April is North Carolina Beer Month

North Carolina is known as a "Brewing mecca of South", and  NC Beer Month is a 30-day celebration of the craft beer industry. Events include the production of specialty brews, beer dinners, beer cooking classes, beer making and "beer memories." 

Beer tourism has become an asset to North Carolina's economy, and local breweries are ready for visitors to belly up to the bar. "North Carolina has become such a hot spot for the brewing industry," said Ellie Craig, marketing director for Front Street Brewery in Wilmington. "It's pretty intriguing." 

There are more than 61 brew pubs throughout the state, according to the NC Brewers Guild, inspiring the term, " brewing mecca of the South". The beer industry contributed more than $7.1 billion to North Carolina's economy last year and supported more than 37,000 jobs, according to The Beer Institute.

"North Carolina breweries provide jobs to so many North Carolinians at every level and in every aspect of the industry," said Maaike Brender À Brandis, part owner of Cape Fear Wine & Beer in downtown Wilmington. "It gives our state another thing to be proud of." She said the craft beer industry is thriving partly because of Pop the Cap, a bill signed into law in 2005 that allowed beer alcohol content to jump from 6 percent to 15 percent and because consumers desire better quality in not only what they eat, but what they drink.

"It only makes sense that we would have a thriving craft beer scene," Brender À Brandis said. "Consumers are educated and informed. They want to know who made what, where, how and why. Craft beer is quite transparent in that aspect."

Special events celebrating NC Beer Month can be found throughout the mountain area from Blowing Rock to Hichlands, from Asheville to Lenoir. Get a list of NC Mountain Beer month participants and events HERE.