A Brewery Saw Me
By Ian Guevara
“Are you ok?” she asked as I stepped out of the showerhouse.
“Who? Me?” I replied confused and bewildered, still unable to clear away those pesky morning eye crunchies.
Camping in the high mountains of Western North Carolina always provides moments of exposure to the elements of nature. Even in a fairly populated campground.
Standing Indian Campground sits 3,000 feet above sea level where the rhododendron provides shade and assurance that you’re far from civilization. The plant only grows at these elevations, and blooms a lush purple flower in the summer months of June and July. Even though its status is listed as a simple shrub, it's a sturdy and gregarious plant perfect for securing a hammock and enjoying the bounty of nature.
Forced to wake up early that morning to provide the necessary resupply for my Boy Scout troop, I stumbled out my hammock in a misty 5am dawn. The couple camping across the road were up too, at least I assumed due to the clattering of pots and pans.
Cooking breakfast at 5am? They must be hitting the local trails early, I thought, probably trying to catch lunch atop Standing Indian Mountain or at Mooney Creek Falls.
I gathered my toiletries bag, change of clothes from my truck, and my towel from the clothes line and walked the quarter mile road to the showerhouse. I was exhausted. I spent the previous night laboring over a grill, carefully searing steaks and baking potatoes wrapped in tinfoil and butter. The sixer of tasty local brewery beer also assisted in my early morning sloth.
Rubbing my eyes in the gloomy mountain morning, I barely noticed the clattering from the campsite across the road cease.
They must be finished breakfast, I thought, good for them.
Still waking up, I didn't bother to notice that there was not a single delicious breakfast smell coming from the campsite. No pleasant aroma of coffee. No sound of bacon grease crackling in the crisp mountain air. Nothing.
Must have been an instant grits and oatmeal kind of day, I shrugged.
I stumbled into the showerhouse at the campground, a palatial establishment that the Romans would have been happy to patron. An open room with a showerhead in one corner, a bench in another, a sink in the third corner, and the porcelain throne nested in the last corner. $25 a night well spent.
After finishing refreshing myself, still unable to rid myself of fatigue, I walked out of the showerhouse and noticed the white Ford Explorer belonging to the couple camping across the road. The window rolled down to the exasperated face of a lovely young lady.
“Are you ok?” she asked.
“Who? Me?” I replied confused and bewildered, still unable to clear away those pesky morning eye crunchies.
“Yeah, you walked, like, five feet past a bear. It was tearing up our campsite. You walked right past it and it stopped and just watched you for like two minutes,” she tells me to my utter disbelief.
“Nah,” is all I could retort, chuckling in equal disbelief.
A bear saw me, but I didn't see a bear.
After seeing to my early morning duties, I ventured into Franklin and discovered another brewery located in its downtown area: Currahee Brewing Company.
Looking over the Little Tennessee River, Currahee Brewing Company houses a massive brewing operation. Hosting a large and lively tap room, a massive bar, plenty of seating, and a scenic outdoor seating venue, Currahee is an excellent venue to sit back and forget the ills that trouble you. The brewery boasts 11 house brews and one seltzer.
The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, willing to talk to rambling neophyte writers like yours truly. Alyssa, my first bartender, assists me in my beer quest as I regale her with tales of my previous beer adventures. She’s going to New Orleans in late July for a bachelorette party! I wish her good luck, warning her of the oppressive heat and humidity that’s only teased here in the valley of Franklin, North Carolina.
Alyssa pours my first flight, a beer-rainbow containing “Frankenstark”, “Garand”, “Brush Creek”, and “506th Vol.4”. Frankenstark is a Belgian Strong Ale displaying a deep gold color with a malty scent. It’s sweet to start with a rich maltiness and a smooth rye finish. Garand, named in honor the rifle Mr. Groome cherished, showcased the color of the Tuscan Sun... never been there but I imagine that's what it looks like. The piney smell assaults the nostrils and pine and Citrus start the tasty journey ending with a bitter aftertaste.
Brush Creek is the star of the show, boasting a pink, lushess, and dainty color with a sweet and tarty plum fragrance. It’s crispy, sweet, and slightly tart to start and finishes with a tasty plum sweetness. I suspect the brewer is a Star Wars fan by the name of the next beer, but I couldn't get any confirmation. Nevertheless, the 506th Vol.4 taunts with a caramel color wafting with a smoky and sweet liquor scent like scotch. It’s sweet and scotchy from start to finish. If you love wonderful tasty scotch, this is the beer for you. You don't have to feel like you’re fighting a 1000 year old peat bog when drinking it, which is a plus.
Shift change. Alyssa bids a farewell and I’m greeted by Perry, a veteran, and a young man who corrects an important puzzle in my next flight.
The second flight flowed with “Mountain Blonde”, “Los Piratas”, “Slick Rock”, and “Lucky Scars Hazy”. Mountain Blonde is a Blonde Ale exhibiting a clear gold color with a slight bready smell. It’s crispy, light, and sweet to start with a balanced Dad Beer aftertaste. Slick Rock is a Brown American Ale revealing a pecan color with a toffee fragrance. It’s light and crispy with a caramel touch to start and subtle smoky malt to end.
Los Piratas is a Mexican Lager parading a mesmerizing corn color with a sweet scent. I’m so happy that Mexican Lagers are making a push into more breweries. They’re such a fascinating beer possessing so much personality and can be paired with almost any meal or after meal smoking vice. Los Piratas is light and crispy with a delicious pale lager aftertaste that begs for a pint.
The next beer did not look right at first. Lucky Scars Hazy is listed as a New England-style IPA, but those are supposed to be hazy and psychedelic looking… right? At first it appeared clear and gold. What is this? It has a super hoppy first sniff and starts sweet but is immediately overpowered by the hoppy bitterness. I ask Perry and immediately he agrees that this isn't right. Perry checks the tap and solves the mystery. It's the end of the keg. Perry shuffles to the brewing laboratory and retrieves a fresh glass of a beautiful hazy yellow liquid with the signature tropical hoppy perfume. This is it! The beer is sweet and tropical to start with a refined bitterness to follow. Now that’s a New Egland-style IPA!
Currahee Brewing Company’s Franklin location is open Monday through Thursday from 12pm to 9pm, Friday and Saturday from 12pm to 10pm, and Sunday from 12pm to 8pm. Boasting a large and beautiful tap room replete with a variety of tasty brews, Currahee is a great place to chill out and enjoy music and maybe a little cornhole out back. The Brewery entertains with music on the weekends and entices you to stay for a bit with two food trucks posted out front.
Don't walk past this joint like a weary camper in the woods passing a hungry bear, enjoy nature safely and comfortably with a beer in your hand and conversation waiting.
Address:
Currahee Brewing Company
100 Lakeside Dr
Franklin, NC 28734
Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/curraheebrew/
