Did you know that the Triangle area is home to more than 30 breweries? No matter your taste or style, there is definitely something for the craft beer lovers in the area. There is even a Raleigh Beer Trail that spans from Wake Forest, Wendell, Cary, and everywhere in between.

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Let’s start with Raleigh’s oldest brewery—Big Boss Brewing.Originally located off Wiker Drive in Raleigh, it opened in 2006, and has been considered a pioneer for other breweries in the area. Brad Wyann was a brewer in Pennsylvania before he moved to Raleigh to work at Edenton Brewing. When Edenton closed, Brad changed the name to Big Boss, and kept it running until last year. When their lease ended however, Big Boss temporarily closed their doors last summer and are looking for a new home. They plan to open again this year! You can still find their beer in certain NC stores, and online.

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A newer, smaller brewery—Sneaky Penguin—opened last fall, and isn’t too far from The Cypress. It is located off Six Forks Road at the Sawmill Road intersection. While they don’t serve food, they encourage visitors to bring food from any of the restaurants around (there are several)! They have Trivia on Wednesdays, a Run Club on Sundays, and are open for private events. Their draft beers rotate, but you can expect to see a selection of IPAs, a Porter, Lager, Goose style, and more!

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In November, USA Today asked readers to vote on the best new brewery in the US.The top rated brewery is located right here in Raleigh! Funguys Brewing, located at 2408 Paula Street, prides themselves as being a “Mom-and-pop craft brewery focused on flavor forward ales and lagers.” They sell their beers in cans or on draft, and the fan-favorite is their smoothie-style sours they call “Smoothsicles.” They have lactose free and vegan options!

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One of Raleigh’s largest brewers—Lonerider—has three different locations in the Triangle area. They first opened in January 2009 off Gulf Street. The CEO, Sumit Vohra, is a tech-guy turned chief beer drinker and his passion for and atop-notch team has won Lonerider many awards. The idea started when Sumit andco-founder Chris Mielke were dreaming over small batch whiskey in their favorite saloon. They have seasonal and rotating options, but their three original beers are always available—Shotgun Betty German Hefeweizen, Sweet Josie American Brown Ale, and the Hoppy Ki Yay American IPA.They now have a taproom in Five Points, Wake Forest, and their newest location is in Oak Island, serving food and a waterfront view.

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These are just a few breweries in the area. As mentioned before, there is a Raleigh Beer Trail and Visit Raleigh has a beer trail passport you can get stamped every time you visit a local brewery! The passport lists over 30 breweries in the Triangle and if you get five stamps you turn it in for a free bottle opener; visit 10 breweries and get a can hugger; visit 15 breweries on the list and get a free t-shirt!