A Beer Tour of South Slope Craft Breweries in Asheville

Catawba Brewing opened in Asheville’s South Slope on April 1st

Asheville, four-time Beer City USA, is the perfect place to celebrate NC Beer Month! We have an amazing beer scene, with a wide selection of bars, brewpubs, micro craft breweries, cideries, and restaurants. So, to celebrate Beer Month, let’s take a tour of Asheville’s South Slope Brewing District. If you visit the breweries in the following order, you can end with great pizza at Asheville Brewing… or reverse the order if you’d like to start with the pizza!

Burial Beer

Burial Beer began in 2013 with a one barrel pilot system, but has grown to a ten barrel brewhouse. Burial focuses on traditional Belgian ales, and is always tinkering with the ingredients to get the perfect blend. Their Taphouse is open Tuesday – Thursday. Located at 40 Collier Avenue.

Green Man

One of North Carolina’s oldest breweries, Green Man has been at its South Slope location since 1997. Here you can enjoy traditional English-style ales, as well as new and exciting flavors. Conveniently located next to French Broad Chocolate Factory! Open every day. Located at 23 Buxton Avenue.

Catawba Brewing Co.
Catawba opened its location in South Slope only a few weeks ago, but has been around since 1997. They have a seven-barrel specialty brewery and tasting room with thirty taps. They have beers in a wide variety of styles. Open everyday. Located at 63 Brook Street.

Twin Leaf Brewery

This brewery opened last year and has dozens of beer on tap. Home of beer yoga! Open everyday. Located at 144 Coxe Avenue.

Funkatorium

Wicked Weed Funkatorium

The opening of the Funkatorium in 2014 made Wicked Weed the largest producer of aged beers in the southeastern U.S. – it houses 1,000 barrels of their beers. They produce Belgian and American style ales. Wicked Weed has been named one of the Best Bars in the South by Southern Living Magazine. Open every day. Located at 147 Coxe Avenue.

Hi-Wire Brewing

Hi-Wire features four classic year-round beers (Prime Time Pale, Hi-Pitch IPA, Bed of Nails Brown, and Hi-Wire Lager) and a variety of seasonals. Open every day. Located at 197 Hilliard Avenue.

Ben’s Tune Up

An urban beer garden, full service restaurant, sake brewery, convenience store, and Foothills Butchery are all located within Ben’s Tune Up. Another of Southern Living’s Best Bars in the South. Open everyday. Located at 195 Hilliard Avenue.

Asheville Brewing Company

Asheville Brewing first opened in 1995. In addition to traditional favorites, the new brewer series goes beyond the conventional to create brews such as the jalapeno infused Fire Escape and the Mardi Gras inspired Bier de Garde Here you can enjoy downtown’s largest covered patio, a giant Jenga game, and cornhole. Voted best pizza in Western North Carolina four years in a row. Open everyday. Located at 77 Coxe Avenue.

Cheers! For more information on South Slope, go to http://www.romanticasheville.com/south_slope.htm.

Celebrating Mount Mitchell State Park’s 100th

One hundred years ago this month, a bill passed the state legislature to make Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River at 6,684 feet, the first state park in North Carolina. In 1835, Grandfather Mountain was thought to be the highest point in the region. However, Dr. Elisha Mitchell, professor at the University of North Carolina, performed measurements that convinced him that the Black Mountains were taller. Mitchell studied barometric pressure readings and used mathematical formulas to determine that the highest point in the range was 6,476 feet, which was taller than Grandfather Mountain. Dr. Mitchell returned to perform more measurements and calculations in 1838 and 1844 and determined the highest peak was 6,672 feet – only a 12 foot difference from modern measurements! The mountain was named after Dr. Mitchell in 1858, one year after he fell off a cliff above a 40-foot waterfall there and drowned in the river below. His body is buried at Mt. Mitchell, right beside the observation deck on the summit.

Deep Gap Trail

Mount Mitchell is located in the Black Mountain range, approximately 35 miles northeast of downtown Asheville. There are lots of fun activities at Mount Mitchell State Park, from hiking, camping and picnicking to birding and just enjoying the plantlife and views. Our favorite hiking trails are the Deep Gap Trail, Balsam Trail, and the Mount Mitchell Trail. Deep Gap and Balsam are relatively easy, and the Mount Mitchell trail is longer and more strenuous. The park is open year round, as long as there is no ice or snow on the roads. The museum, restaurant, and concession stand will reopen on May 1.

Our Tips for Visiting Mount Mitchell:

• Bring a jacket or an extra layer of clothes. Temperatures are usually 10-30 degrees cooler than in Asheville. Weather conditions can change rapidly. Take rain gear along if you are hiking.
• Eight out of ten days, the summit is covered in clouds and fog. Watch the weather, and try to visit when skies are very clear in Asheville.
• Allow plenty of driving time to reach Mt. Mitchell (at least one hour from Asheville). The entrance is from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the traffic can be slow, especially on the weekends.
• The park is open every day, year-round, however sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway close during much of the winter between Asheville and Mt. Mitchell. During most of the winter, the only route is taking the Parkway south from NC Highway 80. The restaurant, exhibit hall and gift shop are open May through October. Admission is free.
• Call the Park office at 828-675-4611 to check winter road conditions.

Happy 100th birthday! Read more about Mount Mitchell State Park

Biltmore Will Soon Be Blooming

Thousands of tulips in the Walled Garden

“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.”
~ Ruth Stout

You couldn’t pick a better place to greet spring than in the magnificent gardens at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The first day of spring, March 20, will kick off the annual Biltmore Blooms festivities, which will run through May 25, 2015.

Biltmore Blooms will kick off with the blooming of the cheery daffodils at the entrance gate. Thousands of vibrant tulips, this year in hues of purple, pink, white, and orange, will follow quickly behind the daffodils. Azaleas, rhododendron, roses, and other colorful annuals and perennials will erupt across the Estate throughout the remainder of the season. Orchids will be the center of attention between March 20 and April 12, when visitors will be invited to enter the glass-domed Winter Garden to take in the hundreds of brilliant orchids on display.

In addition to the array of beautiful flowers, Biltmore will be hosting the “Dressing Downton: Changing Fashions for Changing Times” exhibition.  Forty-five costumes worn by the actors on Downton Abbey will be featured throughout the House. “Dressing Downton” will run through May 25.

Specials offered for spring include:

• March 20 – May 21: youth tickets are half the price of adult tickets
• Purchase your tickets at least a week in advance and receive $10 off
• Mother’s Day, May 10: Bring your mom to Biltmore – she gets in FREE

Other special spring experiences:

• “Orchid Talks” — held each weekday at 11am, estate gardening experts will be on hand to discuss Biltmore’s history with orchids, as well as provide more information about the plants displayed in the orchid room.
• “Ask a Gardener” — visitors will have the chance to speak to the Estate’s plant experts in the Walled Garden.
• Gardening and Floral Demonstrations — “Exquisite Orchids for Beginners” is offered each day at 1:00pm, followed by “Nurturing Treasured Houseplants” at 2:00pm.
• Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Sunday, April 5 — held on the front lawn for children ages 2-9. There will be three hunts, at 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm, with registration beginning two hours before and closing fifteen minutes before each hunt. There will be a variety of entertainment to enjoy in addition to hunting Easter eggs,, such as music, storytelling, magic shows, games, crafts, and photos with the Easter Bunny.
• Easter Sunday Brunch will be served at Deerpark and the Dining Room at Inn on Biltmore Estate.
• Cedric’s English Sunday Brunch will be served at Cedric’s Tavern in Antler Hill Village each Sunday from 11:30am – 5:00pm through May 24.
• Have a taste of the Limited Release Spring Seasonal Wine offered each day at the Biltmore Winery.

For more information, go to RomanticAsheville.com Travel Guide.