Now in its 10th year, Charleston Beer Week (CBW), held Oct. 27 through Nov. 5, features 30-plus events, from oyster roasts to Halloween parties. Palmetto Brewing Co. kicks off the event Oct. 27 with a party featuring live music, a costume contest and guest taps from other Charleston-area breweries.
CBW executive director Chris Winn, former co-owner of Tradesman Brewing, said attendees can look forward to the usual popular events like yard pong at Commonhouse Aleworks and tap takeovers at spots like Odyssey Bottle Shop and Lowes Foods.
Winn remembered the early days of CBW, when the idea of a full tap takeover at a bar, restaurant or shop was ambitious, albeit possible. “2013 was the first time we could do a full tap takeover [with South Carolina beers],” said Winn. “It was at Closed for Business, and we had 24 breweries. We’ve come a long way.” Now, the state is home to 123 breweries.
Perseverance is the name of the game
The ever-growing Charleston beer scene — a topic our HOPS writers covered earlier this year
— is both a boon and a hindrance to CBW. “Every brewery has become more of an event space,” said Winn of the evolution of craft beer in the area.
CBW’s early days elicited a strong turnout because the festival felt special. Now, it’s harder to stand out in such a saturated market. A lot of the area’s breweries are simply too busy to incorporate more events into their weekly lineup of happenings.
“Some breweries said, ‘I would love to come play, but I’m so busy in my own taproom. Everybody is wearing five hats,’” said Winn.
Fortunately, overcoming logistical roadblocks and hiccups is the name of the game with CBW; the 10th annual festival should be in its 14th year, but has taken some hits from big storms and a worldwide pandemic.
“We still have a fantastic brewing community,” Winn said. “It’s unique to our city and it’s definitely the Charleston way.”
Look no further than committed CBW fans; for the past several years CBW has created its own tattoo. Last year 35 people got the 2022 logo, and Winn himself has two.
While you don’t have to show your love for Charleston breweries with permanent ink, you can definitely help support the community by drinking a local beer or two this coming week.
“All you gotta do is show up,” Winn said. “The best lesson in life is to show up. It’s gonna be a good time.”
Editor’s picks for CBW:
While the annual beer festival has a little something for everyone, these five events make our can’t-miss list. Find the full lineup online at charlestonbeerweek.com.
Swig ‘n Pig Jig 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Oct. 29
Come for the Two Tides Brewing (an uber popular Savannah spot) tap takeover, stay for Chicken Shit bingo with the Beercan Professor.
Hop Chef competition 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Nov. 2
Join a bevy of local chefs as they incorporate local beer into their dishes while cooking live on-site. Tickets are $90 and can be purchased online.
Munkle Luau 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Nov. 3
Enjoy a pig roast and wear your best Hawaiian shirt.
Second annual SC Beer Mile 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Nov. 4
If you don’t know — now you know: A beer mile is an athletic event where participants run 400 meters, chug a beer and repeat four times. It’s kind of crazy, usually messy and a lot of fun to watch.
Learn to homebrew with Tha Community Crew Noon. to 5 p.m., Nov. 4
Join April Dove of Tha Community to learn more about brewing your own beer. Dove founded Tha Community in 2021 as a way to create collaboration beers with local breweries.
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