Field Trip! Raleigh Beer Garden Part 1

Study Notes

(A quick note: we are documenting our “research” at Raleigh Beer Garden in two visits/posts. This post represents “Part 1,” and there will be a “Part 2” when we return. Stay tuned!)

As I go deeper down the craft beer rabbit-hole, I have decided to pursue certification as a beer judge via the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). One of my favorite coursework books is The Brewmaster’s Table by Garrett Oliver, a fantastic book focused on Old World brewing traditions and food and beer pairings. Most American craft beers are variations on Old World Beer styles, and I wanted to sample a wide range of the styles I have been studying. So, Rebecca and I paid a visit to a unique taproom located fairly close by.

The Raleigh Beer Garden (RBG) has held the world record for most taps several times and continues to run neck-to-neck with its sister location in Charlotte for the current record. RBG has over 350 taps in total, including 144 NC drafts on the bottom floor and 222 international beers on the top floor. In this case, “international” is the rest of the US and the world.

The Basics

Location: 614 Glenwood Ave Raleigh, NC 27603

Parking: street and nearby lots

Website: theraleighbeergarden.com

Social media: facebook.com/raleighbeergarden, instagram.com/raleighbeergarden

Vibe/atmosphere: urban, indoor/outdoor, industrial chic, social, endless varieties of beer and other bevs

Beers we tried: Fuller’s London Pride Bitter, Reissdorf Kolsch, Erdinger Hefeweizen, DeBrabandere Bavik Super Wit, Guinness Draught, Sullivan’s Dry Irish Stout, Duvel Moortgat Belgian Blond, Van Steenberge Gulden Draak Classic Tripel, 3 Floyds Gumballhead American Wheat Pale Ale, Incendiary Brewing Dulce Muerte Imperial Stout

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

Tap Dancing

Customers were sparse on a crisp, midweek January afternoon when we went straight upstairs and beheld an awesome sight: more than 200 sparking wall taps!

Our server Taylor greeted us, and she quickly distinguished herself as the perfect host for our particular quest. She said she grew up homebrewing with her father and is now pursuing a professional brewing certification at Wake Tech. We found her very knowledgeable about all-things-beer-related, including the Old World styles.

We had done our research, so we were ready to try a range of Old World beers representing a variety of brewing traditions from Germany, Belgium, and the UK. RBG has many of the specific beers described in Oliver’s book, some of which come from centuries-old breweries. For example, the Gulden Draak Tripel comes from the Van Steenberge Brewery which goes back six generations to 1784. The Reissdorf Kolsch dates back to 1894 in Cologne. Finding these legendary beers on tap so close to us felt like a unique privilege!

All the beers were excellent (see our tasting notes), but some stood out above the rest. The Duvel Belgian Blond was a journey, with brilliant, clear straw color that gave no hint of its complexity. But as we sipped, aromas of orange and pear blossomed into a bittersweet mélange of flavor, including banana, bread, and cloves. The finish was long and sweet at the end. We were also impressed with Fuller's London Pride Bitter. We didn’t know what to expect from a beer which has long been a staple of London pubs, but it was surprisingly complex and imminently drinkable.

After completing our “studies” in Old World beers, Taylor wanted us to taste a unique beer that was one of her favorites. We did a blind test – trying the beer with no knowledge of style or brewery or even country of origin. The mystery beer was golden and clear with a big white foamy head and sundry aromas – hoppy, herbal, citrus, and fruity. The taste was sweet and fruit-forward with grapefruit and tropical hints of pineapple/guava, and it finished light and lemon-bittery. We guessed the sample was a hybrid American/New England IPA, and when Taylor revealed its identity, we were pleased to have pretty much nailed the descriptors. However, we were surprised to learn that it was “Gumballhead American Wheat Pale Ale” made by 3 Floyds Brewing (Muncie, IN). The lack of haziness stumped us, which is a typical feature of NEIPA’s due to wheat proteins.

Taylor treated us to wonderful service and demonstrated serious beer knowledge!

Raleigh Beer Garden is a feast for all the senses.

Marcus is one of the friendly and photogenic Keg Technicians who ensure that the taps stay fresh, clean, and full at RBG.

Our visit wouldn’t have been complete without stopping downstairs at the North Carolina Craft beer bar. Once again, there was a wall with a dense array of taps, but this time populated by the NC breweries and beers we are more familiar with. Our bartender, Araya, was equally knowledgeable of beers, breweries, and pairings. We were keen to get a pour of an Incendiary Brewing’s “Dulce Muerte” Imperial Stout, since the Incendiary’s Taproom Operations Director Chris Straus had told us it’s her favorite. And we were in luck! RBG had it on tap. We had a short pour of Dulce Muerte and were not disappointed. We already had sampled some of Incendiary’s other bourbon barrel-aged stouts, and Dulce Muerte is just as complex as those stouts with rich chocolate, cinnamon, and bourbon flavors playing peek-a-boo behind habanero tingle and heat.

Overall, it was an ideal experience for a couple of beer nerds looking to expand their horizons. While we may be "North Carolina" Beer Explorers, we strive to be well-informed about all the history, techniques, and traditions that have gone into today’s craft beers. Luckily, Raleigh Beer Garden is a great “study lab” where we can try more Old and New World beers and grow our knowledge — one sample at a time.

NCBE's Beer Notes - Raleigh Beer Garden

• Fuller’s London Pride

  • Style: Bitter - Common

  • ABV: 4.1 %

  • Color: Amber, light lacy head

  • Aroma: Biscuit, earthy, baking spice

  • Taste: Biscuit, then quickly to bitter. Smoke, caramel, no discernable hops notes

  • Mouthfeel: Light body but with a little coating on the tongue, med carbonation

  • Aftertaste: bitter

  • Overall: Surprisingly complex, very crushable

• Reissdorf Kolsch

  • Style: Kolsch (Cologne)

  • ABV: 4.8%

  • Color: Straw, light head

  • Aroma: Bitter, bread/cracker, caramel, fruit

  • Taste: Yeasty bread, sour note, bitter-sweet, tangy

  • Mouthfeel: Crisp, med carbonation

  • Aftertaste: Bitter and bread

  • Overall: A little blander than expected

• Erdinger Hefeweizen

  • Style: Hefeweizen (Erding, Germany)

  • ABV: 5.3%

  • Color: Hazy gold

  • Aroma: Banana, baking spice, light bready malt

  • Taste: Banana bread, caramel, clove

  • Mouthfeel: Creamy, coating, light carbonation

  • Aftertaste: Tangy

  • Overall: Confident representation of the style

• De Brabanere Bavik Super Wit

  • Style: Baptist White (Wheat)

  • ABV: 5%

  • Color: Straw, slight haze

  • Aroma: Orange, biscuity

  • Taste: Orange, spice, pear, almond, bittersweet

  • Mouthfeel: Champagne bubbles, lightly creamy,

  • Aftertaste: Crisp, sour, orange

  • Overall: Enjoyed the clear fruit notes as compared to US versions

• Guinness Draught

  • Style: Dry Irish Stout

  • ABV: 4.2%

  • Color: Black with thick, light brown mousse head

  • Aroma: Light

  • Taste: Bitter, coffee, chocolate, toffee

  • Mouthfeel: Dry, light

  • Aftertaste: Long finish extending all the flavor notes

  • Overall: “Like coming home,” deserves to be #1 world selling beer.

• Sullivan’s Black Marble

  • Style: Dry Irish Stout

  • ABV: 5.1%

  • Color: Black, light head

  • Aroma: Dark roasted coffee, charred wood

  • Taste: Light, rounded coffee, charred wood a little sweet with the bitter

  • Mouthfeel: Thin body, low carbonation

  • Aftertaste: Finish goes to bitter chocolate

  • Overall: Very different from Guinness, even though also brewed in Ireland

• Duvel Moortgat Duvel 6,66%

  • Style: Belgian Blonde/Strong Golden Ale

  • ABV: 6.7%

  • Color: Straw, brilliant/clear, lacy head

  • Aroma: Orange, pear, spice

  • Taste: Orange baking spice, banana, bittersweet

  • Mouthfeel: Dry, bright, crisp

  • Aftertaste: Long finish, sweet at the end

  • Overall: This was our favorite beer today. Wonderfully complex, chameleon

• Van Steenberge Brewery – Gulden Draak Classic

  • Style: Belgian Tripel

  • ABV: 10.5%

  • Color: Light brown, cloudy

  • Aroma: Caramel, banana, spice, sweet

  • Taste: Intense blend of flavors: Banana, other fruit, spice, toffee, brandy, toasted pecans

  • Mouthfeel: Full body, med. carbonation

  • Aftertaste: Long finish - brandy and bittersweet

  • Overall: Justified its self-proclaimed “one of the best beers in the world”

• 3 Floyds (Munster, IN) - Gumballhead

  • Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

  • ABV: 5.6%

  • Color: Gold, clear, big white foamy head

  • Aroma: Herbal, hoppy, citrus/tropical fruit

  • Taste: Sweet, fruit-forward tropical/citrus

  • Mouthfeel: Light carbonation, light to medium body

  • Aftertaste: Light, bittery finish

  • Overall: Excellent! This was our mystery beer. See text above.

• Incendiary Brewing (Winston-Salem, NC) – Dulce Muerte

  • Style: Mexican Imperial Stout with Pepper

  • ABV: 11.4%

  • Color: Black

  • Aroma: Chocolate, cinnamon, bourbon barrel

  • Taste: Habanero up front – but not too strong. Chocolate, cinnamon, cocoanut peeking behind

  • Mouthfeel: Full, light carbonation

  • Aftertaste: Long, lingering finish

  • Overall: Worth the wait! See more in the text above.

What do you think about Raleigh Beer Garden?