Road Trip! Lesser-Known Beer Co.
Lesser-Known has made a name for itself as a home for traditional-yet-experimental German and Czech beer styles.
ROAD TRIP
Ben Marmaduke
1/3/20264 min read
Setting our priorities
If you’ve been following us a while, you might wonder how we prioritize which breweries to visit. Our decision-making process could be a post in and of itself, but here it is in a nutshell (or a shot glass): first, we consult our database that lists roughly how many awards each North Carolina brewery has won in the last decade. Next, we look at which ones are more well-known statewide, versus those that are less-known. We are predisposed to visit breweries with less statewide brand recognition, and so it naturally follows that when we planned our road trip to Winston-Salem, we decided to visit Lesser-Known Beer Company.
Before each visit, we do some online research to familiarize ourselves with the brewery’s backstory and core beers. After researching Lesser-Known, we expected a small taproom with a few devoted beer nerds crouched over beers poured directly from lagering tanks. This expectation stemmed from what we had learned about the owners and their penchant for tweaking and experimenting with Old World beer recipes.
The Basics
Location: 901 S Broad Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Parking: street
Website: www.lesserknownbeer.com
Social media: facebook.com/LesserKnownBeerCo, instagram.com/lesserknownbeerco
Vibe/atmosphere: neighborly, casual, lively, social, minimalistic, sincere
Beers we tried: Which Echoes German-Inspired Schwarzbier, Older Bones Oatmeal Stout, Oh So Lager, Dunkel by LaTreace Harris Munich Dunkel
Important NC Beer Explorer Tip: When consuming alcohol, always have a designated driver. Be safe out there, friends!
Instead, we found a vibrant, diverse collection of people rubbing elbows inside, and an attractive outdoor space that was also crowded with pubgoers (even on a chilly December evening). What might have started out as low-spark has clearly broken through to become well-known and appreciated all over Winston-Salem.
History repeats itself
Lesser-Known Beer Co. was founded in 2022 by college friends Will Loring and Ryan Gramlich, both hailing originally from Virginia. Ryan cut his teeth in Richmond as a head brewer, but when he and Will reconnected and started planning to open a brewery together, they settled on Winston-Salem.
The Triad brewing scene was an already established area where they believed their unique approach would separate them from the rest, and they established their operation in Old Salem, not far from the site where the first known commercial brewery and distillery in NC was established by the Moravians in Bethabara in 1756. You might say that Lesser-Known isn’t making history so much as repeating it!
Long-ago Old World breweries looked (and smelled) different from today's operations.
Good bones
What else is there that sets Lesser-Known apart? As previously mentioned, they champion beer styles that are often under-represented at craft breweries; specifically, they feature German and Czech styles that are sometimes overlooked in the profusion of IPAs. They even traveled to Germany and the Czech Republic before opening their brewery to gain additional inspiration. You might find one IPA on the menu (as on the night of our visit), but you will mostly find Czech Lager, Dunkel, Helles or “Older Bones,” an oatmeal stout brewed with dark Munich malt and Hersbrucker hops. Older Bones was our favorite pour of the evening.
Will Loring and Ryan Gramlich are the owners of Lesser-Known Beer Co. (photo credit visitwinstonsalem.com)
Will and Ryan also use some unconventional brewing techniques. including “decoction” and open fermentation. These practices are too complex to explain here, but basically, they allow for a range of unique and nuanced flavor notes to be introduced – and here is where the experimental meets the traditional at Lesser-Known.
Lesser-Known only has five taps – plus “tank-pours” directly from the lagering tank – and they are constantly changing and tweaking their brews. So, from month-to-month, their menu can completely change. But we could tell by the crowd on an early Friday evening that they had found a strong following for their beers and their approach to brewing.
Another facet of Lesser-Known's approach is an intimate and focused atmosphere. The tap room is small and there are no TVs, recurring events, or live music; just excellent beer and personal service. Will and Ryan encourage customers to turn off their phones and focus on the beer and socializing. We definitely saw this happening in real time, and we appreciated the atmosphere of engagement and connection.
A short note on food: Lesser-Known has a regular schedule of food trucks and occasionally features hot dogs, but they are also next door to an excellent casual restaurant called East of Texas, specializing in Texas-style BBQ brisket, Tex-Mex, and tacos. As former Texans transplanted to NC, we will vouch for the quality and authenticity of their fare. They had us at “smoked brisket.”
Overall, we found that Lesser-Known Beer Co. is worth getting to know.
We enjoyed Older Bones Oatmeal Stout (see tasting notes below).
East of Texas BBQ and Tex-Mex is next door to Lesser-Known and definitely worth knowing!
NCBE's Beer Notes - Lesser-Known Beer Co.
Which Echoes
Style: German-Inspired Schwarzbier
ABV: 5.2%
Appearance: black, fine beige foam
Aroma: toasted malt, musty
Taste: toasted malt with hops on the back, chicory/coffee, sharp and bitter
Mouthfeel: light-bodied, clean, medium-high carbonation
Aftertaste: long, hoppy finish
Older Bones*
Style: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 5.2%
Appearance: dark brown, thick tan head
Aroma: frace of roasted malt
Taste: sweet, cocoa nibs, oatmeal, tart note
Mouthfeel: creamy, medium-full bodies, light carbonation
Aftertaste: medium length finish, slightly bittery
Oh So
Style: Pale Lager
ABV: 3.8%
Appearance: Pale gold, slightly cloudy. Lacy head
Aroma: Biscuit malt, herbal/hay, mild
Taste: Clean, biscuit, bread flour, grass, herbal, restrained bitterness
Mouthfeel: Dry, light, medium carbonation
Aftertaste: Short finish
Dunkel by LaTreace Harris
Style: Bavarian-Inspired Dunkel
ABV: 4.8%
Appearance: copper color, light beige head
Aroma: subtle caramel malt and coffee
Taste: caramel, bread, dry
Mouthfeel: dry, light body, medium carbonation
Aftertaste: mildly bitter
