Wild nights and the bar fight

“There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto.”  

— Cormac McCarthy, “Blood Meridian” 

Film screening to show safe highway wildlife crossing efforts

The Safe Passage Fund Coalition is hosting The Crossing, a free event and screening of films highlighting road ecology in Southern Appalachia and beyond.

Summer Sippin'

It’s time for a late summertime check-in.

Coming full circle: BearWaters Brewing opens Waynesville location

On a recent mid-May morning, Kevin Sandefur spent five hours spreading gravel in the parking lot of the brand new BearWaters Brewing location on South Main Street in Waynesville. 

Pint of passion: WNC brewery sparks camaraderie

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Greg Wasik saw firsthand that trademark sense of community at neighborhood taverns around the Motor City.

On the Table

Breweries west of Asheville

Andrews 

Hoppy Trout Brewing Company 828.835.2111 • www.hoppytroutbrewing.com

Snowbird Mountains Brewery 678.419.3035 • www.snowbirdmountainsbrewery.com  

Bryson City 

Mountain Layers Brewing 828.538.0115 • www.mtnlayersbeer.com 

Nantahala Brewing 828.488.2337 • www.nantahalabrewing.com 

Canton 

BearWaters Brewing 828.246.0602 • www.bwbrewing.com 

Cashiers 

Whiteside Brewing 828.743.6000 • www.whitesidebrewing.com

Cherokee 

Native Brews Tap & Grill 828.497.2739 • www.native-brews.com 

Dillsboro 

Innovation Brewing 828.586.9678 • www.innovation-brewing.com 

Franklin 

Currahee Brewing 828.634.0078 • www.curraheebrew.com 

Lazy Hiker Brewing 828.342.5133 • www.lazyhikerbrewing.com 

Hayesville 

Hayesville Brewing 828.835.6010 

Nocturnal Brewing 828.305.7337 • www.nocturnalbrewing.com 

Highlands 

Satulah Mountain Brewing 

828.482.9794 • www.satulahmountainbrewing.com

Maggie Valley 

BearWaters Brewing (Outpost) 828.944.0009 • bearwatersbrewing.com 

Murphy 

Valley River Brewery 828.837.2337 • www.valleyriverbreweries.com 

Sapphire 

Sapphire Valley Brewing 828.743.0220 • www.sapphirebrewingcompany.com 

Sylva 

Balsam Falls Brewing 828.631.1987 • www.fb.com/balsamfallsbrewing 

Innovation Brewing 828.586.9678 • www.innovation-brewing.com

Lazy Hiker Brewing 828.349.2337 • www.lazyhikerbrewing.com 

Nantahala Brewing (Outpost) 828.641.9797 • www.nantahalabrewing.com 

Waynesville 

7 Clans Brewing 828.454.5664 • www.7clansbrewing.com 

Boojum Brewing 828.944.0888 • www.boojumbrewing.com 

Frog Level Brewing 828.454.5664 • www.froglevelbrewing.com 

Staying true to your roots: Lazy Hiker Brewing celebrates milestone, pushes ahead

It’s an unusually warm and sunny day for late November in Macon County. The patio tables at Lazy Hiker Brewing in downtown Franklin are filled with locals and visitors alike, each enjoying the concoctions pouring out of from the large warehouse behind the taproom. 

For whatever ales you: Blue Ridge Beer Hub navigates beverage market during pandemic

While society continues to adapt to ongoing shelter-in-place orders, many folks would jump at the chance to be in the presence of endless shelves and coolers filled with craft beer. But, for Marlowe Mager, all he can think about is how to get rid of all the bottles and cans that currently surround him.

Crafting together community: How craft beer impacted WNC

According to recent numbers, there are around 75 breweries within Asheville and greater Western North Carolina. And 19 of those breweries are located west of Asheville. 

But, back in 1999, when The Smoky Mountain News launched, this was the number of breweries in our jurisdiction — zero. None. Not a single one. The idea of craft beer, let alone something concocted in your backyard, was not only somewhat unheard of, it never was thought to be something of an economic driver. 

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