What could make an afternoon spent enjoying a round on your favorite course, having your muscles stretched and massaged at a pampering spa, or hiking and biking the miles of invigorating trails even more ideal?  To end the day sipping a tall glass of cool, liquid refreshment, of course.  If your drink of choice includes a frosty cold beer and you happen to be in the rolling foothills and mountains of western North Carolina, then you’re in luck.  Rumbling Bald Resort guests, residents and area visitors can take advantage of the fact that NC has more breweries than any other state in the South and is ranked among the top ten nationally.  Asheville alone is home to 18 craft breweries and brewpubs.  Even if you’d rather your weekend getaway to be more escape-by-the-lake than the hustle and bustle of downtown, you can still enjoy the best of both worlds and experience the heady taste of local craft beer with an easy drive to nearby Black Mountain, Brevard, Hendersonville and Beer City USA (otherwise known as Asheville).  Regional craft breweries rely on two vital ingredients that Lake Lure locals have long loved—agriculture and the environment.  When you add crisp, clean mountain water to traditional beer staples (barley, wheat, rye and hops) and farm-fresh local ingredients (sweet potatoes, blueberries, apples, kumquats, sorghum and persimmons), you get a winning combination.  As a result, you can find something to whet every appetite within a 30- to 50-mile radius from the resort.  If you prefer a libation that is organic, gluten-free, or get its slight tang from the sea salty goodness of ground whole oysters, there is a microbrew that fits the bill. Dozens of area restaurants and pubs also feature the handicrafts of local brewers.  There is something for everyone when it comes to the liquid mountain gold found in area ales, beers, ciders, lagers, pilsners and stouts.  Cheers to that!

For more information on the breweries in our region visit, ncbeermonth.com