Sierra Nevada NC

My Wife and I visited SN when we were in Asheville and enjoyed it enough that we will return. Good beer, good food, good service, nice facility. Whats not to like? We also visited some smaller places that we liked.

 

To the original OP. Being an employee of the taproom, i must say it's tough to keep that small, organic feel when we have a 400 seat taproom and other outlets to hold 500+ more throughout the facility.

Of course beer and quality is our #1 goal but what is most important other than that is creating memories for our customers.

We appreciate the folks who come to enjoy WNC and SN.

I for one consider myself beyond lucky to live so close and can call SN in Mills River my 2nd home .

Cheers!

 

You know, for me I like taking and appreciating everything in it's own right. I love almost all breweries because each one brings its own charm and uniqueness to it. Some are artsy, reviving dying warehouse districts. Some are in the middle of rural agriculture complete with livestock and tractors. Some in the midst of stunning scenery. Some are pure wonders in their own right, marvels of engineering and architecture.
We went to SN in Mills River last year and were quite pleased with it. My mother, a non-drinker, still talks about visiting and would happily go again. The place is just that, an experience. It's great food at a good price, great beer, a campus to wander for a couple of hours marveling at the scale of production and at their ability to produce the same tasting beer time and time again, something that many smaller breweries struggle at micro scale yet SN does on routine basis.
Is it different? Sure. Maybe it's not for you. It's just not an environment you enjoy, but it is an environment that plenty of other people enjoy. And this is where people miss the mark, they tend to think that just because they didn't enjoy something that it means everyone else doesn't enjoy it.

 

They are both just awesome--just in different ways.

 

I visited Asheville for first time back in early October and hit up SN and also Burial. I loved both places and loved the Asheville trip overall. Great town to visit. SN would be an awesome place to go with a group of friends to hang out all day, as there are so many places within the facility and outside (weather permitting) that you can find a nook or place to hang out and talk and drink high level beers for a very low price. If you only hang out in the main taproom on level 1 you are missing out. The upstairs taproom was much less crowded and more places to sit and talk. I spent about 2 hrs there with my wife and spent only $10 for 4 seperate 5oz pours for like $2 each I'v I recall and sat in a nook in some leather chairs on the 2nd floor where no one else was around and yet there were thousands of people there and had to be bused in from the satellite parking.

Burial makes outstanding IPAs/DIPAs (my favorites from the area) and visiting that place was so much fun with the funny quirky, artsty humorous things on the walls and bathroom etc.

Its whether you like visiting Disney or a Haunted House. I actually liked both (as long as no crowds), because I like variety. Only thing I don't like is crazy loud and crowded places, and when I visited each of these I was able to avoid that situation. I guess alot depends on when you visit.

 

I'd politely disagree with you.

If I had to pick a single brewery I have been to that I can only visit the rest of my life, it would be SN Mills River... Been there a few times and it's legit the "Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory" of beer.

Incredible quality of beer, the food and the grounds themselves are stunning. Sitting on that upper balcony on a beautiful summer evening, overlooking the grounds is just amazing. Or even hanging out late evening around the fire pits, enjoying a few pints and just enjoying beer in the company of others is just magical. There is something special about that place, I absolutely love it. I'd recommend leaving the main bar and enjoying the outside area... If you just stayed inside, I can see why you think the way you do. While beautiful, it's not exactly the most "cozy". Heading upstairs to that bar (if open), sitting on the patio or even going for a walk in the woods is what makes it so awesome. Or the self guided tour, which is really awesome as well.

It's also nice that regardless of what you order off that tap list, given that it's SN, it will be extremely high quality and well done. I like that I don't have to worry what I get will suck or be flawed. It just makes the overall experience, even better.

I do enjoy and appreciate the more rustic, cozy places such as Burial... But I will admit, their beer is good (not amazing), so that hinders it a bit for me. But atmosphere alone, it is super cool.

 

@strohme2 posted: "If you ever get a chance to do one of the brewery tours at SN I’d say go for it. The hop room alone is worth it!"

I agree 100% with this sentiment. I took the tour and it was an AWESOME tour.

Cheers to SN Mills River!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I don't hate your opinion, I jut disagree. But everyone has their right to like what they like. I LOVE Burial and it's the only place I really want to go when I visit Asheville. But I've been to SN a couple times now, and it's a cool place to go. I always recommend people to go who haven't been before. When I visit AVL with friends, we try and go. I also like to support SN as a whole. I really respect the brewery and their values.

 

A friend of mine did a great deal of metal work at Sierra Nevada. He lives in Mills River and builds his pieces there. The solar arrays in the parking lot are so perfect you barely notice them. The internal staircases, stairwells, steps, support systems for the brewing equipment are all brilliantly designed, engineered, and implemented. It is truly a beautiful place built for the ages. We go for lunch at Mills River and later stumble around Asheville into the night.

 

Perhaps a more fair comparison is to compare SN to New Belgium in Asheville. Beyond a couple of excellent sours, New Belgium has no great beers. But I loved the fun environment at New Belgium and like the original poster found Sierra Nevada to be very corporate and sterile.

 

Have you ever been to either of the Disneys? People swear that it's the best vacation spot in the world, but I would never take a family vacation there.

Also, I don't get the "high quality" reference when applied to Sierra Nevada. Lots of respect for their legacy, but outside of a sentimental sixer of Celebration annually, I'd never buy their beer, as my locals are producing far better beer.

 

Name a local pale ale as good as SN that you can get for $12.99 a 12 pack.

 

Yes, both Disneys and dont really care for them. Amusement parks are our other hobby, so we been all over to visit them... haha. Disney is grossly overrated.

 

We have enjoyed the Epcot Food and Wine event year after year. A leisurely stroll around the lake, lots of small portions of ethnic food, small servings of drinks, lots of music, concerts at the shell, no long lines, plenty of shaded benches, and then fireworks. Lots of stuff for even kids to enjoy. We like it.

 

I'm not that broke that I need to base all my beer buying decisions on cost. Quality over quantity.

 

Yeah, I miss Gibbs down on Lewis st. That was a comfy place....

 

As a local, I go to bother Sierra Nevada and Burial all of the time. Living in Asheville I can frequent both places regularly when it is not peak hours so my experience is most likely different than most.

I also like to hit up Blue Ghost by Sierra Nevada as well.

 

There was a golden age at Gibb’s for a while after the nightclub across the street shut down, John was still the head brewer, and before Boxcar opened in the old nightclub spot. Good beer, chill hang, and lots of parking: the holy trifecta. The new spot is fine and definitely gives Gibb's more space to brew and package, but it lacks "it."

 

SN is like the Biltmore Estate of the beer scene. It is an absolute must for tourists, and mandatory for those the make Asheville a beer destination.

I especially enjoy it in good weather, when the patio behind the tasting room is do-able.. or the High Gravity Room, or the river front. As an Alpha Hop Member for the past 3 years I have always been impressed with every aspect of SN.

That said, it's not on our normal rotation of breweries, for a couple of pints with friends, we prefer the smaller venues... plus a bit closer to home. Second draw back that keeps us away is I-26 which can be stop and go frequently. On a good day, it takes us 20 minutes to get there, on others, 1:20. Same reason we don't hit Blue Ghost, Mills River, and the Hendersonville breweries very often.

An advantage to going is the selection of beer, on tap, and many of the special beers I have only seen in their gift shop.