In the past ten years, Charlotte’s brewery scene has exploded. With breweries seemingly on every corner, and more popping up every year, the Queen City has surpassed Asheville as a beer destination and will surely establish a national reputation for local brews in the next few years. Pioneers like OMB, Birdsong, and NoDa first whet Charlotteans’ appetite for craft beer. These pioneers were followed swiftly by Legion and Sycamore Brewing, which opened its original taproom in 2014. Now, Sycamore has surpassed its early peers in terms of size and scale. It claims a spot as one of the top three craft breweries in the entire state with its ever-popular Mountain Candy IPA and Southern Girl blonde ale.
New Location, Same Sycamore
This success helps explain the breathtaking beauty and staggering size of Sycamore’s new taproom. Located in the new building next door to Sycamore’s old taproom (if you haven’t visited Hawkins Street in a while, bring a map – almost none of the early landmarks remain), the new location sprawls over a whopping 10,000 square feet of interior space and 11,000 square feet of exterior space.
Inside, visitors can explore two floors. The first is built around a magnificent bar wrapped in a herringbone pattern, where, in addition to beer, visitors can order frozé, wine, seasonal specials, and draft cocktails. Around the corner from the central bar, a cozy cafe nook serves coffee and pastries.
Light stonework provides an elegant backsplash to the taps at Sycamore. Plus, sleek, blonde wood pervades the interior, warming the otherwise modern building. Huge garage doors ensure the interior is awash in natural light whenever the sun is out and offer easy access to a sprawling beer garden. Put simply, this taproom is pretty.
Two Stories of Swanky
Upstairs, a second bar keeps the brews flowing. Doors open onto a spacious patio with views of the city skyline. Here, you’ll find what is perhaps the greatest marvel of the new Sycamore taproom – a custom-built Airstream trailer that has been repurposed as a food truck and transported to the second-story patio. From spreads, to salads, to burgers and pizza, the food menu has a little something for every eater.
The café is open Monday through Friday from 7 am to 4 pm, opening one hour later at 8 am on Saturday and Sunday. The taproom and beer garden is open Sunday through Wednesday 11 am-11 pm and Thursday through Saturday 11 am-12 am
Sycamore is also offering brunch Sat and Sun 11-2, with weekly specials. Live music adds an extra element of liveliness to Sycamore on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.
“When we first opened our brewery nearly 10 years ago, we had big dreams of producing fresh beer with top-notch ingredients and the response has been incredible,” says Sycamore Brewing Owner Sarah Brigham. “From humble beginnings to this new build, we’re incredibly grateful for the community’s support. It thrills u our new taproom with them. We look forward to raising a glass with our customers in our new space!”
sycamorebrew.com
@sycamoretaproom
