North Carolina
Top Taps: North Carolina breweries win big at U.S. beer championship
Breweries from all over America submitted their suds with the hopes of being named the best beer in the country, and North Carolina made a strong showing in 2025.
The U.S. Open Beer Championship was held in Oxford, Ohio, this week, and the championship medal winners were announced in over 100 different beer categories.
From IPAs and stouts to fruity beers (and even root beer) — North Carolina has some of the best. Breweries from the Tar Heel State were represented in the winners list of over 40 categories.
RELATED >> These Charlotte-area breweries take home World Beer Cup medals
Take a look at the categories featuring winners from North Carolina. (Breweries based in the Charlotte area are marked with an asterisk.)
3: American Strong Pale Ale
Gold: Green Envy – Fullsteam Brewery – North Carolina
Silver: Lucid AF – Liquid Mechanics Brewing – Colorado
Bronze: Electri-Fly IPA – Wild Ride Brewing – Oregon
14: Session IPA
*Gold: Gentle Giant – Primal Brewery – North Carolina
Silver: Sesh Coast Lager – Evans Brewing Co – California
Bronze: Corporate Estate – Celestial Beerworks – Texas
16: Fruit IPA
Gold: Mastiff – Boss Dog Brewing – Ohio
Silver: Regal Beagle – Boss Dog Brewing – Ohio
*Bronze: The Big O – Sugar Creek Brewing Company – North Carolina
19: New England/Juicy IPA
*Gold: Planet Pulp – Triple C Brewing Company – North Carolina
Silver: Uncurious – Druthers Brewing Co. – New York
Bronze: Meet Me at Doo Wops – Lost Shoe Brewing – Massachusetts
21: Experimental IPA
*Gold: Lil’ SLURP – NoDa Brewing Company – North Carolina
*Silver: EZ Baked – Replay Brewing – South Carolina
Bronze: Byclops – SDB Brewing Company – California
23 (A-B): Single Hop IPA
Gold: Gold Top – Brink Brewing – Ohio
*Silver: Island Hopper IPA – Pilot Brewing – North Carolina
Bronze: Bury Me In Strata – The Southern Growl Beer Company – South Carolina
28: Oatmeal Stout
Gold: Thunderball – Eudora Brewing Company – Ohio
Silver: Not a Cure for Baldness – Buck Bald Brewing – North Carolina
Bronze: Overnight Oats – Wild Barley Kitchen and Brewery – Texas
37: English Summer Ale
Gold: Farmhouse – Crystal Lake Brewing- Illinois
Silver: Approachable Blonde – Municipal Brew Works – Ohio
*Bronze: Yarnburner – Neoteric Brewing Company – North Carolina
39: ESB
Gold: Pub Ale – Bright Penny Brewing – North Carolina
Silver: Pale Ale – Boulevard Brewing Company – Missouri
Bronze: My Turn Katie ESB – Lakefront Brewery – Wisconsin
50 (A-B): Strong Scottish Ale
Gold: Hammer Throw – Lost Province Brewing Co – North Carolina
Silver: Wallace Tavern Scotch Ale – Market Garden Brewery – Ohio
Bronze: Mulligan – Grand Junction Brewing Company – Indiana
Bronze: Old Crank – Schoolcraft Brewery – Michigan
54: American Brown Ale
Gold: Throwback Brown – Hodad’s Brewing Company – California
Silver: Not a Planet – Site-1 Brewing Co – Nebraska
Bronze: Buster Brown Ale – Dingo Dog Brewing Company – North Carolina
56: German Altbier
Gold: Alternative Medicine – Lakeville Brewing Company – Minnesota
Silver: Waha Negra – Oklawaha Brewing Company – North Carolina
Bronze: Rubber Chicken Red – Franklins Restaurant Brewery and General Store – Maryland
57: German Kolssch
Gold: Lake Hopp’r – Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. – Florida
Silver: Brandstafter – Incendiary Brewing Company – North Carolina
Bronze: Kolsch – Union Bear Brewing – plano – Texas
60: French and Belgian Saison
Gold: Le Saison – Vista Brewing – Texas
*Silver: New Slang Belgian Saison – Americana Beer Company – North Carolina
Bronze: Little Batteau – Braided River Brewing – Alabama
63: Belgian Dubbel
Gold: Dubbel Down – Braided River Brewing – Alabama
*Silver: Belgian Dubbel – Sugar Creek Brewing Company – North Carolina
Bronze: Coriolis Effect – Loose Ends Brewing – Ohio
Bronze: Chugboat Island – Buckstin Brewing Company – Texas
65: Belgian Quadrupel
*Gold: Belgian Quad – Sugar Creek Brewing Company – North Carolina
Silver: Two Brewers are Better Than One – Silver Harbor Brewing – Michigan
Bronze: Nakatomi Nights – Flix Brewhouse-SAT – Texas
67 (A-E): Belgian Lambic
Gold: Squared Pants – 2 Silos Brewing Co – Virginia
Silver: Stupid Sexy Flanders – Sun King Brewery – Indiana
Bronze: Faithful Instruction – Monday Night Brewing – Georgia
Bronze: The Forever Echo of Your Laugh – Forgotten Road Ales – North Carolina
70: Leipzig-Style Gose
Gold: The Dare – Druthers Brewing Co. – New York
Silver: Gose – Ponysaurus Brewing – North Carolina
72: Contemporary Gose
Gold: Aloha State of Mind – COVA Brewing Company – Virginia
*Silver: Huckleberry Cheesecake Gose Pilot Brewing – North Carolina
Bronze: Punk Fuzz – MachineHead Brewing Co. – California
74: Smoothie Sour
Gold: Reapers Eye – Atrium Brewing – Kentucky
Silver: Lovely Patrol: Double (POG Juice) – Forgotten Road Ales – North Carolina
Bronze: Beach Vibes – Savage Craft Ale Works – South Carolina
78: American Amber
Gold: De Nada – Appalachian Mountain Brewery – North Carolina
Silver: Can I Pet Your Dog? – Ope Brewing Co – Wisconsin
Bronze: Elbow Bender – Wagon Wheel Brewing – California
79: California Common Beer
Gold: 1915 – Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. – Florida
*Silver: Last Day at the Office – Neoteric Brewing Company – North Carolina
Bronze: 1702 Steam Engine – Mountain Layers Brewing CO. – North Carolina
81: German-Style Pilsener
Gold: An Honest Man – New Berlin Brewing Company – Ohio
Silver: A Cold One – Reformation Brewery – Georgia
Bronze: Shimmer Pils – Discretion Brewing – California
Bronze: Pils – Wicked Weed Brewing – North Carolina
82 E: Rice Lager
Gold: Migoto Rice Lager – Big Island Brewhaus – Hawaii
Silver: Rice Lager – Ponysaurus Brewing – North Carolina
Bronze: Rice Lager – Central Machine Works Brewery – Texas
84: Munchner Helles
Gold: Helles Lager – Central Machine Works Brewery – Texas
Silver: High Point Helles – Wild Leap Brew Co – Georgia
Bronze: Haus Helles – Wicked Weed Brewing – North Carolina
85: Munchner Dunkel
Gold: Flannel Weather – The Bier Garden – North Carolina
Silver: Penn Dark – Penn Brewery – Pennsylvania
Bronze: Decrepify – Geisthaus Brewing Company – California
88: German-Style Schwarzbier
*Gold: Shrouded Reflections of Moonlight 760 Craft Works – North Carolina
Silver: Schwarzbier – Union Bear Brewing – Plano – Texas
Bronze: Black Lager – Frost Town Brewing – Texas
95 (A-B): Dark Lager
Gold: 13 Degrees – Confluence Brewing Company – Iowa
Silver: Rain Czech – Clouds Brewing – North Carolina
Bronze: El Lauro Muro – Brink Brewing – Ohio
97: American-Style Wheat Beer
Gold: Float Trip – Piney River Brewing Co. – Missouri
*Silver: Uncle John’s – Triple C Brewing Company – North Carolina
Bronze: 5G – Saddle Mountain Brewing Company – Arizona
Bronze: Whoopty Whoop Hefeweizen – Wild Ride Brewing – Oregon
99 a: American-Style Fruit Beer – Raspberry
*Gold: Anniversary Stout – Model A Brewing – South Carolina
Silver: Fresh! Raspberry – Reuben’s Brews – Washington
Bronze: Razz Becky – Pondaseta Brewing Co. – Texas
99 C: American-Style Fruit Beer – Orange
Gold: Bell’s Oberon Light – Bell’s Brewery – Michigan
Silver: Anytime Wing Man – Flix Brewhouse Oklahoma City – Oklahoma
*Bronze: Zest A Peel – Triple C Brewing Company – North Carolina
99 J: American-Style Fruit Beer – Strawberry
*Gold: Strawberry Shandy – Southern Range Brewing – North Carolina
Silver: Belly Flop – Lucky Bucket Brewing Company – Nebraska
Bronze: Bella Brie – Inside the Five Brewing Company – Ohio
100 L: Fruit Wheat Beer – Mixed
Gold: POG Slammer – Wild Barley Kitchen and Brewery – Texas
Silver: Blender Bender – Berry – Ledgeview Brewing Company – Indiana
Bronze: Mebane Skyline – Bright Penny Brewing – North Carolina
100 M: Fruit Wheat Beer – General/Other
Gold: Banana Wheat – Whistle Hop Brewing Company – North Carolina
Silver: Blueberry Cobbler Payday – Side Hustle Brewing Company – South Carolina
Bronze: Pineapple Mana Wheat – Maui Brewing Co – Hawaii
108: Coffee Beer Light
Gold: Cowboy Coffee – Lost Province Brewing Co – North Carolina
Silver: Blue Boathouse – Fox River Brewing – Wisconsin
Bronze: Spill The Beans – Blue Heron Brewery – Ohio
115: Barrel-Aged Strong Stout/Porter
Gold: GSO Barrel Select Stout 2024 – Forgotten Road Ales – North Carolina
Silver: 3 year Barrel Aged Family Reserve Sleepy Bear – Werk Force Brewing – Illinois
Bronze: Eclipse – Frey Ranch – FiftyFifty Brewing Co. – California
117: Barrel-Aged Strong Stout/Porter Specialty
Gold: Maple Grenade – Silver Harbor Brewing – Michigan
Silver: BA Pumpkinhead – Pontoon Brewing – Georgia
Bronze: Ammo Can: Lima One – Forgotten Road Ales – North Carolina
120: Barrel-Aged Fruited Sour Beer
Gold: Daydreamer – Vista Brewing – Texas
Silver: The Virtue of Patience – Bold Monk Brewing Co – Georgia
Bronze: Angels in the Architecture – Bold Monk Brewing Co – Georgia
Bronze: Black Angel – Wicked Weed Brewing – North Carolina
135: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier
Gold: Kellermeister – Brink Brewing – Ohio
Silver: Bobby Beer – Oklawaha Brewing – North Carolina
Bronze: Pleasing Gene – Little Brother Brewing – North Carolina
136 (128+137): Brett Beer
Gold: Free Range Farmhouse – Sun King Brewery – Indiana
Silver: All of the Positions – Forbidden Root Columbus – Ohio
Bronze: Coming To Fruition: Cherry – Oregon City Brewing – Oregon
Bronze: Beauty In The Cracks – Twin Leaf Brewery – North Carolina
141: Peanut/Peanut Butter Beer
Gold: Dark Aura – Third Eye Brewing Company (Hamilton) – Ohio
Silver: Not Sorry – Southern Ohio Brewing – Ohio
Bronze: D’s Nuts – Oklawaha Brewing Company – North Carolina
142: Nut Beer
Gold: Scattered Castles – Project Halo Brewing – Texas
Silver: D’s Hazelnuts – Oklawaha Brewing Company – North Carolina
Bronze: Pistachio Cream Ale – Platt Park Brewing – Colorado
144: Historical Beer – C: Grodziskie
Gold: Smocze Pragnienie – Allusion Brewing Company – Pennsylvania
Silver: Grodziskie – Goldfinger Brewing Company – Illinois
Bronze: Smoke Over Lublin – Mountain Layers Brewing CO. – North Carolina
147: Root Beer: A – Kids
Gold: Marsh Water Low Tide Brewing – South Carolina
Silver: Bright Penny Root Beer Bright Penny Brewing – North Carolina
Bronze: No Label Root Beer No Label Brewing Co – Texas
151: Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage: E – Wheat Ales
Gold: Yuzu Ginger Shandy – Best Day Brewing – Colorado
Silver: Gruvi Weekday Wit – Gruvi – Colorado
*Bronze: Wheat Without Worry – Primal Brewery – North Carolina
(VIDEO: Olde Mecklenburg Brewery opens second location)
A planned offshore wind project off North Carolina’s coast that could have powered roughly 300,000 homes has been scrapped after the federal government agreed to spend nearly $1 billion to halt its development, a decision that is drawing sharp reactions and raising questions about future energy costs in the state.
Under the agreement, the French energy company TotalEnergies will be reimbursed for leases it purchased in federal waters near Bald Head Island. In exchange, the company will redirect that investment into oil and natural gas projects, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) production.
The move comes as electricity demand in North Carolina and across the Southeast is rising, driven by population growth and the rapid expansion of energy-intensive data centers.
Energy analysts say removing a major potential source of power from the pipeline could have lasting implications.
“I think folks are trying to figure out how to reconcile this with the fact that we do need more electrons on the grid,” said Katharine Kollins, president of the Southeastern Wind Coalition. “Every state right now is looking at how we can develop more energy, not how we should be taking options off the table.”
The canceled project, known as Carolina Long Bay, was one of two offshore wind developments TotalEnergies had planned along the East Coast. The North Carolina portion alone would have generated about 1,300 megawatts of electricity and brought significant economic development to the region.
State leaders were quick to criticize the decision. In a post on X, Gov. Josh Stein said the Trump administration is “spending nearly $1 billion in taxpayer money to pay off a company to stop investments in the clean energy we need,” calling it “a terrible deal for the people of North Carolina and our country.”
The Interior Department, which negotiated the agreement, defended the move, saying offshore wind projects are too costly and unreliable to meet the nation’s energy needs. In a statement, officials said redirecting investment toward natural gas would provide “affordable, reliable and secure energy” while strengthening grid stability.
The debate reflects a broader divide over how to meet growing electricity demand while keeping costs down.
Offshore wind projects typically require high upfront investment but have no fuel costs once operational. Fossil fuel plants rely on fuel that can fluctuate in price.
“Using a billion dollars of taxpayer money to remove an option for North Carolina and then require that company to invest in LNG just doesn’t feel right,” Kollins said.
She and other advocates argue that offshore wind could help stabilize energy prices over time by diversifying the state’s power mix, particularly during periods of high demand or fuel volatility.
The federal government and industry leaders backing the deal say natural gas offers a more dependable source of power, especially as the grid faces increasing strain.
Part of that shift now points to LNG, which is traded on a global market. That means prices can rise or fall based on international demand, geopolitical tensions and export levels — dynamics that do not affect wind energy.
The cancellation also highlights uncertainty around offshore wind development in North Carolina. Duke Energy, the state’s largest utility, holds a neighboring lease in the same area but paused development last year as it reevaluated costs and policy conditions.
As state regulators and utilities map out how to meet future demand, the loss of Carolina Long Bay narrows the range of options.
For residents, the stakes may ultimately show up in monthly bills.
“When we limit our choices,” Kollins said, “we limit our ability to control costs.”
The North Carolina Tar Heels were a first-round exit in this year’s NCAA Tournament, but that does not mean that what transpires the rest of the way does not matter for the program.
It has been less than a week since the Tar Heels blew a 19-point lead in the second half against the VCU Rams, en route to an 82-78 loss in overtime. The result has raised doubts about Hubert Davis’ future as North Carolina’s head coach.
With all of that being said, here are a couple of things the Tar Heels should be wishing to happen later this week in the Sweet 16.
Duke Falls Short
The North Carolina-Duke rivalry is arguably the best one in all of sports. It was a tantalizing matchup the first time these two squared off this year, with Caleb Wilson and Cameron Boozer going head-to-head, as both players are expected to be selected in the top five of the 2026 NBA Draft.
However, the discrepancy between the two teams was apparent, even though the Tar Heels split the season series. The Blue Devils entered the NCAA Tournameent as the No. 1-overall seed in the entire field, while the Tar Heels limped into the field as a six-seed.
While North Carolina would obviously prefer playing in the upcoming round, which starts on Thursday night, nothing would make Tar Heels fans happier than to see Duke fall to St. John’s in the Sweet 16.
The Blue Devils have been playing with fire in the first two rounds, at various points, but they ultimately advanced to the second weekend of the tournament. St. John’s is a formidable opponent that could legitimately take down Duke.
One of the Teams With a Legitimate Head Coaching Option To Lose
It has been well-documented that North Carolina is likely to be in the coaching market, as Davis appears to be on his way out in Chapel Hill. If this occurs, the Tar Heels need to make a substantial hire that will elevate the program back to competing for national championships.
There will be a slew of options for North Carolina to consider, but two names to keep an eye on are Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger and Alabama’s Nate Oats. You may be asking yourself, ‘Why should North Carolina be rooting for potential head coach candidates to lose?’
Here’s why: the transfer portal opens on April 7, and ideally, North Carolina would want its presumed new head coach in place well before then. Those coaches will not be the only two to watch for, but they are arguably the most ideal.
North Carolina
AG Jeff Jackson wants the president to negotiate change from Chinese apps that fund fentanyl
North Carolina’s top prosecutor is asking the president for
help in the fight against fentanyl. Attorney General Jeff Jackson says
criminals are using Chinese apps to launder millions of dollars which fund
the fentanyl epidemic in the US. He thinks the president can negotiate a
change.
The effort hits home for the Nash family. This past weekend
marked four years since Jeff Nash lost his daughter, Amanda.
“It was a tough weekend. It was. I don’t think it gets
any easier,” Nash told WRAL.
Nash is one of thousands of fathers who knows what it feels
like to lose a child to fentanyl. And he knows what people will say…
“His daughter should have known not to do it. No one
forced her to do it. She was a grown woman. She was an adult who made her choices
and this was the natural consequence of her choice. And to say that would be
right. I understand that. However, two things can be right. It also is right for
our federal, state and local governments to do everything they can to keep this
poison away from our people,” Nash said.
Fentanyl is the primary driver of the opioid crisis in North
Carolina, contributing to over 75% of fatal drug overdoses in recent years. But
a small change gives cause for hope. 2025 and early 2026 data from the state office
of the medical examiner indicate a potential decline in fentanyl-positive
deaths for the first time in years.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said there is
still work to do.
“We’re losing six people a day. I’ve spoken to a lot of families
who have lost people. I told them I’ll do whatever I can and one thing I can do
is go after the money. If you go after the profitability of a crime, you’ll
reduce the prevalence of that crime,” Jackson said.
More than $100 million a week flow through Chinese owned
apps to support the sales of fentanyl in the US, Jackson said.
Over the last year, his office got one app called WeChat
to agree to be more responsive with investigators and make encrypted spaces on
the app more hostile to fentanyl money laundering. But its sister app, Weixin is
not subject to US laws and wants the White House to take action.
In a letter to the president, Jackson and five other
attorneys general from Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Kentucky and South
Carolina urged the president to take action. It states that despite the agreement
with WeChat to work with investigators, neither it nor Weixin agree to share
data from the ap.
“In practice, this means that law enforcement can only see
one side of illegal transactions, shielding Chinese-based users from justice,”
the letter said.
Nash wondered why only six attorneys general would support
the effort. Jackson said the focus was to get a request to the president that
was not political, bipartisan and clear.
He believes President Trump has the ability to negotiate with the
Chinese to effect change when it comes to money changing hands through its
apps.
“I think we recognize that the Chinese government is
different than the American government and if the leader of China decided to
make a change, that change would be made,” Jackson said.
Nash was reluctant to revisit his pain discussing his
daughter’s death, but said it’s worth it if this letter gets people talking or
gets any government movement to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the US.
Nash was one of the subjects in the WRAL documentary, ‘Crisis
Next Door – The Fentanyl epidemic.’
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