April 2014 begins North Carolina Beer Month

Press Release

From NC Craft Brewers Guild:

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 12, 2014) — In recognition of North Carolina’s 100 craft breweries and their positive impact on the state’s economy, Governor Pat McCrory has proclaimed April 2014 as “North Carolina Beer Month.”

NC Beer Month, co-sponsored by the North Carolina Division of Tourism and the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild, encourages residents and travelers alike to explore a wide range of special events, from beer festivals to creative brewery collaborations that showcase the industry’s top-notch products and hospitality.
Among the highlights:
Cask on Fools: Fifteen Wake County breweries will gather at Crank Arm Brewing in downtown Raleigh to present a smorgasbord of very creative casks including Big Boss’ “Son Of A Blitz” Belgian brown aged in bourbon barrels for 300 days and topped off with cherries.
NC Brewers Collaborative: White Street Brewing in Wake Forest will host a kickoff event featuring barrel-aged and wild ales from breweries around the state, plus panel discussions on barrel-aging and the latest trends in NC brewing.
Kinston Beer Weekend: Three-day event featuring a beer dinner (Chef & the Farmer with Mother Earth Brewing); a downtown Barbecue, Oysters & Beer Bash; Mother Earth Brewing’s Neuse River Brews Cruise; and breakfast on the world’s only full-size replica of a Confederate ironclad.
Blowing Rock Beer Retreat: An overnight stay at Blowing Rock Ale House & Inn with dining at the Ale House Restaurant and a class with the Blowing Rock Ale brewery.
Mountain getaways: Savings of 25 percent on lodging, food and recreation (mountain biking, zip lining, kayaking and more) from a host of businesses in Brevard. And near Sylva, specials on a stay at Sunset Farm Cabins plus a tour of Heinzelmännchen Brewery, two engraved sports mugs and a copy of “Your Gnometown Cookbook.”
Beer dinners: Including Good Food Award winner Sean Lilly Wilson (Fullsteam) with James Beard award winner Andrea Reusing (Lantern) in Chapel Hill; Aviator Beer Co. with Carolina Crossroads in Chapel Hill; and Heinzelmännchen Brewery and Innovation Brewing with City Lights Café in Sylva.
World Beer Festival Raleigh: With 30 North Carolina breweries in the mix, plus sessions and demos by local academics and experts, this long-running festival promises to be both educational and delicious.
Brewgaloo and Hickory Hops: Two festivals on the same day, but many miles apart. The first zeroing in on the local — craft beer, food trucks and entertainment. The second featuring broad representation of North Carolina craft beer, with 50 to 60 microbreweries and the Carolinas Championship of Beer.
New releases: A Scotch ale from Highland Brewing in Asheville, kicking off its “20Beers for 20 Years” anniversary celebration. Also, new releases from Deep River Brewing in Clayton, marking its one-year anniversary; Tripel Overhead Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Tripel at Mother Earth Brewing in Kinston; and a raspberry wheat collaboration from Heinzelmännchen Brewery and Innovation Brewing in Sylva.
Taverns and Trolleys: Tour through historic Edenton for a view of Colonial America’s connection to beer and drinking culture. Also on tap: Brews on the Bay, a pig picking with craft beer, and Boogie on Broad with The Embers, a bayside street dance.
North Carolina’s profile as a destination for beer lovers has risen dramatically in the past decade. North Carolina ranks 10th nationally in number of breweries, with the most of any state east of Texas and south of Pennsylvania, according to 2012 figures from the Brewers Association. The East Coast expansions of Oskar Blues in Brevard (2012), Sierra Nevada in Mills River (2014) and New Belgium in Asheville (2015) compound the interest among beer travelers.

Visit NCBeerMonth.com between now and the end of April to tap into celebrations from the mountains to the coast. For a map of the state’s breweries, check out NCBeer.org. And for travel planning, head to VisitNC.com.