Charlotte Elite Event: Beers & Grilled Cheese at Triple C

What a great turn out! Props to Ben and all those who assisted in putting together yet another fantastic Unilocal event! As many of us elites are ramping up for drink week (I know I am), this event felt well timed in terms of easing ourselves into the events ahead.
The bar, Triple C had a great venue, great service, and great brew recipes. Very tasty! I haven’t been out here before, but will say my first experience here was very enjoyable.
I was blown away to hear that they change most recipes weekly! That’s crazy! I mean, I «dabble» in brewing at home myself, and can understand the desire to change up a recipe until you get it right, but wow, every week is pretty lavish.
The beer tour/​info session was great to hear for me, as I brew myself as a hobby. I’m used to my 5 gal buckets so it definitely looks a little different at that scale!
The food truck, Papi Queso, had some fantastic grilled cheese that I thought was great. Very unique grilled cheese recipes. Of course, as a few have also mentioned, they could have been a little better suited for the scale of the event, sure, but that’s neither here nor there, and I enjoyed the one ¼ sandwhich I was able to get my hands on.
All together I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the event and hope to frequent both Triple C and Papi Queso at later points.

I want to thank Ben, Triple C, and Papi Queso. I have read some of the other reviews and the disappointments that people had. However, I do not feel the same way. As much as I enjoy free things, it is not what is expected at the events for me. Start up company’s and small businesses can not give out unlimited amount of product. At some point marketing can only go so far and money needs to be made. Sure, I admit that stacked up and compared to other events it was not the greatest. But, it was still a nice event put on by Ben to get us all together and introduce us to Triple C and Papi Queso.
I had figured once I arrived that the «free» food would be hard to come by due to the amount of people. So I decided to go purchase a plate and not have to deal with the crowd. The only bad thing about that was I was not able to try all of the sandwiches because the sandwich I had were amazing. I am also a fan of Triple C’s beer. I was able to try a small sample of the Babymaker and then purchased their breakfast porter once they were done giving out samples. Both beers were fantastic. It was not my first time trying their beer, but it was my first time at the brewery. Needless to say I was impressed. It had a different vibe then the other brewery’s in town. Much more of a fun atmosphere. I like that they have ping pong and Foosball tables. Looking forward to my next Triple C and Papi Queso visit.

Big kudos to our fearless (and somewhat less-​bearded than before) leader Ben for throwing together a replacement event on such short notice. Totally appreciated. Also huge thanks to Triple C and Papi Queso for hosting us.
With that in mind, I’ll simply echo what has been said before. The company was amazing. Perhaps even a little too much. Maybe there were too many people — and dogs, and I love dogs — that it was just a little bit much. I love the crowd, and seeing such an incredible response when just a few short years ago there were not many of us trying to get together at a bowling alley or crowded around a single table eating Dim Sum? Awesome.
And I get that putting together the event on short notice is no easy task. But when all other events stand so tall, one may be bound to suffer by comparison, and so it is here.
Definitely worth checking out both Papi Queso and Triple C when they are not inundated by the mass of an elite event, as their offerings are impressive. But in this case, they both seemed a bit overwhelmed by the attention.

I am a HUGE fan of Triple C — the beer, the brewery, and the brewers!!! (So that’s a Triple B in my opinion! ;) I was so excited about getting to sample their newest brew, appropriately named Triple C, but was saddened to hear they had just run out prior to me getting there. BUMMER! But, Christina Murphy-​one of the owners of Triple C reassured me that they would be making another batch soon. Yay! My friends and I enjoyed samples of the Up All Night Porter (awesome!), Light Rail Pale Ale (an oldie but goodie), and Golden Boy. We also enjoyed Baby Maker and I tried the Smoked Amber… all delicious. We had three samples each (SWEET!) and purchased the rest of the pints ourselves. First time for me to try Papi Queso and I wasn’t disappointed. The only sample I got to score was the French Onion grilled cheese and it was to-​die-​for, so we went out and ordered two more sandwiches and wasn’t disappointed! Bryan and I split the Pig Mac (an amazing combination of bbq pork, grilled onions, and fluffy mac&cheese on pressed buttery bread!!!) and my friend had The Big Cheesy… also wonderful. Overall, a great event!!! Wonderful to see Triple C busy, as usual a privilege to see Ben, and get to hang out with some awesome people!!! Can’t wait for the next one!

Beer and grilled cheese sandwiches, a great combo anytime. Well, except for last night. I was really excited about this particular event since I had not had a chance to try Papi Queso yet. It was a great turnout for sure but just not enough food to go around. I did manage one quarter of a grilled cheese sandwich, which tasted fantastic but I guess I wasn’t fast enough to get anymore. That in itself wasn’t so bad but when my +1 (the wife, aka, Pat A.) and I decided just to order directly from the truck, they’d already sold out of everything, so we left hungry. That’s a rarity for an Elite Unilocal event. Now, let’s talk about Triple C. I’ve been here a hand full of times and I like it better each time come back. I got a chance to try the Up All Night Breakfast Porter. Ok, let me just say if I could have this for breakfast every morning, I would. I would not have a job anymore but I’d at least be happily drunk. See, this one has a nice coffee flavor and boast a 10% alcohol content. Very nice! Of course, hats off to our CM, Ben & his lovely better half, JJ, for putting together another wonderful event. I got a chance to hang out with some awesome Unilocalers and got to meet a few new ones, too. Looking forward to the next event for sure!

My first Unilocal Elite event! (insert *YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*) I wasn’t really sure what to expect, as I am not a delicate wallflower, but when faced with a herd of people who already seem to know each other, I generally cling to my +1. Thank you JJ for the welcoming smile at check-​in! I was looking forward to putting live faces with the informative/​charming/​useful/​funny reviews.
I would have never known Triple C even existed if not for the event. I am not much of a drinker, but always like to try new things. The brewery was so cool! I loved the vibe that we got as soon as we walked in the door from that. I kept hearing barking and thought maybe it was Jeebus trying to communicate with me, but alas it was one of the several dogs that were milling about (I love critters, so that was neat). The tour was very informative and you can tell the brew-​guy really digs his job. Me and +1 both got to sample two of the beers (I have no idea, he got them and I sipped on both), and then he switched to buying once we drained our allotted amount of free hooch. I also bought 2 pint glasses for us to cart home as souvenirs. I have already spread the word to friends and coworkers and we definitely plan on returning.
Papi Queso is good, eh? I have no idea. As I am not a big fan of throwing elbows to get a nosh and they ran out of food by the time we got outside to the truck, I did not get to partake in the cheesy goodness — although based on reviews from those who did get to eat, I will be checking their FB page to hopefully check them out for real sometime.
Thanks to Ben and company for putting it all together! +1 and myself had a great time and are looking forward to the next event!

Went here for my first Unilocal Elite event in Charlotte and had a great time. We were able to take a tour with the head brewer of the facilities and enjoyed tastings of some of their latest drafts. They mentioned that they would be releasing a Cajun draft for Mardi Gras next week, so I will be heading back to try that out!
Friendly service, beer is good and reasonably priced. I’d come back to take my out of-​town guests as one of the local breweries to try out in town.

Thanks to Ben, Triple C & Papi Queso for hosting an awesome event last night! Luckily, we arrived right on time — and were surprised there were so many people already there! This was a popular (a.k.a. packed) event — only my 3^rd, so I don’t know if that’s normal? Either way, we had fun tasting Triple C’s delicious brews and a grilled cheese nom-​nom!
We love to support all things local and getting a VIP tour of Triple C was great! Seeing the special lab where they are inventing their next brews — very cool! The staff at the bar was on top of it, even though it was chaotic they had big smiles for us thirsty Unilocalers =)
Can’t wait to get back to Triple C, hopefully on a Wednesday for a new release.

A great time, but I couldn’t get samples of some of the better beers and it was a borderline fight for some grilled cheese, LOL!
Awesome venue, I CAN“T WAIT till they throw another concert in the wharehouse next door.
The beer, is awesome, I’m complaining about not getting free samples of the baby maker and the up all night, when I’ve already tried it. AMAZING beers. And well worth paying for. The light rail pale ale is also pretty tasty but the other 2 are probably my favorite Charlotte beers.
The grilled cheese was good but a little over priced in my mind for what it is. The soup however is friggin amazing for $ 3.
The brewery tour was the highlight of my evening. Very straight to the point and informative.
All in all, it was a lot of fun, but definitely over crowded for what they had to offer.

Thanks Ben for putting this event together! I have been super busy in the new year and it was great to catch up with my fellow Unilocalers. Triple C and Papi Queso were both bookmarked for me to try so I’m glad I got to check out both in one night.
I was able to try a few of the beers and they were all pretty tasty sure they ran out quickly and that’s never good for anyone but I was happy to purchase a beer while I enjoyed my yummy grilled cheese from Papi Queso. I new there wasn’t a chance I was going to be able to push myself through the crowd to get a taste of these delicious sandwiches so I opted to head outside to the truck and place my order. I got out there just in time there were only five sandwiches left. The truffle chips were a-​ok nothing special to me but the fennel and mushroom grilled cheese was delicious I can’t wait until I can get my hands on another bite yummy!
Triple C is a great space, it’s large enough to handle a crowd and you can even bring your pups. I’m all for dog loving venues!

I have to agree with Shauna on this one that this event wasn’t as good as some of the others I’ve attended. I love these events and think Ben does a fabulous job in organizing them.
I have no qualms about Triple C. I arrived early as Triple C is a regular hangout for me on Wednesdays (as well as some other days) and I paid for my beers the entire night. I was also able to sample the 3 C IPA which was a special weekly release that sold out in record time.
My disappointment was with Papi Queso. Wednesday is a regular night for them at Triple C so they were not completely dedicated to the Unilocal crowd and they had trouble keeping up with the samplers. So many of us had to hawk over the sampling area to grab a bite.
I am not against food trucks at Unilocal events but due to their popularity maybe it would be best in the future to have a food truck dedicated to the Unilocal event.
But as always, it was great to see some of the Unilocal regulars and meet some new faces. Thanks again, Ben, Triple C, Papi Queso, Tonya and JJ.

I agree with Shauna & Jeff 100%. I really do appreciate all the hard work Ben puts into organizing these events, and usually the events are either a solid 4 or 5 stars. However, there were simply too many people and not enough resources for this event.
I was in Greenville, SC all day working at a client site and ended up working through lunch. As soon the meetings wrapped up at 4:30, I jumped in my vehicle and hauled @$# to get back to Charlotte in time to make it to this event, which I was looking forward to very much!
When I checked in, Ben explained how the beer tasting would work and mentioned that the Papi guys were going to be bringing in samples for us. Sounded like everything was on track, yay team! So, I made my rounds catching up with the folks I already knew, meeting some new Unilocalers, and tasting some Triple C brews. So far, so good!
So, when we noticed grilled cheese being brought out, the group of folks I was chatting with headed over to get in line for the food. Unfortunately, some of us were not fast enough, and all the samples were gone when we arrived. We waited for a bit to see if more would be making its way out, but when it became apparent that the samples were gone, we headed outside to order some food. (Because I had worked through lunch, I was starving and could have eaten a shoe by this point. Wish I had just gone outside and ordered as soon as I arrived instead of waiting to see what the tasting would bring.)
So anyhow, just after we had placed our orders for food, Ben came around to gather folks for the tour. Sadly, the sandwich orders took around 10 mins (or longer) so by the time we got our food, we had missed out on the brewery tour, which I had been looking forward to. Double Bummer! :-(
As far as the Triple C beers, overall I thought the quality was very good. I was not a fan of the Smoked Ale, but the Pale Ale and the Golden Blonde were good. I liked the set up of the venue too. The tasting room is a good size, and I would like to come back on a day when they aren’t so overwhelmed. I noticed the same thing as Shauna — some of the folks working the bar were clearly not happy about the Unilocal crowd. I did buy one beer to go with my sandwich but some of the folks behind the bar didn’t make me feel like we were really that welcome overall.
I guess from a planning perspective, it would have been nice to have at least 2 (or maybe even 3) food trucks to provide light bites for a crowd of hungry Unilocalers this size. Most people are coming straight from work and don’t have a chance to eat anything before coming, so its like a swarm of hungry locusts at these events! ;-)
Papi Queso just seemed to be a little overwhelmed between the size of the Unilocal crowd and the other patrons. When we placed our order, they had already run out of several menu items. We did enjoy our sandwiches though, and look forward to giving them another try when things aren’t quite so hectic.
So, even though this wasn’t a 5 star event for me, it did rate 3 stars since I was able to try some delicious beers and have a chance to socialize with cool & interesting Unilocalers!

I love Unilocal and love going to these events, but this one kind of missed the mark for me a little. I mean it’s tough to give these events any less than 5 stars because hey it’s free food, nosh, and fun times how can one complain? But this one just can’t compare to the awesomeness of the past ones so I can’t rate it quite as high… but first and foremost, thank you Ben I know you put a lot of hard work into these and I never want you to feel unappreciated.
I will say it didn’t seem that there was enough food or beverage for the crowd size. Unilocal elite is popular for sure but I think we would all be willing to sit one or two out if the one or two we go into provided enough food/​fun for all. I was able to try one-​quarter of a piece of grilled cheese so I can’t really comment on the food portion. but what little I did taste was good.
Also, the beer was good (enjoyed the IPA the best… but that was an oops as we found out it wasn’t included in the Unilocal tasting). We did get to try a few samplings — but I felt that a few of the bartenders were clearly upset/​irritated with the crowd as once it was announced the beer was gone the bartender literally snatched the tasting glass right out of my friends hand without so much as a word (it was really rude, and a little awkward to be honest). This is a chance for a business to stand out among a crowd of busy-​bee Unilocalers, and I felt that triple C didn’t represent themselves well… again, complete honesty here (not trying to offend anyone). We did buy one after it was tapped, so they hopefully did get some business out of us.
Now the positives — This is BY FAR the nicest brewery in the area in terms of space. It is much bigger than some of the other spots. I love that it’s dog friendly and I will definitely be bringing my dog in the summer as that yard is huge. I also thought the couch was a fun gag-​gift .I snagged some delicious mints and a pair of sunglasses. Tonya P. was snapping away –capturing great pictures as well.
We didn’t get a chance to take the tour as we left for dinner, but I will say I’d like to check that part out in the future. Lastly, Ben is super friendly as always — he never fails to be smiling bright so thanks Ben for putting this together :)

I love Unilocal events and while this one wasn’t one of the best I’ve been to it still was awesome. I arrived early and was able to sample quiet a few of the beers. My favorite by far was the Up All Night Breakfast Porter. My second favorite was the Smoked Amber. Unlike the Imperial Smoked Amber which had an extremely strong smokey flavor, the regular smoked Amber had just the right hint of it.
The brewery tour was one of the best Ive been on. I enjoyed being able to see and smell the barely and hops. I loved that they grow some of their own hopes right there at the brewery.
I was also lucky enough to get a seat that happen to be right where the grilled cheese was placed. It was everything I could have hoped for. The french onion tasted just like french onion soup. This was by far the best grilled cheese I have ever had.

Triple C Brewery. Papi Queso grilled cheese. Unilocalers and Unilocal Elites. Three of my favorite things!
I’ve been a budding regular of C3 since they opened and I’m glad to see so many other Unilocalers introduced to their awesomeness! When we arrived it was already a packed house, which is a sure sign that there is going to be fun to be had. It was great seeing my Unilocaly friends and meeting a few new people along the way!
The taster glasses were a neat spin — something easier to maneuver than a plastic cup, and the bar staff did a FANTASTIC job accommodating our influx and their regulars, all the while remaining upbeat and welcoming. It was also great to see their operation up close and meet the brewmaster.
I’ll give the Papi Queso guys the benefit — this was their first Elite event, and we are a hungry bunch. It looked like Walmart on Black Friday when the first plates of sandwich samples came in. I did snag a square and it was everything I dreamed of — toasty bread with a nice char, gooey, decadent cheese, and a hearty helping of pastrami. I was bummed that they ran out and I couldn’t order a full sandwich — next time, Papi. Next time.
This one was a very chill, low-​key event. The perfect mid-​week escape to help me make it to Friday. Many thanks to Triple C, Papi Queso, Tonya and Poprock, and of course Ben and JJ for a lot of fun!

I think I have to agree with Bruce K on this one. This event wasn’t my favorite and it wasn’t anything to do with the location or the event itself! Ben ROCKS and I think it was more so on my own part. I had to work a little late and by the time we walked in the door, I think we missed out on most of the good stuff.
I checked in, and walked to the back to scope out the Unilocal couch, that I was hoping I could win! It would make the perfect accessory to my art room/​office area. I grabbed some nifty Unilocal mints, and scoped the place out. The brewery itself was pretty cool, I could definitely see myself coming back sometime just to hang out, because of the lively presence that our Elite crowd created. Between all those happy faces and the pups running around, I was pretty excited!
That’s right, this place is super dog friendly, and it was a pretty neat experience. Dogs were pacing around and hanging out by our feet, probably hoping for a crumb or two of those Queso truck morsels. The seating was adequate, and the outdoor space was very inviting too.
Why the lower amount of stars? Well, as I’d said, I got there a bit later than anticipated, and by the time I got there they told us they were pretty much out of beer. I was a little bummed because I wanted to sample a couple different flavors so I could decide which to purchase now, and possibly in the future. The one they had left was pretty hoppy for my liking. Not a huge upset, but I was pretty bummed. I decided to forgo purchasing any because I didn’t think I’d find one I liked by guessing. Ah well…
As we were standing there I noticed a plate coming through of one of my faves… GRILLED CHEEEEEESE… NOMMMMM… So I wandered over there like a cartoon character floating through the air after the scent of that amazing wonderfood. I got over there, and the samples went so fast I snatched up the last one, and shared it with my honey. HOLY AMAZING SAUCE!!! It was soooooo good!!! But, I was feeling pretty selfish and hoping I wouldn’t have to share. My only child syndrome must have been kicking up in high gear… sigh.
We wandered outside and they told us they were almost out of food too. I decided to try their amazing sounding soup, and they were out… Chips, they were out… Me, bummed. So I didn’t order anything. I will definitely try to find the truck at some point though because that one taste has me hooked like a junkie already. MY PRECIOUSSSSS… seriously, grilled cheese and me are besties for life. I just wish I could have actually had a full sandwich with some soup.
Not a big deal on either part. The atmosphere was cool, and I’m starting to see some familiar faces at these events. I just think this one wasn’t meant to be for me and my crazy work schedule.

The Unilocal Elite faithful gathered this time at the local neighborhood watering hole to mix it up over a night that went to the dogs (literally). Cheese and beer are never a bad combination, but our CM brought the heat from the street with a potent mix of food truck gourmet grilled cheese and a smattering of dope microbrews so fresh we could see the tanks they had just been brewed from.
Triple C Brewing played host and bartender to this motley crew that included Unilocal Elites, their guests, and a number of neighborhood hounds. The space is suited perfectly for a small brewery, feeling something like a European beer hall with long communal tables and plenty of space to move around and chat. A glass wall is all the separates patrons from the large metal tanks where you can watch the next micro-​batch being made. A large bar in the center is easily accessed from three sides and large chalkboards clearly lay out the offerings from the wall o’taps. Take a snifter, a glass, or an entire grinder home with you. Yes, please!
I got to sample three different brews on this trip and each had its own merits that would gladly have justified another glass more. Golden Boy Ale was bright in color and hoppy flavor, but light enough to go down easy on a warm summer day. Light Rail Pale Ale had citrus notes and plenty of malty flavor such that it could stand on its own, no food pairing needed. But the Babymaker DIPA was in another league: a bit bitter with plenty of malty flavor, and at 8.5% APV this ain’t no sipping suds. The moniker on this guy is well earned. Note to self: growler of this guy for the weekend is a party all by itself.
I also got to sample a grilled cheese sandwich from the Papi Queso food truck, parked just outside. I’ve been lusting over this particular food truck since it made it’s debut in the CLT late last year. And while I only got a few bites of bliss, they were quality. Thick Texas-​style toast grilled to golden perfection. Gooey white cheese melted to stringy nirvana, and caramelized onions that joined everything together. The plates were mobbed here for good reason. Aye papi!
Always good to see Unilocaly friends and catch up (and restock my supply of mints and chapstick). Nice preview of things to come for Unilocal Drinks week. Consider this appetite whetted!

Lets just say… From all the other Unilocal events I’ve been to, this one was a little disappointing in my opinion. No, it wasn’t your fault Ben! As we all know, our CM does it big every time, but this time the vendors didn’t do so well on their end. I guess they’re new? (So everyone says…) Triple C did however supply for a limited amount of time some beer, and Queso I guess did their best with their food supply. (Luckily I got a bite of the Grilled Cheese and Triple C beer) However, within the hour Triple C ran out of beer (which I think they just ran out of giving out samples… They didn’t run out of beer) and Queso ran out of food! (But, I believe you could still buy some if you were fast enough?) I don’t know, it was a little confusing.
Ben is still the man though for pulling this together after the January event didn’t go through! Props to him! I look forward to the next one! I got my Unilocal swag, and see my Unilocal friends. So all in all, not bad.