I
made it! My work got wrapped up nicely in a bow (that rarely happens), the car
was packed, and the family was ready to go. And we get on the road early (o’dark thirty to
be precise) so that we can beat the traffic and start our vacation as early as
possible. So we made it to the OBX,
stoppin’ by the Cotton Gin and Weeping Radish (unfortunately not open yet), and
headed to a new spot on the island, Trio Wine, Beer, and Cheese (http://obxtrio.com/). 
Trio
opened last August, and it was just dumb luck (Jenn was shopping nearby) that we
found it. They about 15 drafts, a
self-service wine system, a great selection of cheeses, and a good bottle
selection. I liked it so much that we
stopped by 4 times, For the drafts, I got to try 21st Amendment’s
Dangerous Liaison Saison and a Natty Greene Cannonball DIPA. The couples came back later in the week and
the ladies loved sampling wines (could have used a Riesling though) with their
paninis. I got a cheese sampler which is
always fun, and LOVED the Rogue River Smokey Blue from the Rogue
brewery/creamery. And for their bottles,
I stocked up some barrel aged specialties from Outer Banks brewing (Old Stock
Ale, Sour and Weisse) and some of the seasonal from New Belgium (La Folie and
Tart Lychee). We also stopped in for
some BIG lemonades after a sweltering round of mini-golf. If there were any negatives, it was that
there wasn’t much in terms of tap turnover, their website wasn’t up-to-date, and
the cask that they promised never showed up (guess there is always room for
improvement).
Next
we went to Chip’s Wine & Beer Market (http://www.chipswinemarket.com/) to
check out their beer selection and their new tasting lounge. Their tasting room was much smaller and had
the same beers as Trio, but their bottle selection was still the best. I picked up a half dozen beers from Uinta (including
their Wyld, Dubhe, Monkshine and Birthday Suit) as well as some miscellaneous
specialties. We also stopped by Outer
Banks Brewing (http://obbrewing.com/) to meet
up with my sister’s family. Their Ruddy
Rye IPA was top notch. Both places are
worth a stop if you are heading out for vacation.
I
was able to eat lunch twice at my favorite local hangout, the Red Drum
Taphouse. I’m not considering myself a
local personally (although this was our 10th summer at the beach). Red Drum is located at MP10.5 on the beach
road and has a great beer selection, fresh seafood, and is typically
unencumbered with rowdy tourists. I had
a 21st Ammendment Bitter American and a Natty Greene Buckshot Amber
on my trips, accompanying my meals. I
first had their gamefish burrito, a mixture of yellowfin tuna, beans and cheese
that was delicious. Next I got a tuna
steak sandwich special, with a tuna steak, Swiss cheese and smothered in avocado
(YUM!). 
Jenn
was kind enough to point out a new brewpub over in Manteo that I was able to
take a quiet minute to explore during the week.
The Full Moon brewery (http://www.thefullmooncafe.com)
is the smallest in NC, serving 5 beers exclusively for their own café. I really enjoyed their Paddywagon Red Ale and
the Manteo Porter, as well as watching the beginning of the Euro 2012 soccer
finals (Spain trounced Italy 4-0). Downtown
Manteo is a nice change of pace, and having a brewpub their will ensure that I’ll
return. 
We
had a great week, even if we didn’t get to visit Weeping Radish or fully
partake in beer day. The beach was
fantastic and I enjoyed the sunrise each day.
There is something special with spending time in the water with your
family, relaxing without all the electronic gadgets that typically dominate our
lives. On our way back home we stopped at Iron Hill Brewery (http://www.ironhillbrewery.com/) to
relax with some mussels (I recommend the Cochon with bacon, blue cheese and
garlic) and beer. Their DE brewing collaboration
beer Wit Out Sam was outstanding (and no my niece didn’t get any). It was a great vacation, and I’m already
counting the days until we can return. – 6061/12505“Utepils (Norwegian): A word meaning to sit outside on a sunny day enjoying a beer.” – Stephanie Bianchi
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