During the Asheville Summer, you may find yourself cooling off at the bottom of a waterfall, checking out the views from 6,000 feet, biking through the lush forests, or countless other outdoor activities. To get to these alluring destinations, you will probably use a portion of the 175-mile portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway that meanders through Western North Carolina.
It’s also a common practice to end the day’s adventure with a cold beer from one of our area’s dozens of exceptional breweries. The folks at The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation recognize that outdoors and imbibement are best enjoyed together in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They’ve asked 17 different local WNC breweries to each create a unique beer that they feel represents our vibrant local flora and topography as a way of celebrating 100 years since the inception of the National Park Service.
The Find Your Pint event series will include lot’s of great beers that will be released throughout the rest of August and throughout September at the various breweries. Each event will have a unique sticker for your Parkway Beer Passport booklet, which will also be available at each event. Once you have your Passport, you can register online for a chance to win tickets to an exclusive event at New Belgium at the end of it all, the date of this event is still TBA.
The series will kick off at Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain tonight (Friday, August 12th) beginning at 5:00pm with free live music starting at 8:00pm!. The rest of the events will take place throughout Asheville, Waynesville, Sylva, Black Mountain, and Fletcher. The breweries will be donating a portion of sales from each event’s special beer to benefit the Blue Ridge Parkway, so be sure to get out to as many events as possible and fill your passport with stickers to show your support!
For more information and last minute updates, check out the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s website and Facebook Page, and we’ll see you out there!
Pisgah Brewing Company
150 Eastside Drive, Black Mountain
Date: Friday, August 12, 5 p.m.
The Beer: Little Slaty Extra Pale Ale, the fifth installment of the Seven Sisters IPA series is named for the mountain range that overlooks the brewery in the Swannanoa River Valley
The Event: Pisgah will donate $1 from every pint of Little Slaty sold. Free live music with Vibe & Direct starts at 8 p.m. www.pisgahbrewing.com
Catawba Brewing Company
32 Banks Ave. #105, Asheville
Date: Thursday, August 18
The Beer: Milepost 316.3 IPA, named for the spot that marks Linville Falls Overlook and the headwaters of the Catawba River
The Event: In addition to the beer release, there will be live music and a food truck. Catawba will donate $1 from each Milepost 316.3 IPA sold. www.catawbabrewing.com
Boojum Brewing Company
357 Dayton Drive, Waynesville
Date: Friday, August 19
The Beer: Three small batch beers featuring wild blueberries, including Graveyard Fields Blueberry Coffee Porter
The Event: Boojum will donate $1 from each pint sold. www.boojumbrewing.com
Innovation Brewing
414 W. Main St., Sylva
Date: Sunday, August 21
The Beer: Black Balsam Porter, named after the scenic area at milepost 420.2 on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The Event: In addition to the beer release, Innovation will host a show of local art focused on the Blue Ridge Parkway. www.innovation-brewing.com
Highland Brewing Company
12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Asheville
Date: Thursday, August 25 + Nonprofit of the month
The Beer: Cranberry Ridge Wheat, named for Cranberry Ridge at milepost 452.1 on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The Event: For every pour on August 25, $1 will be donated. A portion of proceeds for all of August will also benefit the Foundation. www.highlandbrewing.com
Twin Leaf Brewery
144 Coxe Ave., Asheville
Date: Friday, August 26 – Sunday, August 28
The Beer: Ridge Rider DIPA, brewed with Centennial hops in honor of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service
The Event: Ten percent of sales from Ridge Rider Double IPA through the weekend will be donated. Leading up to the event, beer fans are invited to enter a Blue Ridge Parkway photo contest by tagging images with #ridgerider. A winning image will be selected at the event. www.twinleafbrewery.com
Blue Ghost Brewing Company
125 Underwood Road, Fletcher
Date: Saturday, August 27
The Beer: Blueberry Fields Wheat Ale, made with North Carolina blueberries harvested from Graveyard Fields, milepost 418
The Event: For every pint sold, $1 will be donated until the two-barrel batch is gone. www.blueghostbrewing.com
New Belgium Brewing Company
21 Craven St., Asheville
Date: Thursday, September 1 – Friday, September 30
The Beer: Ranger IPA
The Event: Proceeds from every Ranger IPA sold during September will be donated to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. www.newbelgium.com
Burial Beer Co.
40 Collier Ave., Asheville
Date: Friday, September 2, 5:30 p.m.
The Beer: A yet-to-be-revealed new brew crafted in the spirit of the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway
The Event: Head brewer Tim Gormley will speak about the exclusive, one-off beer and Burial’s new facility and its connection to the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Burial will donate $1 from each pint until the 10-barrel batch is gone. www.burialbeer.com
Sweeten Creek Brewing
1127 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville
Date: Saturday, September 3
The Beer: Busbee Black IPA, named for the mountain which cradles the Blue Ridge Parkway and Mountains to Sea Trail and harbors the headwaters of Sweeten Creek
The Event: Sweeten Creek will donate $1 from every Busbee Black IPA sold. www.sweetencreekbrewing.com
Green Man Brewery
27 Buxton Ave., Asheville
Date: Friday, September 9
The Beer: A yet-to-be-named brew made with berries found growing along the Blue Ridge Parkway
The Event: Green Man will donate $1 from every pint sold. www.greenmanbrewery.com
Lookout Brewing Company
103 S. Ridgeway Ave. #1, Black Mountain
Date: Saturday, September 10 & Sunday, September 11
The Beer: Dark Town Brown Sour
The Event: For two days, Lookout will donate $1 from each pint of Dark Town Brown Sour. www.lookoutbrewing.com
Hi-Wire Brewing
197 Hilliard Ave., Asheville
Date: Thursday, September 15
The Beer: All beers on tap
The Event: During its weekly nonprofit night, Hi-Wire Brewing will donate 15 percent of the evening’s proceeds. www.hiwirebrewing.com
Asheville Brewing Co.
675 Merrimon Ave. and 77 Coxe Ave., Asheville
Date: Friday, September 16, 5 p.m.
The Beer: Blue Ridge Blueberry Breakfast Pale Ale
The Event: The draft release will go on simultaneously at both Asheville locations, and $1 from the sale of each pint of Blue Ridge Blueberry Breakfast Pale Ale will be donated until the batch is gone. www.ashevillebrewing.com
Wicked Weed Brewing
91 Biltmore Ave., Asheville
Date: Saturday, September 17
The Beer: An original American Wheat with blackberries, dandelion root, and yarrow leaves, which all grow wild on the Blue Ridge Parkway. 5.5% ABV
The Event: Wicked Weed will donate $1 from every pint of the special release beer sold. www.wickedweedbrewing.com
Thirsty Monk
92 Patton Ave., Asheville; 51 N. Merrimon Ave. #113, Woodfin; 2 Town Square Blvd. #170, Biltmore Park
Date: Thursday, September 22
The Beer: A special selection of the day
The Event: At all three locations, Thirsty Monk will donate $1 per pint of the selected beer.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
100 Sierra Nevada Way, Fletcher
Date: Monday, September 26 – Sunday, October 2
The Beer: Blue Ridge Red, a hoppy red ale brewed with local honey
The Event: Sierra Nevada will donate $1 from every pint of Blue Ridge Red sold from September 26 through October 2. www.sierranevada.com
8/12 — Pisgah Brewing Company — Little Slaty (Hoppy Pale)
8/18 — Catawba Brewing Company — Milepost 316.3 IPA
8/19 — Boojum Brewing Company — 3 different blueberry beers (including Graveyard Fields)
8/21 — Innovation Brewing — Black Balsam Porter + Art Show
8/25 — Highland Brewing Company — Cranberry Ridge Wheat
8/26 — Twin Leaf Brewery — Ridge Rider DIPA + Parkway Photo Contest
8/27 — Blue Ghost Brewing Company — Blueberry Fields Wheat Ale
9/1 — New Belgium Brewing Company — Ranger IPA (proceeds from the whole month of September)
9/2 — Burial Beer Co — Unknown beer made with local ingredients
9/3 — Sweeten Creek Brewing — Busbee Black IPA
9/9 — Green Man Brewery– Sour wheat beer made with local ingredients
9/10 — Lookout Brewing Company — Dark Town Brown Sour
9/15 — Hi-Wire Brewing — 15% of all beer sold that night
9/16 — Asheville Brewing Company & Asheville Pizza — Blue Ridge Blueberry Breakfast Pale Ale
9/17 — Wicked Weed Brewing — Unknown beer made to celebrate the Parkway
9/26 — Sierra Nevada Brewing Company — Blue Ridge Red