Starting this week you can get beer from S.C.’s oldest brewery in Charlotte
If you were at 201 Central in Huntersville on a recent Saturday, you might have missed the man in the corner deep in thought with his laptop and several six packs. On his mind: How to properly introduce South Carolina’s oldest brewery to the newly hopping craft beer market that is Charlotte.
Don’t fret — Palmetto Brewing Company sales representative Michael Kissiah wasn’t drinking all of the beer himself, just showing off the labels to us.
Beginning this week, Palmetto Brewing Company is crossing state lines, into the hands of the Queen City’s beer critics.
“It’s exciting bringing our passion to a city that is so passionate about craft beer, as a whole,” Kissiah said.
What makes this particular craft beer unique is its history. Palmetto Brewing began operations in Charleston in 1850, and it was run by a man named John H. Doscher and his dog (we’re convinced the dog was key to the operational success, naturally). The brewery even survived the Great Charleston Quake of 1886, but it would not survive prohibition. It shuttered it doors in 1913, ahead of the news of 1916’s dry laws but also amid rumors of pending bankruptcy.
Fastfoward several decades, and friends Ed Falkenstein and Louis Bruce visited Full Sail Brewery while on a windsurfing trip to Oregon. They returned to the Carolinas inspired, deciding to reopen Palmetto Brewing in 1993, 80 years after it closed. It would be South Carolina’s first post-prohibition brewery, and it’s made its home on Huger Street in Charleston.
Where can Charlotteans taste this historic beer? Beginning today, you’ll be able to find four of the brews at 201 Central and Harris Teeter. 201 Central is hosting an upcoming tasting; Harris Teeter will feature a text-to-win program throughout February for a trip to Charleston. The company plans to also sell their beers in restaurants and bars, according to Clayton Burrous, director of sales and marketing.
Burrous said the company is excited about making the unexpected move to North Carolina. Palmetto Brewing was originally intended as “a simple dream, to brew quality fresh beer for a living,” Burrous said. “It was important for us to be South Carolina’s craft beer first.”
The beers (and some of their names) will include throwbacks to their roots: Lowcountry Pilsner, Charleston Session IPA, Huger Street IPA and Espresso Porter, using beans sourced from Charleston Coffee Roasters.
“We love our beer and all the folks who make brewing and selling beer for a living possible,” Burrous said. “We can’t wait to share our story and our beer with Charlotte.”
Want to taste?
What: Palmetto Brewing Company tasting.
When: 5-8p.m. Feb. 3.
Where: 201 Central, 13108 Eastfield Road, Huntersville, N.C.
Cost: Free
Photos: Palmetto Brewing Company; Melissa Oyler
This story was originally published January 29, 2017 at 11:01 PM with the headline "Starting this week you can get beer from S.C.’s oldest brewery in Charlotte."