North Carolina Brewery Creates Pizza-Flavored Beer For National Beer Day On April 7

Last year, I told you about a South Carolina restaurant that infuses beer into its pizza. In fact, many restaurants are now adding beer to their pizza recipes. That includes beer in the crust, beer cheese on the pie, and proteins such as sausage or chicken cooked in beer as a pizza topping. But what about the other way around? Yup. Pizza-flavored beer is now a thing.

According to Delish, a new pizza-flavored beer is coming our way just in time for National Beer Day on April 7th. This unusual libation is the brain-child of top-ranked frozen pizza brand Tombstone and New Belgium Brewing Company, which has breweries in Fort Collins, Colorado and Asheville, North Carolina.

Using New Belgium's beloved Voodoo Ranger IPA as the basis, the beer and pizza brands have created I(Pizza)A. It reportedly incorporates all the flavors of a freshly-baked Tombstone pizza, so you’ll taste the crust, tomato sauce, herbs, spices, and even pepperoni. That should make for some zesty burps.

Before the official National Beer Day launch on April 7th, New Belgium Brewing's Voodoo Ranger is giving you a chance to win a free four-pack and a Tombstone pizza. Just head to VoodooRanger.com to enter. You can also try to buy the pizza-flavored beer, but it will only be available in select markets for a limited time and at a hefty price. A four-pack of I(Pizza)A will set you back about $50. Mamma mia! Still, I wouldn't mind trying an ice cold pint of pizza just to say I did it.

Now that the gray, chilly days of winter are leaving us and spring is moving in, our thoughts turn to outdoor living. It's time to start cutting the grass again, spruce up the deck, and dust off the patio furniture. Meh, that sounds like a lot of work. You could just head out an enjoy afternoon at one of Charlotte's beer gardens.

USA Today is out with its 2024 Readers' Choice awards and it includes a list of America's 10 best beer gardens. I don't know why but beer does seem to taste better outdoors, especially on a warm, sunny day. According to the newspaper, the ranking was “selected by a panel of beer experts and voted by readers.”

Three North Carolina beer gardens made it onto the top 1o list, including two in Charlotte. At number 6 is Charlotte Beer Garden, which has actually taken the top spot before. My oldest son is a fan. What's not to love about more than 400 beers on tap? Raleigh Beer Garden has been popular for years and it's number 4 on the list. And coming in at number 1 for 2024 is Charlotte's beloved Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten. You can read more about all three below.

Located at 1300 S. Tryon Street, Charlotte Beer Garden boasts more than 400 beers on tap as well as full bar offerings. You can enjoy your beverages, along with something from their dinner and brunch menus, at the indoor-outdoor beer bar or on the heated patio.

With over 350 beers on tap and cool rooftop bar, Raleigh Beer Garden has long been the go-to spot for Triangle-area beer drinkers. One entire floor is dedicated solely to North Carolina beers. The international floor has beer from just about everywhere else. You'll find it at 614 Glenwood Avenue in the downtown Glenwood South district.

This one of my favorite spots in Charlotte. A visit to the Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten at 4150 Yancey Road definitely comes with European vibes. It may not have has many beers on tap as some other beer gardens but that's because they make their own...and it's really good stuff. The German-style food pairs perfectly. Depending on the weather, you can sit inside the beer hall or outside among the old trees. And definitely stop by in December for their festive Christmas Market.