Ask a beer lover, and there are plenty of cities whose names can be
synonymous with the drink they love. San Diego, Grand Rapids, Portland,
Fort Collins ... Portland again. In North Carolina, Asheville has long held
that designation, gaining local and national attention, but part of the fun
of watching beer’s growth can be the creation and explosion of cultures in
new places.
In recent years, that’s been the case in Charlotte, North Carolina, about
two hours away from Asheville and now home to about 20 breweries and a
burgeoning beer scene. One person who’s had a unique perspective of seeing
this happen is Alexa Long, head brewer at Legion Brewing, an almost
two-year-old business in the city’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood.
After graduating from UNC-Charlotte in 2011 and working locally at a
homebrew store, Long went pro at Charlotte’s Heist Brewing before joining
Legion in fall 2015 and being a part of the crew that earned Legion the
title of “best new neighborhood brewery” by Charlotte magazine in 2016.
Long’s connection to Charlotte provides her a unique perspective of how the
city and its love of beer has changed, as drinkers have now come to expect
more than just juicy IPA, even if that continues to be a bestseller for
Legion and others. As Charlotte’s star continues to rise, Long has and
continues to be a part of that.
