215 Southside Drive
Charlotte, NC 28217
704-525-5644
E-mail: info@oldemeckbrew.com
Website: http://oldemeckbrew.com
Hours: Tuesday–Wednesday, 4 P.M.–8 P.M.; Thursday, 4 P.M.–9 P.M.; Friday, 4 P.M.–10 P.M.; Saturday, noon–8 P.M.
Tours: Saturday at 2 P.M., 3 P.M., and 4 P.M.
Owner and brewmaster: John Marrino
Head brewer: Carey Savoy
Opened: 2009
Regular beer lineup: OMB Copper, OMB Mecklenburger
Seasonals: Frueh Bock, Captain James Jack Pilsner, Mecktober-fest, Bauern Bock, Dunkel Lager, Yule Bock
John Marrino spent 16 years in a field somewhat—but not completely—similar to beer. During his time in the water treatment industry, he traveled all over the world, from Los Angeles to Germany to London to Charlotte. It wasn’t until after he left the business that he ever thought about getting into beer.
The brewhouse and fermentation operation at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OLDE MECKLENBURG BREWERY
“I was actually camping with my family in Montana,” he says. “I had picked up a paper and was reading an article about somebody up in New England working on rebuilding the old Narragansett brewery, and it struck me that there were no breweries in Charlotte. I told my wife that I’d go back to Charlotte and open a brewery, and that’s what I did.”
When Marrino got home, he began putting his business plan together, then started teaching himself about beer. He converted his garage into a brewery and “bought every book known to man” to figure out how to pursue his new career path. “I figured that if I was going to start a brewery, then I’d better learn how to make beer.” A year and a half later, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery opened its doors.
The brewery focuses on German-style beers, adhering closely to the Reinheitsgebot, the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, which states that all beer should be made of just barley, water, and hops. “I lived in Germany for four years,” says Marrino, “and I just like German beer.” That plan proved ideal for his part of the state. Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are both named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who became Queen Charlotte when she married King George III of England. “It fits in with the character of the area,” Marrino says of his German beers. He also notes that few breweries focus exclusively on German styles. “Most of the breweries you see out there are making either English- or Belgian-style beers, and I like to be a little different. That’s just the way I am.”
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery is noted for its spacious taproom and Biergarten, which is open five nights per week and serves traditional German food and, of course, the brewery’s German beers. Marrino says that the taproom was always something he wanted, although it wasn’t actually in the business plan. Once it was built and open, it exceeded everything he had hoped for, proving itself to be a popular hangout for the burgeoning craft beer crowd in Charlotte. “It’s been a pleasant surprise,” he says.
A rare sight of snow at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OLDE MECKLENBURG BREWERY
Running the brewery has included “highlight after highlight” for Marrino. “Being able to go out to any one of 220 bars in Charlotte and be able to drink my beer has been pretty great.” What’s more, he has recently seen his beer in grocery stores, too. Olde Meck introduced bottles in 2011 and plans to expand production in 2012. It is even looking at quadrupling the size of its brewhouse.
Other than that, “we’re just going to continue to make Charlotte into a good craft beer location,” Marrino says. “We’ve been making good progress, but we’re still only 0.4 percent of the Charlotte market. We still have lots of room to grow.”
• When it happens: October
• Where it happens: Metrolina Expo in Charlotte
• Ticket prices: About $35 for a regular ticket or $50 for “premium” admission
• Features: Beer from 100-plus breweries around the state and country, as well as from Carolina BrewMasters, Charlotte’s homebrew club
• Notes: This is one of the best-attended beer festivals in the state. It features a vast array of homebrews.
