The North Carolina wine and beer scene is booming, and as a result, it's easier than ever for visitors to raise a glass and toast a fantastic Outer Banks vacation with a home-grown brew or delectable vintage of coastal vino.
With a wealth of favorite NC breweries and established local vineyards to choose from, visitors of all palettes are encouraged to sample the local libations. The beers and wines of the Outer Banks and of North Carolina in general are distinctive, delicious, and are gaining the national acclaim and recognition that they rightly deserve.
Local Wines and Tasting Spots
Wine making in Coastal Carolina isn't necessarily new, (although the regional Scuppernong grape-based vintages are finally gaining national attention.)
In fact, the Currituck Country mainland region was one of the first North Carolina communities that gradually developed out of a strong farming background. Initially settled in the 1700s, Currituck County soon became popular with Colonial farmers who utilized the flat and fertile landscape for large crops of cotton, soybeans, corn, and tobacco. The region was effectively perfect for farming, as the hot and moist climate, combined with the area's proximity to neighboring ports in Virginia and coastal North Carolina, made both growing and exporting products a relatively easy venture.
While the region never exploded with major cities, a large population, or industrial companies, farming was always Currituck's "big business," and the region is still well-known for its fantastic produce. In fact, summertime visitors along US Highway 158 en route to the Outer Banks will still spot hundreds of acres of cornfields, which are harvested and shipped off to southern regions all along the East Coast.
This warm coastal environment and rich soil is what first attracted vintners as well, to both mainland Currituck and Dare Counties. Wine-making entrepreneurs soon realized that the same exceptional conditions that attracted mainstream farmers for hundreds of years could also prove productive when it came to growing grapes and producing wines, and within a few decades, the region became home to a small but productive handful of local vineyards that have been gaining steady acclaim. Unique and undeniably Outer Banks, these vineyards prove that exceptional wines can be grown and effortlessly enjoyed in coastal North Carolina.
Sanctuary Vineyards - Drive past Jarvisburg along US Highway 158, and you'll spot the 10 acres of grapevines that comprise the Sanctuary Vineyards. Located adjacent to the Cotton Gin, one of the most popular mainland gift shops in Currituck County, the vineyards are open daily year-round, typically from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and impress patrons with more than 13 varieties of reds, whites and dessert wines to sample on site.
Sanctuary Vineyards is a relatively new vineyard in the region, (and is just over a decade old), but is undeniably one of the most popular in Eastern NC. The extensive site features cellar and vineyard tours, an on-site gift shop, and free tastings of some of the vineyards' latest and greatest bottles. Crafted with the signature wine grapes of California and Europe - including sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, Syrah and zinfandel, the wines are barrel aged for a year before being bottled and released to the public. Their most popular recent varieties include a blended red that's a mix of cabernet, merlot and syrah mix, a semi-dry red that's mixed with chardonnay, vidal and sangiovese, and a flavorful dessert wine with obvious blackberry notes.
With daily tastings available as well as regular evening and afternoon events, (complete with live music, artisan cheeses, or other alluring accoutrements), Sanctuary Vineyards is becoming the place to go for wine lovers to congregate, celebrate, and toast the Outer Banks.
Vineyards on the Scuppernong - This Columbia, NC vineyard prides itself on cultivating the "healthiest" grape, the scuppernong, into a wide range of red, white and specialty varieties. Located in North Carolina's Inner Banks, Manteo and Nags Head visitors will be just 30 minutes away from this sweet little vineyard that offers daily tours, a wine shop, and a wine club where members can enjoy special discounts.
While every year may produce a new and unique variety of Scuppernong-based wines, the Vineyards on the Scuppernong's favorite ever-changing vintages have received a multitude of awards since 2010. One of their favorite white wines, the "Simply Scuppernong," took home medals at the North Carolina State Fair Commercial Competition, the Mid Atlantic Southeastern Wine Competition, and the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association Competition, (sometimes multiple years in the row), while other red or specialized varieties like the Jack Ass Red, the Black "Beary" and the Catawba Belle received similar or identical honors in their respective categories.
Currently, Vineyards on the Scuppernong features 6 white wines, 4 red wines, and a seasonal selection of special wines, which are all available for purchase either online at http://www.vineyardsonthescuppernong.com or in person at the Vineyards at the Scuppernong's wine shop. The Vineyards is open Thursday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Vineyard tours are given during the vineyard's hours of operation, and the site regularly hosts special occasion celebrations for Valentine's Day, Christmas, and other celebratory events.
Wine tasting spots in the Outer Banks
Visitors who are eager to taste the fantastic local, regional and even national wines that deserve special attention will find multiple options on the Outer Banks for satisfying their palettes.
Local wine and beverage shops like Chips Wine Market in Kill Devil Hills and Trio in Kitty Hawk offer an astounding selection as well as regular tastings so visitors can sample a wide variety of wines, and select their favorites as especially delectable Outer Banks souvenirs.
Chips has a special "tasting lounge" on the premises, complete with a wine station where patrons can sample a tasting pour of some of the shop's more than 2,000 different wines. With flights available for beer and wine, a "Chips smart card" for regular patrons, and special wine tasting events, Chips is a popular venue for wine lovers from all across the Outer Banks.
Trio stands for the perfect trio of "wine, beer, and cheese," and at this extensive shop, restaurant and lounge, patrons can pair their favorite local wines with a huge selection of regional, national and international cheeses, which are enticingly showcased both in their on-site cheese counter and on their daily menu. Trio hosts a number of wine-tasting and live music events, and also boasts an impressive wine dispensary station where patrons can sample an ever-rotating blend of Trio's best sellers, new arrivals, and award-winning favorites.
In addition, the Outer Banks is home to a number of local wine shops which frequently provide visitors with generous samples or educated guidance on the best local and regional wines. These wine shops are scattered throughout the Outer Banks and include Coastal Provisions in Southern Shores, The Wine Specialist in Kitty Hawk, Bacchus Wine & Cheese in Corolla, Lee Robinson General Store in Hatteras Village, and the Island Spice and Wine Shop in Avon.
A number of local restaurants also host special "wine tasting dinners," where each course is perfectly paired with a wine that's selected for its accompanying balance of flavor. The best time to take advantage of a range of wine-pairing dinners is during the annual Taste of the Beach in March, when more than 60 restaurants join forces to showcase their very best fare and beverages to food lovers.
Essentially, the Outer Banks is always celebrating its appreciation of regional wines, and vacationers won't have to travel too far to find both expert advice and a wide selection of some of the best selections that Coastal North Carolina has to offer.
Micro Breweries
Outer Banks Brewing Station - The Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills has become one of the most popular spots on the Outer Banks for both beer tastings and after-hours entertainment. Known for its exceptional beer as well as its large nightlife venue which can accommodate the top local bands and their dancing fans, this local brewery is much more than a great place to sample a new array of local beers.
The Outer Banks Brewing Station concept began in 1992, when founders Eric Reece and Aubrey Davis dreamed of a local brew pub on the Outer Banks landscape. By enlisting the help of master brewer Scott Meyer from Berkeley, California, this dream came to fruition, and now the environmentally-friendly, and much heralded brewery, is a must-stop for visiting beer lovers.
Since it first started churning out a selection of beers which range from blonde ales to the richest black stouts and porters, the Outer Banks Brewery has garnered a number of awards, including the recent Gold Medal for their German-Style Beer, MeyerBock, in the 2014 World Beer Cup, and a bronze medal in the German-Sour Ale category with the Vitis Reductus Weisse in 2012.
The brews available vary with every year and with every season, but beer lovers will enjoy a wealth of options with each visit, including pale ales, lagers, and even porters. German and Irish influences are seemingly always present, with Kolsch style brewing techniques and Guinness yeast blended into some of their seasonal favorites. Beer connoisseurs will also find a variety of brews with unlikely inspirations, like candi sugar molasses and lemongrass.
The best way to get a sample of the current beer varieties on tap is to order a flight, which is a healthy 4 oz. pour of four of the Brewery's current varieties (for about $8.00.) The brewery also offers growlers for patrons who want to take their favorite draught variety home in a 2 liter glass jug, as well as 16 oz. cans of their signature, (and uniquely citrusy), LemonGrass Wheat beer.
Patrons may come for the beer, but they should also stay for the food, as the Outer Bank Brewery features an all-encompassing menu that features bar fare, soups and salads, dinners, kids' meals, and even dessert. From hearty burgers to fresh local seafood, brewery patrons can enjoy a wide range of fresh cuisine to accompany a signature Outer Banks Brewery beer.
Outer Banks Brewery has elevated the Outer Banks beer scene and has easily become one of the most popular after-hours night spots on the OBX. These combined attributes makes it the perfect destination for beer lovers and night owls alike, and the brewery shows no signs of shedding its reputation as the place to go for a great beer in the central Outer Banks.
Lost Colony Brewery and Cafe - The relatively new-to-the-brew scene Lost Colony Brewery and Cafe has been gaining accolades in recent years from national publications like the New York Daily News and The Washington Post. The recognition is well-deserved, as this chic Downtown Manteo spot has been wowing patrons with an ever-changing and world class beer selection that's rivaled by its exquisite menu.
The brewery and accompanying cafe were the brainchild of Paul Charron and Sharon Enoch, who followed their dreams to the Outer Banks in the late 1980s, and opened up a picturesque waterfront eatery in 1995.
Formerly the Full Moon brewery, this brewer churns out 6-10 locally brewed ales / IPAs, stouts, or porters to devout beer fans every year, with definitive English influences - (an only fitting attribute considering that Roanoke Island was home to the first English settlement of the New World.) The Lost Colony Ale and the British-style Baltimore Blonde are fan favorites, while dark beer lovers will want to order a pint of the Charon Stout, which is a dry Irish brew with rich molasses, caramel and toasted malt flavors.
The rotating taps at Lost Colony Brewery always feature the brewery's longstanding favorites and seasonal varieties, in addition to a local or regional selection of top-notch beers from coastal North Carolina. Visitors can also sample a variety of the brewery's English, and even historic varieties by ordering a flight of four 5oz pours for around $7.50 - a complete treat for Outer Banks beer fans.
Beer aficionados of all tastes, however, will definitely want to supplement a pint with a sampling of the Full Moon Cafe's acclaimed fare, which has earned the brewery and restaurant honors in the annual Taste of the Beach Festival and competition. Taking cues from the fresh seafood and produce available on the Outer Banks, the Full Moon Cafe features an eclectic selection of salads, appetizers, lunch and dinner entrees, and desserts that incorporate a garden's worth of delicious ingredients. From the fresh lunchtime wraps to the English-style fish and chips, hungry beer fans will be well represented at this somewhat new Manteo favorite.
Weeping Radish Restaurant and Brewery - The famed Weeping Radish Restaurant and Brewery arguably started the trend of North Carolina microbrews, and is in fact the oldest microbrewery in the entire state of North Carolina. Established in 1986, just one year after owner Uli Bennewitz enlisted the help of a local senator to pass a bill making it legal for North Carolina breweries to sell their own beer on site, Weeping Radish is still the first local brewery that comes to mind when the beer-drinking public thinks of Outer Banks Breweries.
The Weeping Radish Brewery, after a two decade-long tenure of operation in Manteo, moved to mainland Currituck County in 2006. Despite the relocation, Weeping Radish still features the same amazing variety of German-inspired brews and fantastic cuisine that's orchestrated by master butcher Frank, who has been a trained butcher for 34 years.
The Bavarian born Uli Bennewitz crafts his Weeping Radish beers to pay homage to his roots, and with great success. Acknowledging that all the beers at Weeping Radish are brewed with only "Water, Hops, & Barley," the brewery has effectively won a number of awards over the past 30 or so years, and its signature Black Radish brew had been named as "One of 50 beers to drink before you die."
Today, visitors can still enjoy an extensive tour of the brewery as well as the adjacent farm where many of the restaurant's ingredients are grown. Always at the forefront of trends, the Weeping Radish Brewery and Restaurant was also one of the first local Outer and Inner Banks restaurants to embrace the Farm to Table movement.
On tap, visitors can enjoy some of the Weeping Radish's greats like the OBX Kolsch, the wheat beer Weizen, and the dark German lager, the Black Radish. The coinciding restaurant and pub serves up an incredible selection of traditional German fare, from classic sausage on a bun to pork schnitzel, with a few seasonal Southern staples thrown in, like fried green tomatoes.
Regardless, whether you make the trek to Currituck for the food or the acclaimed beer, the Weeping Radish is where Outer Banks beer fans go to experience the North Carolina microbrewery movement from the ground up. The Weeping Radish was the first NC brewery, and still holds strong as one of the most visited and most celebrated breweries on the Outer Banks.
Beer selections in the Outer Banks
North Carolina is experiencing a boom in the microbrewery business, and visitors can simply take a trip to their local pub to experience all the microbrews that this expansive state has to offer.
Rotating taps at local restaurants throughout the Outer Banks are now featuring acclaimed North Carolina beers. From local staples like Weeping Radish and Outer Banks Brewery to statewide favorites like Duck Rabbit and Highland, North Carolina brews are effectively taking over the local bar and restaurant scene.
In addition, beer fans will find plenty of local outlets to pick up a six pack of their favorite regional brew, or even try a couple different NC varieties while at the beach. Local beer and wine vendors like Chips in Kitty Hawk and Trio in Kill Devil Hills feature an on-site bar and lounge to sample a number of different beers, (all on tap), which hail from all across North Carolina. Both establishments feature regular beer tastings, live music, fantastic menus, or all of the above, and as a result, these two local establishments have become the favorite destinations for OBX beer loving visitors and locals alike.
With that being said, virtually any local eatery along the Outer Banks can be the perfect spot to try out a new North Carolina beer that's making waves in the microbrew community. Mack Daddy's in Avon Village, Captain Rolo's in Frisco and even the longtime local favorite Sam & Omie's in Nags Head all offer seasonal brews from North Carolina homegrown breweries for patrons who want to sample the regional fare from the groug up. Even Ocracoke Island vacationers will enjoy a world of options at local pubs, sports bars, and longtime Outer Banks staples like Howard's Pub, which offers more than 300 different kinds of beer for thirsty patrons.
Local grocery stores and convenience stores have also latched onto the NC beer trend, and it's not unusual to spot microbrewery six-packs for sale next to the national name brands. Look for tasty North Carolina brands like Carolina Brewing Company, Duck Rabbit, Highland, Mother Earth, Wicked Weed, Weeping Radish, Foothills, and Appalachian Mountain Brewing Company for regional beers that have gained national attention, but are best enjoyed at a local level.
Whether you're a beer fan or a wine fan. It's clear that there's no place like the Outer Banks for an outstanding libation that captures the homegrown flavors of scuppernong or lemongrass, but which truly tastes out-of-this-world unique. On your next Outer Banks vacation, dive into the local wine and beer culture, and discover why coastal North Carolina is carving out a spot on the international travel list as one of best places to grab a drink.
