By Brian Beauchemin

March brings in a variety of new beer releases, including All Knight Long from Birdsong. Photo courtesy

When March rolls around in the beer world everyone thinks of St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness, and green beer. While no one in Charlotte brewed any green beer we’re aware of, a wide variety of beers were brewed to enjoy not only on St. Patty’s day but throughout the entire month. A list of new and/or limited releases follows. Unless otherwise stated, all products are already available in taprooms and/or in the local market.

Protagonist Beer introduces Megan Hazy, a 6.9% ABV seasonal hazy IPA, in honor of International Women’s Day. This beer was brewed in collaboration with their female employees using Yakima Chief Hops’ Pink Boots Blend, which benefits the Pink Boots Society. 

Released March 9, Tony Bock Strong Lager packs a 7.3% ABV. The seasonal beer is part of their expanded Lager Program and was brewed in collaboration with Replay Brewing, located in Fort Mill, S.C. 

Hank American Light Lager will be released March 16. This now year-round 4.2% ABV lager will initially be available on draft in the taproom and in the market with a cans release late April. All three of these releases — and the majority of their beers — utilize Epiphany Malt out of Durham, N.C., which primarily purchases grain from farmers in the Southeast. 

Land Of The Pines, from Blue Blaze Brewing, is a West Coast IPA utilizing all North Carolina malt from Carolina Malt House and traditional IPA hops: Simcoe, Columbus, and Chinook. The 6% ABV IPA was released in the taproom March 10 and to the retail market March 13. 

An American pale ale, Year of the Trail Pale Ale, will be released March 30. A portion of the proceeds from this 4.5% ABV beer will go to the NC Year of the Trail Foundation: https://greattrailsnc.com/.

NoDa Brewing releases a variety of beers this month, all available only in their taproom. In Darkness Bines Them, a 6.4% ABV Cascadian dark ale: a unique beer that has the appearance of a porter or brown ale with a slight roast character but with the hop load of an IPA.  Pink Boots IPA 2023, a 7.2% ABV American IPA, is brewed with Citra, Centennial and Amarillo and dry-hopped heavily with the 2023 Pink Boots Hop Blend. Introduced March 8.

On March 20, the brewery goes big with Twilight of the Thunder God, an Imperial Nordic stout aged in whiskey barrels and weighing in at 10.5% ABV.

Another barrel-aged beer, Lagered in the Woods Series (Part 1), will be released March 27. A traditional Vienna lager was lagered for 4 months through the winter in whiskey barrels and hosts a very drinkable 5.2% ABV.

Pilot Brewing added locally sourced carrots from Barbee Farms to brew Carolina Carrot IPA, a 5.4% ABV West Coast India Pale Ale single-hopped with Columbus hops. $2 from each four pack is donated to Carolina Farm Trust, whose mission is to strengthen local food systems, from production to consumption, in the Carolinas. 

Pilot introduced two beers on March 10. Pub Ale is a classic English Extra Special Bitter (ESB). The easy-drinking session ale is 5.6% ABV with a perfect balance between malt and hops. Late Czech Out is a 4.7% ABV Czech dark lager. The clean, smooth lager has a light roast character and subtle notes of chocolate balanced by Noble hop characteristics.

Kolsch Me If You Can is a clean and crisp, pale-colored ale with subtle fruit and hop character. The malt profile shines throughout and leads into a refreshing finish. The 5% ABV Kolsch releases on March 24. 

Triple C Brewing introduces 3 different IPAs this month. The first is a 6.5% ABV cold IPA, Cool Cids Club, which is brewed with a lager yeast. 

Two beers are available as of March 10: Tangerine Pineapple 3C is a spin on their classic West Coast IPA utilizing tangerine and pineapple in the 6.2% ABV brew alongside a hazy American pale ale named Cranes in the Sky with a 5.3% ABV.

Birdsong Brewing released Rain Fruited Sour: an American sour ale brewed with blueberry and strawberry puree. With big berry notes and a hint of effervescence, this 6.2% ABV beer is juicy on the palate with a pleasant, clean finish.

To kick off the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Foggy Dew, a dry Irish stout on nitro will be released March 16. This 4.7% ABV beer is light in body but full in flavor with roasty notes, a hint of chocolate, and a smooth mouthfeel.

The annual release of All Knight Long occurs March 30. This delicious 4.5% ABV Blonde Ale has a golden hue, a slight sweetness on the palate with a dry finish, and is a great beer for enjoying at the ballpark! 

Sycamore Brewing introduces Super Fresh, a 5.4% ABV wheat ale with orange, tangerine, light peach, stone fruit and lemon, creating citrusy vibes and a lightly tart finish. Crisp bread-like malt notes balance with Cashmere hops and their house hazy IPA yeast. 

Clocking in at 7% ABV, Slurricane is a juicy IPA with swirls of flavor including notes of mandarin orange, tart passion fruit, pineapple, strawberry smoothie, and a zesty lime finish.

Town Brewing is celebrating March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day with two beer releases. On March 16, Zuper Nova Hoppy Lager is back. This pilsner-style beer is full of hop flavor with a clean lager finish. Finnigan’s Cake, a 6.0% Irish Cream Cheese Cake Stout, debuts March 17. Finnigan’s Cake is a collaboration with Petty Thieves Brewing and will be on both nitro and regular taps.