We took an full day tour of the stupendous Biltmore
I later enjoyed a Great Gatsby Abbey at the Grove Park Inn
Asheville, NC is known as a hotbed for all things artisan, in addition to being named Beer City USA 2010 by a recent poll. Its beauty and charm has long been known by many of this country’s elites as well, which is why George Washington Vanderbilt II chose to build Biltmore Estate, the nation’s largest privately-owned home, in 1895. It consists of 250 rooms and 175,000 square feet spread out over 75 acres, equivalent to 140 Central Parks! Anne and I took a tour of this incredible mansion, and also had time to stop by Cedric’s Tavern, located on the estate, to enjoy drinks and a bite to eat.
I had a beer called Cedric’s Pale Ale (Highland Brewing; Asheville, NC; American Pale Ale; ABV: 5.0-6.0?), which was crafted for the Biltmore by Highland Brewing. Named after the beloved St. Bernard of George Vanderbilt, Cedric’s is a smooth, amber colored APA with notes of caramel malt and English hops complimented by hints of sweet fruit. This ale is quite refreshing from start to finish, and the estate plans to eventually brew it onsite in the future. It fully complimented the Italian Tuna Salad Sandwich that I ate for lunch.
After we finished the tour, we drove onto the Grove Park Inn for drinks and a spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Completed in 1912 and renovated in 2007, this inn has served as a vacation retreat for celebrities and dignitaries alike. I started with an abbey named in honor of F. Scott Fitzgerald, who came here on an annual basis to either vacation or write.
Highland Grove Park Inn Great Gatsby Abbey Ale (Highland Brewing; Asheville, NC; Abbey Ale; ABV: 7.0-8.0?) is a full-bodied abbey with notes of caramel, German malt, and floral hops. It pours a chestnut color, and is a silky, easy drinking ale.
We finished at GPI by having dessert and a final round of drinks. I had the Highland Black Mocha Stout (Highland Brewing; Asheville, NC; American Stout; ABV: 5.3), an outstanding chocolate stout. The chocolate presence is complimented by notes of roasted malt and earthy hops, and had a cappuccino like feeling to it. Black Mocha paired well with the chocolate cake that I had for dessert.
Each of these beers were a perfect compliment to the day, and highly recommended.
