I’m kicking off a series of lists running down the top events of 2010 in Asheville. I’ve got about 10 different categories, from celebrity spottings and politics to food and straight up news. These lists aren’t complete by any stretch – just what I’ve culled from my weak memory and a little brainstorming with friends. Your additions are welcome. Look for the lists to roll out over the next month.
What better way than to kick off the series than to list what Asheville loves best – beer news. Here we go:
Beer City USA: Asheville was the top vote-getter in this year’s unofficial Beer City USA online poll that pitted top beer cities across the U.S. against one another. Asheville out-polled Portland, consider by many to be tops and the city that Asheville tied with the year before. What gives this contest weight is that it is hosted by Charlie Papazian, founder of the Great American Beer Festival and the Association of Brewers. The poll has put Asheville’s beer scene in the national spotlight, and given local beer lovers big-time bragging rights.
Beer City USA Fest: Asheville expanded its already strong line-up of local beer festivals this year by adding a party to celebrate our status as Beer City USA. The Beer City Festival, held in the newly opened Pack Square Park, arrived on a beautiful day and brought out thousands of thirsty brew lovers. In its first year, it established itself as a fine event folks look forward to.
Highland’s sweet 15: Highland Brewing Company celebrated its 15 anniversary with a party so jammed packed with hundreds of beer lovers that it surprised company founder Oscar Wong, Asheville’s granddaddy of beer. The local devotion to Highland specifically, and beer in general, shouldn’t shock anyone, though. As the first microbrewery on the Asheville scene, Highland set a high bar for consistent quality brew. In addition to the big party, Highland this year unveiled a great new tasting room that expands an already lovely beer-drinking venue.
Pisgah’s high five: Pisgah Brewing celebrated its fifth anniversary this year with its annual pig-picking. It was a great party to mark another milestone for Pisgah. The Black Mountain organic brewery continues to crank out delicious, popular beers. And it added a fantastic new outdoor performance stage that cements Pisgah’s place as a top-notch beer-drinking destination that features great music.
Lexington Avenue Brewery expansion: When Lexington Avenue Brewing got up and fully running at the start of this year, so many fans hit the LAB that rumors spread that it might actually run out of beer. The LAB, in one short year, has become known as the premier gastro beer pub in a town with tons of great beer and tons of great restaurants. The LAB also announced big expansion plans, and renovation work is already underway in the two buildings adjacent to it on Lexington Ave.
Green Man growth: Green Man Brewing officially separated from Jack of the Wood when owners/founders Joe and Joan Eckert sold the brewing operation to Dennis Thies. Green Man’s offerings remain pretty much the same, but the brewery got a fresh coat of a paint and just recently added new tanks that will allow the brewery to double its production. Green Man is the hang-out for local soccer lovers and is a great off-the-beaten path for folks who like to drink their beer out of the sight of those pesky tourists.
Wedge homebrew event: Wedge Brewing Co., which celebrated its second anniversary this year, and local nonprofit Just Economics hosted what turned out to be one of the best showcases of the vibrant home-brewing scene in Asheville. If you had any doubt the level of fanaticism of Asheville hopheads, you should have attended this event. It featured all kinds of regular folks who showed off their amazing creativity in creating wild beers. I’m looking forward to the 2011 version of this one. Meantime, the Wedge remains the best place for a sunset brew in town, and there’s no beating its summer movie series, industrial grit and train sounds.
Taps keep expanding: The number of places to find local beer on tap kept expanding in 2010. From the new Tingle’s restaurant’s handful of taps to the giant new offerings at Pack’s Tavern, the outlets keep coming. That’s great for our local beer-makers and drinkers alike.
Odds and ends: This year’s Baseball and Beers brew fest at McCormick Field was a flop; Brewgrass was late in setting its date this year, but was literally bursting at the seams; Craggie Brewing celebrated its one-year anniversary this year; AshevilleMicrobreweries.com launched this year; the Asheville Beer Engine tracks all Asheville beers and launched this year; locally made specialty beers, such as one’s celebrating the annual Christmas Jam, music pioneer Bob Moog and Asheville band Toubabe Krewe, caught lots of attention and turned out to be pretty damn tasty.