According to the North Carolina Brewers Guild there are 79 breweries and brewpubs in North Carolina as of July 2013. Since visiting 79 locales in one day would be logistically impossible, we prepared a four-stop brewery tour. Our tour begins in Brevard, makes a stop in Hendersonville and ends in Asheville. Each of these breweries offers more than a great local beer. They all welcome children, pets and either offer food and snacks or welcome picnic baskets. Celebrate your state’s brews with our tour this weekend and top it all off with the 2013 Brewgrass Festival in Asheville. Cheers!
Brevard Brewing Company | Southern Appalachian Brewery | Greenman Brewery | Wedge Brewing Company
Brevard Brewing Company
Brevard Brewing Company is a family-owned operation on Main Street, Brevard. This brewery is the only setup in western North Carolina specializing in lagers. Kyle Williams, the brewmaster and owner, focuses mainly on German-inspired lagers, but provides a selection of American ales as well. Every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. there is live music and every Thursday at 7 p.m. is open-mic night. The tap room is welcome to children and pets. Check the website for hours and further details. On Tap Now. 63 East Main Street, Brevard, NC (828) 885-2101. Back To Top
Southern Appalachian Brewery
The next stop in our tour is about 30 minutes away in Hendersonville. The Southern Appalachian Brewery is located right off of North Main Street at. Owners Andy and Kelly Cubbin started this microbrewery in 2011. They specialize in creating small batch craft ales and an excellent tasting room atmosphere to sip, listen to music and hang out. An indoor bar and large outdoor space provides ample room to bring food, the kids and pets to spend the afternoon. Make sure to try one of the Underground Baking Co’s Brezels on sale in the tasting room Wednesday through Saturday. A full list of dates for events and music is on their website. On Tap Now. 822 Locust Street, Hendersonville, NC (828) 684-1235. Back To Top
Greenman Brewing
Greenman Brewery in downtown Asheville has created a mythical experience with their Greenman mascot. Since 1997 this brewery has grown exponentially in its reach, but the tasting room remains a local hangout and haven for local and traveling beer lovers. Head brewer, John Stuart, and the rest of the Greenman team fashioned a brewery known for traditional ales. Along with the ales, seasonals and specialty brews are also available. Open seven days a week, the Buxton Avenue tasting room and patio provides a casual space to view the entire facility while sipping their finished products. On Tap Now. 23 Buxton Avenue, Asheville, NC (828) 252-5502. Back To Top
Wedge Brewing Company
Located in the River Arts District of Asheville, our last stop, Wedge Brewing Company, is named aptly for the space it occupies. A true neighborhood brewery, Wedge Brewing emphasizes classic styles of beer. Brewmaster Carl Melissas jumped at the chance to start a brewery in the midst of Asheville’s artists’ community embodying the ideal of craft beer as an art form. Open seven days a week, this brewery provides great beer and food via the assortment of food trucks on site. Tin Can Pizzeria, El Kimchi and Cecilia’s Culinary Tour are all on site throughout the week, check the homepage for scheduling. Music every Tuesday nights along with outdoor movie showings make this brewery a reliable hang out both weeknights and weekends. On Tap Now (Scroll to the bottom of the page). 125B Roberts Street, Asheville, NC (828) 505-2792. Back To Top
Check it out! 2013 Brewgrass festival
The 17th annual Brewgrass Festival takes place this Saturday, Sept. 21 in Asheville at the Martin Luther King Jr. Park. An excellent pairing of bluegrass and beer, the festival is hosted by the Great Smokies Craft Brewers Association and benefits Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Western North Carolina. Visit their website for ticket information and the line-ups of beers and bands.Back To Top
