Dine + Wine
On Tap Lake Norman’s Newest Brewery is a Bird of a Different Feather
by Will Keible Photography by Ken Noblezada
JULY 2018
70 LAKE NORMAN CURRENTS
Top, Andrea and Matt Gravina stand in front of King Canary Brewing Co. Above, Andrea designed the interior of the space.
wo months ago, a new craft brewery joined Lake Norman’s growing beer scene. Located a mile off Exit 33 on Williamson Road, King Canary Brewing Co. is the first full-scale craft brewery to open on Mooresville’s west side. Rather than operating out of warehouse space in an industrial park as many local breweries do, King Canary calls a renovated 4,500-square-foot house its home. And, whereas many brewery startups focus on perfecting production processes before perfecting decor, King Canary pursues a balanced approach where the quality of the experience is every bit as important as the taste of the beer. “We want it to be a family friendly place that’s comfortable and fun to hang out at. We wanted to make a place where we would want to hang out,” says co-founder and head brewer Matt Gravina. “We took all the things that we liked about the spaces and breweries we’ve visited and combined it all together.” The other part of the “we” Matt is referring to is co-founder and wife, Andrea, who is in charge of design, marketing and community outreach for the brewery. “She has always had a knack for decorating and painting, but this is the first large scale project for her,” explains Matt. “She gave it a different level.” From custom wallpaper patterned with their distinctive bird and crown logo to the ivory-colored canary tap handles to the decorative bird cages hanging in the foyer, the king and canary theme is cleverly displayed throughout the brewery. In addition, the Gravinas are young parents, so they wanted
to create a brewery that appeals as much to families as it does to the bearded beer enthusiast. Here, moms and dads can sip on a flight of beers while their kids develop master builder skills on the Lego table upstairs. Juice boxes are stocked behind the bar, and there’s ample space upstairs and outside for young ones to move around. Food trucks are a regular sight in the parking lot, but patrons can also satiate their hunger by ordering soft pretzels or snack mix from the bar. Picnic tables and comfortable seating make King Canary a great place to be outdoors on good weather days, and Gen Xers will delight in the tabletop arcade console that offers Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga and other classic games. The initial lineup of beers features extrapolations of Matt’s home-brewing recipes. Guests will find straightforward and approachable styles such as pale ale, IPA, double IPA, blonde ale and a milk stout mixed with more adventurous offerings, including a cherry berliner, a farmhouse ale and what could become King Canary’s signature beer, the whimsically named Cuckoo Clock, a vanilla lime IPA. “We don’t want anybody to come here and not have something they can drink,” says Matt. “It is not a goal of ours to have some place that becomes a massive production facility.” Will Keible is the director of marketing and sales at WDAV, and he loves a good beer. King Canary Brewing Co. 562 Williamson Road Mooresville www.kingcanarybrewing.com