>> WELCOME TO "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."
I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.
BEER ARMY COMBAT BREWERY OPENED IN TRENTON A LITTLE OVER A YEAR
AGO.
THIS EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA CRAFT BREWERY IS A CONTINUATION
OF MARINE CORPS MAJOR DUSTIN CANESTORP'S DREAM TO DEVELOP THE
CRAFT BEER COMMUNITY AND ALSO PROVIDE LOCAL CRAFT BEER TO THE
CRYSTAL COAST REGION.
PRODUCER DEREK LONG WENT ON A RECONNAISSANCE MISSION TO FIND
OUT HOW THIS BEER ARMY'S MISSION GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND ITS CALL
OF DUTY.
>> THE BEER ARMY COMMANDER IS ACTUALLY AN ACTIVE DUTY MARINE
OFFICER NAMED MAJOR DUSTIN CANESTORP, WHO BEGAN THINKING
ABOUT ACHIEVING HIS AMERICAN DREAM DURING HIS LAST TOUR IN
IRAQ.
>> WHEN HE GOT BACK TO THE STATES, HE WAS BREWING BEER WITH
HIS BUDDIES THAT HE SERVED WITH, AND THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE
BEER ARMY.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE NAME CAME FROM, AND THEY CHALLENGED
HIM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, TO START THIS COMPANY, TO DO
SOMETHING WITH BEER.
>> NOT JUST BEER, BUT CRAFT BEERS.
AND THE FIRST ORDER WAS TO INTRODUCE THE LOCAL
BEER-DRINKING POPULACE TO THE WORLD OF CRAFT BEER.
>> THE MISSION FOR US IS TO CREATE A CRAFT BEER SCENE AND
JUST TO KIND OF HELP CHANGE PEOPLE'S MINDS, SO THE BEST WAY
TO DO IT WAS HOLD A BEER FESTIVAL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE
DID.
ONCE THE FESTIVALS TOOK OFF, THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE START
OF THE COMPANY.
>> THE BEER ARMY OUTPOST AND ARMORY WAS ESTABLISHED IN NEW
BERN TO SERVE AS THE LOCAL SUPPLY DEPOT FOR CRAFT BEERS.
>> WE HAVE 16 DRAFTS ON TAP.
FIVE OF THOSE ARE OUR BEERS.
WE HAVE OVER 600 BOTTLES ON THE SHELVES.
WE SELL GROWLERS HERE.
WE HAVE BOTTLES HERE.
WE HAVE A KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF THAT CAN HELP WITH BEERS, UM,
ASSIST YOU IN FINDING BEERS THAT YOU LIKE.
WE GUARANTEE YOU WON'T LEAVE WITHOUT LIKING A BEER.
AND JUST IN AND PARTAKE IN THE EVENTS WE HAVE.
THE TASTINGS, WE DO TASTINGS ALSO.
WE TRY TO GET IN TWO OF THOSE A MONTH, AND THAT'S ALSO ANOTHER
WAY TO GET EDUCATED ABOUT BEER.
>> OR YOU CAN GET EDUCATED OVER A FLIGHT OF BEERS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
HERE YOU HAVE OUR BEER ARMY HEROES NEVER DIE.
IT'S AN AMERICAN IPA.
A LITTLE BIT BITTER, VERY WELL-BALANCED.
NEXT YOU HAVE FIRE IN THE HOLE.
IT'S AN IRISH-STYLE RED ALE.
THIRD YOU HAVE BATTLE OF BROCK'S MILL.
IT'S A SMOKED PORTER.
REALLY LIGHT ON THE SMOKE.
AWESOME BEER.
AND LAST WE HAVE BEER ARMY ANGELS.
IT'S A BELGIAN BLOND.
>> IF YOU WANT TO DELVE MORE DEEPLY INTO THEIR BEER, THEN
HEAD OVER TO TRENTON TO THE BEER ARMY COMBAT BREWERY.
>> WE DO TOURS AT 3:00 ON SATURDAYS, SO IT'S FREE FOR
EVERYBODY TO COME IN.
YOU CAN COME HERE.
YOU CAN SIT DOWN.
YOU CAN HAVE A BEER, A FLIGHT OF BEER, FILL UP A GROWLER, AND SIT
RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BREWERY, YOU KNOW, THE
FERMENTATION TANKS ARE 30 FEET AWAY, AND DRINK, YOU KNOW,
EXACTLY WHAT -- WHAT WAS PROCESSED RIGHT OVER HERE.
>> AND THE BREWS PROCESSED THROUGH THESE TANKS THAT HAVE
BEEN AWARD-WINNING PRETTY MUCH FROM THE START.
>> WE'D ONLY BEEN BREWING FOR MAYBE A MONTH, AND, UH, WE HAD
ENTERED THE SECOND BEER THAT ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF THESE
TANKS, AND WE HAD TAKEN AN AWARD DOWN IN ATLANTA FOR THAT BEER,
WHICH WAS, UH, AN ENGLISH-STYLE MILD ALE, X-3134.
UM, AND THAT WAS -- THAT WAS REALLY GOOD AND MADE US VERY
OPTIMISTIC THAT THE BEERS WE WERE DOING WERE -- WERE REALLY
GOOD.
>> WHEN PRESSED FOR A FAVORITE, BRUNGARD REPLIES --
>> THEY'RE ALL EXCELLENT.
EVERY BEER THAT WE DO IS AN EXCELLENT BEER, YOU KNOW,
WHETHER, REALLY, IT'S WON AN AWARD OR NOT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON -- ON PERSONAL TASTE.
>> MY FAVORITE IS THE PORTER.
I'M A DARK BEER PERSON.
THAT'S MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS THAT ARE
VERY GOOD.
>> IN ADDITION TO CRAFTING GREAT BEERS, A BIG PART OF THE BEER
ARMY'S MISSION IS TO GIVE BACK.
>> WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY A NONPROFIT, SO FOR THE FIRST TIME
THIS YEAR, IN JUNE, 100% OF THE PROCEEDS FROM OUR FESTIVAL WILL
GO TO THE VIGILANT GUARDIAN FOUNDATION, AND WE DONATE TO THE
WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, UM, THE NC BREWERS GUILD, UM, MUSEUM OF
THE MARINE IN JACKSONVILLE, AND THEN A BUNCH OF OTHER LOCAL
CHARITIES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELCOME TO BEER ARMY TONIGHT.
I HOPE EVERYBODY'S HAVING A GREAT TIME.
>> FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH WE DO A CHARITY NIGHT, AND ALL
DAY LONG, A DOLLAR FROM EVERY PINT THAT WE SELL GOES TO THAT
CHARITY.
>> IT'S THIS PHILOSOPHY OF GIVING BACK, OF SERVICE TO THE
COMMUNITY, COUPLED WITH A QUALITY CRAFT PRODUCT, THAT HAS
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE JOINING THE LOYAL RANKS OF THE BEER ARMY.
>> I LOVE THEIR BEERS.
RIGHT NOW I'M HAVING A FIRE IN THE HOLE.
UM, I'VE TRIED EVERY SINGLE ONE THEY'VE PUT OUT, AND PEOPLE
HERE, THE BARTENDERS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SERVING, AND I THINK
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THAT, BECAUSE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS ARE
LIKE I'VE NEVER BEEN HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO ORDER.
AND THEY'LL SAY, WHAT DO YOU DRINK?
>> PEOPLE COME HERE.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE A FAMILY.
ONCE -- ONCE YOU WALK IN THE DOOR, YOU'RE A REGULAR.
>> SO ENLIST TODAY.
JOIN THE ARMY, THE BEER ARMY.
>> WE WANT YOU TO COME OUT, JOIN THAT CRAFT REVOLUTION, LIBERATE
YOUR SENSES, TRY IT OUT.
>> FROM AN OUTPOST NEAR THE FRONT, THIS IS DEREK LONG
FOR
"NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."