11 North Carolina Breweries Elevating the Beer Scene

1 Brown Truck Brewery

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Brown Truck Brewery, which opened in 2016 in Uptowne High Point, hosts live music on weekends and welcomes dogs anytime. Take a seat in the taproom or around a fire pit or heater in the courtyard, and sample the Great American Beer Festival medalist’s creations, from the No. 4 Saison to No. 82 Robust Porter. It also hosts a run club and yoga classes, and it has a food truck on site on Saturdays.

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3 7 Clans Brewing

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Located near Biltmore Village, 7 Clans Brewing is a majority female- and indigenous-owned company celebrating Cherokee heritage through beer. The brewers keep the long tradition of women within indigenous cultures crafting fermented beverages alive with favorites such as the strawberry saison and Bended Tree Chestnut Brown. Stop by on Sundays for special brunch beverages like beermosas or a Coffee Milk Stout topped with whipped cream.

4 Mother Earth Brewing

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Mother Earth Brewing is credited for helping Kinston become a tourist stop for travelers who would've often just passed through on their way to and from the beach. With a taproom and beer garden (and since 2017, the Mother Earth Motor Lodge two blocks down the street), there's ample room for you to enjoy beers brewed using sustainable practices. Mother Earth always has its flagship beers – including Weeping Willow Wit and Sisters of the Moon IPA – on tap, but a number of limited releases and experimental batches are exclusive to its taproom as well.

6 Boojum Brewing

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A mountain brewery well worth the visit is Waynesville’s Boojum Brewing. In its taproom you’ll see a strange painting of a creature headed into a cave packed with gem-filled demijohns. That’s the Boojum, a creature who liked to imbibe his favorite mountain brew and steal gems from local miners. According to the brewer at Boojum, the inspiration for the brewery came after stumbling upon the Boojum’s footprints and following them to a tasty jug of beer and a recipe hidden in a rock crevice. The brewery’s Balsam Brown Ale is one of the recipes found. Food is also served here – burgers, wings, pretzels and much more – so you can fuel up before you head into the mountains to see if you can find the Boojum’s treasure.

8 Wooden Robot Brewery

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The Belgian-inspired farmhouse brews at this South End brewery are created by a pair of brewmasters who met in middle school, but (hopefully) discovered beer a bit later in life. The Wooden Robot taproom has lots of space to spread out and get comfortable as you take a taste bud tour of seasonal beers, and the kitchen serves a variety of appetizers and sandwiches. Good Morning Vietnam – a coffee vanilla blonde ale – is one of Charlotte's most popular beers, but Wooden Robot also offers a variety of tasty rotating beers. Be sure to check out its second location in the NoDa neighborhood; it's conveniently located next to a light rail stop and sports a rooftop deck.

10 Breweries on the Pitt County Brew & ‘Cue Trail

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The Greenville area has so many delectable beer and barbecue options, there’s a whole trail celebrating its flavors. Start your sampling tour at one of Pitt County’s craft breweries: Pitt Street Brewing Company offers two dog-friendly beer gardens, where you can sip on the NC Brewers Cup gold medal-winning Dapple Dog Dry Stout. Uptown Brewing – located in a nearly 100-year-old, beautifully restored building – is just down the street. If you prefer darker brews, try The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery in Farmville, another award winner. Or head to Winterville and stop by neighbors Local Oak Brewing Company and Nauti Dog Brewing Company and hang out in their outdoor spaces.