CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Turns out Americans are drinking their way through the Coronavirus pandemic.
A new report by Neilsonshows booze sales jumped 55 percent compared to last year, but local breweries are struggling to get the product out of the warehouse.
Sugar Creek Brewing Company, on Southside Drive, has a problem.
"I was blown away by the amount of beer we had death row is immediately what popped up into my head cause I knew there's no possible way to get rid of all this beer" co-owner Eric Flanigan said.
"Definitely scary you take it one day at a time," co-owner Joe Vogelbacher said.
They have a lot of beer, some of it stuck in kegs.
"We have beer in the tanks right now that we can't even fit in the kegs that were not sure what to do with," Vogelbacher said.
When Governor Roy Cooper ordered bars closed due to coronavirus, they got creative, beer curbside and online, but still their business is hurting.
Sugar Creek now offering kegs half off.
Meanwhile, hard liquor sales up compared to the same time last year. Tequila, gun, and pre-mixed cocktails leading the way.
And it appears people are getting alcohol while practicing social distancing. Neilson says online sales are up by 243%.
But back at the brewery, around 11,000 gallons of beer, 1,145 kegs, half-priced. The only option to save the brew.
For some, it's just a drink, but for these Charlotte locals, it's far more.
It means so much to me it represents my livelihood the livelihood of all our employees and our craft," Vogelbacher said.
1/6 of a keg is going for $40, while a half-barrel keg is going for $80. You do have to put down a $100 deposit on the keg, which will be refunded after you return it empty.
The half-priced kegs can be picked up curbside from 3-7 p.m. weekdays and 12-5 p.m. weekends.