Local Beer in Wake Forest, NC

Saison Du Héritage was brewed out of love for authentic Belgian Saisons. We did our best to pay our respects to the tradition and methods of brewing this style of beer. Utilizing local rustic malts such as spelt and red wheat from Epiphany Craft Malt in Durham, along with doing a traditional step mash. This beer consists of a blend of 2 saison strains from Belgium and is full of luscious fruity esters. This beer is also naturally carbonated to heighten the drinking experience and flavor. A votre santé mon amies!

The kristal ship is being filled. A thousand hops, a thousand thrills. A million ways to spend your time. So we’re simplifying things here and giving you a crisp and clean IPA with just Citra hops. “Kristal” on a German beer label means clear beer! We decided to make a spin on our fan favorite Yellow Submarine and create The Kristal Ship, a clear 100% Citra hopped ale. Perfect for warm sunny days on the horizon and another flashing chance at bliss.

McKenzie hops are a new variety out of Willamette Valley Oregon, known for its bright citrus with some underlying pine/resin. This Pale ale is single decocted with a good dose of local wheat and hopped exclusively with McKenzie.

We’re big fans of our C lettered hops, but sometimes we forget that some hops may seem like a C hop word but is actually an S hop word. We decided to blend one of our favorite C hops, Citra and with one of our S hops, Simcoe. This beautiful mélange of hops lends itself to a fruit forward medley on the palate with a nice effervescent and dry finish. We got to package this bomb beer on 311 day aka March 11th , and as a wise band once said “Whoooa, Chimcoe is the color of your energy.”

Blood, Sweat, and Swears is the result of a fantastic collaboration brewed by several ladies in the biz, for International Women’s Day and the annual Triangle Pink Boots collaboration. This Cold IPA is fermented at lower temperatures with 3470 lager yeast from Fermentis, a base of California Calrose sushi grade rice, 6 Row, and Briess Brewer’s Malt and the 2023 Pink Boots Hop Blend from Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) (varietals include HBC 638, El Dorado, Ahtanum, and Idaho 7), plus Strata hops and Simcoe hops. 

Commonly called “half-dark”, this is a midway point between a Pilsner and Dark Lager.  Imported Czech pale and crystal malts were double decoction mashed, then hopped like a Pilsner with Czech Saaz and Kazbek hops.  Naturally carbonated and clarified from 11 week maturation in a horizontal tank.

Collaboration with Cape Side Brewing in Southport. Like calm seas on a perfect sailing day, Fair Winds is a lower ABV Hazy IPA that you can enjoy all day without hitting rough waters. Our combined knowledge of ingredients and techniques all came into play to get the body and flavor you expect from a bigger beer. Neo-mexicanus hops and thiol forming yeast deliver a tropical bouquet of citrus, coconut, mango and passion fruit.

Inspired by the empty hole in our hearts as we await the ‘24 Festbier release this fall, we needed something to scratch the itch of a malty, slightly bigger lager that still maintains good drinkability. Single decoction mashed and brewed with 50% Pilsner malt, the remaining 50% is a blend of Maris Otter, Munich, Vienna, and a touch of dark crystal malt. Hopped with German Perle, fermented as dry as we could get it and naturally carbonated from 6 weeks in a horizontal tank.

We made a deliciously silky milk stout with chocolate barley and rye malts. After fermentation, we dosed the beer with Saigon cinnamon sticks and freshly roasted Honduras and Ugandan coffee beans from Black and White coffee roasters.

We wanted to throw as many quality ingredients and processes as possible into a lower ABV lager. Traditionally floor-malted Bohemian barley malt was triple decoction mashed for five hours, a complicated old world brewing process where a portion of mash is separated, boiled and returned to the main mash to hit 5 enzymatic temperature zones. It’s then hopped with huge additions of mild and spicy Saaz, fermented cold and slow and transferred to a horizontal tank for nearly 2 months for rustic nuance and natural carbonation.

Pride of Spitalfields pub holds a special place in my heart and this beer is an homage to a fun filled night at a boozer of a London pub. The night was filled with plenty of laughs on top of a slight roast from some English lads yelling “You’re Toast Mate!” This beer is perfectly sessionable coming in at 3.5% ABV, and has a delightful malty backbone that is reminiscent of a freshly toasted baguette. Balanced and easy to drink and perfect for any occasion, even if you’re getting roasted by your friends. So don’t be a tosser and order yourself and your friends a proper pint of this beer.

A collaboration with Proximity Brewing and Glori Cocktail Bar in Durham. Both companies are newly opened, independent and black owned businesses in Durham who share our passion for the beverage industry and elevating quality and culture. We crafted a Double IPA with pineapple puree and Citra cryo hops for their Blacktoberfest event. A showcase of balance, large portions of malt, oats, and hops combined with fruit puree meld seamlessly in a creamy and tropical delivery that’s dangerously smooth and easy to drink.

Pronounced “Poe-Tie”, the Māori word for “Hat”. This brew is the sequel to Get These Hats Off Me Hazy IPA and another example of the many hats we wear here at Blackbird. We consider ourselves multi-skilled and this beer is another incredible demonstration. This Hazy IPA is brewed with thiolized yeast and hopped with New Zealand grown Riwaka and Freestyle Farms Motueka hops.

We are welcoming summer with sunshine in a glass. This ambrosia salad inspired sour ale was brewed with a glorious amount of pineapple, orange, apricot and marshmallow, giving your palate the delicious notes of ambrosia salad. Served in our tulip glass for maximum aroma. Cheers to summer sun!

Our first of what will become many attempts at Euro Pils. These are special beers that require extra steps and know-how on the brewhouse and an 8-week minimum maturation in tanks. German malt step mashed with a single decoction, hopped with Hallertau Mittelfruh and Saphir and then naturally carbonated and lagered in horizontal tanks.

So, what are you doing back at Blackbird? Well, I sat back and thought about the things we used to do, the beer I drank with you, the cheers, and many brews. I’m so in love, Girl You Know Wit’s True. We are channeling Milli Vanilli, but this beer is a classic, crushable Belgian Witbier with wheat, coriander, and orange peel. Order a pint and know my love is for you.

Classic German style wheat beer. 50% of this beer is made from wheat grown at Perry Family Farm in Rolesville four miles from the brewery and malted at Epiphany Craft Malt in Durham. Brewed the hard way, this went through five mash steps including two decoctions to get every bit of character these malts have to offer. Naturally carbonated and unfiltered.

The classic light and crisp German ale, drinks like a lager but with unique stone fruit, salt cracker and chalky aromas you only find in Kolsch. A special selection of malts and hops we don’t share with our other beers, a special yeast strain, tricky alkaline, and 3 week cold conditioning to settle into its personality makes this a one of a kind beer style we can’t get enough of.