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| - I attended a sneak peek grand opening party with about 100 other people. It felt crowded and busy, but not overwhelmingly so -- a good number of people in the space. It was about 95 degrees outside, so everyone was inside avoiding the heat - there is certainly more capacity when you can comfortably take advantage of the outdoor spaces too.
The venue is tucked into a neighborhood in the West End, it's a little off the beaten path ...for now. There's a main parking lot in the front of the building and 2 side lots (that are not that well-lit, I would likely avoid parking there at night until they get some brighter lights out there). Oddly, there are a couple old train cars in the side lot that look like they've been burned a few times - weird, but cool.
The brewery and taproom are gorgeous. There's lots of beautiful, exposed wood throughout the tasting room. The front porch has rocking chairs and picnic tables. The interior has several large communal tables downstairs - or, you can head upstairs to a loft area for a more intimate setting.
The beers - we were able to try several during this event. We had a kolsch, IPA, black IPA, shandy (made with the kolsch and a grapefruit/citrus soda), amber, and a stout. The beers were all very tasty and worth trying. I'm not a fan of IPAs, so those were a bit lost on me, but overall nice selection. The amber really stood out with a rich flavor. They were also serving a number of guest taps from other local breweries - I don't know if this will remain long-term, but it's a nice option as they are building up their offerings.
Behind the bar, you'll see a number of guitars and banjos hanging on the wall. For a refundable deposit on your bar tab, you can check out an instrument for your visit. I LOVE this - drink beer and enjoy some impromptu music on the porch - very, very cool!
Overall, another great addition to Charlotte's beer scene.
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