Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
In advance of this weekend’s Winter Warmer Beer Festival (another must for your Asheville social calendar, though I think the event is sold out), the Asheville Citizen-Times gives a run-down on how our mountain metropolis became home to such a thriving local beer scene. It all pretty much goes back to Highland Brewing Co. founder Oscar Wong, reports Carole Motsinger. That, and that fact that we have naturally delicious water with mineral content that works well with beer-making.
From the story:
Although craft beer was still a foreign concept in the mid-’90s in Asheville, Wong was encouraged because of the city’s “eclectic and adventuresome” culture that the idea could catch on.
“People who live in Asheville have independent taste,” Wong said. “They are open to new ideas. … Here, counterculture is almost the way to get going. That leads to the proliferation of anything that is out of the ordinary.”
Asheville’s consumers are open to new ideas — as long as they are good ones, Wong noted.
“One of the reasons we have grown is that in the mid-’90s there was a big shake-out for a lot of the breweries in the state that didn’t do it well,” he said. “You can be innovative and clever. If you aren’t consistent and quality, people figure it out.”
Highland has flushed entire batches of its brew, thousands of gallons, that was not up to its own standards, he said.
Beyond the culture, Asheville offers natural resources that support the craft beer industry.
“Another thing that encouraged me is that the water we have up here,” Wong said.
For (Mike) Rangel (of Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co.), “the beer is going to be as good as the water.”
And there’s more here from the Beer Guy on all the beer-related events happening the rest of the week, including tonight’s appearance at the Thirsty Monk by brew guru Larry Bell of Bell’s Brewery.
Asheville – Beer City, USA. Hopefully you're fortunate enough NOT to live here, otherwise you're forced to work low-paying jobs and consume all these great local brews…to drown your misery. I loathe moving here, absoutley rue the day I got on that plane.
Worst decision of my life, and everyone's just so content of accomplishing nothing with their lives and drinking themselves to death here.
Yes all those high paying jobs with benefits . . . They really matter in the large scheme of things, jobs yes, good jobs meh on par with mediocre work that exists in the the soon to be pond scum USA!!!!
Its not hate its just stupidity to keep bragging about something doesnt really matter.
The title is meaningless and the way it was won was dubious at best, down right pathetic at worst.
Here's the real reason for it –
AroundAsheville.net/blog/?p=107
.
Geez, why the hate? If Asheville is to be known for something, we could do much worse, no?
It is true, though, that probably only 10% of the population know or care about this distinction. Ask anyone outside of downtown (i.e. the majority of citizens) about local beer and most people barely know that we have all these breweries, much less that we're nationally known for it.
Any publicity is good publicity, right? These are solid businesses in Asheville that create jobs and make Asheville famous. Do you have any idea how much Highland has given back to our community? It is huge. These events like Brewgrass draw tourists and encourage business. Simple as that. Show me the research that our attention to our breweries causes alcoholism or something stupid like that and I will buy you a beer.
Lou, People drink no matter what distinction the town is given.
Jack J, You're a Jack A.
Asheville Dweller, Dwell elsewhere.
These folks work hard and are a HUGE part of what Asheville is.
Its amazing how we became Beer city by winning some weak internet polls, so by this reasoning if there was Biggest Pond Scum City in the US and Asheville won it I guess this would be Pond Scum USA . . . . LAME LAME LAME.
The "two words" that come to mind about how Asheville became "beer city" are: FAKE POLL!
Personally, I'm getting really tired about all this "beer city" hype. It's a false distinction that does nothing for Asheville except encourage more alcohol consumption. The various beer festivals and bashes downtown are not really helping the image of this town. Surely, we have more to be proud of in Asheville than beer, breweries, taverns and festivals. The beer hype and focus has a very limited appeal to the majority of ordinary folks who live and work in Asheville and WNC.