Luella’s is definitely one of our favorite go-to places if we are in the mood for barbecue. We stopped in tonight and as we were getting seated, I heard Aaron LaFalce playing the guitar, and you can watch the performance by clicking here. So we sat down and were greeted by Aniela, who then took care of us the whole time. Also bumped into my friend Suzie who is now working there. A great night all around!
First, we ordered some craft beer. This was the Soulvation IPA from Innovation Brewing!
Then we had chopped brisket, pulled pork, and pulled chicken, along with some fantastic sides such as mac & cheese, okra, and a pineapple casserole that we called our dessert.
And Aniela then introduced us to their loyalty card where you eat 9 meals and get one free. We did not know Luella’s did this, but now we know, and will definitely use it. Thank you for a wonderful meal, staff and experience!
While making our rounds around town the other day, we decided to eat lunch at The Universal Joint in West Asheville. It was getting warm out and we could see several folks already sitting on the patio area. So we wanted to join them, right under the Cherry Blossom tree with a light wind blowing on us.
We ordered the Jade IPA beer from Foothills Brewing, and the Noble Chai Cider. Then to eat, we decided to try the Trout Reuben, which was SOOO GOOD! And we also tried some Tilapia Tacos and they were delish too. If you ever find yourself on the west end of Asheville, The Universal Joint is a tasty stop with lots of craft beer on tap.
We had not really gotten on the cider wagon. Living in Asheville nowadays, you gravitate to craft beer for the most part. And rightly so. After Beer City USA happened, the craft drinking scene in our community was embedded in our hearts and souls, which led to our mouths and down our throats. Along with that, comes their cousin cider! After reading a recent article about the Top 25 Restaurants in Asheville, and seeing how Urban Orchard Cider Company made this list; we had to go again. Not only that, but when the Asheville Foodie page on Facebook tagged the restaurants on Facebook congratulating them, they were one of the few who responded. Social media counts, so that’s a few more clout points to them in our book!
The cider was delicious, perfect for the Sunday brunch meal that we had which was an Artichoke Dip plate and a Reuben Sandwich. Everything was so good. We sat in the open window seats and enjoyed the fresh air. If you have not been to Urban Orchard Cider Company, they are located on Haywood Rd East in west Asheville on what some call Asheville’s Sweet Slope. Other eateries in walking distance of this spot are The Hop Ice Creamery, Short Street Cakes, HOLE Doughnuts, and the new Taco Billy.
Also, remember that the NC Cider Fest 2015 is coming up on November 7, 2015 in Asheville. That event is going to be tremendous!!
As you may already know, Asheville’s hippie name is simply put… BEER! Breweries, beer stores, beer bars, desserts with beer, beer cycle, beer soap, beer battered fish & chips, beer ice cream and just about whatever else you can think of. I have not been able to find any beer cologne, but that is most likely coming soon. For now, just douse yourself with a recyclable bottle of certified organic farm raised brew.
Asheville Premier Transportation decided to expand their business. They already had airport transportation, shuttle services, and smaller tours they were doing with the Lincoln Town Car; but then a van came into their lives, and with just a few small mentions on social media, the calls started coming in and booking brewery tours, corporate tours, and other exciting excursions around Asheville and WNC.
There are several other companies that do beer and brewery tours around Asheville and Western North Carolina, and it seems like all of them are doing pretty good. In Beer City USA, all you have to do is follow the beer, and you already have a head start on your road to success.
We spoke with Nathan Woods, who is the Head Brewer at Naked Yeti Brewing, an Asheville brewery dream in the making. Here is what he said:
“We are hoping to become an established craft brewery in the next couple years. Our goal aside from making great beer is to join beer, friends, and adventure together. We are still working on a business plan and trying to nail down the perfect recipes. It may be a couple years before we are operational. We started brewing a little over a year ago and have taken off from there. Spending most of our time and money on research and development as well as expanding our equipment and moving forward. We began home brewing as a hobby, however, it would come to turn out that we are actually pretty good at it and got a little more than passionate about the whole idea. Over the years I realized I drank a lot of beer, and even more craft beer. I decided that I wanted a different beer, I wanted a beer that I couldn’t get anywhere else, so naturally I started brewing.
I do almost all of the research and brewing myself. I do have a couple of friends in marketing and graphics that have been helping me along the way. I also have a few friends that help out on brew day. I am always looking for people to help out with brewing and or cleaning. People love working for beer, which works out great for me! Our ideal customers are just like us. People that love good beer! We are also trying to find a beer for those that claim they don’t like beer. We are hoping to have an establishment with food, music, and a patio.
Personally love everything about brewing. From hops and grains through research and cleaning. All the smells and tastes are so enticing. We will become a full business, and have an establishment with all of our goals. Initially we will open the brewery and taproom, after that we will start development on the rest. When I was back in Pensacola, FL. I used a couple of home brew shops that were always willing to help out and give me the best advice possible. These shops were HopHeads and Gary’s Homebrew supply, both were great people who loved beer. Since moving up to NC. the best and most supportive shop I have found is Asheville Brewers Supply. They are great and offer a lot of information on brewing.
Right now all I can do is ask for support and help spread the word. Some of my favorite memories are having beer or four with some great friends and seeing where the night takes us. I want to be able to offer that to other people and be a part of that, and have my beer help them create memories and adventures.”
