Sub Noir is a smaller brewery located off E Whitaker Mill Road in Raleigh. We decided to stop by here to grab a beer before heading to dinner. Pros: –Zee Count was good, it is brewed with Count Chocula cereal and Videri cocoa nibs –Old school gaming systems with tons of games to play, this was my favorite part. I learned that I suck at Mario Kart 64, I placed last on all four games against Boyfriend. So, I put in Super Mario World which was a blast from the past to one of my FAVORITE childhood games. I was hooked, I could have seriously sat there all day drinking beer and playing this game. Cons: –Hours are limited, this brewery is only open on Friday and Saturday –Beers are mediocre, I did not like the Saison –Sub Noir selection was limited to 3 beers, they also had 2 guest taps. Boyfriend and Mom did not like the Sub Noir beers so they opted for a Bull City cider. Overall, I would be back to support this local brewery.
Lauren H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Raleigh, NC
I love Sub Noir! My husband and I come here on a regular basis if we’re in the area. The place is in a strange location between different businesses, but it is not too far away if you’re in the North Hills area. They usually have about three beers available as well as one or two guest taps. This is never a problem for me, as I have pretty much liked all of their beers I have tried, but might be challenging if you don’t care for their styles since they don’t have a great number of choices. One thing I love about Sub Noir is that their beers are different and unique! My favorite beer here was a sour beer called Violet Beauregard… I absolutely loved this beer but it will be awhile before it is back. They also have a Count Chocula beer which is delicious and available pretty frequently. The people who work here are nice and the prices are very reasonable. They have a small area to sit downstairs with additional seating in the room upstairs. Don’t miss the video games! If the TV is free when we are here we like to play Mario Kart! I think upstairs they have board games available. Overall Sub Noir is a fun place to hang out with very solid beers! Make sure to check their schedule before you go as their hours are limited!
Philip B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Raleigh, NC
Update — I’ve now been here like 10 times. I still love this place like we just met. The staff is super kind, the beer is grand, and the selection, though small, is always changing and offering some fresh things. I just wish it was open more. I try to hit this spot up once a month, and I can’t say the same for any other brewery.
Milla t.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Willow Spring, NC
We traveled an hour from our home and they were«closed for renovations.» This happened two times, on two separate Saturdays. Nothing posted on Facebook, because they obviously do not care about their customers. BTW – they have no food. I have friends who said they waited awhile on a Sat for a food truck and it never came. There’s nothing around there but Snoopys to eat. Eat before you go, I guess. The only reason I want to go is because I BJCP judge Belgians and I am curious. I will call first before I go.
Andrew W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Raleigh, NC
Sub Noir is a random quirky brewery in a strip by Wake Forest Road. With three of their own beers on tap, and a rotating guest tap, you can easily try everything they have to offer in one visit. I enjoyed the Eccentrica, a ginger tripel. Pretty good. On the weekends, there is a food truck parked outside. Judging from the(currently outdated) website, you will likely get a different truck every time you go. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook for their latest news and events. If it’s a nice day, you can sit outside. If there’s rain, then you’ll have to grab one of the few spots downstairs or head upstairs. There’s video games downstairs and board games upstairs. If you hang upstairs, an employee will occasionally check on you and bring you a beer — but they admittedly forgot about us on my visit. Don’t miss the North Carolina shaped table upstairs and the game that isn’t Jenga.
Keiko M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Washington, DC
Good for gamers;) They have only 2 kinds of own beer and 1 from trophy brewing co. Ginger flavored one is super good. They have many video games. I had a great time to play supra mario brothers. They were making a new beer, which made the room smell so yummy. A big parking lot in front of the building. I wanna go back there to try new ones!
Sara B.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Raleigh, NC
Kudos to these brewers for going out on a limb. I can’t wait for Sub Noir to perfect their style. They have a nice following and offer lights and darks. At the time there was a stout, saison, and a tripel. It is set in a small office/warehouse and the layout is a little unconventional, but they a re making the most of their space. There are a few tables inside and some picnic tables outside. There is an upstairs with seating. Keeping up with the brewery trend they also collaborate with the local food trucks to help soak up the alcohol. I am not a fan of bringing the kids to a brewery/bar, but If that’s your style they are set up. They have a TV with video games, board games and dvds. This brewery does not keg or bottle so you can not find it around town. I was not a big fan of the stout I had. It tasted a little hoppy for a stout. It had the color of a big stout, but it was lacking in the body. Like I said kudos to someone for putting themselves out there. It is a work in progress. Sub Noir has the makings of a fine brewery. I will continue to support this venture.
Lindy P.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Raleigh, NC
I’m proud of small breweries opening up all around the Triangle! I have to support them all, so I made my way over here for their 1-year anniversary on Saturday 6⁄14. I was shocked to find this place hidden in an office park/strip mall between Atlantic & Wake Forest! They had two canopy tents and picnic tables in the 3 parking spots in front of their tasting room. All the beer is brewed in-house, and they don’t keg or bottle any of it. It’s just someone’s hobby(I love brewing too!) so they made a business out of it. It’s quaint but there’s very little room to sit or stand in the building. They do have an upstairs with a few tables and stuff, but it wasn’t air-conditioned(and was quite hot on a 90º summer day!). Sara & I both ordered the stout, and it wasn’t quite like any stout I’ve had… it was very hop forward, which isn’t what I expect out of a stout– I’d almost compare it to a black IPA with weak hops. Weird! We also tasted their saison, which was very murky, and it just didn’t taste quite right. Maybe we’re too used to the larger brewers that have perfected their beer… As a home brewer myself, I don’t brew the best beers by any means. Sometimes they need to age to taste better, so maybe they need to age their kegs a bit longer or something. I don’t know, but I’d like to say this brewery was good but it just really wasn’t that remarkable… :(
Tanith T.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Raleigh, NC
@sub_noir is an impressive small batch brewer using top flight local ingredients like Videri chocolate to produce some genuinely delicious brews. Keep an eye on their space; I predict great things to come. Brews are well balanced, rich, complex and a real pleasure to drink. Highly recommended.
Ken K.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chapel Hill, NC
There’s some good things happening in non-descript strip malls in industrial areas throughout North Carolina. Sub Noir is the second such establishment I’ve found my way into that wound up being much better than anticipated going in. The spot isn’t much to look at; the interior is still the boring office-like space that I’m sure they inherited when they moved in. They’ve managed to spruce it up a bit with an HDTV and another smaller TV with a wide range of gaming consoles attached. And I give major points for having all four Dragon Warrior games on original Nintendo — my favorites growing up. I don’t know if they realize this, but they’re sitting on at least $ 150 right there. Those games are rarities. The beer is being poured out of a chest freezer converted to a kegerator, but don’t be fooled — it’s much better than the setup would lead you to believe. Their double pale was unbalanced — you can’t have that much ABV without the hops to balance it, in my opinion. And the stout aged on cocoa nibs was a bit thin and metallic on the back end. But their other two brews on tap were exceptional. One was a saison that was peppery, clean, and smooth — everything that I want in the style. And then they had a funky cherry sour ale that was delicious. Even my wife who hasn’t quite acquired the sour taste yet really enjoyed it. With just enough funk and just enough sour to play off each other without the brew being overwhelmed by either, this was one of the better brews I’ve had in some time. Unfortunately, they aren’t allowed to sell growlers yet, or I would have taken one home. Fortunately, according to the«bartender,» the guys in the back are really into barrel aging and sours in general, so I expect to see a lot of really fun concoctions coming out of Sub Noir in the next few months. I’ll be back to try them.