RAILHOUSE BREWING

Railhouse Brewery

By Jessie H. Nunery

ven if beer lovers haven’t made it down U.S. 1 into the Moore County city of Aberdeen, chances are they’ve had a taste of the town.

Railhouse Brewery, which opened in 2010 as the first of its kind in Moore County, is distributed in all 100 counties throughout the state, meaning its famous Brown Ale and Pale Ale are drinkable no matter where one lives.

“We have people tell us over and over that our Brown Ale is our best ale,” Railhouse Head Cellerman Jason Hull said. “We’re proud of it, and when we hear those kinds of things, it means a lot.”

Hull is sort of the outsider of what is a unique crew at Railhouse Brewery. He spent more than two decades in the printing industry and was a guest brewer in Ohio before joining the veteran-owned staff at Railhouse.

Founders Brian Evitts (Navy) and Mike Ratkowski (Army), along with co-owners Jeremy Reynolds (National Guard) and Scott Birdsell (Army) have combined to make a visit to Railhouse one that can be appreciated from a military and civilian perspective.

There is a wall that honors fallen soldiers and plenty of flags, giving the downtown Aberdeen location “a very Americana feel,” said Head Brewmaster Dan Fifield, who is accompanied by assistant brewer Dave Robinson, also an Army vet.

There is a long-standing tradition where patrons can buy a beer in

Eadvance for an active or retired military member. Fort Bragg is a 45-minute drive from Aberdeen, so the opportunity to put its roots in a military community is something Railhouse is proud to do. “Being in the Sandhills area, there is a military contingent that has retired to live here or is on active duty,” said Fifield, who retired from the Army after 24 years of service. “That’s a fair amount of our community, but we also try to make it all-inclusive and set up the best product we can regardless of where people are from.” The beers tell the story. There is a Knight’s Golden Ale served in the summer which gives reverence in name to Army parachute

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Carolina Brew Scene Military Issue

There is a Knight’s Golden Ale served in the summer which gives reverence in name to Army parachute team, the “Golden Knights.”

team, the “Golden Knights.”

KA-BAR, the name of its heralded Brown Ale, refers to the fighting knife used in World War II by the U.S. Marines Corps. Railhouse uses KA-BAR tap handles made from the knife’s factory in upstate New York.

Railhouse also serves a Mastiff Oatmeal Stout, an FCA IPA, the popular Pineland Pale Ale (which Fifield said was refined and tweaked many times), and the EK Imperial Red Ale. Everything is brewed on site.

Railhouse keeps its doors open to the community, having recently participated in a teacher appreciation day.

Live bands play every Saturday, and the brewery holds large events for July 4th and its birthday celebration in December.

It all makes for a laid-back atmosphere.

“It’s a close-knit community,” Hull said.

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