Cornelius

Flight of beers at Royal Bliss Brewing Co. Story and photos by Jason Benavides. June 10. When the season starts to heat up, I look forward to the summer lights…

I thought the flagship lager, Lawn Boy would easily be my pick, but the hazy IPA won me over. Another reason for success is the on-location kitchen run by former EEZ Executive Chef Bobby Lamby. The seasonal menu, live music and variety of beer make for a great summer destination. “Nice Summer beer. The Mosaic and Citra hops add a pine finish. I’ll give a nod to newcomer Tacky Toucan. The grilled pineapple sour almost swayed my pick, but I have to follow my nose. You’ll find live music and events weekly. My pick The Zappa hops make for a strong tropical aroma. My pick No worries if you’re not into light beers—I won’t judge if you down a porter in July—but hopefully there are few surprises here that will pique your interest. Cornelius and Lake Norman have so many great craft beer options I can’t mention them all, so I’ve done my best to highlight a few and get some additional expert picks as well. I’m no stranger to beer but I’m also no expert so I asked Dave Gonzalez, head brewer of Lost World’s Brewing Co., for his thoughts on the subject.