We found ourselves visiting Nickel Point after an old high school friend and fan of First in Flights asked us to visit his neighborhood brewery. After being treated to a good time, we are grateful for the invitation. My old friend, Jason, was generous enough to participate as a guest Brew Crew member on that…
Author: Michael Cole
The Old Mill Closed But Many A Yarn Is Still Spun
Haw River Farm House Ales- Saxapawhaw NC Saxapawhaw is a small former Mill town with a population of about 1,500. For over 150 years life centered around the textile mill it served as the lifeblood of the community. In 1994 tragedy stuck this community when a tornado severely damaged the textile mill and it never…
Shiver Me Timbers: BlackJack Is A Pirate-Themed Brewery!
BlackJack Brewing Company in Raleigh is a new brewery with owners who have a lot of experience in brewing great beers. One of the three owners spent 10 years as the head brewer at Abita and also worked as a brewer for Big Boss down the street. Open only a couple of months, this brewery already…
A Brueprint for Success in Apex
Every time I go to review a brewery the number of friends that want to join me grows. We had a “Brew Crew” of seven on this evening: we started the trip in Apex at Brueprint Brewing Co. after work on a Friday (because beer tastes better on Fridays). The brewery is located in a conveniently…
Sub Noir Brewing Company didn’t leave me with a sour taste!
Sub Noir Brewing Company – Raleigh NC If you are a fan of The Big Lebowksi, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Firefly, Monty Pyhon and/or the band Phish, you’re likely into cult classics. This might be just the brewery for you. Sub Noir is not some campy tourist trap with beers for the masses. They…
Strings of My Heart: Steel String Craft Brewery in Carrboro
So let me paint you a picture. It’s a beautiful spring evening in quaint downtown Carrboro: sunshine, a slight breeze and college students, hipsters and suburbanites walk the sidewalks with purpose. This is the perfect setting to have a beer or flight with friends, and that is exactly what I did. Steel String Craft Brewery…
Taking Off to Check Six Brewing Company – Southport NC
Vacationing at Oak Island or Southport can be quite an adventure. There is so much to do–golfing, kayaking, swimming, fishing, eating great seafood and now visiting an amazing brewery. I’m glad I squeezed a brewery visit into my vacation. Check Six is one of North Carolina’s newest breweries, open only a couple of months this…
Hard Day’s Night at Fortnight Brewing in Cary
A fortnight is fourteen nights (and days) long. I would love to spend an entire fortnight at Fortnight Brewing Company in Cary. A unique brewery and a true treat for any beer lovers, Fortnight is not your typical NC craft brewery experience. Fortnight was started by a couple of British immigrants who missed the beers…
The Line-Up at Draft Line Brewing
No one would mind being “Drafted” to go to Draft Line Brewing in Fuquay-Varina. Just a few blocks away (less than ½ a mile) from the more established Aviator Brewing Company, Draft Line Brewing is proving to be more than a stop on the way to anther brewery. This is a brewery worthy of a trip to…
You Dropped a Bomb on Me: Bombshell Beer
A couple of friends and I spent a Saturday night visiting this Holly Springs brewery and a good time was had by all. Bombshell Beer Company is located in a small business park in Holly Springs not far from Apex, Cary and Raleigh. But this is more than a neighborhood taproom–it is a destination brewery…
NOT a “Little Shop of Horrors”: FlyTrap Brewery
NOT a “Little Shop of Horrors”: FlyTrap Brewery Tucked in the Brooklyn Arts District of Downtown Wilmington, Flytrap Brewery fits in perfectly with its community. Don’t expect to see Rick Moranis sing about his homicidal plant. The Taproom is a comfortable space where local artists display their craft and carnivorous plants grow in the front…
Gone Coastal: Good Hops Brewing in Carolina Beach
“Gone Coastal” Good Hops Brewing is located just outside Carolina Beach State Park and down the road from legendary dive bar The Fat Pelican (voted one of America’s top 25 dive bars in 2015). This brewery represents the laid-back beach vibe that is Carolina Beach. It is easy to build certain preconceived ideas based only on…
First in Flights 