Does anyone know any good beer stores in NC, west of Asheville? In particular, b/t Franklin & Fontana/Robbinsville?
Check out the N&N Express Mart in Franklin. It's a gas station/convenience store nextdoor to the fitness center. They have prefilled growlers from Nantahala and recently started carrying growlers from Asheville Brewing as well. I was told that they get the growlers fresh from Nantahala on a weekly basis. You can exchange your old growler and get a buck or 2 off the new one. Also, they've got a very nice bottle selection that crushes anything in the area that I'm aware of. (My grandparents live in Franklin, so I'm up there frequently.) Don't expect any crazy rarities, but you'll find in-state stuff (Duck Rabbit, Mother Earth, etc.), plus quality bottles from afar (Stone, Founders, etc.). You can make mixed sixers, which is always a plus. A word of advice: Franklin, NC ain't exactly a hub of craft beer culture, so check the dates on IPAs before purchasing.
There is a BP station over in sylva, called P.J.'s, that has the best selection of bottles i have seen this side of asheville, last time I went picked up some great 22's, stone's 11/11/11, Sweetwaters 15, and a six pack of 21 Amendment's Back in Black
Roomful of Nuts is a good place to buy in Franklin as well. They usually have Bell's, Founder's and Stone plus a variety of local NC beers. They also carry a good selection of harder to find brews in larger bottles and selections form out of state.
