Greenville, SC

Greenville is a cute little growing city nestled in the northwest corner of South Carolina

GVL Tips: 

• I spend a lot of time in Greenville and it is a really nice city. It is kid friendly, dog friendly, pedestrian friendly and bike friendly.

• The city is pretty small, a weekend visit is the ideal amount of time!

Adventures & Ales Top Greenville Recommendations: ​

• The Eighth State Brewing: My favorite brewery in the Greenville area and arguably the best in the entire state! They have delicious beers, frequent events, lots of non-beer options, and rotating in-house food.

• The Whale: A fantastic craft beer bar with something for every palate! They have 20 taps and a huge selection of cans and bottles.

• Swamp Rabbit Café: I HIGHLY recommend visiting this cute little restaurant, the food is incredible! Located right on the Swamp Rabbit Trail if you are biking/running/walking it is a great spot to stop for lunch. I recommend you get a sandwich because the stecca bread is superb!

• The Community Tap: A fun beer bar with some killer beers on tap and wine and beer for purchase. Dog friendly!

• Sully’s Steamers: A great spot for bagels right in the heart of downtown.

• Lewis Barbeque: This renowned Charleston-based BBQ restaurant is superb. The food is delicious, bar drinks are great, and patio is lovely. Don’t miss happy hour from 4-6pm!

• Other Lands: A brewery and coffee shop with a small food menu. They have solid beers, but dirty glassware. The patio is nice + they are dog-friendly.

• Fireforge Brewing: A ton of beer options, smell menu of snacks, comfy seating options, outside space, really friendly bartenders, and it’s located right downtown!

• The Trappe Door: A restaurant and beer bar specializing in Belgian food and drink. This unique spot is in a dark basement setting in the heart of downtown Greenville. They have a great Belgian beer selection and tasty food.

The Eighth State Brewing Company

The Classic Tourist Spots in Greenville Actually Worth Visiting: ​

• Falls Park on the Reedy: A pretty park with lots of places to sit and relax or wander around. The quintessential ‘Greenville’!

• Paris Mountain State Park: About a twenty minute drive from downtown Greenville but worth it! It is a $6 entrance fee for the State Park to gain access to all of the trails. Brissy Ridge was a good hike but didn’t have as exciting of views as I’d hoped. The Lake Placid Loop is a very chill walk around the lake where you can also see the dam. Sulphur Springs was nice but a little boring.

• The Commons: A ton of small local businesses under one roof! The food hall has The Community Tap (above), Methodical Coffee, SC Bake Room, Automatic Taco, Golden Brown and Delicious and more. Located on the Swamp Rabbit Trail too!

• Gather: Another food hall concept made out of old containers and fully outside. Pasta Addict is my favorite! Greenville Beer Exchange also has a space here.

• Swamp Rabbit Trail: A 22 mile trail running through Greenville along the Reedy River and through city parks. This trail connects GVL and Traveler’s Rest!

• Stay at the Hampton Inn downtown: This is actually a super nice hotel in a fantastic location at reasonable rates. Pro-tip you don’t have to valet or park in a garage, there is free street parking all around.

Swamp Rabbit Café

Other Things to do in Greenville:​​

• Liability Brewing: Tasty beers and lively atmosphere, especially when the weather is warm and the garage-style doors are open.

• Greenville Beer Exchange: A bottle shop and taproom with a wide selection of beers.

• Traveler’s Rest: A cute little town north of Greenville! An easy detour to explore.

  • Swamp Rabbit Brewing: Solid beers and small town vibes located in Traveler’s Rest

• Tetrad Brewing: An average brewery with chill vibes.

• Smoke on the Water: A nice spot for BBQ in the heart of downtown. The food here is delicious and they also have a nice outside area.

• Biscuit Head: A delicious breakfast spot out of Asheville. All things biscuit!

• Southernside Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a large outdoor space, full food menu and tasty beers. They are located across the river from The Commons.

• Grateful Brew: A cute 60’s vibes coffee shop and beer bar that is dog friendly.

• Fork and Plough: A farm to table restaurant with solid eats. They also are a market and butchery.

• Double Stamp Brewery: A solid brewery with a rooftop patio.

  • Home Team BBQ, the popular Charleston-based BBQ spot, is located right next door as well.

• Yee-Haw Brewing: The Greenville outpost of the Johnson City brewery. Half of the beers on tap are brewed in GVL, half in Johnson City. A cute outdoor space, while the inside has more restaurant-style vibes.

• Shoeless Brewing: A brewery in the homebrew supply store Grapes and Grains on the east side of the city. The beers here are solid and it is a popular local hangout.

• 13 Stripes Brewing: Located Northeast of the city inside the old Taylor’s Mill, giving the brewery warehouse-y vibes. They have a large selection of beers, but no flights as a heads up.

• Brewery 85: A fun brewery with many German-style beers that come in fun mason jar pint glasses. Frequent events and food trucks!

• Tipsy Taco: A Tex-Mex restaurant with several locations in the area.

Paris Mountain State Park

Skip:

• Think Tank Brew Lab: A mediocre brewery near the downtown airport. They have large taproom and large outdoor space with a small food menu.

• Iron Hill Brewing: A chain brewery with a large menu of average beers.

• Spill The Beans: This is a coffee shop in downtown Greenville with bad coffee and worse service.

• Quest Brewing: A small little tap room with below average beers.

• Pangaea Brewing: A mediocre brewery in The Commons with a small food menu and average beers.

Charleston, SC

Charleston is a gorgeous southern city with the best of both worlds: a fun downtown and the beach!

CHS Tips: 

• As with anywhere in the deep south, it is HOT in the summer, so plan ahead (or visit between September-May)

• If you're planning a trip check out my bestie's amazing business to help you celebrate any occasion! Girls weekends, birthdays, engagements, whatever it may be, she will help plan your perfect experience!

Adventures & Ales Top Charleston Recommendations: 

• The Whale: A fantastic craft beer bar with great taps and a cans/bottles to choose from. It is beautifully designed and has both indoor and outdoor seating.

• Westbrook Brewing: A large brewery a bit outside the hustle and bustle in Mt Pleasant. They have a large variety of tasty beers, specifically their Stouts!

• Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company: Edmund’s Oast has two locations in Charleston—the brewery and the restaurant Both are great spots—they have chill vibes, nice patios, a wide array of taps, and tasty eats.

• Wine & Company: Seriously the best cheese plates I've ever had in my life (& I’ve had a lot of cheese plates). They have an extensive wine selection and a can/bottle list with select beers!

• Taco Boy: A fun Mexican restaurant with three locations—one on Folly Beach, one in downtown CHS, and one in Summerville. Get the Frozen Screwdriver, you won’t regret it!

• Folly Beach: A large beach and a cute strip of bars and restaurants—a great place to spend a day!

• Lewis Barbecue: A delicious spot for eats and drinks! They have a nice patio and very popular BBQ alongside superb sides and nachos.

• Revelry Brewing: Such a fun brewery with a rooftop and a wide variety of beers for every palate

• Brown Dog Deli: Mouthwatering sandwiches! Pro Tip: Grab a sandwich to go and eat it on the waterfront just a few blocks away

• The rooftop bar at Stars: a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors and relax with a cocktail. Conveniently located right on King Street

• Baker and Brewer: From Evo Pizza and Holy City Brewing, this pizzeria and brewery has phenomenal pizzas and delicious beers! They also have nice outdoor seating options.

• Bowens Island Restaurant: A fantastic spot for fresh-off-the-boat seafood with lovely views and chill vibes! Get here early to avoid the line.

• Bodega: Such a cute spot for coffee, breakfast and lunch. They have great indoor/outdoor seating and are in the heart of downtown.

Magnolia Plantation

The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting in Charleston: ​

• King Street: You could wander up and down King Street for hours on end popping into shops, restaurants, bars, and people watching

• Magnolia Plantation and Gardens: Gorgeous grounds and a lot of history to soak in

• College of Charleston: A beautiful campus in the heart of downtown, it is definitely worth wandering through!

• Charleston City Market: Historical site filled with several shops full of good finds

• Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens: Gorgeous grounds & a ton of history

• The Battery: The park at the end of the peninsula on the water—a perfect spot for a picnic!

• Rainbow Row: Just a quick stop, but the houses are gorgeous! 

• Firefly Distillery: An awesome Firefly spirits tasting experience alongside fun cocktails and frequent live music and events!

Wine & Company

Other Things to do in Charleston: ​​​

• Sullivan's Island: Another beautiful beach!

• Low Tide Brewing: Located on John’s Island, this brewery has a variety of beers and a great outdoor space

• Charles Towne Fermentory: A brewery with solid IPAs in West Ashley. They’ve also got a food window and board games!

• Graft: A cute wine shop and wine bar that also has a small food menu

• Home Team BBQ: A delicious BBQ restaurant with locations downtown, in West Ashley, and on Sullivan’s Island. Their famous cocktail The Frozen Game Changer is delicious!

• Leon’s Oyster Shop: A fun restaurant set in an old garage specializing in fried chicken, oysters, and unique drinks.

  • Pro-tip: You can only make a reservation if you party is larger than 6, so if there is a long-ish wait, head around the corner to Graft for a glass of wine while you wait!

• Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit: A delicious biscuit shop located both on Upper King Street and in the City Market.

• Five Loaves Café: A tasty spot for brunch, lunch and dinner. They have locations in Mt. Pleasant and Summerville!

• The rooftop bar at the Vendue Hotel: Another great rooftop, highly recommend when it is dark outside so you can admire the well lit Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.

• Frothy Beard Brewing: Tonssss of beers on tap here. Located in the West Ashley neighborhood.

• Azul: A solid spot for Mexican eats with multiple locations around town!

• Charles Town Landing: ​The original Charleston. Lots of history, lots of beautiful outdoor space

• Brunch at Shelter: cheap carafes of mimosas and a deep fried peanut butter french toast…. need I say more?

• Freehouse Brewery: Organic brewery in a scenic setting on the Ashley River. Very chill vibes

• Holy City Brewing: Solid beers, full food menu, and a large space.

• LoFi Brewing: A warehouse style brewery with a small tap list but solid brews!

• Ghost Monkey Brewing: Classic taproom vibes with a variety of beers available

• Fort Sumter: For the history geek, be sure to check out this famous battle site 

• Munkle Brewing: Belgian-style brewery with Trappist beers

• Kudu: A nice spot for coffee and craft beer just off a King Street.

• Palmetto Brewing Co: Solid beers and nice patio seating with frequent food trucks

• Pawley’s Island Brewing: A small brewery with solid beers—close to Freehouse Brewery

• Rusty Bull Brewing: A fun brewery in North Charleston with ax throwing connected to it as well!

• Tradesman Brewing: A brewery with extremely unique beers and an abundance of outdoor seating

• Isle of Palms is another great beach to check out! There is less parking and it’s a little less built up than the other beaches but still a gorgeous beach!

• Kiawah Island is less crowded than Folly, Sullivan’s, or IOP, but it is also a longer drive from downtown. If you’re up for the hike it’s definitely more peaceful!

  • Seabrook Island is located right next to Kiawah but it is a gated community—you have to have a pass to access the island or any of the beaches.

Exploring the YoCo Brew Trail

York County, South Carolina is Charlotte’s southern neighbor that is just a quick 25 minute drive from Uptown! York County includes the cities of Clover, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, Rock Hill, Tega Cay, and York. The new YoCo Brew Trail has 13 stops that are super fun to explore, with lots of delicious beers, great food options, and relaxing patios. There are also several great walks and hikes in York County so you can pair your morning hike with an afternoon beer! Scroll down for all of my recommendations!

How To participate in the YoCo Brew Trail

1. Grab a passport at any participating stop on the YoCo Brew Trail!

2. Visit at least 10 listed YoCo Brew Trail locations and get a stamp at each location!

3. Visit the York County Visitor Center at 130 E. Main Street in Rock Hill, or visit the Anne Springs Close Greenway Gateway Canteen for your free swag! This year the swag is a fun pint glass! If you visit the Greenway Gateway Canteen you also get a fun bonus sticker.

4. Tag @visityorkcountysc and use the hashtag #YoCoBrewTrail

5. Drink responsibly! There are 13 spots on the YoCo Brew Trail which are a world of fun, but as always please drink responsibly.

Stops along the YoCo Brew Trail

1873 Brewing, Fort Mill

1873 has a small tap list and sandwiches and snacks on their food menu. They also have wine and non-alcoholic options. Their taproom has TVs for sports and a patio as well.

Amor Artis Brewing, Fort Mill

Located on the main strip of Fort Mill, Amor Artis is a local favorite. Their taproom is beautifully designed with plants everywhere, exposed brick, and large windows over looking Main Street. There is both a back patio and an upstairs rooftop bar. Amor Artis has a wide variety of beers but their Sours and West Coast IPAs are what have impressed me the most. They also have wine and non-alcoholic options.

Carolina Brew Supply, Rock Hill

Carolina Brew Supply started as a homebrew supply store and is now a brewery and winery. They also offer a food menu with shareables and sandwiches. They offer winemaking classes and have frequent events at their taproom.

Dust Off Brewing, Rock Hill

Dust Off is located in downtown Rock Hill with a beautiful mural on their side wall and outdoor seating. One of their owners is a veteran so their beers and overall theme are all related to the military. Their food menu offers shareables and sandwiches.

Lake Wylie Brewing, Fort Mill & Rock Hill

Lake Wylie Brewing has two locations—Fort Mill and Rock Hill. Fort Mill is their original location offering a full brewpub menu and large outdoor patio. Rock Hill also has a full food menu. Each location has similar tap lists and are both very family friendly.

Legal Remedy Brewing, Rock Hill and Legal Remedy Brewing Riverwalk

Legal Remedy is York County’s oldest brewery and opened their Old Town location in 2015. Their original taproom has a beautiful, large patio space and a full food menu. Their second taproom is near the Riverwalk and also has a large patio and full food menu, but tends to specialize more in cocktails.

Model A Brewing, Tega Cay

Model A is located in a strip mall in Tega Cay. They have a nice patio space, a full food menu, and frequent events such as live music. They are consistently changing up their tap list and have fun offerings like a dill pickle beer or your classics like Hazy IPAs.

Replay Brewing, Fort Mill

Replay is a game-focused brewery located in Kingsley Town Center. They have board games, video games, pinball and more, plus they are dog and kid friendly both inside and out. They always have a wide variety of beers on tap but their Sours and Lagers are what they do best. If you are hungry you can have neighboring Taco Molino delivered to your table.

Rock Hill Brewing, Rock Hill

Rock Hill Brewing has a small but varied tap list along with ciders, wine and non-alcoholic options. You can order Millstone Pizza directly to your table at the taproom if you are hungry. They have frequent live music and other events.

Slow Play Brewing, Rock Hill

Slow Play is one of the most popular breweries in York County, and for good reason. They have great beers, a beautiful patio space, and frequent events. Their tap list is always extensive, but their best beers are their IPAs and Sours. You must visit Slow Play while hungry as they have arguably the best food truck in the Charlotte area onsite—Cibi Cibi. They specialize in hot chicken sandwiches, burgers, and other handhelds.

Bonus Stop: Anne Springs Close Greenway Gateway Canteen, Fort Mill

Check out the Greenway Gateway Canteen for a drink before or after a lovely stroll in nature! If you complete your passport and have this bonus stop you will also receive a bonus sticker. They host a summer concert series on Thursdays in May and June and have frequent events. Entrance to the greenway is $12 or you can get a membership for reduced rates.

Morning Hikes, Afternoon Beers

The best way to experience the YoCo Brew Trail is by pairing it with some of the great hikes and walks in York County! Some of my favorites include:

• Anne Springs Close Greenway: There are several trails in this expansive area. My favorite is the Lake Haigler Loop. It is an easy, 3.5 loop that is mostly flat. The fall is a great time to soak in the colors of the greenway. Be sure to check out the swinging bridge and the Greenway Gateway Canteen for a snack or drink! Admission to the Greenway is $12 or you can get a membership for reduced rates.

• Piedmont Medical Center Trail: This is a 4.6 out and back trail, so you can do as much or as little as you’d like. It is paved the entire way and runs along the Catawba River. The Riverwalk where the trail starts and ends is home to several spots you can visit before or after as well—The Pump House, Legal Remedy Riverwalk, and Grapevine are solid options.

• Baxter Village Trail: This is a nice and easy 9 mile trail network right along the Catawba River. It is mostly shaded by tree cover as well which is a nice protection from the sun. The entrance to the trail is the Baxter subdivision neighborhood, but don’t fret, it is actually incredible peaceful and you’ll quickly forget that you parked next to someone’s house.

• Another option to get outside is to visit the Glencarin Garden! You can see azaleas, dogwoods, wisteria, crape myrtles, camellias, annuals, hardwood trees and more. The peak bloom period is typically the last week of March through mid-April, but it is always a beautiful place to visit. Admission is free.

Lake Wylie Brewing at Common Market

Bottle Shops in York County:

Common Market: Rock Hill

Grapevine: Fort Mill, Riverwalk, York

Main Street Bottle Shop: Rock Hill

The Vault: Clover

Tipsy Bottle: Fort Mill

Coming soon to the YoCo Brew Trail:

Off the Tracks Brewing: Rock Hill

The Print Shop by Amor Artis: Fort Mill

Middle James Brewing: Rock Hill

The Best Breweries in South Carolina

South Carolina has over 75 breweries and some that are truly crushing it. Living in Charlotte, South Carolina is just a half an hour away so I frequently head down to SC for adventures and of course brewery exploration.

In alphabetical order, here are the best breweries in South Carolina:

Birds Fly South Ale Project

Located in Greenville, SC, Birds Fly South crushes the wild beer game. Sours, Cuvees, Farmhouse Ales, Mixed Cultures, Saisons, Wild Lagers—if it has got funk, BFS does it and does it well. They are housed in Hampton Station, a mixed used development with a few other spots that you can explore. White Duck Taco is always a good idea to pair with your beers.

Charles Towne Fermentory

Located in Charleston, SC, Charles Towne makes great IPAs and Lagers. Don’t expect a huge variety or a huge tap list when you visit, but the things they do they do well. The head brewer used to brew at Trillium and then Tired Hands, so you know they crush Hazy IPAs. Their small taproom is located in the Avondale neighborhood.

Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co.

Located in Charleston, SC, Edmund’s Oast has three different locations: The Brewery, The Restaurant, and The Exchange. The brewery location is my personal favorite and will soon be right next to Juan Luis, a popular taco spot taking the former space of Workshop Food Hall for those familiar. The Exchange is connected to The Restaurant is is a great spot to grab to-go beers. Each Edmund’s Oast location has different Happy Hour specials that are fantastic, I highly recommend looking to see what they are featuring before you visit. Edmund’s Oast does each style of beer well, but their Sours are the best in my opinion. No matter what you order you will be impressed!

The Eighth State Brewing Co.

Located in Greenville, SC, Eighth State nails Fruited Sours and Pastry Stouts. They make insane beers because they are willing to go out on the edge and use things in their beers that others would never dare. You never know what you’re going to find on the tap list but just lean into it and enjoy! They’ve also got sandwiches and bread from Swamp Rabbit Cafe to go with your beers which is truly fantastic.

Slow Play Brewing

Located in Rock Hill, SC, just south of Charlotte, Slow Play makes incredibly juicy and delicious IPAs. They have a wide variety of beers if IPAs aren’t your thing, but if you enjoy them you will love this spot. They’ve also got an amazing food truck that lives onsite—Cibi Cibi!

Westbrook Brewing

Located in Charleston, SC, Westbrook is one of the OGs of craft beer. Personally I think their Stouts are their strongest style (can you tell from my flight above?) but they do each style of beer well! They are most known for Mexican Cake, an Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs, cinnamon, vanilla, and habanero peppers. Their taproom is in Mount Pleasant but you can find their beer across the state and neighboring states as well.

If you’re exploring South Carolina, here is my full guide to Greenville and here is my full guide to Charleston!
Cheers —Alexis

My Top Beers in December 2020

December was a month of a lot of beers. We took a beer trip to Richmond, Virginia, we checked out some new local breweries, college basketball and football heated up, and of course the holidays meant less work and more celebrating!

In no particular order, here are the best beers I drank in December 2020:

Squeeze Play by Slowplay Brewing in Rock Hill, SC

We visited Slow Play just south of Charlotte for the first time in December thanks to a collaboration I did with Discover South Carolina. I was absolutely blown away with how delicious the beers were, how friendly the staff was, how great the spacious patio was, and how delicious the food was from the onsite food truck Cibi! Cibi! My favorite beer I had was Squeeze Play, a Hazy IPA with Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic hops.

Starve Exhibit D from The Veil Brewing in Richmond, VA

We were incredibly lucky that Rebecca and Daniel from @WanderingHops shared this amazing Stout with us when we stayed with them on our beer trip to Richmond! Starve Exhibit D is an Imperial Stout aged 18 months in Bourbon and Brandy barrels with honey, vanilla, and marshmallows. It was thicc, Bourbon-y, and packed with flavor! If you’re not already following @wanderinghops on Instagram get on it! They drink delicious beers and take incredible trips!

Blackberry, Banana, Cream Cheese, French Toast JREAM from Burley Oak Brewing Company in Berlin, MD

This is a Fruited Sour with lactose conditioned on blackberry, banana, cream cheese, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar—it is absolutely phenomenal! This is by far the best JREAM I have had from Burley Oak and one of my top Sours I have had in a long time! I can’t wait to make it to their brewery someday, hopefully in 2021!

Everything at The Answer Brewpub in Richmond, VA

Okay okay this is cheating I know, but honestly everything I had at The Answer was SO good! My flight included the following beers, from left to right in the photo: Hoptone Galaxy Anniversary edition of the Hoptone IPA series featuring CY 2020 Galaxy Hops; Quadrupole Mother of Berries Joose with Boysenberries, Loganberries, Blackberries, and Raspberries; Quadruple Mother Pulka Joose with Red Raspberries, Redcurrant, Strawberries, toasted Marshmallow, and vanilla; Sleep Paralysis @smoothambler Barrel Imperial Stout with Peanut Butter and Oreos. Check out my Richmond recommendations here, but if you can only make one stop in RVA I would highly recommend The Answer!

Grandma’s Apple Pie Gose from Westbrook Brewing in Mt. Pleasant, SC

This is a Gose with apple puree, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, coriander, and lactose. At just 4% ABV, it is the perfect dessert beer without being too heavy. It tastes just like apple pie and is super yummy!

Heavy Mettle Collab brew from The Veil Brewing in Richmond, VA and Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA

Heavy Mettle is an Imperial IPA with Galaxy and Amarillo hops from Trillium Brewing, but thanks to the Freaky Friday beer collab initiative going around The Veil brewed this version! It was super juicy and I absolutely loved it, which is no surprise given my love for Galaxy hops. We paired this brew with pretzels from Eastern Standard Provisions—I definitely recommend checking them out! I got a box at my doorstep courtesy of my mom filled with pretzels and mustards accompanied by easy to follow directions on how to heat them in the oven and they were super good!

Tune in next month to see what my first favorites of 2021 will be! Cheers! -Alexis