Siren Song of The South
The missus and I recently went exploring for possible retirement/relocation sites in North and South Carolina. The three-week trip saw us accumulate 2360 miles; we saw some great possibilities and met some great folks. Naturally, we gravitated also to some superb beer places and, as the PubScout, I felt obligated to review as many as I could before my new bedtime of 9:30 PM.
To say that craft beer is exploding in those two states is an understatement of the highest order. Whether the beer comes from start-up breweries, special tasting rooms or the beer menus of many restaurants and pubs, it's no stretch to say that any beer nut will find the offerings varied, plentiful and in many cases, noteworthy.
There were so many places offering quality beer that time, space and belly constraints necessitated some selectivity. So here are the highlights, in as compact a form as possible. Some are just single beers, and some are places that we found to be comfortable, neat quaffing spots. Our adventure began in Morehead City, took us to Leland, Wilmington and a host of other neat locations, like Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach and Calabash in Brunswick County. From there it was south to Myrtle Beach, Murrell's Inlet and eventually Hilton Head, Bluffton and environs in SC. Just click on the heading of each place to learn more.
This very neat wharfside restaurant had exceptional food and an exceptional view, but the first two bottles of NC beer the server brought (nameless here, because it's usually a quality brew) had particulates in it that clearly did not come from being fermented in the bottle. As a testament to the restaurant's insistence on customer satisfaction, as well as to legendary Southern hospitality, our server brought out one that wasn't "flocculated" (as in "What the floc is that in my beer?"), and took all our drinks off the bill. Her manager searched for and pulled all infected bottles and sent an email to the brewer while we were there. A class operation is always a good visit.
This place is the quintessential dive bar: tacky, gaudy, fly-ridden--and totally awesomel. After our two-mile stroll on empty Atlantic Beach, we opted for mixed drinks instead of beer. Alyssa made one helluva Planter's Punch, though she called it her specialty and something else. I had two, and they went down most smoothly. Probably due to the scenery...
This very unique place with a fascinating name history, not to mention fabulous food, was packed--with a waiting line--when we arrived. But apparently The PubScout's reputation is recognized outside of NJ, and youthful owner David Brumley seated us immediately. The Bang-Bang Shrimp and Amos' Famous Meat Loaf were heavenly, and they both paired well with Foothills' Hoppyum. The Chocolate Creme Bruleé is a must try.
This new company had its grand opening just two months prior to our visit. Right in downtown Morehead City, this beautifully designed space also had a few previous iterations. It was a movie theater in 1941, and thereafter a Belk's, a consignment store, a church and then a roller rink. But it's current use is undoubtedly the best. Owned by the Poppe family with dad Charlie (above) at the head and son Matt (right) in charge of marketing, CCB offers some very good beers. Served in a custom-made, painted wooden board that reflect the logos of lots of NC breweries, flights are generous; and knowledgeable servers Billy Smith and Manager Greg Stumbo are more than happy to chew the fat with customers, all the while serving some damned fine beer. It's worth the trip just to see the magnificent bar made with different shades of barley, and if the Poppe family (above) is in the house, meeting them is icing on the cake.
The only place we purposely visited twice (because of Chris Creekmore, right), The Boundary House has a clam chowder that's worth driving for, a special house salad that knocked our socks off and some great beers with which to enjoy them. Its decor is airy, beachy and teak-oriented, and it's a marvelous setting in which to eat and quaff. Try the Jade IPA with the dishes above, and you'll be visiting Calabash twice, as well, even if it's just to wander about in Callahan's Gift and Christmas shop next door.
This place was one of our agent Chris Creekmore's favorite places (another being the Boundary House above), and its beer menu was extensive, indeed. So was the food menu. The food was good, the staff friendly and the interior was deceptively large and airy, given the storefront look of the place. Definitely a premier lunch stop if you're ever in Shallotte--which is pronounced Sha-loat, accent on the loat.
This place was so unique, it deserved its own story. Read it here.
As I had reviewed this brewpub twice in the past on earlier visits, we just stopped in for a beer--and what a beer it was. Though former brewer Kevin (below) has now been moved up to management, the new brewer, Chris McGarvey, clearly knows what he's about. His Belgian Quad was outstanding. FSB has a great selection of beers and food, and its location right in the middle of bustling Wilmington makes it a hopping place at most times. If you've never been, you owe yourself a visit.
Because there was a major triathlon with runners going right through the center of the city on the day we visited, we were forced to park some distance away. Fortunately, the Copper Penny Pub was just a half-block away. It, too, was packed, and we had to wait at the bar for ten minutes before a hightop opened up. It had a very extensive beer list which included Lieutenant Dank from Wicked Weed. Always a good choice, no matter who owns WW now. The food was good and reasonable, and if you don't mind a high level of pub hubbub, you should enjoy your visit.
As we were based at our relatives' beach condo (thanks Ray and Lisa!), the missus wanted to visit Havana's. Good choice, too. Havana's has won a local Clam Chowder Contest for six years running, and it's so good, they willingly dropped out of the competition to give somebody else a chance. But you should take the chance to have some of it, along with a Swell Rider Tangerine IPA from D-9 in Cornelius. The matchup was so good, I called the manager, Brian, over torecommend that he have his servers suggest the beer to anyone who ordered the award-winning chowder.
We wanted to grab a quick lunch before meeting with Chris Creekmore, so we hit Independence Mall on his recommendation. We were heading towards a Ruby Tuesday's when we spied San Felipe's Mexican Restaurant across the way. In the mood for Mexican, we went in and sat down. Phenomenal. The food was outstanding and very reasonable, and the beer list, while not overly extensive, offered Huger Street IPA from Palmetto Brewing, which I'd never had. It was excellent, and it went perfectly with my Mexican dish.
I suppose if you've seen one Irish pub, you've seen them all, but Paddy's was situated in a very neat complex called the Cotton Exchange, a collection of shops that cuts through a city block. Paddy's had the distinct feel of a Prohibition-era speakeasy. The Shepherd's Pie was good, accompanied by a Hoppyum from Foothills.
We stopped here for lunch on our way to a two-day stay in Myrtle Beach. It's a chain, but there were some good beers and acceptable food on the menu. As I took the opportunity to savor two DogFish Head 90-Minute IPA's, the best I can recall about my meal is that it was sliders. And small ones at that. But when it's lunchtime and you're hungry, it's any port in a storm. It had 7,000 TV's all showing NFL games, but I didn't watch one of them, and I won't until Goodell resigns.
I have two buddies, Jim and Wayne (right) from the PAHS Fabulous Class of '65 who each reside in Myrtle Beach, so we planned to meet at this very neat restaurant. An excellent beer list and an equally good food menu explains why this place is doing a land office business. Staff like Bridget and Ariana (below) are also a big part of that appeal.
While I passed on an appetizer called "Monk Turds," I did enjoy the Zip-ah-de-do-dah Shrimp and a delicious turkey wrap. Ariana, who should probably be modeling somewhere, gave me a great tip on a beer called Driftwood IPA. It went perfectly with my meal. There's only one other Grumpy Monk in Monroe, NC (so far), but if you can get to either, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
We visited with friends in Hilton Head, SC, and we went out to lunch in Beaufort, SC (pronounced Byoo-fort here). The food was good and the beer was good, with a very extensive beer list, but the service was horrible. Customers shouldn't have to go up to the bar to fetch their beer, which the server didn't bother to put in after taking our order. Apparently, the servers in this place never heard that TIPS is an acronym for To Insure Prompt Service. Drinks shouldn't take twenty-five minutes to get to the table. Venture there at your own risk--and only if you have time to kill. Lots of it.
Craft Tasting Room and Growler Shop--Charlotte, NC
On the way back home, we stopped to visit our son and daughter-in-law in Charlotte, and he and his kidney donor wife took us to a place called Craft. VERY neat place with a large collection of beers--including an extensive sour list and a beer made with grits! Flatbread munchies and a friendly staff in the person of Amy (above) made it a very pleasant stop. If you like beer and quaffing in a very comfortable atmosphere, go here. I enjoyed a "Good Morning Viet Nam" immensely, and I hear Amy's last name is "Baker." (She'll get it.)
Two good stops with nice beer choices, all within walking distance of the Craft place above. As I said, places like this are popping up in the South like dandelions in the Spring.
The 9.9% Chop (left) at Unknown was kick-ass. Owner Brian Shell should be proud.
I'd visited and reviewed this brewery previously. As I mentioned above, their Swell Rider IPA is excellent with seafood, especially good clam chowder, and their Brown Sugar Brown Cow Mocha Brown Ale was quite tasty, especially during the early lunchtime hour. They're big into sours, too, and their reputation is growing throughout NC.
It's a Wrap
The PubScout hopes you enjoyed these accounts. And if the Siren Song of The South ever lures you southward, you'll have a reference point or two. There are so many places popping up for good beer in the South, that even if I make the move and pick up stakes, I'll have plenty to keep me occupied. And, of course, I'll report back to you.
Cheers!
The PubScout
