Did you know that the average American drinks about 26 gallons of beer every year? And this year, besides drinking their favorite beverage, people are trying their best to support their local communities through this difficult time. Always a cozy place for drinks and dinner, many brewpubs now offer to-go bottle or keg service served up with social distancing practices in full force. And with unique flavors and seasonal specials, retail possibilities for additional locations, bottle shops, and taprooms are ever present. Here are our picks for 3 brewpubs in the south that are brewing up big batches of community spirit.
3+ locations, Asheville, NC
Set in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains, Wicked Weed’s quirk (they once brewed a donut-infused beer) is a perfect match for Asheville, NC. After founding their original brewpub, the brand also opened The Funkatorium, the south’s first taproom dedicated to sour beers, and they now have 3 locations total—plus a pop-up wine bar.
Serving up classic pub grub with a southern twist, the brand recently partnered with an anonymous donor to provide $200,000 worth of meals for the hungry in Western North Carolina. Giving seems to be the company culture as many of their employees also donated Wicked Weed Thanksgiving turkeys to families in need this year.
With over 25 flavors, a full bottle shop, free brewery tours, and an ever-growing distribution, this brand is growing like a weed.
2 locations, Athens, GA
This Athens based brand brews 18 varieties of award winning beer (over 50 titles and counting since the brewery's beginning), including their much lauded collection of Pale Ales. Beginning as a micro-brewery by two tried-and-true beer lovers, Terrapin has grown into a full fledged tribe.
The brewery’s newest location—The Terrapin Taproom—at The Battery in Atlanta brings a BBQ brewpub and baseball into the mix. The brand’s pub calls both Terrapin’s five-barrel brew house Brew Lab and the Atlanta Braves neighbors.
And that’s not all Terrapin is building. Beginning with a wastewater pretreatment facility, the brand is out to prove that the signature terrapin isn’t the only thing green at Terrapin Beer Co. They also founded Terraprint, a sustainability campaign dedicated to clean brewing across a number of resources.
1 location, Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville is home to dozens of breweries, and Wicked Barley is a family-friendly local gem that proves you don’t need a beer empire to become a neighborhood staple.
Serving certified independent craft beer from traditional to unconventional (Cinnamon Toast Crunch beer anyone?) Wicked Barley has won multiple awards across categories for Florida’s best beer.
Nestled on the banks of Goodby’s Creek, the brand has both indoor seating and a large beer garden space where guests can enjoy the Florida sunshine. The brewery partners regularly with local vendors for holiday pop-up markets and kid-friendly events. Plus, the beer garden is dog friendly. Another stand out feature: guests can arrive by water, docking at the brewery’s 100 ft dock or kayak launch.
Missing the cozy comfort of your own favorite brewpub this year? Or maybe seeing the possibilities for one in your neck of the woods? Retailsphere can help you find the brewpub of your dreams, and you can start right now with a virtual demo.
