Black Mountain: The Best Little Beer Town

Business & Finance

Apr 1

By meg hale brunton

As a little town at the base of a mountain range, Black Mountain can seem unassuming at first. When one spends a bit more time there, however, they discover it is a mecca of arts, culture, and independent businesses. With a walkable downtown area, vibrant local music, fantastic restaurants, and some of the best hiking in the county, it is quickly becoming a busy small town and a bustling tourist destination. In addition to its laid-back vibe and scenic views, Black Mountain also boasts over fifty independent places to get craft beer, earning it the nickname: “Best Little Beer Town.”

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Lake Tomahawk Park

Open from dawn to dusk, Lake Tomahawk Park is the ideal spot for picnicking, strolling, fishing, swimming, and gathering with friends. The 16.3-acre park has a playground, swimming pool, fishing pier, and tennis courts, as well as a walking trail just over half a mile that winds around the lake. The Park Rhythms Series serves up live music all summer long, and there are a variety of active aging programs hosted daily at The Lakeview Center.

The Seven Sisters

Visible from Lake Tomahawk, The Seven Sisters is a 3.5-mile mountain range peppered with some of the most popular hiking trails in the area. The West Ridge Trail spans from the second sister peak all the way to the summit of ‘their father,’ Graybeard Mountain. While chock full of panoramic views, the 9.5-mile hike across the peaks is considered strenuous and not recommended for inexperienced hikers.

FOOD & BEER

Foothills Grange

For over twenty years, Foothills Local Meats has been serving ‘honest meats’ to WNC. Last September, they opened The Grange, an eatery and bar with an expansive outdoor patio area. If you’ve grown bored with burgers, dogs, and fries, you must try them from Foothills. And finish it off with one of their classic slushies! Whether you’re coming in for a meal, or for your butcher shop staples, Foothills is sure to have everything you need.

Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails

Among other things, the recently-renovated Monte Vista Hotel is home to Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails, one of the best restaurants in the area for contemporary Southern comfort food and craft-made drinks. Milton’s farm-to-fresh menu offers an array of regionally inspired dishes made from fresh local ingredients. Their entire menu is worth sampling, but you are truly missing out if you don’t try their fried chicken from Joyce Farms.

Dynamite Roasting Company

For some of the best locally roasted coffee in WNC, Dynamite Roasting Co. is not to be missed. Not only organic, but also fair-trade, Dynamite Coffee offers a variety of regular and seasonal coffee flavors, sure to wake you up with flavor. You’ll find it offered in multiple local restaurants, bars and markets, but can also get it from the source at Dynamite’s full-service coffee bar, located on Highway 70.

Oak & Grist Distilling Company

Oak and Grist Distilling is one of the few locations in the entire Southeast where you can get scratch-made spirits that are brewed, distilled, fermented and aged all under one roof. This 100% grain-to-glass distillery is a must-visit for all connoisseurs of gin and whiskey. Their tasting room is a comfortable, casual place to sip, sample and savor their locally-made flavors.

Pisgah Brewing Company

One of the first breweries in the area, Pisgah Brewing Company specializes in craft brews made with all organic malts and grains. From the Pisgah Pale Ale, to the Valdez Nitro Stout, Pisgah’s award-winning beers are some of the most sought after in WNC. Visit their open air outdoor bar during the summer and fall seasons to pair your ale with some terrific live music on the Pisgah Brewing Outdoor Stage.

Black Mountain Cider + Mead

From the conventional to the truly unique, Black Mountain Cider and Mead is the place to taste the best of local cider flavor. Made from local heirloom apples and honey, Black Mountain Ciderworks serves up a wide range of small-batch ciders and session meads. Just around the corner from Pisgah Brewing in an old furniture factory, Black Mountain Cider’s taproom is the perfect location to wind down your evening with a refreshingly sweet or dry pint.

SHOPS & ARTS

Seven Sisters Gallery

For over 40 years, Seven Sisters Craft Gallery has graced Black Mountain’s Cherry Street, offering the best in fine American hand crafts. Entirely women-owned, Seven Sisters showcases the work of over 250 artists within their 3,000 sq. ft. store. Open 7 days a week, Seven Sisters offers a range of price points on quality creations with the goal of providing arts for all budgets.

Black Mountain Center for the Arts

Since 2000, the Black Mountain Center for the Arts has been showcasing a wide range of works from local and regional artists. From their historic building in the heart of downtown Black Mountain, the center provides the people of the Swannanoa Valley with a location for artistic events, public gallery exhibits, and a multitude of art classes for all ages and talent levels.

Black Mountain is definitely the meeting place for small-town charm and big outdoor adventure. Though it may be small in size (with a population of 8,500), with all of the interesting elements that make it up, it is definitely a little town that rocks and much, much more.

For more information on Black Mountain, check out: www.exploreblackmountain.com or www.bestlittlebeertown.com