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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.

By in Brewery Tours Comments Off on North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – First Stop ‘Frog Level’ in Waynesville NC

North Carolina 3 City Beer Tour – First Stop ‘Frog Level’ in Waynesville NC

During our latest visit to North Carolina we were fortunate enough to visit five local breweries, during the next five weeks you will see a series of blog post, one for each brewery. First up, Frog Level.

Frog Level Brewing Company seems to be the local beer hole for the tight knit community of Waynesville. A place to socialize, play a few games, and listen to live music on a Saturday night. During our visit an excellent cover band played Allman Brothers, Jimi Hendrix and other classics.   Frog level has an impressive amount of brews considering brewery space available.   Rustic decor littered throughout and a warm social atmosphere brought back memories of episodes of Cheers. The brewery was well attended, most of the crowd seemed to be middle aged and attitudes were very laid back.

Frog Level Brewery, Waynesville NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

Beers were categorized by flavor, on one side of the menu ‘Seasonals’ are featured, the other side year round brews.  Seating is available both indoors and out. Unfortunately when we went, it was a cold, wet, and rainy night,  so we weren’t able to take advantage of the huge deck out back. Things to do besides drinking to occupy one’s time include a variety of games: Janga, Air Hockey, Shuffle Board, Corn Hole and even a Wii with a bunch of games to play. Important info if your more of a lightweight or a designated driver, like me. A Guest Wifi network also showed up as available on my phone, password is required.  If you get hungry after all the game playing, a handful of snacks are available for purchase, but be aware, this is not a restaurant.

If your looking for a souvenir or two to take home both beer and beer swag are available. Prices (at the time of our visit): Cans 12oz 6 packs $15-$17, 16oz 4 packs $18, 16oz Draft $4.50-$6.50, 32oz $12 Growler, $10 Refill, $15 Seasonal. 64oz $15 Growler, $12 Refill, $20 Seasonal.

Frog Level Brewery, Waynesville NC / Photo by Desiree’ Turner

If your looking to buy Frog Level beers elsewhere, they are sold in some stores. We heard a patron mention that  Ingles and some gas stations in North Carolina have them, not sure about if their brews are available in other states though. If you would like to learn more, you can visit their website at http://www.froglevelbrewing.com .

To view more images of our trip to Frog Level Brewery, Please Visit our Facebook Gallery.