December 30, 2012

Wet Your Whistle at Asheville, NC's Winter Warmer Beer Festival

Shake off the cold weather blues with the 6th Annual Asheville Winter Warmer Beer Festival. With over 30 microbreweries participating, a dozen of them Western North Carolina locals, your cup (a keeper souvenir) will overflow with plentiful libation. The event, which includes unlimited beer samples and catered snacks from 3 until 7 p.m., takes place on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at Asheville's US Cellular Center.

Winter Warmer Local Line-up
Beer City USA does not disappoint when it comes to frothy flavor. All of your local favorites will be serving at the Winter Warmer festival, including Asheville Brewing Company, Pisgah Brewing, Highland Brewing, French Broad Brewing, Lexington Avenue Brewery, Thirsty Monk, and Oysterhouse Brewing. A few Asheville newcomers will also be in attendance, including Altamont Brewing and Wicked Weed Brewing, which just this past week celebrated their grand opening downtown.
Visiting from surrounding WNC towns are Southern Appalachian Brewing, Tipping Point Brewing, Frog Level, Oskar Blues, and Catawba Valley Brewing. Plus, Mountain Ale and Lager Tasters (MALT) Homebrew Club will be on hand to answer all of your home brewing questions. Asheville is also eagerly anticipating the opening of two new big time breweries in 2014, Sierra Nevada and New Belgium, both of which will be in attendance at the festival to give you a sample of what's to come.

The More the Merrier
Winter Warmer Beer Festival 2013's special guest breweries are Cigar City Brewing from Tampa, Florida, and Founders Brewing Company from Grand Rapids, Michigan, the town with which Asheville shares the Beer City USA title. Additional out-of-towners that fare from in-state include Olde Hickory Brewery, Foothills Brewing, Triangle Brewing Company, Duck Rabbit Brewery, Lonerider Brewing, Birdsong Brewing, Aviator Brewing, and Natty Greene's. Microbrews visiting from Georgia are Terrapin Brewery and SweetWater Brewing Company, serving from South Carolina roots will be Thomas Creek Brewery, Holy City Brewing, and RJ Rockers, and over the hills from Tennessee comes Yazoo Brewing. Finally, 7venth Sun Brewing hails from Florida.

Beer Enthusiasm Will Ensue
This year's Winter Warmer Festival promises to be bigger and better than ever before. The event is moving up a floor from past events to occupy the arena level of the former Asheville Civic Center. In addition to room for more vendors, there will also be more tickets available and increased space for mingling and drinking! This year's partner non-profit is the Western North Carolina Alliance (WNCA), an organization that supports the local environmental grassroots movement. Get your tickets soon - past years have all sold out quickly.

A Sweet Spot to Rest and Relax
Once you've decided which beers are your favorites, you'll want to grab a couple growlers and head to your North Carolina cabin rental. Carolina Mornings offers dozens of luxury cabins in Asheville, NC, many of them pet-friendly and offering panoramic mountain views. Warn up by the fire at a secluded wooded retreat like El Oso, shown here. As an added bonus, Carolina Mornings' guests receive a complimentary Mountain Discovery Pass, giving you free access to snow skiing, LaZoom city bus tours, and much more.

Call a Carolina Mornings Vacation Planner today to book your winter getaway!

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