Tucked in among the bar options of Fayetteville Street, across from the closed Isaac Hunter’s Oak City Tavern, is a new tasting room with beers from far and wide. Paddy O’Beers opened its doors November 2013 but already has the feel of being a leading establishment.
The shop is about the size of a dorm room, and though there is limited seating at the indoor bar, the outdoor “paddy-o” offers guests picnic tables and wrought iron chairs to gather with friends for a cold one on a beautiful Raleigh evening.
The small store is filled wall-to-wall with enough options to make the most seasoned brew consumer feel like a kid at Christmas. Or maybe that’s just the Christmas-themed, seasonal brews sat on the shelves.
Several bars downtown boast a brew menu with a great number of selections, but Paddy O’Beers has a different style. Rather than just a list of options, O’Beers offers customers a hands-on bottle display organized by location, taste and style.
Be forewarned, this is not your average Bud-Light or Blue Moon selection bar. Among the local, national and international brew selections, O’Beers also stocks multiple ciders and craft wines for those with a sweeter preference.
The variety of options can send someone into a confused wonderland, but luckily there is help. The friendly staff and bar tenders know the facts about the various drinks and can make well-informed recommendations based on a customer’s preference.
After telling bartender about my love for Belgian Whites, he quickly suggested Duvel by Duvel Moortgat in Belgium. The smooth texture and sweet, full body taste gave me confidence in this bartender’s advice. When I told him I enjoyed the Duvel but wanted to try a different Belgian, he recommended the Allagash White, which offered a crisp citrus flavor.
Instead of begging for the attention of a frazzled bar hand at The Oxford or wondering if your favorite micro is still served at Raleigh Times, the welcoming staff at O’Beers will go out of their way to answer your questions and find the brew that is right for you.
If you prefer the taste of a fresh tap draft, fear not. O’Beers features rotating taps often sampling a few beers it sells in bottles. The vast stock can be daunting to the inexperienced, but the option to build a custom 6-pack will help in navigating the shop.
Whether you want a smooth amber or dark stout, Paddy O’Beers serves up multiple choices for each beer drinker. Daily specials of $3, $4 and $5 can and bottle options gives those looking to keep the bar tab low a chance to taste numerous crafts without breaking the bank.
Two drawbacks to the new bar is the lack of food and limited facilities. Besides pretzels and chips to snack on, O’Beers’ substance selection is in the name. It does offer canned sodas and water for those not wanting alcohol or those who are underage.
Further, with the small space comes limited bathroom space. O’Beers has a unisex, singular bathroom that can sometimes create a line, but you have the option of looking at the colorful and fully stocked shelves while you wait.
Downtown Raleigh is popular at night, but Paddy O’Beers is a hot spot from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and noon to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. O’Beers is a great place to grab a drink after a delicious lunch, meet up with friends after a long day at work or relieve stress following a week of lectures and tests.
With the growing number of young professionals living in downtown apartments, Paddy O’Beers is a great pit stop for someone walking a pet, as it has water bowls available for your furry friends to have a refreshing drink with you.
The relaxed atmosphere of the outdoor beer spot gives a refreshing change to the dark, loud and crowded bars on Fayetteville and Wilmington Streets. If you are looking for a new place where you can share laughs and conversation with friends without having to shout over blaring music, Paddy O’Beers may be just what the beer doctor ordered.
More than 1,100 people have liked the young beer haven on Facebook, filling the social media page wall with paragraphs of praise and raised thumbs. With the growing popularity of this brew stop and word of mouth recommendations, Paddy O’Beers is sure to have a spike in numbers before it hits the one year mark.
