Asheville, North Carolina is tucked into the Western part of North Carolina. For three years running it has been able to call itself BeerCity USA. Consistent community turnout of beer enthusiasm and support of local businesses has heaped votes in favor of Asheville, more than in any other USA city.
There’s an airport but I can’t say that it’s exactly always easy to get to… But after a 24 hour delay I managed to get to initiate a plan B and get to Knoxville, Tennessee and then drive to Asheville. The ordeal was worth every challenging travel related moment. I hit the streets in April and managed a walk-friendly visit to many of Asheville’s downtown breweries. Downtown in and of itself is a cool place to wander.
Where’d I go? The Asheville Brewing, Green Man Brewing, Craggie Brewing, Lexington Ave. Brewing (LAB) and Oyster House Brewing companies are all downtown. Asheville Brewing had great pizzas and a diverse clientele. I questioned the 80-something white haired woman eating her lunch next to our table, “Do you enjoy the beer here?” She looked at me puzzled, “Do they make beer here?” She was a regular and obviously enjoyed the ambiance and after I noted that behind the door there was a brewery I and the brewmaster offered her a sample of Kölsch. She liked it but wasn’t in the position to enjoy one in mid afternoon. We all smiled and I enjoyed several taste samples with Brewmaster Doug. I continued my way sampling dozens of beers that late morning and early afternoon.
Green Man had great English and other ales, Craggie featured various sessionable lower alcohol brews as well as specialties all in perfect condition and balance, LAB had great pale ale, stouts, browns and porters, Oyster House featured seafood along with its house brews which we visited one evening for dinner. But our car did get booted in an empty parking lot late that evening…my bad.
Short drives to Wedge Brewing, French Broad Brewing and Highland Brewing offered a kaleidoscope variety of experiences. Wedge offered fascinating location near the railroad tracks with lots of great iron sculptures and artwork and terrific specialties all on tap. There’s a great barbecue place near French Broad Brewing, so after you sample the beer it’s a short walk to some great food though French Broad seemed to have an evening menu I didn’t have time to experience.
Highland Brewing, the largest and original brewery in Asheville hosted a North Carolina Brewers Guild meeting which I attended, followed by an American Homebrewers Association rally the next day. Terrific beer, food, tours and hospitality flowed.
Asheville proudly represents it’s designation as BeerCity USA. There were so many people I encountered throughout the city (car rental staff, random realtor encountered at a restaurant, airline employees, etc. but the car boot attorneys parking lot seemed not to have a clue about relaxing and not worrying even at 10 p.m. – I wished I could have offered them a beer) randomly commenting about and offering their support of local businesses and local brewers and their beer. Many were not even affiliated with beer (except perhaps as beer drinkers) nor any brewing company which made the experience even more remarkable. It’s not only a beer friendly town – it’s a friendly town.
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