Sip craft beer, grab a bite from a food truck or play trivia at a Lake Norman brewery
The Charlotte area has a wealth of breweries, and the growing Lake Norman area hasn’t been left out of the boom.
You don’t have to go far to grab a food truck dinner or pizza and wings. There’s also entertainment including live music, bingo and trivia, along with run clubs, yoga and other fitness groups to pair with your craft beer fix.
Find the brewery that’s got what you’re looking for in Lake Norman — or check out our interactive guide to 75+ Charlotte-area breweries for even more options nearby.
760 Craft Works
Location: 100 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
New brewery 760 Craft Works opened in May 2023 in downtown Huntersville, bringing new life to the town’s former police administration building. Father and son owners Trey Ramsey and Wagner Ramsey said the brewery is a family affair, and they have close ties to the Lake Norman area.. Kids and dogs are welcome.
Ass Clown Brewing Company
Location: 10620 Bailey Rd E, Cornelius, NC 28031
Ass Clown Brewing Company says its drink menu has the largest selection of any other brewery in the area, with over 200 beer recipes and 31 rotating taps. You can also enjoy live music and weekly trivia at this Lake Norman brewery with a funny name.
D9 Brewing
Location: 11138-C Treynorth Drive, Cornelius, NC 28031
D9 Brewing’s Lake Norman location offers a variety of craft beer selections to please your palate. Sip a Swell Rider Tangerine Session Ale or American Lager for $5 at the Cornelius brewery while you’re there for Game Night on Tuesdays. Or try out its German Chocolate Cake Imperial Stout, which took bronze in the 2023 World Beer Cup awards.
Eleven Lakes Brewing
Location: 10228 Bailey Rd #201, Cornelius, NC 28031
Eleven Lakes Brewing is a dog-friendly space — and it even has a separate Dogs of Eleven Lakes Instagram page. It offers wine, cider and seltzer in addition to its craft beer offerings, which you can sample in flights for $7 on Tuesday nights. The brewery has also been known to host goat yoga — an unforgettable experience.
Ghostface Brewing
Location: 215 S Broad St, Mooresville, NC 28115
Ghostface Brewing moved to a new location in 2023 — right next door to its Lake Norman Beer Lab in Mooresville, creating what owner Mike Cuddy called a “one-stop entertainment district.” Now, you can get pizza in both buildings, plus wings, sandwiches and other bar food. Look out for concerts and a new patio in the works.
King Canary Brewing Co.
Location: 562 Williamson Rd, Mooresville, NC 28117
King Canary Brewing Company is a dog-friendly microbrewery in Mooresville. Come for the drinks and stay for the views of Lake Norman with the brewery’s Paddle Club. Plus, there’s a rotating lineup of food trucks and live music each week.
Lake Norman Brewery
Location: 1753 Triangle Cir, Denver, NC 28037
Tucked in the woods of Denver, Lake Norman Brewery is a popular spot for the whole family. The dog-friendly brewery has a wide selection of beer along with weekly events including live music, a cornhole league and run club. Plus, there’s also the option to take a tour from the owners, one one of whom has more than 20 years of home brewing experience and working as a beer captain at large beer festivals.
Lost Worlds Brewing
Location: 19700-D, One Norman Blvd, Cornelius, NC 28031
Lost Worlds Brewing was opened in Lake Norman in 2019 by Dave and Allison Hamme, who had been creating and brewing beer at home for over 25 years. The 40-seat taproom, decorated with artifacts and photos from all over the world, offers food trucks, outdoor games and more — including a cycling club and running club.
Neoteric Brewing Co.
Location: 14220 Oakhill Park Ln, Huntersville, NC 28078
Neoteric Brewing is one of the newer spots in the local beer scene, opening in fall 2022. The Huntersville brewery offers beer flights, mimosa flights and brings in food trucks you can enjoy while hanging out on the patio or playing cornhole.
Primal Brewery
Location: 16432 Old Statesville Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078
For Primal Brewery owner Ray Steimal and his team, making beer started as a hobby. It was one that paid off, too — in 2022, CharlotteFive readers voted it as the area’s best brewery. Show up for a pint and some conversation. “It’s a great experience to be able to sit, chat, tip a pint and just really get to know people,” Steimal told CharlotteFive.
Royal Bliss Brewing Co.
Location: 7532 Royal Bliss Court Denver, NC 28037
Royal Bliss Brewing brews a variety of craft beer styles, a few of which have been crafted to remove the gluten. Tuesdays at the brewery are Pizza & Wings nights, while the rest of the week you can find a variety of Bliss Burgers, plus nachos and snacks. Don’t miss the beer-based cocktails and adult slushies on tap, featuring rotating flavors.
And that’s not all, friends. There’s at least one more brewery on the way:
Suffolk Punch Brewing
Location: 16912 Birkdale Commons Pkwy., Huntersville, NC 28078 (opens 2024)
Suffolk Punch Brewing — which recently opened a second location in SouthPark — is expanding yet again. The Charlotte brewery announced plans to join the bustling Birkdale Village development in Lake Norman in early 2024.
Suffolk Punch will occupy the standalone two-story spot in The Grove across from the former Brixx space at the shopping center, Partners North American Properties and Nuveen Real Estate said. The taproom will feature a rooftop with a partially covered bar and seating overlooking The Plaza, plus a full-service bar downstairs with an all-seasons patio. The space will hold about 230 people, indoors and out.
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