Oxbow At The Whale

12:00 PM - 11:00 PM | West Asheville, NC

Thursday, August 18, 2022

We’re hype to feature Oxbow Brewing, a brewery we’ve been excited to be carrying at The Whale for a while now. We’ll have a few select Oxbow brews on tap as well as a selection of brews in the bottle that you can try here or take home with you!

About Oxbow:

Oxbow is a small farmhouse brewery located in rural Newcastle, Maine. The brewery is nestled in an enchanted forest amongst rolling farmlands and winding tidal rivers, of which the ebb and flow provide a constant reminder that the coast is near.

The name Oxbow is inspired by the bends in these rivers, the Dyer in particular, which features stunning horseshoe-shaped oxbows where the river covers tremendous ground to travel what could otherwise be a very short linear distance. We employ a similar approach when crafting our beers, taking months or years to create a beverage that is commonly produced in a matter of days.

OXBOW BREWING CO.

There is a small sign with the original Oxbow owl logo that marks the dirt (or more frequently, mud) driveway to 274 Jones Woods Road, which leads to the brewery and tasting room. The brewery is in a converted barn and has been dedicated to the pursuit of crafting unique farmhouse ales of distinctively European influence.

All Oxbow beers are brewed here and utilize the soft spring water that is drawn from an artesian well that sits adjacent to the brewery. The tasting room next door has a rotating selection of the brewery’s finest offerings, both on tap and in bottle, as well as light snacks and merchandise.

Customers are encouraged to relax inside amongst the barrels and the bar’s rough-cut pine interior, or outside at one of the many picnic tables. The pond behind the brewery and tasting room provides a lovely backdrop for a beer tasting session or a game of bag toss.

OXBOW BLENDING & BOTTLING

Fifty miles southwest of the brewery, right in the middle of Portland—Maine’s largest city, lies Oxbow Blending & Bottling. This urban outpost provides much-needed space for beer production, housing 200+ oak barrels and dozens of stainless steel tanks.

All of the vessels in this space are filled with mixed-fermentation or “sour” beers that require extended aging and conditioning times. Approximately 25% of this 10,000-square-foot warehouse is dedicated to their bar, event space, and Gallery 49 art gallery. The bar features an extensive selection of Oxbow and guest brewery drafts and bottles, as well as an eclectic selection of wine and Amaro.

The venue is utilized for a plethora of art shows and community events, from the local tackle shop hosting a fly tying class, to live hip-hop nights featuring underground and old-school artists such as Pharaoh Monch and KRS-One.

Outside of Oxbow Blending & Bottling is a stone patio that is shared with our friends from Duckfat and is the source of some of the best food in the city. This James Beard award-winning restaurant team has a focus on European-inspired foods that pair wonderfully with our dry, rustic beer offerings.

While they love providing their customers with a wide and ever-changing selection of Oxbow beers at their own brick-and-mortar locations, they also do our best to keep Maine’s bars, restaurants, and beer shops well-stocked, as well as send small amounts to cities – like Asheville – around the world where our unique products are appreciated and well-represented.

For more events at The Whale, check out our events page.