AUGUST 26, 2010 ISSUE
Hoist a Cup at the High Country Beer Fest
3rd Annual Event at Broyhill Inn September 4
There will be 56 breweries in town for the High Country Beer Fest on September 4 at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center. Among those breweries will be 22 from the Carolinas, including Duck-Rabbit, Highland, Natty Greene’s, R.J. Rockers and Blowing Rock. Photo by Jason Gilmer
Growth was evident between the first and second years of the High Country Beer Fest, but don’t expect that to continue.
Sure, the event planners want a successful event. They just don’t want the event to be too crowded.
Festival board member Brett Taubman likes the small-scale feel of the event, which will see its third year of introducing people to beers from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 4, at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center.
Tickets for the event are $25 in advance and can be purchased online at www.hcbeerfest.com, at Peabody’s Beer and Wine in Boone or in Banner Elk at Erick’s Cheese and Wine. Tickets at the gate will be $30, but Taubman said he expects the event to sell out.
Two years ago a little more than 350 people came to the event, and that number jumped to more than 1,000 last year. This season, the probable cutoff is around 1,200.
Last year there weren’t enough volunteers for the large crowd, a problem that festival organizers have worked on this year.
“We want to continue to grow it a little bit, but we don’t want it to get out of hand,” Taubman said.
It’s one reason that 56 breweries will attend this year, up from 50.
“I’ve had a number of breweries say that it was their favorite brew fest,” Taubman said. “It’s a beautiful setting. It’s big enough to get their brand name out there but boutique enough to talk to the consumers. They want to get their brand out there but they want to interact with their consumer. This is the best of both worlds.”
Beer fans can try almost 200 types of beer during the event, with many of the breweries hailing from the Carolinas. Taubman said that 21 are from North and South Carolina.
There will also be breweries from the Southeast, other parts of the country and some international distributors on hand.
Drinkers who enjoy a cold PBR on their porches after dinner and those with a seasoned pallet will mingle at the event.
“It’s great,” Taubman said. “Whether you’re the Bud Light drinker or the seasoned veteran, there will be beer there for everyone. There’s so many different flavors there.”
Along with the beer at the outdoor event, there will be entertainment and food.
Local groups will be the ear candy to the savory beer tastes. Hip hop/funksters BPL will play the first set, followed by The Switch and ending with the Henhouse Thieves.
The Broyhill will provide menu items like brats, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, soft pretzels and pizza, while Earth Fare and Stick Boy Bakery will also have food for sale.
For more information about the event, click to www.hcbeerfest.com or contact Taubman at 828-262-7847.
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