Craft Brew News was only able to visit a fraction of the Asheville breweries when we were there for the Sierra Nevada Sales Conference. The city has great beer (and food!). It's designation as a Top Beer Town in America is well deserved. Home to 14 breweries within city limits, not including New Belgium's east cost locale currently under construction.
We visited Green Man Brewery, owned by former beer wholesaler Dennis Thies, who is planning an expansion into the 2 adjacent lots. The expanded facility will include a new rooftop beer garden, bigger fermenters, and a new packaging facility. Dennis will also be partner brewing at Brew Hub in FL next year.
Wedge Brewing in the River Arts District, is around the corner from the New Belgium site. The site's interesting metal sculptures fit their slogan, "Beer is Art." A band was warming up outside during our visit.
Both Green Man & Wedge rely on rotating food trucks to complement their brews.
Wicked Weed downtown brewed 2800 bbls last year and is on track to brew 5000 this year. They have a Sour House, a Barrel House and just opened a Funk House called the Funkatorium a few blocks away. Wicked Weed self-distributes in Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte & Asheville.
In addition to brewery visits, local brews are available in LOTS of bars and restaurants. We particularly enjoyed the signage outside The Thirsty Monk
Pics from Green Man Brewery visit:
from Wicked Weed Brewery visit:
from Wedge Brewing visit:
