Hoppin’ Around South End
By: Laura Barrett
If you haven’t already heard about Hoppin then you really need to follow Charlotte Agenda because they give all of the latest updates about what is going on in Charlotte. Hoppin is the first self-serve wine and craft beer bar that opened up in South End on December 2 of last year.
It is kind of like a frozen yogurt bar but with alcoholic beverages, so even better. You walk into this two-story building and approach the front counter to receive your bracelet. This magical bracelet is what gets you the brews. You walk up to the beer taps and there is a screen above each tap handle that tells you what that beer is, the ABV, and the price per ounce. You scan your bracelet and when the green light pops up you are ready to pour.
You might be thinking, wow how do you not get super trashed? Well the intelligence behind this magical bracelet is that it only allows you 32 ounces at a time. So that is just barely three beers. If you’re a tank and can handle more then that, all you have to do is go up to the front counter and request a “refill.” They will give you 32 more ounces on your bracelet. Amazing right?
Now I don’t like to brag, but I can easily handle more than three beers and I had to because there are over 60 taps! I wasn’t anywhere close to trying all 60 but I gave it my best shot when I was there last night.
Out of all the beer I tried my favorite one was Chai High spiced beer by Avery Brewing Company. This beer is a deep brown color with little to no head. This seasonal beer is brewed with a creamy chai tea and has flavors of rich and robust spices. The chia tea is really prominent in each sip, which I really liked.
I chose a really good night to visit Hoppin because there was a live band playing inside. According to one of the workers, they have live music randomly throughout the week. The band played a lot of Kings of Leon, which I enjoyed and a couple other classic tunes.
My only complaint about Hoppin is that the indoor seating is very limited. On a Friday night there were a lot of people and so it took me a while to find a seat. It is kind of like a contest to grab a spot before anyone else can and it is your top priority to have at least one person stay at the spot at all times so you don’t lose it to someone else.
This is the first self-serve tap house in Charlotte with technology that is very advanced. I hope that with the success of Hoppin, this will bring way for further breweries and tap houses like this!
Well that is my spill! Thanks for stopping by and reading my review.
Keep Pouring!
#LarrysBeerReview #LauraBarrett
Mock Tweet: If you haven’t already experienced the first self-serving tap house in Charlotte, don’t worry because I got you covered! Read my post about Hoppin’ in South End to get the run down:
#SouthEnd #Charlottefun #craftbeer
