Come on In, The Water's Fine: Asheville Breweries and Their Love of Asheville Water
Ashevillians often speak of the purity and affordability of the city’s water. This fact has not gone unnoticed by the many Asheville breweries that have opened in the past ten-plus years. Here are reasons why Asheville’s water is the purest around, and how we can ensure that more Asheville breweries continue to responsibly use the city’s excellent water resources.
The North Fork and William deBruhl Reserve: Pure Water Sources for Asheville Breweries
There are a total of three water treatment plants that are onsite at the reservoirs in Asheville. These plants supply 20 million gallons of water a day to over 50,000 customers of the City of Asheville. Both the North Fork reservoir and the William deBruhl, or Bee Tree, reservoir have exceeded Environmental Protection Agency standards in the quality of water they provide, as well as meeting North Carolina requirements for clean drinking water. Click here to find out more about how breweries and the city work together.
The City of Asheville's Commitment to Clean Water: Helping Asheville Breweries and You
The Area-Wide Optimization Program is the main reason Asheville water exceeded the EPA standards in 2012. The AWOP allows water service providers, such as the City of Asheville or the smaller surrounding townships, to increase water quality and maintain a lower level of turbitdity, or the amount of particulates in the water, than is set by the EPA. So even though the EPA standard is 0.3 NTU, or nephelometric turbidity unit. However the AWOP requires that water has less than 0.1 NTU.
The city’s efforts to process the water on site add to what is already exceptionally clean water. Because many of the reservoirs are located at higher elevations in the mountains, they have avoided the usual pollution a water reservoir will receive. In 2011, the city also reduced the amount of fluoride in water, which can sometimes pollute recycled water and have adverse health effects if too much is consumed.
The city’s efforts to process the water on site add to what is already exceptionally clean water. Because many of the reservoirs are located at higher elevations in the mountains, they have avoided the usual pollution a water reservoir will receive. In 2011, the city also reduced the amount of fluoride in water, which can sometimes pollute recycled water and have adverse health effects if too much is consumed.
Why Asheville Breweries Love the City Water
Water makes up about 90% of a beer. The rest is a lot of barley, rye or wheat, a tiny bit of hops, and some great brewing. So it’s not suprising to learn that in 2012, Asheville breweries used 12 million gallons of water, amounting to $52,000 in revenue for the City of Asheville. But what exactly makes it perfect for brewing? Asheville water is fairly soft, and only requires dechlorination from Asheville breweries.
“We get first crack at some absolutely pristine water coming down from Black Mountain.” Asheville Brewing Company co-owner Mike Rangel said. “The water is not too hard, not too soft and has low levels of minerals. It’s perfect water for beer.”
This was touted as one of the main reasons both Sierra Nevada and New Belgium Brewing are opening up Asheville breweries.
“We get first crack at some absolutely pristine water coming down from Black Mountain.” Asheville Brewing Company co-owner Mike Rangel said. “The water is not too hard, not too soft and has low levels of minerals. It’s perfect water for beer.”
This was touted as one of the main reasons both Sierra Nevada and New Belgium Brewing are opening up Asheville breweries.
Asheville Water Could Make Asheville Breweries World Famous
There are other cities that are noted for their distinct water. Pilsen, a city in the Czech Republic, has such soft water, or water with so little minerals, that it is known worldwide for its namesake Pilsner. In Burton-on-Trent in England, the water is so hard, or full of minerals, that it makes for a great pale ale: Burton-On-Trent is the home of the Bass Brewing Company.
Asheville’s water profile falls in between these two distinctive brewing cities, which means that Asheville breweries can craft a variety of beers, which still hold the clear, crisp taste of the Mountain water. Time will only tell if Asheville’s water and breweries will be as well known as Pilsen or Burton-On-Trent.
But then again, they haven’t been listed as a Beer City USA for three years running.
Asheville’s water profile falls in between these two distinctive brewing cities, which means that Asheville breweries can craft a variety of beers, which still hold the clear, crisp taste of the Mountain water. Time will only tell if Asheville’s water and breweries will be as well known as Pilsen or Burton-On-Trent.
But then again, they haven’t been listed as a Beer City USA for three years running.