Carolina Brew Scene - Summer 2017 by APG Eastern NC

CAROLINA

BREW SCENE SUMMER 2017

FIRST IN PINTS

Hopping Glad

Bikes ‘n’ Brews

Wendell farm is a

Governor’s Toast

growing success

Roy Cooper talks about

celebrates good taste

craft beer in N.C.

Motorcycle club

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2016

Carolina Brew Scene

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Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

What’s Brewing?

ingredients

Welcome to the second year of Brew Scene

A homegrown success story

Sylvan Heights event celebrates beer and conservation

An emphasis on fun and community

Lawmakers enter the debate

Reflections from NC’s original craft brewer

No matter your palate, there’s a beer for you

Entrepreneurs harness the wind

A beer for every wrestler

Motorcycle club pursues fun and good taste

Raising delicious ingredients in Wendell

ECU musician is enjoying the ride

Good times on the Crystal Coast

A derby gal finds hoppiness

Creating your own is easier than you think

Good beer. Good friends. Good times. 6

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

Editor’s Draft

Carolina Brew Scene Staff, Credits, & Contributions Publisher Mark Wilson

Editor

Jeﬀ Herrin

Production & Art Director Becky Wetherington

Content & Photography Corey Davis Lewis Smith Eric Ghiloni Glenn Cutler Dave Tollefsen Lindell John Kay Michelle Ingraham Eugene Tinklepaugh Corinne Saunders Karen A. Mann Sarah Louya Alan Campbell

Advertising Bryan Wilson Lewis Smith

Contact

bwilson@rmtelegram.com lsmith@rmtelegram.com

carolinabrewscene.com On The Cover

Photography by Sarah Louya

Hello, North Carolina beer enthusiasts! This copy of Carolina Brew Scene marks the beginning of our second year of publication. To help celebrate, we’ve put together a readers’ choice contest that will give you a chance to raise a glass to your favorite craft brewers and their beers in Eastern North Carolina. Go to carolinabrewscene.com to cast your votes in 12 different categories. You can voice your opinion on everything from favorite beer to most comfortable mircrobrewery atmosphere to who has the best beard in brewing. Just remember: Your nominees should be for North Carolina craft breweries and products made east of Interstate 95. We’ll expand the contest west at a future date. First and second place winners will receive certificates and the distinction of being honored by discerning fans of North Carolina craft brews. Take a few minutes and raise a glass to your local favorites. This issue of Carolina Brew Scene offers a terrific look at the many ways craft beer enriches North Carolina -- from a hops farm in Wendell, to a motorcycle club centered on fun and charity, all the way to the North Carolina Governor’s Mansion. As the days grow warmer and longer, we’re reminded that summertime is practically made for beer. Raise a glass responsibly and enjoy yourself. It’s a great time to relax and refresh.

Carolina Brew Scene is a publication of the Rocky Mount Telegram and Cooke Communications North Carolina. Contents may not be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

Jeﬀ Herrin, Editor Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

toasts craft beer

GOVERNOR COOPER

hen it comes to craft beer, Gov. Roy Cooper prefers a citrus flavor. He said he likes the juicy kick of a zesty bright brew. But he understands it’s not for everyone — and that’s what makes North Carolina the perfect place to brew beer. “With so many homegrown ingredients here in Eastern North Carolina, imagination is the only real limit on what can be done,” Cooper said. “You can get really creative with all the ingredients available.” Just a few of the special local ingredients

Carolina Brew Scene

By Lindell John Kay

available to North Carolina brewmasters: sweet potatoes, blueberries, blackberries, kumquats, sorghum and persimmons. Cooper spoke with Carolina Brew Scene over a couple of beers while at Rocky Mount Mills in March to sign a proclamation naming April as Beer Month, and in a later phone interview between meetings in Raleigh. “The craft brew industry is incredibly important to North Carolina,” Cooper said while hoisting a watermelon beer from Tarboro Brewing Company. The governor’s proclamation touted

Summer 2017

craft breweries as a major part of tourism in the state with more than 200 breweries from the mountains to the coast. The $1.2 billion craft beer industry supports 10,000 jobs in North Carolina while receiving national recognition. “Thanks to North Carolina’s thriving brewing industry, our state’s entrepreneurship and craftsmanship can continue to shine,” Cooper said. In proclaiming April as N.C. Beer Month, Cooper helped elevate North Carolina’s profile as a destination for

craft beer as well as outdoor recreation, innovative dining and music. “A monthlong celebration of North Carolina’s beer craftsmanship and the destinations where it thrives raises the state’s profile to its rightful place in the landscape that has become highly competitive for craft beer tourism,” the governor’s proclamation states. “North Carolina currently has more than 200 craft breweries and brewpubs, more than any other state in the South, and is the second fastest growing state in the nation for beer production behind only California.” Now that’s something to toast, Governor. Lindell John Kay is the political reporter for the Rocky Mount Telegram. He won a 2017 N.C. Press Association Award for feature coverage of Tarboro breweries. His favorite craft beer is Nana’s Roof, a pale ale created by the Tarboro Brewing Company.

Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

RAISING A GLASS to brewers and feathered friends

BY LINDELL JOHN KAY

his summer you can enjoy the best brews while surrounded by exotic birds from all over the world — right here in North Carolina. Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck is hosting its second annual Birds & Brews on June 24. The event showcases regional craft brewers in a unique setting: the park has more than 2,000 birds. Brewers scheduled to attend include Tarboro Brewing Company, Duck-Rabbit, Trollingwood Brewery, Fishing Creek Cider and more. Carolina Eagle will also be on site serving many of the beers they distribute, said Katie Lubbock, the park’s marketing coordinator. “We’re excited to see the rapid growth and success of the craft

Carolina Brew Scene

beer industry in Eastern North Carolina, and the economic benefits these brewers are bringing to local communities,” Lubbock said. “We’re proud to showcase our local brewers at Sylvan Heights Bird Park, and provide a fun event where people can not only learn about and sample great craft beer, but also learn about birds, nature, and conservation at the same time.” The first event last year was a sellout, and park oﬃcials anticipate more attendees this year. The Martin County Ramblers will perform live. Food trucks will oﬀer snacks and meals for purchase. General admission to the event starts at 6 p.m., but park members are granted admission one hour earlier at 5:00 p.m. Summer 2017

Advance tickets are $25, and $15 for designated drivers. At the door, tickets are $30, and $20 for designated drivers. Tickets include unlimited 4 ounce beer samples and admission to the park during the event. All proceeds support the conservation and education programs at Sylvan Heights Bird Park. Birds & Brews is open to adults 21 and older only. Tickets can be purchased online at shwpark.com/ brews. Sylvan Heights would like to thank Carolina Brew Scene, Alliance Insurance, Carolina Eagle Distributing, and Behind Bars Motorcycle Magazine for generously sponsoring the event. For more information contact Sylvan Heights Bird Park at info@shwpark. com or 252-826-3186.

Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

BrewsViews:

A View From The Patio

By Eric Ghiloni

Co-owner, Head Brewer at Koi Pond Brewing Company

s I stand on the patio of The Pond, this is what I see: A young couple playing with their toddler, a middleaged couple with their grey-muzzled beagle baying at the moon, groups of customers sharing lively conversation and laughter while eating popcorn and Angelo’s Pizza, all sharing this space with the local bluegrass band. It occurs to me that our brand is dedication to our craft, our community, and our customers. Our industry is product-centered and requires creativity, consistency, stability, innovation, and a lot of hard work. There are more breweries in the US than ever, all of them making beers in more styles than ever to a public that is thirstier than ever for craft beer. So what separates us from the other 4000+ breweries, or even the 200+ breweries just in North Carolina? There’s a long list of things that set a brewery apart 12

Carolina Brew Scene

from the pack, but the biggest thing that makes a brewery unique is its brand. Koi Pond Brewing Company began long before our doors opened on January 3rd, 2016. After years of developing our beers, our marketing, designing, forecasting, dreaming, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, we became the first business at the Rocky Mount Mill and the first brewery in Rocky Mount. The journey that Mary, Deborah, Matt and I have taken to where we are today, as friends, as a business, and as its owners, is as much as part of Koi Pond’s story as the beer itself. Koi Pond was founded by four people with similar views of the world, and with four distinct sets of experience and ability. We share a social consciousness and desire to serve our community. It’s both our mission statement and our corporate identity. We put great pride in our product and take great pride in serving it to our customers. The Summer 2017

point where we make that sale—that connection—is the point where we most directly communicate to those we serve what we’re all about. All the brewing, purchasing, payroll, design work, mopping, etc. that has gone into making and serving that pint of beer builds to that moment where we give you, the beer drinker, what we have made. When you drink that pint, you are drinking the sum total of our eﬀort and love for our work and what we make and do. At that point, you become part of our community. From there, you can tell your friends about this cool little brewery in Rocky Mount, bring your family out to visit when they’re home for the holidays, and, if you really like us, you can be a regular and put your name on the wall, or buy merchandise and show oﬀ Koi Pond at places the world over. Even Stonehenge. No, seriously—that happened.

Battle over capping distribution By Corey Davis

orth Carolina craft breweries and wholesale distributors continue to be on the opposite ends of a longtime distribution law that caps state breweries’ ability to grow. Under the law, breweries that produce more than 25,000 barrels of beer annually are required to sign a contract with a distributor, which serves as a middleman handling delivery and sales. Russ Saputo, vice president of Carolina Eagle Distributing, said the current law has been around for nearly 15 years. Even though the fast-growing craft beer industry has expanded and exploded over the years, Saputo said the facts are more than 90 percent of the craft breweries in the United States make less than 7,000 barrels of beer a year. He added there are only a few breweries across the state, which are close to the limit or have exceeded it,

Carolina Brew Scene

that are complaining about the bill. Reports said two Charlotte breweries that have come close to the 25,000 barrel cap have started a grassroots organization called Craft Freedom to protest the N.C. General Assembly’s decision to restrict craft breweries. Saputo said the number of breweries at the 25,000-barrel limit isn’t high enough in his opinion to raise the cap or makes changes to the law by the legislature. N.C. Rep. Shelly Willingham, D-Edgecombe, who is a member of the N.C. House Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee, agreed with Saputo’s sentiments. Recently, House Bill 67 was filed that aims to raise the cap from 25,000 barrels per year to 100,000 barrels per year. Willingham said the bill has a chance to be discussed by the committee later in the year but oﬀered no timetable on when it will come up in legislature or if it will make any headway.

Summer 2017

He added it’s important North Carolina continue the “three-tier” system of producers, wholesalers and retailers designed to avoid monopolies. “I’d rather it stand as it is because basically you’re talking about maybe one or two craft breweries that are maybe anywhere near 25,000 barrels,” Willingham said. “Most breweries aren’t even at 7,000 barrels. I also think we can control or regulate the 25,000barrel limit. Once it gets to 100,000 barrels, it will be more diﬃcult for us to supervise.” Some reports suggests wholesale beer distributors operating as longtime big campaign donors also could be a strong contributing factor of lawmakers keeping the law as instituted. Bob Hall, who tracks campaign money for Democracy North Carolina, said state beer wholesalers donated nearly $1.5 million to statewide and legislative campaigns and political party committees from 2013 to 2016. In the four-year period, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers political action committee donated $523,000 to statewide and legislative candidates and party committees, while beer wholesalers and their immediate family members donated $941,000 to statelevel candidates and parties, Hall said. “It’s something we’ve done for a long time,” Saputo said. “If it was something that we’ve ramped up recently, then I could probably understand there being an issue. But we’ve always been doing this before the 25,000 barrel mark reared its head.” Reports said state legislative leaders stifling competition limiting the growth of state breweries to a certain point is contrary to their call to liberate business from government regulation.

Eric Ghiloni, owner of Koi Pond Brewing Co., said he believes there should be no cap on craft beer distribution. While he added there has been plenty of legislation over the years that has helped small businesses, this isn’t one of them. “Forcing someone into a distribution agreement is interfering with the growth of small businesses,” Ghiloni said. “You shouldn’t enact any legislation that prohibits, limits or anywhere controls that business in a way. If the amount of beer you’ve made in relation to how it’s distributing is a health and safety issue, I can see the government getting involved. But simply a law that if you’re making a certain amount and you have to involve a distribution company to control and help sell your beer, it seems arbitrary.” Saputo said Carolina Eagle Distributing has been in business for 28 years in Rocky Mount and involved in the craft beer industry for the past eight years. The company has 450 accounts from across the state, including breweries in Raleigh, Greensboro and Asheville. Tarboro Brewing Co. is also a client of Carolina Eagle Distributing. Saputo reiterated clients at Carolina Eagle Distributing signed on for the purpose of increasing their brands and businesses. “The biggest thing is we aren’t forcing those breweries to have to get with us,” Saputo said. “They wanted to get with us. They know they can’t get to another level as a brewer and get their name out there to the market without dealing with a distributor. For example, when we go to take these beers to these festivals, they’re asking for a large sum of money to be a sponsor and our clients can’t do that. We go and take their beers and the people coming are wanting to know how can we get this? We tell them where they can find it and the word starts to spread slowly but surely. Also, there are so many overhead things these breweries don’t want to deal with.” Ghiloni said brewers coming close to the 25,000 barrel limit shouldn’t be forced into a quandary on whether it must make a decision to freeze production level because they don’t want to have to go to a distributor, which negatively impacts job creation. “If you’re at the 22,000-barrel level that is exceeding, making money, creating a lot of jobs and probably revitalizing an area or town, if that craft brewer makes a decision to freeze production at a certain level to avoid an arbitrary bill, then legislators are absolutely keeping them from increasing the payroll and stopping them from hiring more people,” he said. Instead of focusing on the 25,000-barrel limit, craft breweries need to focus on how they can grow their sales, Saputo said. “There are more than 170 craft breweries and pubs in North Carolina,” he said. “The market is saturated. They need to focus on the other breweries being built next to them, down the road or in the same city. The more competition for them, the less beer they’re going to sell. It’s going to be harder to work to market their beer and get it in diﬀerent locations.”

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Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

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Oldest brewery in the state

thrives on the

Outer Banks FROM STAFF REPORTS

ne immigrant’s desire to bring a taste of his native country to North Carolina resulted in the legalization of breweries in the state of North Carolina and began a cultural — and agricultural— revolution. Uli Bennewitz, owner of the Weeping Radish Brewery, Butchery and Pub located on the Outer Banks, came to the United States from Germany in the early 1980s with agriculture on his mind. He was — and still is — a farm manager, currently overseeing 260,000 acres of farmland across three states. However, he also wanted to open a German-style micro-brewery in his new homeland with equipment he

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

had purchased from his brother in Bavaria. Though the idea seemed quite logical to him, he soon encountered legal obstacles. “At that time, a microbrewery was not only unusual here in the United States, it was illegal in North Carolina,” Bennewitz said. “It never even crossed my mind to check to see if it was legal. To a European, the idea of Alcohol and Beverage Control is an oxymoron.” Once he was clued into the problem, Bennewitz began to explore the legalities of his situation. He discovered that microbreweries were illegal in the state, but that state lawmakers, who had recently passed a wine production law in 1984, were surprisingly open to the

idea. Bennewitz was even invited to help craft the new legislation. “I remember working on this with a lawyer in the basement of the Capitol Building in Raleigh,” Bennewitz said. Finally, on July 4 1986, with the fresh law in hand, Bennewitz was able to open the Weeping Radish Brewpub in Manteo. At first, the operation was a success. “We ran out of brew in 48 hours,” Bennewitz said. By the new millennium, however, Bennewitz saw the need to move his operations. The new location in Grandy allowed him to expand his operations and the Weeping Radish Brewery, Butchery and Pub, the state’s

oldest brewery, re-opened in 2005, this time with handcrafted sausages and a new farm-to-table restaurant — an idea that Bennewitz says is just catching on in other parts of North Carolina. “We seem to always be about 10 years ahead of a popular idea, which is not always the best position for a business,” Bennewitz said wryly. With his knowledge of the agricultural landscape, the new location features a farm, a butcher’s facility, a larger brewery operation in addition to the new restaurant. The goal is to provide food from sources within a 200 mile radius and to create foods and brews according to the “Reinheitsgebot Food” model, with no

Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

Owner, Uli Bennewitz

additives or chemicals and minimal processing. The Weeping Radish creates its German style lagers according to the same recipes and principles as it did in the beginning, Bennewitz said. Brews are crafted in accordance with the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516 which states that beer must be brewed using only four ingredients: hops, malt, yeast and water, the Weeping Radish website states. 20

Carolina Brew Scene

The Weeping Radish is best known for its German-style lagers, such as the Corolla Gold and the Black Radish, which thebrewsite. com lists as one of “50 beers to drink before you die”. Bennewitz said the restaurant has also introduced some ales in recent years, such as his OBX Beer, because these can be produced more quickly. “Lagers take four to five weeks to produce whereas ales usually take less than two weeks,” Bennewitz said. The microbrewery concept is part of a concept Bennewitz calls “valueadded farming.” “It is really difficult for small farms to survive today,” Bennewitz said. “To produce a commodity, you really need hundreds of acres. The the only way small farms can survive Summer 2017

is by adding value to their product. Don’t sell cattle, sell steak; don’t sell cucumbers, sell pickles; don’t sell sweet potatoes, sell sweet potato vodka instead.” As for Bennewitz, his operation has enjoyed a good deal of attention from foodie media organizations such as The Food Network and Beer Advocate. However, Benniwitz admits that he still feels out of the mainstream of the growing number of brew communities across the state, even though he was the one to lead the way. His operation on the Outer Banks is distinctly seasonal and far from the center of microbrewery commerce. “We have survived all these years in spite of our location, not because of it,” Bennewitz said.

NCBeerGuys Join Carolina Brew Scene

BY GLENN CUTLER AND DAVE TOLLEFSEN

he NCBeerGuys are pleased to be joining Carolina Brew Scene as regular columnists beginning with this issue. We look forward to contributing to your enjoyment of this publication and your understanding and appreciation of great local craft beer and the folks who bring you that wonderful elixir. A little introduction might be in order. Dave and I are regular guys living in central North Carolina with our families who share a love for craft beer and homebrewing. We work together as the NCBeerGuys, running NCBeerGuys.com and interacting with craft beer enthusiasts and followers across various social media platforms. Our website provides information about North Carolina craft beer and the folks who produce it. We hope our work forms a centralized accessible information center for all things happening on the NC craft beer scene. Our videos are a great way to learn about North Carolina craft beer. Our NC craft beer videos show us tasting and discussing local beer. We are not beer critics and don’t “review” beer. It’s our strong belief that everyone’s palate is different therefore each person should form their own opinion on what they’ll like or dislike. In our NCBeerBuzz videos, we venture out to local breweries and other craft beer venues talking to brewers and owners about their craft beer journeys. The website has a variety of maps that highlight different parts of the craft culture in the state. We have a map for breweries and ones that are coming soon, bottle shops and growler filling stations, homebrew supplies, brewing education, cideries and meaderies, and even craft distilleries. One of our most active pages is our NC craft beer events list where we keep an extensive calendar of festivals, beer tasting opportunities, beer dinners and other happenings. We also take local beer a step further with our passion for home brewing. Actually, Dave brews and I assist him sometimes. We can better appreciate the efforts of professional brewers because of our own brewing experience. We won the NoDa Brewing’s

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

Inaugural Top of the Hop Pro-Am competition a few years back with “Hot Pistol” and got to brew on their large system. We brewed a collaboration beer with Lonerider - a single hop IPA called “Yosemite Gold” which was canned and distributed statewide. There’s always some new beer, beer style, provider or brewery to introduce you to, and we hope to do that over the coming issues as part of the Carolina Brew Scene team! We’ll see you out on the beer trail!

Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

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(252) 923-9444

101 North Main Street Bath, NC 27808 Open Tue.- Thur. 4pm-8:30pm

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Carolina Brew Scene

By Corinne Saunders

n an area where winds launched the Wright Brothers’ first flight into history, the three-bladed wind turbine in the Outer Banks Brewing Station’s backyard might get no more than a passing glance from most area visitors. But this turbine represents years of dreams. Outer Banks Brewing Station co-owners Aubrey Davis and Eric Reece struggled with the Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners for five years before the turbine was allowed to be erected, according to both Reece and an informational plaque on the wall about the turbine. The Outer Banks Brewing Station opened in 2001 and the turbine finally began spinning in 2008. “It was about debunking myths,” Reece, 48, said. “It is loud when it’s blowing 50 [miles per hour], but the noise from the bypass is a much greater auditory risk for people than the wind turbine,” he noted. Reece has seen buses pull in and passengers roll the windows down. Satisfied after “seeing birds aren’t splattered everywhere,” they then drive away, he said. Reece and Davis met while serving in the Peace Corps in Thailand from 1991-93. Reece also met his wife during that time, and she is the baker for the restaurant. Davis’ wife is floor manager. The owners “are not businessmen by nature; we’re default businessmen,” Reece quipped. They figured they would realize some savings from the turbine, but mostly

Carolina Brew Scene

Wind turbine meets local brews Summer 2017

The Outer Banks Brewing Station’s sign often demonstrates the business’ high level of community involvement.

Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

Within the next five years, though, the duo plan to add solar panels on the southern roof and guttering for rain recycling. wanted it for demonstration— showing people what is possible, he said. The turbine’s cost was about $55,000, but renewable energy tax credits at the time cut the price in half, Reece said. “We want people to see this is important; we’re Peace Corps,” he stated. “The ‘whoa, advertising [opportunity]’ came second.” After realizing the uniqueness of the situation—the Outer Banks Brewing Station is the country’s first wind-powered brew pub—Reece said they put the image on their restaurant shirts. Other breweries purchase some power from nearby wind farms, but “ours is onsite. People can get under [the turbine],” Reece said. The turbine’s inverter can produce power from winds up to 39 miles per hour. If the wind exceeds that, the tail furls, he explained. The 92-foot-tall turbine would likely power two beach boxes—local

slang for standard beach cottages— but Reece said it generates 8-10 percent of the Brewing Station’s energy. That saves the business about $200 a month in utilities. Reece expects the turbine will have paid for itself by 2020. The turbine seems to have influenced the area to take other steps toward harnessing the everabundant wind. “The state put up its first wind

Eric Reece, Outer Banks Brewing Station co-owner along with Aubrey Davis (not pictured), stands outside under the wind turbine that not only distinguishes the business but pioneered the use of wind turbines in the area. 28

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

turbine at a state park at Jockey’s Ridge the very next year,” Reece noted, which happened to be “the same make and model as ours.” Then, the reconstructed Jennette’s Pier included three turbines that were also all the same make and model, he said. Wind energy has only continued to gain popularity since, with the state’s first utility-scale wind farm now an hour west in Pasquotank County. Unlike some breweries that religiously enter beer competitions, the Outer Banks Brewing Station only enters “now and then,” Reece said. Still, when they do enter, they often win. Awards include a gold medal in the German-style Heller Bock/ Maibock category at the 2014 World Beer Cup and a bronze medal in the German-style sour ale category at the World Beer Cup in 2012. “A lot of people don’t realize we’re a brew pub,” Reece said. “We do food, experiment with our beers, experiment with them together [and serve as an] entertainment venue.” The brew pub typically has one beer it keeps year-round, a Kolsch, and the rest change. The Kolsch is named Olsch at the Brewing Station because no one could pronounce it when they first started brewing it and no American breweries were bottling it then, Reece explained. The hybrid ale/lager-style is “a good beach beer,” he said. The Brewing Station can have anywhere from four to 10 beer varieties on tap, depending on the time of year. “In summer, we have to brew like we’re three times our size,” Reece said. All the artwork on the walls is done by area artists, and the place has a dedicated local following. Kris Forrest, a food rep for

They already maintain a small garden outside and use the produce when they can, such as incorporating fresh mint in mojitos. about 10 years, started frequenting the Brewing Station right after it opened—years before work brought her there on official business. Forrest, 42, recalled how they only served dinner at first, and locals would flock to the bar around 5 p.m. She especially enjoys the appetizers and beer that is brewed onsite. “There’s a really good wine selection, too,” she said. “The staff is like family.” Forrest said she appreciates the brew pub’s efforts to go green, including growing what they can outside, and its community focus. “They will do a benefit for anything,” Forrest noted—for any cause. “I can’t even count how many.” Tony Duman, head chef for the last five years, also appreciates the community involvement. Multiple benefits are taking place just this month, and the Brewing Station partners with Hotline, a domestic abuse service, every year for its Festival of Trees, Duman said. The 34-year-old, Hampton Roads, Virginia native originally started coming for the brews. “I came here to drink and party, [during] that phase of my life,” Duman recalled with a smile. The drinks, bartenders and food were always quality, he noted. A mostly self-taught chef, the tapas nights in particular force him to learn new cooking styles, which he thoroughly enjoys. For a Moroccan-themed night, for example, Duman got a North African cookbook and watched videos to “teach myself the flavors,” he said. Reece and Davis have retained hopes to further green their business. Many environmentally friendly aspects were included in the original building plans, but “the local design build contract ended up screwing

us” and dropping those aspects, Reece said. Within the next five years, though, the duo plan to add solar panels on the southern roof and guttering for rain recycling. They already maintain a small garden outside and use the produce when they can, such as incorporating fresh mint in mojitos, Reece noted. The brew pub had originally treated

all wastewater on site, but when the town expanded its wastewater treatment capabilities, they switched to use that in 2008, allowing their then-leach field to become a usable backyard. The fenced-in backyard includes a kids’ play area featuring a new pirate ship playset, and the plan is to launch an adult gaming area where the old pirate ship is on Cinco de Mayo, Reece said.

Numerous plaques and medals awarded to beers crafted by the Outer Banks Brewing Station greet patrons by the front entrance. Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

Coastal, Beachy, Relaxed – a laid-back place to get a drink and actually talk to one another. Live Music Saturday Nights

Downtown New Bern 411 Broad Street 252.631.5008

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Celebrate with our vast collection of wines from the ordinary to the extraordinary, including our enormous variety of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Explore our huge assortment of microbrewery and imported lagers and ales from the world’s best known brewers to the very fast growing North Carolina breweries.

Tarboro Brewing Company 526 N Main St, Tarboro

252.563.6522 NC’S FIRST MICROBREWERY

Rocky Mount Mills Campus 1121 Falls Road, Rocky Mount Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

PICK YOUR SIX: BEER TO BELL, PILSNER TO POST BY LEWIS SMITH Pro Wrestling (or “rasslin’”) and craft beer are their own unique forms. Trying to explain one’s appreciation of either usually gets you the same expression you’d get if you tried to explain algebra to a goldfish. Bottom line: pro wrestling is a strange blend of performance art, soap opera, acrobatics, and the Ice Capades. Craft beer is a strange blend of hops, barley, yeast, water, fermentation, and advanced beard maintenance. We at BrewScene got an idea: “Craft beer and pro wrestling are inextricably linked with North Carolina’s character. There’s been an awful lot of pro wrestlers who had beer-related gimmicks or beer-related stories over the years. Wonder if we could write an article about that?” Deciding we probably could, we embarked on an eﬀort to match 6 legendary pro wrestlers with 6 beers. Here then, as the “Macho Man” Randy Savage once said, is the cream of the crop.

THE WRESTLER: Stone Cold Steve Austin There’s no wrestler more famously associated with beer than the Texas Rattlesnake. After a night of kicking ass, Stone Cold tended to close his matches by with a beer toast. On a good night, probably 10% of the actual beer actually made it down his esophagus, but anyone who would have dared say anything would have got a Stone Cold Stunner for daring to question him. Or attacked with a beer truck. Stone Cold don’t play when it comes to his beer.

THE BEER: Touche IPA (Double Barley Brewing) Austin’s a huge fan of IPAs—he even has his own brand. Unfortunately, it was damn near impossible to find. I mean, I tried Stone Cold’s “hey, someone gimme a beer!” hand gesture, but all I got thrown was two rocks and a Filet-O-Fish. So instead, I went with Double Barley Brewing’s Touche IPA. It turned out to be an inspired solid choice, having a nice aggressive, crisp flavor to it. The sharp taste of it persists with every sip and really never lets up. Most importantly, I didn’t feel like I was drinking fresh popcorn, like I often do with IPAs. The abundant citrus makes for a tart yet not bitter taste, and it makes for a refreshing, satisfying, and eminently drinkable beer.

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Summer 2017

THE WRESTLER: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair

Woven into the American myth are stories of legendary figures capable of feats both amazing and somewhat ludicrous—Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, and Johnny Appleseed, for instance. North Carolina has Ric Flair—legendary wrestler, outsize personality, lottery pitchman, wearer of amazing robes, idol of rappers, rider of limousines, flyer of jets, stealer of kisses, dealer of wheelers, and everything else we had to cut for this article to make the word count. Any given Ric Flair story may or may not contain elements that would be considered unlikely, insane, and more than a little dangerous (also “whoo!” is going to be shouted at least 50-60 times) but in the interests of not drifting too far off point, let’s zero in on appreciation of his refined palate for beer, wine, and spirits, undoubtedly honed by his tendency to go to bars and deplete their stock singlehandedly. Everyone unwinds in their own way, I guess.

THE BEER: Blonde Moment (Lynnwood Brewing Concern) There are few responsibilities greater than trying to select the ideal beer for the Nature Boy. I settled on Lynnwood Brewing Concern’s Blonde Moment because we didn’t do blonde ales in the last Pick Your 6 and also because Ric Flair is blonde. The simplest solutions are always the best. This was my first time trying one of Lynnwood’s beers, and this was quite a find. While Blonde Moment is advertised as having some “medium bitterness,” I found pretty much none. Instead we found a wonderful ale with a sweet, rich taste with a light touch that never veers into being sickly sweet, with a slightly peachy aftertaste. It’s a fantastic beer with a lot to offer the palate, and I can see why it won an award—it’s something special.

THE WRESTLER: Andre The Giant Googling “Andre The Giant” will tell you he has a posse. Keep searching and you’ll also learn that, thanks to the condition that led to him being a giant, the Eighth Wonder of the World had quite the tolerance for alcohol, to the extent that stories abound of him drinking beer by the quart and polishing off a case of beer by himself in an hour and a half. Had Andre lived to see the craft beer boom, I bet he’d have strode through the microbreweries the same way Godzilla saunters through Tokyo.

THE BEER: Sting (Nectar Creek) What do you get a man who’s seven feet tall and loves beer? The correct answer is“whatever he wants.” I settled on mead, based on some correlation with giants I probably got from old Thor comics or something. Mead is kind of new for me, and this seemed like something worth trying. Sting takes the standard mead formula of honey and beer and adds in ginger, which means that it doesn’t just effervesce, it sprays bubbles in all directions. The overall effect is a very dry but eminently drinkable beverage, probably made even better on a hot summer day.

Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

THE WRESTLER: The Sandman The Sandman isn’t a wrestler in the classic sense, he’s more like America’s id circa 1994, embodied in a chain-smoking permanently drunk guy from Philadelphia, with a stick. Sandman began his matches smoking a cigarette to the snarling strains of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” During his entrance Sandman would pop open a can of Budweiser, take a swig, then bash the can against his forehead while spewing beer out of his mouth like a combination of Dizzy Gillespie and a sperm whale, while the crowd roars. Repeat for six whole minutes (“Enter Sandman” is a long song) I’m not sure why anyone never thought to run away while all this was going and spare themselves getting stomped, this is one of those things about wrestling you just don’t really question.

THE BEER: Czech Yourself Pilsner (Lynnwood Brewing Concern) As the Sandman is likely drinking Budweiser because it was the cheapest thing at the grocery store, the simple answer would be to hand him a case of PBR and send him on his way but I felt like maybe I’d find a beer that he might NOT smash the can upside his dome or hit me with a stick. In Czech Yourself, I found a pilsner that seemed designed to address every complaint I’d had about bad pilsners—It’s not water, has a crisp, clean flavor with a slight sweetness in the aftertaste and is just perfectly drinkable. Don’t sleep on this one—it’s a revelation.

THE WRESTLER: Cowboy James Storm

There are people on our list that love beer, and then there is Cowboy James Storm. Not content with carrying a bottle of beer to the ring, he soon began riding a beer cooler complete with long horns as part of a tag team called “Beer Money” (he was not the “money,” obviously) and, because sometimes the only thing to do is push the gimmick to the limit and beyond, once declared himself THE CHAMPION OF BEER and created a title belt complete with spinning beer bottle. I’ve been passionate about many things and many causes in my life, but I’ve never declared myself world champion of any of them. I freely admit my life is all the poorer for it.

THE BEER: Deadeye Jack (Lonerider) For a beer-loving cowboy, there was really only one clear choice, courtesy of Lonerider Brewing. Deadeye Jack is their seasonal porter, and it’s pretty great. A perfectly balanced, concoction featuring coffee, chocolate, and virtually zero bitterness. About the only downside I could see would be that it comes in cans, and Storm prefers a bottle (all the better to hit someone with after)

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

6 THE WRESTLER(S): The APA (Bradshaw and Farooq) And now, a model of supply-side economics in action: Two guys who enjoy drinking beer, playing cards, and beating people up wanted a way to sustain their lifestyle. Identifying a niche in the market only they could fill, they called themselves “The Acolytes Protection Agency,” (slogan: “‘cause we need beer money”) and they drank beer, played cards, and beat people up. Conventional wisdom says that the best and most enduring wrestling personae are the performer’s personalities turned up to 11. Bradshaw and Farooq are legit beer-drinking tough guys, and so were pretty much working in the groove they knew. I included them as one entry because if we included one without the other, the one we spurned would probably beat us up, and I bruise easily.

THE BEER: Wake Up Dead Nitro (Left Hand Brewing Company) In addition to being named after an awesome Megadeth song, Wake Up Dead is a formidable concoction—little carbonation, and a heavy taste augmented by the addition of coffee, licorice, and hops. I’m not sure if it’s down to the nitro or not, but the flavors don’t really separate out as much as combine into a thick, heavy, flavor-Voltron that’s amazingly easy to drink (I didn’t really feel that 10% ABV) but offers a challenging taste experience. If you’re a fan of the style or just a little nitro curious, it’s worth a try.

And there you have it, friends—six beers, six wrestlers. Hopefully this inspired you to try out some new beers, read up on some wrestling legends, or both at the same time. If there’s a lesson to be learned from this article, it’s this: while wrestling’s reality is somewhat fluid and often entertaining, craft beer is fluid, that will get you drunk. I had more to say on this, but someone’s just snuck up behind the referee’s back holding a steel chair, so you’ll have to excuse me.

Summer 2017

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When it comes to beer we’ve got your six! Summer 2017

isn't all that's brewing in

Summer 2017

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ix months ago, Daniel Hand started a club to pair up two things he loved. He and his friends shared a passion for craft beer and motorcycles. They thought about joining an existing riding club, but when they looked into the rules and the “dos and don’ts” that went into club membership, Hand said it “made more sense to start our own.” That’s when they formed the Growler Howlers Riding Club, where they mix the fun of riding and discovering local breweries with the added bonus of

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

supporting causes important to them. “With our own riding club, we can do what we’re interested in,” Hand said. The 14 members who form the club started their venture by joining in a few already established fundraising runs while organizing and carving out their own identity. Jeff Schulze, the club’s riding captain, readily acknowledges that motorcycles and beer “don’t exactly mix,” but that’s part of the fun in the name. “We can buy a growler to go and howl all the way

Growler Howler Motorcycle Club By Eugene Tinklepaugh

home. The riding club planned its first poker run in May. Typically, poker runs stop at restaurants or bars. The Growler Howlers Poker Run planned stops at local bottle shops that specialize in craft beer. Proceeds will benefit the HeartWorks of Pamlico, a nonprofit group that helps meet the mental and physical health needs of underserved youth and their families. As is customary in poker runs, riders who participate get a playing card at each stop along the route.

The rider with the best hand at the end of the ride wins half the pool. The rider with the worst hand is also eligible for some prize money. The 100-mile round trip route is sponsored by several area businesses and breweries. “A poker run isn’t a new thing,” Schulze said. “But our door prizes are unique: We have several breweries and other businesses like hair salons and restaurants, all donating to support this nonprofit. These local businesses are donating just because they want to help.” Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

Schulze is a Workforce Development coordinator at Craven Community College. Hand is a retired Marine and a government contractor. Both ride Harley-Davidsons, but that isn’t one of the requirements to become a Growler Howler. You’ll find Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki riders among the membership. “You can ride any bike you want,”

Hand noted. “You just have to love craft beer.” The Growler Howlers have visited about 195 diﬀerent brewery shops from New Bern all the way to Tennessee. “The best ones are in Asheville,” Hand said. “But everywhere we go, it’s been a great time every ride. All the breweries have all been real re-

ceptive.” A few have even opened their doors to let the riders bring their bikes inside. Among the riding club’s eclectic members are a few retired Marines, a pilot, a guy who works on resurrecting sailboats, two guys who live on sailboats, and two who own breweries. Each of the Growler Howlers members, naturally, have a

The club participated in the Ho benefit the Muscular Dystrophy A

Carolina Brew Scene

Summer 2017

biker nickname: there’s “Tank” and “Pork Chop,” for example. Hand, around the Growler Howlers, goes by “Max.” Schulze is called “Foodie.” “Well, my wife is the real foodie,” Schulze said. “But whenever we are organizing a ride, I always ask, ‘Do they serve food?’ I love to go to different places and try diﬀerent types

of foods from all diﬀerent cultures.” Schulze assumed the road captain role because he was most comfortable leading the way -even though he doesn’t have cruise control on his 1998 Electra Glide Anniversary Edition Harley. The other riders give him a fit about it, Shulze said, but he’s not about to change bikes. The club keeps a tal-

ly of the beers club members have tasted on the road, and they’ve recently hit the 4,000 beers mark. As a group, the Growler Howlers have ridden a total of 15,000 miles. And they’re just getting started. For more information about the Poker Run, check out their website: http://growlerhowlers.com/poker-run/

ope For Harrison Poker Run with all proceeds Association.

Summer 2017

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Hard work on the hops farm FROM STAFF REPORTS

reat brews begin with great ingredients and two North Carolina men are hoping their burgeoning hops farm operation will help provide a winning recipe for success, both for area brewers and their own growing families. Joe Notch, a Raleigh police officer, and Matthew Belk, a Wendell landscaper, started their

Carolina Brew Scene

operation with just a few test plants four years ago. With the help of some seed money invested by Joe’s father, Dan Notch, they planted 11 different plants to see which variety would thrive best on the Wendell Hops Farm located on Tinks Place off Rolesville Road near Wendell. Belk, who owns the land, said the partners chose hops as a way to Summer 2017

revive the farm land. “We have 30 acres of land in Wake county and we were looking for something that would allow us to get our farm exemption again,” Belk said. “Hops seemed like a viable agricultural product that could be grown. I have always wanted to grow plants since I have been in the landscape industry for over 18 years.”

However, Notch said it took some detective work to discover which variety of hop would work best in the area. “That first year, we did not see much of a harvest because we only had a few young plants, but we did discover that the Nugget and Zeus varieties grow best on Matt’s land,” Notch said. “We didn’t know what to expect because we are new to this.” Julian Healey, an Australian author who has traveled to four continents researching craft beer and hops operations, describes the Nugget variety in his book, “The Hops List.” “Nugget’s super alpha acid content, low beta and low cohumulone percentages give it an excellent bittering kick popular in India Pale Ales, Imperials and other super hoppy brews. It’s high myrcene content also results in a green, herbal aroma,” Healy said adding that the variety is often used as a bittering agent or to add aroma to brews. Healey also describes the Zeus variety in his book. “Aptly named after the god of lightning and thunder, proprietary American hybrid variety Zeus is a

high yielding hop with a pleasant aroma noted for its pungent hoppy “kick” and spicy, herbal flavor and aroma,” Healey said. Zeus, he said, is often used as a bittering agent in beers. Notch said it is not easy to grow many variety of hops in North Carolina. Hops generally grow best between the 35th and 55th parallels

and North Carolina falls at the bottom of that range. “Most varieties of hops prefer longer days and cooler weather than we have here, but we have been able to grow these varieties well without adding any fertilizer,” Notch said. Notch and Belk now have 1200 plants growing on about a half acre of land and are hoping to yield

Joe Notch and Matthew Belk Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

1000 to 1800 pounds of hops next year. Last year, the hops sold for $15 to $17 a pound, so the partners are hoping to see profit on their operation soon. With an initial cost of $12 to $14 a plant, Notch said it takes a few years to see real profits. The two men have also had to invest in about a half a mile of trellis formed by stringing coir rope (made from coconut husks) from a 1/4 airline cable to the ground. The hops farmers train the growing plants up the trellis, stripping leaves from the bottom of the vines to help keep the plants healthy. To help prevent the development of fungus and mildew that may be caused by top-down watering, they have also installed drip lines at the 48

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“

I have always

wanted to grow plants since I have been in

the landscape

”

industry for

over 18 years. -MATTHEW BELK Summer 2017

base of the plants for irrigation purposes, Notch said. Belk said the partners were not prepared for the amount of work the hops operation would take. “Prep work started about six months before we planted, but we should have started a year beforehand. Setting 24 foot poles and running miles of wire was definitely the tallest challenge. We also had a week of limbing trees around the perimeter of the field. Preparing the soil was another week. We also had to set up the irrigation system to water,” Belk said. So far, the business, like many fledgling operations, has meant a lot of work for very little profit. “We are still on a learning

curve,” Notch said. “But with the help and advice of local county extension agents and other hops farmers, we are learning more and more about this process.” For now, family members and friends pitch in during the short harvest period, since the size of the operation cannot yet justify the cost of a $30,000 harvester. However, the partners hope to expand the business as time goes on. As one of the few hops farms in the state, Notch and Belk sell to local brewers in the expanding craft brew industry. “There are very few commercial

hops operations in the state, but some brewers grow a few plants for themselves,” Notch said. “We mainly sell to local brewers at this point. We have seen a real uptick in the number of breweries. There are quite a few in Wake County alone.” Notch said he and Belk began the hops operation as an added stream of revenue designed to help set up college funds for the children in their families. However, Belk said the endeavor turned into an additional job. “The biggest challenge is time management,” Belk said. “Certain Summer 2017

things have to be done whenever the hops need the attention. I took on another full time job without realizing it. The time required per week varies greatly, but if you are not spending several hours daily in the field; you are behind schedule.” However, Notch feels the work will be rewarding, despite the hard work. “Growing hops requires a lot of hard work, especially because it is a new industry here, but we are excited to get in on the ground floor,” Notch said. For more information, email Joe Notch at jfnotch@gmail.com. Carolina Brew Scene

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REBEKAH TODD ECU alum

and her band are riding a wave of success

By Eugene Tinklepaugh

ebekah Todd can take a couple of barre chords and a line that popped into her head in the car and turn it into a soulfully beautiful tribute to a friend who died unexpectedly. The East Carolina alum has a voice that rivals Cat Power’s and she laughs warmly recalling the days she played at coﬀee shops in front of 12 people for $20-$30 a pop as she struggled for recognition. Today she plays to crowds of 10,000 at some of the biggest music festivals in the country. Recently, Todd and her band the Odyssey won FloydFest’s On the Rise competition, and her band’s breakthrough performance there has brought on some unexpected bursts of fame. One of her latest accomplishments since that huge moment in her career has been crowdfunding her latest album, raising more than $32,000 to fund the sophomore project. “FloydFestwasanawesomeopportunity,” Todd said in a phone interview from her home in Wilmington. “I was just happy to

Carolina Brew Scene

get a free ticket to get to go!” At FloydFest, held each year in southern Virginia, the band played to a crowd of about 18,000. The crowd votes on the best band heard over the five days of the competition. Rebekah Todd and the Odyssey was named the winner in the 2016 competition. “We played on Wednesday and Thursday, so I thought there’s no way we’re going to win this,” Todd said. “I was floored when we were told we won.” For their win, the band won a microphone package from Peluso Microphones and the chance to play again at FloydFest next year on the main stage where all the big acts play. “That is definitely going to be the biggest thing we’ve ever played,” Todd said. “We’ve played in Raleigh on Fayetteville Street, which was so packed we couldn’t see the end of the people. It’s been crazy seeing the crowds get larger and larger.” Because she is comfortable playing to smaller crowds, Todd gives oﬀ a vibe that Summer 2017

she is connecting with her audience almost individually. And when she sings into the video camera to toast her friend and fellow Pirate from her Facebook page, it feels like she is singing right to you. There's an aura about Todd--almost as if someone once lassoed the moon for her and the moonbeams have been shooting out of her hair and fingertips ever since while her powerful vocals pull you in like the tide. Working on her latest album, Todd finds inspiration all around her, feeding oﬀ the energy of the crowds and falling back on her Benson, NC, roots. Her dad bought her a black acoustic Washburn guitar when she was young and taught her to play. When she talks about her passion for music, you can hear a daughter’s love for her dad behind each memory and early experience making music. “I grew up with music,” Todd explained. “My dad only played for fun around campfires and stuﬀ. But he taught me some chords and that’s all it took to get me

hooked.” Todd said music always mattered in her house. “Dad would crank the music up on Saturday to wake us up,” she recalled. “Music always was a happy, uplifting thing for my family.” After graduating with an art degree, where she learned to paint, she asked herself, “Am I going to get a job at a gallery part time somewhere, or should I make less money than my friends but do what I love?” The question was rhetorical. Todd was never meant to give up on her passion for music. “It was tough making a living on music,” she acknowledged. “I started oﬀ as a solo gig, and it was really rough for a year. I remember going to the store with only $12 wondering what am I going to buy to get me through the month.” Playing at coﬀee shops is an intimate environment, Todd said. “It’s actually harder to connect with people when there’s only 12 in the audience,” she said. “I’m actually more nervous playing to a smaller crowd.” Todd probably doesn’t have to worry about that so much anymore. Now the

I don’t have a stopping point in my mind. It’s like riding a wave. I want to ride this wave as far as it will take me. question for Rebekah Todd and the Odyssey is how far can they take their music. “I don’t have a stopping point in my mind,” Todd said. “It’s like riding a wave. I want to ride this wave as far as it will take me. I’m always surprised when another good thing happens. But I’m just glad I can keep doing what I love.” That love is hard to deny when you hear her powerful lyrics. You can find some of her acoustic studio sessions on YouTube where she strings together lines like “All he’s going to give ya is a broken string of pearls” with such a cascade of emotion that you can’t help but feel pierced right down to the soul.

“I know some people who try to write a song everyday,” Todd said. “But for me, I write when I get inspired. Which happens randomly sometimes. I’ll be driving in my car and something will come to me, so I’ll turn on the voice memo app on my phone and start singing. I’ll bring it to the band and they’ll put their spin on it.” Whether singing alone, to a small crowd of 12, or to a sea of devoted fans packing the streets of Raleigh, her passion for music is infectious. Her first album, "Roots Bury Deep" was released in 2014. It only cost her $500 to make. “As we’re doing bigger things, everything gets more expensive,” Todd explained. That includes wrapping up production on a second album, which is slated to come out soon. With the help of some amazing fans, Todd said, the band has been raising funds through a Kickstarter campaign to pay for the remastering and mixing that takes place in the studio in order to produce a high quality album that will get played on major radio stations. “We have really supportive fans,” Todd said. “Because of them we’re able to continue doing what we love.”

Photos contributed Summer 2017

Carolina Brew Scene

Hear the Mill Whistle blow

The scene at the Mill Whistle tap room

By Karen A. Mann

Beaufort beer lovers have a familiar name to thank for the founding of Mill Whistle Brewing, the town’s flagship brewery: Mr. Beer. Brewer and founder Tom Backman received one of the ubiquitous beginners’ kits as a Father’s Day present from his wife, Barb, and two sons back in 1996, the same year the family moved to Morehead City from Minnesota. But unlike others who brew one batch and quickly become frustrated, Tom was fascinated, brewing and perfecting his recipes in his garage for years. “I mainly brewed for friends,” he says. “People kept telling me I should open a brewery.” Eventually, Tom heeded their advice, and found a spot, tucked away 54

Carolina Brew Scene

in a small oﬃce park the site of an old Beaufort lumber yard. Saws used to run where the tiny tap room stands today. The lumber yard was well known for a whistle that blew at 4:45 p.m. every day and could be heard throughout the town. The original whistle, which was on loan to the North Carolina Maritime Museum, was procured, and installed above the bathroom, and a brewery was born. A replica of the whistle, installed on the outside of the building, continues the tradition of marking the time at 4:45 every day. The one-barrel brewery has found success with its collection of sour beers, IPAs and various other brews, many of which pay homage to the vernacular Summer 2017

and legends of the area. In Carteret County, the term “dingbatter” applies to a person not from the area. Tom put his own face on the label for the brewery’s “Dingbatter Bock.” A “dit dot” is a derisive name for someone from Raleigh. The Mill Whistle Dit Dot Kolsch features the Raleigh skyline on its label. The Girl in the Rum Barrel Stout commemorates the legend of a young girl who died at sea, and was kept in a rum barrel by her sea captain father until he could get her body back to Beaufort for a proper burial. “Our mission was to be a neighborhood brewery,” Tom says. Since the taproom opened on April 1, 2016, the brewery has become a

Left, Tom’s face on Dingbatter Bock. Above, Tom and Barb

gathering place for residents and a magnet for tourists. Mill Whistle is in the process of expanding to two barrels, and has hired brewmaster Tollan Wade, formerly of FuquayVarina’s Fainting Goat Brewing Company. Mill Whistle won’t be Carteret County’s only brewery for long. Three others are in various stages of development: Tight Lines, which has been operating as a restaurant in downtown Morehead City for several years; Crystal Coast Brewing, which will brew in Morehead City and open a taproom in Atlantic Beach; and Shortway Brewing, which is currently building in Newport, just west of Morehead City. Tom is Summer 2017

involved with all three, and welcomes the growth. “I believe there’s room for us all,” he says. “Beer tourism is a real thing, and Carteret County needs to get on it.” He cites studies that say a lone brewery has a harder economic time than breweries clustered together in a specific area. He also keeps track of his receipts in the tap room, and notes at 40 percent are from cards registered from outside the county. “It absolutely makes sense,” says Tom. “There’s room for more breweries in Carteret County.” Join Mill Whistle on May 21 for the release of Grateful for All, a Belgian sour ale at 1354 Lennoxville Road, Beaufort, North Carolina. Carolina Brew Scene

ROLLERGIRL REVIEW

FIONA FATALE

(MICHELLE INGRAHAM) OF CAPE FEAR ROLLERGIRLS

FOOTHILLS BREWING COMPANY WINSTON SALEM, NC

et me tell you how much I love this freaking brewery. Each year, they do an "of the month" feature with diﬀerent brews. This year, the theme they are focused on is called #crafthappiness. From their website:

...this series will endeavor to bring awareness, attention and generosity to some of those needs. Each month, we’ll focus on a human, animal, or environmental cause in our world. The label copy will highlight and define that cause. The beer’s name will reflect that cause. And a portion of the proceeds every month will go to help that cause.

Are you kidding me? We need more of this in the world now more than ever. 10/10 would recommend.

Carolina Brew Scene

BEER: SEEING DOUBLE IPA STYLE: AMERICAN DOUBLE/ IMPERIAL IPA ABV: 9.5% INITIAL THOUGHTS: "THIS IS AN IPA? DANG!" No really--that was the first thing that came into my head. I know, you must be thinking, "duh, it's called a double IPA???" Hear me out. Full disclosure: IPA is my standard go-to. Seriously, I'm all for trying new things, but I have a special spot in my heart for IPAs. This beer? Malt Heaven. Don't get me wrong, Foothills are known for their fabulous IPAs and if you love the nice, hoppy florals and bitter bit of IPAs, you won't be disappointed. What makes this beer special is the tangible extra malty flavor. You almost (almost!) forget this is a high ABV beer, until

Summer 2017

your motivation goes out the window almost out of nowhere. We have a joke in our house that any brews over 9% ABV are considered "butt kickers," usually because they're deceptively delicious, yet when consumed quickly, ensure you'll either be making an uber driver somewhere very happy or settling in for some Netflix marathons (if you're me). Clocking in at 9.5% ABV, and a double IPA at that, this brew definitely meets the criteria! One might expect this to be an incredibly bitter brew, but that is not so! This beer is great to sip on its own or paired with a meal. Drinker be warned - as your beer warms up, the bitterness flavor increases, so drinking this quickly is recommended--however, see above for definition of "butt kicker." Overall, this is a great IPA from Foothills. Consume responsibly always, but be extra cautious of the high ABV. I give this an 8/10, would drink again.

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Homebrewing 101 By Don Rowell and Paul McDermott 58

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A lot of people are intrigued by the idea of making their own beer, but feel it may be too complicated to do by themselves. We’re here to tell you that you don’t have to have a degree in chemistry or be a rocket scientist to make great tasting beer right at home. As a matter of fact, you don’t need any prior knowledge about brewing before you begin. If you can boil water, read a recipe and follow instructions then you can make great beer at home. It’s that simple. Beer is essentially made of only four key ingredients; malt, water, hops and yeast. With just these four ingredients, you can make great beer. There are two processes in which homebrewers use to make beer; extract and all-grain. The best way to get into homebrewing is to begin with extract brewing and move into all-grain as you grow and develop your brewing skills. Some homebrewers never even move to all-grain because they like the simplicity of the extract process

as well as not having to invest more money in equipment to move to all-grain. Even with extract brewing, you may have to invest some money in equipment that you may not already have at home to transfer, ferment, and bottle your beer. Equipment kits and ingredient kits can be purchased at a local homebrew shop or on the Internet to get you started. The kits will contain everything you need to make your beer, and most beginner kits even come with step-by-step instructions. Many homebrewers prefer ale beer kits because they can ferment at typical room temperatures of around 70-75oF and be consumed in only one month. Lager beers typically require a cooler environment of 45-60oF and can take a minimum 6-8 weeks of fermentation and cold storage before your beer is ready to drink. Extract brewing is essentially taking a malt extract and boiling it in water. The extract can either be a dry powder or liquid

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syrup. Hops are added to the boil at various time intervals to give the beer some bitterness and hop flavor to help balance the malt sweetness. The unfermented beer, called wort, is then chilled and put into a fermenter with the yeast to begin fermentation. After fermentation is complete, the beer is ready for bottling. Priming sugar is added during bottling to allow the beer to carbonate. After carbonation (1-2 weeks), your beer is ready to be chilled and enjoyed. All-grain brewing is basically a much smaller version of what big breweries use to make their beer. In all-grain brewing, you will be using cracked grains in the place of the malt extract. The grains must be mashed (steeped) in hot water at specific temperatures for specific times and then rinsed with more hot water to retrieve the malt portion of the beer. This process usually requires additional equipment and means of temperature control, as well as, a collection process

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to retrieve your malty goodness. Once you have extracted the malt portion from the grains, you bring it to a boil and follow the same process as you did for extract brewing. Some homebrewers prefer this process because it allows them more control of the malt profile of their beer. This gives them more control of the overall process and also allows them to better fine tune their recipe. The downside is that it

is much more time consuming on brew day. Whichever path you choose can reward you with great tasting beer. No one way is the right way. It all comes down to what works for you. If you still feel a little unsure about taking the homebrew plunge, many homebrew shops hold classes several times a month to show you the process and answer any questions you may have,

so don’t hesitate to give them a call. If you don’t have a local homebrew shop, there are many Internet websites and forums with seasoned homebrews that are more than willing to help you out along the way. In the end, it’s all about having fun and the joy of making your own beer. In the words of the great homebrewing pioneer, Charlie Papazian, “Relax, don’t worry and have a homebrew!”

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Parting Gifts

West Coast IPA

INGREDIENTS Malt Extract 6.6lbs Golden Light Liquid Malt Extract 1lb Golden Light Dry Malt Extract Steeping Grains: 0.75lbs Vienna, 0.25 Carapils, 0.25 Wheat Hops 1oz Colombus at 60 minutes 2oz Simcoe at 15 minutes 1oz. Citra at 0 minutes Yeast: California 001 STEP 1 If you are using a 3-5 gallon kettle, add 2 - 3.5 gallons of water to your kettle and leaving about a third space from water level to top of kettle. If using a 7.5 or larger kettle, add 6 gallons of water to your kettle. Put the kettle on a propane burner or stove top and turn on the heat. STEP 2 Once the temperature of the water reaches 150158 degrees add your grain bag. Steep bag for 45 minutes. During steeping keep temperature in the ideal range by turning on and off heat source while stirring. STEP 3 After steeping is done, pull grain bag out and let drain into kettle for a few seconds. Once drained continue to heat water to boil. STEP 4 Once water comes to boil, turn heat source off, in order to prevent scorching, and add malt extract. Stir in until thoroughly mixed. STEP 5 Turn heat source back on and bring to boil. Keep eye out foam rising in kettle! When wort (malt extract and water) starts to boil the heat has to regulated in order to prevent boil over. Once the foam drops, turn heat up and create a rolling boil.

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STEP 6 Add your bittering hops directly into the boiling wort and start your 60 minute boil from this point. STEP 7 Add the rest of your hops according to your recipe. STEP 8 Once 60 minute boil is complete with all of the hops put in the wort it is time to cool. Create a bath of ice and water in a sink or large tub. Cover kettle with lid or aluminum foil during cooling. STEP 9 Once the wort has cooled to 65-75 degrees it is time to pour it into your sterilized fermenter (remember that anything that touches the wort after it’s cooled has to be sterilized) either by use of a funnel or directly pouring it into the bucket. Pour vigorously in order to oxygenate wort for happy yeast growth. STEP 10 If using a 3-5 gallon kettle you will need to add water to fill up your fermenter to the 5 gallon mark. You can either add bottled water from the store or you can add tap water. Depending on your tap water there might be a small amount of bacteria that can alter the flavor of the finished beer. Your choice but if you are using city water you should be fine. STEP 11 Pour in your yeast directly into the wort that is in the fermenter. STEP 12 Seal up the fermenter with sterilized airlock and place in a cool dark place for 2-3 weeks. *All-Grain Recipes Also Available at the shop! 824 Kerr Ave. Wilmington, NC 28403 www.wilmingtonbeer.com (910) 392-3315

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