Beyond Oktoberfest: A Craft Beer Crawl in Boone

You may have missed the Oktoberfest fun in Boone, North Carolina, but you can always enjoy the local award-winning craft beer year-round! 

LGBTQ+ travelers who want to experience a small-town Oktoberfest celebration should consider visiting Boone, North Carolina during late September and early October. It may not be large in scale or size as the annual beer festival in Munich, Germany, but visitors will still be able to don their best lederhosen and taste some of the best local brews made in the queer-friendly town. 

Although annual Oktoberfest events have passed, travelers can still plan for a fall getaway next year to Boone to experience it in all its fall splendor! Consider booking your stay for a bare minimum, weekend stay, at Sugar Mountain Resort to see how the locals, including the Harbour Towne Fest Band, create a festive Bavarian atmosphere for their annual Oktoberfest celebration usually held the second weekend in October. It also gives tourists an opportunity to take in the beautiful fall foliage, cool, comfortable mountain temperatures, and a weekend full of festival activities. 

So, plan for the annual Oktoberfest at Sugar Mountain for the two-day event full of live music performances, dozens of local vendors, and of course, Bavarian cuisine that includes Bratwurst, sauerkraut, strudel, and soft pretzels! 

Even if you don’t make it for Oktoberfest celebrations in Boone, you can always visit year-round to sample the best craft beers the local breweries in Boone and the surrounding area have to offer, including special Oktoberfest brews.

Appalachian Mountain Brewery

Appalachian Mountain Brewery (AMB) has its own High Country Oktoberfest, but you can visit the brewery and tasting room on Boone Creek Drive. Open since 2013, Appalachian Mountain Brewery (AMB) is the brainchild of cousins Nathan Kelischek and Chris Zieber who drew on their German heritage to open the town’s first brewery. 

The brewery’s Boone Creek Blonde, Down South Lager, Hop Rain Drop, and its ciders Mystic Dragon and Scarlet Rose have won awards. But its list of accolades hasn’t stopped the brewery from focusing on its core beliefs of community, sustainability, and philanthropy. If you pick up a pint of the Peaches for Teaches (a peach grisette), a dollar from every pour will be donated to the Watauga Arts Council. AMB also supports The We Can So You Can Foundation’s mission to revitalize the local communities, mountains, and rivers. A portion of the proceeds from every case of beer sold goes to the foundation.

Lost Province Brewing Company

Located in downtown Boone behind the Mast General Store, the family-owned Lost Province Brewing Company serves authentic and innovative craft beer brewed on-site along with woodfired fare using locally-sourced ingredients when possible. The brewery’s name comes from the moniker, the Lost Province, which is the northwestern corner of North Carolina that includes Ashe, Alleghany, and Watauga Counties – isolated from the rest of the state. But to the owners, the name is also part of their business and a place where they hope visitors will find “food and drink for their body and soul, relaxation, fellowship, and peace.” 

In addition to its main location on North Depot Street, Lost Province just has a fairly new taproom, Lost Province at Hardin Creek, that just opened last year (2021). It serves beer, wine, cider, and light snacks. Dogs and families are welcome! 

Booneshine Brewing Company

Booneshine Brewing features a full-service tasting room/restaurant as well as an outdoor beer garden and food truck that serves snacks, wraps, burgers, and Saturdays, BBQ. Patrons can order seasonal salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches like the hot honey chicken sandwich or a veggie burger. Need a beer to wash your meal down? Booneshine has a nice list of brews on tap, such as the East Boone Pils (German Pilsner), Boonerang (Trail Ale), Fast and Fruitiest (Thiolized Pale Ale), Dank Vader (Black IPA), and Space Pegasus(Hazy IPA). Soak in the natural beauty on the deck or the grassy outdoor area. 

Blowing Rock Brewing Company

A 20-minute drive south of Boone, Blowing Rock is home to the Blowing Rock Brewing Company, whose mantra is to embrace inclusivity and the High-Country lifestyle. Founders Jeff Walker and Todd Rice opened their first brewery and the Blowing Rock Ale House & Inn in 2013, and a year later, opened a state-of-the-art, 6,000-square-foot Blowing Rock Draft House in Hickory, NC. In Blowing Rock, the Ale House offers cuisine that captures the same mountain feel as its beer. The onsite executive chefs construct menus incorporating craft brews into locally sourced ingredients to create an unforgettable dining experience for guests craving upgraded bar food. The Midnight Raspberry Wheat Ale, Grandfather Breakfast Stout, and Red Rider Amber Ale are a few winners of the Carolina Championships of Beer Awards.

Kettell Beerworks

In Banner Elk, Kettell Beerworks – a 30-minute drive from downtown Boone – name their beers after familiar landmarks and activities: Copper Elk, Supernova IPA, Crabby Louie, Oktoberfest (Fall), and Alpine Rush(Winter). Kettell Beerworks feature 10-12 taps including some that rotate seasonal brews. The brewery offers light snacks, but patrons are welcome to bring their own food. While in the good company of family and friends, guests also have a variety of activities to enjoy here, including arcade games, board games, darts, corn hole, and occasionally there is live entertainment. 

Beech Mountain Brewing Company

Just a 45-minute drive southwest of Boone, this is one of the only U.S. breweries owned and operated by a ski area. Beech Mountain Brewing Company is located in the Beach Mountain Resort, a popular destination for skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, ice skating, mountain biking, and much more! So, it’s not surprising that this has become a favorite après-spot that hosts an array of events, including live music on Fridays, trivia nights, beer bingo, and karaoke. Cozy up next to the large fireplace with a flight of some of the best beers made with handpicked ingredients, such as the Beech Mountain Lager, Downhill IPA, Tilted Tartan Scotch Ale, and the Mountain Town Amber. 

If you’re a beer connoisseur, you might want to consider booking a two-stop or three-stop brewery or winery tour with Boone Brewery Tours. And remember to visit Explore Boone’s website and check out our article, Why LGBTQ+ travelers should visit Boone, for more travel inspiration and information to help plan your Boone vacation!