Asheville-based craft beer collective The Whale will open in Charleston Friday, Sept. 24 in The Refinery development at 1640 Meeting St. Once open, owners Jesse Van Note and Andrew Ross will offer 150-plus beers, 20 of which will be available on draft, including The Whale’s Haüs Lager, brewed in collaboration with Fonta Flora Brewery in Morganton, North Carolina.
“While all three Whale locations share a core concept, Van Note and Ross strive to give each space its own unique vibe and aesthetic,” a press release said. “The Charleston space was inspired by the 1980s heyday of Miami’s Ocean Drive, and the design is an eccentric, playful mashup of art deco-meets-Elvis’ Jungle Room at Graceland.”
The Whale is an ode to the rare, hard-to-source beers Van Note and Ross will sell. In addition to the Asheville original, the duo also owns a shop in Greenville. And if you forget the name, a handcrafted neon whale tail made by Asheville artist Kevin Nonnenmacher of GIT LIT inside the shop will quickly remind you.
At The Whale, guests will be able to order a beer, glass of wine, sake and more before grabbing a seat inside or out on The Whale’s rooftop patio, which features traditional German biergarten tables. A rotating lineup of food trucks will be on-premise weekly, according to the release.
The Whale will celebrate its opening Sept. 25 by serving as South Carolina’s official host for Zwanze Day 2021. The 120-year-old Cantillon brewery, located in Brussels, Belgium, announced each host brewery and beer shop would have the chance to serve “the experimental Cantillon Zwanze brew, Parasol,” which will only be available at host locations. Semilla and Big Tent Pizza will be on hand for the 13th running of the worldwide event, which will take place from 12-5 p.m.
The Whale has popped up with beverage pairings for specialty dinners at Kwei Fei, Chubby Fish, Xiao Bao Biscuit and Daps Breakfast & Imbibe this summer, and craft beer fans will have one more chance to check out The Whale before its upcoming opening. On Wednesday, Sept. 15, head to North Central eatery Berkeley’s for ‘BARK-ley’s & The Whale,’ a pet-friendly event benefiting the Charleston Animal Society. Look for “brews, brats and barks” on the Berkeley’s patio and pet portraits by Paul Cheney from 5-9 p.m.
For more information and to purchase tickets to Zwanze Day, follow The Whale on Instagram @thewhalechs.
Stay cool. Support City Paper.
City Paper has been bringing the best news, food, arts, music and event coverage to the Holy City since 1997. Support our continued efforts to highlight the best of Charleston with a one-time donation or become a member of the City Paper Club.