Brewing Activities in Raleigh, NC

Hello all.

I actually live in Goldsboro and I'm fairly new to the area, so I thought I'd throw out a call to anyone in the Raleigh area for news on brewing and beer-related activities. Specifically:

Brewing Associations - I've run across CARBOY (Raleigh), Down East Alers (Greenville), and a couple in New Bern which are the closest to me and one's I'd most likely join b/c I can actually make their weekday meetings. Any others out there? Would there happen to be any brewers in Goldsboro that would like to get together for a brewing (and/or barbecuing) session???

Homebrew Events - I've also run across a couple of homebrew competitions on the Carolina Brewer of the Year competition circuit. Hope to get involved in those as well.

Beer Festivals - The World Beer Festival, Durham is coming up on 7 Oct and I hope to make that one.

Cool places to imbibe - One of the coolest places I've run across in Raleigh is an ultra-authentic Irish pub called Tur na Nog. They've got a ton of activities, live music, give-away events and such. If you've got other great watering holes - more importantly, if you've got events to advertise - let me know!

Anyway, I'd like to make this message board a repository for us Carolinian beer enthusists. Please post pertinent info here and use this to meet and associate with others in our area. Feel free to contact me via e-mail at [email protected] if you've got info that you'd like to share. Also, check out my post on the Intro blog for my other hobbies and stuff I like to do in good old Eastern Carolina.

And because the best time of year - college football season - is right around the corner:
GO DAWGS!!! Sic 'Em!!!!

Don't forget about the Lighthouse International Beer Festival in Wilmington NC on October 21. Check out this site for details:

http://brewersroundtable.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34

Matt Bussey

focus...

we're not terribly organized or anything, but there's a group of us on this message board that go under the moniker GRABASS (Greater Raleigh Area Brewers And Suds Sippers).

We don't have regular meetings.
We don't have membership dues.
We don't have collosal egos (something that was present at both TRUB and CARBOY meetings)

We *do* get together for beer sipping, brewery tours, group brewing sessions, homebrew swaps, bulk ingredient buying power, etc.

-walker

I've been reading your posts regarding the 7 Oct Durham brewfest and associated plans. I'd love to participate, but that's a big ?-mark for me that week. The wife is due around 2 Oct, so if anything I may be able to get an out-and-back pass for the day - IF I can get a cheauffer from Goldsboro and back and IF the family support system gets to NC by that weekend. I understand there's something in Charolette the next week and something in Wilmington on the 21st. Both of those are a little more promising for me and I'd love to get together with some of the GRABASS crew. I'll try to keep up with the GRABASS news and meet up with y'all eventually.

On the subject of brewing organizations: I've been looking into joining a group this fall when I get back from my deployment to the desert. TRUB and CARBOY are a little far away for me to make a weekday meeting, but the Down East Alers (DEA) in Greenville is a possibility. Anything I should know about these specifically or brewing groups in general? PM me, of course, if you don't want to publically speak ill of them on a message board.

BTW: glad you're doing well. Your story was pretty freakin' scary esp. as you're only about 3 yrs older than me. Hope to meet y'all soon.

Focus