Outer Banks Beer Guide: Best Craft Beer, Microbreweries & More

Craft beer is all the rage right now, and beer-centric establishments on the Outer Banks do not disappoint. No matter which town you’re staying in, there’s an Outer Banks brewery, restaurant, or pub that serves OBX beer nearby. Each spot offers a unique craft beer experience, but all are locally owned and operated right here on the Outer Banks. We’ve gathered all of the information you’ll need to find the breweries, bars, beer stores, and restaurants with exceptional beer selections, including insider tips from OBX locals.

🍺= $5 or less per beer 🍺🍺= $5 – $7 per beer 🍺🍺🍺= $7 or more per beer

Off the Wall Tap House

Location: 603 Currituck Clubhouse Dr, Corolla, NC 27927
Hours: 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, every day
Price: 🍺 – 🍺🍺🍺 depending on your beer selection and how much you drink
Why We Love It: A relative newcomer to the Outer Banks beer scene, Off the Wall Tap House is a welcomed addition to Corolla. Located at the north end of the Harris Teeter shopping center, this gem of an establishment blends craft beer and impressive food with technology in a casual atmosphere. Their wall of beer allows for easy, self-serve access to all of their beer selections, which rotate regularly. Each beer’s logo and full description is displayed on an ipad above the tap. Your server will provide you with a special wristband with a sensor that activates the tap once you’ve selected a beer. With several different cup sizes and self-serve draft beer, you can try as many beers as you’d like or simply focus on one favorite. While the focus is on beer at Off the Wall Tap House, the food is equally amazing. Burgers and fries are available, but local seafood, regional delicacies (BBQ!) and exceptional salads can also be found on the menu. Patio seating is available and pet-friendly! Growlers are available if you prefer to drink at your vacation home or on the beach. Off the Wall’s growlers are plastic, making them beach-friendly.
Our Favorite Beer: Highland Brewing Starchaser White for its light, citrusy flavor that tastes like summer

Northern Outer Banks Brewing Company

Location: 520 Old Stoney Rd, Suite J, Corolla, NC 27927
Hours: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm Monday through Thursday, 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm Friday, 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm Saturday, closed Sunday
Price: 🍺🍺
Why We Love It: This small, family-owned and operated microbrewery hails as Corolla’s first microbrewery. Using the best ingredients available, the resulting brews are super fresh and aromatic. Northern Outer Banks Brewery offers four flagship beers, each with a local name and flavor: Corolla Saison, Penny’s Hill IPA, Swan Beach Honey Pale Ale, and Corolla Lager. New beers are rotated into the lineup regularly. Patio seating is available just outside of the brewery and beer flights are available so you can sample several of their Outer Banks craft beers. Tours, led by brewery owner Kathleen, are available upon request.
Our Favorite Beer: Penny’s Hill IPA due to its fresh, hoppy flavor and easy drinkability

Tap Shack

Location: 1209 Duck Rd, Duck, NC 27949
Hours: 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm every day
Price: 🍺🍺
Why We Love It: The amazing beer-drinking atmosphere. Tap Shack is literally a shack in the backyard of Coastal Cravings, but the yard has everything you need for a fun and relaxing afternoon or evening with a tasty draft beer. They have live music every night during the warm months, and they have hammocks, yard games, a bar, and a variety of tables and chairs so you can find a space to get comfortable to drink your brew. This OBX beer hidden gem is not to be missed.
Our Favorite Beer: Southern Pines Hefeweizen for its smooth, fluffy consistency and citrusy flavor

Weeping Radish Brewery Butchery and Pub

Location: 6810 Caratoke Hwy, Grandy, NC 27939
Hours: 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Wednesday, 11:00 am to 8:00 pm Thursday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Sunday
Price: 🍺
Why We Love It: Weeping Radish is the oldest microbrewery in the state of North Carolina. That’s right, they were brewing their own beers right here on the Outer Banks before it was cool! Their brewing method has stayed the same since the very beginning, based on the Bavarian Reinheitsgebor Purity Law of 1516. According to the law, beer should be brewed using just four ingredients: hops, malt, yeast, and water. The result is good beer with no additives, preservatives, or chemicals. Their signature beers include Black Radish (German lager), Corolla Gold (traditional lager), and OBX Beer (Kolsch Style). They also brew their own root beer (non-alcoholic). In addition to being the first microbrewery in NC, Weeping Radish also consists of an award-winning butchery, a pub offering their microbrews as well as delicious Bavarian fare, and a fully-functioning vegetable farm. Brewery tours are available.
Our Favorite Beer: Corolla Gold for its medium body and slight sweetness

Outer Banks Brewing Station

Location: 600 S Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
Hours: 11:30 am to 2:00 am Monday through Friday, 11:00 am to 2:00 am Saturday and Sunday
Price: 🍺🍺
Why We Love It: The Outer Banks Brewing Station has it all – excellent Outer Banks beer, delicious menus, an excellent facility (indoors and out), and great nightlife. Hailing as the first wind-powered brewery in the USA, the farmhouse-style building is easily identifiable from the bypass road by the tall silos and windmill spinning behind it. Their high-quality beers range from pilsner to porter and everything in between, with several choices of signature brews available year-round and seasonal offerings. Beer flights are available for multi-beer samplings. Enjoy your beers at night inside this Outer Banks brewery while listening to a nationally-touring band, or step outside to the large yard and chill out at one of the picnic tables or play corn hole. The backyard is fully fenced and includes a massive pirate ship playset that is popular with the kids. Tours of the brewery are available.
Our Favorite Beer: Ashley’s Parlour Porter for its perfect combination of a summer porter and cold brew coffee from Ashley’s Espresso Parlour in Kill Devil Hills. If you are a lover of both coffee and beer, this draft is a must-have!

Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint

Location: 800 S Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
Hours: 11:00 am to 2:00 am every day
Price: 🍺 – 🍺🍺🍺 depending on your beer selection
Why We Love It: Jack Brown’s focuses on two things: burgers and beer, and they do it well. From local brew offerings to rare beers from around the world, a variety of all styles of beer is available. Seasonal and new beers are constantly worked into the rotation. They even have the “Notch Club” that serious beer drinkers can earn membership in by drinking 100 different beers. Pace yourself, it’s a long-term project! The goal is to keep you coming back to hang out at the bar and try new beers. The burgers are all-natural wagyu beef with creative twists, such as the El Chupacabra, which is topped with sweet-chili bacon jam and goat cheese. Jack Brown’s offers live music and yard games for the ultimate beer drinking experience.
Our Favorite Beer: Catawba Brewing Co. Evening Joe for its refreshingly light and crisp cold brew coffee ale with notes of vanilla

Buffalo City Jug Shop

Location: 1900 S Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
Hours: 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm Monday through Saturday, closed on Sunday
Price: 🍺🍺 – 🍺🍺🍺 depending on your beer selection
Why We Love It: Buffalo City Jug Shop offers the flexibility of either relaxing with a pint in a laid-back atmosphere or buying your craft beer to enjoy at home. Offering beer on tap, beer in cans or bottles, and a growler filling station if you’d like your draft beer to go. Named after nearby Buffalo City, a now-defunct logging and moonshining community, Buffalo City Jug Shop keeps it local by offering an impressive selection of North Carolina beers as well as local OBX art. They offer beers from around the world, many are limited releases making them truly unique finds. The 24 beers on tap are rotated regularly.
Our Favorite Beer: Wooden Robot Brewery Razz Hands for its delightfully fruity, raspberry flavor that’s perfect for summer

Lost Colony Brewery & Cafe

Location: 208 Queen Elizabeth Ave, Manteo, NC 27954
Hours: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm every day
Price: 🍺
Why We Love It: What started as a beloved restaurant in downtown Manteo has evolved into a full-fledged brewery and cafe. British and Irish style beers are their specialty. Several of their beers are proud World Beer Championship medal winners. Brewed in a former boat shop in Stumpy Point, Lost Colony Brewery can produce up to 1,000 gallons of beer at a time. Each beer has a locally-inspired name and incredible label artwork and a story to go with it. Their beer is available at many locations along the Outer Banks, but taking a trip down to The Lost Colony Brewery & Cafe allows you to enjoy their amazing food along with your OBX craft beer.
Our Favorite Beer: Hatteras Red for its gentle session-ale hoppiness and the sassy history associated with its name

Brew Thru

Locations and Hours:

🚗 790 Ocean Trail, Corolla, NC 27927
9:00 am to 8:00 pm every day

🛵 4728 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
7:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am to 11:00 pm Friday and Saturday, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm Sunday

🚙 3101 N Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
7:00 am to 10:00 pm Sunday through Thursday, 7:00 am to 11:00 pm Friday and Saturday

🚌 2203 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC 27959
8:00 am to 10:00 pm Sunday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 11:00 pm Friday and Saturday

🏍 3700 S Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, NC 27959
7:00 am to 11:00 pm Sunday through Thursday, 7:00 am to 12:00 am Friday and Saturday

Price: 🍺 – 🍺🍺🍺 depending on your beer selection
Why We Love It: The Outer Banks’ one and only drive-through convenience store. Brew Thru offers over 125 beers, ranging from your standard light beers to local and regional NC microbrews. They even offer kegs. They also offer convenience store staples, such as sodas and snacks, as well as everything you could possibly need for the beach. Their T-shirts are legendary, with new designs coming out each year. Brew Thru is an excellent option for folks with a car full of kids that you don’t wish to take into a beer store or brewpub. You get your beer and they think driving through the store is the best thing ever!
Our Favorite Beer: Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA for its bold IPA flavor with fruity notes

Enjoy a Fine Meal with An Outer Banks Beer

Many Outer Banks restaurants serve local OBX beer. Get the full Outer Banks food and drink experience at one of the many local restaurants.

OBX Breweries

Best OBX Beer Selection & Microbreweries

Enjoy a Fine Meal with An Outer Banks Beer