We were looking for craft beers and hard to find bourbons, whiskies and any other rare liquors. I know, why look in the middle of nowhere? Read on and you will see the method in my madness. As we walk in there is a young girl (mid 20's) at the register. I asked her if they had any beer. She said no and the manager standing next to her said that they were not allowed by law in Tennessee to sell beer where they sold liquor. Benny and I looked at each other and said okay and decided to look around anyway. We walked over to the cooler and we saw a couple of bottles of Delirium Tremmes and Nocturum. I was puzzled. I took it as a fluke and decided to head to the bourbons. Benny asked the manager about the beers and he said "oh, that is over 6 percent and we can sell that here." We came to the conclusion that "beer" in Tennessee was Bud, Miller Lite, Busch and so on. I was looking around where the bourbons were and Benny under his breath called out "Uncle Toby!, Uncle Toby!". He was standing in front of a cooler on the other end of the store so I walked over and saw a whole section of craft beers! We looked at each other and he said " I guess in Tennessee this is not beer." I returned to the bourbon section after I gathered up my 2 6packs of New Belgium beer (Abbey Ale and Belgo IPA) and went to the register to pay. I was talking to the manager about bourbons and our personal preferences and I mentioned that we were at Buffalo Trace the other day and how much I liked the Antique Collection. He said, "ya know, I have 4 bottles of the 12 yr. old Van Winkle upstairs. Would you like a bottle?"
I was shocked, and in a calm voice I said "hell yes!" So back to the register I went and purchased the bottle. I thanked the Manager whose name will be a mystery to me and Benny and I loaded up our loot and headed for the car. After we packed our goodies in the trunk, we high fixed each other and complemented each other on the beer and bourbon finds.
So it was onward to Asheville! Driving through the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina is a wonder and a Glory if you have never taken the ride. After the Liquor Barn, we headed I-75 south to Knoxville and caught I-40 east to Asheville. I reserved a room at the 4 Points Sheraton in downtown Asheville on the assumption that we were walking and not driving (don't drink and drive) to all of the libation halls that were available to us. After storing the suitcases and such we proceeded downstairs to the bar to start our journey. I ordered a we-heav-ier ale and Benny followed suit. He never had one before so it was a treat to watch him enjoy his beer. We finished soon after and planned our tour of Asheville and proceeded to head to the first adult establishment.
THE THIRSTY MONK
They are located at 92 Patton Avenue in Asheville. With an upstairs and downstairs bar you have a wide variety of ales and such upstairs and Belgians downstairs. A wonderful gathering place for good times and libations.They have a full selection of local brews as well as
New Belgium, which brews Fat Tire, Avery, which brews their IPA and Out of Bounds Stout. After
conversations with the locals, we added two more beers to the list.I had a Monk's Cafe Sour Red Ale which has a sweet and sour sauce flavor with Belgian beer added. Very tangy and good in limited amounts. I also had an Ommegang Seduction on tap which I normally would only see in bottles. Way better on tap than the bottle.
JACK OF THE WOOD
Home of the Green Man Brewery, it's a celtic pub with live music and a great atmosphere. I ordered a Green Man Porter which has a smoky chocolate flavor with a slight hint of leather. One of the better porter in town. While being served, I was listening to a song that seemed very familiar. It turned out to be ACDC Back in Black bluegrass style! Who knew?
THE LOBSTER TRAP
This wonderful restaurant is home to the Oyster House Brewing Company and their signature beer is the Moonstone Stout brewed with oysters and shells. It is the finest Stout I have had and the oysters give it just the right flavor! Benny and I had baked oysters on the half shell with Swiss Chard and served with a remoulade sauce and topped with some crispy house bacon. We also had the crab dip which was served warm with Ashe County pimiento cheese and with sliced baguette. Benny enjoyed the Moonstone Stout and vowed to come back for more!
HANNAH FLANAGAN'S PUB AND EATERY
Our last pub for the evening was Hannah Flanagan's Pub and Eatery. A true irish pub with over 100 beers from around the world. The beers change frequently and I happen to notice that they had Old Speckled Hen on tap. Since I have only had it in bottles here in the states, I decided on having a pint. To my surprise, it had a bit more spice and a much creamier flavor. It kind of spoiled me on bottles from now on. We finished our pints and headed to the next establishment, The Mellow Mushroom. But, sadly they were closed. It was 11:30 pm so we headed back to the room for a nights sleep before the drive back to Jacksonville and eventually Miami.
If you ever decide to stop in Asheville, plan for a couple of days so you can visit all the fine drinking and eating establishments that the city has to offer. I know my next visit will be for at least 3 days.
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