Headed to Asheville on 6/16

Lol, I'd say Wedge was a diamond in the rough. Hit 12 Bones for lunch only or you'll hate yourself.

 

Plenty of info out there, so keep looking for your diamonds.

I'd just stay on the south slope. Park around Coxe/Buxton and you'll have it all.

Vortex for coffee and donuts.. Hit up Funkatorium, have some small plates while you drink and sit around.

You've got Greenman down the street, enjoy their new place, it's beautiful. Head over to Buxton Hall BBQ for lunch. If there's a wait, and it's more than likely to be, Catawba's new place is right next door. Enjoy a beer there and walk around, it's a great spot too. Buxton Hall is very, very good Eastern Carolina/SC style BBQ. Whole hog and all wood, a bit more upscale than most of the normal places.

Eat till you can only drink a few more.. cut over one more street behind them, and hit up Burial, hang out on the back patio.

Head back to car, stop at Tastys on the way for bottles or growler fills. I'm not impressed with Tastys that much, so App Vintner is my spot in town for bottles.

If you've never been, sure the Pub at Wicked is cool, but so crowded and not worth the trouble half the time.

Hi-Wire is cool, but I don't care for their beers much.

 

Thank god someone finally axed about the Asheville beer scene.

 

We just got back from a weekend trip to Asheville. Soon to move there. Didn't have time to see it all - but Wicked Weed was really good, as was Burial. You have to make the trip just a little outside of town to Sierra Nevada. Their beer is always really good... but the place is unbelievable.

 

Is Mexican Cake possible to find, or does that fly off the shelves in release? Also, yual have Bomb! on shelves in Asheville?

 

You should be able to find Bomb!. Cake was gone within 30 minutes, everywhere in AVL.

 

When I was in Asheville for Memorial Day week Tasty didn't have any Bomb but they had a bunch of Christmas Bomb. Might be gone by now but might not.

 

I've never been a fan of Wedge, but it is awful popular. Lexington Avenue Brewery (LAB) has some great bar food but the beers are mediocre (Little Country isn't that bad of an IPA). Bhramari, just around the corner from Wicked Weed, is a new brewery that sells their own and some of the best WNC beers as well. One World, Asheville Brewing Company (ABC) and Hi Wire are a big waste of time IMO. New Belgium is kind of boring (you can buy almost all of the beers they have on tap through normal distro) compared to most local breweries and Sierra Nevada in Mills River is aimed less towards true craft beer fans and more for the masses, although its worth stopping by if you're near just for the more rare bottles in the gift shop. Highlands is great for Sunday reggae, but I've lost interest in most of their brews over the past 20 years, although they surprise me occasionally. Others I didn't mention are middle of the road breweries to me, but I have spent a lot of time in Asheville breweries over the years and just don't care too much for a brewery with a static portfolio of beers that never offers anything new or exciting. There are plenty of other breweries within a 45 minute drive as well, but some are hit and miss. Salsas is one of my favorite eateries (beer is pricey and not worth it) for dinner, but the line is long if you don't get there early.

No matter, Asheville is like a mini Portland Oregon and its always a good fun time to visit and no matter what your taste is, there's guaranteed to be something to strike your fancy...have fun!!!

 

Eat brunch at Limones to help with being hungover from all the great beers!

 

You should give Highland another shot next time you're in town. New IPA that holds it's own with the best in town, a new world-class Pilsner (recently at #8 in the world on Untappd), an upcoming citrus-forward session IPA, the high-gravity Warrior series, an infusion-based Kinsman series, regular brewery-only small batch offerings, cans to go for the first time...
There's more going on at Highland now than there has been in the last 10 years easily.

 

I stopped in a few weeks ago and had the Mosaic Rye IPL and a few others and just wasn't impressed. I haven't sworn the place off, but will wait a while to check in with them again. When their Oatmeal Porter came out in the 90's, it became my favorite beer, but my tastes have changed (or possibly their recipe) and I haven't found one of their beers since that really strikes my fancy. No matter, they were one of the leaders of the Asheville beer movement back then, so you have to give them props for that forethought and their staying power!

 

Does anybody know if Sierra and/or New Belgium fill outside growlers? Thanks.

 

Nope...SN has a growler fill system that requires specific growlers and the NC law (or at least the breweries still claim its a law) only allows you to fill growlers with that brewery's label on it.

 

And what about NB?

 

Technically, breweries can attach a tag or put on a sticker of their brewery to cover the required information. Some places (like Lowes Foods or Total Wine & More) will fill outside growlers and just attach the required info. That said, I understand a brewery's right to turn away outside growlers if they don't want to deal with the hassle.

 

Morganton for beer, Asheville for food I kid I kid. sort of.

 

They haven't been open long and I've only been there once...not exactly sure. If I remember correctly though, they tap a keg of La Folie on Saturdays and the Kriek on Tuesdays, and both go fast. Give them a holler to be sure though.

 

Good deal. Thanks. I have called them but I can never get through to talk to a human.