Above left to right: Reward Pale Ale, King of the Mountain Double IPA, Triclops Tripel at Boojum Brewing
Beer: Big Flavors in Small Towns
Story by Gary Glancy | Photos by Megan Authement
It’s no secret that Asheville has become a big time beer destination for tourists from around the country, and even the world. Whether it’s the major draws like New Belgium Brewing Company and Sierra Nevada, or some of the smaller venues that have turned the city’s South Slope neighborhood into a brewing district, visitors just can’t seem to get enough of “Beer City USA.”
That energy has bubbled over to the surrounding smaller towns throughout Western North Carolina. Entrepreneurs in the craft brewing industry have created beer scenes for these communities to call their own.
Last year, the popular Boojum Brewing opened in downtown Waynesville, joining Frog Level, Tipping Point, and Bearwaters for a total of four amazing breweries—the most of any mountain town outside of Asheville in Western North Carolina.
Hendersonville—the second-largest WNC city behind Asheville in population—was considered the logical next home for a thriving craft-brew territory, and it’s finally happening. Southern Appalachian Brewery, which opened five years ago last spring, was joined in 2015 by Sanctuary Brewing and this year by Basic Brewing. And, on the way soon will be Stags Head Brewing, giving ‘Hendo’ its fourth brewery as well. Sanctuary Brewing has a strong animal advocacy message, and leashed pets are welcome to come with their owners.
Out in Brevard, Oskar Blues and Brevard Brewing opened in 2012, and this summer Ecusta Brewery added to the excitement by launching not one, but two venues.
Just north of Asheville, Blue Mountain Pizza & Brew Pub has been a popular hangout for residents of Weaverville, and recently Zebulon Artisan Ales joined the mix in that town. To the east in Black Mountain, Pisgah Brewing has been a longtime iconic member of the WNC craft-beer family, and in 2013 Lookout Brewing opened in the quaint downtown.
Meanwhile, Blue Ghost Brewing in Fletcher and Mills River Brewery in Arden—located just around the corner from one another—have given the Fletcher area multiple craft breweries as well.
And it’s not just the locals who are soaking up the pilsners, stouts and India Pales Ales. Those same visitors who are traveling far and wide to Asheville to engage in what’s become widely known as ‘beercations’ are making a point to set aside time for half- and full-day excursions to these surrounding towns to check out the breweries there.
This point hasn’t been lost on those working in the travel and tourism industry, who have increased their focus on marketing these areas as beer destinations of their own. In Hendersonville, for example, a Cheers! Trail guide was developed this year to encourage visitors to explore Henderson County’s many breweries, wineries and hard-apple cideries.
No doubt beer is helping to generate tourist dollars for WNC’s many thriving communities, but it’s also nice that, as locals, we get to enjoy these unique breweries in our very own towns.
Gary Glancy is a freelance writer, bartender and Certified Cicerone® living in Hendersonville.
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