Drinking Beer in Charlotte

[kermit]

Those prices, lmao!

the existence of cans really took the steam out of my growler purchases. My lack of self control was also becoming a problem. I am the only craft drinker in the house and I didn't want the beer to go flat -- seems like there is only one solution. I do miss the days when a growler full of copper on a college football saturday was a thing (and the only way to get craft beer at home). 

I am constantly surprised that the Beer Growler is still in business. I like the place but I would much rather buy a mixed six pack at Good Bottle than invest in a growler. Can you still not drink a full pint in there?

[grodney]

11 minutes ago, kermit said:

I am constantly surprised that the Beer Growler is still in business. I like the place but I would much rather buy a mixed six pack at Good Bottle than invest in a growler. Can you still not drink a full pint in there?

No, no pints.  But I bet they do a strong flight business....even though it's now $8 (plus $1 per premium) instead of the $6 it started at.  Last Friday I got there at 2:30ish and all the tables were full.....and there's always a steady stream of people filling growlers.

[SgtCampsalot]

19 minutes ago, kermit said:

 I do miss the days when a growler full of copper on a college football saturday was a thing (and the only way to get craft beer at home). 

Yeah, I remember not too long ago being enamored by growlers as this new, incredible, classy thing, that allowed me to have this newfangled beer at home. They even made great gifts! Now it's a cumbersome deal. The only constant is change.

[InSouthPark]

29 minutes ago, kermit said:

Those prices, lmao!

the existence of cans really took the steam out of my growler purchases. My lack of self control was also becoming a problem. I am the only craft drinker in the house and I didn't want the beer to go flat -- seems like there is only one solution. I do miss the days when a growler full of copper on a college football saturday was a thing (and the only way to get craft beer at home). 

I am constantly surprised that the Beer Growler is still in business. I like the place but I would much rather buy a mixed six pack at Good Bottle than invest in a growler. Can you still not drink a full pint in there?

The Beer Growler prices aren't bad.  

Growler USA prices are LOL funny on the majority of list.  Two growlers on some of them it would pay for a sixtel. 

[InSouthPark]

Just got some interesting news directly from Wooden Robot:

Most of their beers are now *gluten-reduced (below 10ppm). For the average beer dork this means nothing.  To the growing population of folks with gluten sensitivities (my wife has had diagnosed celiac for the past 12 years) this is huge news for local beer. They use clarity ferm (same chemical that all breweries use to make gluten reduced beer) as a clarifying agent which incidentally removes gluten.  I have read the studies by White Labs (company that makes it) along with Stone's research (they use it in Stone Delicious) and the tests typically come back at "trace" for gluten with is below 1ppm (to be labeled GF in the US it must be < 20ppm, international rule is < 10ppm).  I brew my own beer and use the same chemical for my batches and my own test kit show it below 5ppm (as low as my test goes).  

They did mention to my wife to double check with the bartender though as they are occasional exceptions.  But this is pretty big news and one I have been predicting for a while, just didn't know which brewery would do it. 

[grodney]

I went to the Knights game Friday....Hop Drop and Jalapeno ($8 each) in the walkaround vendors like last year.  Hard to find those guys with any left, though, after about the 3rd inning.  There were lots of other local things on tap at various vendors, of course.

For those keeping track....Hop Drop 16oz can pricing:

Grocery/shop average-ish - $4 plus tax

Charlotte Express (Ultimate) - $6 "donation"

Charlotte Knights (Baseball) - $8 (tax included or no tax)

Charlotte Hornets (Basketball) - $10 plus tax, so about $10.82 or whatever.

Tip optional at all.

 

Edited April 18, 2016 by grodney

[grodney]

Two things:

Unknown scratch and sniff ipa is being canned today.

Triple C baby maker in 16oz cans available apr 30. $15 in the tap room.

[grodney]

I asked Sycamore if Peak Farm is regularly canned, and mentioned I can't find it anywhere.  Their response: "It is scheduled for our next canning run.  As it stands now, we aren't able to make enough Peak Farm for full time in cans.  Cheers!".

 

 

[grodney]

On 4/18/2016 at 0:22 PM, grodney said:

Is that a 32oz or a 64oz?  According to Andrew replying to someone, it was for "standard issue local beer".  Assuming 64oz, let me check prices.....https://www.taphunter.com/location/Growler-USA--Charlotte-Ballantyne/4920270212562944

Oh hey, they want $29.99 for Coco Loco!!!!!  What the hell?  ahahahahahahahahahahaha.  Look at some of the others below!

Here are all their locals (64oz):

Benford Honey Ale - $22

Coco Loco - $30

Hop Drop - $25

Pragmatic Disposition - $30

Captain Jack - $20

Copper - $15

Citrus Warlock - $30

Over the Edge - $30

PreGame - $17

 

I don't know who's running the clown show over at Growler USA, but their prices have changed since 3 days ago.  

Benford Honey Ale- Was 22 now 17.

Coco Loco - Was 30 now 26.

Hop Drop - Was 25 now 22.

Pragmatic Disposition - Was 30 now 26.

Captain Jack - Was 20 now 16.

Copper - Was 15 now 16.

Citrus Warlock - Was 30 now 26.

Over the Edge - Was 30 now 26.

Also, Jalapeno newly tapped at $17.

$26 is still ridiculous for Coco Loco when I can get the same 64oz in cans for $11 across the street.  Similar for Hop Drop at $22 when a 4-pack is $12.

Also, Ballantyne Harris Teeter posted their tap list yesterday.  Pineapple Sculpin: HT=$17, GrowlerUSA=$36!!!  Sweetwater Pulled Porter: HT=$14, GrowlerUSA=$39!!!

 

 

Edited April 21, 2016 by grodney

[kermit]

^ reading about these guys has become the comic highlight of my day! 

[Crown]

On 4/2/2016 at 9:23 AM, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

Small taproom and possibly brew pub.

Pre-submittal yesterday

 

 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Crown said:

Pre-submittal yesterday

 

 

thats the OTHER other project over there. Two separate buildings. One if Grifbrew, the other is Triple C

[grodney]

I happened to be in Stateline Elite (liquor/beer/wine store just south of Ballantyne in South Cack) on Friday so I had a look at their growler prices.  Two things:  1. They don't allow growlers on any of the 4 NoDa beers they had.  When I asked why, they said that NoDa has told them they don't have enough beer for out-of-state accounts to be pouring growlers, so if you want NoDa beer in your business you can't do growlers.  Kind of odd for a growler station, but whatever, I guess they do a reasonable pint business there as well.  And 2. I compared their price list to my old friends at Growler USA.  There were 3 beers in common on the lists:

Bells Oberon $20 at USA, $11.52 at Stateline.

Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado $44 at USA, $15.36 at Stateline

Sierra Nevada Tropical IPA $17 at USA, $13 at Stateline

Stateline has always been really low on almost all growler  prices.  Back when they *did* do growlers on NoDa stuff, it was usually like $11 or $12 for all standard stuff and even some seasonals (Gordgeous, Cold Crash) were that or a buck or two more.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, grodney said:

I happened to be in Stateline Elite (liquor/beer/wine store just south of Ballantyne in South Cack) on Friday so I had a look at their growler prices.  Two things:  1. They don't allow growlers on any of the 4 NoDa beers they had.  When I asked why, they said that NoDa has told them they don't have enough beer for out-of-state accounts to be pouring growlers, so if you want NoDa beer in your business you can't do growlers.  Kind of odd for a growler station, but whatever, I guess they do a reasonable pint business there as well.  And 2. I compared their price list to my old friends at Growler USA.  There were 3 beers in common on the lists:

Bells Oberon $20 at USA, $11.52 at Stateline.

Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado $44 at USA, $15.36 at Stateline

Sierra Nevada Tropical IPA $17 at USA, $13 at Stateline

Stateline has always been really low on almost all growler  prices.  Back when they *did* do growlers on NoDa stuff, it was usually like $11 or $12 for all standard stuff and even some seasonals (Gordgeous, Cold Crash) were that or a buck or two more.

$44!!!!! I'll go looking at a growler shop here (if I can find one, all the ones in Brooklyn closed, that I know about) and see what the prices are for a Manhattan comparison. 

[InSouthPark]

Anyone else make it to Olde Meck Spring Festival?  Holy cow that was a LOT of people and a lot of mud bugs!  They ran out of crawfish both days well before dinner time and had to fly in more Sunday morning as they went through both days allotment in just a few hours Saturday. 

[grodney]

1 hour ago, InSouthPark said:

Anyone else make it to Olde Meck Spring Festival? 

We got there 11:40 on Saturday...not knowing there was actually a festival going on.  The parking lot (which I was surprised to find is now fully paved) was already full.  We weren't interested in the fest food but I tried to get a pretzel and the server told me the only food they had was in the tent (apparently where the crawdads were), so that was disappointing.  So after a beer we sent to Sugar Creek.  By the time we left there were TONS of cars all over a large radius around OMB.  Also stopped at Three Spirits on the way home and had a King Rassafassa, which is a special saison that they're selling in champagne bottles.  I liked it on tap, but not enough to pay $12 for a bottle.

In other news, NoDa announced they're going to start doing some fun beers on their old system on Davidson:

"

Now that the new brewery is up and running, it's time to start cranking out some fun beers from the original brewery! Our first release is 366 Wit. This beer is a very hop forward version of a Belgian Witbier. It's brewed with over 50% wheat and oats, it has a clean bitterness, and has huge additions of Equinox hops late in the kettle and whirlpool. Flavors of ripe melons, apple, and citrus flow through each sip. 

Before Equinox had it's name, it was referred to as HBC 366. It has become an extremely sought after hop because of its high oil content and very unique flavor/aroma profile. The bright character of this hop pairs great with the refreshing character of Belgian Wit yeast creating a very flavorful warm weather beer.
"

 

[grodney]

News on the little was-gonna-be-a-shot-bar place next to BB&T Ballpark: https://www.charlotteagenda.com/49134/400-s-graham-chupitos-tin-kitchen-co-founder/

As the story says: " Personally, I would love nothing more than for a local brewery to have a satellite location in this space to open its presence Uptown. An Uptown brewery would be too expensive to operate but a taproom to showcase a brand and beers would be absolutely incredible for this location. "

What I'd love to see is a place that is a meta-taproom for all of the, and only the, Charlotte breweries.  In other words, a place that looks and feels like a brewery taproom, and all they have is #cltbeer on tap.

[grodney]

Barking Duck in Mint Hill has been closed for several months as they moved to new space.  They finally have the new address up:  4400 Morris Park Dr in Mint Hill.  Not open yet, but "soon".

Map of breweries and Coming Soon: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qUzSq_rtYQ1oAdRL4hHoZN_wxlg&usp=sharing

or here:  https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zvfji2eVQoVE.kz5BFo-0quQ8

 

 

Edited May 4, 2016 by grodney

[grodney]

I'm at the knights game right now.....before I came in, I walked down and checked out the chupitos site.....there was a guy on the corner, I SWEAR this is true, in a ninja outfit with Hornets throwback hightops, shouting "Deeeeeeeeee Niiiiiiiiiiiiine!!!!".  I have no idea what this means. I report, you decide. I hate myself for not taking a pic.

[CLTProductions]

27 minutes ago, grodney said:

I'm at the knights game right now.....before I came in, I walked down and checked out the chupitos site.....there was a guy on the corner, I SWEAR this is true, in a ninja outfit with Hornets throwback hightops, shouting "Deeeeeeeeee Niiiiiiiiiiiiine!!!!".  I have no idea what this means. I report, you decide. I hate myself for not taking a pic.

Didn't think that was a done deal.....stand by UP team 

 

update: seems just like a happy coincidence. 

Edited May 4, 2016 by Jayvee

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, grodney said:

I'm at the knights game right now.....before I came in, I walked down and checked out the chupitos site.....there was a guy on the corner, I SWEAR this is true, in a ninja outfit with Hornets throwback hightops, shouting "Deeeeeeeeee Niiiiiiiiiiiiine!!!!".  I have no idea what this means. I report, you decide. I hate myself for not taking a pic.

Randomest thing I've ever heard, and I had a legless lady smoking a blunt on my train this morning. 

 

[grodney]

33 minutes ago, Jayvee said:

 

update: seems just like a happy coincidence. 

Well there you go.

[SgtCampsalot]

28 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

and I had a legless lady smoking a blunt on my train this morning. 

Wouldn't you, too?

[alb1no panther]

On May 2, 2016 at 7:50 AM, grodney said:

News on the little was-gonna-be-a-shot-bar place next to BB&T Ballpark: https://www.charlotteagenda.com/49134/400-s-graham-chupitos-tin-kitchen-co-founder/

As the story says: " Personally, I would love nothing more than for a local brewery to have a satellite location in this space to open its presence Uptown. An Uptown brewery would be too expensive to operate but a taproom to showcase a brand and beers would be absolutely incredible for this location. "

What I'd love to see is a place that is a meta-taproom for all of the, and only the, Charlotte breweries.  In other words, a place that looks and feels like a brewery taproom, and all they have is #cltbeer on tap.

 

 

I don't know how we can make this happen, but a rooftop deck needs to be added no questions asked.  Could you imagine a rooftop bar at the back and bar seating along a banister looking at THAT view?  This could "connect the corners" so to speak, and really transform this area into a truly interactive neighborhood.  

[grodney]

Baby Maker 4-pk 16oz cans at Ballantyne Harris Teeter for $12.99.  The stated taproom price (via twitters) is $15.  Had one last night....such a delicious option to have in the rotation.