CALABASH, NORTH CAROLINA

Inside a small freestanding building previously used as a bank, COASTAL CRAFT BEVERAGE CO. popped up, August ’17, and serves as the first true beer pub in the North Carolina seaport town of Calabash.

Owned by former draught system technician-installer, Paul Engstrom, and his friendly fiancé, Beth Hutchins, this detailed boutique operation has already drawn many curious local customers and a host of beer-centric vacationers with its fine hand-selected bottled and canned selection (loaded with hard-to-find and rare local brews).

The gray-floored interior includes several refrigerators and shelves full of takeout offerings, several windowed seats, four tables and a turntable spinning Janis Joplin this Friday eve.

On my initial visit during Coastal Craft’s soft opening, I head to the wood-paneled serving station and grab a few previously untried beers.

Alongside family dog, Roscoe, and wife, Karen, we head to the four-benched side patio (with beautiful flower-columned trellises) to consume enjoyable Lynnwood Grill ‘s Helluva Hefe and Kiss My Irish Stout as well as Four Saints Triad Alliance Tripel (all reviewed in Beer Index).

Brunswick County’s craft beer movement has just begun. Down the street, across the South Carolina border, Lowe’s Foods now has a Beer Den with 10-plus tap handles and fair local bottled-canned selections. And a few miles north, Southport’s Check Six Brewing became Brunswick’s first brewpub.

http://www.coastalcraftbeverageco.com/