Located in the heart of NoDa just 2 miles from Uptown is the beloved local Growlers Pourhouse. The spot, owned by Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel, is dedicated to craft beer and all the food that goes great with it. The two certainly know their stuff: Jeff is a certified cicerone – the first in Charlotte to pass the grueling test which covers beer styles, brewing technology, draft systems, and food pairings and the couple also own two other popular eateries, Haberdish and Crepe Cellar.
Their tap list offers tons of different brew options, all with ratings made by previous customers. Once you select the perfect drink, you can pair it with something tasty from their diverse menu including oysters, tacos, sandwiches, sausages, salads, and much more.
Recently, Growlers rolled out a unique new bimonthly event that’s got a little something for everyone. With a little nod to the south, the George Thorogood song inspired bartender Hunter Thurston to invent his One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer Thorogood Thursdays event (#GPHTT). Every first and third Thursday of the month, Growlers offers a carefully-crafted way to try pre-selected bourbon, scotch, and beer. Thurston selects one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer that customers can taste without having to purchase the entire bottle.
“Right now, the bourbon industry is booming and so are beer and scotch,” says Thurston. “There are so many brands that people are not familiar with that sometimes the price tag will steer people away. I wanted to start something that offers people these items at a fair price so that they can experience it and see that there are many wonderful spirits and beers out there.”
Growlers and GPHTT gives people an opportunity to hang out in a cozy environment and try something new. The staff even hands out reviews of the spirits so customers can search for what the experts have found in each spirit. “It becomes a fun little experiment if you like,” Thurston shares.
The response for the weekly event so far has been great, according to the Growlers team, and Thurston says plenty of his regulars come in just for the the first and third Thursday fun. Some people dive in and try everything, and some just mix and match.
As for the future, “there are a few specialty beers that I am super excited about getting from local breweries, and some great bourbon and scotch that I can not wait to introduce,” Thurston tells us. “But the details will be a surprise for now. We also hope this event will keep encouraging people to drink responsibly. Because many of these spirits and beers have tasting notes, they send you on a journey into the depths of your most pleasant memories. For instance, whenever I drink the Balvenie Caribbean Cask, it takes me back to my childhood and helping my great-grandfather bail hay… the smells and tastes really take me on an adventure.”
