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SC’s One-Brewery Towns: Local Beer for the Homefolks and Visitors, Too

Bob Gillespie Bob Gillespie
Bob is a former sports writer at Columbia’s The State newspaper. He enjoys golf at South Carolina’s 350-plus courses, and after a round, sampling craft beers from the Palmetto State’s breweries.
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The stainless steel bar anchors Swamp Rabbit Brewery and Taproom. Photo courtesy Swamp Rabbit Brewery.

The craft beer industry has firm footing across South Carolina.

Most breweries (beer producers) and brewpubs (beer producers/restaurants) operate in major tourist destinations like the Grand Strand, Charleston, Columbia, Hilton Head and Greenville.

But the craft beer craze has hardly bypassed smaller communities.

Across the state, there are operations that stand alone as the sole brew producer in their communities. 

Just like their big city counterparts, small-town breweries take pride in their roots. In turn, these communities turn out to support their local brewers.

Here are a trio of beloved one-town breweries and how they came to be.

 

Benford Brewing Company

A variety of boxes of beer available at Benford Brewing
A variety of Benford Brewing beers are available in South Carolina. Photo courtesy Bottles of Columbia.

2271 Boxcar Road, Lancaster
(803) 416-8422

The gist: Grass feed beef, free range poultry, sawmill services, lumber sales, epoxy tables and beer: What in the world could these have in common? All are part of a most unusual 35-acre family farming operation in Lancaster County.  At the heart of it all is a 1,500 barrel facility named Benford Brewing, which proprietor Bryan O'Neal calls "South Carolina's only agricultural brewery." 

Brewing beginnings: Like many new brewers, he began home-brewing for fun, using a "Mr. Beer" kit he received as a Christmas gift. "You start making your own beer, and it's terrible at first, but you drink it because you made it," he says, laughing. "Then you figure it out until you get good at it."

The approach: Benford Brewing cans and sells most of its beer offsite, distributing to outlets across the Carolinas and Tennessee. There's a small tasting room at the farm, but O'Neal says, "I have no desire to run a restaurant," choosing to hold quarterly on-site events. Mostly, he focuses on his beers spreading the Lancaster/Benford name.

Top brews: Problem Solver Imperial IPA, World's Problem Solver American IPA, Irish Honey Ale (blonde pale ale), O'Soo Oyster Stout (oatmeal stout) and Old Nitrolee Hefeweizen.

 

Wild Heart Brewing Company

Great beer and community - that's the mission of Hartsville's Wild Heart Brewing Company.

317 Railroad Avenue, Hartsville
(843) 332-9601

The gist: When Wild Heart Brewing Company opened its doors, the small college town of Hartsville became a Pee Dee destination for beer afficionados. Along with a solid craft beer selection, the pizzas that issue from the Wild Heart Neopolitan-style brick oven make for the perfect brew pub experience. Visitors to this one-town wonder are in for a big treat.

Brewing beginnings: The inspiration for establishing this brewery is a triumphant story rooted in local tragedy. Once a family-owned farm supply business, the site was closed down when the proprietor died during an attempted robbery. Years later, his son, Casey Hancock, along with brewer Zach Riner, transformed the property into a happy, hoppy place. In 2021, Wild Heart Brewing Company was born.

The approach: While the brewing process is front and center at Wild Heart, its mission to be a place where the community can gather to share stories over cold brew and a meal is the heart of it all. At any given time, about a dozen craft beers are on tap with some appearing seasonally. Wild Heart also ships its products to retailers and restaurants throughout South Carolina. 

Top brews: Namesake (hazy IPA),  Blue North (blonde/golden ale), Southern Weather (sour-fruited), Noche Libra (lager-Mexican)

 

Swamp Rabbit Brewery & Taproom

26 S. Main St., Travelers Rest
(864) 610-2424

The gist: Swamp Rabbit is not your typical brewery as it embraces European influences. There's seating for 60 inside, an outdoor beer garden for another 35-40, plus seating for smokers and people who bring their dogs.

Brewing beginnings: Owner Ben Pierson answers to "the godfather of beer," with about 27 years experience in brewing, including a stint in Germany. He helped install nearly 20 craft breweries across the US, including beer-crazed Asheville, NC, before opening Swamp Rabbit in 2014. He looked at Greenville but then found a former coffee-roasting facility in his adopted hometown of Travelers Rest that became his brewpub.

The approach: Swamp Rabbit maintains four standard beers - American pale ale, a double IPA, an Oktoberfest-style Marzen and a white ale - and rotates seasonal brews, including a brown porter and a pilsner. 

Top brews: Dunkel (lager, dark and smooth), Honey Bunny (light amber ale), Helles Belles (light lager), Rye Pale Ale (light malt and citrus)

 

Bob Gillespie
Bob is a former sports writer at Columbia’s The State newspaper. He enjoys golf at South Carolina’s 350-plus courses, and after a round, sampling craft beers from the Palmetto State’s breweries.