Beer flows through the South’s Tastiest Town, a designation awarded to Durham by Southern Living magazine. As a city where entrepreneurial spirit meets creative impulse and undeniable good taste, Durham thrives on anticipation that the next big thing is on its way. There’s never a lull or a dull moment, as visitors discover.

For beer travelers, the top points of interest are the four breweries within two square miles, and the proximity creates an exceptional opportunity for a day full of tastings. Each offers a unique perspective on brewing and crafting different styles of beer, and fills a special niche in a city that embraces craft beer.

Many know Bull City Burger & Brewery for its food, but the house-made beers are an equally strong attraction. Producing styles that span the globe, the brewery maintains a dedication to authenticity, and to Durham’s history, that comes through in every pint. The beer is also available locally for purchase at other restaurants and some local retail.

In what has become a community gathering place and food truck hub, Fullsteam Brewery is a ?plow to pint" brewery devoted to using local and seasonal produce including sweet potatoes, figs, and even basil, to make their beers. The product is on tap up and down the Eastern Seaboard and available through local retailers.

Focusing on Belgian and American-style ales, Triangle Brewing Company is Durham’s oldest operating brewery. Available wholesale and retail, the unpasteurized and preservative-free beers can be found at Triangle shops and restaurants, which soon will include the brewery’s own Triangle Pint and Plate.

The quest for beer from Ponysaurus Brewing creates an adventure all its own. Launched in 2013 with the slogan "The Beer Beer Would Drink if Beer Could Drink Beer," the nano brews in a 200-square-foot lofted area in The Cookery, a culinary incubator space, that’s accessible only by a hydraulic lift. To sample the beer, make your way to Geer St. Garden, Watts Grocery and Mateo bar de Tapas, three of many stars on the Durham culinary front.

To get a sample of several brews, Beltline Brew Tours hosts a complete guided tour of all three breweries on Saturdays. And ample opportunities await for exploring the region’s craft brews — restaurants, taverns and the newly renovated Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

To learn more about more NC craft beer destinations, visit www.ncbeermonth.com for more information.