A beginner’s guide to Concord’s burgeoning brewery scene
Tired of going to the same ol’ breweries in Charlotte? Then pick a nice Saturday or Sunday in spring and travel up I-85 to Concord for a self-guided Concord brewery tour.
Never ventured to Cabarrus County before? No worries. My good friends Nick and Christine recently showed me how to do the perfect brewery crawl in Concord. Now it’s my turn to show you.
Red Hill Brewing Company
21 Union Street South, Concord.
Start your day off in downtown Concord at Red Hill Brewing Company, which opened late last year. The brewery is pretty hard to find at first, but walk up the stairs next to a Crossfit gym and you’ll find a chill spot to sip some brews. The brewery has increased its beer selection over the past few months, including some amazingly flavored stouts.
Before you go, pick up some sandwiches at 2 Gals Kitchen (80 Union Street South) or Italian food at Gianni’s (16 Union Street South) since Red Hill only serves popcorn.
And be sure to play the old fashioned game Skittles. It’s a funny name for a game, and even a funnier way to place drinking bets with friends as you try to knock down the most pins by twirling a wooden top.
High Branch Brewing Co.
325 McGill Ave. Suite 148, Concord.
Head a few miles away to your next spot: High Branch Brewing.
Located inside the renovated Gibson Mill, High Branch has a small sitting area and a nice outdoor patio.
This brewery had my favorite beers of the trip, including the Little Sis IPA and Candor Tart Peach Ale. (High Branch’s tap list changes often. Check the website for the current beer selection.)
And if you’re hungry, walk downstairs to the food trucks and pick up some food.
Conveniently, the third brewery on the tour is right next door.
Cabarrus Brewing Company
329 McGill Ave., Concord.
Welcome to the biggest brewery in Concord, Cabarrus Brewing Company.
Cabarrus Brewing is located in an old textile warehouse and looks the part, with high ceilings and exposed beams. The inside is loaded with long benches and a big bar full of beer selections, and there’s a large patio right off the taproom. There’s even a second floor mezzanine where you can have your own private event or do a scheduled yoga class.
And TV’s are all around the room, if you’re looking for a place to watch the big game, or you can enjoy the live music on the weekends.
Twenty-Six Acres Brewing Company
7285 Westwinds Blvd. NW, Concord.
Last but not least is a brewery named after the original 26 acres of land that made up Concord when it was founded in the 1790s.
Twenty-Six Acres is in a business park near Concord Mills and Concord Regional Airport. The brewery is definitely very kid-friendly — it felt a little like a Chuck E. Cheese the day I visited, with kids endlessly running around the building.
The beers did taste great, though, and I had fun playing a bunch of board games and card games in the brand-new facility.
Overall, the breweries of Concord had a ton of great beers to choose from and it was nice to try something different outside of the Queen City.
Photos: Lukas Johnson; Justin Driscoll; Will Johnson
This story was originally published April 5, 2017 at 9:16 PM with the headline "A beginner’s guide to Concord’s burgeoning brewery scene."