Triangle Brewing Company

Sometimes you just need to write a nostalgic Unilocal review, and that’s just what this review for Triangle Brewing Company is. I attended Triangle’s closing party this past weekend, after being one of the first (if not the first) brewery in Durham, they are closing up shop. Triangle was not only the company that introduced me to beer (gateway beer: Triangle Golden Belgium, which funny enough I now don’t like, which shows you how your beer-​buds change over time!) but they were also my first brewery tour back in the days when they offered free tours, all your can sample beer and great fun (they had to «raise» the price to $ 3/​person).
The tour was definitely one of the best I went on, I can say this honestly because I visited several times to attend it! Doc or various tour-​guides always kept you on your toes with witty humor, beer chugging or various entertainment. Dog friendly and various brewery games to play. They were a neighborhood brewery, nothing fancy, but all friendly. Triangle made a solid IPA and was always producing something different, like their wheat passion fruit beer which blew my tastebuds off. Alas, they will be sorely missed in East Durham and no long-​term Durhamite shall forget them. Cheers to you and all the fun memories Triangle Brewing Company!

Thoroughly enjoyed the laid back, casual, warehouse feel of this place. Owner is quite the character, very down to earth, funny guy. Got lots of interesting info in the brewing and canning process. They donate the by-​products back to local farmers for animal feed whicH is awesome. Story of «Rufus» adds charm and mystique! Loved the Habanero beer so much that I purchased a growler! Recommended for adults… was hot and humid inside so dress according to weather!

The beer here is always fresh and the flavors really stand out. Better beer than Fullsteam IMO, which somehow always falls short and tastes a bit weaker (in terms of flavor notes, etc).

Well I messed up my original tip which goes to show how good the beer is here.
We called in on Saturday at 1:20 to see when the beer tour started. I spoke to the owner Andy and he started the tour late so that we could make it. We were blown away. The brewery had a care free vibe and did I mention all you can drink after paying $ 3 for the tour? We met tons of great people and ended up going out to dinner with them. at Triangle’s restaurant of course!
Overall, awesome time and great beer. Just be careful when parking, it’s not the greatest area.

It wouldn’t be truly Durham without some degree of a sketch factor. The location of this place is a little dodgy, but the vibe is totally cool.
$ 3 for a brewery tour at 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays with an open tap to taste 30 minutes before and after. This place is like a well-​oiled machine and man do they love beer. There was a bachelorette on the tour and the host made her get up and shotgun a beer with him. It was pretty epic.
If you’re looking for a classic Durham brewery tour experience, this is your place!

The good– $ 3 for unlimited before and after tour beer
The bad– this is really a warehouse brewery, not a taproom
The ugly– there was only one bathroom to share between men and women. The bathroom stall door was a shower curtain.

I’ve lived in Durham for 5 years and finally I went to the brewery tour. I definitely regret not going earlier. The tour is basically all you can drink from 1 – 3 for $ 3. Unlike other tours I’ve been on, they pour you a full pint and let you come up as many times as you’d like. Plus, unlike other breweries I actually like most of their beers (not an IPA person)… Belgian White and Best of Both Worlds are my two favorite.
It’s a great place to go when you feel like day drinking on a Saturday afternoon. The place is not air conditioned or heated so definitely need to pick your day wisely but pretty much any fall or spring day in NC will be good. They have a nice outdoor area and inside there is corn hole and fooseball plus the brewers are very nice.
I will for sure go back and anytime people visit this is where we will go for the day :)
Also, if you’d like to drink on normal hours another day of the week you should go to the pint and plate on Main St.

Don’t let the ‘word art’ hokey logo fool you: Triangle Brewing Company is the real deal. We biked over for a Saturday tour, and boy were we glad we did. Triangle hosts tours for $ 3 each Saturday, which include unlimited beer sampling before and after the tour (about 1−3PM, with the tour taking about a half hour to 45 minutes when they don’t pour).
They have a variety of year-​round and seasonal beers, with many leaning heavily toward the Belgian variety. I’m not a big fan of Belgian beer (I know, it is good, I just don’t happen to like it that much), but I certainly enjoyed their IPA and a few other selections such as the blonde (I think). The beer is made onsite, and they offer growler fills as well as canner beer to buy if you haven’t had your fill at the end of the tour.
There is a nice seating area inside and outside the brewery to enjoy your samples before and after the tour, and they have some games to play while you relax. I have been once, but plan to «tour» again to enjoy some beer for a decent price.

Another day another Triangle brewery. I have been meaning to stop by ever since moving to Durham and since I had some friend in town, thought it was the perfect time. The tour only cost $ 3 and it is certainly worth it. They give you a glass and you head to the bar for the tasting part of the tour, which consist of them pouring you pretty much as many free beers as you want. I have never been a huge fan of Triangle Brewing Company’s beer, but when it is free it taste great, and I even found a couple I liked.
After a while they took us on the tour of the brewery and walked us through every step. As some who would love to own his own brewery this was great and very informative. After the tour was over it was back to the bar for more drinks.
I would have given them 5 stars but as I said, not a huge fan of the beer, and also they made you return the glass. Not a huge problem, but I would have rather them charged a couple more dollars and let you keep the glass if you wanted.

Coolest dudes in the brewing business! Thanks guys! The golden is still my favorite brew!!!

This is such a fun brewery in Durham! Saturday tours are at 1:30 PM for $ 3 and you get to drink all you want before and after. There’s also corn hole!
My favorite beer was the seasonal jalapeño offering. It slowly grew hotter the more I drank it! I also liked the one that had a hint of chocolate and raspberry… I think that is named after the dead guy they found buried there (seriously — ask about this on the tour). I tried more that I can’t remember, but I definitely enjoyed them all.
Note to the ladies in dresses: Beware the fans on the ground along the bar… much to your embarrassment it could blow up your skirt, so hang on tight!

Wanted to make sure I updated this to reflect the fact that while I still love Triangle Brewery and highly recommend visiting there for Saturdays IT IS NO LONGER FREE.
It is three dollars now. Totally worth it still, but please be aware. Cash only.
Other than that it remains the same, still a great place to hang out on a Saturday afternoon that attracts a fun group of people. I’m not a huge belgian fan but right now they have a Sour Abbey beer I really love. And kudos to them for being the first brewery I am aware of in this entire region that is finally experimenting with sour beers. They were all the rage when I visited the west coast a couple months ago.

Everything about going to Triangle Brewing screams DURHAM! Warehouse in the hood that you really have to know to find (or follow the beardy hipsters waiting outside to be let in), ping pong and cornhole, wood booths and the tour is even FREE. With FREE BEER.
FREE. BEER.
These guys are doing it right. They’re friendly as they serve you your beer (did I mention it’s free?). The tour is super loose and casual, and the time I went there was at least 75 people there just getting drunk and listening to the guide talk about their beer and joke around. Rather than being stuffy and formal like so many bar tours are (I’m sorry I don’t care to smell your hops or hear about every minor detail on the fermentation process) it was fun. Even after the tour is over, they hold a little hang out so you can enjoy one last beer before you head off to Fullsteam to continue to drink more since you’re already day drunk.
From what I recall, the line for beer got crazy right before the tour started (which they so generously announced so that you can freshen up your drink before it starts) but it moved quick. I suppose when it comes down to free beer, people don’t need a recommendation; you just drink whatever and be happy.
I’m glad places like this exist. They certainly showcase their product without forcing you to buy your way into it. DIG IT!

Triangle makes some of my favorite local brews. Even better, they make them straight out of Durm! And yet, I hadn’t visited their brewery until this past weekend. Shameful, I know. I arrived right when doors opened, grabbed a glass, and stepped up to the bar where I was able to choose from some of their mainstays and some seasonal fun (like the winter stout and an interesting sour). The warehouse is pretty spacious — and even though free beer is as popular as it sounds, creating quite a crowd (including some vagrants?), there’s still plenty of space for everyone. A foosball table is the lone entertainment, aside from the brewery tour which is conducted about halfway into the tasting.
The line gets long as people start going back for their second glass; but it moved pretty swiftly. The bathroom line on the other hand does not. There is only one room, housing a urinal as well as a curtained-​off stall. Kind of awkward; but luckily, beer is a social lubricant. so somehow it didn’t seem totally weird when I found myself and a man peeing simultaneously, modestly separated by a wavering piece of fabric.

Officially the coolest brewery I’ve ever been to. Free tours and free beer!!! Whaat its so awesome and its every Sat. My friends were in town and we were trying to find some day trip type things to do on the cheap and all the other brew joints were not touring that day or were more restaurants that factories.
I totally recommend this for a group outing. Bring a jacket in the winter, its cold!

When Stepson was in town last weekend, in between a stop at Backyard BBQ and Southern Season, thanks to Unilocal reviews, we took him here for some Durham culture. Not checking times first, we got lucky in that we arrived at 1:00 when they were just opening.
TIP: GPS! You’re gonna need it, and you still might not believe it when it starts steering you in this direction. Once you find where you think it’s supposed to be, the next challenge is finding a place to park. Don’t worry, it’s do-​able.
Previous reviewers have described it perfectly, from the ping pong table (held my own with Son, if I do say so), to the Leather-​vested no-​shirted guy doling out free beer, the indoor cornhole, and the unisex bathroom.
TIP: Bring an ID! EVERYONE is carded. It’s like being in an airport bar. You can have gray hair and a cane and you WILL get carded.
TIP: Dress according to weather. It’s a warehouse. If it’s hot out, it’s gonna be hotter inside, etc.
TIP: Don’t bring small children. This isn’t the place for them. For instance, if anyone is having a birthday, they will be encouraged to shotgun a beer. Language is not guarded. Nothing wrong with any of that, but it’s not meant for families. It’s meant for beer-​loving adults.
That being said, the beer was just okay. I had the habanero one. I liked the kick to it and it was good while cold, so drink it fast, because when it warmed up it wasn’t as good. Didn’t have a desire for a second, but I do prefer darker beers and they don’t do dark here. Others with me tried the IPA and the Golden. Preferred Golden.
This is a fun place to bring out-​of-​towners, especially beer-​lovers. You can’t possibly beat the price (free!). TIP: Do bring cash for tipping! Growlers and cans are available for purchase as well.

Going to Triangle Brewing Company was an awesome way to spend a random Saturday afternoon. Josh and I are really into brewery tours and after reading about the tour on Unilocal,I suggested that we go one weekend and Josh was into this idea.
We allowed ourselves a little extra time to get here after having lunch near downtown, and I’m glad we did, since as other people have noted, this place is hard to find. It’s tucked away behind the back of a large and not very well-​marked building, but we were able to find Triangle Brewing after following some people to the back who told us they were also there for the tour.
Once we entered the building, there was a guy handing out pint glasses by the door and we immediately headed to the bar to have ours filled before the tour started. They had four choices the day we were there and the bartenders gave nearly full pints to each person.
The tour itself was a good one and it was led by one of the owners of the brewery. Unfortunately, during our tour there were a lot of rude people who were talking loudly the entire time, so at times it was hard to hear the tour guide. I felt really bad for him. This was kind of disappointing as we were not only there for the free beer as these people clearly were, but he stuck around afterwards so Josh could ask him a few questions. He was extremely nice and clearly knew a lot about beer.
After the tour (about 30 minutes long), you could stick around and drink for quite some times afterwards. I tried each of the beers and liked the Golden and the Habanero the best. We ended up taking home a growler of the Triangle Golden (just $ 11 for the growler full of beer– the cheapest price for a growler we’ve seen from any brewery!) and enjoyed finishing the growler the next day.
The next time you’re looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon in Durham, head over to Triangle Brewing Company! And make sure to tip the bartenders!

Was three stars, but got bumped up to 4.
Triangle Brewing Company… where is it? the Bermuda Triangle? First off, if you are driving to this place and wonder, oh man am I in the right place… It can’t be near here… then YOU ARE THERE! It is located in a very odd hard to find place with only TBC out on the front, but go ahead and park anywhere and walk on in.
At first glance you think, umm ok this looks like place out of a scary movie… dimly light warehouse in the back corner of a industrial lot… (insert scary music), but you are relieved to see people and beer, and MORE beer welcoming you to this brew tour.
Once in, you are pleasantly surprised by the people and the games going on… by games I mean Ping Pong (they have a couple paddles, balls, and a table, first come first play) and a corn hole set up INSIDE the warehouse! Gives the places a really awesome, collective feel to it.
So with your surrounds being eclectic and cool, you then turn your attention to the BEER (the whole reason you are here). You walk up to the guy who is handing out drinking glasses (NOTE: you have to give the glasses back at the end of the tour) You grab your glass and shuffle over to the bar where they have 3 – 4 beers on tap! You take a gander at the selection (when we went, they had the Belgium Gold and White ales and their IPA) and dive right in. Once you get your pint glass your notice that its not just a sample but a solid half to full pint!!! + half star for that!
Once you get your beer on, you then wait for the tour to begin. The tour guide was the assistant brewer so it was very informative and he tried to answer all the questions, so it turned out to be a solid tour, even though the brewery is still growing and not very large :)
Once done with the tour, you can go back to drinking! The tours start at around 1:30 pm, but your can start drinking at 1 and for around 30 or so mins after the tour is over… so you can get about at least an hour of drinking in! Makes for a great start to a fun filled Saturday!
Oh almost forgot, the BEER. The beer was ok, nothing that I truly was over the top about, but it wasn’t horrible and there IPA was pretty, a little on the too hoppy for me, but its an IPA what do you expect haha
So I would recommend checking this place out, beer is good and free, but the surrounds and people make it work coming here. Enjoy, cheers and Do they sell beer in the Bermuda Triangle!

If you have a free Saturday, I HIGHLY recommend schlepping yourself over to Triangle for their tour and tasting.
The best things about their tastings include:
–the bear wearing a «bear» hat and leather vest pouring your samples
–the pours amounting to almost a full pint… EACH TIME.
–no maximum
–it’s FREE
–the beer, of course! I’m a big fan of the Belgian White, but really enjoyed the Habanero!
Things that aren’t so great:
–the one urinal/​one stall bathroom isn’t designed to handle the hundred+ people that show up on Saturdays. Ladies especially get the shaft because they, ahem, don’t have one.
–it’s hard to find because they don’t have a sign. (This is because TROSA Moving is across the street; I can respect that.)
–the tour can be hard to hear.
As you can see, Triangle’s positives definitely outweigh the negatives for a solid 4-​creeping-​up-​to-​5-​star review.

One of the best brewery tours I’ve been on, and I’ve been on a ton all over the country!
First I was a little concerned because the place is kind of hard to find. You have to park, go through the fence, and then all the way around the building. Second I thought the tour was running super late because we got there right at 1PM which I read online is when the tour starts but I guess it really starts at 1:30PM. Ah well.
Prior to the tour the folks at Triangle poured generous samples for everyone. And there were a lot of people there! At least 50, probably more. I sampled the Belgian White and it was good. Not greater than any of my true favorite Belgian styles (Ommegang, Pretty Things) but still tasty.
Rick led our tour and he was AWESOME! He was thorough, informative, gave a great history of the brewery and the business, told us some awesome fun tidbits about their journey, was honest, was totally up front about the costs of running the brewery, and just obviously super passionate about their beer and Triangle. I was very impressed. He answered a ton of questions too. Our tour had some great questions from the crowd and he answered every single one of them. Really cool.
The brewery tour is free (as are the samples) and the building is pretty big. Touring around a group of 40 or so people went smoothly.
This is the kind of brewery tour I love. Even if the beer doesn’t blow my feet off I still feel super loyal to the business because I know so much about it by the time I leave. I feel really invested in supporting a business that I know enough about to keep returning to to see how they are faring and what’s new on tap. Every brewery should leave an impression like this whether you are a brand new or repeat customer. They really have one shot to make a lifelong customer out of me and Triangle, and Rick, hit it out of the park. Awesome job guys, I can’t wait to come back!