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Asheville Brews Cruise—Get a behind-the-scenes tour of what's happening in Beer City USA. The Brews Cruise is your all-access pass and comes with your very own designated driver!
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Bruisin' Ales—Looking for some expert guidance or micro-brew souvenirs? Check out this specialty shop on Broadway, which was named the number five beer retailer in the U.S.! Plan to visit during one of their popular tasting events.
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Weekly Beer Tasting—Aside from the tasting rooms at each brewery, you can also visit Hops & Vines every Friday from 5-7 PM. Each week they feature a different brewery or style of beer, or even homebrew!
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Beer Flights—Why settle for one when you can have all the beers? Many breweries, such as Lexington Avenue Brewery (LAB for short) and French Broad Brewing Company, offer beer flights so you can pinpoint your favorite.
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Farm-to-Glass—The secrets behind Asheville's tasty brew can be found in the fresh mountain water plus locally sourced ingredients such as North Carolina malts and fresh hops from mountain-based farms. Schedule a hops tour with Hop N Blueberry or Echoview farms to learn more about the beer making process.
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Mountain Boogie—Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain jams all summer long with their outdoor concert series. Grab a Frisbee and enjoy a pint of their popular Pisgah Pale Ale under the open sky. Just be sure to leave Fido at home.
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Picnic by the River—The Bywater is a local's favorite with multiple grills for cooking out, outdoor games and plenty of local beer on tap. You'll have to purchase a membership at the door, but it's worth it. Get there early to avoid the waiting list.
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Go Nano—And you thought micro-brews were all the rage. Check out the nano-brews served up at Thirsty Monk. Brewing smaller batches allows more flexibility to create unique concoctions like Coconut Porter, Cherry Chocolate Stout and their Scotland TrainWreck IPA. This menu changes constantly so you never know what they'll come up with next.
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Mountains to Sea—Bringing the ocean a little closer to the mountains, The Oyster House Brewing Company offers Moonstone Stout, a special brew where oysters (shell and all) are included as an ingredient. You won't get the taste of oysters from the beer, but it does provide hints of sea salt, calcium and other minerals that become part of the overall flavor. This brewery is located inside The Lobster Trap in downtown Asheville.
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Feel the Burn—Visit Asheville Brewing Company in downtown Asheville for their unique Fire Escape Ale. Brewed with smoked jalapenos, this brew has offers a bit of a bite and a particularly piquant finish. Can't stand the heat? Check out their Rocket Girl Lager, a local favorite.
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Movie Night—Sip on an Iron Rail IPA while watching a cult-hit flick at Wedge Brewery in the River Arts District. Bring a chair and enjoy their outdoor theater experience right by the train tracks. Or, take it indoors and catch a movie at the Asheville Pizza and Brewing in north Asheville. Try their Rocket Girl Ale!
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Filtered Flavor—Shake it up a bit. No not your beer, just the flavor. French Broad Brewing creates unique batches of brew using a Randall filter. This gives them the ability to add roasted almonds to their brown ale or lavender to their porter.
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Get Dirty—If you love a good dive bar then check out Dirty Jacks. Serving up Green Man brews like the super hoppy IPA and signature ESB, this downtown Asheville brewery produces some of Asheville's most iconic ales.
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Keeping it Classy—If dive bars aren't your scene, take it up a notch, or at least up a mountain. The Grove Park Inn serves up their very own brew, The Great Gatsby Abbey. Created by Highland Brewing, you can enjoy a pint while taking in the sunset view from the Great Hall Bar.
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Biltmore Beer—Biltmore is well-known for their wines, but they also serve up their own signature beers. While visiting the estate, head over to Cedric's Tavern in Antler Hill Village for the Cedric's Brown Ale with hints of toasted caramel or their Pale Ale.
