BearWaters Brewing Company

Well we just had a great time here…
The space isn’t in the most appealing area, but not uncommon for craft brewers to start this way. They’ve done a magnificent job of using what they have, and we found it appealing. Jenna was working the day we visited, and we appreciated both her knowledge of beer and interesting commentary on some local issues.
We had a flight of the Whitewater hefe, Sunburst saison, Paint Rock porter, and the Snownado imperial stout. Check the cool cocoa rim on that one! There was an $ 1 upcharge for the two higher ABVs (porter and stout). All were well done. Half pours are available too, making it easy to enjoy more styles without going overboard. The Stiff Paddle IPA was quite good, and we ended up taking away a 32 0z growler to enjoy later. There was no charge for the growler bottle, something unheard of in the Atlanta area.
One patron brought his dog, and having recently lost our own dog we were delighted to have the company of his pooch, who knew just where the cookie jar on the bar was.
We were just visiting from out of town, but so many locals had spoken and engaged us in conversation that by the time we left we felt like we were saying goodbye to a group of friends.
I can’t think of anything more I’d want from a crafter brewer. Even the music was groovy and we didn’t have to scream to have conversations. Will certainly partake of their beers when we can find them and absolutely visit again when in Waynesville.

BearWaters is my FAVE stop whenever we visit Waynesville. Great beers on 10 taps, my personal favorite is the Datil Pepper Porter. The owners and staff are knowledgable, helpful and very, friendly and kind. The atmosphere is really cool, an outdoorsy vibe and pets are allowed which is a plus for me and my sidekick, Jake! Great job BearWaters, looking forward to where your future takes you!

Amazing place!!! Love love love!!! Great beer, great atmosphere and the people are so friendly!!! Jenna, the main bartender, is super sweet and is always helpful and patient to explain about new beers. Owners are super cool as well! The bands they book to play here are amazing. Too great a place to miss if you are stopping to sample all the great Waynesville beer! Top choice for sure!!!

Some of the best and most creative beers your likely to find in WNC. The ever rotating list of beers makes each visit a treat. It’s always fun when you see one of your favorites on the chalkboard, but if it’s not there, your sure to enjoy on of the other options. Be it Nitro fueled Chocolate Cherry Stout, or a beer flavored with Florida Datel Peppers, something is sure to please.
I have always been greeted with a smile and friendly service. The bar staff are always willing to let you taste a beer before ordering. The pride they feel for their beer is obvious.
They also have the best sound system around, and a good variety of music to take advantage of the equipment. The small room makes for a great listening experience.
Stop by, you won’t be disappointed.

This is my favorite brewery in Waynesville. The owner and staff (especially the beertender) are all friendly and knowledgeable. It’s off the beaten path, so it isn’t usually so packed with tourists that you can’t get a drink. Everything you need to know about the beers on tap is on the chalkboard above the bar. Simply read from left to right for ABV, IBU, and tasting notes. They are also pet friendly, which is a plus.

Went there yesterday (10÷29÷15) and got the same crappy treatment from the same female bartender/​owner that my wife and I received about six months ago… I know, fool me twice, right? But I gave them a second chance because we have some good friends who rave about how nice and friendly the staff are and how great the beer is. I must not be in the clique, because her customer service SUCKS! The bartender working that day has no clue how to treat paying customers. Basically, if I have to engage the bartender in conversation to get a beer, than she don’t know jack about bartending. I was the only one sitting at the bar. She saw me walk in and sit down. She went to the bar, turned her back on me, and started washing dishes. When I asked if the taps were up and running she said, «Just order when you’re ready». No «how ya doin?» or «what’ll ya have»…NOTHING! What a shame, because the IPA was pretty good and the place is pretty nice inside. They just lost a potential loyal regular customer who tips WAY more than he should! Guess I’ll be spending my money at Boojums, cuz at least they are professional and courteous. Good job Bearwaters, I won’t be coming back, and hopefully when people read this, they’ll choose another place… unless they’re masochists and enjoy being treated like dirt.

As I was driving down Frazier Street, I was thinking how a brewery could be anywhere around here. Then pulling in between warehouses, I was making sure I had my weapon on me. There were 3 guys talking in front of building that I later realized were owners. Didn’t receive any type of greeting or acknowledgement I was there. As we entered the building I was quite surprised how cool looking it was inside. Kind of like you turned an empty warehouse into a man-​cave. A long bar, tables and booths along a large mural of a rocky river underneath a hanging kayak. There are two real dart boards and a small stage. According to the chalkboard there’s a food truck that comes n on Thursdays. As we sat another couple also sat but the girl behind bar kind of said something nu kept washing glasses and empty growlers (with her back to us.) we sat at the bar and waited for her to finish. As she came over, she did not explain anything to us just kind of expected us to know about the beers ī guess. I asked about flights and she says yea. Ok then, how much for how many? They had 7 of their own and a few guest beers but since were at their brewery, I kept to theirs. 4, four oz. Costs $ 7 if they are $ 4.50 or a dollar more each for higher priced. So I ordered all 7 of theirs plus a Original Sin Apple Cider (naw)
BearWaters offer a variety of tastes from The Delta Blonde golden ale, (its ok, somewhat bland) PaddleFree, an English style ESB to darker beers like Schwarz, a German black lager and Anglers Amber a dark ale with a smoke taste (not bad). Even the Scotch Ale and Irish Stout were pretty mild and light. Seems like it would be a cool place to hang except for barmaid and owners that give the impression they don’t really care if your there or not.

Great low key micro brew. Picnic tables in a converted garage create chill place to hang and have some great brews. Love the paddle flights and the Stiffpaddle IPA is a must.

Bearwaters is the typical, «we set up shop in an industrial park area in town» brewery.
On the plus side column, I really like the décor and vibe of the taproom. The picnic tables, hanging kayak and mural give it a cool woodsy/​outdoor feel. There are skylights which give it a nice bright, airy feel.
Unfortunately, most of the rest is in the negative column.
Let’s start with the staff. The female bartender on duty (Sat.8/29/15) was just outright unfriendly and not very helpful. It got worse from there — she was extremely rude to my wife and basically treated her like she thought she was stupid. Not cool. Way to represent your product.
Next there were long haired dogs running around (not on leashes) that were putting their feet up on the bar. I don’t mind dogs as long as their owners keep them on a leash and «in check».
The beers — all four in my flight were unimpressive and forgettable (and yes, I tried them all before the «rudeness incident» and had formed a separate opinion of the beer prior to that). What I tried: White Water Hef (mineral water), Stiff Paddle IPA (all bitter and no depth/​detectable accessory notes), Land O’ Sky Rye (had some potential/​gentle rye note), Redearred Slider (heavy and sweet). I drank about two to three sips of each and had no desire to finish any of them. The best of the worst was probably the Land O’ Sky.
As many of you know, I love IPAs in particular but love all beer. The more breweries I visit, the more I have to compare. Not only was the beer just, meh, but the staff made the visit very, very uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are three other breweries in town, Boojum, Tipping Point and Frog Level, all of which have great beer and awesome staff.
FYI, a flight here of four is $ 8, a flight of all 7 at Frog Level is $ 7.

Stopped by the Bearwaters while riding around Waynesville. There was a couple with a nice little dog inside and my wife and I needed a dog fix so we asked if we could pet the dog. They said yeah and we got our dog fix. We then headed to the bar, the wife got a guest cider and I got their IPA. Good beer and very friendly staff and customers and we will be back if we are in the neighborhood.

Tough to find, but well worth the effort. Nice lineup that is bound to appeal to everyone from the hop-​head to dark beer fans to non-​beer drinkers (ciders). The pale ale was nicely balanced & tasty and the stout was excellent. I wasn’t as big a fan of the IPA (too malty) and the porter (a chocolate & pepper version), but others in my group really enjoyed those as well. Overall a nice place to enjoy some unique beers.

It’s hard to believe that the small mountain town of Waynesville has 3 breweries. This was my 2^nd brewery stop in Waynesville.
I must say, I questioned where my GPS was taking me but one side of the street is residential, there’s a shopping center on the right and then this small office park behind the shopping center. BearWaters is in the far end of the office park.
The brewery has been around a little over a year though and they have 10 beers on tap. The only one I really enjoyed was the Blackwater Rye IPA.
The décor is minimal except for 2 kayaks and a canoe hanging from the ceiling. Oh and a can wall of other beers. I was a little surprised to see the Big 3 included in the wall of a craft brewery though. There is one picnic table outside in the parking lot. They may have a pop up tent there for shade.

I really like this place. The Brewery is in an old warehous-​y like area — as most good breweries are. This isn’t to be a fancy place… but a great place for them to make the beer and the opportunity to buy a pint, play some darts and catch up with friends.
They have a great selection of eight or more pouring… I love the Porter and tried a solid IPA here. I also liked that they are connected with other local breweries and participate in rare collaborations.
Finally, it is tricky to find but really convenient off the highway. I mean driving from Cullowhee to Asheville you can stop off, get a growler, or a quick pint and be on your way.

If you are looking for atmosphere, look somewhere else. If you are looking for a great beer experience, you found it. EIGHT of their fine craft brews on tap!
The door man is a black lab that likes to sniff your crotch. The guy behind the bar (Greg) is a fountain of information. You can order pints, flights, growlers, or a half growler. I tried all 8 beers (in two flights) and was not disappointed with any of them. My bill was $ 8, what a deal!
The location is off the beaten path, the amenities are sparse, but the beer is the best I’ve experienced in North Carolina.

Took bus tour to Headwaters yesterday. Very impressed with the beer, all were very good with my favorite being the Paddle IPA. Friendly and helpful brewer and taproom attendant. Definitely going back for a longer visit!