Women of the Beer World

A chance beer led Samantha Malkmus to ownership at Good Hops Brewing, where she and head brewer Morgan Capozza are crafting standout beers and a community on Carolina Beach.

He bought her a beer, and the rest is history.

The female owner of Good Hops Brewing in Carolina Beach could not have foreseen where her (now) husband Robert’s gentlemanly gesture would lead, but Samantha “Sam” Malkmus is surely enjoying the ride.

Sam met Robert at a now-defunct watering hole in ILM called Charlie Brown’s, where she was gifted a beer. Now she and her female brewer, Morgan Capozza, are generating some quality beers for their “islanders.”

Harking back to the Middle Ages, when most brewers were women, the ladies have quite the symbiotic relationship. And it all started when Sam was just pouring beer at Good Hops for Rich and Trish, the former owners of the business.

Good Hops had been in place since 2014. In 2024, Sam and Robert bought the business in the building with a connection to Sam’s family. Her grandmother, Berline, used to work in the former glove factory that sat on the premises.

Sam was in the corporate world working at a doctor’s office, and Rob was working as a rep for a beer distributor called Coastal Beverage when the opportunity to become owners presented itself.

Wanting to ensure that her brewer, Morgan, and all her bartender buddies would stay on if they pulled the trigger, Sam was elated when they all stayed on, happy to work with — and for — their former colleague.

The seven-barrel system was generating seven beers, but now produces an array of 15 different beers which have become so popular that much of it is now self-distributed in cans, kegs and sixtels.

And it’s not hard to see why. Yours truly ordered an 8.4% Breakfast Stout called Josie Graham’s, a collab with Wilmington Coffee Roasters, and it could hold its own with any of the more famous ones, including those from Founders and KBC. The coffee notes in the nose alone warranted a second for me.

Likewise, an Italian Pilsner was delicious and dead on style — which requires careful attention by the brewer to capture the nuances of that beer. That it and the Kolsch are Morgan’s “transitional beers” speaks volumes about how much good beer matters to the Women of the Wort.

But most remarkable for this “Beers of the Solstice” lover came from a tap not in view of the general public. It was actually one of three “hidden’ in the brewhaus itself, and it was an incredible 9.7% barleywine.

You do not usually see that style coming out of local breweries, especially so well made. Sam allowed that only one of her current customers ordered it regularly. It’s a special style that one either loves or hates, kind of like a smoked rauchbier. And it’s quite dangerously drinkable, but Sam can now count two of us as devoteés. And speaking of smoked beers, Good Hops has three.

Sam confesses that with being a brewery owner and mom of three “radical” boys (one of which is aptly named Brewer), things can get a bit hectic. But somehow she and Robert manage to keep the ship on an even keel.

Just as remarkable is her attitude. Upbeat, happy, always smiling or laughing, one can tell she’s enjoying her personal life ride. And it’s good to see.

Sam took me into the back room to show me the facilities and the stored bicycles of her patrons who often pedal to the brewery, along with a few oaken barrels which may very well see future duty under the steady hand of Morgan. I can only imagine Josie Graham’s Breakfast Stout being barrel aged.

There is no food served at the business and food trucks are rare, as it seems they need to have a special permit to sell their wares if they cross over the bridge to the island. But you can certainly bring your own or order directly from nearby Riko’s Pizza for delivery.

Good Hops, which has almost 200 folks in its Mug Club, may be re-designing the club to better serve the public as the business continues to grow.

The property on which Good Hops sits is quite large and now houses an outdoor beer garden where the Cape Fear Beer and Hymn Singers perform monthly. On the night I visited, the hardy group was performing its Christmas music series for an enthusiastic crowd.

But crowds also come for another reason. This is also a popular disc golf destination that sees visitors trying to hone their skills from early morning till lights out.

Of course, Sam and Co. are happier when those golfers are buying Morgan’s beers during business hours. Sam’s goal, shared by Morgan, is to get to a point where people go to restaurants and bars and say, “I want whatever you have from Good Hops.”

A noble goal, that.

And from what I’ve seen, certainly attainable.

Want to go?
Good Hops Brewing
811 Harper Avenue, Carolina Beach
(910) 512-6697
goodhopsbrewing.com