With breweries popping up everywhere in the state of North Carolina, it’s getting harder and harder to stand out and be noticed. But a recent visit to Sycamore Brewing down in Charlotte showed me that there is still plenty of room for breweries to compete! Sycamore Brewing does a fantastic job of not only making great beer but also turning their brewery into a community and destination meeting spot.
What makes Sycamore Brewing such a great brewery is their multi-use design. Outside they’ve got the typical beer garden setting with a bar and picnic tables. I’ve heard they also do live music here from time to time. Head on inside to the main bar/tap area where you’ve got the usual Edison lamps overhead and a large variety of their on-premises brews, very impressive. And then they’ve got a side-room and hang-out area with four-tops which allows you to get a group together to enjoy your beers in a more civilized fashion! The interior is modern and slightly rustic, it feels a bit like a restaurant. Sycamore Brewing does do sandwiches, Monday to Thursday and has food trucks to cover the weekend.
Checking out their beer list is a LOT of fun! 16 beers on taps in a variety of styles and flavors. Sycamore has come up with some creative, cool names like the Salty Coconut Red Ale and Gourd Have Mercy Pumpkin Amber. A lot of the beers have a bit of a twist whether it’s some fruit, spice or cask aging. I start off with the vanilla session ale on this hot afternoon. And it’s a smooth, clean beer great for the heat but with some lip-smacking vanilla on the back end, nice. My next beer an Apricot Wheat is well-balanced between the light carbonation and fruit flavor, nice job there too.
As we roll into 5pm, the crowd at Sycamore Brewing thickens with the happy hour crowd. Young professionals from the local offices mixed with Carolina Panthers fans in teal blue. It seems like a happy place and it should be with this great beer, solid service and cool, mixed space. I would love to have a spot like Sycamore Brewing up in the Triangle. While we have some really good breweries, none quite as well put-together as this place. So awesome job Sycamore Brewing for raising the bar!
2161 Hawkins Street
Charlotte, NC 28203
704.910.3821
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