Beer and excitement is brewing as New Belgium Brewing, the 3rd largest craft beer brewery and 7th largest beer brewery in the USA, has chosen Asheville North Carolina as their East Coast location. NC Governor Bev Perdue came to Western North Carolina yesterday to make the official announcement and cheers were all over the place.

This will mean 150 new jobs for the area and $175 million dollars worth of investment over several years. The area that they have chosen is not necessarily the “ideal” place. New Belgium CEO Kim Jordan said that they want to be in a place where they can add value. She also said that NBB “could have chosen a “Green Field” site, but they wanted a quality of life, a walkability, bikability, live-work kind of situation that really speaks to how we like to show up in a community.” Kim also talked about the French Broad River and the potential it carries. Riverlink supporters were there holding a banner in big support!

Beer City USA strikes again. Congratulations Asheville NC!

See video of NC Governor Bev Perdue & Buncombe County Commissioner David Gantt welcoming New Belgium Brewing Company.