The new 200BBL brewhouse at Sierra Nevada NC
The new 200BBL brewhouse at Sierra Nevada NC, still a construction site

I was fortunate enough recently to attend the last stop of the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp when it hit their new east coast property near Asheville, NC–unbelievably stunning!  Walking the new buildings, which is still a construction site, with Jim Mellum and Steve Dresler the day before the beer fest was amazing and I could really see the thought that went into planning this major expansion–they seem to have a great vision all the way down to the little details to make this a true destination.

Jim Mellum (front) and Steve Dresler (back)
Jim Mellum (front) and Steve Dresler (back)

I ran into Colby Chandler of Ballast Point during the fest and he had travelled with SN to ALL seven Beer Camp stops, crazy!  Ballast Point was one of the luck breweries to be included in a Beer Camp collabeeration with SN and be packaged in the 12 packs.  This final stop of the traveling madness was open to only 5,000 beer fans and it was truly a great event!  I look forward to coming back to visit once the brewery is open and under full production (they are currently only kicking out 34 brews per week–a 300,000BBL annual run rate) and spend more time visiting with a number of other great local breweries in North Carolina!

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp 2014
Sierra Nevada Beer Camp 2014
Front entrance
Front entrance
Sierra NC entrance II
Upstairs by the tasting room overlooking the brewhouse.  Thru that door you are on a small balcony IN the hop cooler, what an aroma!!!
Upstairs by the tasting room overlooking the brewhouse. Thru that door you are on a small balcony IN the hop cooler, what an aroma!!!  They had just installed the fake hop bales on the wall.  All wood used in the tasting area is reclaimed Tulip Poplar from the property.
Ok, I'm not a huge fan of Simcoe hops but couldn't resist this picture...
Ok, I’m not a huge fan of Simcoe hops but couldn’t resist this picture.  I’m such a nerd!