Complete list and map of Charlotte's 30+ local breweries, plus the most popular beer at each
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Sycamore rooftop in South End. Photo: Andy Weber/Axios
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.
What we're watching: Distro Beer Hub, a beer hall that'll house four North Carolina breweries, will open soon in South End.
Go deeper: 12 best breweries in Charlotte
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.
Stop by: University City at 8821 JW Clay Blvd.
Sip on this: Bang Bang, a hazy IPA made with El Dorado hops along with Mosaic and Citra hops (7.3% ABV).
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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.
Stop by: Belmont neighborhood, 1016 N. Davidson St.
The vibe: Expect a laid-back neighborhood feel. They have a nice patio space for warm days.
Sip on this: 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.
Stop by: 4001 Yancey Road in Lower South End (LoSo)
The vibe: Lively without feeling overwhelming.
Sip on this: Golden Monkey, a Belgian-style Tripel with banana and cloves by Victory Brewing (9.5% ABV).
Go deeper: 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.
Stop by: 1214–1216 Thomas Ave. in Plaza Midwood
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.
Sip on this: The Heavenly Atmosphere of Unrelenting Nothingness, an imperial stout with flavors of hazelnut, cocoa nibs, toasted coconut, vanilla bean and sea salt (14% ABV).
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Divine Barrel Brewing
Owner Ben Dolphens describes Divine Barrel's beer as a "good mixture of different experiments" that take on classic styles.
Stop by: 3701 North Davidson St. in NoDa
The vibe: Rustic and industrial-style taproom.
Sip on this: 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.
Stop by: 6209 Old Post Road
The vibe: The taproom is mid-century modern with a touch of bohemian, and the patio is dog-friendly.
Sip on this: Foggy Bottom Boi, a "juicy" New England-style IPA (6.5% ABV).
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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.
Stop by: 1115 North Brevard St., on the ground floor of Optimist Hall
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.
Sip on this: Triple Hop Beard, a West Coast-style IPA hopped with Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe (10% ABV).
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Free Range Brewing
Find the cozy taproom across the parking lot from Amélie's in Villa Heights. There are regular music performances, an occasional market and a menu full of dynamic beers.
Stop by: 2320 N. Davidson St. in Villa Heights
The vibe: The taproom has a casual farmhouse aesthetic.
Sip on this: Cream of the Crop, a Carolina cream ale (5% ABV).
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Gilde
It's one of Germany's oldest breweries.
Stop by: 3530 Dewitt Lane in Lower South End
The vibe: Stepping inside feels like you're inside an authentic German beer hall.
Sip on this: Gilde Pilsener, a traditional German lager, is the flagship beer (4.8% ABV).
Go deeper: Long-awaited German brewery Gilde opens in LoSo
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Heist Brewery
Heist is one of the city's original breweries. Its NoDa taproom (2909 N. Davidson St.) is closed for repairs following a fire last summer but is expected to reopen this year. It'll also have a stall at the Distro Beer Hub.
Stop by: Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts is located near Camp North End at 1064 Woodward Ave.
The vibe: 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.
Sip on this: Citraquench’l, a hazy IPA that’s brewed and double dry-hopped with all Citra hops (7.1% ABV).
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Hi-Wire Brewing
The Asheville-based brewery has an 8,743-square-foot taproom with a large roll-up garage door for indoor-outdoor access.
Stop by: 330 W. Tremont Ave. in South End
The vibe: Fun and approachable— catch an aerial arts performance here by Cirque du Biere.
Sip on this: Mountain Water, one of the flagship ales that's bright and citrusy with flavors of lemon and lime (4.5% ABV).
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Hopfly Brewing Co.
Hopfly occupies the former home of Unknown Brewing Co., which was acquired by the Rocky Mount-based brewery in 2021. After undergoing extensive renovations, Hopfly opened in February of 2022.
Stop by: 1327 S. Mint St. in South End
The vibe: Vibrant and modern, a go-to spot for Charlotte FC post- and pre-games.
Sip on this: Crunchtime, a light lager with crisp and clean tasting notes (4.5% ABV).
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LaBARatory
LaBARatory is a brewery and soju distillery by the same owners as Seoul Food Meat Co.
Stop by: 2315 N. Davidson St. inside the Urban District Market.
The vibe: Step inside the food hall, grab a drink from the bar and take it to nearby Seoul Food Meat Co.
Go deeper: Everything there is to eat, see and do at Urban District Market
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Legion Brewing
Legion Brewing has established a network of breweries around the city with locations in Plaza Midwood, SouthPark and West Morehead.
Stop by: 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.
Sip on this: Juicy Jay, an East Coast IPA brewed with Mosaic, El Dorado and Cascade hops for a tropical taste (6.3% ABV).
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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.
Stop by: 3000 South Tryon St. in South End
The vibe: On weekends, the outdoor space feels like a backyard cookout with live music and food trucks.
Sip on this: Citraphelia, an IPA made with Citra hops (6.4% ABV).
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Lost Worlds 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.
Stop by: Metropolitan, 1100 Metropolitan Ave.
The vibe: It has an exploration theme and overlooks Little Sugar Creek Greenway.
Sip on this: 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.
Stop by: 4528 Nations Crossing Road in LoSo.
Sip on this: 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: 400 North Polk St. in Pineville
Sip on this: Hour Mark, the flagship IPA that's brewed with El Dorado, Comet and Azacca hops (7% ABV).
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Monday Night Brewing
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 Neapolitan pizzas.
Stop by: 2217 S. Tryon St. in South End
Sip on this: Blind Pirate, a blood orange IPA the brewery describes as a “juicy hop bomb” (7.4% ABV).
Go deeper: See inside Monday Night Brewing
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NoDa Brewing Company
The brewery is known for its year-round staples like Jam Session and seasonal batches like Gordgeous.
Stop by: NoDa, 2921 N. Tryon St. and Villa Heights
- Its Villa Heights taproom at 2229 N. Davidson St. is exclusively an event venue.
The vibe: It's a go-to for weekend activities — keep up with events here.
Stop by: Hop Drop 'n Roll, a 2014 World Beer Cup Gold Award Winner made with English, American, Vienna and wheat malts (7.2% ABV).
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Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
This quintessential Charlotte brewery is home to a massive biergarten that welcomes children and dogs. Olde Meck follows the German "Reinheitsgebot" (aka the oldest beer purity law in the world) when brewing its award-winning beer.
Stop by: 4150 Yancey Road in Lower South End and 15025 Bowl St. in Ballantyne.
The vibe: The inside of the OG spot feels like a tavern-y, old German brewhaus, and outside is an expansive, airy biergarten.
- In Ballantyne, you'll get the same expansive biergarten and family-friendly vibe, just in a more modern-feeling spot.
Sip on this: Copper, a Düsseldorf-style Altbier known as the brewery’s flagship (4.9% ABV).
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Petty Thieves Brewing Co.
Petty Thieves is known for its experimentation and the smaller brewhouse that allows for a rotation of new brews.
Stop by: 413 Dalton Ave.
The vibe: Designed like an old cigar lounge, the space is filled with well-worn leather couches and thrifted finds.
Sip on this: Mirrorform, an American pale ale with medium body (5.3% ABV).
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Pilot Brewing Co.
It calls itself a nano-brewery due to its focus on small-batch and experimental beers.
Stop by: 1331 Central Ave. in Plaza Midwood
The vibe: Casual and cozy.
Sip on this: The Island Hopper, a rotating showcase IPA.
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Protagonist
Expect a wide beer selection and large pizza slices.
Stop by: 227 Southside Drive in LoSo
The vibe: Enjoy a beer while people-watching on its street-facing outdoor patio.
Sip on this: 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.
Stop by: 2101 Central Ave. in Plaza Midwood and 224 E. Seventh St. inside The Market on Seventh Street.
The vibe: A dog-friendly neighborhood hang-out spot in Plaza Midwood and a small stall inside The Market on Seventh Street in Uptown.
Sip on this: Lightning Drops, one of their flagship hazy IPAs made with tropical fruits (6.5% ABV).

Salud Cerveceria
This James Beard-nominated spot has a beer and bottle shop downstairs and a taproom upstairs.
Stop by: 3306 N. Davidson St. in NoDa
The vibe: Eclectic and artsy. They serve food and coffee, so you could spend all day here. Once a month, they host Latin nights with free salsa lessons.
Sip on this: Salud x Around the Horn Going Back To Cali, a West Coast IPA with Incognito Mosaic, HBC 586 and Mosaic (7% ABV).
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Seaboard Brewing
Seaboard LoSo doesn't produce beer like its original location in Matthews.
Stop by: 3232 South Blvd.
The vibe: It feels like a taproom, but they don't brew beer there. It does have a full-service bar and food menu.
Sip on this: 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.
Stop by: 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 that has classic herbal and floral spicy aromas (5.6% ABV)
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Suffolk Punch Brewing
Suffolk Punch has become a rail trail destination in South End, with a popular taproom and an expansive beer menu.
Stop by: 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.
Sip on this: A Patchwork Orange, an IPA made with orange peel, grapefruit and papaya (5.7% ABV).
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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.
Stop by: 215 Southside Drive in LoSo
The vibe: It's a smaller space with a casual feel.
Sip on this: Sugar Creek Pale Ale, with notes of fruit, citrus, pine, and grapefruit combined with caramel (5.2% ABV).
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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.
Stop by: 2151 Hawkins St. in South End
The vibe: Friendly and energetic. Expect lots of people and dogs.
Sip on this: 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. There’s a rotating selection of other crafts, plus ciders, kombuchas, housemade sodas and other nonalcoholic options.
Stop by: 800 Grandin Road in Wesley Heights
The vibe: The 24-tap taproom feels casual, like a living room with an old-school warehouse aesthetic.
Sip on this: Broken Tared, a raspberry hibiscus sour (4.7% ABV).
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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.
Stop by: 2900 Griffith St. in South End
The vibe: Approachable, chill atmosphere. Listen to live music or play a board game.
Sip on this: 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: 2104 South Blvd. in South End
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.
Sip on this: Welcome to Trolley, a Gose with pineapple and sweet cherry puree (4% ABV).
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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.
Stop by: 3726 Monroe Road in East Charlotte
The vibe: Casual and family/neighborhood-friendly.
Sip on this: C-Note$ IPA (6.6% ABV).
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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.
Stop by: NoDa, 416 E. 36th St., and South End, 1440 S. Tryon St.
The vibe: A mix of laid-back and lively.
Sip on this: Good Morning Vietnam, a blond ale made with Ethiopian coffee and vanilla beans from Madagascar (5% ABV).

Still thirsty? Here are some more breweries to visit right outside Charlotte:
Belmont
Primal Brewery
Jekyll & Hyde Taphouse and Grill
Concord
Cabarrus Brewing Company
High Branch Brewing Co.
Southern Strain Brewing Co. Buzzed Viking Brewing Co. & Meadery
Cornelius
Ass Clown 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
Neoteric Brewing Company
Indian Trail
Sweet Union Brewing Company
Kannapolis Old Armor Beer Company
Matthews
Seaboard Brewing, Taproom & Wine Bar
Mount Holly
Traust Brewing
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 2025.
