UPDATE 4-11-10: Okay, Wedge guys, the honeymoon may be over. I’m backing off my 100 rating. Why? Sure, I understand you’re a "tasting room" only and can’t do, by law, some of the things a bar can do. But lately I’m think your "ambiance" sucks. See here: the sun pours down on this place and you have nothing in place to keep those UVs out of my aging face. Not to mention, it gets damned hot. Awnings. The word is, awnings. And then there are those damned obnoxious tourists flocking in every damned Saturday and Sunday. I am tired of waiting in line an hour just to get a refill. OK, I understand you can’t help that you’re SOOOO popular. I feel now like I’m the nerd getting rejected by the most popular girl in high school. Please do some things to make my favorite brew pub more locals friendly! ORIGINAL RATING: I have to max the rating points for this place because it’s quickly become my favorite Asheville haunt. I love this place, and shall I count the ways? 1. West Asheville funky arts district setting, a warehouse much like all the art studios surrounding it. Off the beaten path, i.e., far from the maddening downtown tourist crowd. 2. A diverse beer menu. 3. Salted peanuts for free. 4. Outdoor patio seating and plenty of it. 5. Abundantly happy and friendly bar staff. 6. Tasty beers. 7. Cheap beers. Have never paid more than 3.50 for a pint. 8. Symbiotic grilled cookout on Friday and Sunday nights (most of them) featuring burgers, chili, fish tacos and such for around 5 bucks. 9. Free jazzy acoustic music show Sunday evenings.

This place gets crowded with a long line for the beer. Their darker beers were definitely the tastier choice. Probably not worth the effort to get over there if you’re staying downtown.

Funky little brewery tucked back along an old industrial area along the French Broad River. A little off the beaten path in the river arts district of Asheville. Showed up mid-afternoon on a scorching day, sat on the porch and had some peanuts. I had Wedge’s Imperial Stout, the best beer I had all weekend in Asheville. I wanted to take home a case but none was available except on tap. Low prices- I think all drafts were like $3 or $3.50.

I’ve heard this spun off from a Brewer from Green Man, so I had descent expectations. The 2 I had did not dissappoint. I had both of their Stouts, Oatmeal and Imerial. The oatmeal was one of the better I’ve had in a while, with a really great creaminess to it. Prices were low in my opinion for the area. Not a ton of selection, I think they had 6 or 7 different styles though. Their building I’m sure is pretty cheap rent though. Not real obvious where this is located. In a typical older industrial area being reclaimed by all sorts of art studios. A neat area, but you’re still not quite sure about it. Lots of neat artwork around the place and patio. A good amount of seating. A flower child -esque crowd, but that seems to be typical for the area. They had Monte Python showing on the side of a white truck out in the gravel parking lot. Service was very good, which I found very different for the area in general, though more so at the restaurants. It’s kind of away from everything else in Asheville, but well worth making the trip, which is just a bit too far to walk to from downtown.

This place has a great artsy vibe, at the bottom of a arts building district with nice wrought iron and statue accents you see as you walk down the path. Bar has a nice patio area, but the interior is really cool, marble bar top with all the brew tanks behind the bar. Eight beers on tap with good selection. Loved how you could get their beers in 8 and 16 oz pours, wish more places had that option. Bowls of shelled peanuts were everywhere and quickly replenished, I must say that was a nice touch and the nuts really added to the flavor of the beers.

You have to go halfway down the gravel rear parking area from Lyman St, the pub is not accessible from the street address. Narrow patio outside, and an awkward (but neat and clean) indoor area lined with homebuilt bartop. Amusing mix of customers… a few college jocks; lots of granola girls; some guys we passed on the street that we thought were homeless, but who came in later for pints; forty-something slumming hipsters. Everyone was super friendly. Eight draught beers (fermenters visible behind the bar) ranging from 4.8% to 9%abv, and bartenders are happy to pour free samples. We tried half of them, all solid if unspectacular… malt-driven and cloudy, reminding me of the extract brews I was making in my second year of homebrewing. Food is available via a symbiotic concession stand in the parking lot, and I saw someone eating takeout pizza. If you’re already nearby, I’d recommend it just to rub shoulders in the ridiculous bar area, otherwise…

Stopped by for a few brews on a slow weeknight. Impressed with quality of several Wedge selections. Bartender was friendly, knowledgeable, and was happy to offer a sample. Interior is a bit tight, but well lit. Patio area will be nice for warm weather.

Interesting place. It’s right on the railroad tracks, which I enjoy. But it’s sort of hidden in a warehouse district that some of the creative crowd are trying to turn into an "arts district." So the tasting room is in an ex-art gallery, ex-industrial space. Kind of odd, and pretty small. But the patio is nice. They have some good beers available, too. Very friendly and generous service. I’ll be back.

This place is a bit tricky to find. In an industrial part of town just before a bridge to Western Asheville (across the French Broad, I assume). The brewery is located on the bottom level of a building full of art studios and the like. Very arsty vibe to the place. There is a large parking lot in front of the brewery on the lower level, but I never did figure out how to get to it as I found parking above. The place is small with seats for maybe 12 people inside and more outside. The ambiance is laid back and nice. Peanuts are around, so people with allergies be forewarned. They have several beers on tap and the bartender, who was very nice, gave me several samples for free, even when I offerered to pay for them. The beer here is top notch. Of the Asheville breweries I hadn’t experienced before visiting the area, this was by far the most impressive. Some are better than others, of course, but overall they know what they’re doing. Definitely a recommended stop.

We stopped by about an hour before the place was supposed to open but the owner/brewer was gracious and more than happy to pour us a couple of beers. It in a dicey looking area, but the interior is clean and well thought out, if a bit cozy. There is a huge patio area, but it was too cold to sit there - we can’t wait to go there when its warmer out. Really cool place.