See how Durham takes its drink at our city’s breweries, distilleries and cideries

By Hannah Lee; Illustrations by Christian King, designer at @ck.creations

BULL CITY BURGER AND BREWERY
A family-friendly, independent craft brewery and restaurant featuring award-winning beer made from locally sourced ingredients. You can usually find the “Parrish Street Pale Ale” or the “Bryant Bridge Gateway Golden Ale” on tap, but check in throughout the year for special variations. Head to its Bull City Solera and Taproom for specialty barrel-aged beers alongside its flagship brews, as well as chef-driven burritos and Mexican pizza. 107 E. Parrish St.; 919-680-2333

BULL CITY CIDERWORKS
The cidery’s six year-round mainstays include the “Off Main” (classic cider), “Sweet Carolina” (made with local honey), “Cherry Tart” (Montmorency cherries), “Smooth Hoperator” (dry hopped), “Rhize Up!” (fresh ginger) and “Orange You a Hippie” (sweet orange peel and hibiscus flowers), plus seasonal varieties that include habanero peppers, cinnamon and other ingredients. Visit its Triangle locations in Durham and Cary. 305 S. Roxboro St.; 919-237-2357

BULL DURHAM BEER CO.
The brewery opened in Durham Bulls Athletic Park’s main concourse in 2015. It was the first beer company at a minor league baseball stadium. 409 Blackwell St.; 877-417-4551

CLOUDS BREWING
This American-style restaurant and brewery with a German flair operates a taproom and two restaurant locations across the Triangle. Each restaurant houses 40-plus rotating taps with local craft beer, including its own German-inspired brews – plus everyday menu items like bratwurst hoagies, pretzels, chicken schnitzel and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The taproom offers 18 beers on tap, with a focus on European-style lagers and ales. 905 W. Main St.; 919-251-8096

DURHAM DISTILLERY
Founded in 2013 and opened in 2015 by Melissa Katrincic and Lee Katrincic, the craft gin and liqueur distillery produces premium gins using a two-step process, which combines traditional gin-making techniques with modern chemistry to create both classic and contemporary spirits. Under the flagship name, Conniption, its gins are among the most-awarded craft gins distilled in the U.S. The distillery also produces canned cocktails, cold-distilled cucumber vodka and liqueurs and opened its adjacent cocktail bar, Corpse Reviver, in fall 2020. The distillery’s Conniption Navy Strength Gin was recently featured in Forbes’ coverage of “15 of the Best All-American Gins to Try Right Now.” 711 Washington St.; 919-937-2121

DURTY BULL BREWING COMPANY
Barrel-aged, sour and hoppy brews. (Try the “My Mom Still Packs My Lunch Imperial Stout Ale” that’s brewed with peanut butter and marshmallows – at 13% ABV, it packs a punch!) Dog-friendly with live music, open mic comedy and other events. 206 Broadway St.; 919-688-2337

FLYING BULL BEER COMPANY
Ninth Street’s first nanobrewery, outdoor beer garden and taproom was founded by partners Joel Miles and Anna Bloch in 2020 and offers 24 taps that include its own smallbatch craft beer, plus a few other North Carolina favorites. Flying Bull also sells crowlers and growlers as well as prepackaged craft beer to go, and recently announced it’s opening a second location with craft beer, cocktails and a full dining menu in the Durham Innovation District near West Village in fall 2023. 752 Ninth St.; 919-908-8180​

FULLSTEAM BREWERY
The frontrunner of the “plow-to-pint” movement, Fullsteam is the only North Carolina brewery to receive Good Food Awards for its beer – 10 in total since its 2010 opening – and the James Beard Foundation has recognized the brewery as a four-time semi-finalist in the Outstanding Wine, Beer and Spirits category. Fullsteam has two Durham locations, both serving food: downtown and Boxyard RTP. 726 Rigsbee Ave.; 919-438-2337 and 900 Park Offices Dr.; 919-295-2337

GIZMO BREW WORKS TAPROOM
At its inception, Gizmo Brew Works inherited a two-barrel brewhouse in Raleigh in April 2013, making it one of the smallest production breweries in North Carolina at the time. In 2019, it set forth to quadruple its brewing capacity and opened its first satellite taproom in Chapel Hill. The brewery later expanded further, opening a Durham taproom at University Hill. The shop provides a diverse selection of craft beer and cider in addition to Gizmo’s year-round and specialty beer. 3109 Shannon Rd.; 919-999-2702

HI-WIRE BREWING
The Golden Belt taproom has more than 8,000 square feet of interior space, as well as an outdoor covered patio and beer garden. There are fullsized shuffleboard courts, soccer pool tables, table tennis and more. The bar’s 24 taps feature the brewery’s year-round staples, seasonal specials, sours and oneoffs, as well as wine, local cider and guest taps. Directly outside the brewery is an outdoor stage that often showcases local performing artists. 800 Taylor St.; 919-295-3700

HONEYGIRL MEADERY
Offers a glimpse into the world of the honeybee with award-winning, hand-crafted meads that utilize various ingredients. Its downtown tasting room and bottle shop offers a rotating seasonal lineup of meads ranging from dry to semi-sweet to lightly sparkling. Choose a flight or a guided mead tasting. 105 Hood St., Ste. 6; 919-399-3056

LIBERTY AND PLENTY DISTILLERY
Named after the two robed figures in North Carolina’s state seal, this startup craft distillery housed within a circa 1938 industrial brick building in downtown produces rum, whiskeys and vodka. Owner and head distiller, Tina Williford, says Liberty & Plenty will also produce gin and flavored vodkas. The physical facility, designed by pod architecture + design, accommodates product tasting, retail displays, bottle sales, and indoor and outdoor seating. 609 Foster Street, Ste. B; 919-381-4100

MOON DOG MEADERY AND BOTTLE SHOP
Co-owners Derrick Forrest and Kenneth Thrower opened this meadery in 2021 with a commitment to offering a large selection of North Carolina craft beers, wines, hard ciders, teas, lemonades, kombuchas and more. Moon Dog’s own meads are available along with more than 150 other brews in its bottle shop. Bring your furry friends along and visit with moon dogs Mystic and Sherlock. 1104 Broad St, Ste. C; 919-381-5222

MYSTIC FARM & DISTILLERY
Stop by for a cocktail made with fresh ingredients and handcrafted spirits. Reserve a tour for an indepth look at the production of Heart of Mystic Bourbon Whiskey, Mystic Bourbon Liqueur and its Mystic 57 Navy Strength Gin. 1413 Stallings Rd.; 910-377-9248

PONYSAURUS BREWING CO.
Head to its two-story covered patio and spacious beer garden for a bite alongside both traditional and experimental American-, Belgian- and European-style beers, including its award-winning Biére de Garde, gose and Scottish ale. Grab some snacks for $1 per scoop, or order from a menu of pizza, garlic knots, salad and cannoli! 219 Hood St.; 919-584-4265

STARPOINT BREWING
The seven-barrel facility in the Rockwood Shopping Center is located in the same space as bottle shop and bar Beer Study. The brewery serves local brews for visitors to enjoy in the lounge areas, complete with arcade games and comfy leather sofas. 2501 University Dr.

THE BROTHERS VIGALYS SPIRITS COMPANY
Offerings include Krupnikas, a Lithuanian spiced honey liqueur, plus four other liqueurs, all flavored with herbs, spices and other botanicals. 803D Ramseur St.; 919-617-1746

THE GLASS JUG BEER LAB
This craft brewery, beer garden and retail bottle shop has 24 taps that rotate through new housemade beers, guest taps and ciders, with wine also available. Get crowlers and growlers to-go, or a six- or four-pack of Glass Jug cans. Beer enthusiasts may also visit The Glass Jug’s downtown taproom, which provides beautiful views of Durham Central Park. Both locations host a weekly rotation of food trucks as well as live music, trivia and other events. 5410 Hwy. 55, Ste. V; 919-381-5797 and 545 Foster St., Ste 10; 919-381-5797

TOBACCO ROAD SPORTS CAFE
Located in the historic Raleigh Electric Company Powerhouse building, this Raleigh-based restaurant, which started brewing in 2017, offers its own beers, from a funky “Fuzz Peach Sour Pale Ale” to the classic “Kilowatt Kolsch.” Tobacco Road also has a Durham location that overlooks the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at the American Tobacco Campus. 280 S. Mangum St., Ste. 100; 919-804-0764

TOBACCO WOOD BREWING COMPANY
The Oxford-based, female and veteran owned brewery opened a second location in Research Triangle Park in June 2021. With 15 taps, it offers everything from a blueberry-lemonade hard cider and mixed berry gose to a coffee stout and session IPA. It also boasts a varied food menu complete with cheese curds, sandwiches, tacos and flatbreads. 2500 Meridian Pkwy.; 919-908-7035