The Newly Minted Twin Leaf Brewery

This is part of a Beerventure Series from Steph’s April 2014 trip to  Asheville, North Carolina. See the rest of the series here.

Twin Leaf Brewery is one of the newest breweries in Asheville, North Carolina, opening on March 8, 2014. The brewery was founded by Pennsylvania couple and former engineers Tim and Steph Weber. The two passionate homebrewers followed their dreams of opening their own brewery after attending the American Brewers Guild in Middlebury, Vermont. The husband and wife team both brew on their 10 barrel system, which is the first thing you notice when you walk into the brewery. The impressive set up of tanks and brewing equipment line the wall by the windows. A half wall separates the brewery from the tasting room.

After admiring their system, you will notice industrial feel with rustic touches from the wooden accents and bar, as well as the green walls filled with artwork and trail maps, which was inspired by the couple’s love of the outdoors.

I by-passed the wooden picnic tables where several beer drinkers were enjoying games of Jenga and headed for the bar. Since it was my first time visiting the brewery, the bartender suggested I enjoy a sampler of their 5 house beers. The house beers include…

• Uproot ESB – a 5.8% ABV Extra Special Bitter. This dark amber beer boasts a complex malt profile with flavors of bread, toast, and biscuits, with hints of caramel, chocolate, and fruity esters by earthy, floral hops. This was one of my favorites.
• White Noise – a 5.6% ABV Belgian-Style Wit. A crisp, refreshing beer made for the end of a summer day spent outdoors. The pale straw brew offers a bready aroma, slightly sweet taste with a touch of fruity esters, and a hint of orange and coriander.
• Dark Matter – a 5.8% ABV Oatmeal Stout. This deep, dark brown stout shines with chocolate aromas. The smooth, creamy, full-bodied brew is roasty, toasty, and nutty.
• Luminosity – a 9.2% ABV Belgian-Style Tripel. This golden brew offers the complex aromas you expect from a Trappist yeast strain. A bit sweet and fruity, the surprisingly drinkable tripel offers flavors of orange, banana, and spice.
• 144 (codename: Juicy Fruit) – a 7.2% ABV India Pale Ale. My favorite of the bunch, this golden orange brew offers bright hop flavor and aroma of grapefruit, orange, lemon, even some floral notes. The beer finishes with the right amount of malty sweetness.

There were also three seasonals on tap including Equinox (Belgian-Style Pale), Schism (Belgian-Style Stout), and Altitude Training (Pale Ale). A few Small Batches were also available including Old Gaffer (English Old Ale), Wee-Nipper (English Mild), and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Rye Saison (Belgian-Style Saison).

The choice of most beer drinkers at the bar was the “IPA of the Moment” Pace Yourself, a 9.5% ABV Imperial IPA.

Beers can be purchased in a flight of samples or in a 10-ounce or 16-ounce serving, depending on the beer style. In the future, Twin Leaf plans to round up some food trucks to give patrons some nosh to enjoy while sipping on their brews.

While there are many choices when it comes to beer-drinking in Asheville, be sure to stop by Twin Leaf Brewery. Craft beer drinkers will appreciate the creativity and passion that is present in their brews. You won’t be disappointed!

Asheville, brewery, North Carolina, Twin Leaf Brewery