Craft Beer Spotlight in and around Columbia, SC

Double Dry Hopped with Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe. Brewed with 2-row, wheat malt and malted oats. DIPA brewed with Belma, Styrian Cardinal, & Mosaic hops. Notes of dank tropical fruits and berries finished with a silky-smooth mouthfeel. 7.5% ABV

Untappd gives a 4.20/5.

Beer Advocate rates this beer 3.78/10.

Industry veterans Keith Fekete and Sam Kayata team up in sunny Miami to form a gypsy brewing operation called Sun Lab Brewing, with a brick and mortar coming soon to the Sunshine State.   ​ Keith has been entrenched in the craft beer business for over 14 years. He has worked in sales on both the distributor and supplier side of the business. Most recently Keith came off a nine-year tenure at Captain Lawrence where he helped successfully build the brand both domestically and internationally as their Director of Sales.   ​ Sam has been behind the brew deck for eight years perfecting his techniques and recipe development, most recently as the Head Brewer at Carton. Sam has a passion for juicy IPAs, barrel aged sours, and super crisp lagers. He is constantly experimenting with the science of brewing and ingredient combinations.​ The study of their origin and nature bring him inspiration in his pursuit of excellence to create hand crafted beers.     Taking influence from cocktail culture, culinary trends, and beer inspiration from around the world, Keith and Sam will be working hard to bring their innovative creations to your thirsty palates. They look forward to spreading their love for great craft beer and sharing pints with all of you soon!

This beer is brewed by Westbrook in South Carolina. It’s not an NEIPA. Tastes more like an American IPA. A throwback to IPA styles 3-4 year's ago. Golden color with a 4F head in a Spielgelau IPA glass. Mild grapefruit aroma. The taste is mostly citrus- predominantly grapefruit. Very bitter hoppy finish. It’s characteristic of beers from several years ago. The finish dwarfs the taste. Contemporary NEIPAs have an array of fruit and a mild hoppy finish. Good beer of you if like this style.

6.2% ABV 15 Plato 15 IBU

Sip this banana-forward banana bread pudding delight & your senses will be enveloped in aromas of banana, chocolate, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & confection. Delivered on a backdrop of a classic spiced Hefeweizen, it’s light-to medium-bodied & slightly sweet. Enjoy in traditional Hefeweizen vase, glassware of your choice, or straight from the can!  STYLE: Hefeweizen COLOR: Blonde to dark blonde HOP VARIETY: Experimental hop #06300 GRAINS: Pilsner, Red Wheat, Dextrin, & Biscuit

Untappd gives a 3.59/5.

Beer Advocate rates this beer 83/100.

Rate Beer gives a 3.54/5

RULES ARE NOT MEANT TO BE BROKEN. THEY ARE MEANT TO BE MADE.  

That's been our go-to philosophy for the past 25 years. And it's working We're a mid-sized brewery in Maryland ready to take risk after risk at the chance of greatness. We are found on shelves and taps in 21 states and DC, and internationally in Canada and France.  We like to brew by these six words: Craft Be Cherished. Rules Be Damned. It's part of our founder's history, and the value carries through our day-to- day operations, quality control and creativity. We are DuClaw Brewing Company. Now, here's how we got here.

From the time he set foot on a college campus, our founder Dave Benfield was expected to go into the family business as an electrical contractor. But rather than learning the business in his free time, his father noticed Dave was spending his time differently. By day and night, he was homebrewing, drinking his homebrew, and sharing it with others.  One day, his father said to him, "you're going to be a brewer, aren't you?" One simple nod, and the rest was history. Always cherishing the craft, never following the obvious path. Here's how it's worked out.

These guys keep impressing me with these releases, even with insane descriptors like oatmeal cream cookie and banana bread pudding - they deliver a very enjoyable product that doesn't go as overboard as their names might describe...  Not a purist's hefe I guess, but definitely builds on the hefe banana, clove, and wheat profile - not too sweet, but banana and spice are bold, with subtler chocolates and soft fruits - almost feels like something of a Tripel in there - a denser feel than a traditional hefe, but smooth and very easy to drink...

L: Poured a fairly uniform burnished gold, and even with a not at all careful pour, only formed about a finger and a half of just off-white foam. Said foam did cling nicely to the glass during consumption.  S: Plenty of banana presence, with hints of clove and citrus.  T: Opens not unlike a bite of particularly mushy overripe banana. By mid-mouth, that was overwhelmed for me by a heavy tart citrus, which obliterated most anything else I could taste. Post swallow, the citrus bite lingers, with something of a metallic tang.  F: While not watery, not quite as full or creamy a mouthfeel as one might want from their wheat beer.  O: The name alone seemed a tad gimmicky, and the beer met that expectation. While the look and nose held some promise, the actual drinking experience was a bit underwhelming, even for a US hefe. I doubt I'd repeat this one, even if the brewery were to repeat it.

5% ABV 0 IBU

2020 has not been what we expected - that’s why we made this pale ale predictably good for you to get through the new abnormal.

Untappd gives a 3.86/5.

Beer Advocate rates this beer 3.85/5.

Rate Beer gives a 3.91/5

Evil Twin Brewing was started up “nomadically” in 2010 by Jeppe Jarnit- Bjergso. In 2012, Jeppe and his family decided to make New York City their home and join the burgeoning local beer scene. In 2016, Jeppe was approached with the opportunity to finally root his ideas & dreams and Evil Twin Brewing NYC was born.

At Evil Twin Brewing NYC we wanted to expand upon the traditions of innovation & further it with the intimacy of a local neighborhood microbrewery. With more control over our recipes, we are able to experiment on new flavors while perfecting the classics.

Collaboration is a huge part of Evil Twin Brewing NYC & we are excited to be able to host & collaborate with all the amazing brewers in NYC and throughout the world within our very own home base! We strive to be a community space for all of Ridgewood and Queens and our goal is that our brewery and taproom becomes a place for locals and beer tourists alike.

Our Queens brewery has been a long time coming & we are thrilled to have this home where our families, friends, and neighbors have a place to share our love for great beer, food & culture with the Ridgewood community, NYC, & the world!

 From notes: I would say it is similar to a hazy india pale ale, that's what I would have guessed without reading the can. I think it is pretty good unlike the year it celebrates.

 Poured into a glass, its a brilliant straw/golden, thick and opaque. Smells a bit grassy, with a mild sour tinge. Well-hopped but incredibly smooth. Slight taste of citrus, its billed as an APA but has a bit of a HIPA taste. Balanced, light-bodied and 5%, its easy drinking but maybe a bit pricey at 20 bucks a 4pack. 

One of the better things to come out of 2020, honestly. Pretty solid example of a NEPA, with enough grainy sweetness and body to come across like a true NEIPA. Hops provide a burst of grapefruit zest, stone fruit, pineapple, mint, and berry, while the finish is a tasty mix of mineral, pine, and a lingering citrus bite. A very good, very surprising pint.

7.5% ABV 

Hazy IPA with Strata & Mosaic hops.

Untappd gives a 4.13/5.

Beer Advocate rates this beer 4.13/5.

Rate Beer gives a 3.95/5

Quit work and brew beer. Corporate Ladder Brewing Company was born from the fire that yearns inside all of us to stop climbing that ladder and live life. Located in Palmetto, FL off of Exit 229 via 275 South CLBC specializes in Fruited Sours, Hazy IPA's, Barrel Aged Stouts, Adjuncted Stouts, & last but certainly not least, clean and drinkable Lagers."

 16oz can. Bought as a single at Total Wine (Bloomington MN). Stamped on can bottom is '08/31/21' (canning date).
Murky, pale gold colored body. Multi finger, pillowy white head upon pouring. Lots of sludge in the body, similar to a lava lamp. Big coverage of lacing left behind.
Aroma is mandarin orange, and a bit of grapefruit rind. Has appearance of mint down deep.
Taste is citrus, and very heavy with hops. A little soapy. Hops trail off in the aftertaste.
Thicker mouth feel (is this from oats or related to the sludge?). Some hop burn at the back of the tongue and throat. Good carbonation.
Nothing distinctive, the aroma is the best part of the experience. Lots of stuff appears to be packed into this brew, and maybe it if too much.
 

8.6% ABV  50 IBU

This hazy DIPA is brewed with a simple malt bill and hopped heavily with fruit-forward Mosaic, Cashmere and El Dorado. Laced with delicate and aromatic tropical notes along with a bright berry medley and a crisp mouthfeel, it’s like diving into the Pacific on a 90 degree day. Seriously, nothin’ beats the heat, like Retreat.  Hops: Mosaic, Cashmere, and El Dorado Malts: 2-Row, Flaked Oats Yeast: London III

Untappd gives a 4.04/5.

Beer Advocate rates this beer 4.13/5.

Rate Beer gives a 4.86/5

Fresh, Fun, Approachable, Hop-Forward Hey there! We're Offshoot Beer Co. from your friends at The Bruery. Offshoot is the Bruers' playground, where we dive deep into the world of hop-forward beers. While we could definitely geek out on the intricacies of making these beers, we'd rather just open a cold one and...Relax. 

What is Offshoot? Years ago our founder Patrick Rue made a promise to NEVER brew an IPA. As time went on, our adventurous Bruers KNEW they could make world class hop-forward beers, so Offshoot was born as an offshoot of The Bruery, all while keeping Patrick's promise that The Bruery would NEVER make an IPA. 

Where The Bruers Relax Offshoot is what The Bruers drink when they're off the clock. Nothing better to help you Relax, Escape, Retreat, or Coast.

Our Year-Round Beers You can find these fresh, hop-forward beers all year long.  

Thick, murky orange pour from the tap in Meridian ID; no light is making it through this brew. First Offshoot brew for me, curious to see how they do with this style. Pretty juicy and tropical fruit-forward with notes of berry and mango, apricot and stone fruit...pretty decent malt backbone lends a sweet character to this one and harmonizes that juicy tropical fruit note throughout. Thicker body than I expected, though the alcohol was fairly invisible. Pretty good stuff.

Appearance - Pours a hazy warm amber with three fingers of foamy off-white head.  Smell - Tropical fruits (pineapple, mango), citrus fruits (orange and lemon peel), bready caramel malts, orange marmalade, hint of lemongrass, earthy yeast.  Taste - Caramel and marmalade, sweet fruit flavors (almost jam-like) of mango and orange, along with the bready malts. Not as fruit juice forward as one would expect from the style.  Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Slightly sticky.  Overall - A surprising hazy double IPA offering that isn't so in-your-face with tropical fruit juice flavor, leaning more toward the sweet jammy side. 

5.5% ABV  30 IBU

 Brewed cool in collaboration with our friends at O'Connor Brewing Company. We took this cool, experimental style and cranked it up with the addition of Phantasm. The thiol heavy Phantasm, made from NZ Sauvignon Blanc grapes, combined with the El Dorado and Mosaic hops, brings out loads of tropical and citrus flavors that blend well with the crisp, light finish of the pilsner malt base.  

Untappd gives a 3.85/5.

Beer Advocate rates this beer 3.85/5.

Rate Beer gives a No Rating

 Savage Craft Ale Works is a veteran-owned beverage company that is committed to providing the highest quality products while providing an unparalleled experience for those that visit our taproom.  We apply the same disciplined approach to constantly improving and refining our craft that we learned as members of this great country’s military.

 Our mission is simple: We make quality beer, help make West Columbia and surrounding communities a great place to work and live, take care of our employees, and are committed to supporting veterans, law enforcement and first responders. 

 We started Savage Craft because we wanted to create a gathering place for family, friends and neighbors in our community. We believe by crafting great beer we create an opportunity to foster great community. We are grateful that we are able to do what we love and we want to share it with everyone that walks through our doors. Come have a beer with us and see what we are all about it. 

 Pours a slightly orange gold with ample bead that dissipates to a fulsome ring in time.

The aroma is dominated by noble hops with a slight citrus/lemon note that peaks through.

Soda cracker and grassy lemon on the tongue. The flavours are muted. There is a dullness through the sip to swallow.

Brief crisp opening leading to a flatter finish.

While I liked this, it’s muted quality left me wanting a little more 

 This was a strange one… IPA on the front end but tasted like a rauchbier on the back end. Riddle me that 

 Hoppy on the front but a strange bitterness on the back 

5.25% ABV  23 IBU

 Blonde is a Cahaba Brewing Company staple in the Taproom and all around Alabama. A brilliant pale and light-bodied ale that's perfect on any occasion, Blonde's delicate fruitiness and restrained hops make for an easy-drinking craft beer. One of our most approachable styles for beer, Blonde is sure to please the palate of the novice and veteran craft beer drinkers alike 

Untappd gives a 3.84/5

Beer Advocate rates this beer 3.65/5.

Rate Beer gives a 3.26/5

We were just a group of friends united by our love of craft beer and home brewing when we founded Cahaba Brewing Company in the summer of 2011. Together, we pledged to create a clean and consistent beer for our community.

Cahaba quickly outgrew our first location in Birmingham’s Pepper Place/Lakeview district. A few years later, in January 2016, we moved our 3 barrel homebrew project to East Avondale and upgraded to a 30 barrel brewhouse.

Cahaba is currently located in a 51,000 square foot building in the Historical Continental Gin Complex. Our spacious Taproom has quickly become one of Birmingham’s favorite spots. With over 26 taps, our Taproom has awesome Cahaba staples like Blonde, Oka Uba, Pale Ale, and Lager, while also sporting Pilot Batch and Taproom-only offerings.

Our Taproom and event space is flexible, offering options for all varieties of private events from weddings and reunions to corporate events and birthday parties.

I would like to invite you to join us in our Taproom or from a distance with any one of our canned offerings. We are proud to be distributed throughout Alabama, including Greater Birmingham, North Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Mobile, and Gulf Shores.

 I'm trying this at PF Changs in the Summit area of Birmingham. It poured a slightly hazy golden with no head and no lace. The scent had faint hint of lemon. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink. The mouthfeel is lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a decent beer. 

 I got a pint a Pies and Pints in Birmingham.

The beer is a light chill hazed gold with some skim of white foam

The beer has an aroma of grains and perfume like hops.

The taste is on track for a blonde. Mild hopping and semisweet grains. The hops add a bit of both perfume and pine. The malts add a bit of Czech pilsner malt taste like a PU has (grainy and slightly sulphuric).

The mouth is crisp and on the lighter side.

I liked it, easy to pair with food. Simple non-thinker & easy drinker. 

 Had my first locally in Birmingham,AL on a business trip. Stopped into WOB. It is slightly sweet, and refreshing. Nice pale clear yellow. Good beer but nothing special. 

4.5% ABV  0 IBU

This hazy DIPA is brewed with a simple malt bill and hopped heavily with fruit-forward Mosaic, Cashmere and El Dorado. Laced with delicate and aromatic tropical notes along with a bright berry medley and a crisp mouthfeel, it’s like diving into the Pacific on a 90 degree day. Seriously, nothin’ beats the heat, like Retreat.  Hops: Mosaic, Cashmere, and El Dorado Malts: 2-Row, Flaked Oats Yeast: London III

Untappd gives a 3.71/5.

Beer Advocate rates this beer: no rating

Rate Beer gives a 3.15/5

F 

Wicked Weed was imagined, created, and brought to life by the Dickinsons and the Guthys; two families that have been lifelong friends, each bringing a unique skill to the collective ownership team.

Upon opening their original brewpub location in 2012, Wicked Weed was known for pushing the envelope in craft by offering 25 unique draft beers including West Coast style IPAs, barrel-aged sour ales, and more.

The growth of Wicked Weed’s sour program led to the opening of the South’s first sour beer-dedicated taproom, the Funkatorium. Wicked Weed also began to distribute beer throughout North Carolina in 2014.

Wicked Weed grew its self distribution statewide to 240 accounts. To keep up with demand, they opened their 50 barrel Clean Production Facility, Wicked Weed West located in Candler, NC. This is where flagship brands like Pernicious and Freak of Nature were bottled for the first time.

Wicked Weed sold their NC distribution rights to expand to over 2,000 plus accounts statewide and expanded distribution to Atlanta, GA. They released their first ever 6 pack cans and opened new markets in MA, DC, VA, and PA. More distribution meant more demand for sour beer so Wicked Weed opened their Headquarters and Sour Beer Production Facility, The Funk House in Arden, NC.

Wicked Weed moved their first brands into cans while completing a 30K sq. ft. expansion of Wicked Weed West. In order to continue the growth they had seen in the past six years, Wicked Weed Brewing entered into a partnership with the Anheuser-Busch family of craft breweries. Wicked Weed continued expanding to new markets in the Southeast including SC and TN.

Wicked Weed donated over $1.6M to Asheville non-profit organizations through the launch of their Beers that Build program. They expanded distribution throughout the Northeast including Manhattan.

Wicked Weed opened a fine dining restaurant next to its Funkatorium location, Cultura, showcasing sour beer in a modern, elevated space. Two months later, they opened a taproom at Wicked Weed West overlooking the entire production facility giving guests a front row seat to the brewing process while enjoying Wicked Weed beers.

Now, with four locations in Asheville including three taprooms and a fine dining restaurant, Wicked Weed shows no signs of slowing down. They continue to grow while focusing on innovation, quality, and strong roots in their community of Asheville, North Carolina.

 Pinkish orange from the can.  Not terribly complex, but it pulls off a natural watermelon aroma and flavor quite well.  Slightly sweet with just a hint of pucker.  Refreshing. 

 Watermelon and dragonfruit aroma and flavor with some nice lactic sour. Sour is pretty muted vs the smaller batch sours we had in their taproom. Sour maybe 2 or 3 of 10. Mostly lactic but has some earthy qualities. Light and refreshing and a descent kettle sour with some good qualities, but seems much more mass produced and lesser quality than some other taproom kettle sours we had of the same strength that we’re small batch and not canned. 

 12 oz. can at The Salty Dog Cafe, poured into a clear plastic cup. Pours a cloudy deep pink with a massive pink-tinted frothy head that eventually settles into a ring and cap atop the liquid while lacing the glass. Notes of watermelon and dragonfruit, both fruit and candy, and honestly not much else. Some sweetness, I suppose some underlying malts. Light-bodied, with high carbonation and a fruity, sweet, lightly tart mouthfeel. Just sweet candy-like fruit in a can.