Boone area emerging as craft beer destination

[BurlingtonApp]

All the major national breweries are crashing. Thus the push for "craft" attempts like Bud Black Label. The market for true locally produced beer, wine and specialty products like cider, sake, buchi are growing dramatically. And the big boys are losing market every day. They still control the market but they are in panic mode. The App fermentation program is perfectly positioned to help fuel this growing cluster in WNC and all over the state.

As long as there are college students, there will always be a market for the PBRs, Natty Lights, and Coors of the world.

[App74]

This is interesting as I had a meeting yesterday about starting a micro brewery. I would not be involved but the party was looking for advise from a few of us. My main concern was that with all of them starting up everywhere will it become a fad that fizzles out. I don't count really because I just don't like them. Miller lite, Molson's, maybe a Michelob and I am good. So my question is not what you like today but what do you think the long term prospects are as a business.

I worked many years in the brewing industry; still think it's a fascinating business. I've seen people argue over their brand choice. Yet, you put those same people in a blind taste test and they would not be able to differentiate.

Obviously a niche, the key ingredient for a start-up micro is the associated food business. It will take some time/visits for patrons to decide if they like the brews and the atmosphere. However, food decisions are made rapidly, often upon a single visit. If the brews are average, the food better be good. If the brews are above average, the food can be so-so. For example, I consider the brews at Foothills in Winston-Salem to be superior but the food is marginal. The brews draw me in the door. It's obviously working for them as their brews are on tap at several restaurants in town and beyond and they just announced another expansion in capacity.

There are exceptions such as AMB. They have a unique business model though such a model would be dependent upon having a large young market such as what they have with ASU. My daughter, a student at App, turned 21 in September and we went to AMB. She chooses not to drink but bought me a beer. It was excellent and I enjoyed the atmosphere. Of course, IT IS IN BOONE!

[WVAPPeer]

Hey I had my Cottonwood Brewery long sleeve T on last night - probably got it around 2000 when our daughter was a soph and they had the brewery/restaurant on the street behind King St ---

[clayton]

Obviously a niche, the key ingredient for a start-up micro is the associated food business. It will take some time/visits for patrons to decide if they like the brews and the atmosphere. However, food decisions are made rapidly, often upon a single visit. If the brews are average, the food better be good. If the brews are above average, the food can be so-so. For example, I consider the brews at Foothills in Winston-Salem to be superior but the food is marginal. The brews draw me in the door. It's obviously working for them as their brews are on tap at several restaurants in town and beyond and they just announced another expansion in capacity.

There are exceptions such as AMB. They have a unique business model though such a model would be dependent upon having a large young market such as what they have with ASU. My daughter, a student at App, turned 21 in September and we went to AMB. She chooses not to drink but bought me a beer. It was excellent and I enjoyed the atmosphere. Of course, IT IS IN BOONE!

Most micro-breweries in North Carolina operate more like AMB than Foothills. Few breweries have adjoining restaurants. Foothills is an exception. Natty Greenes in Greensboro and Heist in Charlotte are other exceptions.

Most craft breweries in North Carolina have tasting rooms (Highland and Green Man in Asheville, Noda and Triple C in Charlotte, etc) and no food. If anything, food trucks park nearby.

The business goal of most craft breweries is to be in a lot of local restaurants and eventually grocery stores. Noda Brewing in Charlotte has a busy tasting room, but they're also in tons of local restaurants and just started canning their beer. AMB isn't in many restaurants, but I'm sure that is their goal.

[ViewCrew87]

Hey I had my Cottonwood Brewery long sleeve T on last night - probably got it around 2000 when our daughter was a soph and they had the brewery/restaurant on the street behind King St ---

Cottonwood pumpkin spice is great. Was made in Mooresville until they sold it and moved to WS near '74 last year.

[Maddog1956]

As a side note, if someone has a farm the brewers are looking for people to grow organic hops in NC. Many would like an all NC beer.