Craft beer tasting at Cotswold Harris Teeter

If you're looking for a different happy hour setting this Friday, check out a craft beer sampling and sale event at the Harris Teeter in Cotswold.

The store, at South Sharon Amity and Randolph roads, is hosting a dozen breweries on March 11, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Customers (over 21, of course) will be able to sample beers from these craft breweries: Great Lakes, Oscar Blues, Harpoon, Lone Rider, Magic Hat, Highland, Abita, Saranac, Flying Dog, Smutty Nose, Crooked and Sierra Nevada.

Beer samplings at grocery stores in North Carolina have been legal for less than two years, after a new state law went into effect in late 2009. Servings are limited to two-ounce sample cups. In-store wine tastings have been legal since 2001.

Also starting Friday is the city's second annual Craft Beer Week, organized by local brew enthusiasts. Check out a calendar of events, which include samplings and contests, here.

What beers are you looking forward to trying, and what do you think of Charlotte's beer scene?