You’re the meaning of my life, you’re the inspiration — beloved lyrics from the song “You’re the Inspiration” by Chicago. Songs with good lyrics, a great hook, a strong beat, and an overall vibe create major ear worms. That same criteria applies to naming beers at Birdsong Brewing Company.

Birdsong started in 2011, when Chris and Tara Goulet brewed up the idea of a small, neighborhood brewery where people could take home a fresh pale ale.

“It turns out Charlotte was really excited for the craft beer scene to bloom and blossom,” says Tara. The excitement led Birdsong a mile up the road from its original location to 1016 N. Davidson Street.

“When we opened, we had literally one beer on tap and it was a pale ale. After the first two months, we slowly kind of brought out new beers,” says Goulet.

Goulet and her husband were at home listening to “Free Will” by Rush. “Going through opening the brewery, I just had this moment of, ‘this feels like our experience,’ it was just talking to me,” she says. Thus, becoming the name of their first brew. Editor’s note: the song played in the taproom during our interview.

Birdsong Brewing Co. releases small batches of brews every Thursday. | Photo via Birdsong Brewing Co.

When visiting the taproom, you’ll be able to tie beer names to the songs they are inspired by, such as:

Lazy Bird Brown Ale - John Coltrane
Good As Helles Tropical Lager - Lizzo
Honey Pie Double IPA - The Beatles
All Knight Long Blonde Ale - Lionel Richie
Hazy Sexy Cool Hazy IPA - TLC

How are the names chosen? “We've always listened to music in the back. We’ve named our beers after songs that give us inspiration and fit the beer's flavor profiles,” says Goulet.

The next time you’re enjoying a drink at Birdsong, scan the QR code on the tables to save the growing playlist of beers songs that inspired the brews on tap.