Finishing off the final day of my east coast jaunt led me to one last brewery in Charlotte, North Carolina. Triple C Brewing, located just south of downtown, has been crafting unique offerings since 2012 and has seen their operation expand to a beautiful 15-barrel tap room and nearby 7-barrel experimental brewery and large private event space. So sit back, grab your beer, and enjoy my review of this triple threat in the burgeoning Charlotte beer scene.
- Beer – On a hot day, these beers were exactly what I was looking for. As usual, they offer year-round, seasonal, and barrel-aged beers on tap. Their permanent beers all venture towards the lighter side, with ales and IPAs composing the bulk of the tap list. Seasonally, they offer additional variety, mixing stouts in with a session beer and a Belgian triple. Where they really shine are the barrel-aged offerings, an interesting mash-up of flavors and styles that will delight your palate. The flavors are bold, the styles are varied, and the beer is just darn good. Score: 4/5
- Brewery – The main brewery and tap room is a large brick and wood affair, with ample seating scattered around a brightly lit and open space. A moderately sized bar occupies one wall, with another being devoted to views onto the brew floor. Step out the side door and you will find a spacious outdoor seating area (dog friendly!) for those less scorching times of day. Though they do not have a kitchen, there is always a food truck on site when they are open, which is Tuesday through Sunday. Their prices are higher than I expected for the area, but not out of the norm for high quality craft beer. One thing to know, they have a separate barrel house across the street that you can rent out for events like weddings or meeting, which to me sounds like the perfect place to have either one of those things. Score: 3.5/5
- Ambiance and Entertainment – This place was lively when I stopped in! They offer weekly live music and yoga in the barrel room and lots of release parties. Anniversary celebrations, holiday events, and many fundraisers also dot their schedule. In house there are multiple televisions to watch whatever sporting event is on plus several games like foosball scattered around the taproom floor. Score: 4/5
- Location – Set in a light commercial area of town, they are just minutes from downtown by car, and there is also a light rail station and a rail-trail biking path just around the corner. Though the building is easy to find, parking can be a bit challenging as it is mostly street level, though there are a few parking lots scattered around, but be careful which ones you pick as some will tow if you are not using that business. Close by there are several other breweries within a short walk, as well as a few restaurants and bars, with downtown Charlotte just a short jaunt away. Score: 3.5/5
- Customer Service – Despite it being quite busy, the wait times at the bar were short, owing mostly to the fact that they were very well staffed. The bartender who helped me offered some great suggestions and let me taste a few options before making my selection. It was overall a pleasant experience, and even with a full house things seemed to move smoothly. Score: 3.5/5
Total Score: 18.5/25
Favorite Beer: Sal’s Paradise – 5.3% Saison
Final Thoughts: Yet another strong offering in Charlotte’s beer scene, Triple C Brewing combined a lively brewery with well-crafted beers and a great atmosphere. I certainly recommend stopping by anytime you are in the area!
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