Drinking Beer in Charlotte

[CLT>]

Just  remember if you buy your beer directly from the brewery it's a much bigger help to them than buying it from a grocery store.

But don't forget to keep supporting bottle shops for out of town product!

[Niner National]

edit: I’ll call it a rumor but heard sunstead was closed from someone I have no reason to doubt.

Edited May 8, 2020 by Niner National

[CLTProductions]

32 minutes ago, Niner National said:

Sunstead Brewing is already closed. A familiar (sort of) brand in the restaurant community will be moving into the brewery scene and taking over the space.

That's weird, they were still posting stuff online this month

[kermit]

36 minutes ago, Niner National said:

Sunstead Brewing is already closed. A familiar (sort of) brand in the restaurant community will be moving into the brewery scene and taking over the space.

Can I buy a vowel (and a hint)?

Please don’t let it be another Sabor....

Edited May 7, 2020 by kermit

[kermit]

After a quick bike-by, there was a definite 'just got the keys to the new space' vibe.

My guess is Tucan Louie's with brewing help (in some form) from D9. This is a complete guess based on seeing  cigar smoking dudes wearing D9 shirts and a TL logo sticker on a truck parked in the lot -- Its just a guess, I might be wrong.

Feel bad for the Sunstead guys, they got whipsawed by some incredibly bad luck. That said, if my guess about new owners plays out then I am very pleased with the prospects of both new tenants in that space. A solid food option over there (particularly breakfast) would be fantastic.

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by kermit

[NeverSummer]

To continue my mild rant a few days ago crowler prices, I see Wooden Robot  is now offering to drive a required minimum of two 32oz crowlers worth of beer (2x $12 each) to your home (if you live 5 or less miles away) for a $5 delivery fee. So, 4 pints at $29 pre driver tip. 

To be fair, you can also get a 4 pack of their pilsner for $12 and/or $6 branded wine glasses towards that minimum.

I'm out of their radius anyway, but IMO spending what post-tip will equate to ~+$8 a pint is way out of bounds pricing.

What do you guys think about all these breweries charging taproom prices and higher for crowler/growler beer? 

 

[CLTProductions]

26 minutes ago, NeverSummer said:

 

I'm out of their radius anyway, but IMO spending what post-tip will equate to ~+$8 a pint is way out of bounds pricing.

What do you guys think about all these breweries charging taproom prices and higher for crowler/growler beer? 

I think in todays environment I am more than happy to pay $8 a pint to keep people employed and businesses afloat. 

[NeverSummer]

2 hours ago, Jt282506 said:

I think in todays environment I am more than happy to pay $8 a pint to keep people employed and businesses afloat. 

No doubt that supporting local breweries is the way to go, now more than ever. My point is that when you look at how some are pricing versus others, some really inflated pricing seems to be evident. For example, Triple C is selling mixed cases for $60. At Wooden Robot prices, that would be a $144 case. 

[kermit]

The old guy says: I really miss the $8-$12 growler pricing from Old Meck back in the day.  The really old guy who bought lots of $8 cases of swill as an undergrad (it was the late 80s) is genuinely aghast at paying $60+ for a craft case (at a virus discount price), but I'll keep doing it because I really don't want to go back to drinking Old Milwaukee. 

WR has always been at the top end of the price range. I got a couple crowlers from them a couple weeks ago, decided the format was not worth the $ (the second crowler was noticeably degraded the next day). While I  wait for WR keg pints to return, I’ll throw my money at Town for day of consumption crowlers ($8 during the week) and Lenny Boy for cans.

NoDa Zuper Heros pils (now gone I believe) was also very good while it lasted.

Edited May 9, 2020 by kermit

[kermit]

On 5/7/2020 at 8:42 PM, kermit said:

After a quick bike-by, there was a definite 'just got the keys to the new space' vibe.

My guess is Tucan Louie's with brewing help (in some form) from D9. This is a complete guess based on seeing  cigar smoking dudes wearing D9 shirts and a TL logo sticker on a truck parked in the lot -- Its just a guess, I might be wrong.

Feel bad for the Sunstead guys, they got whipsawed by some incredibly bad luck. That said, if my guess about new owners plays out then I am very pleased with the prospects of both new tenants in that space. A solid food option over there (particularly breakfast) would be fantastic.

 

So this was inside the brew room today. I think it’s safe to say it’s Toucan Louies. D9 remains TBD.

 

[CLTProductions]

1 hour ago, kermit said:

So this was inside the brew room today. I think it’s safe to say it’s Toucan Louies. D9 remains TBD.

 

Can confirm both, more details soon  

[Niner National]

I broke news nobody else knew 

 

[Guest]

10 hours ago, NeverSummer said:

To continue my mild rant a few days ago crowler prices, I see Wooden Robot  is now offering to drive a required minimum of two 32oz crowlers worth of beer (2x $12 each) to your home (if you live 5 or less miles away) for a $5 delivery fee. So, 4 pints at $29 pre driver tip. 

To be fair, you can also get a 4 pack of their pilsner for $12 and/or $6 branded wine glasses towards that minimum.

I'm out of their radius anyway, but IMO spending what post-tip will equate to ~+$8 a pint is way out of bounds pricing.

What do you guys think about all these breweries charging taproom prices and higher for crowler/growler beer? 

 

Yesterday, I paid $15 for 2 $1.50 cans of ginger beer, a $.35 cent lime, and $.50 worth of lime juice, and the worlds smallest copper mug yesterday. My wife said, "lets support local business," and I said "it sounds like a rip off." Moments later she sat down, watched one of her friends make a cocktail from a cocktail kit on instagram stories and turned to me and said "oh crap, we shouldn't' have ordered that." 

Edited May 9, 2020 by Guest

[kermit]

I maybe bought a six of copper bottles twice, I think I'll be much more likely to buy a four pack of cans. Would rather have a half liter in the beer garden however.

 

 

Edited May 13, 2020 by kermit

[kermit]

 

My casual 2020 Charlotte dead brewery count is now 2 3. Bold Missy (good timing, just before plague), Sunstead (incredibly bad timing) and Thirsty Nomad (location) after the shutdown.

In brighter news, I saw four packs of pils and IPA from Burial at the East blvd Teeter today. Not sure of the specific beers since I am now "need glasses to read a beer can" years old.

Edit: removed Three Sprits (I am glad grodney still has a sense of time).

Edit edit: It appears that Sunstead is not dead, see below.

Edited May 22, 2020 by kermit

[grodney]

13 hours ago, kermit said:

My casual 2020 Charlotte dead brewery count is now 4. Bold Missy (good timing) just before the plague and Three Spirits (never got traction), Sunstead (incredibly bad timing) and Thirsty Nomad (location) after the shutdown.

Kermit you're in a time warp.....Three Spirits closed in April *2019*!

https://www.charlottemagazine.com/three-spirits-brewery-closing-this-weekend/

 

[kermit]

On 5/9/2020 at 3:27 PM, kermit said:

So this was inside the brew room today. I think it’s safe to say it’s Toucan Louies. D9 remains TBD.

Here is the O story on The Toucan Louies' / Sunstead situation. Sounds like we were all right about Toucan Louies’ but wrong about Sunstead closing (and D9 moving in). Sounds like Sunstead will become the beer arm of TL at both locations.

Quote

Kieffer needed help on the beer side, and McGrath needed help with food. The two ultimately decided to merge operations but keep two locations, with Sunstead Brewing set to become Toucan Louie’s Gold District when it reopens in a month or so.

I am pleased to hear that Sunstead did not meet such an untimely demise.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-around-town/c5-development/article242817181.html

Edited May 23, 2020 by kermit

[kermit]

On 6/26/2019 at 5:47 PM, CLT> said:

Interesting news. This could be cool, and finally gets Charlotte a major production brewery. Though the folks at Olde Meck might not be thrilled

One of the oldest beer-makers in Germany plans massive brewery in Charlotte
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/whats-in-store/article231928643.html

I was to slow to get a photo but I just saw a Gilde Beer wrap ad on a Blue Line train this afternoon.

No real changes to their website and I have not heard any gossip about their brewery (which as been said to be "roughly 100,000 square feet" and in a "Dynamic" part of town.

Anybody got anything new on this?

Edited May 30, 2020 by kermit

[kermit]

Sycamore is back open and same as it ever was.

(Hootie and the Blowfish cover band? Gezzus)

Edited May 30, 2020 by kermit

[JHart]

On 5/29/2020 at 6:25 PM, kermit said:

I was to slow to get a photo but I just saw a Gilde Beer wrap ad on a Blue Line train this afternoon.

No real changes to their website and I have not heard any gossip about their brewery (which as been said to be "roughly 100,000 square feet" and in a "Dynamic" part of town.

Anybody got anything new on this?

GC  recently finished the shell space on Gilde and is starting the upfit soon. Located in a renovated warehouse space very close to OMB but I'm not exactly sure which one. 

[SouthEndCLT811]

I can't find it on here but I thought I saw someone posted it was this warehouse at 4300 South Blvd

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1841188,-80.8757938,3a,67.3y,283.24h,92.96t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbCt1ZG3GM8M1YxLFGp6cuw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DbCt1ZG3GM8M1YxLFGp6cuw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D105.03582%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Edit:  Here's the comment that made me think it was this location

 

Edited June 2, 2020 by SouthEndCLT811

[kermit]

46 minutes ago, SouthEndCLT811 said:

I can't find it on here but I thought I saw someone posted it was this warehouse at 4300 South Blvd

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1841188,-80.8757938,3a,67.3y,283.24h,92.96t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbCt1ZG3GM8M1YxLFGp6cuw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DbCt1ZG3GM8M1YxLFGp6cuw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D105.03582%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Edit:  Here's the comment that made me think it was this location

 

Thanks! Wow, that is a remarkably good location (except for people wanting to cross the tracks)

(it looks like Ricky Davis has been holding out on us)

Edited June 2, 2020 by kermit

[CLTProductions]

This is weird cause they filed permits for a taproom in the Catawba building

[kermit]

37 minutes ago, Jt282506 said:

This is weird cause they filed permits for a taproom in the Catawba building

On Otts st?

[CLTProductions]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

On Otts st?

Louise technically but yup

Edited June 3, 2020 by Jt282506