Wilmington is named “America’s beeriest beach town.” Wilmington is the number one place in North Carolina for craft brews, so if you plan to take a beer tour and jump from pint to pint experience, this place is for you. Let us explain in this blog.
1. Why Wilmington?
Tours of the breweries in Wilmington, NC, can be a great way to know all about the history, and making the process of the beer, behind scene access, and taking with the brewmaster can be especially advantageous.
Visit these breweries and experience on your own the boundless taste and a unique spin in each brewery you visit. Some of the breweries in Wilmington NC will be community-friendly, while others would be dedicated to saving the environment.
You can also find amazing pirate theme breweries and enjoy the ambiance of taprooms built in many years old buildings or can grab a bite either within the brewery or the food truck found around the brewery. Though you wanna be careful when choosing which food trucks you should eat at, as rates are hiked in some places.
You can also find the headquarter of Untappd in Wilmington, NC, an application on which users can rate, share, and write reviews about the breweries.
Here we have also mentioned each brewery’s ratings in this list according to untapped, so you can know how much this place is likable by your fellow ale lover.
You would also witness ale making in action, so do not miss out on the chance as you can enjoy your brew vacation by the beachside in the fastest-growing hotspot for craft beer at Wilmington, North Carolina.
And if you are not interested in brew tours, then no worries, you can visit any or all of the breweries from this list of top 10 breweries in Wilmington, NC, given below.
2. Breweries in Wilmington NC
2.1. Front Street Brewery
Established in 1995, Front Street Brewery is Wilmington’s original restaurant and brewery.
This brewery serves its best beer with a tremendously extensive menu with over 35 entrees ranging from over 25 gourmet burgers and sandwiches to its most-wanted Scottish ale brew.
You can also find the kid’s section on their menu, making it a perfect place for family outings. This brewery has scored many prices, including the prestigious gold award at the world beer cup.
Encore Magazine Restaurant Critic said that you must include this in your brewery tour when visiting Wilmington to be left happy and surprised.
2.2. Wilmington Brewing Company
Looking to enjoy some fresh beer? Located right in the heart of the city, this is one of the go-to breweries in Wilmington NC, for a perfectly relaxing atmosphere. This place serves you fresh local beer from the tank to your glass.
You will find a great variety to choose from when visiting this brewery. They have tropical lightning IPA, American Amber Ale, Demogorgon Imperial Stout, Down Good Down Potter, and many more.
They also have a homebrew supply store to make your craft beer the way you like it.
2.3. New Anthem Beer Project
Among many of the constantly evolving breweries in Wilmington, NC, this one has a simple policy to “push on the edges every time from both the inside and outside.“
They often make subtle changes in the ingredients to achieve the best version of the beer possible.
If you like to be surprised a little whenever having your beer, you must visit this place and turn it into your hangout spot. You can get whatever type of beer you prefer from hoppy, dark, lager, and mixed fern.
2.4. Wrightsville Beach Brewery
This brewery in Wilmington NC, started by three brainless oystermen to accompany their oysters with beer, has a long history of starting their local brewery.
This brewery makes terrific beer, along with giving back to the community. Enjoy their delicious oysters and pizzas with your favourite beer on your next visit to Wilmington, NC.
This brewery has a wide range of menus, including different food items for you to enjoy. Their beer has many different flavours; Airlie Amber Lee, oystermen stout, puppy drum pale Ale, cobia Kolsch, Hollywood wit, pompano porter, and many more.
2.5. Sky Town Beer Company
This award-winning brewery was started by a couple of homebrewers in 2010.
Its menu is exclusively created by Chef Stephen Durley, a well-rounded chef with many professional degrees in culinary arts, baking, and hospitality, partnered with his wife, Hayley Jensen.
This place has a mouthwatering BBQ, a good menu, and 12 different beers to choose from with an Untappd ranking of 3.93, a perfect place to catch a meal.
2.6. Flying Machine Brewing Company
If you are looking to get a different type of pint this time, you have come to the right place. This brewery offers a blend of an old and new world through innovation and tradition.
You can find all types of something here, ranging from a malty, easy-drinking, hop-forward, sour, eccentric, single can, BLT, and cider.
They also offer coffee with their beer, not just a regular one but with different varieties, including latte, espresso, and cappuccinos.
This brewery also has a good ranking of 3.85/5 on Untappd, making it a great place to stop by like other breweries in Wilmington NC.
2.7. Waterline Brewery
This brewery is located in a historic building under cape fear Memorial Bridge from the 1940s era and still has its original concrete floors and some other features, so you can be teleported to the mid-20th century while enjoying a pint.
They offer six flagship ales with many seasonal special releases to be made. Their six flagship ales are Kolsch, American pale ale, India ale pale, tripel, red, and oatmeal stout. So you can check out their extensive flavours.
2.8. Flytrap Brewing
As evident from its name, this brewery is a bit different. This brewery in Wilmington NC is dedicated to Venus flytraps, a carnivorous plant found only within 60 miles of Wilmington in the whole world.
They try to educate their visitor about this unique plant native to their areas, their danger of extinction, and how it could be prevented.
Alongside their environmental and community-friendly practice, they serve the best American and Belgian-style ale. Their many menus include seven core beers Rehder’s Red, Belgian Blond, Saison, hoppy pale, west coast IPA, oatmeal porter, and hoppy tripel. Aside from this, there are many seasonal and special releases.
You can also find different types of wines if you are not so into beer. This is a lively place, always buzzing with locals and live music, with a high ranking of 3.76/5 on Untapped.
2.9. Ironclad Brewery
Between the beauty and history of Wilmington lies this spectacular brewery is known to be booked most of the weekends.
Like many other Wilmington breweries, NC, this brewery is also placed in the historic building formed in 1925, named after the civil war’s ironclad ship class.
One can find an exquisite range of beers to choose from 14 different ales, like 2nd street seltzer raspberry, Brayton Kolsch, smoked honey lager, peach apricot ale, admirals amber ale, along with many others.
Whatever you want, you will find it. And if you are not a beer fan, they also provide you with wine, spirits, and other beverages.
2.10. Edward Teach Brewing
Did you know this brewery in Wilmington NC, is named after the infamous pirate Blackbeard?
His real name was Edward Teach, and he visited North Carolina beach shores frequently. So if you what to live your fantasies, you should visit this pirate-themed brewery. You can order your favourite beer from their pirate ship-shaped front bar.
This brewery is built in an original fire engine house, which was present there till 1971.
You can find 8 different types of craft beer with unique names like Devil’s son IPA or Teaches Peaches Peach Wheat.
3. Closing Thoughts
Wilmington, North Carolina, is known for its beautiful beaches, delicious seafood, and rich history. However, it’s also becoming increasingly well-known for its craft breweries. In fact, Wilmington has been named “America’s beeriest beach town” due to the abundance of quality brews and breweries found in the area.
If you’re a beer lover and planning a trip to Wilmington, you’re in luck. The city is home to a wide variety of craft breweries, each with its own unique style and atmosphere. From small, family-owned operations to large, modern breweries, there’s something for every beer enthusiast in Wilmington.
One of the best ways to experience Wilmington’s craft beer scene is by taking a brewery tour. Many of the city’s breweries offer tours of their facilities, giving visitors the opportunity to learn about the brewing process, sample different beers, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the brewery.
During your tour, you’ll have the opportunity to sample a wide range of beers, from light, refreshing pilsners to rich, dark stouts. You’ll also learn about the history of brewing in Wilmington and the unique ingredients and techniques used by local brewers.
If you’re looking for a more immersive experience, many breweries in Wilmington also offer beer-making classes and workshops. These classes are a great way to learn about the brewing process, as well as to get hands-on experience creating your own beer.
Or if you are looking for a family-friendly brewery where you can learn the entire brewing process of craft beers, All local breweries in downtown Wilmington NC offer such as broom tail craft brewery, Wrightsville beach brewery, and sunny beer garden are perfect for you.
In addition to brewery tours and classes, Wilmington is also home to a number of beer festivals and events throughout the year. These events offer the chance to sample a wide range of beers from local and regional breweries, as well as to enjoy live music, food, and other fun activities.
With so many great Wilmington breweries, tours, and events, it’s easy to see why Wilmington is quickly becoming one of the top destinations for craft beer lovers. So, if you’re looking for a fun and delicious way to experience the best of Wilmington, be sure to check out the city’s craft beer scene.
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