Picking a name for a brewery is tough. Since we didn’t think Varner Brewing Company was very catchy, we decided to look to history to help us find a name. North Carolina is rich in history and one thing that caught our attention was that North Carolina had its own gold rush. In fact, the North Carolina gold rush predates the California gold rush by almost 50 years. According to most accounts, it all started at Reed’s Mine in Cabarrus County, North Carolina when a 12-year-old boy discovered a 17-pound gold nugget while out fishing one day. North Carolina went on to be the leading producer of gold in the country until the discovery in California in 1849. People even had more faith in coins from the Bechtler Mint, North Carolinas premier mint, than that of the U.S. Government mints.

What does this have to do with Eluvium? Well, eluvium or eluvial gold placer deposits are gold deposits that derive from in place weathering where the surrounding soil and sediment is washed away leaving the rich heavy gold deposits behind. These deposits are typically closer to the source where you would find the larger gold nuggets.

So, in our own little quest for gold, or in our case, gold medal worthy beer, we chose to call ourselves Eluvium Brewing Company. And we want to make beer that people not only enjoy drinking but, beer that our supporters and community can call their own. We hope you can stop in and claim your beer soon!