The Perfect Brewery Hopping Day in NoDa (Charlotte)
Everyone always asks us, "What breweries should we go to when we visit Charlotte?" And honestly, that's a loaded question. We love every brewery in Charlotte for a different reason, and there are so many factors to take into consideration when finding the perfect brewery to recommend. Things like:
What beer styles do you like?
Do you want to hang out at the bar or on a patio?
Are you looking for a chill vibe or do you want to participate in an event?
Do you want to only hit one brewery, or do you want to brewery hop?
Work For Your Beer Co-Founder, Mel Fox, lives in the NoDa neighborhood in Charlotte, and she's crafted the perfect brewery hopping day for anyone who is looking to visit a variety of breweries in a short amount of time.
We've outlined each brewery to visit, why we love it, and some other details to help you have the best beer-infused day in Charlotte. Enjoy!
Divine Barrel Brewing
For your perfect brewery‑hopping day, start at Divine Barrel Brewing.
We have nothing but amazing things to say about this brewery. They made Mel's favorite beer of 2020 (Fritter & Waste, an Apple Fritter Sour Ale w/ Apple Purée, Bourbon Fired Cinnamon Sticks, & Yellow Cake, in collaboration with New Grass Brewing), and they continue to impress us with each release.
The Beer:
We recommend getting a flight and trying a variety of their beers. You can watch our full episode of "We'll Take the Lot" here where we try everything they have on tap. Mel is obsessed with their sours (they are some of the best in town), while Alicia usually swoons over their IPAs.
The Food Sitch:
If you’re looking for food, you’ve got options close by: The Sidekick CLT (on-site pizza food truck), sushi at Deejai, and occasionally another food truck will pop up.
The Vibe:
Laidback. They have a very strong neighborhood vibe, and the inside of the taproom is filled with greenery and artwork.
Dog-Friendly?
Yes! You can bring your doggo inside the brewery or hang out on the spacious patio with your pup.
Salud Bottle Shop & Salud Cerveceria
From Divine Barrel, you have a quick half-mile walk into the heart of NoDa, where you’ll run into Salud Beer Shop (the best bottle shop in the US) and Salud Cerveceria (their brewery).
Note: There are two entrances here. One into the bottle shop (left door) and one up into Cerveceria (right door). They have extremely different vibes, so we will break them down separately.
Salud Bottle Shop
Beverages:
The bottle shop is filled with a variety of cans and bottles from breweries in Charlotte, as well as across the globe. Not only do they have beer, but they have a. wonderful variety of wine, hard seltzers, kombucha, and more! We recommend grabbing something to take home with you, but they also have plenty of brews you can get on tap.
The Food Sitch:
Pizza, wings, salads, and sandwiches — everything is incredible
The Vibe:
The bottle shop has a very "NoDa" vibe — funky murals and artwork throughout, loud music, and friendly faces. We'd classify it as "chill" during the week, but it can get pretty rowdy on the weekends.
Dog-Friendly?
They have picnic tables outside to hang out. Don't try to bring your pup inside (there are a ton of bottles they don't want tags wagging into).
Salud Cerveceria
Beverages:
Salud Cerveceria has a wild variety of their own beers they serve upstairs, as well as wine. The most unique part is that they act as a coffee ship during the day, so, you can grab a latte, a brew, or a glass of wine.
The Food Sitch:
Same food as the bottle shop (they will deliver it upstairs).
The Vibe:
This space is one of the most aesthetically pleasing breweries in Charlotte. It is vibrant, filled with plants, and spaced out, so you never feel over-crowded.
Dog-Friendly?
You'll need to leave your dog at home if you're planning on enjoying a beer or coffee at Cerveceria.
The Chamber by Wooden Robot
From Salud, we suggest you make the 5‑minute walk to Wooden Robot Brewery's second location: The Chamber.
The Beer:
If you’re a sour person, you’ll adore this brewery. They have a wide variety of sours, and they are all delicious. Of course, their extremely popular vanilla coffee blond ale, Good Morning Vietnam, is always a great call, as well.
The Food Sitch:
The Chamber will usually have food trucks parked outside on the weekend. Check their Instagram for more details.
The Vibe:
This space is STUNNING. They have a large indoor space surrounded by barrels, as well as an outdoor patio, but the coolest part is their rooftop biergarten. Trust us, you want to watch the sunset here. Oh, and there are murals galore here, so make sure you snap some cute pics!
Dog-Friendly?
In case you’d like to bring your furry friend, they are allowed in the lower outdoor space.
Protagonist NoDa
From The Chamber, you’ve got a 5‑minute walk to Protagonist Beer's first location.
The Beer:
They have a variety of brews on tap and also offer beer cocktails. We recommend trying both while you're there.
The Food Sitch:
This is the perfect spot for a snack, as they’ve got some great beer bites (think charcuterie, pretzels, etc.).
The Vibe:
This space is small but incredibly inviting. Their vibe here screams beer science! (In the best way possible.)
Dog-Friendly?
They have some outdoor space, and you can hang outside with your pup(s).
Heist Brewery
From Protagonist, continue down North Davidson for another five minutes, and you’ll hit Heist Brewery.
The Beer:
Heist does it right when it comes to beer. They are very well known for their IPAs, but their sours & stouts are also incredible. They also have beer cocktails and regular cocktails here, so you'll have plenty to choose from.
The Food Sitch:
We’re not saying they have THE best beer cheese in Charlotte, but they also make their pretzels in‑house and oh my god we are drooling just thinking about it. They've got a wide variety of food options, from burgers to flat breads to tacos. Time to get your nom on.
The Vibe:
Heist is a brewpub, so it does have more of a restaurant feel. However, it's very laid back. Everyone is extremely friendly and there is a ton of space both inside and outside to enjoy a brew and a meal.
Dog-Friendly?
They have a huge outdoor patio, and our doggos love hanging out here!
Free Range Brewing
Alright, so if you made it to Heist, you need to walk off your meal. Head to Free Range Brewing. It’s a half-mile walk (about 10 minutes), and it’s SO worth it. Technically, Free Range is in Villa Heights, but it’s easily walkable from every other brewery in NoDa, so we’re including them in the mix. (We love them, okay?)
The Beer:
Free Range always has a variety of beers on tap, plus cold brew coffee, kombucha, and shrub. This neighborhood brewery uses locally sourced ingredients, and they even label the percentage of local ingredients used on their beer menu. Cream of the Crop is one of our go-to brews in Charlotte (it's an easy sipper!)
The Food Sitch:
Free Range has a variety of bar snacks available to purchase (think trail mix, pretzels, etc.). They are located directly next to Rhino Market, and Rhino has some amazing sandwich options. You can bring food from Rhino into Free Range!
The Vibe:
They are known for friendly bartenders and laidback vibes. It truly does just feel like a neighborhood bar. If you're a live music fan, Free Range hosts concerts in their back room, doubling as an intimate music venue.
Dog-Friendly?
They have outdoor space out front for you and your doggo(s) to hang out!
NoDa Brewing Company - The OG
Following Free Range, hop right across the street to the OG NoDa Brewing location!
The Beer:
NoDa has a great selection of brews on tap, including their year-round beers and their seasonal staples!
The Food Sitch:
No kitchen here, but there are plenty of options surrounding this brewery including Rhino Market and Lintmen's.
The Vibe:
This is the more intimate NoDa taproom. It's a relaxed vibe with comfortable seating and a pretty chill time.
Dog-Friendly?
Yep! Pancake has hung out in this taproom a handful of times and has had a great time!
Now you know the best route to knock out the NoDa Beer Trail (we just made that up, but it should be a thing, right?). Cheers!