Oowee Koozie Tour Begins
With a loaded down pickup truck, Gabriel and I said goodbye to our dear old blue tick hound dog, Walter, and left Asheville, NC for a 4,000 mile journey across the Southwestern USA. We are looking forward to seeing parts of our country that we have never explored, introduce the leather koozie products, and hopefully meet some new and interesting people along the way.
Our first stop was just over the mountain in Bryson City, NC, where we visited Joe with Nantahala Brewing Company. This sleepy little town is mostly supported by the rafting industry, but we expect that NBC will help put them on the map. The brewery itself is housed in a monstrous warehouse that used to store military supplies. They have mixed the rustic charm of the mountains with a young and hip beer vibe.
As we wind our way through the mountains of Western North Carolina, it is hard not to stop at every turn to take a swim in the Nantahala River or hop on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. Just keeping our eyes on the road will be a hard task when there are 100’s of whitewater rafters enjoying the summer.
Next stop, Chattanooga TN! We stopped by The Terminal Brewhouse adjacent to the historic Chattanooga 
Choo Choo. The Terminal Brewhouse is housed in the historic Strong Building whose old brick and and wooden beams could tell stories of years past and allegedly was home to speakeasies, illegal casinos and even a “house of ill repute”. Our first flight of the trip thanks to Ian, the man in charge of training the staff on the brewing process and about beer and beer processes. Our favorite beer was the West Coast IPA.
Though Moccasin Bend Brewery was a little bit tucked away…we knew we were in the right place when we saw the Mohawk canoe over the front door. We enjoyed hearing a little bit more about this growing brewery from Sandy who let us in even though it was well before brewery hours. Our favorite beer was the Hop Attack. Did we say we liked hoppy beers?
Finally, we had to truck it down to Birmingham, AL to meet the good people at Good People Brewing Co.! This giant warehouse centrally located in the heart of downtown was the perfect place to end our day. Some of the “Good fellas” Michael, Nate and Eric gave us the lowdown about the brewery while we listened to a local band. We immediately felt relaxed enjoying a Brown Ale and an Oatmeal Porter at this local watering hole. This would be our hangout if we lived in this city.
