Brewery Visit: Howard Brewing Company

Nestled in the foothills of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains lies the city of Lenoir.  City really only describes the governmental structure of this little town of about 18,000 people, but what it lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in charm.  Once a prominent player in the furniture industry, consolidation efforts by furniture companies shut many of the area facilities down and robbed Lenoir of one of its major employers.  Driving around town, its industrial past is still quite evident in the shape of abandoned factories and unused shipping facilities. 

Visit Lenoir today and you might sense a town on the rise.  Google has recently built a server farm in the area, adding jobs, and the thoroughfare to Blowing Rock and Boone brings locals and tourists alike straight through the middle of town.  Perhaps the scars of uprooted industry aren’t hidden so easily, but just as evident are a vibrant artistic influence and a palpable love of the outdoors.  Oh, and there’s a brewery.

There is something about a small town brewery that is just hard to describe.  For one, it’s a pleasant surprise to find a taproom in a town where most businesses are closed by 9 (and definitely on Sundays).  I’ve also found that smaller town breweries tend to proudly wear the identity of the town and community in which they are located.  With beers that evoke both the outdoors—such as Lake Fever Black IPA and Trail Maker Pale Ale—and the town’s past—General Lenoir’s Old Ale—Howard Brewing Company in downtown Lenoir is no exception. 

The brewery has a great little taproom, though only open Thursday to Saturday.  Pop in and you might find a lively crowd cheering for a live band, or you may find a small handful of locals that are more than happy to talk beer, football, or whatever.  Grab a pint and you certainly won’t be disappointed.  Howard has something for everyone.  Whether you like a crisp, light lager or a bold black IPA, you won’t have to settle.  They make great beer and don’t seem interested in settling for less, just because they’re the only gig in town.

Like Lenoir itself, you get a sense that Howard Brewing Company is only trending upward.  With a 15 BBL system and plenty of space to expand, there is no reason they couldn’t completely infiltrate the region and even push beyond into the piedmont.  Along with a few other establishments scattered about the base of the mountains, Howard fills the brewery gaps between Asheville, Charlotte, and Winston Salem, providing local flavor to the foothills region. 

The craft brewing industry is very strange.  There’s no denying that craft brewers are in competition with each other, simply in order to grow their own business.  At the same time, the community and camaraderie that exists between “rivals” in this industry is unparalleled by any other.  The guys from Adventure Brewing in Stafford mentioned it, and this story about Howard Brewing coming to the rescue of another area brewing company shows that they are deeply ingrained in that community as well.

With Howard Brewing Company championing the city of Lenoir within the craft brewing community, perhaps it will play a unique part in the town’s renaissance.  Since the world of beer is a junction for so many things—art, music, outdoors, conservation, repurposing of old warehouses—I don’t see it as hyperbole that a small brewery and taproom in the middle of downtown can spearhead a resurgence in the town’s restaurant and tourist industries.

So, whether you’re in the area for a visit or just passing through, see if you can stop by the taproom.  Grab a pint, and chat up the locals.  Or maybe even grab a six pack of cans and hike up Hibriten Mountain, I promise the view is worth it.

Visit:  1001 West Ave NW, Lenoir, NC 28645

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