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Archive for category Festivals

Oktoberfest and Beer Festivals that Cover the State

Sep 8

Posted by ncbeer in Beer of the month, Big Boss, Brewgrass, Carolina Beer & Bevearge, Carolina Brewery, Charlotte, Eastern NC, Events, Festivals, The Triangle, beer, festival, home brew | No Comments

It’s fall – and that means two things: Oktoberfest and Beer Festivals.

In the next few weeks look for Oktoberfest beer releases from The Carolina Brewery (already out!), Rock Bottom, and Liberty as well as the Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale release from Carolina Beer and Harvest Time from Big Boss. It’s a great month to enjoy good North Carolina Beer!

What’s more? In the next month, no matter where you are in North Carolina, you’ve got a beer festival nearby.

First up, on September 18th, is Brewgrass in Asheville. In their words: Each year in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, we gather over 40 American breweries to showcase more than 120 different beers. We add a great lineup of national and regional bluegrass musicians that, in the past, has included such notables as Cadillac Sky, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Dry Branch Fire Squad, J.D. Crowe, The Osborne Brothers, Norman Blake, Tony Trischka, Jim Lauderdale, Valerie Smith, Tony Furtado, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Sons Of Ralph. We also feature a variety of area food vendors and plenty of water. Hope you got your tickets on the weekend that they went on sale, though, because that’s when they sold out.

Next, on September 25th, is the 12th Annual Charlotte Oktoberfest which promises

  • Live entertainment on the big stage at the North end of the stadium.
  • The chance to put your skills to the test on games like table tennis, foosball, corn hole and many others in the Creative Loafing Beerlympic Village at the South end of the stadium.
  • Food vendors serving some of the tastiest brats, hot dogs, pretzels, and more.

    • As well as a collectible 5-oz. Charlotte Oktoberfest Tasting Glass, and of samples from over 350 of the finest craft brewed beers in the Southeast and from around the world.

    Tickets are still available.

    Next up, on October 9th in Durham, is the All About Beer World Beer Festival: Durham which is being held, this year, at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The World Beer Festival is one of the best festivals in the Southeast – don’t miss it. The beer lineup should be posted soon, keep an eye out for it!

    Tickets are on sale through the Durham Bulls Box Office.

    Finally, the coup de grace, on October 16th at the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington, is the Lighthouse Beer Festival.

    The Lighthouse Beer Festival, in its ninth year, brings over 70 craft breweries from around the world to Wilmington, NC. This year, the festival will be held at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater to accommodate the growing enthusiasm from local (and national) beer lovers. Admission is $30/adv $40/day of which includes a collectible festival glass for tasting from the over 300 different beers available from 1pm-5pm on Saturday October 16th. Live performances from Acoustic Syndicate and local Wilmington bands will occupy the amphitheater’s stage during the festival. Proceeds from the event go to The Carousel Center; a 501c charity that aids abused and neglected youth. A free shuttle service is provided to help festival-goers get home safely.

    Get your tickets here.

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Coming this weekend: The Great North Carolina Beer Festival

Aug 25

Posted by ncbeer in Festivals | 3 Comments

Where to start? How can you possibly miss a beer festival that features Kansas!?

This weekend, head over to Clemmons, NC for the Great North Carolina Beer Festival.

The Festival will feature unlimited tasting of microbrews and craft beers from across the state of North Carolina and the nation. Some of the local breweries attending include Foothills Brewery, Highland Brewery, Natty Greene’s Brewing Co. and Olde Hickory Brewery. Foothills will also be providing specialty beers in the VIP tent. There will be live music the whole day with a major headlining act Kansas along with several other local acts, including Big Daddy Love, Part Time Party Time Band and The Plaids.

Three charities will benefit from the Festival including Second Harvest Food Bank, Forsyth County Humane Society and Special Olympics of Forsyth County. There will be an 8Ball Express pool tournament for the chance to play against champion Shannon Daulton. Second Harvest Food Bank will run a golf putting contest where they will receive all the proceeds. Forsyth County Humane Society will sponsor the basketball free throw contest where they too will receive all of the proceeds. Each of these charities will receive a large portion of profits after the Festival. Cornhole will be free of charge for other attendees to enjoy throughout the day. Food vendors will serve a wide variety of foods all day. The arts and crafts section will feature a range of products that can be purchased.

Get your tickets now at their website – only $25, $30 on the day of the fest. $50 gets you a VIP pass which includes a t-shirt, catered food, special beer, and a hospitality area with your own restrooms.

See you there!

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Hickory Hops Gives Back

Jul 10

Posted by ncbeer in Festivals | No Comments

Hickory Hops, the Hickory areas’ annual downtown beer festival, not only provides a boost to the local economy, it also makes a contribution that is felt statewide. For the second year in a row, Hickory Hops made a financial donation to the North Carolina Brewers Guild (NCBG). Festival organizers Jason Yates and Steven Lyerly of Olde Hickory Brewery reported a festival gift of $1000 toward the Guild’s operations.

Founded in 2008 by a group of NC craft breweries, the non-profit Brewers Guild’s mission is to: promote NC beers; facilitate cooperative purchasing; encourage information exchange among members; and work with the state legislature to protect and grow the industry. Presently 36 breweries, many of whom participated in the eight-year-old Hickory Hops festival this past April, are active members.

For the first time in its five year history, Hickory Hops’ professional competition, the Carolinas Championship of Beer, also made a contribution to the NCBG. With the understanding that half of the entrance fee would be donated to the Brewers Guild, brewers paid $10 per beer to participate in the blind judged event. Nearly 300 different beers from over 40 breweries were received by competition organizer Bobby Bush. As is turned out, Bush discovered, competition expenses were lower than expected. The CCB contribution to the Brewers Guild totaled $1800.

Guild president Jamie Bartholomaus, head brewer for Winston-Salem’s Foothills Brewing, was ecstatic with the two donations. A former brewer at Olde Hickory, he hoisted a pint of his People’s Porter in appreciation of Hickory Hops and the Carolinas Championship of Beer for supporting the craft brewing industry in North Carolina.

An annual function of the Hickory Downtown Development Association, the 9th Hickory Hops festival will be held on April 16, 2011.

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June Beer Festivals Coming

May 27

Posted by ncbeer in Festivals, New Bern, asheville | 2 Comments

Hey NC Beer Fans -There are two festivals coming up in June that should be on your radar.

First, coming up fast, is the Beer City Festival. Help Asheville celebrate winning BeerCity USA by sampling beers from in and around the Beer City, as well as beer from around the state!

Tickets are $35/ea. you can get them online at the Beer City Festival website or at select locations in Asheville. The festival runs from 12:00 to 6:00 on June 5th.

Second, on the other side of the state, the first annual BrewBern Beer Fest is coming to New Bern, NC. It coincides with New Bern’s 300th birthday celebration, so it should be a great time to be around, beer notwithstanding. Proceeds from the festival go to Hope for the Warriors and, of course, us!

BrewBern just released their list of participating brewers (scroll down to the bottom of this page) and they feature a huge list of great North Carolina beer, as well as many others.

Tickets are $35/ea ($40 at the door). Two sessions, one from 12PM to 4PM and another from 6PM to 10PM on June 26th.

If you get out to either of these, let us know! Take pictures, and send ‘em our way!

Cheers!

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Next Week is American Craft Beer Week

May 10

Posted by ncbeer in Beer News, Festivals, The Triad, The Triangle | 1 Comment

That’s right! Next week is American Craft Beer Week! May 17th through the 23rd. In case you’re wondering how to possibly celebrate it, let us help you out.

The 3rd Annual Carolina Brewfest at Carolina Alehouse at Brier Creek, Raleigh, May 15th. 3PM – 7PM

Carolina Ale House in Brier Creek is hosting the 3rd Annual Carolina Brewfest to benefit the North Carolina Brewers Guild. As in year’s past, the Carolina Brewfest only invites North Carolina breweries. Tickets are available online!.

This is not a chug fest, but rather an aptitude test for those that consider themselves well-versed in beer. Cost per 4-member team is $25 which includes tasting for all participants and entry fees. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Gordon Hospice House of Iredell County. Deadline for sign up is May 13th. All entries must pre pay before the day of event.

More information at carolinabeer.com.

Gastonia Grizzlies Ballpark Beer Fest, Gastonia, NC, May 15, 6PM – 10PM

Head down to the Sims Legion Ballpark in Gastonia, home of the Gastonia Grizzlies, for the 2nd Annual Gastonia Grizzlies Beer Fest featuing more than 100 beers, live music from the Brent Cates Band, and a Cornhole tournament. Only 500 tickets available – get them online.

The Beer Olympics at the Carolina Beer Company, Moorseville, NC, May 15. 12PM – 4PM

Join Carolina Beer Company and The Charlotte Beer Club Saturday, May 15th as they kick off American Craft Beer Week with their first ever BEER OLYMPICS!

Head to the brewery from noon until 4pm as 4-member teams compete for the Gold. The Beer Olympics will consist of 6 challenges: – Blind Beer Tasting -Beer Trivia – Keg Toss – Cornhole -Sack Race -and The Ultimate Beer Triathlon to determine who is worthy of the Gold!

Declare your country and play the part to vie for the coveted “Beer Boot.” The winning team will also get to name the next beer they have on tap in our Taproom.

Saturday Night Main Event at Triangle Brewing Company/Pub Crawl Training Session, Durham, NC. May 15, 6PM

Join Triangle Brewery as they gear their livers up for their annual Anniversary Pub Crawl with a training session featuring music from Rat Jackson and the Pneurotics and a visit from the Only Burger truck.

Big Boss High Roller IPA Release at Big Boss Brewing Company in Raleigh, May 17, 6PM

Big Boss is kicking off American Craft Beer week by re-releasing our High Roller IPA! They’ll be setting up a meat and cheese station for those arriving early. Monday May 17th – 6pm 1249 Wicker Drive Raleigh NC 27604

Foothills/New Belgium Beer Dinner, Foothills Brewery, Winston-Salem, NC, May 19, 7 PM

Head over to Foothills Brewery for a 5-Course Dinner featuring TWO beer pairings with each course, one from New Belgium and one from Foothills. Call Foothills Brewing @ 336.777.3348 for reservations, $55 per person, 35 person limit.

Brewer’s Dinner @ Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, May 20, 6:30 PM

Join Head Brewer David Gonzalez and Executive Chef Aaron Moir for another fabulous food and beer pairing at the May Brewer’s Dinner. This event sold out in February so make your reservations now to be a party of the Ultimate Food and Beer Experience. Call Susan Dhonau for reservations and details: 704-773-5036.

NC Brewers Guild Member Rally at Natty Greene’s in Raleigh, May 22nd. 2PM – 4PM

If you’re an Enthusiast Member of the North Carolina Brewers Guild (and you should be) head over to Natty Greene’s Brewpub in Raleigh on the 22nd for beer and food on the house for NC Brewers Guild members only – make sure you bring your membership card! Come out, meet some of your fellow NC Beer fans and chat with the good people at Natty Greene’s!

Finally, keep an eye out on the American Craft Beer Week website for any other events happening around the state or, of course, right here, where we’ll update you about anything that we find out about as soon as possible.

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