Yesterday the rumors that craft brewer New Belgium was considering building a brewery in Asheville came true when the company and politicians announced the decision. I don’t live in Asheville but I do consider myself a beer connoisseur. I’m thrilled that New Belgium joins Sierra Nevada in making North Carolina a beer destination.
I remember finding out in the mid-90s about the Pop The Cap effort to change the state law, allowing higher-alcohol-content beers in North Carolina. Many of the Bible-thumping representatives didn’t want the change to happen. Then-Governor Hunt, a teetotaler, was also reluctant to make the change. The bill went nowhere.
Then out of nowhere (and after another questionable start), the Pop The Cap bill passed in 2005, bringing better beer to the state. Before long I was enjoying high quality, high-alcohol beer here at home.
Since 2005 the sky hasn’t fallen. Instead we have a whole new industry moving into western North Carolina, providing not only much-needed jobs but also a promising future. It’s wonderful to see how far we’ve come!