Asheville, NC: Hi-Wire Brewing Poised for Success

When a brewery vacated the space at 197 Hilliard Avenue and offered up their equipment for sale, Adam Charnack and Chris Frosaker saw an opportunity. They crunched some numbers, drew up a business plan, and are now co-owners of Hi-Wire Brewing Company, Asheville's newest brewery to join the local beer scene.

The artwork for Hi-Wire's Lager is
attractive and eye-catching.
(via Hi-Wire's Facebook page)

I spoke with Adam and Chris last week as they supervised the final construction process of their brewery and taproom. Right out of the gate, Hi-Wire will provide Asheville with four, quality, year-round brews: Bed of Nails Brown Ale, Prime Time Pale Ale, Hi-Pitch IPA, and Hi-Wire Lager. Their goal is to offer "good, authentic, sessionable beers," said Charnack. He and Chris feel that they can fill a niche in Asheville with traditional, unpretentious beers and a welcoming space in which to serve them. I tried their Czech-style lager: crisp, clear and full of assertive noble hops. These guys know what they’re doing.

Two Years of Beer Blogging: Check

Yours truly, hard at work at the
Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ
Festival in Atlanta.

I introduced myself to the world of beer blogging on May 16, 2011, with my first real post (a review of Yazoo's Dos Perros) coming a couple days later. I remember sitting in those Nashville coffee shops, embarking on this journey, having no idea where it would lead. Spending last weekend in Nashville, the city told me, "That's right, you don't live here anymore." There were new businesses and new buildings all over the place. It's true -- time really flies.

A year ago today I was living in Panama and I wrote a post similar to this one. I reflected on some of the ridiculously cool things I had done over the past year, including a class at the Siebel Institute in Chicago and the first ever Costa Rica Craft Beer Festival. I asked the question, "Where do we go from here?" Little did I know that my upcoming trip back in the US would take me through the town where I live today. A short twenty-four hours in Asheville planted a seed that would grow during my remaining time in Panama and convince me to move here just four months later.

5 Places to Take Beer Lovers Visiting Asheville

For everyone who visits Asheville, checking out the beer scene is imperative. My girlfriend and I have been very fortunate over the past several weeks to have a number of friends and family in town to visit and it's been a blast sharing the new city with our guests. Here are a few of the spots we've taken people so they can see -- and taste -- the Asheville beer scene:

Afternoon chillin' -- The Wedge Brewing Company

Located in the River Arts District, the Wedge has fantastic beer, a great outdoor patio, and usually food trucks on site to pair with your brew. It's the perfect place for kicking back on a sunny afternoon. The day we were there, El Kimchi was serving up their Mexican/Korean fusion deliciousness. Hopheads must try the Iron Rail IPA. Be sure to check out the Wedge's outdoor cinema series this summer and the Just Brew It homebrew festival on May 25th.

Where Have All the Good Times Gone?

You may have noticed that things have been a little quiet on the Local Beer Blog over the past few weeks. I'll admit, I've been distracted. While I try to post at least once a week, I've had people in town and some interesting freelance opportunities come up.

The main one has been writing homebrewing blog posts for the E. C. Kraus homebrewing and winemaking supply shop in Independence, MO. Now I don't claim to be a homebrewing "expert", but I know a thing or two about beer and how to make it. In any case, I write some 15 blog posts a month for the E. C. Kraus blog.

Look at 'em go! (I swear, I don't
usually drink Starbucks.)

Here are a few of my favorites from the past few weeks:

• Who Wants a Real Ginger Ale? - If you've followed the Local Beer Blog for a while, you know that I enjoy brewing with ginger. This post gives easy instructions for incorporating fresh ginger root into a standard brown ale recipe.
• Improve Your Brews with a Yeast Starter - I've been brewing for a few years now, but I just recently discovered the benefits of using yeast starters. When I pitched the starter on the right into my recent saison batch, it started fermenting right away.
• Making Beer the BIAB Way! I first experimented with Brew in a Bag when living in Panama. It's a great way to get into all-grain brewing without making a big investment in additional equipment.

Yes, I've got plenty more writing to do for E. C. Kraus, but hopefully this post will get me back on track with posting regularly to the Local Beer Blog. I intend to keep it going as long as I can!

Up next, I'll share some of the fun beer activities in Asheville that have been keeping me away from the computer!

Are you a homebrewing blogger interested in contributing to the E. C. Kraus blog? Contact me for information on guest blogging opportunities.