The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery - Charlotte, NC

I enjoy a good beer. One afternoon while enjoying another vice, a good cigar, outside of the Vintner Market at the Arboretum, I was introduced to the locally brewed Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (OMB) Copper. A heady beer with a deep flavor, I was instantly reminded of my time in Germany and the various beers available there. It was a good afternoon.

Come to find out my German tastebuds were correct. The Copper is modeled after the German "altbier" which is technically a lagered ale. A new lighter Kolsch/Pils variant is also being introduced later this month. Kolsch is a beer I developed a particular affinity for when I was in Germany because of all the time I spent in Koln. I look forward to this new release.

I visited the brewery this past Saturday and met one of the owners, John Marino, as he was installing some lighting for the new tasting room. They appear to be shaping up the tasting room to be like a German beirhaus with the high paneling and high ceilings. Construction is still very much underway on the room itself, but the beer is in full production.

OMB is NOT available in your local stores. Distribution is either at a local restaurant like Chris Edward's New South (Arboretum) who recently signed up or by buying beer at the brewery in bottles called "growlers" which is a technical term for this type of bottle and has no relation to the demeanor you would be in the next morning should you finish one off in one sitting.

For you conservation types, one large growler (74oz) is equal to a six pack of beer. Growlers are refillable and fit nicely in your fridge (if they make it). Think of all the bottles and trips to the curb you'll save. I'm trying to find the magic number of growlers to own, but it seems that 4 is going to do the trick for semi-monthly visits to the brewery.

The brewery is doing tours and tastings. You can learn more at their website at http://www.oldemeckbrew.com. Don't mind the construction. John felt like the place would be in full swing by the Summer just in time to enjoy a good beer on a warm afternoon. I wonder how this will change tailgating in the Fall?

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