Summary: Mills River, North Carolina is home to some outstanding breweries that produce handcrafted beers with the freshest ingredients. The area offers many beer enthusiasts the chance to indulge in various flavors and styles of their favorite beverages. Visitors can also enjoy beautiful scenery, great food, friendly locals, and stunning accommodations along with craft beer.
1. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, established in 1980, is located in the town of Mills River. The name comes from the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. With over 300 employees, this company produces several types of beer. They use locally sourced hops for the Pale Ale, which is their most popular beer. Other unique beers include their Torpedo Extra IPA, Hop Hunter, and Hoptimum. This epic location’s features include a gift shop, guided brewery tours, and an on-site restaurant. Visitors can enjoy inventive dishes featuring local ingredients along with their favorite Sierra Nevada beers.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness is admirable. Their brewery features a 6000-panel solar array, making it the largest privately-owned installation of its kind in the world. In addition, they have a wastewater treatment system and a “closed-loop” brewing system where water is conserved and reused. These efforts help to reduce their waste and keep the environment clean.
The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has a long history of creating complex, flavorful brews using only the highest quality ingredients. It’s no wonder this location is a top destination for beer lovers and tourists alike.
2. Bold Rock Hard Cider
Located in Mills River, Bold Rock Hard Cider is a local favorite known for its refreshing, crisp, and delicious hard ciders. The company’s flagship cider, Bold Rock Virginia Apple Cider, is made with 100% Virginia apples and has won numerous awards. Visitors can enjoy a tasting flight of Bold Rock’s six ciders featuring various flavors like pear, blackberry, and raspberry. There is also a taproom and a west-facing deck offering picturesque views of the nearby mountains.
One of the unique aspects of Bold Rock’s story is their commitment to using locally sourced fruits. They partner with farmers across the region to ensure the apples used in their ciders are fresh and of the highest quality. In addition, the company uses sustainable practices while brewing to minimize its footprint on the environment.
Bold Rock Hard Cider provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone who visits. You can bring your children and pets to the plazas, where you can buy food from an extraordinary menu selection ranging from gourmet flatbreads to tasty salads. Delicious food, a fantastic view, and unique ciders make Bold Rock Hard Cider a fantastic destination.
3. Mills River Brewing Co.
The Mills River Brewing Co. is a craft brewery that was opened by husband and wife team Joey Soukup and Suzanne Marshall in 2015. They have a small taproom next to their modern brewery where visitors can sample their many offerings. The brewery produces many delicious ales and lagers, including IPAs, Stouts, Belgians, and Pilsners. Besides the taproom, you can experience the lovely and scenic mountain views from the outdoor beer garden while you drink the best beer you’ve ever tried.
The brewhouse of Mills River consists of several 7 Barrel tanks of different shapes and sizes, allowing the owners to create numerous unique flavors. Mills River Brewing Co. runs on sustainable energy, including wind and solar power, and uses recycled materials to reduce wastage. Visitors can appreciate the wholesome atmosphere, which is simple and inviting, where they can unwind and engage in friendly conversations over beers and food.
The Mills River Brewing Co. is a fantastic destination for anyone seeking to strike up a conversation with new friends and experience a variety of craft brews made with passion and care.
4. Bold Rock Brewing Academy
If you’re a beer enthusiast who has a desire to learn how to make the perfect beer, then Bold Rock Brewery Academy is perfect for you. It’s a gem hidden within the Bold Rock brewery complex that provides different types of classes and brewing programs. This all-day program offers students a hands-on approach to making beer, including safety, ingredients, equipment, and sanitation. Students get a chance to practice brewing with real equipment and learn various brewing methods like all-grain and extract brewing as well as yeast management. Everybody who goes through the program participates in creating a graduation beer that they get to take home and enjoy with friends and family.
Other available programs include Skill Building Classes, Homebrewing Seminars, and private tasting experiences in which attendees learn to distinguish styles and flavors and gain knowledge about serving and storing beer.
The Bold Rock Brewing Academy gives lovers of beer an opportunity to improve their know-how and share it while having fun. Also, graduates have the chance to possess the ability to create their perfect beer at home.
5. Food Trucks and Beers
At the heart of the beer scene in Mills River are the food trucks located alongside the breweries. Visitors relax and sip handcrafted beer at one of the many outdoor areas around the town, allowing numerous food trucks to come and offer their fantastic delights. These trucks provide a wide variety of food options, ranging from traditional BBQ to vegan fare or gourmet flatbreads. The Bold Rock Hard Cider and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company both offer on-site kitchens. That means you can savor great food while exploring different locally crafted beers around Mills River. Dedicated breweries have foosball tables and board games available, providing a lively environment for you to enjoy the food and drink at your own pace.
Food trucks and beer were born to go together, and it is a significant aspect of the brewing experience in Mills River. The continuing allure of food trucks combined with locally made craft beer has become modern-day favorites, creating a destination that cannot be missed.
The outside space supporting food trucks features picturesque surroundings in Mills River’s quieter areas where guests gather in relative harmony and share homemade beer and good conversation.
Conclusion:
Mills River is a fantastic location for beer lovers looking to experience various styles and flavors amidst a stunning mountainous environment. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company leads the way with their eco-friendly approach and innovative brewing techniques. While Bold Rock Hard Cider offers a one-of-a-kind tasting experience featuring locally sourced fruits. Mills River Brewing Co., located in a scenic outdoor beer garden, offers a delightful selection of handcrafted beers. Moreover, Bold Rock Brewing Academy provides hands-on classes that teach beer enthusiasts how to brew their perfect beer. Lastly, food truck culture adds to the overall enjoyment of visitors who want to try out local cuisine while sipping beer in the stunning Mills River countryside.
Anyone looking for a delectable drinking experience can’t go wrong by sampling the many offerings Mills River has to offer. Undoubtedly, there is always a new, refreshing flavor to experience in this region overflowing with incredible beer.
