Dog-friendly breweries are popping up all over the country, and it’s easy to see why! They’re the perfect place to relax and “kick back” with your pup while enjoying a cold craft brew. Dog-friendly breweries in North Carolina are great spots to visit, but there are some that really stand out and get “2 paws up” in our book.
We’ve done some digging to find the top 12 unique, must-visit, dog-friendly craft breweries in North Carolina (in no particular order).
1. Whistle Hop Brewing Company, Fairview, NC
Located just outside of Asheville, this unique dog-friendly brewery is actually housed in railroad cars! You and your pup can enjoy a cold beverage and snack in one of their (very cool) 1969 Norfolk & Western Cabooses. Or, you can step out to their open-air deck to feast your eyes on their spectacular mountain views! Whistle Hop Brewing Co. also has regular live music performances in their 1941 Southern Railway Boxcar. Whistle Hop Brewing boasts 3 sprawling acres of outdoor space which includes outdoor games as well as a train-themed fire pit (of course).
2. Yacht Club Beverage House, Youngsville, NC
Neighboring Wake Forest, NC, the pooch-welcoming Yacht Club Beverage House in Youngsville, NC is the talk of this quaint little country town -- from their nautical theme to unique location. The Yacht Club serves up some tasty local brews and hard ciders. Plus, you can grab a bite from Charron’s Deli and Scoops ice cream all from their outdoor courtyard. Talk about a sweet treat! Enjoy a brewsky and occasional live music performances with your pup in Yacht Club's spacious outdoor beer garden with picnic tables shaded by giant trees and the perfect laid-back southern vibe.
3. Lucky Dog Bark & Brew, Charlotte, NC
The Lucky Dog Bark & Brew in Charlotte, NC is an unforgettable puppy paradise that you don’t want to miss. It's the perfect place to bring your dog. The have an expansive indoor taproom, with a big dog and small dog off-leash dog park, or you can enjoy their outdoor patio while you sip on a cold brew. With access to a variety of toys from slides to splash pools, your pup will be barking for more at the end of the day. There is no other place quite like the Lucky Dog Bark & Brew “where everyone knows your dog’s name.” Make sure to stop by the boutique to take home a custom collar or leash for your snazzy pup.
4. Booneshine Brewing Company, Boone, NC
Booneshine Brewing Company has it all from a stunning outdoor patio with an unmatched mountain view, to a full-service menu including unique craft brews! Their outdoor patio shines at night with strings of lights hung from wooden beams and heats up the winters with a stone fire pit. You and your pup can relax outdoors while you try some of their delicious craft food with a variety of options made in collaboration with Boone’s local Stick Boy Bread Company. The soft pretzel with a coat of beer butter goes perfect with one of Booneshine’s balanced brews! You and your pup will be left speechless with their mountain views and high quality brews at this stand-out Boone brewery.
5. Clouds Brewing, Durham, NC
Close to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Clouds Brewing provides a unique brewing experience that puts the pups first. You and your pooch can sit on the charming outdoor patio to enjoy all of their 50 beers on tap or 10 self-pour beers (the only place to offer this in the triangle). Make your brewing experience extra special with yappy hour on Thursdays from 5 pm to closing where your pooch can receive some tasty treats (delicious) while you sip on some $4 cloud drafts. Durham's Clouds Brewing also has a mouth-watering full-service menu, from appetizers to brunch.
6. Salty Turtle Beer Company, Surf City, NC
With an outdoor patio that lights up at night and a pet-friendly indoor taproom, the Salty Turtle Beer Company is the perfect beach destination brewery! This veteran owned brewery is located a short 5 minute drive from the Surf City Pier, or a 15 minute drive from Topsail Island. After your relaxing beach day, it is the perfect place to stop by for a cold brew (very refreshing)! They partner with the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, a sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation center, and donate part of their sales to support the organization. Make sure to stop by and get a dog bandana or their one of a kind plush can toy for your pooch (very exciting).
7. Incendiary Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC
Nothing beats a trip to Incendiary Brewing in Winston-Salem! You and your pup can enjoy all of their tasty brews (and refreshing water) inside their vast pet-friendly taproom, or on the outdoor patio. Their spacious outdoor patio is unlike any other with a massive concrete overhang below the Bailey Power Plant (very cool). Pick up some food to enjoy with your beer from Alma Mexicana on the other side of the building. Your pup can even meet Cooper and Bella the brew dogs at Incendiary Brewing! Try their new release beer Cooper’s Calamity named after the furry employee. Ask about Incendiary Brewing’s new dog bandanas with fun paw prints to keep your pooch looking stylish (super cute).
8. Cotton House Craft Brewers, Cary, NC
Amidst the historic district in Downtown Cary, you and your pup can enjoy a craft brew at the quaint Cotton House Craft Brewers. Built in 1900 as a boarding house for students at Cary High School, the home has now been turned into a pet-friendly brewery (so cool). You and your pup can relax on the front porch rocking chairs or pick a table on the outdoor patio to enjoy your food truck options and brews. Complete with a lush backyard, the outdoor patio is the perfect place to take in a stunning view of the Downtown water fountain surrounded by landscaped gardens. You can enjoy this view with your pup year round with a well-lit heated tent in the winter to stay warm.
9. Satulah Mountain Brewing Company, Highlands, NC
Enjoy a beer brewed 4,118 feet high with your pooch at Satulah Mountain Brewing Company! They are Macon County’s first brewery, and thus pride themselves on making mouthwatering brews from all the way up in the Appalachian Mountains. You and your pup can enjoy their beers in the taproom for some live music, or take in the breathtaking mountain views on their outdoor patio. Make sure to stop by so you and your pooch can meet their furry employee Bailey, she’s quite pawpular. We love Highlands!
10. The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Charlotte, NC
Located in North Carolina’s queen city, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery has it all for you and your pup from an 8 acre luscious outdoor biergarten (modeled after those in Munich, Germany) to fresh and local beer! The outdoor biergarten is a pup’s paradise with 100 year old pecan and hickory trees surrounding the outdoor area, lawn games, and did we mention lots of bellyrubs. Also, you and your pooch can enjoy their live music in the outdoor biergarten under the string lights with a brew and bite to eat! There are fire pits and umbrellas located outside as well for maximum comfort throughout the year. You don’t want to miss all of the fun at Charlotte’s oldest brewery and the largest locally owned craft brewhouse in the state (how cool)!
Author: Natalie Daniels
Natalie is a senior at Elon University studying Marketing with a minor in Communications. She is excited to be interning with TripsWithPets because she gets to combine her marketing passion with her love of animals. Natalie loves dogs and hopes to adopt a corgi named Ollie upon graduating college. When she isn’t studying or working, you can find her in the dance studio.