Sam’s Quick Shop to Open Sam’s Bottle Shop April 10

April is NC Beer month, and so it is a lucky coincidence that one of Durham's beer destinations is opening a second location.  On Thursday, Sam's Bottle Shop will open on Highway 54 near the intersection with Hope Valley Road in South Durham.

Opened as a restaurant in 1948, the business changed its original location on Erwin Road in 1974 to Sam's Quik Shop, and has earned a spot in the hearts of the Durham community and beyond for its vast selection of beer. Now the business is adding a second store to serve its customers, and grow its spectrum of offerings, too.

Durham's growth, and the community's interest in food and drink, set the stage for this expansion. The continued attention of the media on Durham's community of restaurants, the rapidly-growing community of artisan food producers, and the engaged consumer public that makes provides the demand these businesses are filling, are all contributing factors to the growth personified by the opening of Sam's Bottle Shop.  The store will ultimately have a an inventory of more than 1,600 different beers, kegs, and more. The new location will host educational tastings, food and beer pairings, and private events.

Owner John Boy Jr. invites the community to celebrate the new store with a grand opening on April 10, 2014 at the new two-story location at 1112 W NC HWY 54. "I'm fortunate enough to carry on the family business and work with beer. It is our goal to educate our customers about beer and through our regular tasting events, bring the brewery to the consumer," he said.

Several NC Breweries have brewed beers especially for this event including an oak & smoked imperial stout brewed by Oskar Blues in Brevard, NC. There will also be the release of two collaborative beers brewed for the opening made by North Carolina’s Olde Hickory Brewing Company out of Hickory, NC and Foothills Brewing out of Winston Salem, NC. The grand opening will feature food truck KoKyu Ondo, on-site from 5pm – 9pm.

Discover more food and drink events in Durham on the Durham Event Calendar to see why Durham is the Tastiest Town in the South.

Craft Beer Cookbook Coming to NC

Food? Check.  Beer? Check. Durham? Big check! Tonight, John Holl, noted beer journalist and editor of All About Beer (a Durham magazine) will be at Fullsteam Brewery (also in Durham) to sign copies of his new book about cooking with craft beer.

Holl will be signing his book, The American Craft Beer Cookbook,  from 5:00 - 8:00 pm at Fullsteam Brewery at 726 Rigsbee Ave.

Cooking with beer is not a new concept.  However, with this book, Holl brings his considerable craft beer experience to the subject and makes it accessible - especially in Durham. Two of Durham's three "big" craft breweries contributed recipes for the book, and Fullsteam is offering a free Pork and Porter handpie (with help from Scratch Bakery) to all who order a copy of the book tonight.

Durham is a beer and food destination on track to be considered with the best in the US. Named The Tastiest Town in the South by Southern Living magazine, the local beer scene was named a point of consideration. Two Durham breweries now have restaurants.  Bull City Burger and Brewery, which contributed to the book, and Triangle Brewery which just opened their restaurant Triangle Pint and Plate. Fullsteam is a destination for Durham's vibrant food truck scene.

For those interested in cooking with the beers mentioned in the book, Sam's Quik Shop in Durham has one of the largest craft beer selections in the US.

Learn more about great events in Durham with the Durham Event Calendar.

First Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience at DPAC

Durham has long been on the culinary map as a place where great food and drink happens, so it's only fitting that the Bull City would be hosting an annual food & beer event.

DPAC - Durham Performing Arts Center is partnering with Tyler’s Restaurant & Taproom and Sam’s Quik Shop to host the First Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience from 4-8pm February 24, 2013 at DPAC.

The Bull City Food & Beer Experience is designed to stimulate and educate your palate and mind through pairing of local food showcasing 20 Durham restaurants, unbelievable beer from 20 North Carolina Breweries in addition to another 30+ craft and specialty import breweries, and appearances by the owners of three of the premier craft breweries in the United States, Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada), Kim Jordan (New Belgium) and Dale Ketechis (Oskar Blues). All three breweries have chosen North Carolina for their East Coast expansion bringing hundreds of jobs to the Tar Heel State. Keynote Speakers include Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada), Kim Jordan (New Belgium) & Dale Katechis (Oskar Blues). This event is a fundraising event to benefit the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.

Admission into the Bull City Food & Beer Experience includes:

• Souvenir Glass and Tasting Notebook 
• Food sampling from 20 of Durham's finest restaurant's & Beer Tastings from over 50 breweries. 

Tickets go on sale Friday December 21, 2012 at 10 AM and can be ordered online, by calling the the DPAC Ticket Center at 919.680.2787, or in person at 123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC. Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800.745.3000

With so many exciting events and festivals happening in Durham, it can be easy to lose track of them all. Use the Durham Event Calendar to find out more about what's going on. Learn more about Durham's dining scene online.