919 Beer

Best local craft breweries in the Triangle

With its vibrant brewing scene and a deep-rooted love for quality beer, the Triangle offers an impressive array of local craft breweries.

Posted 2023-07-16T21:00:35+00:00 - Updated 2025-08-02T17:30:16+00:00

Craft beer has been gaining popularity across the United States, and The Triangle area is no exception. With its vibrant brewing scene and a deep-rooted love for quality beer, The Triangle offers an impressive array of local craft breweries.

Check out these top local breweries, which were put together with the help the top vote getters in the WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards.

Bearded Bee Brewing Co. (Wendell)

Located 20 minutes from the heart of Raleigh, this spot was the first-place winner of the 2022 and 2023 WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards. It took home second place in the 2024 WRAL VCAs. Bearded Bee focuses on high-quality traditional craft beers in small batches.

Bond Brothers Beer Company (Cary)

Bond Brothers Beer Company has quickly risen to prominence within The Triangle's craft brewing scene. Located in Cary, this family-owned brewery focuses on producing top-quality, small-batch beers with a rotating selection to keep things fresh.

Visit their taproom and beer garden while enjoying one of their hoppy West Coast IPAs. Known for their rich and complex barrel-aged offerings, Bond Brothers Beer Company consistently delivers outstanding brews.

Bond Brothers also has a Live at Eastside location, which features live music.

Hours

Monday - Thursday 2 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday - Saturday noon - midnight
Sunday noon - 10 p.m.

Location
202 East Cedar Street, Cary

Fainting Goat Brewing Company

This spot won the 2024 WRAL Voters' Choice Award for best brewery. It offers a variety of handcrafted brews, wine, hard cider, and soft drinks in a casual atmosphere with a dog-friendly patio and outdoor fire pit.

Triangle area breweries, bottle shops that are kid-friendly

Fainting Goat was also a 2022 WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards finalist. Fainting Goat is a small, independent, veteran and woman-owned brewery. With seasonal, rotating beers like Pecan Maple Porter, Not So Pale Chocolate Ale and Nanny Nutter Fluffernutter Porter (named after its namesake sandwich), it’s no wonder so many people enjoy this local brewery owned by friends. There is a location in Fuquay-Varina and Benson.

Fuquay-Varina Hours

Sunday: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday-Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Thursday: 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday: 1 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Location: 330 S Main St, Fuquay-Varina

Benson Hours

Saturday-Wednesday: Closed
Thursday-Friday: 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Location: 102 W Parrish Dr, Benson

Haw River Farmhouse Ales (Saxapahaw)

Nestled in the picturesque town of Saxapahaw, Haw River Farmhouse Ales is a destination for beer lovers seeking a touch of rustic charm.

Specializing in Belgian and American farmhouse-style ales, this brewery emphasizes the use of local ingredients and traditional brewing techniques. The result is a lineup of beautifully crafted beers, including their flagship St. Benedict's Breakfast Dubbel and the refreshing Javanilla Coffee Stout.

Hours

Monday - Thursday: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday - Sunday: Noon to 9 p.m.

Location
1713 Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road, Graham

Lonerider Brewing Company (Raleigh)

Known for their beer and ranch water, this 2022 WRAL Choice Award Winner is built on dreams and award-winning brews. Distributed in nine states, this company believes in high quality ingredients and American ingenuity. Try their Shotgun Betty German Hefeweizen or Sweet Josie American Brown Ale.

Outlaws enjoyed live music, beer from Lonerider Brewing Company and specialty casks at the Lonerider Showdown in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, March 29, 2014.

Hours

Monday - Thursday: 3 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday: 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday: Noon - 10 p.m.
Sunday: Noon - 8 p.m.

Location
8816 Gulf Court Suite 100, Raleigh

Oaklyn Springs Brewery

Oaklyn Springs was the third-place winner in the 2023 WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards.

The main brewery location is at 2912 N. Main Street, Suite 100 in Fuquay-Varina.

Two featured drafts are:

Bold Venture: An IPA that is “a mixture of classic and new hops that should appeal to haze fanatics and those who prefer older iterations of the style.”
Citrus First Mover: A mixture of a Saison and farmhouse ale. It is tempered with “alcohol sweetness and aged on orange and grapefruit zest.”

Hours of the main brewery in Fuquay-Varina at 2912 N. Main Street, Suite 100

Monday through Thursday: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Oaklyn Springs also has taprooms at:

505 Broad St., Fuquay-Varina
- Monday through Thursday: 4 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
- Friday through Saturday: 1 p.m. - 11 p.m.
- Sunday: 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.
209 N. Salem Street, Apex
- Monday through Wednesday: 3 p.m. - 9 p.m.
- Thursday: 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
- Friday through Saturday: Noon to midnight
- Sunday: Noon to 8 p.m.

Ponysaurus Brewing Co. (Durham)

Known as “the beer beer would drink if it could drink beer.” Yes, it’s that good. Ponysaurus Brewing Co. is a creative and eclectic brewery that embraces unconventional flavors.

Located in Durham's Five Points neighborhood, this brewery has a distinct artistic flair evident in both their beer and their whimsical can designs. Try a sip of their refreshing Bière de Garde or a velvety chocolate stout. Oh, and grab a slice of pizza while you’re at it.

Hours

Monday - Thursday: 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday: 3 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Saturday: Noon - 11 p.m.
Sunday: Noon - 10 p.m.

Location
219 Hood St., Durham

Red Moose Brewing Company

This Pittsboro brewery was a finalist for the WRAL Voters' Choice Award for best brewery in 2023. The business took home third place in the 2024 contest. Located in the heart of downtown Pittsboro, this family-owned brewery offers a great setting to enjoy its fun brews. With a back deck and patio, plus a chalkboard wall for children to draw on, the taproom has 10 drafts on tap.

Hours

Monday-Thursday: 4 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: noon-10 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: 90 East St., Pittsboro

Blackbird Brewery

A 2024 WRAL Voters' Choice Award finalist, this Wake Forest brewery is owned by husband and wife Ian and Harmony VanGundy. With a cozy beer garden, this is a fun spot for families and friends to gather. The current menu includes a variety of IPAs, stouts and lagers.

Hours

Sunday: noon-9 p.m.
Monday-Thursday: 3-10 p.m.
Friday: 1-11 p.m.
Saturday: noon-11 p.m.

Location: 3608 Rogers Branch Rd #101, Wake Forest

Bright Penny Brewing

This brewery has a location in Mebane, and also an Outpost at Rocky Mount Mills. Thir beer options include the Mebane Skyline, a blood orange wheat beer and the Carousel: Lemon Meringue, a sour worth checking out. The Mebane location has a kitchen, and the Rocky Mount Outpost does not.

Hours vary by location

Location: 107 N 7th St, Mebane and 1151 Falls Road Suite 2033, Rocky Mount

Sneaky Penguin Brewing Company

Sneaky Penguin is the second-place winner of the 2023 WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards.

The brewery recently celebrated its first anniversary.

Sneaky Penguin offers craft beers made on-site, cider from Flat Rock, several wines and non-alcoholic options. There is indoor and outdoor seating. It is also family friendly and dog friendly.

While Sneaky Penguin does not offer food, guests are welcome to bring their own.

Hours

Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Wednesday: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday: Noon to 9 p.m.
Friday - Saturday: Noon to 10 p.m.
Sunday: Noon to 8 p.m.

Location
7449 Six Forks Rd, Raleigh

Trophy Brewing Co. (downtown Raleigh)

Trophy Brewing was founded in 2013 in downtown Raleigh. Starting with 14 seats at the bar, the business has now expanded to two locations and three sister concepts—Young Hearts Distilling (a distillery and private event venue), State of Beer (a bottle and sandwich shop), and Maywood Hall & Garden (a private event venue).

Before Trophy Brewing, the group owned the Busy Bee Cafe and the Hive, a craft beer bar and upstairs nightclub that opened in 2009.

Trophy is known for its drafts, specifically Mort’s Trophy Lager, Trophy Wife (a session IPA) and Trophy Husband (a witbier). The establishment also offers delicious pizzas, salads and small plates.

Hours

Monday through Thursday: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m to 10 p.m.

Location
827 West Morgan St. Raleigh

Trophy Brewing Co. (Maywood)

Trophy also has a taproom and patio on Maywood Avenue. With daily food trucks, a dog friendly environment,and great beer—it's the perfect hangout spot.

Hours