Asheville, WNC communities earn multiple 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for beer, breweries
ASHEVILLE - Access to some of the best brews, breweries and beer bars in the industry is easy when in Western North Carolina.
10Best, a media component of USA TODAY, polled the public in several categories in its Readers' Choice Awards to find out their favorite beer-centric destinations in the U.S.
On March 8, the Top 10 results were announced, and Asheville and the greater WNC shined in multiple areas for their outstanding beer scenes.
On the list of Best Beer Cities in the U.S., Asheville ranked No. 8.
“The ‘Paris of the South’ offers an impressive number of breweries, friendly beer bars, and bottle shops (Appalachian Vintner) that provide enthusiasts with easy access to more than 100 local beers,” the article stated.
Also, Wicked Weed Brewing’s brewpub and Funkatorium taproom, which specializes in sour and funky beers, were mentioned as popular destinations.
Three local breweries came in on top for the Best Brewery Tour.
New Belgium Brewing Co., which has locations in Asheville and Fort Collins, Colorado, is ranked No. 8. The Asheville brewery, in the River Arts District, offers several free and ticketed experiences ranging from standard to in-depth educational tours.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., which has breweries in Mills River and Chico, California, ranked No. 7 for its interactive tours. The Mills River brewery offers various experiences daily for $9-$75, including a three-hour Beer Geek Tour.
Burial Beer Co.’s Forestry Camp ranked No. 3 for its 60-minute tour, which costs $35 per person and is offered on Saturdays and Sundays by reservation.
The Asheville-founded brewery also has a taproom in the South Slope brewing district.
The Whale was ranked No. 4 for Best Beer Bar. The Asheville-founded business has locations in West Asheville and Haw Creek, as well as in Greenville and Charleston, South Carolina. The Whale offers rare and limited-edition brews, and the option to request a “wild card” that allows the bartender to choose guests’ drinks of “something you have never seen or heard of, but are glad you discovered.”
New Origin Brewery was named a rising star and ranked No. 9 for Best New Brewery. New Origin was praised for its dog and kid-friendly taproom and outdoor beer garden and a menu that ranges from New England IPAs to hard seltzers, as well as its resident food truck partner, 900 Degreez Pizza.
A short drive from Asheville, a mountain town was named among readers’ favorite “captivating brew havens.”
Bryson City ranked No. 7 for Best Small Town Beer Scene, hailed for its outdoor and beer offered at several popular beer destinations in a walkable area.
“In addition to Mountain Layers Brewing Company, beer lovers should be sure to visit Bryson City Outdoors, where they'll likely find a food truck to pair with the BCO taproom's well-curated selection of local and regional craft beers,” the article stated.
View the full lists and vote in the latest 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards polls at https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/.
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West Asheville eatery is No. 2 on national Best New Restaurants list: What's on the menu
What to know about the Filipino food truck making a home at Zillicoah Beer Co.
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 10Best awards Asheville, WNC communities for breweries, beer, more
