Asheville’s New Belgium Brewery Reopens After Storm Damage
Asheville, N.C. has been buzzing with excitement as New Belgium Brewery, one of the city’s largest and most cherished breweries, has officially reopened its doors after facing significant challenges from the recent storm, Helene. It’s been nearly three months since the storm wreaked havoc in the River Arts District, but the atmosphere at the brewery is now filled with joy and hope as staff and customers come together to celebrate this milestone.
A Warm Welcome Back
Julius Tunstall, the Hospitality Supervisor at New Belgium, expressed just how uplifting it was to see patrons return. “We’ve felt incredible support over the last few months,” Tunstall shared, reflecting on the camaraderie within the team as they worked diligently to clean and restore the brewery. “It’s just been really cool to see it all come together in a situation that was hard for all of us to handle.”
However, it hasn’t been an easy journey. Tunstall mentioned that while it’s heartwarming to welcome back customers, it’s a stark reminder of the devastation that still lingers just outside. The back view of the brewery still shows the debris and destruction lining the river, a lasting impact of the storm. “It’s difficult but it also makes me feel really hopeful to see what we can rebuild,” he said.
A Story of Resilience
This reopening is not just about beer; it’s about sharing their story and what Asheville means to them. “We’re excited to share that story with our customers,” Tunstall stated. And customers like Mike Altoff are thrilled to be back. Mike usually spends his Mondays walking along the river with friends, making it a routine to stop by New Belgium for a refreshing brew afterward. “There’s nothing like a hike and a beer,” he exclaimed, full of enthusiasm after enjoying a four-mile walk leading back to his beloved brewery.
The Community Comes Together
Despite the challenges of not being able to brew their beer due to the damage to their production factory, the brewery community has rallied together to support New Belgium. Tunstall noted the incredible assistance they’ve received from other breweries, allowing them to reopen with available beer supplies. “They’re still working through all the damage that happened on the brewing side, but we’ve had incredible support from the other breweries in our company,” he explained.
As for the timeline for when New Belgium will return to brewing its signature beers, Tunstall indicated that there’s still a lot of work to be done to restore the production facilities. “It’s really difficult but there’s a lot of hard-working folks. You can see people walking around in hard hats and vests doing really incredible work to make sure we can get world-class beer back over here,” he stated with pride.
The Road to Recovery
Another dedicated employee, Joshua Naster, who has been with New Belgium for four years, shared his perspective on the situation. “To have to deal with this has been rough but to see the community and to see my coworkers come together has been a pretty amazing thing.” Naster has spent the last few months working in the production area, which faced significant damage. “Originally it looked like your worst nightmare, like a Freddy Kreuger scene. Now, it’s looking to be a factory again,” he said as he recounted the transformation they’ve undergone.
Despite the significant work that lies ahead, Naster feels hopeful as they begin moving equipment back in and restoring the brewery. New Belgium is eager to welcome back its customers, inviting everyone to enjoy the taproom, which is open daily from noon to 8 p.m. The atmosphere is vibrant, filled with hope and the promise of better days to come.
As Asheville takes a step forward from the recent challenges, it’s clear that the spirit of the community shines bright, just like the beers that will soon be brewed at New Belgium again.
