Best Brewery

STORY BY JESSIE H. NUNERY PHOTOS BY BRIAN LANTZ

ichelle and John Savard were once just college kids with a dream. The Wilmington natives both went to the opposite end of the state to attend UNCAsheville, but even with degrees in hand — Michelle in mass communications and John in business administration — neither was impressed with the job market upon returning home. “There were really no jobs to be had,” Michelle said. “We decided to go for it. We took our savings and ordered homebrewing supplies.” Now, the married couple has two children, and in just five years, their start-up, Wilmington Brewing Company, has been named Carolina Brew Scene’s 2019 Best Brewery. If the Savards had thought too long and possibly convinced themselves to change their minds, perhaps they wouldn’t have been a success. Tourism-type venues open all the time in their hometown. Wilmington Brewing Company has not only survived since its inception, but Michelle says the business has been fortunate enough to continually expand from its first days as just a homebrew store. John, who became a homebrewer and learned from some of Asheville’s professional and homebrewers while in college, is now surrounded by a strong brew team that churns out popular drinks including a Tropical Lightning IPA and Blair’s Breakfast Stout. Wilmington Brewing Company is located in the heart of the city, not far away from UNC-Wilmington. Michelle said WBC attracts a wide variety of visitors — young, old, families. Music is played on a record player donated by one of WBC’s first customers. There’s a giant Jenga set along with board games to enjoy while you sip a beverage. “We’re not very shiny and polished,” Michelle said. “Everything happens pretty organically here. The beer is excellent, and that’s the No. 1 priority. We’re very familyfriendly and pet-friendly. The taproom is laid back.” Wilmington Brewing Company has 18 staff members and is in the process of expanding a lot next door into outdoor space for public and private use. They’re doing this while continuing to churn out a new release every other week or so -- 15 beers stay in rotation — and showcasing their products at food truck events on the weekends. Their beer is also distributed throughout the city and to those who drive down to purchase the products. The couple’s Wilmington Homebrew Supply is still going strong for those interested in

M Wilmington

Brewing Company

learning and purchasing tools for the trade. “We felt like one day we’d do this,” Michelle said. “There has not been a quiet moment. I feel like we’re riding the wave and hanging on. John made smart business decisions as far as business goes. He is the big picture guy, and I handle day-to-day. Wilmington keeps making spaces for different types of things, even though there are a lot of restaurants. I think breweries were needed, and I’m thankful we took a shot at it.”

2nd -New Village Brewing Company (Oriental, NC) 3rd - BrÜtopia (New Bern, NC)

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