Local Vendor Spotlight: Aviator Brewing Company

We are excited to feature Aviator Brewing Company as our first local vendor spotlight. We feature Aviator beers at our Raleigh and Durham locations. Aviator Brewing Company brings us delicious beers from right down the road, in Fuquay Varina.

Aviator Brewing Company has been flowing great local beers since opening their doors in November 2008. The original brewery located in an old airplane hangar (hence “Aviator”) housed the brewery, which at the time was brewing into two used dairy tanks. These 300 gallon tanks would soon not be able to hold the demand for Aviator, who began distributing to Triangle area bars within the first two months of existence. In fact neither would the hanger.

In April 2010 the brewery uprooted from its hanger at Triple W airport to a location four miles away. The past year has been a busy one for Aviator as they have moved distribution throughout the state as far west as Asheville, which boasts a big Aviator following at the local bars. They added three new fermentation tanks and a 22 oz. bottling system, making Aviator even that more attainable for the folks of the Triangle.

Through this change, one thing has remained the same, Aviator’s commitment to brewing delicious high quality beers. This commitment has won them the title of Triangle Arts & Entertainments Readers Choice Award for Best Brewery in the Triangle, as well as gold, silver, and two bronze medals in the NC Championship of beers in 2011; gold for their Saison, silver for their Belgian Tripel, and bronze for their Red and California Common Beers.

Look for Aviator’s beer selections at both our Raleigh and Durham stores, as they remain staples on our draft selection! Interested in having an Aviator beer, perhaps for the first time? Think about pairing it with these amazing dishes…

Saison de Aviator: 6.4% ABV- Spring Seasonal, A Belgian beer style with pilsner malts, mis-kilned malts, coriander and sweet orange peel. Unfiltered and golden in color this beer is slightly higher in carbonation and tastes of fruity Trappist yeast.
Suggested Menu Pairing: Tar Heel Lamb Wrap OR the Strawberry and Candied Pecan Salad

Devil’s Trampling Ground Tripel: 9.2 % ABV- A hearty Tripel Belgian ale. Golden in color with a fruity spicy flavor that finishes sweet. The Trampling Ground is light tasting from the addition of candy sugar, but don’t worry just the right amount of hops to balance out that sweetness.
Suggested Menu Pairing: Tuscan Chicken Sandwich or Greek Lemon Chicken

Check out the Aviator Brewing Company website for more info. Have a favorite local beer you'd like to see featured at Tobacco Road, just email us to let us know.