Wed., Apr. 7 is National Beer Day, and we’re already at a post-work happy hour in our minds. We love alocal brewery, but you can just as often catch us grabbing a craft pint at Lowes Foods’ Beer Denwhile knocking out our weekly grocery run.🍻
DYK? Through a collaboration with Thomas Creek Breweryout of Greenville, SC, Lowes Foods has its own line of original Beer Den Brews, all named after fairy tales: 🧚 • Belle India Pale ale: crafted with chinook, citra and amarillo hops, boasting tropical fruit notes — a “hoppy beast of a beer” that’s easy to love 🥀 • Robin Hood Amber Lager: easy-drinking, medium-bodied lagerwith a malty backbone, caramel-like flavors + a crisp hop finish — gather your merry men (and women) 🏹 • Rumpelstiltskin South German-style Hefeweizen Ale: bready, South German-style Hefeweizen withnotes of banana + clove for afruity and phenolic flavor— worth its weight in gold thread 🧵 • The Hoppit Pale Ale: balanced brew made withcascade, centennial, and styrian golding hops, plus notes of citrus + orange marmalade — one beer to rule them all 💍
Lowes Foods now offers its own line of original craft beers | Image provided by Lowes Foods
The original brews are a product of The Beer Den Cavern — the brewpub inside the Lowes Foods store at Five Forks in Simpsonville, SC (the Carolinas’ first brewpub in a grocery store). Cavern Head Brewer Joe Quattlebaum developed the recipes for the four beers, and connected with Thomas Creek to produce the beers for distribution to Lowes Foods store across the Carolinas.
Fun fact: Lowes Foods is the only grocery store in Raleigh that sells several popular NC beers from breweries that don’t otherwise distribute, including Heist (Charlotte), Burial (Raleigh), Wilmington Brewing(Wilmington), Dssolvr(Asheville), + Flying Machine (Wilmington). How?Through their Beer Run program, Lowes Foods takes care of the distribution themselves, stocking up local brews by the truckload directly from the source, then delivering them to their NC grocery stores. Just look for the ‘Beer Run’ sign in the beer aisle. Ⓟ
Lowes Foods’ Beer Run truck picks up beer from breweries across NC that do not distribute + stocks them in stores statewide | Photo provided by Lowes Foods
Weather ○50º | Sunny | 0%chance of rain ☀️ ○The Triangle saw freezing temperatures last night, but tonight is expected to be even colder.Remember to bring your plants inside.🌱 (The News & Observer)
ComingSoon ○ After a failed attempt four years ago, Durham is finally getting its first Publix grocery store. The store will be located at the corner of Watchorn St. and Ellis Rd. (in the Ellis Crossing shopping center) and will bring ~150 jobs. (Triangle Business Journal)
NowOpen ○ The Goat — a dynamic restaurant offering coffee and breakfast in the morning + dinner and cocktails at night — opened Wednesday at 5600 Primary Dr. in RTP.TryThis:sweet tea brined chicken + biscuits with housemade hot honey and a color changing cocktail called Midnight Orchid. 🍸 (Bites of Bull City)
WaterCooler ○ Daggum, Roy. UNC basketball coachRoy Williams announced his retirement yesterday. Roy was head coach of the Tar Heels for 18 seasons + is the third-winningest head coach in Division I men’s basketball history. 🏀 (The Daily Tar Heel)
List ○ Raleigh Magazine announced this year’s list of The New 20 Influentials In Their 20’s living in the Raleigh-area. Read more about the city’s top young movers and shakershere. (Raleigh Magazine)
Development ○ FastMed Urgent Care is moving its headquarters to West Hargett St in downtown Raleigh. The urgent care company was started with just one clinic in Clayton 16 years ago + now has over 100 locations across the US. (Triangle Business Journal)
Watch ○ Raleigh entrepreneur Brian Hamilton, founder of Sageworks, is featured in a new TV series that helps formerly incarcerated individuals start new lives by creating businesses. The show will air on Saturday mornings (starting April 3) on your local ABC station. Learn more here. 🎥 (GrepBeat)
Jobs ○ Downtown Raleigh Alliance is hiring a full-time Communications Coordinator. DRA is looking for someone who is passionate about the downtown Raleigh community and ready to craft plenty of content for its digital platforms. Click here to apply.
Trending ○ Michael Peterson, the Durham novelist convicted of killing his wife in 2001, will be played by Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth in a new series on HBO Max. The case was also the subject of the 2018 Netflix documentary series The Staircase, which gained national attention. (INDY Week)
Holiday ○ Today is the Christian holiday Good Friday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus — and Easter is just around the corner. Check out this list of Easter-themed activities in the Triangle and restaurant specials for the weekend. 🐰 (Midtown Magazine)
Cause ○ Local nonprofit The Blood Connection is asking the community for donations. The center has extended its hours in response to urgent need. Click here to find a location near you.
Health ○ DYK? Sunday is National Vitamin C Day. One way to get your fix:Stock up on fresh, Vitamin-C-rich produce likeoranges, broccoli, strawberries, kale + bell peppers at your nearest Lowes Foods. 🍓 Ⓟ
Click the button below for local resources regarding the coronavirus. ⬇️
Calling all local poets in elementary, middle and high school — Black Oak Society is holding their very first young poetry competition. BOS encourages Black creatives in the Raleigh-area to express themselves through artistic work, and this competition is no different. Click here for more information. Submissions are due by Fri., Apr. 9.
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Talk ○ In Conversation: Arts & Environmentalism | Fri., Apr. 2 | 12–1 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Watch a panel discussion about using art to promote climate change activism.
Arts ○ First Friday Raleigh | Fri., Apr. 2 | All day | Downtown Raleigh | Free | This month’s First Friday is celebrating the start of Architecture Month. There will be a free architectural scavenger hunt around the city that participants can enter to win prizes.
Saturday ○ Downtown Raleigh Walking Tour | Sat., Apr. 3 | 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | 300 S. Salisbury St. | $15–20 suggested donation | Raleigh Walking Tours is hosting a walk around downtown to look at murals + learn more about the art. ○ Black and White Photography Meetup | Sat., Apr. 3 | 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | NCMA, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd. | $35 | Meet up with other local photographers to take monochrome pictures of the scenery and sculptures. ○ Durham Farmers Market | Sat., Apr. 3 | 8 a.m.–12 p.m. | Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St., Durham | Vendors will be selling local food + goods on the first day of the farmer’s market main season. ○ Black Atlantic: Okaidja Afroso Ghana/Usa & Lakou Mizik Haiti | Sat., Apr. 3 | 8 p.m. | Virtual | $10, free for Duke students | A showing of musical performances by Okaidja Afroso & Lakou Mizik for Duke Performances’s Black Atlantic series.
Sunday ○ Egg Hunt – Hoppin from Home | Sun., Apr. 4 | 1–4 p.m. | Mordecai Historic Park, 1 Mimosa St. | Free | Check out the Hoppin’ Eggspress scavenger hunts at Mordecai Historic Park for your Easter celebration. ○ Animal Park’s Eggxotic Egg Hunt | Sun., Apr. 4 | 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. | The Animal Park at The Conservators Center, 676 East Hughes Mill Rd., Burlington | $5 | Kids can learn about animals + conservation while searching for eggs around the park.
Disclaimer: It is up to readers’ discretion to determine whether they feel comfortable participating in any mentioned events based on COVID-19 protocols and precautions. If you have questions, please contact the event’s organizers directly.
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#RALcurrent: What we’re hoping for — Carly is hoping everyone has a great Easter, Erin is wishing the RALteam good luck + Laura is pretending the Roy Williams news is one really, really mean April Fools’ prank.
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