This Is Our First Post….

So this is our first post. We are not bloggers, not even very good writers for that matter, but we have so much to say. Where do we start? How do we keep this interesting and simple yet convey our thoughts? And of course, keep you, the reader, interested in coming back and reading more. Well, how about just some basic information to start. Remember, this is the tease. You HAVE to keep coming back to get the full story - or at least our version of it.

As promised here is the basic information….

Mountain Layers Brewing Company TM is a 7 barrel craft microbrewery and taproom located on historic Everett Street in beautiful downtown Bryson City, Swain County, which is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in North Carolina.

With plans for opening in the fall of 2016, Mountain Layers Brewing Company is excited to be a part of the growing craft brewing industry in Western North Carolina. We want to focus on bringing people and the community together to enjoy a comfortable and family friendly brewery where you can relax and enjoy this beautiful part of the country from either inside at our taproom or outside on our spacious rooftop deck. We're offering southern hospitality and especially great handcrafted beer along with other non-alcoholic beverages for the whole family.

Mountain Layers Brewing Company uses amazing water that comes directly from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. When possible, we incorporate locally sourced ingredients to brew the freshest and the finest variety of classic and cutting edge beer styles possible. We'll have several flagship beers always on tap as well as seasonal and special release beers that will be available in our taproom by the glass as well as in 32oz or 64oz growlers to take with you when you leave. Mountain Layers Brewing Company believes the recipe for a great beer experience starts and ends with people. Our company philosophy is reflected in the way we appreciate our employees, customers, and our community by enjoying each other’s company around the love of craft beer!

Mountain Layers Brewing Company founders are Kim and Mark Pettit, who have been married for over 32 years and have been vacationing in beautiful Swain County for over 15 years. In 2014, after Mark’s early retirement after 30 years in public service from up North and with Kim’s ability to work from home, they decided to make their dream a reality and moved from Minnesota to beautiful Swain County... and with the love of craft beer and being with people enjoying the beauty of the Smoky Mountains the next natural thing was to open a craft microbrewery and taproom in Bryson City.

As many of you may know, or not, finding a name in the craft brewing industry is difficult at best. We went through a lot of names and were actually getting a bit frustrated because we couldn’t find one that shared our love for the area, people, and industry. One night Kim was reading Horace Kephart’s “Our Southern Highlanders” while Mark was watching the news and Kim looked up and said, “There is just so much history here, so much depth to the people, so many layers.” See, after our first visit to this area we started coming back because we loved the beauty of the mountains and the layering of the different peaks and valleys. We love being outdoors in nature and hiking the Great Smoky Mountain trails was a favorite past time. Now having lived here and gotten to know the area and people we have come to love so much more. So upon saying that, Mark instantly turned to her and said “Mountain Layers”! We both knew we had found our name. In just a couple words, it said so much: our love of the mountain layers, the people we have become friends with, the community that has taken us in, and the many amazing layers craft beer itself has to offer. It was fate.