Peak Drift Brewing ribbon cutting ceremony

The ribbon cutting ceremony held at Peak Drift Brewing | Photo by COLAtoday team

Yesterday, locals gathered at 3452 North Main St. to see Peak Drift Brewing Company unveil its state-of-the-art production facility during its ribbon-cutting ceremony. The brewery’s leadership team, business leaders, and elected officials spoke about SC’s newest craft beverage company that produces high-quality, award-winning beverages.

Tastings of its inaugural beer and hard seltzers were available after the ceremony along with tours of the brewery. If you didn’t get the chance to stop by here’s what you missed and what’s coming next.

Peak Drift Brewing Facility — Peak Drift production in the state-of-the-art facility

The 64,849 sqft brewery will include a ~25,000 sqft production facility. The new facility will come decked out with innovative technology like:

A state-of-the-art packaging system
Fruit processing equipment for making in-house purées
A deaerated water system will allow the brewery to make carbonated drinks
Surface tension technology will allow the brewery to produce alkaline water and natural cleaning solutions
An onsite lab for testing all products to ensure optimal quality
A membrane filtration system to produce hard seltzers and non-alcoholic craft beers

Among the new machinery, Peak Drift will be the second company in the nation to own a $4 million commercial high-volume digital can printer. The printer allows the brewery to print in-house graphics on cans — making them 100% recyclable — and offers digital printing to other breweries in Columbia.

Peak drift brew rendering — Renderings for Peak Drift Brewing Company’s entertainment complex.

The facility will be the behind-the-scenes operation of the brewery, but locals will soon be able to enjoy an entertainment complex including:

Indoor and outdoor dining
Lounge areas
An expansive bar
Games
Sports
A members-only gym

Click the button below to see when the brewery plans to open, follow along on a tour we took last June, and find where you can get your hands on brews today.

ALE YEAH

EVENTS

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Thursday, Jan. 19

Members Bring a Friend Day | Thursday, Jan. 19 | 6 p.m. | 515 Main St., Columbia | Free | CMA members are invited to bring a friend to enjoy the museum with free admission.
History of Barbecue Presentation | Thursday, Jan. 19 | 6:30-8 p.m. | 231 Fox St., Lexington | $10 | This presentation will look at the origins of pit-cooked meats in the New World and trace the development of barbecue in SC from the colonial era till today, with a special focus on Lexington County.

Friday, Jan. 20

Clarissa’s Kitchen & Catering Ribbon Cutting | Friday, Jan. 20 | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 7713 St. Andrews Rd., Irmo | Free | The ribbon cutting will take place at 11:45 a.m. and a light lunch will be provided.

Saturday, Jan. 21

West Columbia’s Meeting Street Artisan Market | Saturday, Jan. 21-Saturday, Dec. 23 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Interactive Art Park, 425 Meeting St., West Columbia | Free | Browse original arts and crafts from local makers, fresh produce, and local prepared food vendors.
USC Gamecocks Mens Basketball vs. Auburn University Tigers Mens Basketball | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 3:30 p.m. | Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St., Columbia | $30-$65 | Root for the Gamecocks as they take on the Auburn Tigers in Colonial Life Arena.
Our Own Work, Our Own Way: Ascendant Women Artists | Saturday, Jan. 21-Monday, Feb. 6 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | Free | This exhibition brings together 41 female artists of the 20th century who had connections to the South.*

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

SHOP

Quality should never be a luxury

Two women wearing high-quality, neutral-colored cashmere sweaters sit on the beach together.

Quince delivers high-quality essentials at affordable prices, directly from the factory to you. | Photo by Quince

You deserve to have nice things. At Quince, you can treat yourself to the finer things in life. We’re talking 100% Mongolian cashmere, washable silk, Italian leather, 14K gold, European linen + more everyday luxuries — always up to 80% less than other brands, always with free shipping + returns for 365 days.

Plus, Quince partners with responsible factories around the world and bypasses the traditional retail middlemen, so you can sustainably elevate your life at affordable prices.*

SHOP

NEWS NOTES

Weather

75º | Mostly cloudy | 20% chance of rain 🌥

Coming Soon

Well, butter my Vicious Biscuit. A brunch restaurant specializing in fun biscuit dishes is coming soon to 3246 Forest Dr. in Forest Acres. The location used to be Pizza Joint and will likely open this fall. 🧈 (The State)

Number

$4 million. That’s how much Market Place at Congaree Point — a new farmers market and commercial kitchen coming to Columbia — will cost. It will be located near the intersection of Bluff and Atlas roads and is expected to open in June 2026. 💰 (The Post and Courier)

Traffic

Long-awaited pedestrian safety improvements are coming to Five Points. Adjustments that include new crosswalks, medians, bike lanes, and fewer vehicle lanes will happen along Harden and Devine Streets. Work is expected to begin in April. The State has more on the specifics. 🚧 (The State)

Community

Riggs Partners will host the 25th annual CreateAthon event — a 24-hour marathon where marketing services are provided to nonprofits on a pro bono basis — on March 23-24. If interested, submit a CreateAthon application by February 10.

Wellness

Who wants to sleep better in the New Year? 🙋 Here are some natural ways to improve your sleep. Hint: One of them includes drinking tart cherry juice before bed. 💤 *

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Sam.

Editor’s pick: I’m giving Hannah Wade — a local food writer for the Free Times — a shoutout. She recently wrote a piece called, “Columbia’s bartenders, chefs, and restaurant staff showcase food-related tattoos” and I really enjoyed reading it. It was an extremely creative way to cover Cola’s local food and drink scene and the stories that came from the “tattoo tours” were fascinating. Great job, Hannah! 🎉

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Understand our local government, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Lindsey Rhinesmith| Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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