Following Helene, Big Pillow Brewing crafts its next chapter
After several months of unknowns following the destruction from Hurricane Helene, Big Pillow Brewing in Hot Springs is gearing up for a busy summer season. File photo
On a recent sunny afternoon in Hot Springs, it was almost impossible to find a parking spot within vicinity of Big Pillow Brewing in downtown. And, for the tiny mountain town, this was a joyous sight compared to what the community has gone through as of late.
“It feels great to see all these smiling faces,” said Chris Donochod, co-owner of Big Pillow. “And things are starting to feel a little more familiar again.”
Just about eight months ago, floodwaters from Hurricane Helene bulldozed through the mountains of Western North Carolina, with Hot Springs (population: 538) smack dab between the French Broad River and Spring Creek. Both bodies of water ripped through the community, destroying most of downtown in the process.
“It’s still a little shocking, to say the least,” Donochod reminisced when asked about the flood. “I was able to find parts of our [live music] stage downstream. Someone even found one of our kegs seven miles downstream.”
And yet, here we are. The town of Hot Springs remains; so do its residents. A good portion of the downtown is still in limbo, with many of its businesses yet to reopen.
Following extensive damage to the brewery from the flood, Big Pillow reopened its doors in March. The return of the business has been an inspiration to the community for the inevitable return of their beloved town.
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“It’s been a long road to get here. And we realize what we lost for six months of so,” Donochod noted. “The community here is a group of amazing people. And I think the storm brought out the best in our community — so many people helping other people.”
Pouring its first ales on Christmas Day 2020, Big Pillow Brewing is the creation of Donochod and his wife, Amy Rubin. Longtime residents of WNC with a deep appreciation for the craft beer scene here (Rubin formerly worked for Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard), the couple was looking to spark something special in Hot Springs.
A former rafting guide in WNC, Donochod named the brewery after a whitewater rapid on Section 9 on the French Broad River. To note, Donochod was also the co-founder of the former French Broad River Festival, a cherished annual music gathering that lasted the better part of a quarter-century.
“[Craft beer] was always kind of a side hobby of ours,” Donochod said. “We enjoy good beer and a good atmosphere to enjoy that good beer.”
Alongside its 10-barrel system pumping out some of the finest ales in the region, the cozy property features live music regularly, with the large stage anchored in the back of the beer garden. For culinary delights, Big Pillow has an onsite partnership with The Grey Eagle Taqueria. The space also plays host to weddings and other events.
“It was a huge gamble, but we’re glad we did it,” Donochod said of the road to the here and now. “People really do enjoy the space we’ve created — our vision was correct.”
And even though Big Pillow relaunched to the public earlier this spring, there was a low-key soft opening on Christmas Day 2024. It was not only the fourth anniversary, but also a symbolic gesture to the community that things were starting to return to normal.
“We thought maybe 60 people would come, but we wound up having over 200 people here — it was pretty magical,” Donochod shook his head in awe. “People were just happy to be able to get together and do something other than shovel mud.”
Gazing around the large beer garden at Big Pillow, Donochod takes note of the buzz in the air of people and conversation. It’s not lost on him, or anyone else in the company, how unique and treasured of a place the brewery has become in Hot Springs. It’s not lost on the community it serves, either.
“We pretty much built this place with our own hands and our friends,” Donochod said. “People see that we’re here for the right reasons — we want to be here.”
Want to go?
Featuring a wide range of handcrafted ales, Big Pillow Brewing is located at 25 Andrews Avenue North in downtown Hot Springs.
Hours of operation are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday. As well, the brewery features culinary delights through a partnership with The Grey Eagle Taqueria.
For more information, call 828.539.1939 or visit bigpillowbrewing.com.
WNC Breweries
Although Asheville is the epicenter of the world-renowned craft beer scene here in Western North Carolina, with dozens of breweries represented, there are several award-winning establishments west of the city, right here in our backyard.
• 7 Clans (Waynesville)
• Angry Elk Brewing (Whittier)
• Appalachian Grail Brewing (Hayesville)
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva)
• BearWaters Brewing (Canton/Maggie Valley)
• Big Pillow Brewing (Hot Springs)
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville)
• Bryson City Brewing (Bryson City)
• Buck Bald Brewing (Murphy)
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin)
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville)
• Hayesville Brew (Hayesville)
• Hoppy Trout Brewing (Andrews)
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva/Dillsboro/Cullowhee)
• Laughing Dogs Brewing (Hayesville)
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin/Sylva)
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City)
• Native Brews (Cherokee)
• Nocturnal Brewing (Hayesville)
• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands)
• Snowbird Mountains Brewery (Andrews)
• Testament Brewery (Murphy)
• Valley River Brewing (Murphy)
• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers)
