Answer Woman: What's opening in the old UpCountry Brewing building on Haywood Road?

ASHEVILLE - A reader asks about the new business opening in a recently vacated building in West Asheville. Got a question for Answer Man or Answer Woman? Email Executive Editor Karen Chávez at KChavez@citizentimes.com, and your question could appear in an upcoming column.

Question: Is there a new brewery or restaurant opening in the old UpCountry/Altamont location on Haywood Road?

Answer: To know what’s to come, one must look to the past.

In 2016, Altamont Brewing closed at 1042 Haywood Road after five years in operation. The building was sold to John Cochran, co-founder of Terrapin Beer Co. in Athens, Georgia, who opened his new brewery and taproom under the name UpCountry Brewing Co.

Keeping with the trend, last spring, Cochran closed UpCountry’s West Asheville location, and another new brewery will make its debut at the address this fall.

Diatribe Brewing Co. is projected to open in mid to late October.

Early on, Diatribe has been welcomed to the neighborhood, according to founder Dave Byer, who is opening the business with his partner, Betty Dunajski.

The West Asheville residents have received favorable feedback from passersby who’ve stopped to inquire about their plan for the space.

“I lived here when Altamont was here. It’s had a couple of breweries here, Altamont and UpCountry, so the neighborhood is used to that,” said Byer, who’s also Diatribe’s head brewer. “They kind of expect a brewery in this spot. They’ve enjoyed having one.”

The name “Diatribe” is in reference to Byer’s knack for passionately voicing his views.

“A lot of friends around here know me for getting opinionated on things like beer styles and other topics and going on rants,” Byer said.

His thoughts on if Asheville has too many breweries: No.

“If this was a different city, maybe not a tourist city, sure. But as we’ve seen, we are a beer city,” Byer said. “People don’t complain about Napa Valley having too many wineries. People go there because there are so many winery options. The quality of breweries and the number of breweries can bring in more people to help build a scene.”

Byer began as a home brewer and racked up awards including four in the National Home Brew Competition. A few years ago, he won the Home Brewer of the Year Award for the Southeast and Mid-South circuits.

This year, Byer earned a gold medal in the U.S. Open Beer Championship for a New Zealand IPA that he made for Eluvium Brewing Co., where he was the head brewer.

At Diatribe, Byer plans to venture into his preferred style of European lagers, including German and Czech styles. The beverage program will include small-batch, specialty hard seltzers featuring Dunajski’s flavor blends.

Also, expect some sour beers to make an appearance on the menu.

Wine, ciders and other drinks from other companies will be sold, too.

Renovations and enhancements are ongoing at the brewery, including the construction of a larger bar for additional seating.

The connected restaurant space is still available for sale, formerly Nona Mia and most recently Grata Pizzeria until it closed in July.

“We hope to see a restaurant open soon. We were sad to see Grata go; we loved their pizza,” he said.

In the meanwhile, Byer said food trucks are in consideration and he encourages brewery guests to visit neighboring eateries, like The Odd, which offers a full dining menu in the bar. Outside food will be welcomed at the brewery.

Follow the Citizen Times for updates on Diatribe Brewing Co.

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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: West Asheville building gets new tenant on Haywood Road: What to know