CHARLOTTE – German beermaker Gilde will open its first brewery outside of Germany in Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. Gilde Brewery is located at 3530 Dewitt Lane in Charlotte’s booming Lower South End community, a recently developed haven for fellow breweries and beer enthusiasts.
“We are excited to become a part of Charlotte’s thriving beer community and to bring our authentic German beer and cuisine to the Queen City–and the U.S.,” says Mike Gaertner, president of Gilde.
Gilde’s 9,500 square foot brewery and restaurant features authentic German architectural details, design touches, and millwork, all centered around the German-made brewhouse featuring Caspary copper kettles and stainless steel fermenting tanks. The state-of-the-art equipment, combined with Gilde’s brewing expertise, will provide Charlotte with pure, high quality beer made according to the high standards of the German Purity Law.
In addition to the brewery, Charlotte is home to Gilde’s U.S. headquarters, which oversees Gilde’s distribution across the country. Gilde has been working on opening a Charlotte location since 2018 but experienced delays due to the pandemic and resulting supply chain issues.
“Our opening is as much anticipated for us as it is for the German beer lovers in Charlotte and across the U.S.,” says Karsten Uhlmann, CEO of Gilde.
Gilde assembled a team from Germany and relocated team members to Charlotte to lead the beer and culinary operations. Willi Wallstab, a renowned German brewing master, serves as Brewmaster of Gilde Brewery. The brewing team will serve Gilde’s six staple beers–Pilsener, Red Rooster, Radler, Urbock, Hefeweizen, and Black Beer–in addition to crafting new beers that will be unique to Gilde’s Charlotte brewery.
Dominik Kuehne, a rising culinary star in Germany who worked with two Michelin star chef Stefan Herrmann prior to relocating to Charlotte, serves as executive chef. The culinary offerings include both unexpected and well-known German foods. A small sampling of menu items include:
- Obazda & Brezel, a German cheese cream made with Gilde Hefeweizen beer and served with a warm salted pretzel;
- Weisswurst, herb poached Bavarian white sausage served with a warm salted pretzel; ● Schnitzel, breaded veal cutlet with Lignonberry, Potato Salad, and Lemon;
- Mecklenburg Pork with Dark Beer Prune Sauce, Seared Brussels Sprouts, Mushrooms and Brown Butter Potatoes.
“We’ve created an immersive experience for our guests to give them a true interpretation of German culture, cuisine, and, of course, beer,” says Gaertner. “We have been brewing beer since 1546, and we look forward to sharing our heritage and authenticity with Charlotte and the U.S.”
Upon opening, Gilde will be open 3:00 – 11:00 p.m. Friday – Saturday, and 3:00 – 10:00 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday – Thursday. The brewpub includes seating for 350 guests in the bier haus, outdoor bier garten, patio, and semi-private event space. Gilde tapped local artisans Tenon & Tailored for custom millwork inside the brewery, Carla Garrison-Mattos for murals and artwork around the building, and Kerf & Burled for outdoor tables, chairs, and bar.
Once open, Gilde will sell cans of its core beers for off-site consumption. Additionally, Gilde’s beers are currently in stock at a variety of stores and markets across the Charlotte metro area. For more information on Gilde’s history, heritage, and where to find Gilde beer in Charlotte, visit Gilde1546.com and follow @gilde1546 on Instagram.
ABOUT GILDE BREWERY
Established in 1546 in Hannover, Germany, Gilde is one of the oldest breweries in Germany. The Gilde (which translates to “Guild” in English) was a group of Germans who formed an association to brew and sell beer. The light, refreshing, well hopped beer was originally created in 1526 by Cord Broyhan and was vastly different from the dark, heavy beers produced in Germany beforehand. Other breweries began to copy Broyhan’s recipe, leading Gilde to distinguish their bottles with a “Broyhan Taler,” a rooster, the traditional currency used in Hannover, Germany at the time. To honor Broyhan, Gilde continues to mark each can and bottle of beer produced with the same rooster symbol used in the 1500s. 476 years later, Gilde still brews using only the ingredients allowed by the German Purity Law enacted in 1516–barley, hops and water.