From Moonshine to Modern Brewing

A Look at the Brewing, Distilling and Winemaking History of the Outer Banks

In a state with more than 300 breweries, 84 distilleries and nearly 200 wineries, it’s no surprise that the Outer Banks is making its own mark on North Carolina’s beverage-crafting scene. The Outer Banks is certainly no Asheville or Durham, two well-known N.C. brewing and distilling meccas, but it does have two distilleries, seven breweries and even a coastal winery where you can meet the makers, taste the products and appreciate the fine art of making something delicious to drink.

Before this modern era of legally brewing beer, distilling spirits, making wine and serving up these tasty beverages everywhere from restaurants and bars to tiki huts and tasting rooms, Dare County was known for making a spirit of a different kind.

Buffalo City Moonshine

It seems the stuff of legend, but the stories are true. During and after Prohibition, corn and rye whiskey made clandestinely in a small village on the Dare County mainland was a hot item in speakeasies from Washington, D.C., to New York City and beyond.

Photo: The general store in Buffalo City. Credit: Outer Banks History Center

The town was Buffalo City, founded in 1888 by the Eastern Carolina Land and Lumber Company (owned by New York-based Buffalo City Mills) to house timber workers on the densely forested Dare County mainland near East Lake. Though the company operating the lumber mills changed hands several times over the years, the timber workers thrived in the community along Milltail Creek for several decades; at its peak, Buffalo City was home to around 1,000 residents and had stores, a hotel, a school and even train tracks to run the lumber out of the forest.

Life in Buffalo City has been compared to frontier life of the West, with no electricity, telephones, plumbing or conveniences. Families lived simple lives and had gardens and raised animals. When the last of the lumber companies closed and left town, there was nothing for the townspeople to do to make a living. So, they turned to making moonshine.

Photo: The logging mills of Buffalo City. Credit: Outer Banks History Center

Using the clear, fresh waters of Milltail Creek in their distilling process, the bootleggers of Buffalo City carefully made high-quality corn and rye whiskey that was reputed to be pure, smooth and easy to drink. It was so good that a very large market developed all along the Eastern Seaboard for what was known as East Lake Whiskey.

Prohibition was in effect, but no matter: Buffalo City’s location along a creek in the thick backwoods of Dare County was ideal for large-scale bootlegging. The townspeople had coordinated efforts to look out for the Revenuers (alcohol police) and it was easy to ship out the supply on small boats from Milltail Creek to Albemarle Sound and on to Elizabeth City, Norfolk and beyond. The bootleggers had an ingenious way of sneaking whiskey out of Milltail Creek. They would seal their jugs with wax and tie them all on a trot line behind a boat. If the law came along, they would cut the line, letting the jugs sink to the bottom of the creek and return for them later.

Photo: Dare Forest Store in Buffalo City. Credit: Outer Banks History Center

The good times did not last. The bootleggers were repeatedly caught, and many were sent to federal prison. A few continued to make moonshine, but law enforcement got smarter, using airplanes to spy on the residents of Buffalo City. By the last raid in 1941 (it was still illegal to make whiskey though Prohibition was over by then), the moonshine business went the way of the timber industry. World War II was coming, and the last of the residents moved away. Buffalo City’s wooden buildings have been completely swallowed up by the wildlands of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, but the train tracks are still visible in the undergrowth – and for all we know there could still be a jug of East Lake Whiskey resting on the bottom of Milltail Creek.

Manteo: Home of the First Microbrewery in North Carolina

Forty-some years later, Bavarian-born Uli Bennewitz decided to open a German microbrewery in Manteo. In 1985 he purchased beer-making equipment from a German microbrewer and brought it to Manteo, only to discover that it was illegal to open a brewpub (to make and sell beer on premises) in North Carolina. So, Bennewitz got the law changed. He drafted Senate Bill 1985-596, a law to legalize brewpubs in the state. The law passed, and in 1986 he opened The Weeping Radish Brewery, the first microbrewery and brewpub in the state. Locally made beer served alongside traditional Bavarian food was a huge hit in Manteo, but more importantly, Bennewitz had revolutionized brewing in North Carolina, paving the way for all the state’s brewpubs to follow.

The Weeping Radish later moved to a bigger brewing location in Jarvisburg in Currituck County, where Bennewitz continued to brew his popular beers and run a farm-to-table restaurant and authentic German butchery. The Weeping Radish has new owners, who brew four legendary Weeping Radish beers in Raleigh and distribute them widely. They are bringing a Weeping Radish Taproom back to Manteo as part of the Firetender Restaurant in Manteo in 2024.

The Brewing Continues

The next Outer Banks brewery came along in 2000, when two couples – Eric Reece and Tina Mackenzie and Aubrey and Karen Davis – opened Outer Banks Brewing Station (OBBS) in Kill Devil Hills. They added a wind turbine to partially power their pub, bringing attention to themselves as the nation’s first wind-powered brewpub. Over the years they proved that a brewery could make innovative, quality beer and serve chef-driven restaurant meals, not just pub fare, and went on to establish the Outer Banks’ most consistent community gathering spot, including a huge family-friendly backyard, and a thriving live music scene. Twenty-three years after it was established, new owners Keith and Heather Acree and Steve and Deanna Cordea purchased Outer Banks Brewing Station and they are continuing the traditions with longtime brewer Dave Virgil still at the helm.

“It’s a privilege to be a local brewery on the Outer Banks,” Cordea says. “It provides a very popular and unique experience that tourists and locals are looking for, and our community is stronger for it. We are very proud of our signature products and our master brewer, David Virgil, for the consistent and ever-changing craft beers that have continued to be a draw in Kill Devil Hills.”

Homebrewer Paul Charron brought another brewery to town in 2016. What started as Full Moon Brewery, a two-barrel nanobrewery in a 300-square-foot pub in Manteo, is now Lost Colony Brewery, a 10,000-square-foot, 30-barrel brewing facility in Stumpy Point. Lost Colony’s award-winning British-style beers are available on tap at more than 30 locations in the area and at Lost Colony Brewery Waterfront Beer Garden in Nags Head. The beer garden serves beer only, but food is readily available at neighboring establishments.

Ocracoke’s first and only brewery, 1718 Brewing, officially opened its doors in 2017, though the brewing had begun earlier. Owner Garick Kalna and his wife, Jacqui, started (and have since sold) Ocracoke Coffee, so they knew they enjoyed the service industry, but Kalna says he had always had the dream of getting into the brewing business. “It’s so much fun. It’s a very creative industry, and we are always innovating and tweaking, it’s never routine,” he says. “Of course, there are logistics issues on Ocracoke that are challenging at times, but that’s what makes it worth it. Being able to create your own product and see people enjoy it is so rewarding. To see people genuinely enjoy something you made really puts a smile on our faces.”

Northern Outer Banks Brewing Company was the first brewery to take a chance on Corolla. Head brewer Michael Cherry and his wife, Kathleen McCubbins, started producing beer for distribution in late summer of 2017 and had opened up for on-site sales by December 2017. With demand for distributed beer exceeding their brewing capacity, they decided to stick to serving their beer in-house only. Visitors can enjoy their beers inside the intimate, 1,000-square-foot brewing facility at a movable bar among the brewing equipment, or outside on the patio, where food is available from the restaurant next door.

Swells’a Brewing, named for surfers’ anticipation of impending wave days, came along in 2021. Owners Alex and Laura Wolcott, Brad Fitzgerald and Sam Harriss operate a 10-barrel system to create an ever-rotating selection of all N.C. grain-based craft beers in inventive flavors with witty names. Their unique building, a mix of modern and traditional Nags Head style, offers indoor seating, a rooftop deck and a spacious backyard and frequently hosts live music and events. The owners say their intention was for Swells’a to feel like the living room of the Outer Banks, and this taproom and tasting room does have that vibe.

Photo: The rooftop deck at Swells'a Brewing.

Whalehead Brewery in Monterey Plaza in Corolla is the newest local brewery, established in August 2023, and it is woman-owned and operated. Christin Crowley spent her youth vacationing in Corolla and after 22 years in the Navy and traveling the world, she retired here. At Whalehead Brewery, she brews her own beer and has created a taproom where people can connect while enjoying her beers and pub fare. She has a five-barrel brewhouse and a self-pour tap wall.

Back to the Distilling Roots

In 2015 Adam Ball and Kelly Bray, brewers with chops in local breweries, and Scott Smith and Matt Newsome, highly experienced local bartenders, came together to form Outer Banks Distilling, the Outer Banks’ first legal distillery. Their distillery in downtown Manteo focuses on small-batch rum, which is widely distributed and can purchased at the distillery in Manteo and in ABC stores and can be ordered in local bars and restaurants. Branded as Kill Devil Rum, the name hearkens back to the Caribbean rum-running of the 1600s, when rum was called “rumbuillion” and “kill devil.” As the rum reached the North American colonies, it is said that pirate-plundered rum barrels were hidden in the hills behind what is now Wright Brothers National Memorial – hence the town’s name, Kill Devil Hills. You can taste their rums, including their award-winning Silver Rum, Gold Rum, Pecan Honey Rum and seasonal varieties, in their tasting room and enjoy Kill Devil Rum cocktails in Outer Banks Distilling’s onsite Wheelhouse Lounge.

If you’ve read this far in the article, you know where the name of Buffalo City Distillery came from. Buddy Byrum and his wife, Sharon, opened Buffalo City Distillery in the fall of 2022. They not only distill whiskey and vodka, but also grown their own grains on their farmland near Lake Mattamuskeet. Byrum says the growing their own grains in the rich Blacklands of Hyde County adds a unique terroir to their spirits. In addition to classic vodkas and whiskeys, they distill flavored varieties like Blood Orange Vodka, Toasted Coconut Vodka, Crisp Apple Whiskey and Honey Roasted Almond Whiskey. Before officially opening the distillery, Byrum distilled bourbon, which is now primed and ready for drinking. Buffalo City’s farm-to-bottle spirits can be found in ABC stores and at their tasting room in Point Harbor, just over the bridge from Kitty Hawk.

Wine Making Near the Coast

The legendary 400-year-old Mother Vine, believed to be the oldest grapevine in North America, grows on Roanoke Island. The progenitor of the state’s abundant scuppernong (a variety of the muscadine) vines, it inspired centuries of homemade scuppernong wine among the locals – and still does today.

Photo: Harvesting grapes at Sanctuary Vineyards. Credit: Brooke Mayo

But when seventh-generation Currituck County farmer John Wright returned home after college and decided to establish a vineyard on his family’s land, the local muscadine is not where he focused his efforts. Following extensive research, Wright started growing European and Californian vinifera varieties, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier, Sangiovese and many more, all of which are well-suited to the local sandy soils. His 30-acre vineyard in Jarvisburg, only 3 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, opened in 2008 and is thriving. He and his winemakers have won numerous awards for their efforts. In 2011 they opened the Sanctuary Vineyards tasting and events facility on site. They host regular events that give locals and visitors a chance to enjoy the wines, food and music in the beautiful vineyard setting.

“The most rewarding aspect to being a local winegrower is accepting the challenges of each farm season and giving our best effort to grow a product that truly showcases the best of the Outer Banks,” Wright says of the winemaking career he has built with Sanctuary Vineyards.

Sanctuary Vineyards wines are distributed widely and served in local restaurants. In addition to their tasting room at the winery, their wines can also be tasted and purchased at The Cotton Gin locations in Nags Head, Duck and Corolla.

Whether you’re a social sipper who loves the convivial atmosphere of a local watering hole or a connoisseur who appreciates the fine art of beverage crafting, as you can see, the winemaker, distillers and brewers of the Outer Banks, from Corolla and the Currituck mainland all the way down to Ocracoke, have created a veritable drinking scene, with tons of support from local bars, tap houses, restaurants and event planners.

Kalna says he appreciates that all the Outer Banks brewers, distillers and winemaker challenge each other to be better and reach across the table to help and support each other: “That’s a wonderful thing about this area.”

Outer Banks Wine Bars and Tasting Rooms

At these small, independently owned Outer Banks wine bars and tasting rooms, you can enjoy locally crafted beverages along with the wines and beers of the world. Plus, you'll get a true taste of Outer Banks character.

TRiO Restaurant & Market

3708 N. Croatan Highway, Kitty Hawk
(252) 261-0277 • obxtrio.com

Named for the timeless gourmet trifecta of wine, beer and cheese, TRiO is a market, restaurant, wine bar and tap house with an inviting cosmopolitan vibe. The market is known for its huge selection of wines, craft beers and gourmet foods. A favorite gathering place among locals, the restaurant and bar offer two levels of indoor seating, outdoor seating, wine dinners and special events, always-intriguing drink selections and a casually inventive menu ranging from cheese and charcuterie boards to paninis to steaks and local seafood.

Nouvines

105 Budleigh Street, Manteo
(252) 339-1634 • nouvines.com

Discover new wines and make new friends at Manteo’s original wine bar. Our spacious, brick-walled bar is the place to see and be seen in Downtown Manteo. Choose from more than 160 bottled selections, 60+ wines by the glass and select craft beers. Enjoy wine flights, charcuterie, cheese boards and a fabulous assortment of locally made Sinfully Delicious truffles, chocolates and jams. We have weekly Trivia Nights on Thursdays, live music on Friday and Saturday nights and occasional wine dinners. Sip your selections indoors at sofas, tables or barstools. Sit out on the patio and watch the activity of Downtown Manteo. Or with the town’s new social district designation, you can now take a beverage to go (and we are within walking distance of Roanoke Island Festival Park and all its live music events). We’re open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

1718 Brewing Ocracoke

1129 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke
(252) 928-2337 • Instagram

Wanna drink fresh brews on an island? Ride the ferry and come hang with us. We brew up IPAs, sours, stouts, Kolsch and more. Grab a flight and sip from our constantly evolving line-up of freshies. Onsite Plum Pointe Kitchen serves apps, seafood, awesome sliders and more. Bring the kids, bring the pups – we have multiple 
outdoor decks and patios for you and the pups. 

Outer Banks Distilling

510 Budleigh Street, Manteo
(252) 423-3011 • outerbanksdistilling.com

Purchase our small-batch, award-winning Kill Devil Rum in local ABC stores or ask for it by name in Outer Banks restaurants and bars. You can also stop by our distillery in historic Downtown Manteo, where we sell bottles of Kill Devil Rum and Outer Banks Distilling merchandise and serve rum-based cocktails in our on-site Wheelhouse Lounge