Highest-rated breweries in North Carolina
Cold beer, anyone? American beer drinkers have their fair share of options no matter where they might live.
Indeed, a market once dominated by a handful of major brands has become far more diverse since the craft beer scene expanded sixfold between 2008 and 2016. Independent production cooled off just a little in 2023 but still accounted for a whopping 23.4 million barrels of beer and craft beer's overall market share by volume rose to 13.3%, according to the Brewers Association. For context, in 2013, there were 3,108 craft breweries in the U.S.—and as of 2023, there are 9,761, representing a 214% increase in just a decade. Cheers to that!
Why the ongoing obsession? Putting aside the fact that people simply love their brew, beer has emerged as a wildly versatile beverage category. Craft breweries explore beer to its fullest potential and tend to rank highly as a result.
Another thing about beer is that every sip tells a story. It's first and foremost the journey of the beer's own production, namely one involving water, malted grains, botanical hops, and yeast. However, it's also a chronicling of the area in which the beer was produced since every state has its own respective history, climate, geography, and resources. Then there's the tale of the people who produced it, turning their love of carbonated alcohol into a passion project and hiring all kinds of local talent.
Combine America's love of beer with endless flavor possibilities, and you arrive at a sensational pastime and a thriving national industry. With nearly 10,000 craft breweries bubbling up across the nation, each one offers its own unique qualities, some complete with guided tours and tasting rooms (and maybe some hearty gastropub fare).
Many of the nation's highest-rated breweries are so small and independent that the only way to sample their suds is to visit them in person, while others distribute their products around the country—or even across the globe.
To find some top spots near you, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated breweries in North Carolina using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a business with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of June 6, 2024.
Regardless of the brewery's size and scope, one thing is for sure: Now is a great time for a beer!
#30. Birdsong Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (73 reviews)
- Address: 1016 North Davidson St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. Brewery 99
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1030 Pollock St. New Bern, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. Twin Leaf Brewery
- Rating: 4/5 (167 reviews)
- Address: 144 Coxe Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Burial Beer Co
- Rating: 4.5/5 (318 reviews)
- Address: 40 Collier Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. Deep River Brewing Company
- Rating: 5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 700 West Main St. Ste 102 Clayton, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. Whistle Hop Brewing Company
- Rating: 5/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 1288 Charlotte Hwy Fairview, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. Front Street Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (78 reviews)
- Address: 9 North Front St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. Bond Brothers Beer Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (86 reviews)
- Address: 202 East Cedar St. Cary, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. Sycamore Brewing
- Rating: 4/5 (93 reviews)
- Address: 2161 Hawkins St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#21. One World Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (117 reviews)
- Address: 10 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#20. Catawba Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (173 reviews)
- Address: 63 Brook St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Red Oak Lager Haus & BierGarten
- Rating: 4.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 6905 Konica Drive Whitsett, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#18. Booneshine Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: 465 Industrial Park Drive Boone, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#17. Mother Earth Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (180 reviews)
- Address: 311 North Herritage St. 127 West North St. Kinston, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Wrightsville Beach Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (90 reviews)
- Address: 6201 Oleander Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#15. Bold Rock Hard Cider
- Rating: 4.5/5 (187 reviews)
- Address: 72 School House Road Mills River, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. Salty Turtle Beer Co..
- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 103 Triton Lane Surf City, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Lazy Hiker Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (215 reviews)
- Address: 188 West Main St. Franklin, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Blowing Rock Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (143 reviews)
- Address: 152 Sunset Drive Blowing Rock, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Wedge Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (200 reviews)
- Address: 37 Paynes Way Suite 001 Asheville, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Oskar Blues Brewery Brevard
- Rating: 4.5/5 (236 reviews)
- Address: 342 Mountain Industrial Drive Brevard, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Sugar Creek Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (98 reviews)
- Address: 215 Southside Drive Charlotte, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Mountain Layers Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (130 reviews)
- Address: 90 Everett St. Bryson City, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Wooden Robot Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (97 reviews)
- Address: 1440 South Tryon St. Suite 110 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. NoDa Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (133 reviews)
- Address: 2921 North Tryon St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Appalachian Mountain Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (233 reviews)
- Address: 163 Boone Creek Drive Boone, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Highland Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (367 reviews)
- Address: 12 Old Charlotte Hwy Suite 200 Asheville, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Old Mecklenburg Brewery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (281 reviews)
- Address: 4150 Yancey Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. New Belgium Brewing Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (653 reviews)
- Address: 21 Craven St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Tours & Tastings
- Rating: 5/5 (1,435 reviews)
- Address: 100 Sierra Nevada Way Mills River, North Carolina
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jacob Osborn, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.
