Even though the address is 1127 Sweeten Creek Rd, you’ll find Sweeten Creek Brewing tucked behind street-front buildings, a short way down what looks like a side street.
The building houses a tasting room, a sandwich shop, and the brewery. I can’t quite decide how I feel about the exterior. It feels like something once nondescript that’s been given as much creative exterior treatment as it can take.
Inside is another story. This building underwent huge changes, mostly done by the owners, over quite a long period of time. To see what it takes to put a new brewery together, follow this link to their Facebook album, The Making of Sweeten Creek Brewery.
Co-owners Joey and Erica Justice are behind the beer and their partner/co-owner Chad Gibson handles the food side of things. All three have worked enough in their respective industries before opening Sweeten Creek to know what they’re doing – and it shows.
As soon as you step in to the tasting room, it’s pretty obvious this team is creative. They’ve used old vine-covered downed trees found on the property, and one that a neighbor had to take down, to create beautiful live-edged bartops, tabletops, and wall paneling (the good kind). Upper concrete block walls have been painted a perfectly warm shade of burnt orange.
And see the board above the taps with multiple North Carolina cutouts? That’s where they post their current beer list. Speaking of taps, they had six of their own, as well as a two from other breweries and a cider ready to pour.
Food can be ordered directly from the sandwich shop or in the tasting room. To get to the sandwich shop you can enter from the outside, or through the tasting room and a corner of the brewery, where you can take a peek at the heart of the operation as you pass through. The menu is limited but offers a good variety, fairly priced, and from scratch. Vegetarians haven’t been forgotten, either.
They were kind enough to let me sample all six of their beers. Loved five of them and would recommend the sixth to friends that like IPAs. My faves were the Porter, the Spring Ale, and Burn Dawger Brown Ale. For your non-beer drinking friends, I did spot some wine behind the bar.
You know, I’d go to Sweeten Creek Brewing just for the food. Friend Barrie ordered the Meat and Cheese Plate ($12). Charcuterie and premium cheeses were on the plate along with an apple chutney, seasoned seeds, and mustard made with their Black IPA. It’s served with pretty tasty warm flatbread and crackers. About half of this lunch went home with Barrie.
My Monte Cristo ($8) was chock full of brown sugar brined ham and fontina cheese slathered with dijon, and creatively sandwiched between white bread wrapped in a light crepe batter. It’s served with berry preserves – “for dipping or schmearing” – and your choice of side.
That sandwich was huge, hot, rich and delicious. The watermelon salad, made with red grapes, julienne jicama, and mint, was served overflowing a small jar.
Joey Justice was quoted in this Citizen Times article as saying, “We wanted to find something that we could turn into someplace interesting”. They’ve certainly done that. Sweeten Creek Brewing is family and pet friendly. In addition to the brewery, tasting room, and sandwich shop, there’s an expansive, level lawn area scattered with picnic tables that’s perfect for hanging out with friends over a beer, as well as special events.
If you haven’t been yet, get yourself over to Sweeten Creek Brewing.
Sweeten Creek Brewing
1127 Sweeten Creek Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
Phone:(828) 575-2785
