Birdsong Brewing

This Belgian Strong Dark Ale has Carolina sweet potatoes, ginger, and honey and Colorado peaches for a hint of sweetness. What’s on the docket for today? St. Tuber Abbey on Nitro! No big deal, right? Only this awesome Fall beer just got more awesome.

It was the spirit of innovation that led brewers in the 1800’s to create a style of beer known as California Common. Fermenting lager yeast at higher temperatures resulted in a beer that was rich, well-balanced, and impossibly delicious. Using Fuggle hops, caramel malt, and lager yeast, the Carolina Common is mellow and slightly earthy with a hint of lingering hop flavor on the finish that is both crisp and smooth. If you’re looking for a true session beer to enjoy during football season, our Carolina Common is a perfect choice.

With a hint of toastiness and green apple aromas, “Cinder and Smoke” starts off with specialty malts from Copper Fox Distillery in Virginia. From the smoked malt, you’ll definitely pick up smokey elements in the aroma and flavor. We complemented that with fresh roasted butternut squash during the mash and then added a touch of pumpkin seeds during the boil. This well-balanced brew has a nice long finish and is sure to make you crave a big comfy chair and a slice of pumpkin pie.

This innovative Belgian-style wheat ale is one of our Summertime favorites. With sweet thyme and coriander aromas, and hints of lemon, Doin’ Thyme finishes dry and welcomes another taste. Or… maybe another pint. For those who are new to beer or Belgian styles, Doin’ Thyme is an excellent introduction.

Our present to you this holiday is this week’s THURSty THURSday, “EP,” a delightful single hop pale ale with El Dorado hops. With some melon and papaya aromas on the nose and some grassy characteristics, this pale ale is light, easy to drink, and has a nice, clean finish. It’s a refreshing change from some of the heavier beers we’ve had on tap lately, so make sure to grab a pint of this liquid gold (haha! get it?) while it lasts!

The first in our Single Hop series, this American Pale Ale features the Mosaic hop variety. On the nose you’ll find pleasant aromatics of grapefruit and papaya. These tropical scents nicely complement a subtle toasty, berry undertone. The result is a refreshing pale ale that is reminiscent of warmer days full of sunshine.

Eat A Peach is an American pale ale brewed with 150 pounds of fresh hand-picked Carolina peaches from Webb’s Orchard and Barbee Farms. You’ll notice a subtle, but super fresh peach flavor that compliments this mellow, well-balanced pale ale. A whole lotta love went into creating this end-of-summer treat.

The fig tree in Mark’s backyard produced a ton of figs that begged to be used. To remedy this problem, they decided to make a beer! Enter in “Effigy,” a delicious Belgian Dubbel with fresh figs. The boys added a touch of clove for a hint of Autumn love. With a crisp finish and a sweet yet tart flavor, this one is bound to be a favorite of our THURSty THURSday selections.

Fake Plastic Trees is an American Wheat ale with a healthy dose of Cascade, Columbus, & Sorachi Ace Hops! Think of it like an IPA and a wheat getting together and having a baby. It has hoppy aromatics of lemon and peach on the nose while on the palate it has pleasant citrus and grassy notes that blend well with the wheat characteristics. We’re bringing you the best of both worlds in one pint glass.

This week’s THURSty THURSday completes the Miles Davis-inspired series with “Flamenco Sketches,” a Brett red ale. In it you’ll find subtle fruit aromas of pineapple and plum that give way to a smooth cherry undertone. We add roasted almonds for a toasty quality that balances the tart Brett elements. With a crisp, medium-long finish, we hope that you’ll enjoy the last track to the series with the thoughtfulness and candid appreciation.

Free Will is a classic East Coast-style pale that is sessionable and refreshing. Our combination of both English and American hop varieties creates a floral, citrusy aroma. With just a slight amount of bitterness and hints of honey, the Free Will is a perfect choice for a mild drinking selection.

Happy Jack is an ESB, or Extra Special Bitter, an English-style ale known for creating a lovable balance between bitter hop elements and roasted malt qualities. They’re generally herbaceous and you’ll find that in this week’s THURSty THURSday brew. With a dark golden color, some fruity, estery notes on the nose, and a toasted wheat bread-like maltiness, “Happy Jack” is definitely an easy-to-drink, sessionable brew.

Higher Ground is, without a doubt, our best-selling selection. This West Coast-style IPA has a hearty dose of Cascade hops and a pleasant floral aroma and its bitterness is complemented by a hint of citrus flavor. We include specialty crystal malts to give it a unique caramel color and malt foundation. One try and you’ll see why hundreds of Charlotte-area locals love it.

Honey Pie has a sweet and unique combination of subtle wildflower, and citrus and melon flavors. There’s a slight herbaceous quality that, when paired with local Cloister Honey, make Honey Pie palatable and a perfect lead-in to Springtime.

The Jalapeño Pale is in a class by itself. Using our Free Will Pale as a foundation, we add a generous amount of fresh, hand-cut jalapeños mixed with a hint of awesome. Don’t be scared to try it! The Jalapeño is refreshing, crisp, and pairs well with the peanuts we have in the tap room!

Our darkest year-‘round selection, Lazy Bird Brown is the quintessential American Brown Ale. Rich mahogany in color with a noticeable roasty aroma, this beer is both slightly hoppy and malty all at the same time. It’s smooth, refreshing, and a great introduction for those wanting to try darker beers.

Valentine’s isn’t complete without the second half of this illustrious beer couple. “Let’s Get it On” is reminiscent of a cordial cherry, but only better. Roasted malts and cacao nibs give this beer a smooth, rich characteristic that pairs well with the Kirsch and brandy soaked cherries. Those sweet aromas and a hint of a cherry liqueur flavor will hit the spot.

A strong coffee and cinnamon aroma complements a smooth chocolate taste with just a hint of chili spice. We used local coffee from Charlotte-based Central Coffee, Co and fresh spices to create this unique blend. The MexiCali stout balances both sweet and spicy elements for a delightful taste that will have you ordering another pint before you’ve even finished the first.

Just when you thought we couldn’t get more ridiculous with our naming conventions, we come back at ya with something, well… more ridiculous. Of course monkeys don’t fly in our world, but they do in other magical lands and that’s where this scene takes place. We also know darn well that, under normal circumstances, a mongoose would totally go all honeybadger on a cobra but this is in a magical world and in magic worlds things are all topsy turvy! Nothing makes sense and, besides, sticking to the story is no fun!

Catch this one tomorrow for THURSty THURSday and take a FREE tour with Lee at 630p! This beer has fresh squeezed blood orange juice to create bright citrus notes throughout this well balanced brew. Hints of grassiness and hop aroma complement the oranges for a crisp, flavorful treat. With the color of a romantic sunset, you’ll definitely want to swipe right for this one.

Back when Alex used to live in Louisiana, he made a version of this brew that stuck with him and he wanted to make it again for his Charlotte peeps. Using rye malt and Amarillo hops, “Orange Blossom Special” has a smooth base and, like the classic cocktail, hints of star anise and orange zest. You’ll also find American toasted oak aromas in the brew that complement the bright citrus. This beer is especially palatable and, like its namesake, is quite memorable in its own right.

Because all the good Satan songs were taken.”Ryan (aka Beery), the heavy metal enthusiast of the bunch, revels in Metal Mondays and good beer. Since Conor and Alex are such nice dudes, they felt it was only fitting to have him choose a name for this pilot batch, since this Imperial Oatmeal Stout sure packs a punch. The guys used the same base for this as the Mexicali so you might be tempted to find similarities between the two. Set your expectations aside and enjoy a whole new brew! Immediately you’ll be greeted by sweet chocolate and espresso aromas, before you taste the roasted malt flavors. “Prehistoric Dog” has a thick, almost viscous, mouthfeel and is boozy to boot. It’s kind of like being swept away by a mosh pit of awesome… minus the deathmetal.

It's not uncommon to hear the Talking Heads around Birdsong. It's a go-to Pandora station, we've got a few albums tucked away, and something about their music makes people happy. At least, it does for us. So while David Byrne was channeling Norman Bates and Alice Cooper to write this song back in the '70s, Conor was honing in on his creative genius to re-create this infamous brew. While it may be slightly less imperial than last year's version, but there's no doubt that this beer packs a punch. This killer IPA uses El Dorado, Amarillo, and Columbus hops for some upfront grassy and citrus notes of lemon and tangerine. The hop aromas and bitterness qualities really come through in this beer and the subtle candy-like finish tops it off in dangerously delightful way.

Puppies on Penguins, is a refreshing take on one of our classic favorites! We take The Pride, age it in red wine barrels and throw in some sweet cherries we pick ourselves at Levering Orchard. With a subtle, yet delicious undertone of red wine and a fruit, and a hint of tartness, this beer is best served between 45° and 55°.

We decided to get back to basics and show some well earned “Respect” to the American Pale Ale style. With a low ABV and IBU, our THURSty THURSday brew this week has a mildly spicy aroma with hints of grapefruit. Hops can be used for bittering and aromatics so pay attention to the scents the Cascade and Chinooks hops give off. These citrusy, piney aromas are key traits of these hops! You’ll find “Respect” to be an easy drinking, sessionable choice this week so don’t miss out. We might even play some Aretha if you’re lucky. (High fives to anyone who knows who sang the original!)

We can't let you go without telling you about one of our favorite (and Charlotte's first!) collaborative beers. RICE RICE BABY. It's back on Friday and those who were fortunate enough to have some in the early years of the CLT brew scene know the magic that is this beer. Big shout out to the guys at Free Range Brewing because this beer wouldn't exist without them.

Say it to My Face is a delicious red IPA inspired by some of our favorite West Coast beers. With toasted malt flavors and a medium hop bitterness, you’ll find a pleasant in-your-face hop aroma that’s not overwhelming. This mildly sweet ale is refreshing, well rounded, and definitely easy to drink.

We're celebrating St. Patrick's Day in our own way (before heading over to a certain Irish pub...) with an Irish Red, "Shamrocks & Shenanigans." This is an amped up version of Tina's magical brew from a few months back. We added Jameson soaked oak chips for a subtle whiskey undertone with woodsy hints of vanilla and oak. The guys think it's a relaxing, soothing beer that, once you take a sip, you'll be smiling all night.

In the spirit of true innovation, our Squirrels on Geese combines all that you love about beer into one delicious bottle. We aged this special brew for six months in chardonnay barrels and the result is a perfect blend of smooth white wine and oak with hints of caramelized citrus. Natural carbonation allows just enough effervescence to show through so you can appreciate its many complex layers

We decided there are plenty of pumpkin beers out there, so we put our own spin on a Fall beer. St. Tuber is a Belgian Abbey Ale brewed with North Carolina sweet potatoes and cloves. With a hint of fruit provided by the Belgian yeast, combined with the caramel sweetness from the potatoes, you’ll forget all about those pumpkin beers!

Settle into a “Sweet Disposition” with this week’s THURSty THURSday, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood bartender, Matthew. This oatmeal stout has an energizing jolt of coffee aromatics but the nice creamy mouthfeel from the milk sugar keeps it well balanced and smooth. When you’re tired of holiday shopping and nearly cry in the Target parking deck because you found the last spot, this is the beer for you.

The Tagalong Blonde is, you guessed it, inspired by one of the best Girl Scout cookies around. Made with roasted peanuts, you’ll definitely get that smooth peanut buttery flavor with hints of vanilla, and cacao nibs. It smells just like its namesake! Better yet, it tastes like it, too. With a low ABV and a long, lingering finish, the Tagalong Blonde is a great cookie companion. We think you’ll agree.

The Pride Abbey Ale is designed to keep you warm on those colder months of the year. It starts with warm aromas of cherry and fig. The Belgian yeast, specialty malts, and alcohol work together to give the beer warming cherry, dark caramel, and bready notes. A great beer to enjoy amongst great people.

Turtles on Pterodactyls is a bit different from the other bottles we’ve released in the Take Flight Series because we used bourbon barrels this time around. We filled the barrels with our Mexicali Stout and let the beer age for 11 months. We then blended it with a fresh batch of Mexicali Stout and added cacao nibs and cinnamon for an extra kick. The result is a smooth, delicious stout with hints of bourbon and spice. It’s not the Mexicali you’re used to, so expect some changes! As all barrel-aged beers go, the end product is rarely identical to the original.

Brewed in the style of traditional farmhouse ales, Up on the Sun is a refreshingly tart Belgian-style Saison. We use Sorachi Ace hops to give it a slight lemongrass undertone and lovingly dose it with pleasant herbal aromas and hints of stone fruit. It’s dry and crisp on the palate and will quickly become your new favorite warm weather beer.

Infused with locally roasted Sumatra Lintong coffee from Central Coffee Co. and fresh vanilla beans, Wake Up Porter is reminiscent of that first, delightful sip of a latte. With a robust deep flavor that slowly melds into a light, yet rich, vanilla undertone, this porter will wake you up and get you through the seasons.

“You Look Like Rain” is a delightful fresh, or wet, hop beer using 11 lbs. of Cascade hops that were grown in Ralph’s garden. They were harvested within 24 hours, too! With some orange citrus aromas and a light malt bill, this golden hazy beer highlights the full hop flavor. It’s palatable and very limited, so make sure to get some while you can!