Wicked Weed Brewing – a new Asheville Beer standard

By: about

Wicked Weed Brewing Asheville NC

Asheville recently welcomed Wicked Weed Brewing to the beer community. First of all, the location is perfect. They are located right next door to the Orange Peel and a couple hundred feet down from the new Aloft Hotel, which has a huge garage open to the public. Barley’s Pizza and Taproom, one of Asheville’s top beer bars, is located on the same street as well. To top that all off, LaZoom, the wild & crazy comedy tour departs daily from the French Broad Food Coop, which is right across the street from Wicked Weed Brewing.

Beer Taps at Wicked Weed Brewing Asheville NC

The setting and decor at Wicked Weed Brewing is very comfortable. There are a few breweries in downtown Asheville that hold a similar vibe… Oyster House and Lexington Ave Brewery. Wicked Weed is the new kid on the block, with high quality craft brews, and they have raised the Asheville Beer standard. I walked in, walked around, talked to a few people.. and the place is smooth. The staff was prompt and hospitable, the beer selection and taste was amazing, and everyone there was having a great time!

Beer and Brew at Wicked Weed Brewing

And yes, this is Asheville but no, they do not use “weed” or hemp in their beer; unless you are talking about Hopweed. Do you love craft brew? Wicked Weed Brewing is definitely the choice spot to start your beer tour of downtown Asheville. As a matter of fact, you may get stuck there. And you will be well taken care of.

Asheville Brewery, Blue Kudzu Sake Co., Breaks New Ground

By: about

Blue Kudzu Sake Co., set to be the fourth micro-sake brewery in the entire United States, is getting ready to set up shop right here in Asheville, North Carolina.  This locally owned small business will focus on producing small batch, hand crafted, artisan sake.

What is Sake? It is a fermented beverage consisting of water, rice, yeast and koji, a mold that converts rice starch into sugar. Sake is brewed like beer, but has a higher alcohol content more like wine, and is one of the most natural beverages on Earth.

What is Blue Kudzu? Blue Kudzu will be a manufacturer of bottled and draught organic craft sakes, right here in Asheville, NC. Owners, Mary Taylor, Cat Ford-Coates, and Mitch Fortune, long time bar and restaurant fixtures in the Asheville scene, will start their business as a small production craft brewery, with a tasting room and retail store-front. Under the tutelage of Mountain Biz Works, these small business owners are ready to break ground launching a whole new brewing industry.  The products they intend to offer will be local, certified organic, gluten free, vegan, and  kosher, as well as sulfite free and macrobiotic (for certain product lines.)

What began as a discussion about sake over a dinner party a little over a year and a half ago, is about to blossom into a full fledged sake brewery right here in Beer City, U.S.A.  The thing is, they need your help.  Currently Blue Kudzu has launched a kickstarter campaign (a publicly supported fundraising platform) to help them secure the additional funds they need to get the project off the ground.  Blue Kudzu has investors lined up to back the project, but they need some additional capital, via community support, to secure the funds.  Blue Kudzu plans to open their doors in the spring of 2013, bringing fresh local sake to the Asheville area.  For more information, or to see how you can help, please visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/63560432/blue-kudzu-sake-company




GOOD LIFE PUBLICATIONS LAUNCHES 2012 CRAFT BREWERY & PUB GUIDEBOOK FOR WNC

By: about

ASHEVILLE, NC – January 17, 2012 –2nd edition of Craft Brewery and Pub Guidebook to Western North Carolina.

Good Life Publications began distribution this week of the 2012 edition of The Guide to Craft Breweries and Pubs of Western North Carolina. The guidebook helps tourists find local breweries by providing a map and contact information for more than fifteen breweries in Western North Carolina.  Also included in the Guidebook are pubs and retailers carrying local brews, and tour operators catering to tourists interested in the local beer culture.

Asheville has been voted “Beer City USA” three years in a row. The beer guide fills a growing need in the local beer community answering common questions like “Where can I get local beers?” and “How do I get there?”  Forty thousand copies are distributed year round and available for free at area hotels, B&BS, the AVL airport, chambers of commerce, travel centers, retailers, restaurants and bars in Asheville, Hendersonville, Black Mountain, Waynesville and Sylva.

Tanya Fletcher, publisher of the guidebook, states “We are looking forward to distributing the new guide to help locals navigate the ever growing world of craft beer in this region.  Tourists contribute greatly to the success of the local beer industry and we help promote beer related businesses through our guidebook, website and social media outlets.”

About Good Life Publications

Good Life Publications is a series of free publications on the Good Things in Life in Western North Carolina. The series is growing to include a Summer Camp Guide and Outdoor Sports Guide in the spring.  For more information on distribution or advertising, please contact Tanya Fletcher at 828-277-8269 ext. 142 or at tfletcher@groupdaniels.com.  More information can also be found on the website at www.goodlifepubs.com.