On Jan. 1, Christopher Arbor and his friends pledged to visit one Asheville brewery each week for all of 2025 in the order that they opened, then share the experience with Mountain Xpress readers. To read about their recent visit to One World Brewing, visit avl.mx/eo6.
On New Year’s Day, we began our heroic, yearlong quest to visit every Asheville brewery in the order that they opened. But we almost immediately ran into a constitutional crisis.
What exactly is an “Asheville brewery”? Does it need to have started in Asheville? Does it need to be within the city limits? Does it need to brew on-site? Should we include cideries? Distilleries? Meaderies? Kombucharies? Admittedly, I made up that last word.
Ultimately, we intentionally left it vague, in part because I really wanted to hear some great music, and Pisgah Brewing Co. in Black Mountain — which marks its 20th anniversary this spring — is renowned for its extraordinary venue and top-notch performers. The Wednesday we were there was no exception.
Pisgah’s new indoor taproom (right across the creek from its original location) just opened in late January. When we strolled in, I was immediately taken by the band onstage — The Hillclimbers.
If I were describing this group the way Wicked Weed Brewing describes its beer, I’d say: “Appalachian-leaning trio with strong folk appeal, creating a rich harmonic resonance melding melodic notes of rural guitar, pastoral violin and upright bass, including a nose of fresh-cut bluegrass. Hints of ukuleles.”
If I were using my own words, I’d say, “Dang good.”
That’s a pretty good description of the whole venue, beer included. There’s no pretentiousness.
Much to my delight, there were six dark beers on tap, so I ordered four of them — as a flight, my friends. That’s four 4-ounce pours. It was a school night after all.
While the friendly bartender was pouring my beer, and I was grooving to The Hillclimbers’ compelling rendition of “Friend of the Devil,” I noticed a flyer saying that Keller Williams will be playing on Saturday, June 7, and before that, the brewery will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a huge party featuring the jam band Spafford on Saturday, April 19. (Learn more about this at avl.mx/eo3.)
I tottered outside, careful not to spill the liquid gold, and raised a glass with my compadres to Black Mountain’s storm recovery efforts. A peaceful feeling settled over me even before the beer hit my lips. The sun was setting, and a creek babbled beside us.
Speaking of flow, Pisgah Brewing’s motto is “We all drink downstream.” (How’s that for a transition?) I had the privilege of chatting with the owner, Dave Quinn, about what inspired the saying.
He told me, “It speaks to how our daily actions shape our reality and the reality of those around us. It’s a call to action to conserve and recycle, farm and govern responsibly and have patience and grace with our fellow humans in our daily lives. Businesswise, we pay our people well, provide health insurance, use organic ingredients and support the performing arts.”
Darn it, Dave. I’m supposed to be the writer here.
To sum up: The beer is tasty, the space is chill, the music is incredible, and the owner is wise. And if I get home before daylight, I just might get some sleep … tonight.
Join us on another adventure. We gather at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. You can email me at yearinbeerasheville@gmail.com or just show up.
April 9: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
April 16: Mills River Brewing Co.
Hey Christopher! Very nice meeting you tonight at Twin Leaf. I appreciate the building community motivation that we shared. Please include me on your weekly notifications about the 52 breweries. Yours in community, Alan West AVL Vibe