Complete list and map of Charlotte’s 40+ local breweries, plus the most popular beer at each

Here's a guide to breweries in Charlotte and what to order at each.

Why it matters: Breweries are everywhere — our airport , the mall , inside food halls and in nearly every neighborhood. In short, you can't come to Charlotte without visiting one of our breweries.

Still to come: Saucy Brew Works plans to open a brewery in Dilworth sometime in 2024, and local favorite Olde Mecklenburg Brewery announced it will be expanding to Cornelius and Ballantyne .

• Suffolk Punch will open its third location in Birkdale Village in 2024.
• Protagonist closed its NoDa brewery in late October 2023. It’ll reopen in a bigger spot in Optimist Park sometime in 2024.

Alongside Brewing

Located one block from the Panthers' stadium, Alongside has cocktails, bourbon, wine, cider and seltzers.

Location: 412 W Palmer St. , in South End

The vibe: The intimate lounge has beverages for all tastes.

Grab a pint of: Any of the Ass Clown Brewing Company beers (by the same owner).

Another Brewery

The dive bar's name is a play on the frustration Charlotteans routinely express over the city growing number of breweries.

Location: Villa Heights at 2509 North Davidson.

The vibe: The bar aims to be a casual, neighborhood dive, with eight taps on draft plus canned beer options. They'll also serve wine and cocktails. The food menu will feature wings, burgers, pizzas, sandwiches and salads.

Grab a pint of: One of their rotating sours.

Go deeper: "Another Brewery" is opening near NoDa

Armored Cow Brewing Co.

Armored Cow's 3,500-square-foot taproom has 18 taps offering up a mix of both regular and gluten-free beer.

Location: University City at 8821 JW Clay Blvd.

Grab a pint of: Bang Bang, a hazy IPA made with El Dorado hops along with Mosaic and Citra hops (7.3% ABV)

Birdsong Brewing Company

Birdsong’s 30-barrel brewhouse and taproom opened in 2011 and has since become a go-to for unfiltered, American-style ale.

Location: Belmont neighborhood, 1016 North Davidson St.

The vibe: Expect a laid-back neighborhood feel. They have a nice patio space for warm weather days.

Grab a pint of: Higher Ground IPA, a West Coast-inspired IPA made with grapefruit and honeysuckle flavors (7% ABV)

Brewers at 4001 Yancey

The 28,000-square-foot space houses four distinct brewing companies all under one roof. You’ll find Sixpoint, Victory Brewing Company, Southern Tier and Bold Rock Cider.

Location: Lower South End (LoSo), 4001 Yancey Road.

The vibe: Lively without feeling overwhelming.

Grab a pint of: Golden Monkey, a Belgian-style Tripel with banana and cloves by Victory Brewing (9.5% ABV)

Related Guide: Guide to LoSo: 16 things to do in Lower South End

Burial Beer Co.

The Asheville-based brewery is an established name in the beer community and is widely regarded as one of the top breweries in the country.

Location: Plaza Midwood, 1214-1216 Thomas Ave.

The vibe: The taproom and rooftop patio have a retro-yet-edgy feel with a display of old-school speakers lining the tap wall and a small selection of vinyl in the bottle shop.

Grab a pint of: The Heavenly Atmosphere of Unrelenting Nothingness, an imperial stout with flavors of hazelnut, cocoa nibs, toasted coconut, vanilla bean and sea salt (14% ABV).

Divine Barrel Brewing

Owner Ben Dolphens describes Divine Barrel's beer as a "good mixture of different experiments" that take on classic styles.

Location: NoDa, 3701 North Davidson St.

The vibe: Rustic and industrial-style taproom.

Grab a pint of: Carolina Cobbler, a peach cobbler pastry sour (6% ABV).

Edge City Brewery

Choose from a rotating selection of New England IPAs, sours, pilsners, lagers, wheat beers, and stouts.

Location: 6209 Old Post Road.

The vibe: The taproom is mid-century modern with a touch of bohemian, and the patio is dog-friendly.

Grab a pint of: Foggy Bottom Boi, a "juicy" New England-style IPA (6.5% ABV)

Fonta Flora Brewery

Fonta Flora has three locations – the flagship brewery in Morganton, its production facility/taproom in Nebo, and the taproom in Optimist Hall.

Location: The ground floor of Optimist Hall, 1115 North Brevard St.

The vibe: In addition to the 50 to 70 varieties of craft beer brewed each year, the Optimist Hall taproom has spiked seltzer, wine, hard cider and a few sodas for non-beer drinkers.

Grab a pint of: Triple Hop Beard, a West Coast style IPA hopped with Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe (10% ABV)

Free Range Brewing

Find the cozy taproom across the parking lot from Amélie's in Villa Heights. There are regular live music performances, an occasional market and a menu full of dynamic beers.

Location: Villa Heights, 2320 North Davidson St.

The vibe: The taproom has a casual, farmhouse aesthetic.

Grab a pint of: Cream of the Crop, a Carolina cream ale (5% ABV)

Gilde

It's one of Germany's oldest breweries.

Location: Lower South End, 3530 Dewitt Ln.

The vibe: Stepping inside feels like you're inside an authentic German beer hall.

Grab a pint of: Gilde Pilsener – this traditional German lager is the flagship beer (4.8% ABV).

Related story: Opening soon: Long-awaited German brewery Gilde opens this weekend in LoSo

Heist Brewery

Heist is one of the city's original breweries.

Locations: Heist Brewpub in NoDa, 2909 North Davidson St. ; and Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts near Camp North End, 1064 Woodward Ave.

The vibe: The brunch buffet at their NoDa location (usually accompanied by a donut tower) is a hangover must.

• Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts is a 26,000-square-foot brewery and taproom that has a covered beer garden, bakeshop, two event spaces and a separate area for the barrel-aging program.

Grab a pint of: Citraquench’l, a hazy IPA that’s brewed and double dry-hopped with all Citra hops. (7.1% ABV)

Hi-Wire Brewing

The Asheville-based brewery has an 8,743-square-foot taproom and a 2,000-square-foot beer garden with a large roll-up garage door for indoor-outdoor access.

Location: South End, 330 W. Tremont Ave.

The vibe: Fun and approachable. The interior is covered in vibrant murals by local artist Ian The Painter .

Grab a pint of: Mountain Water, one of the flagship ales that's bright and citrusy with flavors of lemon and lime (4.5% ABV).

Hippin' Hops

This Atlanta-based brewery made history when it opened as Georgia's first Black-owned brewery. In Charlotte, it's become the first Black-owned distillery.

Location: Uptown, 650 E Brooklyn Village Ave. , in the former D9 Brewery space

The vibe: Hippon' Hops distills vodka, rum, gin and moonshine. Some of its spirits — like its Boston Thomas Whiskey and Noir Cognac — can also be found in ABC stores in Charlotte.

• As for craft beer, Hippin' Hops specializes in wheat beers, sours, IPAs and stouts.

Hopfly Brewing Co.

Hopfly occupies the former home of Unknown Brewing Co., which was acquired by the Rocky Mount-based brewery in the early summer of 2021. After undergoing extensive renovations, Hopfly opened in February of 2022.

Location: South End, 1327 S Mint St.

The vibe: The space is vibrant and modern, a totally different feel than when Unknown occupied the spot. The main difference is there’s more open space and seating area in the taproom.

Grab a pint of: Crunchtime, a light lager with crisp and clean tasting notes (4.5% ABV).

LaBARatory

LaBARatory is a brewery and soju distillery by the same owners as Seoul Food Meat Co.

Location: 2315 N. Davidson St. inside the Urban District Market.

The vibe: Located inside Charlotte’s newest food hall, you can grab a drink from the bar and take it to nearby Seoul Food Meat Co.

Legion Brewing

Legion Brewing has established a network of breweries around the city with locations in Plaza Midwood, SouthPark and West Morehead St.

Locations: Plaza Midwood, 1906 Commonwealth Ave. , SouthPark, 4350 Congress St. , West Morehead, 2013 W Morehead St.

The vibe: Legion’s OG location in Plaza has a cozy, neighborhood vibe while its SouthPark and West Morehead spots are much more open.

Grab a pint of: Juicy Jay, an East Coast IPA brewed with Mosaic, El Dorado and Cascade hops for a tropical taste (6.3% ABV).

Lenny Boy Brewing Co.

A one-stop shop for not just traditional ales and lagers, but also organic kombucha, gluten-free wild ales, sours and more in a setting good for drinkers and non-drinkers alike.

Location: South End, 3000 South Tryon St.

The vibe: On weekends, the outdoor space feels like a backyard cookout with live music and food trucks.

Grab a pint of: Citraphelia, an IPA made with Citra hops (6.4% ABV).

Lost World's Brewing

Similar to its original taproom at 19700-D One Norman Blvd. , near Lake Norman, Lost Worlds Charlotte serves craft beer in an archaeology-inspired setting.

Location: Metropolitan, 1100 Metropolitan Ave.

The vibe: It has an exploration theme and overlooks Little Sugar Creek Greenway.

Grab a pint of: Euchre Golden Ale (3.8% ABV), which earned the brewery an award from the North Carolina Brewers Cup.

Lower Left Brewing Co.

Lower Left has a seven-barrel, custom-made brewhouse and 900-square-foot taproom. The building has four garage doors, which open to an outdoor patio.

Location: LoSo, 4528 Nations Crossing Road in LoSo.

The beer: Expect four to six core beers available year-round including at least one New England IPA, tropical IPA, American pale ale, blonde ale, amber ale, and a porter or stout

Middle James Brewing

Middle James Brewing's two-story space, which used to be a golf clubhouse, is behind The Golf Village and features 24 taps, a food menu and a shaded deck overlooking the putting green.

Location: Pineville, 400 North Polk St.

Grab a pint of: Hour Mark, the flagship IPA that's brewed with El Dorado, Comet and Azacca hops (7% ABV)

Monday Night Garden Co.

Housed in a converted auto garage on the corner of Rampart Street, the Atlanta-based, 8,000-square-foot brewery and distillery is known for its expansive beer menu, cocktails and Neopolitan pizzas.

Location: 2217 S Tryon St.

Grab a pint of: Blind Pirate, a blood orange IPA the brewery describes as a “juicy hop bomb” (7.4% ABV).

NoDa Brewing Company

The brewery is known for its year-round staples like Jam Session and seasonal batches like Gordgeous.

Locations: NoDa, 2921 North Tryon St . and Villa Heights, 2229 North Davidson St.

• Its Villa Heights taproom is now exclusively an event venue, per a press release .

The vibe: It's a go-to for weekend activities – keep up with events here .

Grab a pint of: Hop Drop 'n Roll, a 2014 World Beer Cup Gold Award Winner made with English, American, Vienna and wheat malts (7.2% ABV).

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

This quintessential Charlotte brewery is home to a massive biergarten that welcomes children and dogs alike. Olde Meck follows the German "Reinheitsgebot" (aka the oldest beer purity law in the world) when brewing its award-winning beer.

Location: Lower South End, 4150 Yancey Road. Their Ballantyne location will open Memorial Day weekend.

The vibe: The inside feels like a tavern-y, old German brewhaus, and outside is an expansive, airy biergarten.

Grab a pint of: Copper, a Düsseldorf-style Altbier known as the brewery’s flagship (4.9% ABV).

Petty Thieves Brewing Co.

Petty Thieves is known for its experimentation and the smaller brewhouse that allows for a rotation of new brews.

Location: 413 Dalton Ave.

The vibe: Designed like an old cigar lounge, the space is filled with well-worn leather couches and thrifted finds.

Grab a pint of: Mirrorform, an American pale ale with medium body (5.3% ABV).

Pilot Brewing Co.

It calls itself a nano-brewery due to its focus on small-batch and experimental nature.

Location: Plaza Midwood, 1331 Central Ave.

The vibe: Casual and cozy.

Grab a pint of: The Island Hopper, a rotating showcase IPA.

Protagonist

Located in LoSo, expect a wider beer selection and large pizza slices.

Location: LoSo, 227 Southside Dr.

The vibe: Enjoy a beer while you people-watch on its street-facing outdoor patio.

Grab a pint of: Dolly, Protagonist’s original blond ale (5.2% ABV).

Resident Culture Brewing Company

This popular brewery specializes in hop-forward IPAs and pale ales, lagers, barrel-aged beers and fermented ales.

Locations: Plaza Midwood, 2101 Central Ave . and South End, 332 W Bland St.

The vibe: While its Plaza Midwood location is a chill neighborhood hang-out spot, its South End location turns into a club at night. It also has an all-day cafe and a BBQ lunch and dinner menu.

Grab a pint of: Lightning Drops, one of their flagship hazy IPAs made with tropical fruits as (6.5% ABV).

Salud Cerveceria

Salud Beer Shop's in-house brewery. Head upstairs to enjoy a pint in their 3,100-square-foot taproom. Or order one of their wood-fired pizza.

Location: NoDa, 3306 North Davidson St.

The vibe: Eclectic and artsy. Makes for a great pre-game or post-game spot. Once a month, they host Latin nights with free salsa lessons.

Grab a pint of: Salud x Around the Horn Going Back To Cali, a West Coast IPA with Incognito Mosaic, HBC 586 and Mosaic (7% ABV).

Seaboard Brewing

Seaboard LoSo doesn't produce beer like its original location in Matthews.

Location: 3232 South Blvd .

The vibe: It feels like a tap room, they just don't brew beer there, and it has a full-service bar and food menu.

Grab a pint of: Seaboard brews nearly every style of beer from Mexican lagers to sours to German-style beers.

Go deeper: Matthews brewery Seaboard Brewing expanding to South End

Southern Strain Brewing

The Concord-based brewery keeps a rotating selection of beers on tap.

Locations: Plaza Midwood, 1800 Central Ave . and Concord, 165 Brumley Ave. NE.

The vibe: Casual and approachable. The brewery has indoor and outdoor seating and fits about 85 people.

Grab a pint of: Zuper Saazer, a Czech Pilsner is made with "Zuper Saazer" that has classic herbal and floral spicy aromas (5.6% ABV)

Suffolk Punch Brewing

Suffolk Punch has become a rail trail destination in South End, with a popular taproom and an expansive beer menu.

Locations: South End, 2911 Griffith St. and SouthPark, 4400 Sharon Road

The vibe : Its South End location is a little more elevated than your typical brewery. The patio is usually packed on nice days.

• Its SouthPark location caters more to the family crowd with a play area for kids, a dog-friendly patio, and a larger food selection.

Grab a pint of: A Patchwork Orange, an IPA made with orange peel, grapefruit and papaya (5.7% ABV).

Sugar Creek Brewing Company

Known for its Belgian-inspired beer, Sugar Creek uses multiple types of hops and combines them with award-winning malt varieties to create modern takes on classic tastes.

Location: LoSo, 215 Southside Dr.

The vibe: It's a smaller space with a casual feel.

Grab a pint of: Sugar Creek Pale Ale, with notes of fruit, citrus, pine, and grapefruit combined with caramel (5.2% ABV).

Sycamore Brewing

Situated on the rail trail inside a new 16-story development called The Line, Sycamore is one of South End's most popular hangouts.

Location: South End, 2151 Hawkins St.

The vibe: Friendly and energetic. Expect lots of people and dogs.

Grab a pint of: Mountain Candy IPA, a double dry-hopped IPA with flavor notes of stone fruit and rainbow candies (7.2% ABV).

Town Brewing Co.

Town Brewing has everything on tap from IPAs and kettle sours to English and Belgian styles. Plus, there’s a rotating selection of other crafts, plus ciders, kombuchas, housemade sodas, and other non-alcoholic options.

Location: Wesley Heights, 800 Grandin Road.

The vibe: The 24-tap taproom feels casual like a living room with an old-school warehouse aesthetic.

Grab a pint of: Broken Tared, a raspberry hibiscus sour (4.7% ABV).

Triple C Brewing

Even if you haven't ventured into the taproom of one of South End's first breweries, Triple C is home to beers you likely know, including Baby Maker and Golden Boy.

Location: South End, 2900 Griffith St.

The vibe: Approachable, chill atmosphere. Listen to live music or play a board game.

Grab a pint of: 3C, a West Coast IPA made with citrus, grapefruit, and passionfruit flavors (6.2% ABV).

Trolley Barn Fermentory & Food Hall

A two-story experimental brewery and food hall from the Legion Brewing team.

Location: South End, 2104 South Blvd.

The vibe: Elevated and modern with a touch of rustic. It’s not your typical brewery experience given that it has a more upscale bar on the second floor.

Grab a pint of: Welcome to Trolley, a Gose with pineapple and sweet cherry puree (4% ABV).

Vaulted Oak Brewing

This bank-turned-brewery focuses on small-batch beers in various styles — like session-able blondes, lagers, West Coast IPAs, sours, saisons and porters.

Location: East Charlotte, 3726 Monroe Road.

The vibe: Casual and family/neighborhood friendly.

Grab a pint of: C-Note$ IPA (6.6% ABV).

Wooden Robot Brewery

Wooden Robot, best known for its Good Morning Vietnam and What He’s Having brews, features some of Charlotte’s most innovative craft beers.

Locations: NoDa, 416 E 36th St. , and South End, 1440 South Tryon St.

The vibe: A mix of laid-back and lively.

Grab a pint of: Good Morning Vietnam, a blond ale made with Ethiopian coffee and vanilla beans from Madagascar (5% ABV).

Still thirsty? There are some more breweries to visit right outside Charlotte:

Belmont Belmont Brewhouse Primal Brewery Jekyll & Hyde Taphouse and Grill

Concord Cabarrus Brewing Company High Branch Brewing Co. Twenty-Six Acres Brewing Company Southern Strain Brewing Co. Buzzed Viking Brewing Co. & Meadery

Cornelius Ass Clown Brewing Company D9 Brewing Company Eleven Lakes Brewing Company Lost Worlds Brewing

Denver Royal Bliss Lake Norman Brewery

Fort Mill, S.C. Amor Artis Brewing Lake Wylie Brewing Co. Replay Brewing

Gastonia Cavendish Brewery Keepsake Brewing

Huntersville Primal Brewery Ass Clown Brewing Company Eleven Lakes Brewing Company D9 Brewing Lost Worlds Neoteric Brewing Company

Indian Trail Sweet Union Brewing Company

Kannapolis Old Armor Beer Company

Matthews Seaboard Brewing, Taproom, & Wine Bar

Mount Holly Traust Brewing Firehawk Brewpub

Mint Hill Panzú Brewery

Monroe Southern Range Brewing Co.

Mooresville Ghostface Brewing Brewery & Pizzeria King Canary Brewing Jolly Roger Brewery Hoptown Brewing

Rock Hill, S.C. Legal Remedy Brewing Slow Play Brewing Rock Hill Brewing Company

Editor's note: This article was originally published in December 2015. It was last updated in August 2024.

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