Like Hillman Beer and Catawba’s Biltmore tasting room, both of which are just a stone’s throw away, French Broad River Brewery is located outside of the city proper and southeast of the Biltmore Estate and Village area. The brewery is named after the major river that sweeps through the Asheville area but is nestled in a slightly out-of-the-way cluster of industrial buildings sitting along the Sweeten Creek.

The tasting room is very homey and welcoming, with attractive colors and designs and a great deal of varied and unusual furniture choices.

On the whole, I found all the beers I tried here to be solid, but I didn’t find anything spectacular. The Black IPA (which looks like a seasonal) and the Wee Heavy-er Scotch Ale (a year-round offering) are among the best of the bunch.