On Tap of the World

Craft Beer

By in Website Updates Comments Off on Behind the Scenes

Behind the Scenes

Just a quick update. We are having a bit of a delay with the last installment of our North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour. Due to the fact that ‘On Tap of the World’ is currently ‘a labor of love’ in which it’s founders must still maintain our day/night jobs, our last installment will not be ready today; however, it should be ready first thing Monday morning.

If you’ve been following our post so far, you know our North Carolina three city beer tour consist of Frog Level, Boojum, BearWaters, Currahee and Lazy Hiker Brewery. If you have not been able to read all of these post, here’s your chance to catch up now. During these past weeks we’ve covered our experiences at the breweries themselves and have included a few ‘fun facts’ in our post. In this last post we will be covering the beers tasted at these establishments and will be including a picture of each beer. We hope you’ve enjoyed the series so far, and hope you return Monday to check out it’s inevitable conclusion.

In other news, we have also been doing a lot of work on the back-end of our official Facebook page with the business manager. Due to technical difficulties there has been a delay in updating events on our Facebook page, but no longer. I happy to say back-end issues on our Facebook page have been resolved and we have added hundreds of new events going on in Georgia to our Facebook events page. Through the magic of plugins these new event additions have been relayed to the events page on our official website, but even though we can see them here on the back-end of WordPress, they don’t seem to be showing up on the front end just yet. We will continue to hammer out these small kinks , till all events are view-able through both mediums, but until then – please just check our Facebook Events page for the most current list of events. 

Thank you all for Liking us on Facebook, Following us on Twitter, UnTappd and Instagram, reading our blog and supporting our passion project. We hope to grow more this summer and include a lot of new things here on ‘On Tap of the World’. I hope you all enjoy it and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun!

By in Brewery Tours, NC Breweries Comments Off on North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – Fifth Stop ‘Lazy Hiker’ in Franklin, NC

North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – Fifth Stop ‘Lazy Hiker’ in Franklin, NC

During our latest visit to North Carolina we were fortunate enough to visit five local breweries, next week you will see the last in our series of blog post, which will include beer tasted during our three city beer tour. Last week we posted about ‘Currahee’, this week last and fifth on our list, ‘Lazy Hiker’.

After leaving Currahee we headed to Lazy Hiker Brewing Company which is also in Franklin and very nearby the other brewery. Lazy Hiker is a short hike off the Appalachian Trail in the mountains of western North Carolina and therefore has hiking maps and information for hikers about the area. If you’re coming off the trail hungry, Lazy Hiker does have food available during lunch & dinner from the Mad Batter Food Truck located in their parking lot, but please note they do not make food in house.

The day we arrived at Lazy Hiker, there was a special event going on. We thought we might have to come back and visit on a separate trip as they were clearly busy, but luckily the staff was nice enough to welcome us into the taproom even though they were slapped full of people and we were basically party crashing guest. Thankfully, we found one unoccupied table and did our best to stay out of the way. In our little out of the way spot, we enjoyed a lively atmosphere, a warm fire and outside heaters on this chilly North Carolina night. In addition to plenty of seating outdoors, Lazy Hiker also has two corn-hole games, if you’re lucky enough to get to them first.

Lazy Hiker Brewing Company, Franklin NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

One thing we noticed while at Lazy Hiker, is that it seems to be a brewery for all ages. We saw the young, the old, every age in-between. Generations within families, all enjoying the day together. As the name suggest, the brewery was much laid back, not once did we ever feel rushed or unwelcome as there were friendly and patient faces all around.

Inside the taproom there were several more tables for seating and lots hiking themed decor. Original Lazy Hiker art lined the top of one wall. A giant map adorns another wall. A couple of smaller maps can be found, one of them being a NC Beer Map. There are several sneakers hanging from lamps here and there, and of course Lazy Hiker merch. They have t-shirts long sleeve and short sleeve, hoodies, hats, beanies and canned brews to go. If you’re looking to kill time indoors, there is a ping pong table toward the back for those rainy days. Also do note that Lazy Hiker has entertainment regularly on Fridays and Saturdays, check their events schedule online for updates.

Lazy Hiker Brewing Company, Franklin NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

Now we didn’t get a chance to see the brew-house, but from what I do understand Lazy Hiker has a 2 vessel, 15 barrel system located near the back, with which they make their brews. Also I did a little research and found that both the brewery and taproom are located in what was former Town Hall and Fire Department of downtown in Franklin, NC. 

We had a great time while at Lazy Hiker Brewery and plan to go back sometime for a hike. If you would like to learn more about Lazy Hiker Brewery and plan a trip yourself, you can visit their website at: http://lazyhikerbrewing.com/

To view more images of our trip to Lazy Hiker Brewery, Please Visit our Gallery. Wanna share this Gallery or a particular image with your friends on Facebook? It’s easy, just go to a mirror of this gallery on Facebook and use the share feature.

Also Please don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest blog updates, so you never miss a post. Untappd for our most recent mini beer reviews, and Instagram for beautifully shot beers and to see what we are up to. Cheers!

By in Brewery Tours Comments Off on North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – Fourth Stop ‘Currahee’ in Franklin, NC

North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – Fourth Stop ‘Currahee’ in Franklin, NC

During our latest visit to North Carolina we were fortunate enough to visit five local breweries, during the next two weeks you will see a series of blog post, one for each brewery. Last week we posted about ‘BearWaters’, this week and fourth on our list, ‘Currahee’.

After leaving BearWaters in Canton, NC to headed to Franklin to visit Currahee Brewing Company. Currahee is housed in long 10,000 sq ft warehouse building, that sits on 2.5 acres at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. If you want to ‘get away from it all’ this is the place. As you walk in to a large open room, the environment is nothing but relaxing. Behind the bar 12 taps are available for use.  Above the taps is a large TV with six chalkboards on each side, displaying what’s on draft.  The bar is huge, and the bartenders are more than willing to chat for a while with patrons wanting a little conversation. At the far end of the taproom are two fully windowed garage style doors that lead outside to additional seating. Above a round table in the far corner is another TV for viewing. On the opposite side of the room a long rectangular table is available, next to what I like to call ‘Currahee’s swag station’. This little area showcases some of their cans, flyers for upcoming events, growlers, mugs and glasses available for sale. The brewery isn’t easily view-able by the public as it is in a separate walled off space, but we did manage to sneak in a peak in it’s partially open garage door while we were there. 

Currahee Brewing Company, Franklin NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

Outside Currahee has additional seating, with a great views. Behind garage door number one, a view of Currahee’s neighbor located fairly close to the brewery; a house on a hill with grazing cattle in the front yard. Behind garage door number two, a long row of seating right on the Little Tennessee River. Across from the river, a playground filled playful sounds and the laughter of children. Even with the playground visible, the outside area was still a very peaceful and quiet place on the day that we went, and an excellent place to sit and read or just contemplate. 

While at Currahee we learned a few things: They are the second brewery to open in Franklin. They serve Belgium & German style beers and have a passion for barrel-aged beers and a longing to focus more on old European styles. Currahee tends to stray away from the hop heavy brews that seem to be the trend in most of the southern Appalachian breweries. The brewery is named after the official motto of the famous unit of the 101st Airborne Division , the 506th PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment), to honor those of military service. The unit earned their notoriety through many campaigns of WWII, the Vietnam War and continue to serve today. The word itself, ‘Currahee’ is Cherokee for ‘Stand Alone’.

The main players at this brewery include Taylor Yates, Currahee’s brewmaster who previously worked at Moon River Brewing in Savannah. Co-founder, president and CEO Brandon Hintz, who previously worked as a brewer at SweetWater Brewing in Atlanta and continues to run things at the Hop Alley Brew Pub in Alpharetta via Macon (read more about that here). Co-founder and CFO JT Schroeder, who has a financial background and previously worked as a business analyst in the investment banking industry and deals more with numbers and the administrative side of things. Onsite Operations Manager Andrea le Roux, who also worked at Moon River Brewing in Savannah, as well as a brewery in New Zealand. 

Currahee Brewing Company, Franklin NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

We had a an extremely relaxing and educational time at Currahee while in Franklin, NC. If you’re looking to learn more, you can visit their website at https://www.curraheebrew.com/

To view more images of our trip to Currahee Brewing Company, Please Visit our Facebook Gallery.

By in Brewery Tours Comments Off on North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – Third Stop ‘Bear Waters’ in Canton NC

North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – Third Stop ‘Bear Waters’ in Canton NC

During our latest visit to North Carolina we were fortunate enough to visit five local breweries, during the next three weeks you will see a series of blog post, one for each brewery. Last week we posted about ‘BooJum‘ this week and third on our list, ‘BearWaters’.

The day after our Waynesville brewery visits, we decided to head off to Canton, NC to visit BearWaters Brewing Company. BearWaters Brewing is a great place to spend a warm & sunny afternoon if you’re in the area and in the mood for a brew. Bear Waters Brewery has the Pigeon River Grille onsite, lots of games, seating & TV’s for viewing. You could easily spend your entire afternoon here.

Outside the brewery, right on one of the Pigeon rivers’ tributaries, there is a large deck with seating. By the main entrance, a smaller dog friendly patio for your furry friends is also available. A huge garage style door opens up into the brewery, that lets all the sights and sounds of the outside world in, so you never feel too cooped up. Signs of what’s on tap are near the bar for everyone to see. If you’re a DD or a minor, you can also choose to purchase fruit flavored carbonated water from the sparkling water station, which had several flavors available. Non-alcoholic drinks from the Grille are also an option.

BearWaters Brewery Company, Canton NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

Downstairs they have a large indoor dining and drinking area, some games and the indoor eatery Pigeon River Grille has a full and delicious menu. Against the back wall are two dart boards and a shuffle board table. A corn hole game is also available to set up outside. There are also a few small rooms; One with a very long table (I’m guessing for groups), another with four tables & three TV’s, if you’re in the mood to watch a game or three. The third is a small game room with hockey table , claw machine, off road challenge game and a golden tee live game and multi choice arcade game.

Upstairs is a very comfortable lounge area with sofas and chairs overlooking the establishment, for those who want more privacy. It is excellent place to sit & read a book or play a board game (if you ask me). Also a good vantage point for viewing the very large combo screen above the bar. Where four TV’s are set up to create one giant image.

BearWaters Brewery Company, Canton NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

The brewing area (where all the magic happens) is viewable right behind the bar, as well as more than a handful of swag to the left and right of the bar. They have stickers, buttons, patches, shirts and more available for purchase, if you want to take home a souvenir. You can also purchase beer to go as they will can anything on draft for you on the spot. The only thing I saw that was not for sale was a Bear Waters Hockey Jersey , which you have to earn by playing on their hockey team. That’s right, this brewery has a hockey team and a giant trophy and pictures of the team are viewable at the bar.

We enjoyed our time very much as Bear Waters Brewery. If you would like to learn more, you can visit their website at http://bearwatersbrewing.com/

To view more images of our trip to Bear Waters Brewing Co., Please Visit our Facebook Gallery

By in Brewery Tours Comments Off on North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – Second Stop ‘BooJum’ in Waynesville NC

North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – Second Stop ‘BooJum’ in Waynesville NC

During our latest visit to North Carolina we were fortunate enough to visit five local breweries, during the next four weeks you will see a series of blog post, one for each brewery. Last week we posted about Frog Level Brewing, this week and second on our list, ‘BooJum’.

BooJum Brewing Company gets its name from a local legend; a mountain creature specific to the North Carolina Smokies called a BooJum. The way the BooJum was described to me, is that it is much like a bigfoot, but wearing the clothes of a man and with a tail.

Of all the breweries we visited on this trip, Boojum definitely had the most eye-catching artwork for their canned brew line. This brewery is very large with three levels. The top level supports a full kitchen. The mid-level / ground level is divided into two sections. One section has a bar, with a couple of TV’s behind it and some tables nearby at which to eat. The beer menu is projected on the wall (which we thought was cool) and a food menu is available, when the kitchen is open. The other section is more of a dining area, with artwork on the wall and a place in the front to view an impressive amount of merch and more artwork. The bottom / underground level has another full bar, more TVs, games and some more tables.

BooJum Brewing Company, Waynesville NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

When we first got to Boojum, we were unaware that the outside underground level was associated with Boojum. It was late, probably around 10:00pm with only a handful of patrons at the bar located on ground level. While my husband was savoring a few brews, and talking to the bartender, he asked were everyone was at, and that’s when we discovered there was a downstairs.

Back out the front door, towards the street are some stone steps that lead down below street level.   At the bottom of the steps another hidden away entry to BooJum , is where the Waynesville night life lives, once the upstairs has closed. It was like walking into a bar in a college town. A younger crowd, if I had to guess I would say most of the people there were in their 20’s. Everyone was very friendly and seemed to be having a good time.

There was lots of stuff to do. Two TVs at the Bar for sports or cartoons, two more TV’s on the back wall, a pool table with another TV behind it. Two dart boards, a shuffleboard table, and a standalone console with a handful of classic arcade games and a Foosball table. Lots of table seating was available, in addition to the bar seating. Both beer and hard liquor were available. Guest wi-fi was also available, no password was required.

BooJum Brewing Company, Waynesville NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

Ground level bar closed at 11PM, but seemed to mostly slowdown around 10 pm, right after the kitchen closed. So, an excellent place to chill if your just looking for a nightcap and catch up on your TV viewing, but if you want to keep going – downstairs does seem to be open much later. Also, although we didn’t get a chance to see it because we went in the winter, we did learn that outdoor seating is available in the spring.

We had a great time at Boojum while in NC, if you’re looking to learn more, you can visit their website at http://www.boojumbrewing.com/

To view more images of our trip to BooJum Brewing Company, Please Visit our Facebook Gallery.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and recieve special offers and discounts.

Mailing Address

Instagram Feed

Please check your feed, the data was entered incorrectly.