With our first full day in South Carolina behind us, we sat at Charleston’s Prohibition trading stories about our day. Some of our group had spent the day collecting sun on the beach outside our condo in an attempt to forget their Michigan weather at home. The others, ourselves included, had taken the day to tour Charleston, visit the Charleston Tea Plantation, and gaze in wonder at the Angel Oak. The next order of business was the question of which brewery we’d be visiting that night. The answer, Revelry Brewing Co.
A short time later we were climbing the metal steps to the rooftop bar of Revelry Brewing. They’re located facing an empty lot, with views of industrial Charleston and the Cooper River emptying into the Charleston Harbor. While fairly busy, we were able to grab a spot on the rail with a couple of seats before heading to the bar to order. Shortly after, we snagged a hightop table, collected some neglected chairs, and fulfilled their purpose. A slight breeze accompanied our chatter, turning from warm to cool as the night progressed.
Since all but one member of the group was a pharmacy school acquaintance it was easy for me to slip away and take a tour of the taproom, camera in tow. Taking the back way behind the rooftop bathrooms I snuck down some stairs I would later learn are for employees only. It took me to a quiet area with a strange mural of a bearded three eyed man. Wrapping around the building I weaved my way through picnic tables that were outside the main bar area. They had a u-shaped bar with their signature mural of a long bearded man playing a bugle on the wall behind it. This imagery was repeated throughout the taproom and branding. The illustration of the man playing the bugle with his flowing beard turning into water was filled with a great sense of whimsy. The color red also shone through in every aspect of the taproom. Their branding, pint glasses, umbrellas, and architectural details were all adorned with this Revelry red.
Enough of the taproom, how about the beer? I was able to get a good taste of four. Lean or Fat? an English Summer Ale, Hotel Rendezvous a Bavarian Wheat, Poke the Bear an American Pale Ale, and Funkmaster Brett & The Furious Hops a Belgian IPA. While Lean or Fat? did momentarily transport me back to England, Poke the Bear was ultimately my favorite. It had everything you want from a pale, a light hoppy aroma and flavor, a refreshing dry bitterness, and a great tropical fruit flavor.
Overall, our visit to Revelry Brewing was very pleasant. It was a younger crowd than we typically like, with most people stopping in for one beer before moving on instead of settling in for the night. The taproom itself was quite nice. We don’t have a lot of rooftop options in Minnesota so it was a good change of pace. Combined with the view and the great weather we had an excellent time. I wouldn’t rate the beer very high, but it’s not fair to grade that after only one quick visit. The padding on the standard metal stools was a great touch that I wouldn’t mind seeing more of!
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