Finally, A Return to Asheville!! (and more Summer Fun)

I finally got a chance to get back to one of my favorite (and closest in proximity) beer towns in the U.S. - beautiful Asheville, NC, this summer.  Ashlee and I and some friends rented a beautiful house in the mountains just outside of town for a fun long weekend of music, outdoor fun and, of course, good beer!

Several selections from Asheville's own, Catawba Brewing, was our main focus in terms of beer this weekend.  Here's a White Zombie wit-bier (white ale) with our stunning view from the rental house in the background.

I finally got to do one of the very-popular pub-cycle tours and what better place to do that than in downtown Asheville.  Here's some of the gang gearing up for the fun run.  We chose a short-time format which was BYOB and my drink of choice was the Hooligan Scotch Ale also from Catawba Brewing.  It was a hoot.  Can't wait to do another one somewhere.

After our pub cycle ride we ambled over to the new Asheville Pinball Museum which actually has tons of old pinball machines and arcade games to play in unlimited fashion for one set nominal price.  They also have a killer bar and I had a Rocket Girl Golden Lager from Asheville Brewing Company while I was there.

Another major reason for coming back to Asheville was to see one of our favorite bands, Michael Franti and Spearhead,  play in a new downtown outdoor amphitheater called New Mountain.  The show was great and the Blonde Ale from Appalachian Mountain Brewery in nearby Boone, NC, was delicious.

A fun weekend of dead soldiers including King Coconut Porter (Catawba), Farmer Ted's Cream Ale (Catawba). Mother Trucker Pale Ale (Catawba). Great American Red White and Blueberry from Stout Brewing (some mass-produced swill).  It was some malted crap bought on a whim and it was God-awful.  And finally, some Wee Heavy-Er Scotch Ale from French Broad Brewing here in Asheville

When I got back home...

I had a Strawberry Picnic from Blackstone in Nashville at Jonathan's Grille in Mt. Juliet with my friends, Chris and Tarryn, as we watched the USWNT take on Germany.  I also had a Snapshot pale wheat ale from New Belgium Brewing (CO) that was kinda blah.

 I went by The Hop Stop in East Nashville tonight before seeing Terminator Genisys (over the top, but not awful).   I had a Habit IPA from Bearded Iris Brewing out of Nashville.  Next I had a half pint of The Brown Note brown ale from Against the Grain Brewery in Louisville, KY.  I finished with a half pint of the Fire Roasted Coffee Stout from Calfkiller Brewing over in Sparta, TN.