National Attention for Asheville's Beer Scene

Asheville's Thriving Beer Scene Receives National Attention, as reported in the Asheville Travel Blog and described by the Asheville Visitor's Bureau:

Hop-heads in Asheville have something new to celebrate. Both Lonely Planet and The Travel Channel featured Asheville on their list of top beer destinations. Here's what they had to say... 

The Travel Channel: Top 7 Beer Destinations 

They don't call Asheville Beer City USA for the heck of it. The Southern city has 11 breweries -- and counting! Asheville's brewing community is diverse, with operations that range from the nanobrewery at the Thirsty Monk pub to the heavyweight Highland Brewing Company, the third largest brewery in the Southeast. What may be a testament to the growing beer scene here is that Sierra Nevada and New Belgium breweries will expand their East Coast expansions in Asheville later in 2012. The Best Firkin Beer Festival (named after the traditional beer cask, of course) made its debut in April 2012, and plenty other beer-centric events happen year-round. 

Lonely Planet: Brewed in the USA: Top 5 Beer Cities in America 

Situated among the lush, rolling peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, Asheville is a laid-back town where outdoor lovers and beer aficionados soak up the offerings. The city’s first brewery, Highland Brewing Company, opened in 1994, which inspired nearly a dozen followers. Today, some of the town’s best breweries include Pisgah Brewing, Wedge Brewing Co. and Green Man Brewery. Don’t miss the downtown location of the Thirsty Monk, with Belgian beers on tap downstairs and American beers on tap upstairs.