A new brewery has taken root in Western North Carolina that brings a different approach to the craft beer scene.
Sideways Farm & Brewery opened this past August in the rural Henderson County community of Etowah. Although surrounded by dozens of craft breweries in the towns of Hendersonville, Brevard and Asheville, the brewery stands out for a farm-based commitment to growing its own ingredients.
A typical Sideways tasting menu features anywhere from 12-14 small batch, seasonal brews highlighting products cultivated on property – as well as sourced from local suppliers – by owners Jon and Carrieann Schneider. A sampling includes rosemary, figs, lemongrass, pumpkins and sage.
The tasting room experience stands out as well. Beers are grouped into tastings and poured from 750-milliliter bottles. The tasting bar, made from a black walnut tree on property, is U-shaped and patterned after the bar at a nearby vineyard.
“Our idea is to take beer back to its agricultural roots,” Carrieann says. “Most breweries are set up in an industrial area. We want to bring people to a farm to see where we grow and harvest what goes into their beer.”
The brewery and tasting room are on an 11-acre site surrounded by crops and a flower garden.
The brewery’s name is inspired by a song of the same title by Carlos Santana and Citizen Cope. The Schneiders were living in Florida when Jon began brewing and they were knocked “sideways” by a shared passion for what could be created in the brewing process.
“We like to joke that all of our projects go a little sideways on the farm, so the name continues to fit us and our exciting adventure,” Carrieann says.
For more info, call 828-595-4001 or go to www.SidewaysFarm.com.