Frog Level Brewing Company

Music is really in poor taste and too loud. This is a beautiful bar with high quality brews. They should play music to match the quality. I don’t think I’ll be back.

Nice deck on stream with resident black cat. Coffee and sandwich shop next door. Stop by.

This place will certainly need another visit, perhaps in a few months, but the day we were there there were a few issues.
They could not seem to open on time, which was not a big deal. We wandered a bit in the historic Frog Level area while waiting. Some ongoing construction was in progress, and hence the delay. However, a worker was doing some varnishing after opening, and that smell was not pleasant.
The music was not only too loud, but poorly chosen. Sort of pop-​techno-​hip/​hop club thump. It was bitterly cold outside, so escaping the music out there was not a good option. This made it uncomfortable both inside and out.
The beers on tap we sampled were not bad but no standouts. They featured the Wit Kicker that day, and I did not care for it. The Nutty Brewnette and Hop Scotch ale were better. At another establishment we tried their Salamander Slam and that was decent… but it was not available at the brewery that day. Also, they were serving in plastic cups… no, no, no! That’s just dissing the beer, folks.
The interior space was good size and it looked like they will be adding some games, and the outside space was spectacular, right on the creek. In the warm weather it will be lovely. Apparently you can kayak over and stop in for a pour.
They’ve got some work to do yet and it looks like its progressing. Will always support local and regional craft brewers… we’ll give it another try down the road.

Love the outdoor area and the recent upgrades!!! Good times have been and will be made here! A definite stop on you Waynesville beer stop!

A craft brewery that serves their beer in plastic? This isn’t a college kegger, so no thanks.

My wife and I have been to this place many times. The staff are usually OK, sometimes disinterested. I like their Salamander Slam but in the last couple of months they’ve been out of it when I’ve been there. Yesterday they had two locally brewed beers on tap… TWO!?! I’m not a brewmaster but something has gone terribly wrong.
Oh, and as I walked out I heard the owner growl to the bartender, «what did he want?». I wanted beer, pal, something you can’t seem to deliver, which is sad because IT’S YOUR JOB!!!
Think I’ll be taking my business elsewhere.

What a find! Frog Level Brewing is named so because it’s located in the Frog Level district of tiny little Waynesville NC. What a cute little area in between the train tracks & the creek!
The brewery is in a stretch of shops and doesn’t look very big from the outside, but the taproom is quite large once you go inside. They have cornhole boards inside before you get to the bar that seats ~10 people, though there are several other bartop tables inside too. The best seating is outside– their patio is one of the best ever & is right on the creek! How serene :)
I only tried their porter, and it was so damn good I could have had 3. I was really impressed by the malt character & solid chocolate notes in this one. They were out of their salamander IPA so I didn’t get to taste it. They did have a rye ale that was pretty good but not hoppy like I would want in a rye. They do can & bottle many of their beers, and I’ve even seen the IPA and brown ale here in Raleigh. If they had food, I’d definitely give this place 5 stars.
All in all, I’d certainly come back here & would love if they had food too. The beer is certainly worth another visit, but the creekside seating makes it 10x better :)

3 months ago, sitting in Craft Tasting Room in Charlotte, I sampled a fantastic IPA from Frog Level. That’s when it was bookmarked. Fast forward to my brew tour of Waynesville. Last stop, Frog Level.
The entry is like a hop scented tunnel into the side of a mountain; dark and cool. Pallets of grains, malts, hops and empty cans waiting to be filled are lined up to the right. The room opens up to the taproom and brew tanks, going through to the complete other side of the building. The patio/​outdoor area is one of the best features. The area is heavily shaded with trees and has a beautiful, rambling creek as a border; both features really cool down the area, like nature’s own AC.
So, the flights aren’t fancy, yes, they use plastic cups. Each sample is only $ 1, so you can sample all seven beers for only $ 7. Frog Level has some pretty solid flagship beers: Salamander Slam IPA — normally I like West Coast Style IPAs but I really dig this English Style IPA — hoppy, bitter and a complex malty flavor. Tadpole Porter: a more traditional porter than you see these days. Nutty Brunette and Lily Cream Boy Ale are also good. I tried the Raspberry Basil Summer Shandy as well, which had a nice light fruity flavor without tasting too herbal. The only bad news was that the day I went, they had just canned all the Salamander Slam, so I had to pay $ 4.50 for a can. Booo! Their draught prices are good, but I think $ 18 for a four pack of tall boys is a bit steep (compared to say NODA @$ 10– I personally top out at about $ 12 to $ 14).
Everyone was friendly and talkative. An older gentleman was grinding out some country songs on his guitar with a nice gravelly voice. And the patio, at night when the lights come on in the trees, just makes this place rock even more.
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4.

I’ve heard good things about this brewery, and it wasn’t bad, however, given the other great breweries I’ve been too, I felt like it fell a little short. At the end of the day, it’s about the beer and the atmosphere. I wasn’t that thrilled with the beer. They had 8 beers on tap, and you can get a flight of from 2 to 8. I chose to get all 8, so I can see what all they had to offer. My favorite of the beers was a Cream Ale, which was totally surprising. It was the one beer that I almost didn’t order because it didn’t sound good. Glad I tried that one. I heard from another patron at the bar that their Salamander IPA had won some Charlotte Panthers beer award. It was ok, but it wasn’t one of my favorite IPA’s. Overall, I give the beer a passing grade, but not something I would go back for. They also had a Nutty beer that was interesting. Not something I would regularly get, but pretty good.
The atmosphere of the brewery was pretty nice. Its a long thin, brick exposed room, in an old building, with the bar towards the back. The really special part of this brewery is the really cool outside deck which overlooks the creek. You can’t beat that atmosphere.

The interior looks like it would be a great place to study or catch up with a friend. I enjoyed my cider on the back porch overlooking the creek! Very friendly staff and great location.

Seriously good brewery about 30 min. West of Asheville. Their IPA (Salamander Slam) is my favorite IPA in WNC. I drive out there just to drink this. It’s also available on tap at the Mellow Mushroom so we go there frequently. Brewery is owned and operated by a disabled Vet so your supporting ‘Merica when you drink his beer!
The brewery is a pretty cool space. Nestled right along a little river they have some nice outdoor seating on a rather expansive back deck. Would definitely make the drive out here to check this place out.

Great beers and an even better location. I can’t wait for warmer weather so I can get out and enjoy the beautiful patio area that over looks the water. I had the Nutty Brunette and it was better than I expected. I am excited to go again and try some more of the local brews that are made in house. Great place!

We were staying in Maggie Valley at a cabin and decided to drive to Waynesville for some entertainment. After seeing such great reviews about this brewery, we wanted to try it out. Loved the choice of brews and the live music. The atmosphere was not too busy but perfect for a good time and everyone there greeted you with a smile and a «hello». We played corn hole for hours and made many new friends in the process. The only downfall was the wait for our beer– I believe there was only one person behind the bar serving on a Friday night. Enjoyed the place being dog-​friendly, as well. Overall great place to relax with a group of friends and drink some yummy beer.

Great chill place for a beer. Had the IPA and I enjoyed it. Back patio is a great place to sit and there are games like cornhole and foosball inside. Also kid friendly while I was there around 3

Keep yer eyes peeled for the bearded brewmaster — a foxy weasel indeed in deed.
Great beer and awesome space, a very welcome addition to this part of the state, expanding upon the already proud brewing tradition in Asheville in a big way.

Friendly staff and great beers right on the river! Definitely worth the 5 minute walk from Main Street to check out! Beautiful views.

Very sweet spot to enjoy one of this delicious beers. Beautiful outside sitting next to the river, kid friendly and great staff. Took 2 croakers and a growler to go!

Nice place (if you’re from Indy, imagine the Upland tasting room on steroids) with a beautiful deck, relaxed vibe & river view. Tried samples of every beer and found nothing bad (and some very good). I’m not a cream ale fan, but their’s was quite tasty, the porter & brown we’re a-​ok, and my better half enjoyed their Christmas beer. But the star of the show is their IPA — a hop-​bomb on the front end but then finishes amazingly clean. Definitely recommend stopping in for an afternoon or early evening brew before dinner (which you’ll need to go elsewhere for, as they don’t have a kitchen).

Undoubtedly the best craft brewery in Waynesville, and beats most of them in Asheville.
The brewmaster, Clark, is a purist. All his brews are English ales. Nothing fruity, or weird. Six standards on tap with some seasonal specials.
Live music Thursday, Friday and Saturday. No food but there is a stash of menus from places that deliver.
The patio overlooks the river and the crowd is always friendly. You have to belly up to the bar to place your order, no table service.

I was touring the breweries in Western NC when I stopped in here. From the outside, this looks like a small place but looks are very deceiving here. Walk in and you’ll see the space is very long.
They store their supplies on the right but there’s local art on the walls for decoration.
Beyond the storage area is a group of bulky yet comfortable seating, a few bar tables and then to the left is the bar. The awkward thing about the bar is the seating. The bar was built too high so everyone will feel like they are a kid sitting at the bar.
The beers here were quite good. My favorites were the Tadpole Porter and the Salamander Slam IPA.
The best thing about this place is the outdoor space out back. Yes, they have a big deck but walk off the deck and you have 2 picnic tables that overlook a creek. It was so relaxing. I spent about 2 hours there.
The good news is that according to one of the owners, their beer is distributed all across North Carolina. So maybe I might have to find it locally in Charlotte.