Did you know that North Carolina is home to 300 craft breweries with the most breweries per state in the South? While that stat alone is impressive enough, those who dig a little deeper will find that NC boasts both quantity and quality when it comes to their breweries.
So if you’re hosting an NC event, look no further than your local brewery for a quality event space. From Asheville to Charlotte to Wilmington, we’re sharing three of our favorite breweries to give you some inspiration.
1. Highland Brewing Company
Founded in 1994, Highland Brewing Company has been around long before craft beer was cool. Now the largest independent, family-owned brewery in the Southeast, Highland offers some of the best brews in Asheville.
In addition to its craft beer cachet, Highland Brewing Company has also become an incredibly sought-after event space hosting hundreds of events each year. Event hosts have both indoor and outdoor options with the Event Center as an industrial-chic space with soaring ceilings, natural wood bar tops, and top-notch audiovisual equipment.
For hosts who prefer stunning 360-degree views of mountains and sunsets, the 3,000 square foot rooftop beer garden has you covered. While many event spaces are fairly customizable these days, you will be hard-pressed to find a venue as accomodating as Highland Brewing. They even give hosts the option of requesting a signature small-batch beer to serve at their event.
2. Protagonist
Next up, Charlotte. Where the beer and pizza are fresh and inspired by real and fictional heroes. Take the Notorious RBG brew, a surprisingly strong Gruit with ginger, lemon, or peppercorn. Pair with an unlikely duo like Jim Gaffigan pie with garlic, olive oil, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan and you’ll feel like an idol yourself.
Protagonist rocks the quintessential industrial feel with tall ceilings and modern lighting. The space works well for gatherings large and small whether you’re looking for an intimate dinner with friends or a full buy-out to spread out over 3 bars, a barrel room, and a heated outdoor patio.
3. The Taproom at Front Street Brewery
Last but not least is The Taproom at Front Street Brewery in the historic Front Street Brewery building in the heart of downtown Wilmington. We must have a taste for the older breweries because this is the 7th oldest brewery in NC, founded in 1995. Since then, the brewery has won 104 craft beer awards.
The versatile 3,000 top-floor event space can go in whichever direction you choose—from a casual pub feel to an elegant historic feel. Whatever your event type, you and your guests will enjoy Front Street’s new and flagship brews alike including the best-selling Port City IPA.
Have a brewery picked out for your next event?
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: Breweries are the ideal event space. We hope this list has helped you to start to envision your upcoming event. If you want to browse more event space options, visit EventUp.
[Photo Credit: Highland Brewing Company, Protagonist, and The Taproom at Front Street Brewery]
