It was a warm Wednesday beerventurer morning and what better way to spend it than by drafting an early morning game plan to visit a new state and three new breweries in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. Weeping Radish, Brewing Station and Lost Colony (Full Moon Café) were located within driving distance of Kyle’s house so we figured we would chalk up another state while Kyle was working.
Weeping Radish Farm Brewery (Grandy, NC)
When Uli Bennewitz left Bavaria and immigrated to North Carolina in the early 1980’s it was illegal to brew beer and sell it directly to customers… a terrible idea that was soon rectified through countless hours and hard work with state lawmakers. After this travesty of a law was corrected, Uli paved the way for the founding of his Bavarian brewpub in Grandy, NC; which opened its doors in 1986 and is the oldest brewery in North Carolina.
Because Uli was from Bavaria, and his beer was going to be authentic Bavarian styles, he of course brewed to the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516. For those of you unfamiliar with Bavarian purity laws it boiled down to only using 4 ingredients: Malt, yeast, water and hops. No additives, no chemicals, no preservatives. No bullshit, only beer.
There were 7 taps available, and the fight came in 7 so it was a no brainer. There was also a sausage flight, so obviously being huge fans of sausage we also partook in that flight. From least to most enjoyed we had the Red ale, Corolla Gold, Black Radish Bier, IPA, OBX Kolsch Beer, Weizen and Dunkelweizen. With the exception of the Weizens, everything on this flight was very basic. Not bad, but nothing to really draw us in. I believe we can blame the purity law for this because now a day we really appreciate the bullshit in beer as oppose to the modesty and purity that beer was. The Weizens were certainly above average in the Weizen department. Nothing crazy exciting going on in the beer itself, but they were exceptional by their own style standard and really showcased their flavor when stacked next to their peers on the board.
I’ve never been to a brewery in Bavaria, but I’m confident in saying that this place is as authentic as you can get state side. Barn style warehouse, great butchered meat selection, and a literally archaic beer standard. If you’re a fan of traditional, nonfunk beer, Weeping Radish brews are right up your alley. You can even get the classic mini casks to go! Super stylish I might add. However, if you’re beerventuring this brewery will not satisfy your craving for the bold an unusual. We can only give Weeping Radish 2.95 out of 5.
Even though we aren’t giving out the highest of marks, we’re confident in saying that it certainly is worth your time to stop at the oldest brewery in NC. Without the hard work put in by Uli in the 80’s, the antiquated consumer purchasing restrictions might still be in effect today and those laws certainly would have handicapped the growth of the industry. So if you passing through on your way to the Outer Banks, take a sausage stop and raise a pint to Uli and the Radish.
Outer Banks Brewing Station (Kill Devil Hills, NC)
Outer Banks Brewing Station of Kill Devil Hills, NC was the next brewery on our list, and unfortunately I had to take a work call during the entire stop. So no 20 questions with the bartender for me. We did learn that the brewery is the first wind powered brewery in the US, so that’s something cool right?
But you’re not here for the wind. Unless you’re sailing or wind surfing, or kiting, or maybe some sort of meteorology trip I guess. The beer. There were only 4 drafts on tap that afternoon so we picked a flight of 3 since we paid by the sample. Winter is Coming Stout, Local Spirit Belgian Dubbel, and Lucky 7 sour ale. At this point in the year it’s more like winter has passed, but right in front of me was the eerily familiar motto of the Starks. *Checks for white walkers* No, we’re good. Winter is Coming Stout is one of those stouts that was so light, it was more of a light porter or darker brown. It didn’t really possess the stout characteristics from any of the normal categories: dry, milk, imperial, coffee, chocolate… It was just kind of murky water with some roast flavor.
Local Spirit is a Belgian Dubbel that fermented in a rum cask with rum-soaked pecans with cinnamon and vanilla. The pecan and vanilla flavor didn’t really come through in the palate or the nose, but the rum and a little cinnamon was certainly present. The body was light, and the flavor didn’t come as advertised but we really enjoyed this rum packed Dubbel. Lucky 7 was their new creation and they weren’t too sure if they were going the right direction. I gave it a decent mark because it wasn’t overly sour. Melissa gave it slightly lower marks because it wasn’t overly sour. So, interpret that as you will.
Outer Banks Brewing Station has plenty of room and food to accommodate even the largest of groups, but the beer choices were pretty limited in our opinion. But, there was a full bar available for patrons who can’t find a beer suited for them. We give Outer Banks Brewing Station 4 green stars out of 5.
First in Flight- Wright Brothers National Memorial (Kill Devil Hills, NC)
Just down the road from Outer Banks Brewing Station is Kitty Hawk (Kill Devil Hills), and home to the Wright Brothers historic first flight and memorial! If you enjoy history we highly recommend the stop and the walking tour. The tour is about an hour long, and it really puts a lot of perspective on the tale. Check out the tour hours prior to arriving in town and plan your stop accordingly to maximize your academic to beer ratio. Outer Banks Brewing Station is literally 5 minutes down the road. Also try to avoid the big tour buses and school trips.
Lost Colony Brewery (formerly Full Moon Café) (Manteo, NC)
Located on Roanoke Island in Manteo, NC, Lost Colony may be hard to find but it’s hardly lost. Manteo is a quaint bay town on the inside of the Roanoke sound. The brewery itself was actually an afterthought. The wife of the brewer had opened up a restaurant (Full Moon Café) while the brewer dabbled in home brewing. Eventually, his home brewing grew to the point that a garage could no longer sustain his habit and the duo went full steam into opening a new brewpub.
It was getting late in the day so we ordered some wraps, and a small flight of four. In order from most to least favorite we had the Buxton Brown, Hibiscus Ale, Naggs Head IPA, the Manteo Porter. There wasn’t a whole lot to tell about any of these beers. The brown was standard brown. The hibiscus certainly had the nose of hibiscus, but the profile was really watered down and didn’t have much flavor. The Nags Head was a classic IPA. The star of the flight was the Manteo porter. It was also a tad light on the body department, but it actually complimented the warm afternoon so not too many complaints.
There were a handful of customers in the café portion of the pub, but not a whole lot of action on the bar side except for a stool at the end of the bar that appeared occupied. A full pint, and an open book. As we read through the menu, we came to the last page to learn that this seat was always taken by the brewers father who is no longer with us. They pour a pint in his honor, and place a good book down in remembrance of him; an interesting ritual we’ve never seen in any brewery before.
The Lost Colony of Outer Banks scores a 3.1 out of 5 on our brewery scale. The wraps were sufficient, and the beer was good but there wasn’t a whole lot that sets this brewery apart. Combine that and the fact it’s a little bit off the beaten path to get to, we chalk this brewery up as a maybe stop. Even if you don’t get to the brewery itself, we were told that their local distribution is very high so you will probably get a chance to sample one of their beers at a local watering hole.
The Wonders of Kroger
Being from NY and CT, it’s a strange occurrence for us to have a drink in places other than a brewery, distillery, winery, restaurant or bar. And yet here we are. In the midst of families going about their day, shopping for necessities, we’re drinking full pints in a grocery store. Weird, right? Well it’s going to be even weirder when I tell you that we had full pints of Big Foot 2016, and 2017, and fresh 2017 KBS for under $5 a pint. Not to mention there were other tap handles of local beers which certainly weren’t slouches either. Good beer and cheap pours is why Kyle calls Kroger his after work bar; and can you blame him?
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