Mill Whistle Brewing to release ‘Hongry Town ESB’ Beer
Something new is brewing in Beaufort!!
Mill Whistle Brewing of Beaufort will kick-off a beer release of their latest craft beer – “Hongry Town ESB.”
Carteret County’s newest craft beer is an English-style Pale Ale. ESB stands for “extra special bitter.” “But, we are in Beaufort, so it means Extra Special Bofirt,” according to Tom Backman, owner and brew master of Mill Whistle Brewing.
This style is known for its balance and the interplay between malt and hop bitterness. English pale ales display earthy, herbal English-variety hop character. Medium to high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma should be evident. The yeast strains used in these beers lend a fruitiness to their aromatics and flavor, referred to as esters. The residual malt and defining sweetness of this richly flavored, full-bodied bitter is medium to medium-high.
The label is based on the crest of the Duke of Beaufort was created by local artist Jimmy Craig Womble.
The nautical flags above spell “Hongry Town” and below are the initials “ESB.”
“We were thrilled to have Jimmy create the label,” says David Cartier, co-owner of Hungry Town Tours.
Backman approached Cartier about having their own beer shortly after they opened in 2016. “It makes sense with our culinary tours as we continue to promote Beaufort as a dining destination.,” he said.
Since the plat from 1713 had the inscription of both “Hungry Town” and “Hungry Town, we opted for the latter as a play on words,” according to Cartier.
About the Name – “Hungry Town” & “Hongry Town”
The words “Hungry Town” and “Hongry Town” were inscribed on the 1713 plat of Beaufort, NC. So, it was a natural to use “Hungry Town” as part of the name of our business.
Named in honor of Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort, the town was incorporated in 1723 and has been the seat of Carteret County ever since.
The plat is the only documentation that the newly laid-out town may have been casually called “Hungry Town.” The words, “Plan of Hungry Town” were crossed out at the bottom of the plat and replaced with “Plan of Beaufort Towne.”
Architectural historian Tony P. Wrenn, who did the 1970 study for Beaufort’s nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, had his theory concerning “Hungry Town.” Wrenn believes that surveyor Richard Graves spilled ink but continued to use the sheet as he practiced with his ink and quill. Graves’ “Hungry Town” and “Hongry Town” scribbles may have referred to the new town full of lots “hungry” for buyers, or to a few struggling settlers in the area.
Few documents exist from this time and it appears that very few people were living in Beaufort when Blackbeard arrived in 1718. In fact, there may have been fewer than dozen people at that time.
This plat from 1713 shows the layout of lots and streets. The street names are still in use today.
Street names reflect the early development of the town: Ann Street for Queen Anne; Craven Street for the Earl of Craven; Turner Street for Robert Turner, owner of the land that was surveyed for the town; Pollock Street for Gov. Thomas Pollock; and Orange Street for William, Prince of Orange, who became William III of England.
By the late 18th century, Beaufort was an active seaport inhabited by sailors, pirates, privateers, fishers, soldiers, and planters. While the town’s busy sea trade connected Beaufort with seaports thousands of miles away, its geography kept it isolated from the interior of the state. That is why Beaufort has retained much of the charm from back then.
Beaufort-by-the-sea, as the town is romantically called, has a captivating history that spans almost 300 years — from tales about the pirate Blackbeard to its use as a port in the 18th century for Spanish and French sailing ships.
By using “Hungry Town” as part of our business name, Hungry Town Tours is preserving the official beginning of the town of Beaufort to come.
Many changes have taken place since that time in Beaufort’s history over 300 years ago. Today, the name “Hungry Town” is a natural tie-in with Beaufort’s history and bountiful culinary offerings.
Now, you can taste a little bit of Beaufort’s history with “Hongry Town ESB” – Extra Special Beaufort – at Mill Whistle Brewing!
Tour de Beers with Hungry Town Tours
Join Hungry Town Tours this spring for their newest tour – “Tour de Beers” – as you discover the craft beers in Historic Beaufort, NC. Here’s your chance to sample some great beers from across the state. You’ll take a cruiser bicycle through Historic Beaufort as we sample some great beers at brew pubs along the way.
Tours de Beers is not a race. Everyone is a winner as we explore “America’s Favorite Town” in search of some great craft beers.
For an afternoon of education and fun, this is an event not to be missed. What a great way to kick-off NC Beer Month and support Beaufort’s first brewery in Carteret County!
Stay tuned for more information!
About Mill Whistle Brewing
Carteret County’s first brewery, Mill Whistle Brewing is a one-barrel brewery focused on exceptional craft beers. This Nano brewery produces just 31 gallons of beer in a batch. By focusing on small batches of beer, they have been able to produce a wide variety of styles of beer. A few of these locally-inspired ales and IPAs include: “Girl in a Rum Barrel” and “BOFIRT.”
The Beaufort-based brewery is located on the site of the 100-year-old Safrit Lumber Mill. While this mill closed in the 1970s, the lumber yard next door is still in operation today.
The Tap Room opened on April 1, 2016 following a three-year wait for all the proper permits and licenses.
The former Safrit Lumber Mill whistle, located at the brewery in Beaufort, used to sound off at 4:45 p.m. Today, that tradition continues. At 4:45 p.m. every day you can hear the sound its namesake, the old Safrit Lumber Mill whistle.
About Hungry Town Tours
Hungry Town Tours offers several unique bicycle and walking tours in Beaufort, North Carolina. On the Hidden Beaufort Tour, participants learn what makes Beaufort beautiful, historic and, at times, a little unique.
Tour participants pedal through 300 years of Beaufort’s history on easy-going retro-cruiser bikes. Other history bicycle tours include the Early Morning Risers Tour, and Legends & Lore of the Sea. They even offer the Historic Beaufort Walking Tour, a walking version of the Hidden Beaufort Tour.
A Ride to Remember features places in Beaufort that were inspired by Nicholas Sparks and referenced in his books, “The Choice and “A Walk to Remember.”
On the culinary tours, Hungry Town Tours promotes restaurants with locally-sourced food that allow for an enhanced guest experience for those visiting Beaufort. They pride themselves in working with restaurants offering fresh, local products that support local fishermen and farmers. The culinary bike tours include the Beaufort Culinary Bike Tour, North Carolina Shrimp Tour, the North Carolina Oyster Tour, Beaufort Lunchbox Tour, and Bike, Brunch & Bubbles. Walking versions include the Food by Foot Culinary Walking Tour, and the Sunday Brunch Walkabout.
As a three-time recipient of the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award, travelers have consistently rated Hungry Town Tours the #1 activity on the Crystal Coast. Their culinary tours are rated #1 in East Carolina.
Hungry Town Tours is the first business in Carteret County to be accepted into the NC GreenTravel Initiative. They successfully promote green from “spoke to fork” by combining nature-based travel with culinary tourism through bicycle tours.
For more information, call Hungry Town Tours at 252-648-1011 or visit them online atwww.hungrytowntours.com. They are located on the waterfront at 400 Front Street in Beaufort, North Carolina.
WHEN YOU GO:
Date: Saturday, January 20, 2018
Time: 2 – 7 pm. Meet the artist Jimmy Craig Womble at 4 pm. Win your own Tour de Beers from Hungry Town Tours for four people. $200 Value!
Cost: Free Admission
Parking: Free parking on site.
Address: Mill Whistle Brewing, 1354 Lennoxville Road, Beaufort, NC 28512.
Telephone: 252-342-6929.
Social Media: Facebook
Questions? The brew master is Tom Backman, Call: 252-269-0330, or Email: tombackman@icloud.com