Quick Asheville trip over Memorial Day Weekend

Befor even getting to Asheville pit stop at Zebulon on the ride down from JC and then Zilicoah just outside of Asheville both are en route. I really like the vibe at Zilicoah especially sitting outside on a nice day. They have a great variety on their taplist usually as well. If you want efficiency to grab local beers without hitting too many breweries, check out Appalachian Vintner bottle shop. Other breweries I’d recommend are Burial and DISSOLVR. I like both of them a lot. Sierra Nevada in Mills River is an amazing place to visit, it’s beautiful and enormous.

 

I don't know TN at all....but if you're close to Xul brewing....you should go

 

Go to SN. Amazing place. Just freakin' gorgeous.

I don't know how "quick" your trip to Asheville is gonna be, since Johnson City is more than an hour away, but if you're willing to commit that much time to finding great beer I'd also visit Oskar Blues in Brevard NC. OB Brevard is in a pre-engineered metal building at the bitter end of a cul-de-sac in an industrial park. That having been said, it's a really gritty, funky, end-of-the-road brewpub with a lot of character - all the more amazing because it's in a totally characterless building in a totally characterless environment.

But....

The brewpub is upstairs (relative to the working brewery on the ground floor) and (when I was there) offered a complete selection of all the OB brews. They have a barrel (yes, a real BARREL) of spiced peanuts for free, ostensibly to get you to consume more of their beer. They're pretty spicey. Good strategy.

Asheville and environs is an amazing beer destination. I envy you. Enjoy.

 

AVL: Cellarest (all wood-fermented lagers, almost all low ABV, including ~4%, unique + special), Zillicoah, Hi-Wire (RAD or South Slope), Zebulon (Weaverville, 10 mins), Sideways (Etowah, about 25 mins). Burial does what it does well -- mostly high ABV hazies that taste similar and candy stouts. Their lower ABV stuff is more unique, depends on the list on a given day. Bhramari is hit-or-miss (and a weird visiting/attempted visiting experience), but the hits are big.

/s/ a local

 

The Mills River location is pretty unique. It's like beer Disneyland-- in a good way. A must-go for me when I visit Asheville.

Nice top 15 list posted a couple days ago from the beer writer at Paste:
https://www.pastemagazine.com/drink...sierra-nevada-wicked-weed/#zillicoah-beer-co-

 

If you are spending a day in Ashville, hit 2 breweries (just have 1 beer at each) space them apart several hrs and Appalachian Vintener to stock up, and fill the rest of your day with non-beer site seeing. If you are heading into Ashville early, do site seeing, go to the beer store, visit 1 brewery in town (Burial) around mid day, then stop at Zilicoah on the way back to JC. I still love Funkatorium, their wild ales are still top shelf/world class IMO and it’s just a cool spot in town to hang.

 

I think Burial makes the best hazies bar none. Would go there over all else assuming like that style. Did a side by side this week of equally fresh Monkish vs Burial and clear cut winner was Burial.

 

Place an online order and pick up the Seasoned Skillet over at Burial if you like BA stouts. It was still available last time I looked

 

Just so you know for future trips, Incendiary is in Winston-Salem which is a little over 2 hours east of Asheville.

 

Great weather today. Outside seating is a must. I'd focus on a walk-able neighborhood & hit three spots before grabbing bottles at 604 or Appalachian. I've already settled in on the porch, but good luck to ya.

 

Curses Keme has their 13% Doppelbock on right now. Keme-> New Origin -> 25 minute walk to Hillman & Catawba -> 10m walk to Hi-Wire.

 

Been there, feel that. If they have good food, it's a destination. Cheers.

 

Nothing worse than taxing the liver and stamina on subpar breweries. Stay at Burial. Try the tap list top to bottom. Better than playing Russian roulette on the average breweries’ tap list.

 

The Funkatorium is something that is "unique" to Asheville but the WW pub? I can't imagine another blander place in all of Asheville to go. Sorry you got bad intel on that one.

 

Wicked Weed was a once great spot prior to them being acquired by big beer. The original Freak of Nature DIPA was great and one you would have enjoyed!!!

 

Sorry! I think that list is pretty solid, but I should have noted that I was not impressed by Dissolvr on my visit there last year.

 

That is so strange because when I visited I thought Dssolvr was the best brewery we visited in summer of 2020 when in Asheville (Burial is always solid but variety of styles was lacking). Something must have happened because even their big Baltic Porter at Dssolvr was outstanding as was the Kellerbier, Kolsch and several IPAs were solid.

 

I too am surprised at the DSSOLVR beers being subpar. They're my 2nd favorite Asheville brewery next to Burial and I've only ever had beers ranging from solid to excellent from them. I guess it's the ol' YMMV

 

Heading over to Asheville for an overnight on Saturday and don't want to start a new thread. Already have dinner plans.

Probably have time to hit a couple breweries and/or beer bars. Burial is our top priority, so we'll definitely head there. Anywhere else easily walkable from/in downtown that we should check out? Looks like a lot of nice recommendations on this thread, but I'm not really familiar with the geography/layout of the city. We're staying at the Cambria hotel.

 

There are numerous places within walking distance from Burial. Green Man, Twin Leaf, Cawtaba & Wicked Weed come to mind. There are more if you want to walk a little further.

 

Road tripped to Asheville from Chicago several times the past few years - here's my unsoliciated list of my favroites:
Beer:
-Burial (Forestry Camp is cool too)
-Zillicoah (my fav spot, love the vibe there)
-Sierra Nevada
-Funkatorium
-Pick up some beers at Appalachian Vintner
-The Whale / Haywood Common is a cool little spot as well for a beer bar and food - usually a great taplist

Food:
-Buxton Hall
-12 Bones
-Curate
-Ukiah
-Chai Pani
-Plant (Vegan)
-Late night big ass slice of pizza from PIE.ZAA after some beers (seriously, they're huge)
-Biscuit Head - may be touristy and long lines, but I dream of the country ham biscuits
-Ultra Coffeebar

 

Honestly all 4 of those are awful. Hi Wire, Eurisko and Zillacoah are priorities

 

Any preference as to Hi Wire or Eurisko? Both look to be walkable to the downtown area/Burial it seems.

 

Hi Wire is one you can hit in a number of cities as their model has been to build multiple taprooms. But they make a wide range of beers, all excellent. Eurisko is much more ma and pa, and equally outstanding. You can't miss

 

I’d go with Eurisko, hands down. Hi-Wire is fine, but I’d rather give my money to the little guy if you’ve only got time for one or the other.

 

Had the Tone Death a couple nights ago with a couple beer buddies (one of them being an advanced Cicerone) and, while it was overly sweet and very one-note with the Oreos and marshmallow conditioning, we didn't detect any acetobacter or anything indicating infection. Not trying to come down on you or your palate, just felt a duty to taste for myself and give my .02 since I have a lot of homer pride in our beer scene. DSSOLVR can definitely be hit or miss with their stouts and sours but their hazy IPAs are always on point.

 

Haven't ever experienced anything like this from them and I have bought their beer semi-consistenly ever since they opened. Will definitely be on the lookout though