Brewing a Movement

A trio of local breweries are tapping new locations.

If you thought the beer movement had kicked the keg—think again. While craft beer sales may be down slightly, the industry at large is, well, brewing. Sours alone—having risen steadily since 2020—maintain a supremacy projected to shine on this year, and giving a fruity, tart flavor profile that appeals to a range of palettes and translates to a growing selection and skyrocketing sales. 

Never mind the happening hard cider or the emergence of the electrolyte beer market—already holding a $156.83 mill value and projected to hit $474.21 mill by the end of 2033 in the U.S. alone (and so you can finally hydrate and diedrate at the same time—stay tuned).

Tapping into that movement, Raleigh’s big three breweries are all leveling up and expanding their reach. For its part, despite closing its Raleigh Five Points “outpost for outlaws” at least temporarily (see p. 24), Lonerider broadened its base of beer-loving bandits with its expansion to the Bull City. Opening its new Lonerider Distillery and Taproom in Downtown Durham in June, the premium craft beer brand is pouring out its Wild West energy via pints and cocktails crafted from its award-winning spirits that promise to sate your wild side. 

Also rolling across the border into the Bull City, Crank Arm Brewing Company announced its plans with Raleigh Magazine to spin out a second cycling/sip outpost. Beyond cheersing to 10 years at its anniversary celebration July 23, the buzzy brand is gearing up to open its hoppy new digs in Durham’s social district—dubbed The Bullpen—by the end of the year. 

Situated in the ground floor of luxe Beckon Apartments, the taproom will serve up a 3,000-plus-square-foot indoor/outdoor space with rollup doors—all a mere ~20 steps from the highly anticipated Downtown Durham greenway trail. And, wait for it, in addition to its 24 taps (plus, seltzers, wine and ciders), the Durham digs will be pouring liquor thanks to updated ABC licensing laws. 

“We’re very excited to become part of the community in Durham the way we have in Raleigh,” says Adam Eckhardt, who founded Crank Arm alongside trio of partners Michael Morris, Dylan Selinger and Bob High. “It’s a burgeoning city [with] a lot of folks moving here. It’s our sister city, and there’s an active cycling culture here.” Beyond pedaling up a buzz, look out for pop-ups, collabs with the local cycling community, weekly rides and run clubs that echo the MO of the OG Raleigh location.

And bottoming out the barrel of brewery fun, Trophy Brewing Co.—also feteing 10 years in 2023—is electrifying Five Points East with its planned sixth location (and second outside of DTR) in the iconic blue Electric Supply Co. building. Trophy’s sip spot is slated to untap in the burgeoning neighborhood in late 2024  next to Anisette Sweet Shop and three-time James Beard Award semifinalist chef Cheetie Kumar’s new restaurant Ajja.

“When we walked through the door, we knew immediately we had to do this,” says Trophy co-owner Chris Powers, who broke the news in an exclusive interview with Raleigh Magazine regarding the mammoth 23,000-square-foot building with 22-foot ceilings and a basement. 

Beyond its eight to 10 taps in a Trophy Maywood-size brewery that will open first, the team plans to follow with a full-service restaurant feat. a Trophy Brewing & Pizza-esque menu. “With that space, it makes sense to brew there,” he adds. “And the basement could be a great rickhouse for Young Hearts. There’s so many possibilities.” Endless possibilities really for a “cask” of breweries exploding across the Triangle’s happening hoppy scene. loneriderbeer.com; crankarmbrewing.com; trophybrewing.com 

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