addition to its rotating beer selection, you’ll also find a wide selection of kombucha, cider and cold brew coffee. Devil’s Logic is a great spot for beer newbies and veterans alike.
Location: Midtown, 1426 E. 4th St.
The vibe: Formerly the American Billiards building, Devil’s Logic has an edgy, garage-style to it. There are two outdoor patios; one lower level and one elevated with a clear view of Uptown.
Grab a pint of: Crushing Pils, a light-body German-style pilsner (5.2% ABV)
Go deeper: Midtown to get its first brewery inside refurbished 1926 building
Fun fact: The name, Devil’s Logic, comes from co-owners Greg Grueneich and Brian Wallace’s love for debating and playing devil’s advocate by pointing out logical fallacies in conversations. Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Divine Barrel Brewing
Owner Ben Dolphens describes Divine Barrel’s beer as a “good mixture of different experiments” that take on classic styles.
Location: NoDa, 3701 North Davidson St.
The vibe: Rustic and industrial-style taproom.
Grab a pint of: Carolina Cobbler, a peach cobbler pastry sour (6% ABV).
Edge City Brewery
Choose from a rotating selection of New England IPAs, sours, pilsners, lagers, wheat beers, and stouts.
Location: 6209 Old Post Road.
The vibe: The taproom is mid-century modern with a touch of bohemian. There are plenty of plants, tables made from live-edge wood and a dog-friendly patio.
Grab a pint of: Foggy Bottom Boi, a “juicy” New England-style IPA (6.5% ABV)
Fonta Flora Brewery
Fonta Flora has three locations – the flagship brewery in Morganton, its production facility/taproom in Nebo, a small town about 18 miles west of Morganton, and the taproom in Optimist Hall.
In addition to the 50 to 70 varieties of craft beer brewed each year, the Optimist Hall taproom has spiked seltzer, wine, hard cider and a few sodas for non-beer drinkers.
Location: The ground floor of Optimist Hall, 1115 North Brevard St.
Grab a pint of: Triple Hop Beard, a West Coast style IPA hopped with Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe (10% ABV)
Fun fact: Fonta Flora gets its name from a small farming community in western North Carolina. Photo: Axios archives
Free Range Brewing
Find the cozy taproom across the parking lot from Amélie’s in Villa Heights. There are regular live music performances, an occasional market and a menu full of dynamic styles of beer.
Location: Villa Heights, 2320 North Davidson St.
The vibe: The taproom has a casual, farmhouse aesthetic.
Grab a pint of: Cream of the Crop, a Carolina cream ale (5% ABV)
Fun fact: Free Range is owned by brothers Jeff and Jason Alexander, who were raised in eastern North Carolina. Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Frothy Beard Brewing Company
The popular South Carolina brewery serves a variety of beers, from IPAs to sours, with a food menu of specialty pizzas, burgers and salads.
Location: 1200 S. Graham St.
Grab a pint of: Sip Sip Pass, a New England IPA brewed with Mosaic, Amarillo and Citra hops (6.8% ABV).
Of note: Frothy Beard’s food menu won’t be available in Charlotte for a couple of months after it opened.
Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Gilde
It’s one of Germany’s oldest brewers and German brewing master, Willi Wallstab, leads the on-site brewing to ensure that their signature beers are brewed according to German Purity Law.
Location: Lower South End, 3530 Dewitt Ln.
The vibe: Stepping inside feels like you’re stepping foot inside an authentic German beer hall. The design and woodwork is all reminiscent of what you would see in German architecture.
Grab a pint of: Gilde Pilsener – this traditional German lager is the flagship beer (4.8% ABV).
Related story: Opening soon: Long-awaited German brewery Gilde opens this weekend in LoSo
Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Heist Brewery
Heist, one of the city’s original breweries, has two locations: the first Heist Brewpub in NoDa and the Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts near Camp North End.
Locations: NoDa, 2909 North Davidson St.; and North End, 1064 Woodward Ave.
Of note: Their brunch buffet (usually accompanied by a donut tower) is a hangover must. Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts is a 26,000-square-foot brewery and taproom that has a covered beer garden, bakeshop, two event spaces and a separate area for their barrel-aging program. The brewery has a floor-to-ceiling Clint Eastwood mural when you walk in.
Grab a pint of: Citraquench’l, a hazy IPA that’s brewed and double dry-hopped with all Citra hops. (7.1% ABV)
Brewpub vibe: Think industrial meets old pub. Heist is no-frills, just good food and beer. Photo: Axios archives
Hi-Wire Brewing
The Asheville-based brewery has an 8,743-square-foot taproom and 2,000-square-foot beer garden with a large roll-up garage door for indoor-outdoor access.
Location: South End, 330 W. Tremont Ave.
The vibe: Fun and approachable. The interior is covered in vibrant murals by local artist Ian The Painter.
Grab a pint of: Mountain Water, it’s one of the flagship ales made for easy drinking. It’s bright and citrusy with flavors of lemon and lime (4.5% ABV).
Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Hopfly Brewing Co.
Hopfly occupies the former home of Unknown Brewing Co., which was acquired by the Rocky Mount-based brewery back in the early summer of 2021. After undergoing extensive renovations, Hopfly opened in February of 2022.
Location: South End, 1327 S Mint St.
The vibe: The space is vibrant and modern. If you knew the brewery when it was occupied by Unknown, you almost won’t recognize it. The main difference is there’s more open space and seating area in the taproom.
Grab a pint of: Crunchtime, a light lager with crisp and clean tasting notes (4.5% ABV).
Go deeper: Look inside: HopFly Brewing debuts in former Unknown space this weekend
Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
LaBARatory
LaBARatory is a brewery and soju distillery by the same owners as Seoul Food Meat Co.
Location: 2315 N. Davidson St. inside the Urban District Market.
The vibe: Located inside Charlotte’s newest food hall, you can grab a drink from the bar and take it to nearby Seoul Food Meat Co.
[Go deeper: Urban District Market, Charlotte’s newest food hall]
Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Legion Brewing
Legion Brewing has established a network of breweries around the city with locations in Plaza Midwood, SouthPark and on West Morehead St.
Locations:
- Plaza Midwood, 1906 Commonwealth Ave.
- SouthPark, 4350 Congress St.
- West Morehead, 2013 W Morehead St.
The vibe: Legion’s OG location in Plaza has a cozy, neighborhood vibe while its SouthPark spot is much more open.
Grab a pint of: Juicy Jay, an East Coast IPA brewed with Mosaic, El Dorado and Cascade hops for a tropical taste (6.3% ABV).
Legion Brewing SouthPark. Photo: Axios archives
Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
A one-stop shop for not just traditional ales and lagers, but also organic kombucha, gluten-free wild ales, sours and more in a setting good for drinkers and non-drinkers alike.
Location: South End, 3000 South Tryon St.
The vibe: On weekends, the outdoor space feels like a backyard cookout with live music and food trucks.
Grab a pint of: Citraphelia, an IPA made with Citra hops (6.4% ABV).
Photo: Axios archives
Lower Left Brewing Co.
Lower Left Brewing Co. is located in the brewery-filled district of LoSo. Lower Left has a seven-barrel, custom-made brewhouse and 900-square-foot taproom. The building has four garage doors, which open to an outdoor patio.
Location: LoSo, 4528 Nations Crossing Road.
The beer: Expect four to six core beers available year-round including at least one New England IPA, tropical IPA, American pale ale, blonde ale, amber ale, and a porter or stout
Middle James Brewing
Middle James Brewing occupies a building that used to be a golf clubhouse. The two-story space is located behind The Golf Village and features 24 taps, a food menu and a shaded deck overlooking the putting green.
Location: Pineville, 400 North Polk St.
Fun fact: Middle James is Pineville’s first brewery.
Grab a pint of: Hour Mark, the flagship IPA that’s brewed with El Dorado, Comet and Azacca hops (7% ABV)
Photo: Axios archives
Midnight Mulligan
The 10,000-square-foot brewery and restaurant has an expansive 3,000-square-foot patio with skyline views. The taproom serves a number of beers brewed in-house as well as a couple of spiked seltzers from neighbor Summit Seltzer.
Location: Wesley Heights, 2215 Thrift Road.
Grab a pint of: Mully’s, it’s a West Coast-inspired American Pale Ale brewed with Mosaic, Idaho 7, Cascade and Zappa hops (6% ABV).
Bonus: Stop by on the weekend for brunch.
Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Monday Night Garden Co.
Housed in a converted auto garage on the corner of Rampart Street, the Atlanta-based, 8,000-square-foot brewery and distillery is known for its expansive beer menu, cocktails and Neopolitan pizzas.
Location: 2217 S Tryon St.
Grab a pint of: Blind Pirate, a blood orange IPA the brewery describes as a “juicy hop bomb” (7.4% ABV).
Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios
NoDa Brewing Company
The brewery is known for its year-round staples like Jam Session and seasonal batches like Gordgeous and NoDajito. It’s also a go-to for weekend activities – keep up with events here.
Locations:
- NoDa, 2921 North Tryon St.
- Optimist Park, 2229 North Davidson St.
Grab a pint of: Hop Drop ‘n Roll, a 2014 World Beer Cup Gold Award Winner made with English, American, Vienna and wheat malts (7.2% ABV).
In addition to beer, they also have craft spiked seltzer on tap. Photo: Axios archives
Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
This quintessential Charlotte brewery is home to a massive Biergarten that welcomes children and dogs alike. Olde Meck is unique in that they follow the German “Reinheitsgebot” (aka the oldest beer purity law in the world) when brewing their award-winning beer.
Location: Lower South End, 4150 Yancey Road.
The vibe: The inside feels like a tavern-y, old German brewhaus, and outside is an expansive, airy Biergarten.
Grab a pint of: Copper, a Düsseldorf-style Altbier that’s known as the brewery’s flagship (4.9% ABV).
Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Petty Thieves Brewing Co.
Petty Thieves is known for its experimentation and the smaller size of the brewhouse allows for new brews to be in constant rotation.
Location: 413 Dalton Ave.
The vibe: Designed like an old cigar lounge, the space is filled with well-worn leather couches, and thrifted finds.
Grab a pint of: Mirrorform, an American pale ale with medium body (5.3% ABV).
- Navigate to their Instagram stories for the latest tap list.
Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Pilot Brewing Co.
They call themselves a nano-brewery due to their focus on small-batch and experimental nature.
Location: Plaza Midwood, 1331 Central Ave.
The vibe: Casual and cozy.
Grab a pint of: Island Hopper – Dr. Rudi Hops, a their rotating showcase IPA. This batch features Dr. Rudi Hops, bright aromas of pine, lime pith, and lemongrass, blended with tropical flavors of pineapple and grapefruit from the Kveik yeast strain.
Photo: Axios archives
Protagonist
The popular brewery has a presence in both Noda and LoSo. The NoDa location is the original and it’s more of an intimate nano-brewery with a selection of 20 beers on tap and light fare food. The Lower South End location has a wider beer selection and the added treat of pizza.
Of note: Protagonist will close its NoDa location in late October 2023 with plans to open a bigger space in Optimist Park in 2024.
Locations:
- NoDa, 3123 North Davidson St.
- LoSo, 227 Southside Dr.
The vibe: Both locations feature street-facing outdoor patios where you can enjoy a beer and people-watch.
Grab a pint of: Dolly, Protagonist’s original blond ale (5.2% ABV).
- NoDa – Full beer list
- LoSo – Full beer list
Protagonist in NoDa. Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Resident Culture Brewing Company
This popular brewery specializes in hop-forward IPAs and pale ales, lagers, barrel-aged beers and fermented ales.
Locations:
- Plaza Midwood, 2101 Central Ave.
- South End, 332 W Bland St.
The vibe: While its Plaza Midwood location is a chill neighborhood hang-out spot, its South End location turns into a club at night, it also has an all-day cafe and tacos from El Toro Bruto.
Grab a pint of: Lightning Drops, it’s one of their flagship, hazy IPAs made with tropical fruits as (6.5% ABV).
Wine deal: Resident Culture does half-priced bottles of wine on Thursdays.
Resident Culture South End. Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Salud Cerveceria
Salud Beer Shop’s in-house brewery. Head upstairs to enjoy a pint in their 3,100-square-foot taproom. Or order one of their wood-fired pizza.
Location: NoDa, 3306 North Davidson St.
The vibe: Eclectic and artsy. Makes for a great pre-game or post-game spot. Once a month, they host Latin nights with free salsa lessons.
[Go deeper: Hispanic heritage is celebrated every day at Salud, a Dominican-owned brewery in NoDa]
Grab a pint of: Salud x Around the Horn Going Back To Cali, a West Coast IPA with Incognito Mosaic, HBC 586 and Mosaic (7% ABV).
Photo: Laura Brarrero/Axios
Southern Strain Brewing
The Concord-based brewery keeps a rotating selection of beers on tap.
Locations:
- Plaza Midwood, 1800 Central Ave.
- Concord, 165 Brumley Ave. NE.
The vibe: Casual and approachable. The brewery has indoor and outdoor seating and fits about 85 people.
Grab a pint of: Zuper Saazer, this Czech Pilsner is made with “Zuper Saazer” which are grown in Michigan. It has classic herbal and floral spicy aromas (5.6% ABV)
Photo: Danielle Chemtob/Axios.
Suffolk Punch Brewing
Suffolk Punch has become a Rail Trail destination with a gorgeous taproom and beer menu consisting of their own brews alongside some of the best in the country.
Locations:
- South End, 2911 Griffith St.
- SouthPark, 4400 Sharon Road
The vibe: A little more elevated than your typical brewery. The patio is usually packed on nice days.
[Go deeper: Suffolk Punch opens its second location with a cafe, taproom and coffee bar this weekend at SouthPark mall]
Grab a pint of: A Patchwork Orange, an IPA made with orange peel, grapefruit and papaya (5.7% ABV).
Suffolk Punch South End. Photo: Axios archives
Sugar Creek Brewing Company
Known for its Belgian-inspired beer, Sugar Creek uses multiple types of hops and combines them with award-winning malt varieties to create modern takes on classic tastes.
Location: LoSo, 215 Southside Drive
The vibe: It’s a smaller space with a casual feel.
Grab a pint of: Sugar Creek Pale Ale, with notes of fruit, citrus, pine, and grapefruit combined with caramel (5.2% ABV).
Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Sycamore Brewing
Located right on the rail trail inside a new 16-story development called The Line, Sycamore is one of South End’s most popular hangouts.
Location: South End, 2151 Hawkins St.
The vibe: Friendly and energetic. Expect lots of people and lots of dogs.
Go deeper: See inside Sycamore Brewing’s new two-story South End location
Grab a pint of: Mountain Candy IPA, a double dry-hopped IPA with flavor notes of stone fruit and rainbow candies (7.2% ABV).
Photo: Emma Way/Axios
Rendering of the new mixed-use office tower in South End that will house Sycamore Brewing (courtesy of Portman Holdings)
Town Brewing Co.
Town Brewing has everything on tap from IPAs and kettle sours to English and Belgian styles. Plus, there’s a rotating selection of other crafts, plus ciders, kombuchas, housemade sodas, and other non-alcoholic options.
Location: Wesley Heights, 800 Grandin Road.
The vibe: The 24-tap taproom feels casual like a living room with an old-school warehouse aesthetic.
Grab a pint of: Broken Tared, a raspberry Hibiscus Sour (4.7% ABV).
Photo: Axios archives
Triple C Brewing
Even if you haven’t ventured into the taproom of one South End’s first breweries, Triple C is home to beers you likely know, including Baby Maker and Golden Boy.
Location: South End, 2900 Griffith St.
The vibe: Approachable, chill atmosphere. Listen to live music or play a board game.
Grab a pint of: 3C, a West Coast IPA made with citrus, grapefruit, and passionfruit flavors (6.2% ABV).
Trolley Barn Fermentory & Food Hall
A two-story, experimental brewery and food hall from the Legion Brewing team.
Location: South End, 2104 South Blvd.
The vibe: Elevated and modern with a touch of rustic. It’s not your typical brewery experience given that it has a more upscale bar on the second floor.
Grab a pint of: Welcome to Trolley, fruited south with a traditional Gose base and a touch of lemon puree, vanilla, and cassia bark (4.6% ABV).
Fun fact: The space that Trolley Barn occupies was a former storage barn for trolley cars — the original tracks were even maintained to prove it. Photo: Axios archives
Vaulted Oak Brewing
This bank-turned-brewery focuses on small-batch beers in various styles — like sessionable blondes, lagers, west coast IPAs, sours, saisons and porters. There are currently nine beers on tap plus a curated selection of wine, cider, seltzer, kombucha and non-alcoholic sodas.
Location: East Charlotte, 3726 Monroe Road.
The vibe: Casual and family/neighborhood friendly.
Grab a pint of: C-Note$ IPA (6.6% ABV).
Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios
Weathered Souls Brewing Co.
Weathered Souls is Charlotte’s first Black-owned brewery in nearly three years. It’s co-owned by Marcus Baskerville, who has a national reputation for his work in diversity and inclusion. He first opened Weathered Souls in San Antonio in 2016.
Location: LoSo, 255 Clanton Road
The vibe: There’s a little bit of everything for everyone inside this chill brewery. Its food menu was curated by chef Greg Collier (of Charlotte’s best restaurant Leah & Louise). And it has a cocktail bar at the front of the house with a menu curated by local mixologist Bob Peters.
[Go deeper: Texas-based Weathered Souls Brewing Co. now open in South End]
Grab a pint of: Black is Beautiful, an imperial stout that swept the nation in 2020, (8.82% ABV).
Weathered Souls Brewing Co. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Wooden Robot Brewery
Wooden Robot has two locations. The brewery, best known for its Good Morning Vietnam and What He’s Having brews, features some of Charlotte’s most innovative craft beers.
Locations:
- NoDa, 416 E 36th St.
- South End, 1440 South Tryon St.
The vibe: A perfect mix of laid-back and lively.
Grab a pint of: Good Morning Vietnam, a blond ale made with Ethiopian coffee and vanilla beans from Madagascar (5% ABV).
Still thirsty? There are 20-plus breweries to visit right outside of Charlotte.
These breweries may not technically be in Queen City but are close by and worth a visit.
Belmont
Belmont Brewhouse
Primal Brewery
Jekyll & Hyde Taphouse and Grill
Concord
Cabarrus Brewing Company
Commoner’s Brewing Company
High Branch Brewing Co.
Red Hill Brewing Company
Twenty-Six Acres Brewing Company
Southern Strain Brewing Co.
Cornelius
Ass Clown Brewing Company
D9 Brewing Company
Eleven Lakes Brewing Company
Lost Worlds Brewing
Denver
Royal Bliss
Lake Norman Brewery
Fort Mill, S.C.
Amor Artis Brewing
Lake Wylie Brewing Co.
Replay Brewing
Gastonia
Cavendish Brewery
Huntersville
Primal Brewery
Ass Clown Brewing Company
Eleven Lakes Brewing Company
D9 Brewing
Lost Worlds
Neoteric Brewing Company
Indian Trail
Sweet Union Brewing Company
Matthews
Seaboard Brewing, Taproom, & Wine Bar
Monroe
Southern Range Brewing Co.
Mooresville
Ghostface Brewing Brewery & Pizzeria
King Canary Brewing
Jolly Roger Brewery
Rock Hill, S.C.
Legal Remedy Brewing
Slow Play Brewing
Rock Hill Brewing Company
Dust Off Brewing
Waxhaw
The Dreamchaser’s Brewery
Cheers!
