Asheville: Beer City USA

There has been a lot of talk lately about Asheville being recognized by Examiner.com as Beer City USA, a title we share with Portland, Oregon. Asheville has 9 operating breweries in the city and others right outside our doors in Black Mountain and other surrounding towns. Regardless of your thoughts on beer or alcohol, it is great to see Asheville craftsman recognized for their success, just like seeing a local musician or craftsman receiving recognition.

Here is the official press release from the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau:

An independent beer movement is brewing. Over the past month, more than 16,000 craft beer enthusiasts from 46 countries cast votes for “Beer City USA” in an online poll posted by founder of the American Homebrewers Association Charlie Papazian on Examiner.com. With roughly 30% of the votes each, the top honor of Beer City USA was ultimately split between two cities – Portland, Oregon on the west coast (an epicenter of American brew culture with more than 30 breweries) and, unexpected underdog, Asheville, North Carolina on the east coast (a smaller, but zealous, brew culture with more breweries per capita than any city in the U.S.).

Hundreds of heated blog comments, campaigning via Twitter and Facebook, and multitude off-shoot blog posts fueled the best beer city debate in advance of American Craft Beer Week, May 11 – 17, a national celebration highlighting the culture and contributions of craft beer.

About Asheville: Brewtopian Society
Asheville has long been known for its stunning scenery, lively mountain music and famous attractions including Biltmore and the Blue Ridge Parkway. And now, it’s become the craft brewing center of the Southeast. With a population of just over 70,000, Asheville is giving bigger cities a beer-run for their money with seven diverse craft breweries (and two more well under construction).

On any given day, about 50 local beers can be enjoyed, served on draft and in bottles. Asheville is also home to a world-renowned specialty beer store (Bruisin’ Ales, rated #3 retailer worldwide by RateBeer), three annual beer festivals (Brewgrass, Oktoberfest and Winter Warmer), and a wide selection of pubs, including the Thirsty Monk, with a downstairs tasting room featuring an all-Belgian lineup. A behind-the-scenes brewery tour, Asheville Brews Cruise offers an insider’s look with a designated driver of Asheville’s rapidly evolving brew culture.