Carolina Beer Temple & the Ames Street Marketplace — Restaurant in Matthews

What an abfab little beer find in Matthews!

Not only do they have some pretty awesome stuff on draught (they had a 2013 Vicaris when I was there on Sat!), but they offer lots of local brews as well.

They also have beer by the bottle or can and though it isn't a big space, they have a surprisingly robust selection!

They don't serve any food, but they work w/the Pizza Exchange Depot (which is delicious!) who will deliver pizza to you here at no additional charge, which is such a great concept!

The staff here know their beers and I was lucky enough to be there when they opened some great (and rare) bottles and gave out samples to those of us who were the barflies for the night.

I had come in ready to get caught up on some reading while enjoying some beers on tap, but ended up having an evening full of great conversation with fellow beer enthusiasts!

I also really loved that they let you "try before you buy" with anything they have on tap. I was glad I did with one of their pricier offerings as it did not taste like I thought it would and was thankful to not to have purchased. I like that they offer 8oz, 12oz, and 16oz sizes so you can decide how you want to enjoy each brew and how much of it you want to enjoy! They also do an excellent job of serving each respective beer in its appropriate glassware (and no, this is not snobbish or pretentious, it actually does make a difference as each glass is made for particular styles to accentuate and amplify each style accordingly).

To say I was pleasantly surprised and impressed would be an...

Carolina Beer Temple at Ames Station is a huge departure from the old spot, and while I miss the cozy vibe of the original, this new location is absolutely massive, with tons of space and the cool addition of other shops inside. The beer selection is, as always, fantastic. However, there are a couple of things to note. First, I don't recommend sitting upstairs. It feels like it could be a good spot, but it's just not decorated well, completely loses all energy, and honestly feels like a sterile hotel conference area – not cozy at all. My other major gripe was when the super bright outdoor lights suddenly clicked on at 9 PM, completely shattering the evening ambiance and killing the vibe. If they could address the upstairs decor and adjust those outdoor lights, this place has even...

Hands down, the best beer shop in Matthews.

Carolina Beer Temple offers some of the best variety of beers in the Charlotte area. Their tap selection is solid & consistently changing. They carry the usual Charlotte based breweries but seem to focus on the highly rated ones. They carry excellent out of state offerings, too. Some of the highlights include Equilibrium, Trillium, & Xul.

The building is the old Post Office. This definitely adds a unique character.

The environment fits the setting, which equals a perfect spot to play games & enjoy great beer.

Carolina Beer Temple is worth stopping at for a few beers & then to...