A Definite Must Read: A History of Brewing In What Is Now One of America’s Best Craft Beer Cities, Asheville, NC. (In other words, buy this book!)
To those outside the bubbling excitement surrounding craft beer, finding out that Asheville, NC, is arguably the center of the American craft beer universe might seem a little implausible. Portland, sure, the Bay Area in California, ok, various cities in Colorado, absolutely – but Asheville? But to those who know craft beer, Asheville is a mecca of craft brewing, currently boasting eleven breweries in and around the city. Earlier this year, it was voted Beer City, USA for the fourth time. Even those on the fringes of the craft beer explosion of popularity should be well aware of the town’s status – after all, you may have heard that nationally known breweries Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, and New Belgium are all expanding by building second breweries near the city.
Of course, you aren’t going to be one of the best craft beer hubs in the country without having plenty of beer knowledgeable folks living within its confines. One of their most well known and respected, freelance writer Anne Fitten Glenn, has been writing about the beer business in general and specifically covering the scene in Asheville by writing articles for CraftBeer.com, the Mountain Xpress newsweekly, and through her own craft beer blog, Brewgasm.com. She also teaches “Beer 101” classes to would be beer fans and restaurant staff, and helps organize and plan all sorts of beer related events, including Asheville Beer Week. Her latest project, a book titled Asheville Beer, An Intoxicating History of Mountain Brewing, is perhaps her biggest undertaking to date, but is certainly one to be proud of. It traces the history of beer (and other libations) and their effects on the Western North Carolina town from its days as a raucous, saloon dotted town to the city with a seemingly endless affinity of well made craft beer, or more officially, “Beer City, USA”. The book will soon be available in and around Asheville, but is already listed on Amazon for preordering.
So just in case you already know of Asheville, but you’re wondering how all the buzz got started around this “little” mountain town which has become a center of American craft brewing, this book is for you. Or perhaps you’ve been on the fringes (or more likely under a rock) and have just become aware of Asheville’s status – then proper introductions are in order, courtesy of Glenn’s book. The Amazon link is below.
The Beer Road 