Aviator Brewing Company: Already A Favorite

packed house

It was a busy Saturday afternoon when we arrived at 209 Technology Park Ln. in Fuquay Varina. Thanks to LivingSocial.com, my friend Hannah Baron and I (plus at least 200 others) were able to tour Aviator Brewing Company for $14.00. 


With the brew tour we also each got an Aviator-filled-pint glass, an Aviator growler and some stickers with Aviator's plane logo on it.   

Hot Rod Red

There was a tour that had already started and we were looking at a 45 minute wait until the next.  We decided to bide our time with a beer in hand.  


I ordered a Hot Rod Red brewed (to perfection) by brewers Galen Smith and Andrew Jalbert to 6.1% alcohol, while Baron tried out the Devils Trampling Ground Tripel with a whopping 9.2% alcohol!




Romines answering questions
from a captive audience






Jason Romines the Sales and Logistics Manager was our tour guide.  Do not let his title fool you, he knows about beer.  Especially local craft beer.  He knowledgeably took us through the tour with about 40 others answering questions as we went.


"I love hoppy beer. Our Hog Wild IPA is a middle of the road beer," he said. "I really love all our beers, it's just what I'm feeling that day," he added. 


 Romines spoke candidly about beer, his likes and dislikes.  Among the dislikes was the tendency among fresh-of-agers to choose Pabst Blue Ribbon (better known as PBR).


"People like that, who say they like PBR, are just vomiting words out of their mouth because they think it's cool. All I want is for people to know what they like," he said.


And, according to Triangle Arts and Entertainment (as of this moment), people like Aviator.  Until March 31, Triangle pint seekers and drinkers can cast their vote daily for their favorite breweries in the area. 


The website says, "The winner receives a plaque, window decals, web badge, and the bragging rights of having the Best Brew in the Triangle as voted by readers of Triangle Arts and Entertainment."




And, Beer will be yours too.
Plus, you can buy the shirt for $15.95.



The brewery has its own bar with the beer brewed on site but Aviator also has a Tap House located at 600 E. Broad Street aslo in Fuquay Varina.  

I did not have the chance to visit the Tap House, but I plan to in the future.

And, I definitely plan on purchasing that t-shirt.  

Carolina Brewery (in Chapel Hill): Not just for Fraternities

Carolina Brewery is like the Chili's of breweries.  They are very branded, which is a good thing, but in a corporate-feeling way.  I'm pretty sure Barefoot Landing in Myrtle Beach would be an excellent choice for a third location.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't dislike the brewery located at 460 West Franklin Street, it simply was not what I expected.  In some ways that is a good thing. 


Halfway to Chapel Hill from Raleigh was the first time I thought about my decision to visit the Brewery on Pint Night (every Tuesday all pints are $3).  All of a sudden I realized I was traveling to Frat Central (Franklin Street) on discounted pint night.  I was afraid.  Instantly, I pictured myself in a sea of popped collars and girls clad in dresses with cowboy boots. 


Happily, that was not the case.




$5/Flight



There were a couple of things I really liked:

• Copperline Amber Ale (it is also their top-selling beer)
• That the waitstaff and bartenders knew information about the beers (very important)
• The Nachos
• Oh, and the way the flight was presented (on a paddle)

Emilee Bunker, Senior at University of North Carolina and Raleigh native said she does not come as often as she would like. "It's such a versatile atmosphere," she said, "anywhere from families to college students looking to unwind... they have live music, its fun, upbeat, just come to have a good time."

Like I said, Barefoot Landing.



"The Young Guns" at Roth Brewing Co.

Not gonna lie.  I wasn't super-stoked to venture out to Roth Brewing Co. last night.
Mainly because I had not heard too much about them and knew they were really green.
Let's just say,  I was not expecting too much.

But then, bartender and Assistant Brewer Dallas M., called me by name.  Before we had decent taste in beer, we used to chug Busch light from Solo cups together.  Good times.

Dallas has been homebrewing with his dad for six years.  He also studied abroad for three months in Germany.  "I basically went to every brewery I could learning as much about beer as I could," he said.  Last week, he finished his internship with Roth Brewing Co. and was officially put on the payroll this week.

"16-hour-days are not unusual," he said. "Everyone here is under 28-years-old, we're the 'young guns' and we do it all ourselves."  They even distribute their beer themselves.  Dallas' SUV doubles as the delivery truck.          

I was pleasantly surprised to find that, like LoneRider, these guys give you a free tasting of the beers.

Viking hat available for $15

Robert Mays, the head bartender, poured me a pint of Raleigh Red while Dallas snagged me the chance to sit down with Ryan Roth, CEO.

I really liked the Raleigh Red American Amber Ale. It's just the right hoppy and just the right sweet. Plus, it's really drinkable.  Raleigh Red is their flagship beer and can now be found in 26 places in and around the triangle.  The newest to put them on tap is The Angus Barn. "If our beer is good enough for The Angus Barn, that is good enough for me," said Roth.

Roth is 23-years-old. He started homebrewing with his brother in Spring 2008.  "I was cooking beer on my stove as a hobby.  It was just a cheap and totally legal way to get beer.  I just caught the bug," he said.

December of 2008 Roth and his brother Eric made Roth Brewing Co. an LLC.  The Roth brothers did not have a huge grand opening.  They didn't do a large ad campaign or even tell too many people where they were.  "We decided to open up and work on word of mouth," said Ryan.

The only "real" ad Roth Brewing Co. made was one in NCSU's Technician last summer inviting State students to come out for a Welcome Back to School Party.  "If you wore a State shirt you got a free pint glass," said Roth.  "We don't have to sell sex to sell beer--the triangle wants craft beer," Roth said of their lack of advertising.

"We're not in competition with the other small breweries in the area. They're small businesses just like us," he said. "What we're trying to do is sway the Bud-Miller-Coors crowd to drink our beers instead."

Other events coming up are the Chili Cook-off in March and sometime in late spring is the Wing Fest.

Anyone can tour the brewery at anytime.  And, if you need to use the bathroom you will get the chance.

When I inquired of the whereabouts of this bathroom, Dallas told me to "walk past the Kraken and keep straight."  'The Kraken' is the newest addition of brewing equipment in the Roth Brewery and it's huge.  It also has a/the Kraken drawn out on it.

Speaking of drawings. . . The uni-sex bathroom has some colorful artwork. Don't worry, there is a place to put your beer so you can spend plenty of time checking it all out.

LoneRider Stands Alone

Get in your car, get to Glenwood Avenue and drive past Crabtree Valley Mall.  Keep going.  
Drive past CarMax.  Keep going.  
When you're almost to Brier Creek, you have almost arrived at LoneRider Brewing Company.  (And I thought Big Boss was hidden). 
When the side street turns to gravel:  you are there.


Positioned in the warehouse used for brewing, the LoneRider tap room seems almost too simple.


And, not to sound trite, but simple is better.

Jackie Nelson tends the smallest functioning bar I've ever encountered to perfection.  Don't order a flight here, they don't do them, but she will serve you up a taste of each beer on tap.

Shotgun Betty, the hefeweizen, can be found outside the tap room, and is a favorite among Maggie Hussey and her friends. "It's just so seductively good," Hussey said, "even the label is sexy."








Andrew Townley, a Sweet Josie drinker, said he wished it was offered at more of his favorite downtown Raleigh bars instead of Shotgun Betty. 
"It's the darkest brown ale I've ever had that was enjoyable enough to drink more than one," he said of Sweet Josie.


Peacemaker, the pale ale, is a favorite of Shawn Hank a regular who lives nearby.  Of his Peacemaker preference he said, "it's hoppy and delicious, it has the perfect balance, it's a great beer."

Deadeye Jack, the seasonal porter, had run dry when I visited. Luckily Jeff A., a regular who knows his LoneRider beers, filled me in.  

"It's a real good winter beer, it tastes a lot like coffee," he said.

Currently, the brewery is not offering tours, but you almost don't need one.
With a rope dividing the two rooms, you can sit at a table with a pint (or Pale Ale Poppers from the Valentinos food truck) and enjoy the view of the brewery.  

The experience is worth the ride.

Natty Greene's: Good food, good beer, good bar.

At first, situated so close to Napper Tandy's and Hibernian, you might, like me, think that Natty Greene's is another Irish pub added to the downtown Raleigh bar scene.  But, like me, you would be wrong.   Natty Greene's is not only strictly Southern (which upon arriving is quickly made obvious), but strictly original. 

The bar only offers their own beer that is brewed in house.  And, what is better, it is likable, drinkable beer.  The Wildflower Witbier, one of the more popular offerings, is garnished with an orange slice for those pint seekers in search of one similar to a Blue Moon. 

Natty Greene's offers flutes of their beers for $1.50 each or pints for $4 each, including the six seasonal beers as well as the six year 'rounders.

They have a hard time keeping Freedom IPA from selling out, as it is their best selling seasonal beer. 

Equally tasty, are the food offerings at Natty Greene's.  Kevin Worth, 24, said he goes to Natty Greene's for a balance of good food and good draught beer. "And, lots of televisions," he added.  Of the menu he said the Buffalo Burger was his favorite and the Major General burger was the runner up.

Jordan Lawrence, 25, said he goes to Natty Greene's for the environment. "The large, open spaces and big tables make it enjoyable to eat or go to drink and watch a game," said Lawrence.

Watching a game is not why Catherine Earley, 24, an NCSU grad student goes to Natty Greene's.  Her husband, David, and she go to play games.  Complete with shuffle board and pool table, the game room, also equipped with a bar is the Earley's favorite spot. 

Already fans of the Natty Greene's in Greensboro, where the bar originated, the Earley's quickly became equally impressed with the Raleigh bar.  "The set up of the game room in Raleigh is much better than the set up in Greensboro," she said. "But Greensboro will always hold a special place in our hearts since it's the original location."

Big Boss = Big Success!

Big Boss Brewing Company is probably the best-known locally crafted beer. The brewery and taproom is located 1249-A Wicker Drive in Raleigh and offers not only the beers locally distributed, but also the ones exclusive to the taproom and the seasonal beers.

Five bucks will get you a flight of five of the eight beers currently available, including the newest Big Operator, a Belgian Black Raspberry. 

Big Operator will easily replace your current favorite dessert. It’s just that good.

Versatile enough to be well known and liked from the fresh "of-agers" to the craft beer connoisseurs, Big Boss knows how to brew what people like.  In fact, General Manager Jesse Clark said, "What separates us from the other local breweries is we brew the beer you want."

Bad Penny is the best selling beer brewed by Big Boss.  A brown ale with caramel and fruit finish, Bad Penny is a slightly sweet, “easy to drink” beer.  It is also distributed locally and can be found in local bars outside of the brewery’s taproom.

The News & Observer recently said it was the most popular as well. 

It was a little surprising to find that when asked his favorite beer on tap, Clark chose High Roller.  So did Whitten Wright a local band member that picks up shifts at the taproom as a bar back when he isn't on tour.  High Roller was also favored by another local craft beer blogger, John Odgers. 

Clark attributed the skewed view to the fact that Bad Penny is distributed outside of the taproom, but High Roller is exclusive to Big Boss' brewery. 

High Roller is an American style IPA with a strong hoppy flavor, brewed with pale and caramel malts.  It also comes off “easy to drink,” which Benton Weese the taproom bartender said could be a problem.  “The biggest mistake people make is drinking our beers fast,” said Weese. “There is a lot of alcohol in there.”

I, too, chose High Roller when it came time to pint up after the flight.  There is something to be said for exclusivity.

Bucket List: Boylan Bridge Brewpub, Check.

When I saw the sign for "Scrabble Tuesday" (which is also $1 off Pint night) I knew I had met my soul mate in brewpub form.

Maybe, you're like me and every time you pass by the Boylan Bridge Brewpub at 201 South Boylan Ave you think, "I have got to check that place out!"  Then again, maybe you aren't.  In any case, I finally ventured in. 

Okay, so it wasn't Scrabble Tuesday, but it was Wednesday and I got a chance to sit down with head brewmaster, Andy Laco to chat about the brewpub and brewing process.

Laco is a stout drinker.  He told me this as he ordered the Pullman Porter.
They're both dark, rich, robust beers from what their description tells us. 

After trying the flight of beers (for $6 you can try 4 oz. of all six beers), I settled on the Gantlet Golden Ale.  The Gantlet is light-bodied, but has the strong bitter taste of hops.

"If you like a beer or don't it is generally your taste.  There are certain elements that have to be there--it's like any other form of art--what is off for one beer might be right for another," said Laco.

Laco, 25, dabbled with home brewing in college at Appalachian State where he graduated with a degree in History in 2007.  From January to June 2008 he worked as an apprentice and then four months ago, he was promoted to head brewmaster. 

Every few months Boylan creates at least two seasonal beers.  Be looking for a Spring IPA and a Scottish Ale coming up soon.

At this time, all of the beers are 6% alcohol to maintain consistency. 

Boylan Brewpub opened their doors on February 27, 2008. With probably the best view overlooking downtown Raleigh, Boylan Brewpub is positioned perfectly for an array of events, including weddings.

Although they do not typically have live music, for special events they will, such as the upcoming anniversary show next month.

I regret to report that even though the brewpub also has a full kitchen and (apparently bangin') menu full of options, I did not try anything during my visit.

I did have the chance to talk with Sam, the head chef, who started working at Boylan Brewpub back in April of 2008. 

Of the current menu offerings, Sam said he is most proud of the catfish and cornbread. 

"It's a Southern classic reinvented," he said. "The traditional recipe is fried catfish and little cornbread squares, but we serve it with Johnnycakes instead," he told me.  (Johnnycakes, for the NC transplants, are  like "cornmeal pancakes").  The catfish is served with a corn and pablano sauce making it a
Southern/Tex-Mex entree.

In between refills, Matty, the bartender filled me in on the daily specials.

Tuesday:  $1 off Pint Night (Scrabble Tuesday)
Wednesday:  $1 off Wine glasses
Thursday:  $5 Martinis
Friday & Saturday:  $6 Cocktails
Sunday:  $5 Bloody Mary's & $6 Mimosas

Matty makes the Bloody Mary mix which is garnished with a piece of dried okra, a dried green bean and a celery stick.

If, when you visit, you hear a bell ringing, that means someone left without leaving a tip. Don't be that person.