Great Smoky Mountains

I've just returned from working the market for Clipper City Brewing in western North Carolina - the Boone and Asheville area. [What's my job?]

It is beautiful country there, quite different from the rest of the state, in the mountains - Great Smoky and Appalachian ranges - ranging from 2200 to 3700 feet. It was cold Thursday with temperatures in the upper teens, but snow and wind gusts made it seem much colder. Adjoining Boone is Blowing Rock which was described to me as a "drinking town with a skiing problem" - a lot of vacation homes there.

Clipper City has just begun to have our beers sold in the region, but even so the response from retailers was quite gratifying.

On the way back, I paid a visit to a local competitor - Highland Brewing Company, itself growing, having only recently moved into new digs west of Asheville. The staff was quite busy that day, so I didn't snap any photos. The Oatmeal Porter is delicious: smoky, bakers' chocolate-character, and a smooth, luscious mouthfeel.