WILMINGTON, N.C. — The craft beer industry is relatively new, but it's taken North Carolina, and especially Wilmington, by storm. The area boasts more than a dozen craft breweries — each putting a different spin on old-fashioned beer.
The Wilmington Brewing Company was one of the first on the craft beer scene on the coast, and it's become a local favorite. John and Michelle Savard opened the doors in 2014, never expecting it to grow to the size it is now. A 30-barrel drum sits where there used to be a 3-barrel one, and the brew schedule has gone from only one day a week to five.
“They're always playing with the recipe,” Michelle Savard said. “How do we make this better? Is this malt better? Is this hop a better choice? Can we tweak it just a little bit more and make it the best?”
Their creations can be found in 100 bottle shops and bars around Wilmington and even stretch toward the Raleigh area, but if they had it their way, they'd sell everything they produce within the borders of the Cape Fear region.
“I do like getting out to Raleigh, but at our core we want to stay as local as possible,” Savard said.
Her husband's passion for creating the perfect brew is what got the wheels turning eight years ago, and while the success now is clear, the road hasn't always been easy. Savard says it's so much more than just good beer on tap.
“He started home-brewing when we lived in Asheville and he just really got into it,” Savard said. “We moved back from Asheville in '11 and opened the home brew shop in '12 and there was nothing like that here.”
A brewery has a distinct smell, but to her it smells like home. She finds memories in every corner of the brewery that capture where their journey began. In this industry, the competition feels more like friends and their staff feel more like family.
“It's strange because it's a profitable business, but it's such a community-rich thing,” Savard said.
The brewery makes the dream possible, but the taproom is where it comes alive with the people who have supported them from Day 1.
“We can never believe it,” Savard said. “It's like, 'Oh, people are here and they like our beer!' and I will be forever grateful for that.”
The recipe for craft beer is always evolving, but the people behind it stay the same and the Savards think that connection is what brings customers back time and time again.
“I want them to know how hard our team works to get it to their hand,” Savard said “It's a lot of work, but we have a lot of fun and by the time it gets to this, there's a lot of love in there.”