Field Trip! Deep River Brewing Co

Our only disappointment was that we couldn't visit Deep River Brewing that day because we had to leave before their weekday opening time. We'd become big fans of Deep River beers through purchases at taprooms and bottle shops, so we promised each other we'd return soon for a dedicated visit.

That day finally arrived last week, and we had the opportunity to talk with founder and owner Paul Auclair and brewer Bobby McInerny. It quickly became clear that Deep River Brewing has grown deep roots in historic downtown Clayton.

The town of Clayton dates back to 1869 and has experienced tremendous growth over the past few decades as part of the expanding Research Triangle region. Along with that growth, the historic downtown has enjoyed an impressive revival.

Paul and his wife, Lynn, are transplants from upstate New York and avid homebrewers who turned their dream into reality by opening the first (legal) brewery in Clayton in 2013. At the time, downtown's revitalization was just beginning, and they took a chance on a large, vacant former cotton spinning mill on West Main Street. The space was far bigger than they needed initially, but they believed in their vision and expected they'd eventually grow into it.

They were right.

Today, Deep River Brewing has become both a hub and a catalyst for downtown Clayton, which is now lively, walkable, and full of energy. You could say Deep River has earned its deep roots in the community.

Feels Like Coming Home

Walking into the Deep River taproom felt like coming home. The spacious, high-ceilinged room features a massive wall of reclaimed wood from a local tobacco barn, displaying the names and descriptions of all 24 beers on tap. The reclaimed wood theme continues throughout the bar, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.

Even shortly after opening on a weekday afternoon, the taproom was already bustling. Everyone seemed relaxed and genuinely happy to be there, and we immediately felt welcome. Brewer Bobby McInerny and all-around handyman Steve O'Neill greeted us as we walked in. Raised in eastern North Carolina, Bobby has been with Deep River for eight years, following years of homebrewing and brewing experience at Raleigh's legendary Big Boss Brewing.

The Basics

Location: 700 West Main Street, Clayton, NC 27520

Parking: Ample dedicated lot

Website: deepriverbrewing.com

Social media: facebook.com/DeepRiverBrewing, instagram.com/deepriverbrewco

Vibe/Atmosphere: Rustic warehouse, inviting, friendly. Ample indoor and front patio seating.

Beers We Tried: Double D’s Watermelon Lager, Juicy Rapids Hazy IPA, Mango Tango Foxtrot Juicy IPA, Hausboat Helles, Kayak Kolsch, Yachty By Nature NEIPA, Party Mix Czech Pilsner, “Collaboration” Imperial Milk Stout, 4042 Chocolate Stout

Important NC Beer Explorer Tip: When consuming alcohol, always have a designated driver. Be safe out there, friends! Follow these simple tips for safer consumption.

Variety and Creativity

Bobby told us that Deep River prides itself on both variety and creativity. They maintain a deep bench of flagship beers, including 4042 Chocolate Milk Stout and Double D's Watermelon Lager, while constantly rotating seasonal and limited releases like Kayak Kölsch (one of our favorites) and the newly released Hausboat Helles.

The range and imagination on display were impressive. We sampled nine beers during our visit and had to choose carefully—we'll definitely need another trip to tackle the remaining fifteen. Our tasting flight covered everything from crisp lagers and hop-forward IPAs to a rich barrel-aged stout. We enjoyed every beer we tried (see our tasting notes below), but a few stood out from the crowd.

Although 4042 Chocolate Milk Stout is widely distributed throughout the Triangle and across North Carolina, somehow we'd never gotten around to trying it. It turned out to be one of the day's biggest surprises. Rather than the over-the-top chocolate bomb we expected, 4042 delivers a remarkably balanced combination of cocoa, milk chocolate, and a subtle hint of smoke. Its medium-bodied sweetness is smooth without becoming heavy, finishing cleanly with lingering mocha notes. At 6.5% ABV, it isn't exactly a session beer, but it's exceptionally drinkable.

Another standout was Party Mix Czech Pilsner. In a playful nod to the classic snack mix, Bobby brewed it with corn, rice, wheat, and rye. We had fun trying to identify each grain's contribution, but this was far more than a novelty beer. Built on a traditional Czech pilsner foundation with Saaz hops, Party Mix was crisp, flavorful, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Suffice it to say, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Deep River Brewing—and we'll definitely be back to work our way through those other fifteen beers.

Deep River, Deep Roots

We had visited downtown Clayton a few weeks earlier after an excursion to nearby Knightdale on a barbecue quest. We parked on Main Street, strolled through the historic downtown, and were struck by how many of the early 20th-century buildings were occupied and thriving. It was obvious that the revitalization of the old downtown had been underway for quite some time.

There are many reasons to visit Clayton, NC, including its Sculpture Trail, featuring works like "Big Al" by Artist Grace Cathey of Waynesville, NC. Visit https://www.townofclaytonnc.org to learn more.

Rebecca felt right at home with the Deep River team (Left, Robert White, Raleigh Sales Representative; Right, Steve O'Neill, Jack-of-all-trades).

NCBE's Beer Notes - Deep River Brewing Co.

• Double D’s

  • Style: Watermelon Lager

  • ABV: 4.5%

  • Color: Red-amber, clear

  • Aroma: Watermelon, touch of bready malt

  • Taste: Watermelon with a good pilsner malt base, medium sweet

  • Mouthfeel: Light body, med/high carbonation

  • Aftertaste: Watermelon, malt, sweetness finishing to slight bitter

• Juicy Rapids

  • Style: Hazy IPA

  • ABV: 6.3%

  • Color: Yellow, hazy

  • Aroma: Grapefruit, pineapple, stone fruit, lemon

  • Taste: Same as taste, plus umami. Low bitterness for the style.

  • Mouthfeel: Medium body, creamy, med carbonation

  • Overall: Bobby explained he used thiolized yeast which imparted tropical flavor notes without requiring as much hops – thus the relatively low bitterness.

• Mango Tango Foxtrot

  • Style: Juicy IPA

  • ABV: 5.7%

  • Color: Gold, hazy

  • Aroma: Sweet mango

  • Taste: Full range of hops notes – citrus, tropical. Bitter edge.

  • Mouthfeel: Medium/creamy body, med carbonation

• Hausboat

  • Style: Helles

  • ABV: 4.9%

  • Color: Straw, clear

  • Aroma: Biscuit, slight herbal

  • Taste: Bready malty sweetness. Touch of honey and citrus. Nicely balanced

  • Mouthfeel: Light body, high carbonation.

  • Aftertaste: Smooth, a little sweet w/slightly bitter finish

• Kayak*

  • Style: Kolsch

  • ABV: 4.6%

  • Color: Straw, clear

  • Aroma: Bread crust, slight fruitiness (Citrus/pear)

  • Taste: Balance of crisp/bitter hops and malt bread and sweetness. Touch of fruit.

  • Mouthfeel: Light body, high carbonation

  • Aftertaste: Crisp, smooth

  • Overall: We enjoyed drinking one of our favorite Kolsch’s at its birthplace.

• Yachty By Nature*

  • Style: NEIPA (“Hazy IPA brewed w/pineapple, coconut and milk sugar”)

  • ABV: 6.5%

  • Color: Hazy, pale gold. Sustained foamy head

  • Aroma: Pineapple, coconut, papaya, mango

  • Taste: Pineapple, coconut

  • Mouthfeel: Medium body, creamy. Med carbonation

  • Aftertaste: tangy/sweet yogurt

  • Overall: Big flavors, highly drinkable. We brought some of this home!

• Party Mix*

  • Style: Czech Pilsner

  • ABV: 4.7%

  • Color: Clear, straw. Light lacy head

  • Aroma: Hint of rye bread crust

  • Taste: Slight bitter, bready malt with touch of rye and corn notes, toasted almonds

  • Mouthfeel: Light, crisp

  • Aftertaste: Malty sweet, finishes a little bitter

  • Overall: The beer was a tasty as the concept was clever.

• Collaboration Without Representation

  • Style: BBA Imperial Milk Stout

  • ABV: 12.8%

  • Color: Black/Opaque

  • Aroma: Sherry, bourbon, vanilla, dark fruit

  • Taste: Same as nose, add coffee, bitter chocolate and leather. Intensity of flavors can initially read as spicy.

  • Mouthfeel: Full body, low/med carbonation

  • Aftertaste: All of the above, tart/bitter coffee finish

  • Overall: This was a wonderfully complex beer. We had fun picking out all the flavor notes.

• 4042*

  • Style: Chocolate Milk Stout

  • ABV: 6.5%

  • Color: Black/Opaque

  • Aroma: Smoke, hint of cream and chocolate

  • Taste: Chocolate milk, with restrained sweetness, hint of smoke

  • Mouthfeel: Light to medium body, smooth and creamy

  • Aftertaste: Bittersweet chocolate

  • Overall: Clean, smooth, highly drinkable. More subtle than expected for style and ABV.

*NCBE Two mugs up!

What do you think about Deep River Brewing Co.?