Carolina Brewing Company
(http://www.carolinabrew.com) - 140 thomas mill rd in holly springs - cbc conducts weekly tours on saturday afternoons, and it's best to arrive anywhere from 15-30 minutes early to make sure you get a sample of their beer both prior to the tour. no fear if you arrive late, however, as the taps are typically open for an hour afterwards as well. cbc brews an india pale ale, a nut brown ale, and the carolina pale ale year round available at the brewery, in local stores, and in many local bars and restaurants and usually has one or two seasonal beers available only at the brewery or on tap at select local establishments.
Big Boss Brewing company
(http://www.bigbossbrewing.com) - 1249 wicker dr in raleigh - big boss conducts monthly tours on saturday afternoons, and it's usually best to check the website to find out exactly when. as with cbc, it's a good idea to get there a bit early, as there's usually a pretty good crowd there. big boss brews an assortment of seasonal beers that are distributed locally in addition to their year-round bad penny brown ale, helles belle belgian blond, and angry angel kolsch ale that are also sold in bottles at local stores. big boss also features an on-site pub called horniblows tavern. though not located in one of the trendy areas of town, horniblows is a great place for knocking back a couple of brews and solving the world's problems with your mates.
Lonerider Brewing Company
(http://www.loneriderbeer.com/) - 8816 gulf court #100 in raleigh near the airport and brier creek. one of the areas nearest breweries, it has quickly penetrated the market. often considered a brewers brewery, they offer a handful or more of well-crafted beers. brewery tours fairly regularly at about once a month.
Those not from the American South should be sure to order "sweet tea". Sweet tea, along with Sundrop and Cheerwine, has long been considered a native beverage, and is served in most restaurants. The sweetness will vary in accordance with the locale, but is nevertheless much sweeter than any tea served elsewhere in the nation.