Appalachian Mountain Brewery is a wonderful little brewery located on the outskirts of Boone, NC. This is a good place to go to rub elbows with the locals and appreciate a fresh craft beer in a lively atmosphere.
You’ll find Boone’s Appalachian Mountain Brewery at the end of a little business road called Boone Creek Drive in southeast Boone. This is not a very popular commercial district and so it is pretty unlikely that one might wander by. Instead, Appalachian Mountain Brewery is the type of place you have to know where you’re going to get there — which does mean it sees fewer tourists than other breweries, bars, and similar establishments in the area.
Appalachian Mountain Brewery was founded by cousins and best friends Nathan Kelischek and Chris Zieber who wanted to bring together their skills, German heritage, and beer-making passion. They were also fairly forward-thinking as when they opened the taproom in 2013, they did so as the very first brewery within Boone city limits.
But while being first did certainly help to catapult name recognition, a much bigger impact was their outstanding, award-winning beers. In 2014, the first full year the brewery was open business took home several national awards, including a gold medal for the local favorite Boone Creek Blonde. They’re coming up on nearly a decade in business and this beloved local brewery is still winning awards and still making fantastic beers.
Let’s talk about some of those beers. There are a lot of cold and delicious beers to sip on at Appalachian Mountain Brewery, but some of the best sellers include:
Low and Hazy IPA
What is a craft brewery without a solid IPA ready at the tap? This go-to favorite was inspired by the low and hazy clouds that slowly roll along the local mountain chains. You will find it to be a full-flavored hazy IPA with a decidedly sweet aftertaste thanks to notes of stone fruit, mango, grapefruit, and even pineapple.
Boone Creek Blonde Ale
That 2014 award winner is still a regular craft beer available at the taps at Appalachian Mountain Brewery. It is certainly a must-try with its refreshing zest of orange finish paired with wildflower honey.
Mountain Delight Brunch Stout
Traveling with someone who still doesn’t quite appreciate a good craft beer? Introduce them to this unique and flavorful pastry stout. Yes, pastry stout. The Mountain Delight Brunch Stout is brewed with pastries and coffees and gets aged on cocoa. It’s sweet and perfect for those savoring coffee and beer.
Good beers are certainly the primary hallmark of a good brewery, but having fun and inviting atmosphere is also pretty important. From the outside, Appalachian Mountain Brewery admittedly doesn’t look like much. It features a fairly basic, multi-floor modern commercial exterior. However, step inside and you’ll appreciate a much more southern and authentic atmosphere with long wooden bars, colorful artwork, and large windows overlooking Boone Creek (where that award-winning Blonde got its name). There are even more tables outside — comfortable picnic tables nicely spaced out and with bench seats featuring backrests.
Finally, Appalachian Mountain Brewery knows how to bring a community together. This is a favorite local haunt with a long list of activities that include your standard Open Mic Nights as well as more specialized events like Local Bluegrass Jam Sessions. They also do a lot of philanthropic work, partnering with local non-profits to donate their event space and offer beers with partial donations to select causes.
Insider Tips:
-Appalachian Mountain Brewery does not itself sell food. However, they do have a food truck that is pretty regularly set-up in their outdoor space. These food trucks change by the day, week, and season, but on Thursdays, they offer a nice, fairly regular pizza and pitcher night combo with a Farm to Flame pizza food truck.
-Did you bring your bike? This is also a go-to start and end site for several local biking groups. Talk to one of their bartenders or check the inside bulletin board for more information.