Asheville News

Why the Beer Bash should be an annual event

Jason Sandford June 29, 2009

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

This past weekend’s Beer Bash was a wonderful success. Yesterday, I suggested it should become an annual event. Other folks have been talking about how the event could have been even better. So here’s why the Beer Bash should be held every year:

– Right now in terms of local beer festivals, Asheville has Brewgrass in September and the new Asheville Tourists beer event coming up in August. There’s a local Octoberfest (I think) but it doesn’t seem to have ever gotten much traction. A late spring/early summer beer festival would be a perfect fit. If Asheville can have seven breweries, we can have two or three beer festivals, right?

– The Asheville Brewers Alliance needs a signature event that celebrates strictly local beers. Brewgrass, for example, invites in beermakers from all over the country. We want to build up our name, our brands. Keep it local, and make the Beer Bash the alliance’s big annual fund-raiser.

– A beer festival can be a little competition, too. Make the event a competition, in which each brewery enters a beer and you have a panel of judges pick the best of the fest. You can let the public vote on what their favorite is, too. It’s all about the bragging rights.

Bottom line – more beer is good beer.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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4 Comments

eemilla July 2, 2009

I would love another beer festival; Brewgrass sells out way too early. The Orange Peel is notorious for its long beer lines and beer coated floors; outside is where the beer festival needs to happen.

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Ash June 29, 2009

Bob, thanks for your note. To each his own, I suppose.

Yes, it was crowded and hot. But tickets cost $10, and you got two free 8 oz beers and three great local bands. I had a good time.

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Bob Noe June 29, 2009

I sent an email to my son who lives in Asheville asking if he went to the event and he responded…"Actually, I did go to the Beer Blast. It was at the Orange Peel and honestly, I thought it was a huge bust. It cost $12 to get in and you only got two beer samples for free. After that, a 12oz beer was $4. Also, there are normally two bars set up in the Orange Peel and for this event, only one was set up. It was way to hot and crowded and I left by 10."

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Ben VanCamp June 29, 2009

I believe that the Asheville Downtown Association is working on an Octoberfest to start this year.

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