Passion and Progress
By Ian Guevara
I’m nearing the end of my trip to North Carolina and my brewery tour. As I walk the quaint streets of downtown Asheville, my southern sensibilities take hold and I immediately begin to chat with random strangers.
Located on Commerce Street, resting beautifully against Eaglenest Creek, Frog Level Brewing Company is a wonderfully large and beautiful brewery serving beers from both Frog Level and its parent company 7 Clans Brewing Company.
Opened in 2011, Frog Level was the first brewery to open in Waynesville. Since then it has flourished and grown. The interior is what every brewery lover wants to see when they enter a brewery. A large bar dominates one side of the tap room with an open and shiny brew laboratory directly adjacent.
I love it when tap rooms are directly in the heart of the operations. It gives you the feeling like you’re dropping in to visit an artist while he creates his masterpieces. Furthermore, Frog Level opens out to a gorgeous creekside venue that I imagine is the toast of the town for music on the weekends.
Frog Level has an interesting story that intertwines it with 7 Clans Brewing Company. Owned and operated by members of the Cherokee tribe, 7 Clans began brewing beer not in its own facility, but rather it rented out fermentation tanks and space at various other breweries in the area.
After producing quality beer at a stellar rate, 7 Clans bought out Frog Level Brewing Company and combined the operations of the two breweries. They still produce separately branded beer, but the breweries' marriage allows them to continuously churn out quality liquid.
I approached the bar to find a friendly face greeting me. I love breweries. I love meeting people who love breweries. I love talking about beer with people who love beer. I mean, it’s pretty obvious, I am writing a blog about my trips to breweries.
I let the bartender know that I need time to game plan my attack on the beer menu and begin to prepare. So many beers, 16 of them, a hodgepodge of Frog Level and 7 Clans brews. Each one of them looks delicious. I don't know where to start. Before I can ask the bartender, he greets another patron, a regular.
“Christopher! How are you doing,” asks the bartender.
“I say my good man, I’m just trying to stave off dehydration,” exclaimed Christopher, a wild haired old man with a wiry build, wide sunglasses, and a massive german shepherd at his side.
Joy erupted inside me. That line, that simple exclamation, was all I needed to cement my appreciation of this brewery.
My first flight was filled with 7 Clans’s “Blonde Ale” and Frog Level’s “Blood Orange”, “Imperial Stout”, and “Salamander Slam”. Blonde Ale is, well, a Blonde Ale possessing a butter color and a balanced floral scent. It’s light, airy, and crispy with a soft bready and sweet start followed by a solid carbonated finish. Blood Orange is a tasty Gose displaying a mellow pineapple color with a tart and fruity aroma. It’s sour and sweet to start with a lovely orange crisp and a balanced salty finish.
The Imperial Stout broods an opaque hickory color with a sweet caramel allure. This beer is thicc with two Cs, starting sweet and malty with a great smooth conclusion. Salamander Slam is a West Coast IPA showcasing a fire color with a sweet and hoppy punch. It’s piney and hoppy from start to finish with a subtle malt end.
Midway through my tasting I was given the opportunity to chat with the head brewer of Frog Level, Matthew. While our conversation was brief, it gave me insight as to why these beers were of exceptional quality. Matthew loves his job and loves beer. That’s pretty obvious, he’s a head brewer, but It’s still delightful to witness the passion and love people have for their jobs.
I also love sharing my own passion for beer. Obviously I do most of it through my writing, but occasionally when I meet a brewer, I like to do more than share my thoughts. I ran back to my truck and dipped into my own beer reserves. Two weeks prior, Jonathan brought me two four packs of Gnarly Barley’s newest Sour and Gose. I grabbed a can of each and brought them over to Mattew, then turned my attention back to the flights.
My second flight flowed with 7 Clans/s “Uktena” and Frog Levels “Frogger Lager”, “Ultra Violet”, and “Bug Eyed”. Uktena is a Double IPA exhibiting a marmalade color and a super hoppy scent. It’s bitter from start to finish with a piney sweetness. Frogger Lager is an American Lager manifesting an almost clear gold with a subtle hop aroma. It’s ULTRA ry and crispy with a balanced and airy beginning and conclusion.
Bug Eyed us a Stout manifesting an opaque chocolate color brew with a vanilla scent. This beer is powerfully coffee forward with a tasty chocolate end. The star of the day was Ultra Violet, a pink guava and mango Sour parading a light daffodil color with a tart aroma. Such a delicious brew. Ultra Voilet is light, crispy, and very sour with a splendid citrus start and airy finish.
Frog Level Brewing Company is open every day Monday through Thursday from 11:30am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday from 11:30am to 10pm, and Sunday from 11:30am to 8pm. The brewery offers a wide array of music on most evenings serenading locals and visitors alike in the brewery's lovely outdoor venue. You can chow down on some great treats as well from Frog Level’s kitchen including oversized pretzels to spicy chicken sandwiches.
On a side note, 7 Clans Brewing recently opened a permanent location in Asheville. I very much look forward to visiting it this winter when I head back to Asheville right after Christmans.
