Biggie Smalls, Snow Balls, and Balsam Falls
By Ian Guevara
“Uh hey bro, Biggie is the same person as Notorious BIG,” I stated with drunken confidence to an obvious musical philistine. It wasn’t the deciding points, we were ahead by more than 100 to the closest team, but winning means nothing if you aren't dominant.
Trivia night always brings out the competitive juices, especially in the motley crew I gathered for this competition of who has the larger repository of useless knowledge. Our team consisted of Chad, Louis, Jonathan, Olivia, HMJ, Homelessman, and me. Simply called the “Team of Seven” because I did not realize that I needed to put a team name in the email to book our seats, our brains together could dominate Trivial Pursuit.
We walked into Balsam Falls Brewing Company on a cold winter night with an air of confidence only reserved for winners like Tom Brady and that dude who won like 30 episodes of Jeopardy in a row. Even with several pints of the brewery’s Buttah Beeah White Stout and plates of flatbread pizzas and tater tots, we never lost our focus. We were going to win that $25 gift, sure, but the glory of high score and victory, that lasts forever.
Earlier that day, however, we were almost defeated… by a mountain, ice, and snow. Siler Bald Mountain is a favorite climb for through-hikers on the Appalachian Trail or day-hikers who want a short challenge and epic view.
The seven of us made the trip to North Carolina shortly after Christmas of 2020. Despite being surrounded by mountains on all sides, Franklin and Sylva are not prone to heavy snow. A short dusting of snow is much more typical for that time of year, but late December 2020 saw a heavy blanket of snow cover the area like a beautiful soft comforter on a bed. It was in these elements we decided to hike the two miles to the top of Siler Bald.
Water is sometimes a sneaky and insidious foe to the hiker. It can be a refreshing escape from heat, quench and replenish a thirsty hiker, or it can leave you wishing the molecular combination of Hydrogen and Oxygen never existed. The snow on the trail leading up the bald still looked fresh as we approached the start of the trail. Day packs on, beers in hand, bluetooth speaker blasting, we began what should have been a simple 45 minute climb with excitement.
Within the first five minutes we encountered another hiker, wearing crampons, walking back to the parking lot with a defeated look on his face.
“How was the top, man?” I asked.
“Didn't make it too much ice,” he responded, briskly walking past us.
That should have been a red flag. Instead, in typical fashion with this collection of individuals, we scoffed at his lack of determination, laughed that he wore crampons, and pushed forward. At some point in the next quarter mile we encountered a few slippery spots in the form of small ice puddles that formed between roots that grew like stairs on the trail. That passing hiker probably realized what we failed to comprehend: as the trail wound to the sunny side of the mountain, only exposed to the sun for a couple of hours, the snow would melt and create a small creek lumbering down the trail. Overnight that little trail would freeze over completely, creating a slippery death trap. In our hubris, we rationalized that this ice couldn't possibly last the whole trail… right?
It was the whole trail. Every rock, every step, every inch was covered in a thick, slick coating of ice. None of us, save Jonathan and Olivia, were wearing hiking boots. My beat up pair of Nike sneakers could not complete with the perils of a two mile uphill climb.
We probably should have turned back like the hiker we met earlier, but beer has that ability to boost confidence and imagination. We continued, slowly, slipping, sliding, shredding tendons, bruising muscles, and straining joints. What should have been a 45 minute jaunt turned into a three hour taxing expedition into a mini Donner Party experience.
We pushed ourselves with the help of sips from beer and sturdy sticks used to balance ourselves on the hazardous ice.
What makes Siler Bald’s view so spectacular and unique is its vast and treeless 360 panoramic view. Decades ago it was cleared by a lumber company leaving a literal bald spot on the top of the mountain. Unfortunately, the trail to the top of the bald is a steep 1000 yard beast of a climb. Tough under normal conditions, covered in snow and ice made it daunting.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. We made it to the top, drank our beers, and cheered to ourselves for our victory despite trying circumstances. Now… how to get back down? Thankfully, an old logging road built by the same company that gave the mountain its famous haircut still existed. We were advised to take the road as it remained on the sunless side of the mountain and possessed little snowmelt. It was beautiful. The road remained unblemished by the steps of man, and the snow was still fresh. A literal winter wonderland.
That experience forged our determination to celebrate with ice cold brews and a dominating performance at Balsam Falls Trivia later that evening. We left the competition in the dust by a margin of over 150 points with a score of 295. Just five away from a perfect score. High fives all around, pint glasses chiming together, we won that $25 dollar gift card paying a $150 dollar tab instead of $175. Warren Buffet would be proud.
Balsam Falls Brewing Company sits on Main St in Sylva, North Carolina. A lovely little college town supporting the rustic and outdoor adventures of college students from Western Carolina University and residents alike, Sylva is the gateway to the ever expanding collection of breweries in Western North Carolina. Balsam Falls is a personal favorite of mine. The brewery provides a massive selection of 26 house brews ranging from light and airy Blonde Ales to dark and brooding stouts to even a collection of ciders and meads. There’s a beer waiting for you at Balsam Falls, all you have to do is try them all to find out which is it!
Walk into the door of this brewery and you find out quickly that it’s a fairly popular haunt. Its massive and wonderfully crafted bar perpetually has its seats filled. The smell of tasty burgers and flatbread entices the nostrils to stay for more than just a pint and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable of the beers, guiding you through your climb like professional beer sherpas.
Even better, they serve six glass flights. HUZZAH! A dreamland for a person like myself who wants to just try every beer ever made at every brewery!
My head was swimming at the prospect of so many options… But I must stick to the two sets of flights lest I forget how to get back to the campsite.
My first flight flowed with “Eagle Blonde”, “Elvis Has Left the Brewpub”, “Salt Rock Wit”, “Yopper Orange Imperial”, “Into the Mist”, and “Petrified Dragon Fly”. Eagle Blonde is a Blonde Ale displaying a straw color and slight malt scent. It’s light and crispy, with a sweet start and yeasty finish making this a great beer to slug after a long afternoon of outdoor adventure. Elvis Has Left the Brew Pub is a wonderfully tasty peanut butter and banana Hefeweizen showcasing an old gold color with a peanut butter and banana smell that hits the nostrils. It’s light and crispy that cannot be described any better than its name with a Banana aftertaste for the ages. Salt Rock Wit is a classic Wheat Beer exhibiting a lemon color with a bready aroma reminding me of a fresh bag of french bread. It starts off crackery with a pleasant orange finish to balance the yeastiness.
Yopper Orange Imperial is a New England Style IPA possessing a hazy bumblebee color with a classic hazy IPA smell. It starts off tropical like a tasty breeze with a nice piney and bitter finish. Into the Mist is a unique beer as it's a Southern IPA displaying a hazy straw color with a citrus fragrance. It's tasty and fruity to start with a subtle and muted bitterness. The low hoppiness really accentuates the tasty tropical flavors. Petrified Dragon Fly is a clever Red Ale presenting a fire color with a rich smell. It starts sweet and light and finishes with a muted caramel flavor.
Halftime. I needed a break. Not that the beer was overwhelming, but my stomach began rumbling like a poorly loaded washing machine. I peek over the menu… SO many wonderful options. Hamburger? Tater Tots? Buffalo Chicken Sandwich? No. I know what I want. What I crave. Buffalo chicken flatbread. Just so tasty, so spicy, and crunchy. I eat half and offer the rest to Scott, who’s accompanying me in this little venture today. Scott agrees to eat only one of the slices. The rest somehow disappears a few minutes later. Gone into the ether. Who knows who ate it?
Alright. Next flight. A stunning cornucopia of yellows, reds, and golds before me filled by “King’s Shadow”, “Eww That Smell”, “Grandma’s Pickled Peaches”, “9E9A (NENA)”, “2020 Blues”, and “Smokey Mountain Shandy”. King’s Shadow is a Russian Imperial Stout appearing dark and brooding with a malty smell! It starts chocolaty with a subtle spicy finish making for a delightful beer to end a meal. Eww that Smell is a palatial Gose manifesting a lemon color with a sour and sweet fragrance. It's super sour and sweet to start with a floral and salty finish. Grandma’s Pickled Peaches is solid Sour producing a daffodil color with a slight sour smell. It’s a unique spicy sour with a prickly start and a deep clove finish.
The start of the day is the 9E9A, a delectable cherry hibiscus Sour-Berliner Weisse parading a ravenous ruby color with a hibiscus scent. It's refreshing, light, and crispy with a subtle sourness and sweet start and finish. The hibiscus is strong, but not overwhelming, but rather pleasant. 2020 Blues is an American Pale Wheat beer exhibiting a deep rhubarb color with a lavender aroma. It’s tart from start to finish while also possessing a tasty light and airy quality. Smoky Mountain Shandy is a grapefruit Shandy manifesting a light straw color with a fruity scent. It's light and crispy with that grapefruit flavor from start to finish.
Balsam Falls Brewing Company is open Monday through Friday from 11am to 10pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 10pm. The brewery provides a comfy and cozy place to enjoy the incredible array of 26 house brews and tasty flatbreads and burgers. On the weekends you can get your brunch on with tasty breakfast dishes and mimosas that will help you forget your name.
Tuesday nights you can try and beat my team’s high score for trivia night… good luck and if we happen to meet on that night, I will win that $25 giftcard.
Address:
Balsam Falls Brewing Company
506 W Main St
Sylva, NC 28779
Social Media:
https://balsamfallsbrewing.com/
https://www.facebook.com/balsamfallsbrewing
https://www.instagram.com/balsamfallsbrewing/?hl=en
https://untappd.com/v/balsam-falls-brewing-co/6336496
