21 Plus Salute! Adult beverage options abound in the home of NASCAR.

By Hope S. Philbrick

If there’s one comment I hear most as a travel writer, it’s “What a fun job!”

I’m not going to lie: It beats every other job I’ve ever had. But it is far from glamorous. From filthy hotel rooms to missing comfortable routines of home, skipped meals to hectic schedules, life on the road can be exhausting.

Every now and then, though, I do get lucky and, despite being cramped in a van with a bunch of strangers, have genuine fun. Such was the case recently in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, when an afternoon media tour included several stops of the #RaceToTaste self-guided tasting tour.

The craft beverage scene in Cabarrus County is booming and the #RaceToTaste tour invites adults age 21 and older to join the fun. 21 Plus Salute!

Here’s how to recreate the experience on your own:

• Pick up a free coaster set at the Cabarrus County Visitor Center (10099 Weddington Rd., Suite 102, Concord, NC 28027).
• Refer to the coasters to plan your route. Each coaster has details like location, contact information, and social media handles plus history, tasting details and hours to help you prioritize where you want to stop.
• Snap photos at each stop and share on social media using #RaceToTaste, if you’re into that sort of thing. If not, simply sip and enjoy.

Cheers!

Breweries

Cabarrus Brewing Co.
This full-scale production brewery and taproom offers tasting flights and provides tours upon request. Don’t miss the Cabarrus Coffee Blonde or the Boll Weevil Brown.

High Branch Brewing Co.
This artisanal brewery and taproom uses local ingredients as much as possible.

Twenty-Six Acres Brewing Company
This full-scale production brewery and taproom offers tasting flights and provides tours upon request. Don’t miss the Unicorn Milk Vanilla Cream Ale or the Second Rodeo Porter.

Red Hill Brewing Company
This nano-brewery and taproom offers tasting flights and provides tours upon request.

Bars

Lil’ Robert’s Place
More than 500 different craft, micro and import beers are served at this funky local watering hole.

Wineries

Cougar Run Winery
Wine is hand-crafted in small batches.

Douglas Vineyards
Hand-crafted wines.

Rocky River Vineyards
Produces a range of wines from sweet to dry.

Cabo Winery
Taste any 5 wines and keep the souvenir glass for $6.

Dover Vineyards
Grows Chambourcin and Villard Blanc grapes and produces a few different wines from them including a sparkling chambourcin rosé.

Distilleries

Southern Grace Distilleries
Boasts the world’s only tasting room in a former solitary confinement facility, this distillery produces small batches of whiskey, primarily white corn whiskey, flavored white corn whiskeys and some aged bourbon.

More Information…

Visit Cabarrus

• #RaceToTaste

Visit North Carolina

– Photos © HSP Media LLC

Featured products, services and/or travel arrangements may have been complimentary in part or in full; this affords the research opportunity but does not sway opinion. A daytime media FAM tour of local breweries was part of Travel Media Showcase 2017.

Hope S. Philbrick is founder and editor-in-chief of Getaways for Grownups. She became a freelance writer and editor because she believes that work and fun should not be mutually exclusive. Her work has appeared in dozens of publications nationwide. When not writing, she can usually be found on the road or savoring something tasty.