Do you like good beer? Then you’d better visit Asheville for a real treat! One of the feature stories in last Friday’s newspaper was about the fact that Asheville has become a major brewing center. We already have six breweries and two more are about to open.
When you have a cluster of small breweries near each other, they tend to really flourish, according to Julie Herz with the Brewers Association, a nonprofit brewing trade association in Boulder, CO. There are seven breweries located within walking distance of each other there. It increases the local education level and creates a destination beer community for beer lovers. Everyone benefits!
The Bruisin’ Ales beer store in downtown Asheville was recently ranked by a Rate Beer Best vote as the world’s second best beer store. They have over 650 beers from around the world. They also sell every kind of fun beer paraphernalia like hats, glasses, bottle openers, apparel, books, magazines, guides and more. What they have also become known for are their Bruise Cruise bus tours to local breweries and special beer events.
Asheville has been called “the beer city of the South” by Sean Wilson, leader of the Pop the Cap organization that promotes craft breweries across North Carolina. There are about three dozen breweries in the state. The concentration of breweries in Asheville has put it in the company of some of the other U.S. brewing cities like San Diego, Portland, OR, and Boulder, CO.
So, come to Asheville! Take a brew tour and let us know what you think. Of course, we hope you’ll stay with us at Lovers’ Loop Retreat! Email to reserve our guest suite now – sunrisescribes@bellsouth.net.
