Sometimes you find yourself in tiny towns hunting down good beer, which was the case for me last summer on the North Carolina Coast! I was on my way to Emerald Isle and wanted to make an adventure out of it and I ended up at some really cool spots! Check out my route and recommendations:
KINSTON, nc
Your first stop on the way to the coast is Mother Earth Brewing located in downtown Kinston, a small little industrial town. This brewery has won a ton of awards and has a variety of beers on tap. They’ve also got a small outdoor patio to relax on! From Kinston you are headed on to the small town of New Bern.
New bern, nc
New Bern is a cute little town located on the Neuse River. It is the original home to Pepsi, so if you’re into that kind of thing head to the museum! There are two good spots to grab a beer in town that I would recommend:
Brewery 99 is a tiny shack brewery open on Fridays and Saturdays with a small tap list and a rotating cask ale. Snag a bar stool and hang out with the locals!
Beer Army Burger Company is a popular restaurant and brewery in downtown New Bern. Skip the pretzel bites.
From New Bern you are headed across the Croatan National Forest to the coastline!
Morehead city, nc
Morehead City is a more industrial town up the road from New Bern. They were severely impacted by Hurricane Florence and some areas are still rebuilding.
Tight Lines Pub & Brewing recently reopened from hurricane damage, check them out!
atlantic beach, nc
Atlantic Beach is your classic beach town!
Crystal Coast Brewing is located here and has a bright and airy taproom. They have cute North Carolina shaped flight boards and solid IPAs.
beaufort, nc
Beaufort is a cute Southern beach town with an established downtown. You can avoid paying for street parking by just parking on a side street. Skip Front Street Grill.
Fishtowne Brew House is a fun little spot right in the heart of downtown. Their sours are delicious and they have a small area for outdoor seating.
Mill Whistle Brewing is on the grounds of an old mill slightly outside of town. When I visited they had 8 of their own beers and 8 of Crystal Coast’s beers. It is a very small indoor taproom but they’ve got a nice outdoor area as well.
Newport, NC
Shortway Brewing has a nice back beer garden to lounge in and solid beers!
Emerald Isle, NC
I would highly recommend heading over to Emerald Isle for some quality beach time. It is absolutely gorgeous!
The Growler Bar is the best place on the island to grab a beer and kick back with the locals!
