The 2019 N.C. Brewers’ Cup competition, held recently in Mocksville, resulted in 15 medals being awarded to 10 local breweries.

This latest recognition comes just weeks after the launch of Craft on the Coast, a campaign designed by the Cape Fear Craft Beer Alliance to draw out-of-town beer enthusiasts to the region.
 
More than 100 craft breweries from around the state entered over 700 brews across 31 different style categories in the state’s largest commercial craft beer competition. This year’s local medal count is more than double that of 2018.
 
The event, now in its eighth year, is hosted by the NC Craft Brewers Guild, and draws hundreds of beer aficionados from around the Southeast.
 
LOCAL AWARDS
 

• Bill’s Brewing Co. – Silver Category: European Lager – Beer Name: Merganser
• Edward Teach Brewing - Gold - Category: Fruit Beer - Beer Name: Peach Wheat  
• Flying Machine Brewing Co. - Bronze - Category: American Lager - Beer Name: Neo-Bohemia
• Front Street Brewery - Gold - Category: Wood-Aged Beer - Beer Name: Tomb Rocker Soured Hungarian Oak  
• Mad Mole Brewing Co. - Silver - Category: Belgian & French Ale - Beer Name: Marilyn MonMole   
• Makai Brewing Co. - Silver - Category: Light American Hybrid - Beer Name: Island Falls Cream Ale   
• Makai Brewing Co. - Gold - Category: Scottish & Irish Beer - Beer Name: It's Not A Skirt! Scottish Ale   
• Red Hare Brewing Co. - Bronze - Category: Wood-Aged Beer - Beer Name: Nothing But Flowers...for Algernon   
• Waterline Brewing Co. Wee Heavy - Silver - Category: Scottish & Irish Beer - Beer Name: Wee Heavy
• Waterline Brewing Co. - Silver - Category: Specialty IPA - Beer Name: Black IPA   
• Wilmington Brewing Co. - Gold - Category: American Pale Ale - Beer Name: Beach Time 
• Wilmington Brewing Co. - Honorable Mention for Best in Show - Beer Name: Moon Dance Blonde Ale
• Wilmington Brewing Co. - Gold - Category: Light American Hybrid - Beer Name: Moon Dance Blonde Ale     
• Wilmington Brewing Co. - Bronze - Category: New England IPA - Beer Name: Jason, Stop Texting Your Mom  
• Wrightsville Beach Brewery - Bronze - Category:  Brett, Mixed, & Wild Ale - Beer Name: Raspberry Berlinerweisse   

In other brewing news, locals can now access the Wilmington Ale Trail’s mobile passport. The passport, which offers vouchers for participating locations as well as the ability to earn a free T-shirt, is available in three versions: an annual pass for $40, a three-day pass for $20, and a $15 single-day pass. A $25 voucher for the Port City Brew Bus is also included in the annual pass.
 
“We have seen a lot of success with our magazine and hope this digital passport increases traffic to area breweries and craft beer destinations even more,” said Jeremy Tomlinson, owner of Wilmington Ale Trail.
 
To launch their mobile passport, Wilmington Ale Trail partnered with Bandwango, a mobile development company that has launched dozens of similar passports across the country. 
 
“Partnering with a company that has a tremendous amount of experience in the mobile passport and destination marketing space has made the development and run up to launch a breeze. We look forward to working with them on future projects,” said Tomlinson.
 
Currently, there are 14 area breweries, four bottle shops, three bars and restaurants and one brewery tour business listed on the Wilmington Ale Trail passport. For full details, visit the passport's website.
 
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