Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills, NC
Beer God’s Notes
I had a feeling that this place was going to be busy and it was. We visited Outer Banks Brewing Station at around lunchtime and it was packed. We had about a half-hour wait, which didn’t feel too rough at all.
Once we were seated, I ordered a flight of beer looking to try the biggest variety of beers I could. I went from a blonde ale all the way to my typical IPA. The beers weren’t jump out of the glass amazing, but I’ve definitely had a much worse beer. There was a lemongrass beer that was SUPER lemony, but I would venture a guess that it would taste amazing after some yard work or for hanging out by the pool. The IPAs were okay — they were balanced but needed to be a little more hop-forward for me to enjoy them more.
Now, this is where the review takes a turn for the good: the food. The food at Outer Banks Brewing Station was phenomenal. Everyone I ate with got something different and they all loved it. I happened to get fish and chips (not sure if that’s what it was called or not), but it there was a ton of fish on the plate. More than I could eat, and I can eat.
Overall, come for the drinks, but definitely order the food. There were four different orders at our table and all four were loved. That’s a good choice for food if I say so.
Description
The Outer Banks Brewing Station restaurant and brewery began as a concept in 1992 while the founders, Eric Reece and Aubrey Davis were Peace Corps volunteers alongside Tina Mackenzie in Thailand. Aubrey had grown up spending summers at his grandparents’ place on the Outer Banks, and felt it was the perfect place to start a brew pub. The Outer Banks Brewing station is now a staple in the OBX restaurant landscape.
Eric and Aubrey had developed an interest in home brewing, and Eric worked at a brewery with Scott Meyer in Berkeley, California. As their concept grew, they envisioned an environmentally friendly restaurant that celebrated the uniqueness of the Outer Banks and its history. The Brewing Station sits at the site of the original JK’s, very popular and unique in its day. They have tried to stay true to their original idea:
“INNOVATIVE BREWING, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS”
The building itself, designed by architect Ben Cahoon and constructed by Carolina Beach Builders, is a modern interpretation of a turn-of-the-century Lifesaving Station. The bar represents the lifesaving boat, that pointed toward the sea, is ready to be deployed down the tracks to save the crew of a floundering ship. The tracks are made from beach bricks, part of a modern day casualty of the sea. Tina started collecting the beach bricks, and Eric, tired of moving them, had them sunk into the floor!
Another person instrumental in the brew pub is Scott Meyer, a master brewer out of Berkeley, California. Formerly a vintner, Scott is a national and international gold medal winner in brewing competitions. He will be on hand to answer any questions, and help you become experts in the finer points of beer and the brewing process.
Christina Mackenzie earned her baking certificate at the California Culinary Institute, in Berkeley. She brings lots of experience baking desserts, breads, and wedding cakes, and also coordinates special events and caterings.
