On a recent mid-May morning, Kevin Sandefur spent five hours spreading gravel in the parking lot of the brand new BearWaters Brewing location on South Main Street in Waynesville. 

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Greg Wasik saw firsthand that trademark sense of community at neighborhood taverns around the Motor City.

Andrews 

• Hoppy Trout Brewing Company 828.835.2111 • www.hoppytroutbrewing.com

• Snowbird Mountains Brewery 678.419.3035 • www.snowbirdmountainsbrewery.com  

Bryson City 

• Mountain Layers Brewing 828.538.0115 • www.mtnlayersbeer.com 

• Nantahala Brewing 828.488.2337 • www.nantahalabrewing.com 

Canton 

• BearWaters Brewing 828.246.0602 • www.bwbrewing.com 

Cashiers 

• Whiteside Brewing 828.743.6000 • www.whitesidebrewing.com

Cherokee 

• Native Brews Tap & Grill 828.497.2739 • www.native-brews.com 

Dillsboro 

• Innovation Brewing 828.586.9678 • www.innovation-brewing.com 

Franklin 

• Currahee Brewing 828.634.0078 • www.curraheebrew.com 

• Lazy Hiker Brewing 828.342.5133 • www.lazyhikerbrewing.com 

Hayesville 

• Hayesville Brewing 828.835.6010 

• Nocturnal Brewing 828.305.7337 • www.nocturnalbrewing.com 

Highlands 

• Satulah Mountain Brewing 

828.482.9794 • www.satulahmountainbrewing.com

Maggie Valley 

• BearWaters Brewing (Outpost) 828.944.0009 • bearwatersbrewing.com 

Murphy 

• Valley River Brewery 828.837.2337 • www.valleyriverbreweries.com 

Sapphire 

• Sapphire Valley Brewing 828.743.0220 • www.sapphirebrewingcompany.com 

Sylva 

• Balsam Falls Brewing 828.631.1987 • www.fb.com/balsamfallsbrewing 

• Innovation Brewing 828.586.9678 • www.innovation-brewing.com

• Lazy Hiker Brewing 828.349.2337 • www.lazyhikerbrewing.com 

• Nantahala Brewing (Outpost) 828.641.9797 • www.nantahalabrewing.com 

Waynesville 

• 7 Clans Brewing 828.454.5664 • www.7clansbrewing.com 

• Boojum Brewing 828.944.0888 • www.boojumbrewing.com 

• Frog Level Brewing 828.454.5664 • www.froglevelbrewing.com 

It’s an unusually warm and sunny day for late November in Macon County. The patio tables at Lazy Hiker Brewing in downtown Franklin are filled with locals and visitors alike, each enjoying the concoctions pouring out of from the large warehouse behind the taproom. 

While society continues to adapt to ongoing shelter-in-place orders, many folks would jump at the chance to be in the presence of endless shelves and coolers filled with craft beer. But, for Marlowe Mager, all he can think about is how to get rid of all the bottles and cans that currently surround him.

According to recent numbers, there are around 75 breweries within Asheville and greater Western North Carolina. And 19 of those breweries are located west of Asheville. 

But, back in 1999, when The Smoky Mountain News launched, this was the number of breweries in our jurisdiction — zero. None. Not a single one. The idea of craft beer, let alone something concocted in your backyard, was not only somewhat unheard of, it never was thought to be something of an economic driver. 

Just off Main Street in Waynesville, tucked down the hill below Bogart’s, and across the street from American Legion Post 47, sits Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant.

Originally opened on Branner Avenue some three years ago, the business relocated to Legion Drive in July 2017. With 50 continuously rotating taps, it’s the largest selection of draft craft beer west of Asheville (aka: “Beer City USA”). But, in recent months, the taproom has transitioned into one of the most talked about gourmet farm-to-table restaurants in the area. 

In the six or so years I’ve lived and worked in Western North Carolina, the amount of craft breweries in our region has literally quadrupled. And as someone who has written extensively about craft beer, industry trends and so forth, it’s pretty impossible to keep up with it all. 

Following the announcement of its upcoming Sylva outpost, aimed at a fall opening, Bryson City-based Nantahala Brewing will launch an Asheville location by the end of this month. 

Located at 747 Haywood Road in West Asheville, the two-story outpost was formerly The Anchor Bar (and Buffalo Nickel before that). It will feature a downstairs restaurant that will offer a farm-to-table “cosmopolitan country” style menu. The upstairs taproom will also be poised to become a music venue, primarily focusing on bluegrass and Americana acts. On opening day, there will be 20 Nantahala brews on tap. 

With sunshine spilling into the taproom of Currahee Brewing Company in Franklin one recent afternoon, brewmaster Taylor Yates is all smiles. A hearty beverage raised high, the sun’s rays are a cherry on top of the news currently floating around the facility.