Monday early show at French Broad River Brewery, which is always a solid spot to ease into the week with good beer and whatever the friends lineup brings. Six pm start means you can still get home at a reasonable hour.

The private event space holds 150 to 200 people depending on how you configure it, and with pizza on-site plus two parking lots, the logistics actually work for bigger gatherings. It's the kind of room that handles everything from rehearsal dinners to company parties without feeling like a generic rental hall.

French Broad River Brewery has been brewing at the edge of Biltmore Village since 2000, on Fairview Road just minutes from the Biltmore Estate. The rotating tap list is inspired by European brewing traditions, with beers like the Goldenrod Pilsner and River Mist Hazy IPA, and French Broad River Pizza serves hand-tossed pies.

Locals treat it as a neighborhood hangout with weekly live music and trivia nights, and it's family and pet friendly.

French Broad River Brewery

Asheville breweries pour everything from crisp lagers to wild sours, and these taprooms, brewpubs and craft beer bars are worth the trip, downtown and across the mountains. On the South Slope, the Funkatorium pours sour and funky beers, Wicked Weed's original brewpub anchors Biltmore Avenue, and Asheville Brewing Company has taprooms on Coxe Avenue and Merrimon Avenue. The River Arts District has Wedge Brewing, New Belgium on the French Broad River, RAD Brewing and Ginger's Revenge for gluten-free ginger beer. West Asheville has Archetype Brewing, One World Brewing West and Westville Pub on Haywood Road. Just north in Woodfin, Zillicoah and Riverside Rhapsody sit along Riverside Drive, and Salt Face Mule adds 36 holes of mini golf. East Asheville's Highland Brewing is the city's first craft brewery, and Black Mountain has Pisgah Brewing and Lookout Brewing. South of town, try Sweeten Creek Brewing, Turgua in Fairview, 12 Bones Smokehouse in Arden, and Sierra Nevada and Mills River Brewing in Mills River. Every brewery below has hours, photos and directions. For picks by food, dogs and live music, more breweries to try and answers to common questions, see our Dig Deeper guide to Asheville breweries.

Breweries in Asheville, NC: Craft Beer and Taproom Guide

Asheville is a dog friendly town, and these breweries, restaurant patios, bars, shops and pet services welcome you and your dog. Many breweries allow leashed dogs, including Highland Brewing and its meadow in East Asheville, Wedge Brewing, RAD Brewing, New Belgium and Ginger's Revenge in the River Arts District, and Archetype, One World West and Westville Pub on Haywood Road in West Asheville. Downtown, Wicked Weed's brewpub has two pet friendly patios, the Funkatorium is on the South Slope, and Twisted Laurel and Posana have dog friendly patios near Pack Square. Woodfin has Zillicoah, Riverside Rhapsody and Salt Face Mule along the French Broad River. South of town, try Sweeten Creek Brewing, 12 Bones Smokehouse in Arden, Turgua in Fairview, and Sierra Nevada and Mills River Brewing in Mills River. Black Mountain has Pisgah Brewing and Lookout Brewing. For pet supplies and care, visit Asheville Pet Supply on Merrimon Avenue and All Pets Animal Hospital on Patton Avenue. Every listing below has hours, photos and directions.

Andrew Scotchie & Friends

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