North Carolina Brewers Guild

🍺 America turns 250 this year — and craft beer is ready to celebrate! American Craft Beer Week (May 11–17) starts next week, and this year it's celebrating with the Declaration of Craft Beer Independence: a nod to the small, independent brewers who've spent 20 years bringing creativity and community to every pour. Head to your local brewery, raise a glass, and celebrate 250 years with us 🇺🇸

Congratulations to all North Carolina 2026 World Beer Cup Winners!!! 🏆 The World Beer Cup® (WBC) is the world’s most prestigious beer competition. Organized by the @brewersassoc —the not-for-profit trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers—the 2026 WBC recognized the very best in beer and cider across 118 categories. The 2026 competition brought together 1,644 breweries representing 50 nations, with an international panel of 255 judges evaluating 8,166 entries. The awards ceremony capped off the Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Check out our NC winners! 🥇 @armoredcowbrewing 's "Raspberry Rush," Fruit Wheat Beer (Charlotte) 🥇 @brewersat4001yancey 's "Victory Brewing Company Sunny Monkey," Berliner-Style Weisse (Charlotte) 🥇 @oldehickorybrewery 's "Forest Hills," Old Ale, Strong Ale or Aged Beer (Hickory) 🥇 @diatribebrewing 's "Irish Extra Stout," Export Stout (Asheville) 🥈 @wickedweedbrewing 's "Lime Drop," Fruit Beer (Asheville) 🥈 @swellsa_brewing 's "Pea Island Park Pilsner," American-Style Pilsener (Kill Devil Hills) 🥉 @hiwirebrewing 's "10W-40 Coconut Candy Bar," Dessert or Pastry Beer (Asheville) 🥉 @littlebrotherbrew 's "Pleasing Tony Italian Pilsner," Kellerbier or Zwickelbier (Greensboro) 🥉 @tarborobrewingcompanync 's "Tarboroughhaus," International Dark Lager (Tarboro) 🥉 @mtnlayersbeer 's "ALTeration," German-Style Altbier (Bryson City) 🥉 Olde Hickory Brewery's "Imperial Stout," American-Style Imperial Stout (Hickory)

Join us in celebrating the 3rd annual NC Pint Day this Sunday at ERB! 🌾🍻🌻 This year’s collectible glass brings the spirit of North Carolina to life through a vibrant illustration of beer, agriculture, and community, designed by Asheville-based artist Sadie Tynch @shlimsadie We’ll have a very limited supply available (beginning at 12pm), so be sure to come out early to snag one before they are gone! We’ll be offering a special "keep the glass" promotion paired with a full pour of Hillsner, in addition to individual glass sales. And $1 from every glass sold goes directly to support the @ncbrewersguild & independent NC breweries! This is one of our favorite days of the year so we can't wait to see y'all and celebrate the wonder that is North Carolina Beer! #ERB #hillsborough #findyoureno @hillsboroughnc @visitchapelhill #hillsborough #chapelhill #NCbeer

Want to support local breweries and give back to the community? Come out to either of our taprooms (@ambmillsriver & @amb.boone ) this Sunday, April 12, for NC Pint Day! 🍺 This is a special one-day event where craft beer enthusiasts can purchase a unique pint glass at your fave brewery, to support the @ncbrewersguild ! With each glass sold, you’re directly helping to advance the Guild’s efforts in advocating for, promoting, and protecting NC’s craft beer scene. Enjoy this year’s pint glass & beer price for $10 and the solo pint glass for $7. 🍻 This is the opportune time to show your local brewery some love, explore some new local breweries you have had on your list, and contribute to initiatives that strengthen and sustain these small businesses in a competitive industry. When you support local breweries, everybody wins. This year’s glass artwork comes from Asheville artist Sadie Tynch, who drew inspiration from North Carolina’s wildlife, agriculture, and the communities that make our beer scene special. 🐻 Drink local, celebrate North Carolina beer, and support the breweries that make this community what it is. Cheers to that!

Phones down. Beers up. April 7 is National Beer Day! Grab your friends and celebrate at your favorite local brewery 🍻 #NationalBeerDay @brewersassoc

Every year, NC Pint Day comes to life thanks to the talent of our featured artist — and this year, we couldn't be more excited to introduce @shlimsadie !!! 🎨🍺 Sadie Tynch is an Asheville-based graphic designer and illustrator and a native to WNC herself. She draws inspiration from the flora, fauna, and local quirks that make the region so special — and it shows in every inch of this design. You may know her work from @wyehill , where she designed their label art, including their 2023 NC Beer Label Insanity competition entry! She is currently the graphic designer at Spicewalla and has created artwork for Wye Hill Brewing, the NC State European Center in Prague, and a variety of restaurants, breweries, and local businesses (and yes, she knit that sweater herself! A woman of many talents. 🧶) For NC Pint Day 2026, Sadie brought the whole state to the glass — wildlife, botanicals, and community, all wrapped up in one illustrated celebration. We are so proud to feature her work this year! Grab your glass in person at a participating brewery or retailer on Sunday, April 12. 🔗 in bio for the full list! #NCBeer #NCPintDay

Meet this year's limited-edition pint glass 🐻🌸🍺 This year's #NCPintDay design is a love letter to the whole state. Wrapped around the glass is native wildlife and botanical elements from across NC, joining hands in a joyful dance and sharing a beer. Each character represents a different region: the blanket flower of the Outer Banks, the great blue heron of Eastern NC, the black bear of Western NC, the acorn for the City of Oaks — plus a white squirrel, brook trout, red wolf, and yes, a very charismatic opossum 🤍 Designed by Asheville-based artist @shlimsadie , our 2026 design is a visual toast to the ingredients we grow, the wildlife we share our home with, and the people who come together in taprooms across the state. It's a reminder that NC craft beer isn't just about what's in the glass — it's about where it comes from and who we share it with. Find participating breweries and retailers at the link in our bio — and start planning your April 12 route! 🗺️ #NCBeer #NCPintDay

NC Pint Day is less than one month away!! 🍻 Sunday, April 12 — one day, limited supply, in-person only. Find your closest participating brewery or retailer at the link in our bio and make your plan now! With over 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ participating locations, where are you grabbing your glass this year? Let us know in the comments! 👇 #NCBeer #NCPintDay 📸: @heybrickkyle of @boelterbrandingsolutions

Great beer deserves great laws 🍻🏛 On February 25, the Brewers Association hosted its annual Hill Climb in Washington DC, followed by a Guilds Gathering for guild leaders on February 26. North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild Executive Director Lisa Parker and Audra Gaiziunas, Owner of DSSOLVR and Treasurer of the BA Board of Directors, attended to represent #NCBeer. The Hill Climb gives brewery leaders from across the country the opportunity to meet directly with members of Congress and their staff — advocating for policies that support small and independent breweries and the communities they serve. With thousands of craft breweries nationwide, a unified voice in D.C. matters more than ever. From job creation to economic impact to strengthening neighborhoods across North Carolina, independent craft beer is more than what’s in the glass — it’s a powerful community driver. Thank you to Lisa, Audra, and all who showed up to ensure #NCBeer is represented at the national level. Every pint still starts with policy 🍺

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for BrewSmart: Business Leadership in Greensboro! 👏 We had an incredible day at @joymongersbeer filled with practical, owner- and management-level education designed to help breweries thrive in any market. From financial benchmarks and HR strategies to real estate insights, brand clarity, and merch that actually moves, this year’s sessions were packed with actionable takeaways. A huge thank you to our expert speakers and panelists, including: Chris Farmand of @sbstandard , Hayley Klein of G&A Partners, Jeff O’Brien of @huschblackwell , Kelly Huyler of @nodabrewing , @elgrantocayo (freelance artist), Dan Callendar of @saltyturtlebeer , Joe Yeager of @brewparel , and Jimmy Petersen of @egrandstand . We’re also grateful to everyone who stayed to connect and build community at the member social @pigpounder ! And of course — thank you to our sponsors for your continued support of educational programming that strengthens our industry. Shoutout to Brightly, Tri-Lift Services, Hospitality Insurance Group, Hartsfield and Nash, Ox Boox, and Insurance People. We’re proud to serve such a dedicated craft beer community. 🍻 Save the date for our next BrewSmart on Technical Brewing Topics on July 13!

Back-to-back winter weather slowed things down for local breweries – but you can help turn them around ❄️🍻 As the sun comes back out, pour a little love into your local community by visiting a brewery, grabbing beer to-go, or getting some brewery merch. Our taprooms are more than places to drink—they’re gathering spaces, employers, and small businesses that bring North Carolina together. Swipe to see how you can support 🫶 #PourLoveIntoLocal #NCBeer #SupportLocalBusiness

2026 NC Pint Day Announced!!! 🍻 On Sunday, April 12, breweries and retail partners across the state will celebrate North Carolina craft beer with the official NC Pint Day glass! ✍️ This year’s design brings the spirit of NC to life through an illustrated celebration of beer, agriculture, and community by Asheville-based artist Sadie Tynch! Wrapped around the glass is native wildlife and botanical elements from across the state–joining hands in a joyful dance and sharing beer. Each character represents a different region, from the blanket flower of the Outer Banks to the black bear of Western NC, with subtle nods to our state's agriculture in the background. Our 2026 design is a visual toast NC craft beer, reminding us it isn’t just about what’s in the glass—it’s about where it comes from and who we share it with. We hope you celebrate our third annual pint day with us! Tag your favorite brewery to see if they're participating! P.S. to breweries: Check your email to order your pint glasses. Order form closes Feb. 13!!