Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Raise your glass: New beer fest on horizon

Our state's craft breweries will be in the spotlight this spring at the inaugural North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival, set for May 14 at Rural Hill in Huntersville.

Brewers will include Highland Brewing Company of Asheville and Carolina Beer & Beverage of Mooresville. Musical acts slated to perform are headliners Chatham County Line and Eric Lindell, along with Charlotte's own New Familiars, Moonshine Racers, Sol Driven Train, The Mantras, and Do It To Julia. The Saturday event will run 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Advance tickets are $45 per person and "Under 21" or Designated Driver tickets are $30 per person. (On May 4, prices increase to the "at the gate rate" of $60 and $40.) To buy or for more details: www.NCBrewsMusic.com. Tickets include an exclusive sampling glass. On-site camping is available by reservation; food and merchandise vendors will be on hand.

Proceeds support the preservation of Historic Rural Hill.

18 comments:

Belmonty said...

Highland is from Asheville, and they're the only brewer here. Carolina sold off their bottling to Foothills in Winston, and hasn't brewed a beer in several years. They make energy drinks. They do own Cottonwood and that's not even brewed here anymore. Four Friends is a good upstart..but hardly a showcase of NC Craft Breweries.

I suggest ppl look forward to Carolina Oktoberfest in the late summer.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the crew from "Drinking Made Easy" will be filming this event...

Anonymous said...

hell no they won't. We have a laughable brew scene here in NC. It is because it is run by all the backwards people in the state capital.

FunkyGeezerShow said...

Can't wait to hear the New Familiars.

Me said...

$45pp is outrageous

Anonymous said...

"We have a laughable brew scene here in NC. It is because it is run by all the backwards people in the state capital."

I assume you have never heard of Asheville, NC?

Anonymous said...

move to Denver, Co or Portland, Or before you try and talk like Asheville has a REAL brew scene. I have lived in both. Don't make me laugh dude. Leave NC from time to time to put things in to perspective.

Rob said...

I think you need to get up with the times...

"Asheville, North Carolina is BeerCity USA 2010. While Portland, Oregon organized a healthy challenge against the western North Carolina city of Asheville, in the end the relentless craft beer enthusiasm for Asheville won out."

Charlotte is becoming a craft beer destination as well with The Most Arrogant Bar contest winners (Stone Brewing award) for the past two years being here, Charlotte Craft Beer week, which just wrapped up Sunday (20th). Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Four Friends Brewery and two new breweries BirdSong and NoDa Brewing opening this summer. Not to mention the Charlotte Oktoberfest with hundreds of craft brews and home brews to sample. Rock Bottom and Hops also brew on premises and often have one batch creations no available from the other stores in their parent company.

Raleigh has 12 or 13 craft breweries, plus other NC breweries like Highland, Foothills, Duck Rabbit... NC is a burgeoning craft beer haven.

Someone needs to get over their West Coast superiority complex...

Rob said...

OH, and Asheville tied Portland in 2009 for the Beer City USA title.

Also, I meant to add Hickory Brewing to the Foothills and Duckrabbit list not Highland...

Anonymous said...

Charlotte used to have 3 or 4 brewpubs at one time

Dilworth
Atlantic
Southend
Rock Bottom

Most are gone, we've got some mighty fine trend following clubs for Miller Lite crowd to show for it.

Anonymous said...

Oh boy, another beerfest in Charlotte. I'll have to press my khakis and iron my white polo!

Anonymous said...

Oh THIS oughta fire up all the Bible thumpers!!!

Anonymous said...

$45? Seriously? I'm headed to Madison, WI, next month to buy tickets to The Great Taste beer fest, held in August. They have about 150 - 200 brewers there, and it's $35. When I see more breweries attending, then I'll think about attending the NC fest.

Anonymous said...

Wow $45 is ridiculous! It's $30 for the Dayton Ale Fest, give me a break Charlotte...

Anonymous said...

The rate is very reasonable. It is not just a beer festival. It is 8 bands including two national headliners and many regional performing acts. The ticket price would cover the music ticket alone at Verizon Amphitheater.

There always haters in the crowd. This festival will be a weekend setting with camping, awesome beer and music from NC, right in our backyard!

Some of you need to get a clue on the beer scene in Charlotte. It's been rockin' for a few years now. Rob is 100% correct.

Anonymous said...

$45 is an awesome price for an all day music festival with beer! Charlotte Oktoberfest is great but they have no music to speak of. Can't wait to check out the New Familiars, Chatham County Line, Eric Lindell, and The Mantras and get to try beer from Noda Brewing, Birdsong, Big Boss, Lone Rider, and Highland!

Anonymous said...

Looks like breweries have been added since the initial announcement and it benefits a local non-profit.

Count me in!

Anonymous said...

Whoever said the following said it best:
The rate is very reasonable. It is not just a beer festival. It is 8 bands including two national headliners and many regional performing acts. The ticket price would cover the music ticket alone at Verizon Amphitheater.

There always haters in the crowd. This festival will be a weekend setting with camping, awesome beer and music from NC, right in our backyard!

Some of you need to get a clue on the beer scene in Charlotte. It's been rockin' for a few years now. Rob is 100% correct

There have been more brewers added and the music line up looks fantastic- sure you can pay $35 to drink some beer and listen to joe schmoe, but for only $10 more you're getting a full day of great beer, music, and helping out a great cause!