Every once in a while, we all get stuck in the airport either waiting for a connecting flight or because of a delay.  Usually, this is one of the most boring times of our lives– stuck with horrible fast food and loops of CNN playing in the background. However, Charlotte airport had always been one of my favorite places to get stuck.  Previously, there was a great wine bar in the airport that served a variety of North Carolina wines. The shop did sampling and you could buy bottles to fly home.  I was greatly dismayed at my recent stop to see that this wonderful little wine bar is now just another Starbucks.  What a loss for the visibility of North Carolina wines and for the weary traveler!

Luckily, I checked the nearby directory to see if there was anything of a redeeming value still located in the airport to visit during my almost 3 hour layover.  Low and behold, the airport now has a craft beer restaurant that features North Carolina beers.  The Carolina Beer Company is located in terminal D where mostly international flights arrive and depart, so it can be a bit of a hike if you are landing in terminals A or B.  However, I strongly suggest that you take the walk as it is worth the trip and a much better place to spend a layover than a cheesy rum or tequila bar.

The Carolina Beer Company had a good assortment of local beers.  I started with a West Coast style IPA from NoDa Brewery in Charlotte called Hop Drop N Roll.  This beer was served in a can and not on the menu– I have to thank the knowledgeable server for recommending it.  It was hoppy and piney and very well-balanced.  I was quite impressed.  I next tried the Old Mecklenburg dark lager which was not dark but more the color of a brown ale. I really am still not so sure I got the right beer!  It tasted much like the Michelob product Amber Bock so I wasn’t impressed.  Although several other drafts on the menu appealed to me, they were not in stock.  I have a personal pet peeve when the menu is not kept up to date.  I had to settle for a Carolina Blonde from Carolina Brewing.  It was light and yeasty.  The IBUs listed it at 9.5 but I didn’t really find it all that bitter but it was a bit on the hoppier side for a blonde.  I would say this would be a great beer for a summer day– a great alternative to Budweiser.

My big complaint about this airport restaurant was the lack of variety and selection in food.  I understand that North Carolina is known for barbecue but not everyone wants to eat that, as it isn’t the healthiest option.  I had the Southwest Salad which was one of the healthier options on the menu. The salad itself was adequate but the spicy ranch dressing was quite good. This salad actually went great with the Carolina Blonde.  However, I have to say the use of plastic silverware to eat a salad is quite off-putting.  I would think they could offer a real fork and knife.

I wish that I had been able to stay and sample more beers but will make sure I try to book my next flight through Charlotte.  If the price is the same, why not layover somewhere where there is good beer?