Pisgah Brewing Comapny continues to celebrate this milestone year by teaming up to support our wild places and wild things!   Wild Connections is a collaboration between Wild South, Ashvegas, Warren Wilson College Department of Environmental Studies and Pisgah Brewing Company. We want to connect people to our places here in Western North Carolina – specifically our rich diverse ecosystems and the native wildlife that inhabit them. WWC students have taken on projects to explore and research 5 ecosystems (high elevation spruce-fir forests, mountain bogs, rich cove forests, grassy balds and the Hickory Nut Gorge) and to teach people to enjoy, value and protect these wild places through a series of essays published on Ashvegas.com and 5 to 7 minute documentary films that highlight Bog Turtles, Carolina Flying Squirrels and more to be screened on May 13 - in coordination with Pisgah announcing a series of beers this year to mimic each of these ecosystems, starting with the “Bog Turtle Dark Red Ale”!     Wednesday May 13 from 6:30-8pm at Pisgah Brewing Company  Wild Connections Documentary Film Festival Join us on May 13th and get inspired! This kind of collaboration inspires me – and I am continually impressed with one of the key players, Pisgah Brewing Company. Back in 2005, Wild South had yet to merge with our sister group in Alabama and were still called The Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project (SABP). French Broad Brewing Company offered to donate beer for a SABP event and Jason Caughman, one of Pisgah’s founders, stood up and said “I’ll donate some too!”…and the rest is history. 

“I love what Pisgah has brought to the region - great beer, an exemplary environmental ethic and a charitable heart.” –Tracy Davids, former Wild South Executive Director

Pisgah began a partnership to support public lands and native wildlife protection. They began donating beer for all SABP/Wild South events and crafting the Hellbender Barleywine with the group logo on the bottles that were sold as an annual fundraiser -and Jason served on the Wild South board for 3 years.  After the tasting room expanded, SABP/Wild South events were hosted in the space and when the outdoor stage took shape, Wild South began to take part in concerts with Pisgah as partner to raise funding and awareness for the cause. Since 2011, Wild South has hosted Lucinda Williams, Maceo Parker, Keller and the Travelin McCourys, - and on June 6, 2015 Pisgah and Wild South are proud to host Jason Isbell to the outdoor stage!  Looking at where Pisgah stands in 2015, it’s stronger than ever – and continues to be a major leader in our region. Owner, Dave Quinn stands strong in his love for the outdoors and his passion to protect our waters, woods and wildlife. Benton Wharton, Gaines Meyer, and the Pisgah staff are visible and vocal supporters for community groups all over the region, showing us all how they are true partners and players in our region.  From all of us: Thank you Pisgah for TEN years of friendship, support, trust and leadership… and here’s to ten more!   – Benjamin Colvin, Development Director, Wild South