Field Trip! DSSOLVR Durham

The Basics

Location: 630 Rigsbee Ave, Durham, NC 27701

Website: https://dssolvr.com/location/dssolvr-durham/

Vibe/Atmosphere: Inviting, edgy, artistic

Beers We Tried: Thank You For Existing–Kolsch; Cold Caprese Pizza–Italian Pilsner; Believe In The Breeze–Czech Pilsner; Nite Life–Czech Dark Lager; PB&J Turbo Fluff-Sour

Parking: Ample street and lot parking

Important NC Beer Explorer Tip: When consuming alcohol, always have a designated driver. Be safe out there, friends!

We're lucky here, right in between Raleigh and Durham, to have access to about 60 breweries and taprooms, and we're even luckier that we can visit them whenever we get the urge ... like 1:30 on a Wednesday afternoon. We esepcially wanted to try out DSSOLVR because their tagline is "Brewed until surreal." Who can resist a value proposition like that? Definitely not me and not Rebecca!

DSSOLVR opened their brewery/taproom in Asheville on a Friday the 13th in 2020. Subsequently, they opened up their first remote taproom in Durham, NC on Friday, October 13, 2023. See a pattern here?

DSSOLVR has an edgy, artistic personality that is immediately apparent from street view or as you enter. Local artists (@gabegets and @brutalbohemian) are responsible for the murals on the walls, while an in-house design team create the flamboyant beer can art and their other merch. The beers have exotic names like “Thank You For Existing” and “Extra Bootleg Lizard Wizard.”

(Okay, so we won't use AI to write for us, but we will occasionally play around with some images.)

What you might not necessarily expect from a place with a name like DSSOLVR (not “…Brewing” or “…Beer Co.”) is the genuine friendliness of the staff and the approachability of their beers. We had a terrific time talking with Ansley, the Taproom manager and Liz, our beer server.

Their passion for DSSOLVR’s culture and their pride in the quality of their beers was pretty remarkable. It felt like a warm hug! Ansley said that they consciously strive to create a feeling of community so that anyone can walk in and feel welcome, and we even tossed around the alternate tagline of, "Come alone and feel at home."

DSSOLVR’s original – and still flagship – brew is their “Thank You For Existing” Kolsch. They have long since branched out to a full spectrum of beer styles. The ones we tasted were confidently executed interpretations of their style, each done with flair and (surprising) elegance.

Ben's Beer Notes - DSSOLVER, 7/9/25

• Thank You for Existing

  • Style: Flagship Kõlsch

  • ABV: 4.8%

  • Color: light gold with a sustained white head

  • Taste: bread, mild sweetness balanced with bitterness

  • Mouthfeel: gently fizzy

  • Aftertaste: long, malty sweet

• PB&J Turbo Fluff

  • Style: GF Sour

  • ABV: 6%

  • Color: rich garnet, pomegranate

  • Taste: nutty, fruity, berries, marshmellow

  • Mouthfeel: medium body, wet, quenching

  • Aftertaste: fruity, mellow, silky

• Caprese Pizza

  • Style: Italian Pilsner (Collab w/ Hoof Hearted)

  • ABV: 5.1%

  • Color: clear, gold, fine bubbles

  • Taste: hoppy, citrusy, floral

  • Mouthfeel: fizzy, crisp

  • Aftertaste: soft bitterness

• Believe in the Breeze

  • Style: Czech Pilsner

  • ABV: 5.1%

  • Color: clear, gold, fine bubbles

  • Taste: crackers, floral, lightly malty

  • Mouthfeel: crisp, biting

  • Aftertaste: bitterish

• Nite Life

  • Style: Czech Dark Lager

  • ABV: 5.6%

  • Color: rich brown, light foamy head

  • Taste: chicory, coffee, bittersweet chocolate

  • Mouthfeel: full-bodied, smooth

  • Aftertaste: long flowing, malty

Tell us what you think about DSSOLVR.