#vortexdoughnuts

And the beer filled road trip to Denver, CO continues!

Anywhere I visit these are the three things I really look for. A good coffee shop to start the morning and get caffeinated for the day. Great restaurants to show me the cool things local chefs are doing, and (obviously) great beer to round things out. 

Asheville, NC did not disappoint and is a really up and coming beer and culinary hub of the mid Atlantic. If you’re ever close by, here are my recommendations of places not to be missed.

Coffee: Vortex Doughnuts 

Really solid cafe with a great variety of raised doughnuts (brewed the hard way) and cake doughnuts too. I personally recommend the blueberry lavender raised doughnut which was light, airy, herbal and sweet and the perfect coffee companion. Their Ethiopian drip coffee was rich and slightly citrusy and the perfect morning companion when you need to drive a few hundred miles.

Food: Blue Dream Curry House

Meat lover? Veggie lover? They’ve got you covered. With a passionate staff and stacked menu you cant go wrong at Blue Dream Curry House. I honestly don’t usually venture far past my go to proteins of beef, chicken, pork, and lamb but this place has seriously turned me around. They have a great selection of animal protein free “meat” options like tempah and no evil plant meat which was just as crispy and savory as any piece of real meat I’ve had. Great selection of Indian inspired curry dishes with a sustainable american flair.

Don’t miss: Original Naan Taco’s with plant meat and the Pisgah Panang Curry

Beer: Wicked Weed Brewing Company 

Its rare to find a brewery with the best IPA selection in town, best sour program in town and also serving up some amazing food to pair with everything. Wicked Weed hits all of those spots and more. 

Their brewpub, right near downtown, has a great upstairs bar area and communal table but also a dining area if you want a more intimate setup. When you’re done upstairs, head downstairs for a great barrel clad bar and outdoor seating area. The downstairs bar has a few sours on tap you cant get upstairs so its not to be missed.

Definitely don’t miss the Funkatorium, Wicked Weeds barrel forest and overall mysterious home of funk. This is a different location than their brewery/restaurant.

IPA’s:

If you’re hardcore: 

Pernicious: This is their flagship IPA and just won a silver medal at GABF. Since IPA’s are the most competitive category in craft right now that really does say something. This heavily resinous IPA has some really nice tropical and citrus flavors with a lingering bitterness that screams west coast. Hopheads unite! 

If you want a few: 

Treachery: Not quite a session IPA but close to it. This is a super aromatic and flavorful IPA with a citrus focus courtesy of Simcoe and Amarillo. Finishes clean and crisp which is perfect for having a few in one session...my personal favorite IPA at Wicked Weed.

Barrels:

Farmhouse:

Serenity: This 100% Brett fermented farmhouse ale is just an awesome explosion of funk and peppery saison magic. Best wild saison of the trip so far (although I still have a bottle of burial brewing’s brett saison to try) 

Black Angel: Dark and funky, sour and awesome...add a little spice to your life