Hop City Craft Beer & Wine is celebrating 10 years in Birmingham, and is currently amongst the leaders in voting for a USA Today ranking of the best 10 beer bars in the country. The milestone and ranking both highlight the long-last significance that Hop City has had in Birmingham and throughout the United States. They will be celebrating their 10th anniversary with a Sunday celebration from noon to 7pm at their home in Pepper Place. It will be a $10 event featuring more than 60 rare beer options and new high-end wine options, along with performances from Cheyloe & Her Sleepless Knights, The Dirty Lungs, and a headlining performance by The Blips. The tickets even include an anniversary 8oz beer glass for patrons to enjoy and then take home. There will also be around 12 vendors and 8 food trucks in the lower parking lot, which is free for all to attend.
“It’s bigger than we’ve ever done so there's a lot more that goes into it. That being said, being able to celebrate our anniversary with a pretty cool recognition that none of us expected to get is a lot of fun,” shares Hop City’s GM Stacey Chappel, “I know we’re excited to celebrate with the greater Birmingham and surrounding areas.” The beer and wine bar has spared no effort in ensuring that those who’ve supported them taste some once-in-a-lifetime beverages.
“They’re either beers that have been cellared for years specifically for something like this, beers that we have made - we’ve done a lot of local collabs throughout town, beers from breweries like Prairie who every single year they’ve done something for us that they’ve never showcased anywhere else, and we’ve got a keg of something called cantillon - which for those that know it’s a very big deal in the gose/sour category. It is arguably one of the hardest beers to ever find.” Once the first 66 draft line runs out, Hop City is prepared to continue providing the rarest of beverages for another 3 rounds. In other words, it’s the ultimate craft beer celebration.
Hop City’s growth over the last decade has aligned with Birmingham’s brewery growth, and that’s due to some pretty perfect timing. “The fun thing about this store is that when the owner launched the store it was right after the laws changed with ‘Free The Hops’”, Chappel explains. Suddenly it was a possibility to operate breweries in Alabama with all sorts of ABVs and varieties. “We basically got to watch this beer scene grow up. When we started there were only two breweries in the market, and now we’re in the Birmingham area sitting around 15. It’s pretty cool to have seen it all happen and there’s so much more happening down the pipeline too.”
This celebration is equally a tribute to the beer drinkers and brewers of Birmingham, who support Hop City the other 364 days of the year as well. Tickets go to support the Magic City Acceptance Center, adding to the community aspect of the day. The event, and the country-best beer bar, also celebrate those looking to expand from mass-produced beers to more hand-crafted beverages at their own pace. “We love the opportunity to pivot somebody to something similar to get them to branch out. It’s been fun being a part of that because it’s watching people change the way they drink. I know it’s not necessarily saving the world, but it’s definitely creating a better beer culture and that’s not a bad thing in my opinion.”
They may not think they’re saving it, but Hop City has made many of our worlds much brighter over the last 10 years and we’re happy to raise a glass to 10 more!
