North Carolina is home to more than 125 licensed breweries, the most of any Southern state, and more than 160 wineries.
Beer has become such a big deal in the Tar Heel State that it has its own month: Each April, brew houses and beer aficionados celebrate North Carolina Beer Month.
Here are three North Carolina beer or wine destinations:
Sierra Nevada Brewery
Sierra Nevada’s brewery in Mills River, N.C., opened its nearly 400-seat taproom and restaurant in March, offering exclusive draughts, a farm-to-table menu and action views of the beer-making process. It’s one of three major craft breweries (joining Oskar Blues and New Belgium) that chose the Asheville region — a favorite U.S. beer destination — for their East Coast expansions.
100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River, N.C. 828-681-5300, sierranevada.com, @SierraNevada.
Bull Durham Beer Co.
The Durham Bulls became the first minor league team to have an on-site brewery at their ballpark when Bull Durham Beer Co. opened in May. It plans to open an off-site taproom next to the new Aloft Downtown Durham hotel, which opened in September. Lollygagger Kolsch and Water Tower Wheat are in the brewery’s current lineup.
409 Blackwell St., Durham, N.C. 919-687-6500, bulldurhambeer.com, @BullDurhamBeer.
Duplin Winery
North Carolina’s oldest and largest winery is Duplin Winery in Rose Hill, a town in the eastern part of the state. The family-owned business has been producing wine since 1975 and is the largest producer of scuppernong and muscadine wine. You’ll find tastings and production tours, along with a bistro and events, at the Rose Hill location, plus a new tasting and bottling room in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
505 N. Sycamore St., Rose Hill, N.C. 1-800-774-9634, duplinwinery.com, @duplinwinery.
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